Here is the opening to my Sunday column about Jim Harbaugh’s clothes and his look in general: Jim Harbaugh is not your average below-average dresser. When it comes to having a sense of style, he is a pre-teenager. At public occasions when he is representing the 49ers, he often looks like he crawled out of the hamper. But this is not a Harbaugh-bashing column. I myself am no Beau Brummell when it comes to dressing up. I believe Harbaugh has… Read More »
Here is the opening to my Sunday column about Jim Harbaugh in which I offer him some well-meaning advice: I offer this advice to Jim Harbaugh as the football season fades in the rearview mirror and baseball looms ahead. I offer this advice to be helpful, even friendly. Now that he has time — no games coming up — Harbaugh might take time to reflect about himself, about what he does well and not so well as a coach. He… Read More »
Judging from the early returns — exit polls? — on my Jim Harbaugh column, readers are upset with me for asking Harbaugh about his in-game behavior and for writing about it. I’d like to add two points to the column. 1. Harbaugh is the CEO of the Niners during a game. A CEO should act more calmly when he is performing his job. 2. Harbaugh’s team laid an egg in the first quarter against the Falcons and Ravens. The 49ers… Read More »
Here is he opening to my Wednesday column about Jim Harbaugh’s sideline behavior: SANTA CLARA — Go on the internet. Look for a video called, “The Best Jim Harbaugh Freakouts.” It’s easy to find. It shows the 49ers’ coach freaking out on the sideline during games, a wild man throwing his clipboard, screaming at the refs, screaming at who knows who. Just screaming. If Harbaugh were a child, you’d call it pitching a fit. You’d send him to his room.… Read More »
You need to remember I was not at the Super Bowl. I watched it on TV like you. When it was all over, I kept watching to see the Harbaugh brothers meet on the field. They struggled through a crowd to find each other. Touching. When they met, they shook hands. Shook hands? They are brothers for heaven’s sake and they just had competed heroically against each other. They should have hugged. Then Jim, of all people, lovingly put his… Read More »
Here is the opening to a column I wrote a while back for the Press Democrat’s special section on the 49ers. It is about the Niners’ first Super Bowl (well, it starts a little before that), which I covered, and the current Super Bowl attempt, which I am not covering: The man in the navy blue bellman’s outfit grabbed suitcases as players and media walked off the bus. Who was this guy? He was aggressive, grabbing the way he did.… Read More »
Here is the lead to today’s column about Jim Harbaugh: There is so much at stake for Jim Harbaugh today. Every week, there is so much at stake for his reputation and his standing among NFL coaches. Those statements probably seem hard to believe. He’s already shown he’s the boy wonder as coach — although, he’s not such a boy anymore. What possibly could be at stake for him today in the NFC championship game against the Falcons? Just this.… Read More »
Here is the opening to my Tuesday column about Jim Harbaugh’s handling of the quarterback switch from Alex Smith to Colin Kaepernick: SANTA CLARA It is take-stock time for the 49ers. As they approach Saturday’s do-or-die playoff game against the Packers, it’s time to answer two significant questions: Was Jim Harbaugh correct to go with Colin Kaepernick over Alex Smith starting Nov. 19 against Chicago? And did Harbaugh handle the transition the right way? The answers to these questions have… Read More »
Here is the opening to my column about the 49ers and their problem with place kicking: SANTA CLARA Jim Harbaugh was in his Jimbo mood on Monday. When he’s happy and everything is right with the world and he flashes the million-dollar grin, that’s the Jimbo mood. Of course, Harbaugh has several other moods — they might even be personalities — and some of those are terse or gloomy or withdrawn. Hardly Jimbo Jim. But on Monday, Jimbo visited with… Read More »
This is a little historical analysis to shed light on the problem the 49ers have right now. Their problem is no Justin Smith. Without Justin Smith their defense doesn’t seem to be a big deal. In fact, it seems to be a liability. Harbaugh may be responsible for his team losing Smith and here’s how. Before the New England game, Harbaugh activated Scott Tolzien. It was a strange call. It meant he had three quarterbacks but he didn’t need three… Read More »
