At today’s weekly press conference, I initiated the following exchange with Mike Nolan:
Cohn: Would you say that so far this season has been a disappointment, and do you feel as you approach the bye week you are coaching for your job?
Nolan: The last two weeks I’ve been disappointed in our performance. Up to that point, as I said even after the 0-1 start, I felt we were a better team than the year before at 1-0. That proved itself the next two weeks. At 2-1 I felt pretty good about it. These last two weeks have been a disappointment, to go to New Orleans and to not play as complete a game as we did in the prior two (games) and in this past game to have someone come into our house and, although, yes New England is a good football team but I felt without all of our mistakes that’s a team we can beat at home. So that has been a disappointment. As far as the second part of the question, as far as performing for my job, I’ve never looked at it that way. Every day I’m doing that. I was doing it last year. Nobody asked me that question last year during the season. But that’s what you’re doing. You’re doing that at all times. I’m doing that. This week, I’ll do it again. If you’re 5-0 you’re coaching for your job. So, that doesn’t change. That’s just the nature of the beast so to speak.
OK, that’s the end of the Nolan quotation. Now, I want to make something clear. I did not enjoy asking Nolan those questions. They are hard questions to ask and difficult for a proud man to answer. I know that. I like Nolan, even if he thinks I don’t, but when a team begins to flounder, when a team has a history of floundering under this coach (and this ownership), a serious journalist must ask serious questions. I believe Nolan understands that. I hope he does.
My colleague Matt Maiocco actually raised the issue of Nolan’s job security in his article about the Niner/New England game. I expanded on the notion and gave Nolan a chance to address it in his own words.
Nolan said no one asked him about his job security during last season. I believe I did. I could be wrong, but I don’t think so.
A couple of other things. Nolan told the media there were some slip-ups against New England and the problems are correctable. He meant that, without the slip-ups, the 49ers would have won. He needs to believe that, but when a team holds the ball twice as long as you, it’s more than slip-ups. It’s probably a disparity in the talent level of the two teams, and maybe a disparity in the coaching. It’s fair to wonder about those things.
And, yes, I believe Nolan is coaching for his job and here’s what I mean. If the 49ers lose all their remaining games leading to the bye week, if they lose at home to Seattle and approach the bye at 2-6, I think Nolan is gone. I take no joy in that and I am not firing him in this blog or saying he should be fired. I’m saying the team will have to make a move because that’s what teams do. I’m saying Nolan has to understand that.
— Lowell
