Michael Crabtree, San Francisco 49ers / Photo: Newscom

According to Niners head coach Mike Singletary, Michael is progressing well:

“Michael’s doing fine. He’s working his tail off. I think every day he gets out here and every rep that he takes, it makes him that much better. He’s been studying his tail off and it shows when he’s out here. He doesn’t have a whole lot of questions on the field. He’s running the right routes, he’s doing the right things. It’s just a matter of us taking every step with every second, every minute to get him up to speed and ready to go.”

Michael will make his NFL debut against the Houston Texans on October 25.

Source: NFL.com

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Michael Crabtree Will Be Ready For 49ers

Michael Crabtree, San Francisco 49ers / Photo: Newscom

The only thing that kept Michael from being a top five (or maybe top six or seven) pick in the 2009 NFL Draft was the concern over a foot injury that kept him from participating in the NFL Scouting Combine or a personal “Pro Day” for team evaluators. So he fell all the way to the 49ers with the 10th overall pick. And because Michael felt he was better than that, he held out with delusions of grandeur that ultimately backfired because this is essentially the same deal the Niners were offering him back in July.

If Michael’s agent, Eugene Parker, hasn’t tried to break the financial slotting process of the Draft, Michael would’ve been in camp and learning and contributing to an already impressive 49ers offense. Make no mistake, however. His presence will help this team but it’s going to take some time for him to get acclimated—to the Niners and the speed of the National Football League.

Source: NFL.com

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Michael Crabtree Finally Signs With 49ers

Michael Crabtree, San Francisco 49ers / Photo: Newscom

At this point, I think Michael has serious delusions of grandeur. He needs to step up and order his agent to get a deal done. Or fire Mr. Parker and find a new agent to represent him. Michael should to be a part of this young, talented team. It certainly appears he thinks he’s better than he really is and deserves more money than he’s being offered. The reality of it is, he’s being offered exactly what he should be offered for being the 10th overall selection. But he feels he should be paid what N.Y. Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez is being paid for going 5th overall. Which doesn’t make much sense unless you’re living in a fantasy world. And Michael does appear to be ensconced in his own fantasy world. He should fall in line and accept the money for the reality of where he was drafted—not where he feels he should’ve been drafted.

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Michael Crabtree Has Delusions of Grandeur

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San Francisco 49ers interim head coach Mike Singletary couldn’t have scripted this Week 17 season finale any better. Moments after his team beat the Washington Redskins 27-24 this afternoon, he signed a four-year, $10 million contract to continue as full-time head coach of the Niners. The ink is still drying as I type this. Kicker Joe Nedney, who won the game with a 40-yard field goal as time expired, was one of many players happy with the not-so-surprising announcement:

“He’s honest, intense and forthright. You have to have those qualities to bring together the chemistry of a team.”

As I’ve said in several previous posts, Coach Singletary is the obvious choice for this job. His passion and commitment to the San Francisco 49ers is obvious and I believe he will be a fantastic head coach for a long time. He’s already turned the Niners into winners (he had a 5-4 record) and I believe he has the ability to change the attitude of this organization back to the winning ways of the dominant Niners teams of the 1980s. Coach Singletary has the right to hire and fire his assistants so it will be interesting to see which staffers return, especially pass happy offensive coordinator Mike Martz.

Source: PressDemocrat.com, Photo: Newscom

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Mike Singletary Signs Four-Year Contract

It appears San Francisco 49ers interim head coach Mike Singletary will be named the team’s full-time head coach for 2009. And that announcement could come as soon as Monday, a day after the Niners’ season finale against the Washington Redskins. Coach Singletary impressed team officials during a meeting a couple days ago by outlining his game plan for the 49ers’ offensive and defensive future. Thus, it would seem that defensive coordinator Greg Manusky would stay and offensive coordinator Mike Martz (whose pass happy philosophy clashes with coach Singletary’s) would not. The 49ers can’t sign coach Singletary to an extension during the season, so I expect them to move quickly to sign him before other team’s come calling.

Source: The Sacramento Bee

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Mike Singletary to be Named Head Coach?

San Francisco 49ers head coach Mike Singletary is an interesting guy. I loved the old school tirade after his first game (a 34-13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks) as leader of the Niners. Some felt it came across a bit strong for a debut, but I don’t think so. I think it was necessary. I think it was a lot of pent-up frustration with the team that he wasn’t really able to express previously. Anyway, new developments from that game surfaced today when it became known that coach Singletary dropped his drawers at halftime in an effort to somehow motivate his team. Why would he pull his pants down in front of the team? He actually had to issue a statement to explain himself:

“I used my pants to illustrate that we were getting our tails whipped on Sunday and how humiliating that should feel for all of us. I needed to do something to dramatize my point; there were other ways I could have done it but I think this got the message across. I am excited about having the team back at practice on Monday so we can get back to work.”

Personally, I don’t think this is an appropriate way to motivate NFL players. It’s — ummm — weird. I think coach lost it there for a few hours. The good news is he was wearing boxer shorts. There was no “mooning” going on. That would’ve raised the weirdness to another level. As I said before, I think coach Singeltary will be a fine NFL coach. But he really needs to keep his pants on.

Source: ESPN.com

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Mike Singletary Wears Boxers

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On his blog today, San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis posted a response to the stern verbal reprimand he received from his new head coach, Mike Singeltary, after Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks:

“I spoke to Coach Singletary today. We talked briefly. I didn’t really say much to him, I pretty much just listened to what he had to say. I saw the point he was trying to make as far as on the field. He pretty much told me I’ve got to be aware of what’s going on, on the field. If someone says something to me, I can’t let it bother me. I have got to be bigger than that. I agree. I shouldn’t have retaliated after the guy said what he said. I should have just moved on and tried to be the bigger man.

“One thing about me, when I get heated, I just want to be to myself. I didn’t really hear Coach Singletary call me on sideline. I didn’t really hear him calling me at the time. I was just in another world because I had everybody else saying something to me. I didn’t really hear anybody else talking. I didn’t say anything to coach. I pretty much just listened to Coach Singletary said when he approached me. He told me to sit down and I sat down, and he told me to go inside and I went inside.

“I was asked today by the media if Coach Singletary and I could work together. Yeah, I believe we can make it work. Coach Singletary, he’s a coach that really wants to win. He’s excited and this is his first time having a big job like this so he has to get comfortable, and we have to get comfortable with each other, I think he’s going to do a good job.

“I know that I’m a team guy. My teammates know it. I love my teammates, I love the coaches. I think that they’re doing a good job around here, and I would never do anything to hurt my teammates or put them in any kind of trouble. Coach Singletary always preaches we have to stay together and he’s right, team first. It’s about the team, it ain’t about me, it ain’t about the coaches, it ain’t about individuals. It’s about the team. When you’re playing this game, especially where we’re at right now. We’re at a point right now where we need to come out of a hole. It’s tough. We really have to be a team at this point and depend on each other.”

Coach Singletary added that Vernon was “not a problem guy” but sometimes “forgets that the team is more important.” I’ll reiterate what I said in my post Sunday. Vernon’s a good guy. He knows what’s up. And he’ll learn from this. Even though I’m sure the whole incident was an embarrassing situation for him, he’ll be a better player and person for it. In all honesty, these two need each other. Coach Singletary needs the kind of out-of-this-world potential Vernon brings. And Vernon could use the discipline and coaching. As I believe coach Singeltary will become one of the best head coaches in the game, I think Vernon will eventually evolve into one of the best tight ends in football.

Source: Yardbarker.com, The Mercury News, Photo: Newscom

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Vernon Davis: ‘I’m a Team Guy’

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After a 34-13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks this afternoon, new San Francisco 49ers head coach Mike Singletary blasted tight end Vernon Davis (and sent him to the locker room early after an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty) — and addressed (emphatically) the need for players who are “solution oriented” in their approach to fixing the many problems of this once-proud franchise:

“Vernon … it’s something I told everyone at the beginning of the week. I will not tolerate players that think it’s about them and not the team. We cannot make decisions that cost the team, and then come off the sidelines and it’s nonchalant. No. This is how I believe. I’m from the old school. I believe this. I would rather play with 10 people and just get penalized all the way until we have to do something else. Rather than play with 11, when I know that right now, that person is not sold out to be part of this team. It’s more about them, than it is the team. You can not play with them. You can not win with them. You can not coach with them. Can’t do it. I want winners. I want people who want to win ….. I told him he’d do a better job for us right now taking a shower and coming back and watching the game than going out on the field, simple as that.”

Now, in defense of Vernon, the unsportsmanlike conduct penalty was a joke. I don’t know what he said — it looked like there was some jawing — but he just brushed the facemask of Seahawks safety Brian Russell. It was barely a swipe. But that’s not the point. I know a bit about Vernon. I’ve interviewed him. He’s a good guy. And I don’t believe he’s a selfish player. Some people have said that he talks a better game than he plays, but I wouldn’t go that far. I will step out and say I think he’s been somewhat of an underachiever because he has the ability to be one of the best tight ends in football. I don’t know whether it’s been because of his surroundings or his supporting cast or whatever you want to call it. But the guy is better than the numbers he has put up in his short career thus far (not that they’ve been terrible numbers). I do think Vernon probably needs to get some bad habits out of his system which may or may not include an attitude adjustment. And Coach Singeltary will help him there. If Vernon’s open to it. Which I believe he is. You didn’t see Vernon jawing with his coach over the incident. He took the punishment like a man and was respectful about it. And even though I’m sure it was an embarrassing situation for him, he’ll be a better player and person for it.

Coach Singeltary comes from “the old school,” as he said in his postgame presser. What he’s doing from the start — from his start, if you will — is setting a standard for this 49ers team. He’s letting them know, in no uncertain terms, what he expects and what it will take to be a championship caliber team. The Niners are not there right now. But with Coach Singeltary’s guidance, I believe they will be sooner than later. I think Mike Singletary will be a great head coach in the National Football League.

Sources: 49ers.com, ESPN.com, Photo: Newscom

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Mike Singletary Blasts Vernon Davis

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According to a Fox Sports report today, the San Francisco 49ers have fired head coach Mike Nolan. With a bye week looming after a game against the Seattle Seahawks this coming weekend, it was initially reported the firing would happen after that game. But apparently, the powers-that-be want to see what defensive coordinator Mike Singletary can do with this 2-5 team before the bye week and before the offseason hits.

As much as I respect and feel bad for coach Nolan, this was probably the smartest decision the Niners could have made if they were even thinking about making a coaching change (and obviously they were). By giving coach Singletary a sort of trial run (and by no means is the team “mailing it in” this season), they will be able to offer him a job before a host of other teams tries to hire him off the open market this coming offseason. Coach Singletary will undoubtedly be one of the most sought after men to take over a head coaching spot at the end of this season.

In coach Nolan’s defense, he inherited a bankrupt team without even a glimpse of the talent from the team’s glory years. He was in his fourth season with the Niners and had an 18-37 won-loss record. Dismal, yes. But you certainly can’t throw all the blame on the head coach in this situation.

Source: Fox Sports, Photo: Newscom

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49ers Fire Head Coach Mike Nolan

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I had high hopes for San Francisco 49ers rookie receiver Josh Morgan. He caught nine passes for 182 yards and a touchdown in the 49ers’ first two exhibition games. He looked like the second coming of T.O. to the Bay area. Then he apparently caught a staph infection from the infield dirt at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum because he sort of disappeared for a while. Josh started missing practice time and didn’t play in the Niners’ final preseason game. And the only information head coach Mike Nolan revealed was that Josh had an “undisclosed illness.” Josh has appeared in all three regular season games, but he’s clearly been limited and troubled by this illness.

Matt Maiocco from PressDemocrat.com (who has been covering the 49ers for 14 years) spoke with Josh a couple days ago and confirmed that he did have a staph infection. And now, reports have surfaced that teammate Keith Lewis has a staph infection. This matter has been kept private and I can certainly respect that, but it seems the league has a very serious matter on their hands if one of their fields is causing this type of illness. If this is a serious strain of staph — like MRSA — it’s very aggressive and potentially deadly. Poor Josh dropped 15 pounds battling with it, but it seems he is well on the road to recovery. So, I still have high hopes for not only his return to 100% health, but also to have a great rest of this 2008 season.

I sent an email to my media relations contact with the 49ers and have yet to hear anything back. I also asked 49ers.com blogger Chrissy Mauck about it. She responded almost immediately but told me the media relations staff would be the appropriate people to handle the matter. So, there’s still no “official” word from the team on exactly what is happening with these staph infections.

Source: PressDemocrat.com, Photo: Newscom

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Josh Morgan Had Staph Infection