CC: Rapoport: Both Oakland and Michigan will be in the Bay Area to Meet with Harbaugh this Weekend
December 26th, 2014 at 9:55 PM ^
How is this not tampering?
December 26th, 2014 at 9:58 PM ^
Not tampering if no longer employed after Sunday's game... and still counts as "This weekend." Game on is right.
December 26th, 2014 at 9:59 PM ^
The term weekend can be ambiguous, seeing how it also includes Saturday; a day in which Harbaugh will still be gainfully employed.
December 26th, 2014 at 10:25 PM ^
Rapoport really knows his geography. What a genius.
December 26th, 2014 at 10:39 PM ^
yes, but Oakland will only be in the bay area for this weekend.
December 26th, 2014 at 11:19 PM ^
Rapoport unintentionally breaks Oakland to LA story with this tweet. Would be a perfect ending to this saga.
December 27th, 2014 at 10:56 AM ^
Good time to get out of the Bay Area.
December 26th, 2014 at 10:04 PM ^
Resigns as Head Coach of the Niners, they would still own his NFL rights for the duration of the contract. So unless the Niners grant permission to speak to Harbaugh, the Raiders would be tampering. This seems like a carefully worded innuendo by an NFL talking head to cover his behind.
December 26th, 2014 at 10:16 PM ^
The 49ers would likely condone a conversation like this. If he can work something out with Oakland, and soon, it's still possible they could trade him and extract some value. So I don't think this is a stretch (not sure if that's even a legal option though).
December 26th, 2014 at 10:25 PM ^
And then get embarrassed by their neighbor-rivals year after year.
December 26th, 2014 at 10:40 PM ^
Yeah, I guess this is a factor. But if they believed he was so good they would probably not be pushing him out the door. You know what they say about pride.
Also, it's pretty damn hard to imagine the Raiders embarassing anybody, given the last dozen years. So they could be forgiven.
December 26th, 2014 at 10:43 PM ^
No. They know he's good. It's just not worth it when he wants to run the show.
December 26th, 2014 at 10:18 PM ^
To go further, not only does it sound like Rapoport is covering his ass, it's impossible to prove him wrong. Oakland is right across the bay. They are already "in the Bay area," regardless of whether or not they talk to Harbaugh.
December 26th, 2014 at 11:02 PM ^
I agree. This tweet sound like CYA for the NFL reporters who have been slow on the Michigan facts.
December 26th, 2014 at 10:13 PM ^
That would only be true if San Francisco fires Harbaugh. Are they going to fire him Sunday evening? Baalke already publicly stated that they were going to wait 24-48 hours following their last game.
December 26th, 2014 at 11:54 PM ^
If the 49ers fires Harbaugh, they owe him 5 million dollars. That's not going to happen.
December 26th, 2014 at 9:58 PM ^
You haven't heard? If you're an NFL reporter, you make up your own rules.
December 26th, 2014 at 10:04 PM ^
Once the season is over for the 49ers, they can grant permission for other teams to talk to him. Or, if his contract ends one way or another then anyone can talk to him.
December 26th, 2014 at 10:06 PM ^
an opportunity to talk to Jim without getting anything (draft picks) in return. And, if Jim resigns, he is highly likely coming to Michigan. Oakland can then talk to him without tampering, but he aint listening at that point.
December 26th, 2014 at 10:15 PM ^
Yeah I agree but presumably even a trade deal for draft picks would involve the Raiders talking to him at some point, so I don't see why the 49ers would block that unless they just don't really want him in Oakland under any circumstances (which is possible).
December 26th, 2014 at 10:26 PM ^
They have good reason to feel that way. If Harbaugh has success at Michigan, well, that doesn't mean anything because it's just college. But if he has success in the NFL, turning around their now-moribund local competition? I'm not sure the draft picks they'd get would make up for the loss of goodwill.
December 26th, 2014 at 10:56 PM ^
If they don't believe he can turn around Oakland and that they are moving to la anyways (both plenty likely) it is very much in the niners interest to allow harbaugh to speak to Oakland. If he goes to Oakland they almost certainly get draft picks back, if he goes to Michigan they probably get nothing, there is little reason for them to block a conversation because there worst case scenario is saying no even if harbaugh wants to go there and they don't like the trade. Harbaugh talking to Oakland is a no risk situation so they won't prevent it. There is a reason Sam Webb is still at 85% and it's because nothing is signed. Until it's signed it's not done and pretending like the raiders aren't the biggest competition or likely to make a push this weekend because you don't like Ian rapaport is just being dumb.
December 26th, 2014 at 11:21 PM ^
Logic demands that SF and M have struck a deal. And Hackett et all are not planning press conferences and basketball game introductions, abandoning Plan B coaches, Jim telling friends, etc. for Oakland to be viable. The deal is done. No way JH burns every bridge from here to AA and pisses on the University he loves for a dumpster fire NFL franchise AT THIS POINT IN TIME. If it was viable, EVERYTHING would be different right now: UM would have a plan B, the back channel would be a buzz with JH pumping the brakes on expectations, there would be no catered events and press conferences and friends being told he was coming 100%. IR is an idiot and a troll because he is postulating a non-possibility...and people keep listening.
December 27th, 2014 at 2:04 AM ^
Yup. I still can't believe the Raiders are the #1 NFL team being mentioned right now. No way in hell does SF let JH go to Oakland/LA. It makes no sense unless you're an NFL writer still holding out hope that Mrs Harbaugh refuses to leave the Bay area (she's from KS).
This shit is done with. On to recruiting...
December 26th, 2014 at 10:30 PM ^
I wonder if Jim was able to put a stop to being traded to Cleveland? Or, was it all on the GM's not coming to a deal.
December 26th, 2014 at 10:43 PM ^
According to Kawakami (I know, troll so take it with a grain of salt) it was JH that put a stop to trade talks.
December 26th, 2014 at 10:06 PM ^
If the 9ers and Michigan have reached an agreement, why would SF grant Oak permission?
December 26th, 2014 at 10:25 PM ^
Not if he resigns. I,don't think he can resign and accept a job with the raiders with a year remaining on his current contract.
December 26th, 2014 at 10:06 PM ^
Fuck off Oakland, your owner has a cameltoe.
December 26th, 2014 at 10:15 PM ^
Exactly
December 26th, 2014 at 11:30 PM ^
He could be the next James Bond after Daniel Craig or the Mayor of Tranny Town.
December 27th, 2014 at 3:29 AM ^
Emperor Palpatine?
December 27th, 2014 at 6:07 AM ^
are those men so ugly?
December 27th, 2014 at 12:05 PM ^
Talking to someone is not tampering. If he were to sign a contract over the weekend, it may be. A simple conversation has probably already happened though, and this might just be them giving a final last ditch effort before he comes to Ann Arbor.
December 26th, 2014 at 9:55 PM ^
Oakland will be in the Bay Area? YOU DON'T SAY
December 26th, 2014 at 9:58 PM ^
I am a little worried, the San Jose Sharks are in the Bay Area this weekend too.
December 26th, 2014 at 10:11 PM ^
The Golden State Warriors are just down the road from the Raiders (sort of anyway) at Oracle Arena, of course.
You don't think Jim would want to try his hand at basketball, do you?
DO YOU?
December 26th, 2014 at 10:31 PM ^
JH would kick ass at whatever he set his mind to, but... the Warriors aren't "down the road" from the Raiders, they're adjacent (think Crisler and Michigan Stadium)
December 26th, 2014 at 11:02 PM ^
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Tampa also in the Bay area? And what about Green?
December 26th, 2014 at 11:31 PM ^
Well at least until the next earthquake hits.
December 26th, 2014 at 11:34 PM ^
Breaking story:
Raiders have had representatives in the bay area for months!
#sabotaged #tampering #NFLreportersareasshats
December 26th, 2014 at 9:56 PM ^
Of course Raiders officials will be in the bay area. Thats some high level reporting right there
December 26th, 2014 at 10:04 PM ^
If Ian Rapoport covered college football, during The Process he would have noted that former Michigan DC was "in town" as well...though, in fairness, Rapoport's reporting still is marginally better than Pete Thamel's hard-hitting report on Cardale Jones' smile...
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December 26th, 2014 at 9:56 PM ^
Aren't Raiders officials always in the Bay Area? Oh, and tampering.
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December 26th, 2014 at 10:07 PM ^
With our law school, the Davis' would be begging for mercy if they did tamper.
December 26th, 2014 at 11:20 PM ^
Oh yes, those 2nd year law students would just let them have it.
December 26th, 2014 at 9:56 PM ^
They can't talk to Mr. Harbaugh yet. Sorry, I don't believe.
December 26th, 2014 at 9:56 PM ^
For a year until they move to LA
December 26th, 2014 at 9:57 PM ^
NFL douche canoes don't want their pride hurt.
Too bad.