NYT Slams Harbaugh for SF roster decisions; says he "skedaddled" to Michigan
Buried in his Monday Morning QB article at the NYT, Gregg Easterbrook opines thusly:
"Two years ago, T.M.Q. took a lot of heat from San Francisco fans — who at the time actually were San Francisco fans — for saying Colin Kaepernick couldn’t run a pro-style offense and is prone to “sailing the ball where no receiver awaits.” Repeatedly in the contested portion of the Seahawks contest, Kaepernick sailed the ball beyond anyone’s reach. Adjusting for sacks and scrambles, Kaepernick dropped back to pass 30 times for a net of 81 yards gained, an awful 2.7 yards per dropback. Trying to convert Kaepernick into a pro-style pocket passer simply hasn’t worked. The Niners either should employ him as a college-style running quarterback, or switch to Blaine Gabbert."
"It hasn’t helped that Santa Clara sank a bundle of high draft choices into wide receivers Michael Crabtree, A.J. Jenkins and Stevie Johnson, none of whom remain with the team. The Niners’ 2012 draft ranks among the all-time woofers. Jenkins and LaMichael James, selected in the first and second rounds, already are O.O.F. — Out of Football. No one else from that draft remains with the franchise."
"Jim Harbaugh arrived at the Niners in 2010, with the team on a talent upswing — NaVorro Bowman, Anthony Davis, Frank Gore, Mike Iupati, Joe Staley, Patrick Willis, others. Harbaugh took the credit for a few good seasons, then skedaddled as the impact of player personnel decisions with which he concurred, including the 2012 draft, became apparent. Getting out of town before people realize what you’ve done to the team — Harbaugh heading to Michigan, Pete Carroll fleeing U.S.C. in 2010 — is essential for many megabucks coaches."
In response, all I can say is, WTF?
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/28/upshot/so-whats-the-patriots-secret-t…
Edit: Easterbrook's main point is that Harbaugh endorsed the player personnel decisions made in the 2012 draft; after LaMichael James was released in September 2014, only OG Joe Looney was left from the '12 draft. I don't know enough about the situation in the 49ers front office back then—is it true that Harbaugh was on board with the draft choices, or was he handed the picks against his own better judgement? Out of all the criticisms leveled against JH, this is the first time I've heard anybody argue that he's a lousy judge of talent.
October 27th, 2015 at 3:05 PM ^
I'm not going to defend NYT for everything because they have made mistakes, but that is true for literally every source of information out there. Nobody bats 1.000. But they still produce some of the highest-quality work in the news arena around.
October 27th, 2015 at 3:23 PM ^
October 27th, 2015 at 4:19 PM ^
The NYT has been a joke for several years now.
October 27th, 2015 at 4:45 PM ^
In my opinion the Wall Street Journal is the best. Great reporting, real journalism, and the stories are actually very interesting and enjoyable to read. Can't go a day without reading the Journal.
October 27th, 2015 at 2:38 PM ^
I disagree. I think the Times is very good.
October 27th, 2015 at 2:40 PM ^
Journalism has become a joke.
October 27th, 2015 at 3:40 PM ^
Well they cater to the market
If the Market of readers is a joke, then the journalism will meet that challenge (as with any business or market).
Maybe in the far future, Journalism will be heavily regulated, and limited, just like Liquor Licenses and Tobacco Sales!
The human brain is too susceptible to simplistic, ignorant reasoning, and too easily manipulated by alarmism (the 21st century term is "clickbait"), otherwise!
October 27th, 2015 at 3:55 PM ^
What needs to happen is to give all the power to me to control everything.
Things will be much double-better then.
October 27th, 2015 at 4:36 PM ^
Haha! Yea! I like how the screen isn't a square! It's completely created for projecting a face!
But,
regulated =/= complete control
beer at UM stadium? (N) beer on the streets? (N) beer in the bars? (Y)
That's okay with me. But I'd be willing to enterain arguments for beer in the stadium. And others wouldn't.
Remember when AA-people were upset with UM's 50-foot TV Screen? Advertising is regulated too.
Regulation =/= "bad", either.
Where useful, it can benefit us all!
No single person should decide of course. But you're already born into a heavy regulated world, they key is, to fight for making it a little bit better than you left it!
October 27th, 2015 at 5:20 PM ^
I just saw your avatar/screen name and now I have to go get a shake. Thanks for ruining my diet today!
October 28th, 2015 at 3:22 PM ^
Haha! My apologies!
But, enjoy you're sweet, delicious, cold, creamy treat!
I personally recommend a blizzard. Classic. Medium size is perfect. Not too much to hurt your belly. Not too little that you're left wanting more. My absolute favorite flavor is the Mississippi Mudslide because my father was killed in a mudslide in Panama.
October 28th, 2015 at 11:17 AM ^
for censorship and thought control.
Maybe in the far future, Journalism will be heavily regulated, and limited, just like Liquor Licenses and Tobacco Sales!
That's already been tried, for example, The Pravda. It might seem like a good idea to you in abstract, but I don't think you'd want to live in societies with your limitations in place.
The human brain is too susceptible to simplistic, ignorant reasoning, and too easily manipulated by alarmism.
Is the human brain too simplistic for innovation? Perhaps we should stick to the general consensus such as the world being flat. We'd be so much better off that way.
Ironically, you're worldview is too simplistic to accomodate the complexity inherent in diversity of thought.
October 27th, 2015 at 3:04 PM ^
They have some interesting op ed pieces, really good food and travel sections, and sometimes some interesting human interest sports pieces, but I wouldn't rely on it for investigative sports reporting, especially from this guy. He once blogged that typically money-hungry Jewish studio executives in Hollywood should know better than to green light violent movies and TV shows because of European history. What a stooge.
October 27th, 2015 at 2:06 PM ^
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October 27th, 2015 at 2:11 PM ^
Sounds like a bunch of people trying to cover their asses now that Harbaugh is gone.
Just enjoy the show. We got Harbaugh and we ain't giving him back.
October 27th, 2015 at 3:25 PM ^
of personnel, especially when he and Harbaugh were both new.
Also, the author's time frame is wrong.Harbaugh was hired in 2011, not 2010. The 2010 team was projected to be pretty good and tanked. They were expected to struggle in 2011 after Kurt Warner left. When the author gets basic relevant facts wrong, it's hard to take him seriously.
October 27th, 2015 at 2:07 PM ^
October 27th, 2015 at 2:07 PM ^
Gregg Easterbrook is the biggest blowhard in sports media this side of Rick Reilly.
October 27th, 2015 at 2:41 PM ^
#UNDEFEATED
October 27th, 2015 at 2:07 PM ^
I only care about Michigan roster decisions.
Those look pretty good so far . . .
October 27th, 2015 at 2:08 PM ^
Easterbrook has always been a blowhard.
October 27th, 2015 at 2:08 PM ^
I'm betting that the writer and Jed York will be at the same party together in the near future.
October 27th, 2015 at 2:43 PM ^
Or were at the same party, probably at Jed's mansion.
October 27th, 2015 at 2:08 PM ^
October 27th, 2015 at 2:09 PM ^
that "skedaddle" is probably a word that Harbaugh would use. It's right up there with "crackerjack."
October 27th, 2015 at 2:09 PM ^
Wasn't Harbaugh fired? How is that "fleeing" if it wasn't technically his choice? This guy sounds pretty unintelligent.
October 27th, 2015 at 2:21 PM ^
Technically, he and SF mutually parted such that neither had to pay out the other. But yeah, they didn't exactly beg him to stay.
October 27th, 2015 at 9:13 PM ^
October 27th, 2015 at 2:31 PM ^
Also, Kaepernick--a limited QB--nonetheless succeeded under Harbaugh, who had not been responsible for drafting him. If Harbaugh can sew a silk purse from a sow's ear, he cannot be faulted once he has been run off from the Niners.
October 27th, 2015 at 2:47 PM ^
This...he was 17-6 in 2012 & 2013 under JH and 4-2 in the playoffs during that time. His QB rating is 98.3 & 91.6 in those years. His last year under JH was not as good, but he wasn't the wreck he is now.
Pointing to Kaepernick as a sign of a Harbaugh failure is about as myopic and biased as you can get.
October 27th, 2015 at 2:09 PM ^
He arrived in SF in 2011 and was fired. Who the hell is this idiot?
October 27th, 2015 at 2:12 PM ^
Um....I think all the talent just left WITH Harbaugh.
October 27th, 2015 at 2:24 PM ^
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October 27th, 2015 at 2:14 PM ^
You are actually taking Gregg Easterbrook seriously? Yeah, nobody does that.
http://deadspin.com/haughty-dipshit-gregg-easterbrook-gone-from-espn-1701211035
October 27th, 2015 at 2:12 PM ^
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October 27th, 2015 at 2:13 PM ^
I agree, Jim Harbaugh is a big failure that will never succeed. He should stay in Michigan forever so that he can't infect the NFL with his stink. DJ Durkin is also really terrible and should never be hired anywhere. Just being honest folks
October 27th, 2015 at 2:19 PM ^
That was a decision, I never understood from Harbaugh. Alex Smith was doing great before his injury. I get that Kaepernick looked great filling in during that time, but almost everyone had their doubts about him running a pro-style offense long-term.
Was there a glaring reason why Harbaugh decided switch to Kaep from Alex Smith when the latter returned from injury? It was a few years ago, so my memory is a little fuzzy from that season.
October 27th, 2015 at 2:26 PM ^
he was going to go with the hot hand, which was Kaepernick at the time. Teams had film on Smith for years, then Colin comes out and can scramble and run the pistol and such. He was a wildcard and was passing great at the time. I believe the switch came pretty late in the season. I think Smith left after that.
October 27th, 2015 at 2:27 PM ^
when Kaepernick took over, he looked great for a while and Harbaugh looked like a genius. I'm guessing though that when NFL defensive coordinators studied the film long enough, they figured out how to limit him. When that happened, K seemed to lose confidence. I don't know why Harbaugh was not able to fix the problem last year though.
October 27th, 2015 at 2:31 PM ^
Alex Smith's success was a product of Harbaugh's tutelage. He wasn't particularly good before Harbaugh, and he hasn't been particularly good since. The same appears to hold true with Kaepernick (although he's younger, so perhaps the light can still go on with him) But Harbaugh thought he could get more out of Kaepernick. Given that they got with ten yards of a Super Bowl victory, it's hard to argue with that decision.
October 27th, 2015 at 2:57 PM ^
why Rudddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddock's play has not improved under Harbaugh's tutelage? I really do, it seems odd that he has seemingly regressed when other QBs have seemed to really flourished under Harbaugh.
October 27th, 2015 at 3:30 PM ^
October 27th, 2015 at 2:13 PM ^
This guy has a job?
October 27th, 2015 at 2:16 PM ^
There's always demand for a guy who can write a condescending, disdainful article at a tidy 60,000 words.
October 27th, 2015 at 2:15 PM ^
The New York Times is to football as 7-11 bean burritos are to fine dining.
October 27th, 2015 at 2:16 PM ^
Its the NY Times...Cant speak for you but I dont believe a word that paper publishes
October 27th, 2015 at 2:35 PM ^
It seems unfair that this comment is alright, but the guy who bashed Fox News wasn't.
FWIW I think both are out of line.
October 27th, 2015 at 2:55 PM ^
Bashing Fox News is just too easy. Sticking it to a network that everybody sees as a massive joke doesn't impress anybody.