Police Looking For Suspects In 49'ers-Raiders Shootings...

((HT: KGO-TV))

Two men are fighting for their lives after being wounded at Candlestick Park after Saturday night's 49ers-Raiders pre-season game when two men were shot in the stomach.

One was wearing a T-shirt that had some rather unflattering things to say about the Niners. He is in critical condition.

The other was shot and suffered superficial face wounds. He is also hospitalized. Police think the shootings are related.

A man wearing a Raiders T-shirt, who was pulled off a party bus, is being called a suspect.

During the game itself, in a bathroom at the Oakland Coliseum, another man was found unconscious with severe head injuries. He is also in critical condition.

Police may have a suspect in the bathroom attack- a man described as a Pacific Islander male, between 25 and 30 years old, 6'3" to 6'5" weighing 250 lbs. with a goatee and long curly hair in a ponytail. He was last seen wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans.

Obviously, someone that you didn't need to piss off in any way...

Here's the latest from the California version of British hooliganism...

Harbaugh Heads To 49ers

((HT: KGO-TV San Francisco))

To the tune of 5 years and $25-million... it keeps him close to Andrew Luck. It keeps him close to Stanford. And it keeps him close to family...

Seems logical...

"I felt that way after landing (after the Orange Bowl); I talked to Jed, we were talking ball and I felt like I knew the direction I wanted to go, all along I was making my mind up, I think," Harbaugh said.

He's been a pro QB, but not a pro coach. But he destroyed everything in his path at Stanford and San Diego... 57-25 overall...

Here's coverage from our friends in San Francisco...

Jim Harbaugh Has The World On A String

Who isn't envious of Jim Harbaugh. You have NFL teams throwing millions of dollars at you to coach their team. Your alma mater wants to move heaven and earth to bring you back and your current employer might sweeten the pot too.

The University of Michigan just canned a head coach that was doomed before the inked dried on the contract. Harbaurgh is the chosen "Michigan Man" to repair the train wreck yet he doesn't seem to want to accept the role.

Three NFL teams are ready to offer Harbaugh with checks with a lot of zeros on them and willing to do whatever to sweeten the offer.

Damn sucks to be Harbaugh.

Wednesday Harbaugh interviewed for six hours with newly appointed San Francisco 49ers general manager Trent Baalke and team owner Jed York about their head coaching vacancy.

Executives for the Miami Dolphins are having "exploratory talks" with Harbaugh but their is no head coach opening with the Dolphins.

Sources have told the Sun Sentinel that the Dolphins have put a decision on the coaching staff in a holding pattern.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-dolphins/fl-dolphins-contact-jim-harbaugh-010520110104,0,7758119.story

In others word if Harbaugh is interested in moving to South Florida Tony Sparano is a goner.

Maybe Sparano sees the writing on the wall. (Thanks Sun Sentinel.com)



Is John Elway infatuated with Jim Harbaugh? Elway is the decision maker now with the Denver Broncos and a Stanford alum. Bringing Harbaugh in might revive Broncomania in the Rockies.

All Harbaugh has to do is listen pitches and count the money.

Photo Courtesy: AP

While most of us slept, Mike Singletary was fired

Mike Singletary/Courtesy: SFGate.com

If only we could afford to be a 24-hour blog. Sigh....

Sometime around the time the San Francisco 49ers arrived back home after their 25-17 loss to the St.Louis Rams, the team decided to ax now former Head Coach Mike Singletary.

There had been a lot of rumbling that this was imminent as the 49ers, a trendy pick to win the NFC Lest...I mean West, have been a huge letdown, going 5-10 so far this season.

From firing Offensive Coordinator Jimmy Raye three games into the season, to fighting with his Quarterbacks, Singletary's style just never meshed with his team. In fact, the loss to the Rams was punctuated with video of the coach getting in a heated argument with QB Troy Smith after he got benched during the game.

More from SF Gate.com RIGHT HERE

It's an unfortunate fate for the Coach, who many felt was in over his head when hired. He was the teams Linebackers Coach when he was hired two seasons ago. His status as the fiery Middle Linebacker who was a focal point of the Chicago Bears 46 defense back in the 80's, garnered him a lot of respect by his peers. He was hired after interviewing for several jobs in 2008 including the Atlanta Falcons job that eventually went to Mike Smith.

We wish Singletary well and suspect he'll end up as an Assistant somewhere before long. In the meantime, Defensive Line Coach Jim Tomsula will take over for the season ender against Arizona on Sunday. We'll keep an ear out for potential replacements, but expect Stanford Coach Jim Harbaugh's name to be Number 1 on 49ers Team President Jed York's list.

Here is the video of the Singletary/Smith blowup from Sunday:



And here's Singletary addressing his egress...
((HT: KPIX-TV))

Former NFL Star Dana Stubblefield sent to jail....

Dana Stubblefield with the Niners/Courtesy: connect.in.com

((ht: profootballtalk.com))

Dana Stubblefield has already had some issues. He was on probation after pleading guilty to lying about his steroid use while in the NFL. He spent most of his NFL days with the San Francisco 49ers and the Washington Redskins along with a stint on the Oakland Raiders roster.

Now comes word that he'll be spending 90-days in jail, for stealing his ex-girlfriends mail. Yes, stealing her mail.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle and KGO-TV, Stubblefield admitted putting in a change of address form for his ex, so her mail went to his home. That, in federal terms, and well any other terms, isn't exactly legal. And that is why Mr. Stubblefield will be heading to the pokey.

Samurai Mike Does Not Like Rats

((HT: KPIX-TV/Youtube))

We all know the head coach of your San Francisco 49ers is, how do we say it, "old school." Vernon Davis found that out the hard way- being sent off the field in the middle of a game after a run-in.

But, now, a Yahoo!Sports report has surfaced claiming QB Alex Smith is having issues with his superiors and that OC Jimmy Raye has lost touch with trying to be a "with it" coordinator.

Singletary went on KPIX with Dennis O'Donnell and addressed the idea of not needing an exterminator to take care of a "rat" in his locker room. He doesn't think there is one... publicly, at least.

Here's the exchange...


Two words: Bad ass...

Those Tampering Jets

According to a story in the New York Daily News, the New York Jets are accused...again...of tampering with a player that they have no rights or negotiating options with. This time, it's with the 49ers holdout/moron, rookie wide receiver Michael Crabtree.

Check out the story from NYDailynews.com here .

((Maybe the only time Michael Crabtree holds a 49er Jersey//Courtesy: Jeff Zevalansky/Getty Images))

Crabtree is the one and only holdout from this past years draft class and has stated (or at least his agent, Eugene Parker has) that he is willing to sit out until 2010. Ironically (or not), the if the 49ers don't come to an agreement with Crabtree by November 19th, they lose the rights to him.

Crabtree and Parker are demanding a contract similar to or better than Number 7 pick Darrius Heyward-Bey of Oakland, despite the fact that Crabtree was the 10th pick. Good luck to the Crabtree/Parker partnership if they think that they will get that kind of money. They have been pretty universally laughed at for this holdout, while it hurts the 49ers off the field a bit for wasting a number 1 pick...it hurts Crabtree much, much more...even with the formidable talents that he posses, most NFL G.M's won't want the headache associated with trying to get a deal with someone or someone's agent who has an incredibly inflated opinion of themselves.

Oh..by the way. The Jets aren't so innocent here either. Even if they didn't do anything this time, it is nowhere near the 1st time that there name and the word "Tampering" have been in the same sentence. In 2006, it was their pursuit of then New England Wide Receiver Deion Branch. Just this past off season, they were linked with Denver troublemaker Brandon Marshall. Now they are linked to Crabtree. True or not, it doesn't look very good and if the NFL were interested (we don't think they care), one could very easily see a pattern developing here....Just sayin'.

Here's some video highlights of Crabtree when he was still liked in NFL circles. Courtesy: Prodraftparty.com/YouTube
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The Santa Clara 49ers...?

((HT: NBC Bay Area))

The prospect of the San Francisco 49ers moving to Santa Clara is looking brighter after the City Council met Tuesday night to set a date to release the terms of their agreement to the public and to decide whether to send the project to the 2010 ballot.

Lisa Lang, spokeswoman for the football team, said the project has been a long collaboration between the team and the city.

"They've worked very hard to get to the point where we are today," Lang said.

Santa Clara Deputy City Manager Carol McCarthy said the negotiating parties are holding a public meeting on June 2 to review the terms of the proposed stadium deal and possibly take action on the term sheet, a document detailing the specifics of a stadium arrangement between the two parties, including financing.

The meeting will also serve as an opportunity for public comment, McCarthy said, and the term sheet will be released to the public a few days prior to the meeting.

"It was a milestone in the sense that the completion ... represents that the team and the city have completed negotiations at least on a conceptual framework for an agreement to go forward," Mayor Patricia Mahan said.

If council members approve, the term sheet will go forward to the March 2010 election ballot where its fate will rest in the hands of Santa Clara residents.

In the meantime, an environmental impact report is in progress to address and mitigate issues such as traffic, air and land use and other impacts the project could possibly have on the environment. If the term sheet is approved, McCarthy said the next step for the city would be to develop a Disposition and Development Agreement, a legal contract that outlines the responsibility of the parties involved, in addition to finances.

McCarthy likened the nearly two-year negotiations process to buying real estate. The $900 million project is the city's largest yet, McCarthy said. And before the team can finally move to a lot next to the Great America amusement park, issues such as financing, land lease payments and cost overruns during the construction period still need to be ironed out.

Santa Clara officials have stipulated a stadium should not impact tax rates, or draw money from the general fund. McCarthy speculated funding would be contributed by the team, the National Football League and stadium authority among other entities.

In the long run, McCarthy said, the 49ers will help give an economic boost to local businesses and hotels and also potentially help create new jobs.

Aside from the dedicated few who have voiced their opposition to the project at council meetings, Mahan said public response has been overwhelmingly favorable.

"They ask when are they coming?" she said.

And all this story does is give us an excuse to show some old highlights from 1980 when the Niners came back from being down 35-7 to win against New Orleans.
Jim Kelly and Jim Hill have the call...and the commercials are awesome...
((HT: NFL on CBS))

Your Friday Tackle Football Update

Herm Edwards ((pictured, thanks David Eulitt/KC Star)) is out in Kansas City, can Mike Shanahan be next in... ((KC Star))

Dan Reeves is interviewing in San Francisco for their OC gig...??? Yup... already has...((SF Chronicle))

Scott Linehan is the new OC in Detroit... ((Detroit Free Press)) and Gunther Cunningham is the new DC. No word yet on whether or not former Denver DC Bob Slowik will be the secondary coach.

More when we know more...
Carry on...

Black Tuesday Pro Tackle Football Update

In addition to Shanahan...

Dick Jauron is staying Head Coach of the Buffalo Bills...
Mark Gaughan of the Buffalo News has the latest...
The contract extension is for three years...

Mike Martz is out in San Francisco to no one's surprise...
John Crumpacker from the San Francisco Chronicle tells us what we all knew- Samurai Mike and The Mad Scientist didn't get along...
Martz may now pedal his evil-geniusness someplace else...

The Raiders list for their opening includes Tom Cable, Giants' OC Kevin Gilbride, Raiders extra-special scouting guy Paul Hackett, Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh, and Westwood One analyst Jim Fassel.

Gary Kubiak fired three assistants with the Houston Texans- DC Richard Smith, D-Backs Coach Jon Hoke, and D-Line Coach Jethro Franklin.

John McClain from the Houston Chronicle has the fallout.

Mary Kay Cabot from the Cleveland Plain Dealer gives us Scott Pioli's first choice for coach- Iowa's Kirk Ferentz...???

More Cleveland... Tony Grossi has the interview list for the Browns Chief Exec- Scott Pioli and Rich McKay. Falcons fans are more than happy to hear McKay's name thrown in there.

Coach interviews are looking like Eric Mangini and the Giants Steve Spagnuolo... Romeo Crennel has told anyone willing to listen that he'll be more than happy to stay on staff if the new coach wants him to... Gee, thanks...

Last, but not least... The Chin will talk to the Jets.
Brian Costello of the New York Post has the idea on paper that "GM Mike Tannenbaum is "willing to do what's best for the team." That includes giving up his player personnel duties for Cowher and his cadre.

But Peter King maintains that it will be 2010 that Cowher comes back at the earliest-unless that perfect offer comes along.

And it's only Tuesday...

Sunday Carousel- Tackle Football Edition

Stop One: Cleveland

Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer lets us know that the futures of Browns GM Phil Savage ((pictured, thanks plaindealer.com)) and Head Coach Romeo Crennel are most likely done in Cleveland.
"The only way anything would happen tonight is if one of them forced the issue, a source said.

The Browns don't expect to hear anything from Crennel until he meets with Browns owner Randy Lerner, possibly on Monday. They are not certain if Savage will wait for a sit-down with Lerner to learn of his fate."

Crennel could be asked to stay on in some other capacity in the Browns front office. Savage, most likely, will be blown out unless he accepts a role where he would not have any final say on the 53-man roster.

Chris Mortensen, over at the four-letter, maintains Savage was fired over the phone by owner Randy Lerner already. Jay Glazer, over at Fox, says they're both gone.

The Plain Dealer's Tony Grossi has the line-up for Randy Lerner this week as follows...

Coach: Bill Cowher, Buffalo's Perry Fewell, Washington's Greg Blache, the Giants' Steve Spagnuolo
GM: Scott Pioli

Stop Two: San Francisco

Looks like Mike Singletary will get to keep his pants on for another few years.
We'll stick with Glazer again here...
Looks like a possible five-year deal for Samurai Mike. Mike Martz looks like he's out and Scott Linehan may be in.

Stop Three: Saint Louis

Is Jim Haslett the man or not...? The Rams players apparently drafted a letter for the front office maintaining their desire to have Haslett be the new head man.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes owner Chip Rosenbloom may have the letter in his hands sometime soon...

Thomas caught up with an anonymous veteran Ram about the whole thing...

"When asked if he thought the petition would do any good, the veteran player replied: "No. It's out of our hands. They don't pay us to make decisions on head coaches. But it's good for (Haslett) to know that we've got his back. All 53 players may not agree with it, but I think the vast majority wants this to happen."

Expect more fallout once the regular season craps out once and for all...

Moon over San Francisco

Dropping Trou!

Earlier this week, we showed you interim 49ers Head Coach Mike Singletary's post game press conference/rant after his team lost to Seattle. Well, apparently, as good as the presser/rant was, the speech/rant he gave his team at halftime was better. I'm not sure that I can do it justice here, so check out this story from the Arizona Republic here .

I'm not sure exactly how to follow that up, but all that I can really say is "Good for you Coach". It's about damn time someone got into an NFL players face about the way the game is played. Should have happened sooner.

No, the video below is not of The Samurai dropping the kimono, but it is another example of how Da Niners Coach wants nothing but winners on his staff...

We agree...

((Thanks, msnbc.com and NBC Sports))

Analyzing The Samurai

((HT: nfl.com/NFL Network))

It's Deion, Mooch, and Rich...
Apparently, it's good to know that Mike Singletary has an "expectancy..."
Listen in...

Singletary Wants His Niners To Hit People In The Mouth...

All those of us here at OSG HQ want to say is... go for it, dude...

You shoulda had a head coaching gig a long time ago..

Here's your evidence and we're only one press conference into his tenure...

If the 49ers don't give him a full-time gig... and we mean yesterday... someone, please grab this guy and give him the chance to lead...

((HT: nfl.com/NFL Network))

Nolan Fired Singletary Hired

The San Francisco 49ers have fired Head Coach Mike Nolan ((pictured, thanks sfgate.com/Michael Macor)) and replaced him, on an interim basis, with Mike Singletary.

From the San Francisco Chronicle ahem... quote...

"Nolan was nearly fired by owner John York at the end of the 2007 season after the 49ers compiled a 5-11 record marked by a bitter rift between the head coach and the man he drafted No. 1 in 2005 to lead the team back to respectability, quarterback Alex Smith."

Nolan was fired with a cumulative record of 18-37 over a three-and-a-half year period. He was brought in as a defensive guru-type-coach, but his Niners squads averaged giving up over 30 points per game.

"Asked about his job security after Sunday's 29-17 loss to the Giants, Nolan said, 'We've lost four in a row. We're certainly not going in the right direction. When you lose, it fuels speculation, sure. But as far as what's on my mind, I can't focus on it.' "

The rest of John Crumpacker's piece in the Chronicle can be found in black...