Harbaugh owns the Bay Area right now and he knows it. The 49ers are topic A, the very essence of water-cooler fodder. They are the darlings of the NFL, and have seen wide-spread media notice beyond the local scene.
Harbaugh is an interesting character. The better he gets the more annoying and obnoxious he becomes. And I love it.
Because a majority of the Bay Area sports medium is so non-adept at relaying the story, the fact that they need Harbaugh to gauge the 49ers ship, shows them for what they are: essentially useless. And don't think Harbaugh knows it.
Some of the sports media wags get it; there's Lowell Cohn of the Press-Democrat, Scott Ostler of the Chronicle, Kawakami of the San Jose Merc. Add in a few talk-show tonsils and you get the point. But most of the scribblers and a few toy-dept. voices are deaf-tone.
I'm not suggesting Harbaugh is deliberately trying to phuck with the 49ers press corps, but I don't think he wants to conduct the orchestra. That's not his game. He'll perform the daily chores as deemed necessary by Jed York and company, but his main purpose of being remains Sunday. "Don't mess with me, you got that, guy?", he seems to be saying, if he's saying anything at all. (And as long as he keeps winning, he can damn well do what he pleases).
You want to laugh? Just listen to his weekly radio show on KNBR every Tuesday. It's as if Harbaugh is doing Hunter S. Thompson and the interviewer is Charlie Rose. Only this Charlie Rose thinks he's questioning John Madden, get it? Not. It's unintentionally good, funny, radio and you know damn well when he's done, Harbaugh has to laugh his ass off.
Which doesn't mean he's curing cancer. And Harbaugh knows it. But on the other hand, I think, in between performing his gig and earning that $25M, Harbaugh doesn't feel obligated to lend a hand to the microphones, cameras and scribblers. A cliche comes to mind: he is what he is. And he's not about to change any time soon. Get used to it.
Better yet, the better the 49ers become, (and who would dare say the opposite?), the worse/better Harbaugh will deal with the media. Yeah, I'm a masochist. I sorta like that phenomenon.
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When it comes to Harbaugh and the media Rich,you are far too kind. I dont seen any warmth at all from Harbaugh,I just hear sarcasm and contempt that he has for the press. Yeah,I know the writers are saying "He's warming up to them"..but thats wishful thinking based on having to work with the guy like he's a bad co worker and you need your job..so..look on the good side-right? But,I dont need Harbaugh and can see he see's the media as the enemy like any Nixonian would.
ReplyDeleteHarbaugh is near paranoid about the media with his ban on tweets and being as secretive as he can get away with.
Its working because he's winning..but he has no moore use for local writers then Singletary did and when or ever Harbaugh falters, his attitude will come back to haunt him. The media will then have old Jim to kick around..
'S'
Very True Rich...Harbaugh may be a disciple of former Head Coach Bill Walsh, but he is NO Bill Walsh.
ReplyDeleteCan you Imagine Bill Walsh not shaking the opposing Head Coaches hand after a Game!?!? Neither can I...
Bottom line is that Harbaugh Had to be Hired by the Yorks, after a Decades worth of Losing the Fanbase was ready to jump ship! Also add to that the proposed Stadium that the Yorks want...Who prey tell was going to foot the bill for a Stadium for a Losing team?
The Yorks better be careful for what they wished for...Because when Harbaugh's contract is up he will become a Hot Commodity, and will demand a pay raise, that he richly deserves. Will the cheap a$$ Yorks Pay Harbaugh after they get their stadium ...My guess is NO.
As for the Sports Media in the Bay Area...they are for my money nothing but a bunch of Putz's! They never held the York Ownership's feet to the fire, instead most blamed the fans for the demise of the 49ers!
Harbaugh is as dull and awkward as can be. zzzzzzzzz.
ReplyDeleteHarbaugh is a red-ass with no use for the media and it pains him to be obligated to perform for them. Winning is the best deodorant and since the winning percentage is a fluke, karma will make an appearance soon.
ReplyDeleteThe sports media will lick Harbaugh's boots the way they lick every other coach. Shoot, Don Nelson abused KNBR for years and got away with it even when he was a terrible coach. No one has the courage to even ask a tough question. Not that there are a lot now but they will come. I don't mind Harbaugh being difficult. Just Win Baby.
ReplyDeletehe is an ass, but boy can he coach!!!
ReplyDeleteHow soon they forget. Walsh used to verbally spar with the media all the time when he was coach. Maybe he didn't show quite as much contempt for the media as Harbaugh does, but he certainly was no picnic to deal with either. I seem to recall Coach Walsh was one of the least-liked figures in the NFL (only Al Davis was hated more) in his prime.
ReplyDeleteYou anti Harbaugh guys might be way off. Yes he treats most of the media as minions. Have you ever been sitting at ones cubicle when the average media person who has never paid for entrance or food asked "Uh, how did it feel". I mean Bonds pissed off everybody. Sorry to tell you weekend warriors or better yet THOSE who do not get it but every athlete or coach who is SPECIAL have hot buttoms that fuel their own fire. They are arrogant as can be. So are politicians and musicians.
ReplyDeleteHarbaugh has mellowed. Have watched highlights of every post game presser and monday presser. His first 1-3 were tight. Now he has loosened his guard.
Bottom line. His DNA with Dad and brother Jim produces his particular outward projections.
Ask people in the coaching nation. He can be prickly, nice, rude, sassy, wonderful, vulgar or accomadating. Walsh, Ditka, Landry, Schula, Halas, Johnson...all had their highs and lows.
Deal with it haters. At least Harbaugh does not have to "look at the film" or where a three pound cross around his neck...
Winning cures a lot of problems!
ReplyDeleteSure, he can be a pompous ass but he's OUR pompous ass!!
Keep it rollin', Jimmy!!!
I worked with Jim Harbaugh last year on Stanford Web TV and I really enjoyed dealing with him on a weekly basis. While he was guarded about giving up 'secrets' as to how he and the Cardinal were preparing their weekly game plans, Coach Harbaugh's enthusiasm, intelligence, and wit always made everyone feel at ease.
ReplyDeleteI knew when the Niners picked him up last year that he was going to lift that franchise out of its malaise. He certainly turned around a moribund Stanford program (Andrew Luck helped a little too!) but he's now even making a more
dramatic impact in a shorter period of time in the NFL. Being at Candlestick for that win over the Giants last weekend reminded me a lot of the 'good old days' of the 1980s and 90s, as the energy at the old stadium was electric.
Players love playing for this guy because he not only has their backs, but he
has their respect after a distinguished career as a highly ranked quarterback. And how can you not love his enthusiasm on the field and the way he encourages people?
When I sat down and did a one hour interview with Bill Walsh in his office at Stanford about two months before he died in 2007, guess who asked if he could come into Bill's office while we were talking so that he listen in to the conversation? And so throughout that memorable one hour I got to speak with Bill Walsh, there sat Harbaugh with his lunch, just quietly listening to Walsh like a 'fly on the wall,' and perhaps gaining more valuable insights about the game. Like myself, Coach Harbaugh thoroughly enjoyed taking in Walsh's stories as Walsh related some of his experiences with the 49ers in the 1980s.
I know Coach Harbaugh valued Walsh's advice, just as he valued the advice other mentors such as the late Al Davis with whom he worked during some of the Raiders' winning years when Gruden and Gannon were around.
Enjoy the 49ers and Coach Harbaugh, because these kind of people, and these kind of teams don't come around very often. Between the Niners resurgence and the Raiders returning to playoff contention, this has been the best year for Northern Calfornia NFL fans since 2002!
Bruce @ 812pm
ReplyDeleteThank you Bruce. I love your work and miss you on Sportsphone 680 from back in the day. I was once on "Monday Night Quarterback" with Hank one time on KNBR when the 49ers were on The Monday Night game. You and Hank were the best. We were on the air while watching and commenting on the game. I remember the 9er secondary Bruce Taylor, Mel Phillips and company gave up a ton of yards.
I also REMEMBER the day that both you and Bob Sargent "left" KNBR on the same day! You both landed on your feet BIG time.
Thank you Bruce.
How great is Harbaugh? Anybody notice that even Mike Singletary has gotten some positive revisions as coach?..from a coach of near clown qualitys to now getting respect for the teams talent base. That's all due to Harbaugh.
ReplyDeleteWhy don't you write about the 49er Stadium anymore? You are usually in the "know" about these things, but you have been silent on all matters 49ers Stadium. After all the Oakland A's & 49ers are being Poached on by the powers that be in the South Bay...and there is Nothing from You, why?
ReplyDelete