Singletary shakes things up

Singletary is walking a thin line calling out players like that in the media. It's not that a player like Vernon Davis didn't deserve the tongue lashing. He probably did because he hasn't done much of anything on the football field all season long. However, Singletary was just promoted to head coach. I believe he still has an "interim" coach label, correct? He can't just become a total control freak without earning his entire team's respect first and I'll tell you right now, that press conference yesterday is not going to go well with some, perhaps many, of the players in the locker room, especially to some of the stars on the team who don't particularly enjoy the preaching. He's not an established head coach yet and this is not supposed to be a rebuilding franchise from ground zero. That will backfire in the end because when it comes down to it, it's all about wins and losses. If the team keeps losing, no one is going to care at all what Singletary will say in the media. In my opinion, I don't think Singletary is ready to be a head coach, but I wish him all the luck down there because he is obviously one of my favorite Bears players of all time. With Mike Martz also on the team, that head coach-assistant relationship doesn't exactly look like a match made in heaven either. Talk about contradicting football philosophies. Singletary will have more than just his own players to deal with on that team.

I think Mike will turn things around quickly. There can be only one boss on the football field, and that's the coach. The sooner a coach makes that clear the better. Most successful coaches have been criticized for harshness initially, but end up producing winners. Singletary will have San Francisco playing tough, solid football. Would you like to go nose o nose with that guy if you were not putting out your best effort?

It's almost like a sporting sociological experiment when a coach challenges his players the way Mike Singletary did Sunday
By Roman Modrowskion October 27, 2008 9:43 AM

Personally, I liked the fact he pull the player from the field and told to leave the bench and go to the locker room with such a toxic attitude. In other words if Mr. Singletary fails as a head coach it won't be because he didn't contest the players of poor judgement while playing and keeping their head in the game.

If the locker-room mood for the veterans and new players don't change because he responded to some dumb crap a player does, CHANGE THE DAMN LOCKER-ROOM OF PLAYERS! He stated something that is missing in today's game. He said "I am Old School!" That simply means 'DISCIPLINE'. Nothing more! It means he comprehend he is dealing with a new type of player presently, but also it mean "If a player can't stay focus for Sixty-Minutes of a game, what the hell you need them on your team for? It does not mean the player can't still have their on flair to the game, but stop the stupid stuff.

Why would you poke someone in the face with a face masked helmet and take the chance of breaking a finger? Because the player head is not in the game! It was dumb and in-excusable! It is time for professional athletes to apologize to their team-mates for such behavior when caught doing it. Forget that crap it is part of the game!

Personally, I don't think it has anything to do with Singletary having won a previous Super Bowl or being inducted into the Hall of Fame. It has to do with the behavior on the field and some times off the field. I don't care what anyone says, if being paid several millions of dollars a year to play a child's game, there should be consequences when screwing up. But maybe that is the issue, it is a child's game and we expect these knuckleheads to behave as adults when that is inconceivable at this point in time in their professional careers.

Mr. Singletary took charge and admonished a player while letting the team know this behavior will not be accepted. If that means he is trying to gain control of the locker room and his team, I am all for how he stepped up to do it! Also, I guess we have to wait until the player(s) is washed-up or injured to the point of not being able to play any more for them to grow up.

Roman, it is simply play the game properly and leave all that other BS outside the stadium! Who the hell are you going to intimidate by poking your hand through the face-mask of the opposing player?

Roman, though I understand what you mean, the NFL - or any sport - have a lot of players who could be true super-stars if not for the funky attitude. Personally, I still don't think Randy Moss has not will reach the Super-stardom of a Jerry Rice! Why? His approach to the game is not the same as Rice's was. I am not picking on the guy, but he was too good in Minnesota to dip so far off the radar.

You can only talk to someone like that when they RESPECT you. And even then, they will only listen because they know you are speaking from love and respect. It all depends on his relationship with that player and the others. Its never good to embarrass someone, and especially openly. Even for a preacher. In fact, especially for a preacher. Mike has to set the ground rules first.

I like Mike and appreciate the old school, but know the new school psyche is very fragile. The average athlete today does not come from homes where discipline and hard work is instilled into them. Most come from spoiled rotten, media driven households. I wouldnt put too much stock into anyone born after 1980. Not all but most. Mike is simply a relic out of his time. I trully hope he reaches them. It will be for their good, but at this level - its usually too late.

"The only one who could ever reach me was the son of a preacher man"

Son of a Preacher, Dusty Springfield

I'm sorry, but if you are walking onto an NFL football field and you have an ego fragile enough to wilt under a Mike Singletary post-game conference, then you don't belong in the NFL.

What Singletary said in the press conference is nothing compared to the yapping that goes on during a game. If you are mentally weak, especially at the skill positions, you... will... get... eaten... alive in the NFL.

Yes, some teams have an us vs. the coach, the establishment and the "man" perspective, but then there are teams like the Patriots, the Bills, the Steelers, the Giants, even the Dolphins under Parcells, who buy into the "team."

Singletary may not work out for the 49ers, because a coach like him needs an owner who is just as committed to the concept of "team" rather than the concept of "individual." Belichick, Jauron and other coaches who preach team first, often fail in their first coaching jobs. Even Parcells, who is as much a team/system advocate as anyone, failed under Jerry Jones at Dallas because Jones is an advocate of the "individual." That's why he hugs and kisses TO on the sideline. (That said about Jones, if Roy Williams works out at WR, watch Dallas dump TO.)

Let the "posse" baby the wannabees in the NFL. The true players don't need the constant positive reinforcement. That's all Singletary is saying. He needs 53 players in the locker room, not 53 wannabees.

So Bears fans.... How many of you want J.T. O'Sullivan back?

Geez, what would he have done to Peanut a few weeks ago?

If a player has too much pride to respect Singletary for asking them to play hard for their million dollar sallry, then get rid of the player. I can't think of a player on the 49ers that has been accused of being an irreplaceable superstar. Allow Singletary to provide opportunities to new athletes to earn their pay and they will respect him for having been given the chance.

If you can't get along with your boss, somebody else will.

Why would Vernon Davis care? He's got his guaranteed money and obviously winning is not that important.

He's 1 of many in the league who couldn't care less what the coach thinks. Those days are LONG gone...

Old school baby! Ditka has been reincarnitated! Fire and Brimestone! I love Mike and his crazed biddy eyes! Tell it how it Samuari Mike!

If I was playing in the NFL or even in terms of life in general, I'd want a guy like Mike Singletary on my ass. The guy demands a lot and that's how you have to be. He will succeed

To Edgar (and anyone else who though Singletary was out of line)

WAKE UP! I'm here in the South Bay Area where the Niners practice and the players are a running joke. Many have seen this jackrabbit Vernon Davis partying non stop, using cocaine, etc. The papers here are applauding Mike for finally doing what every other coach was afraid to do. This is an undisciplined team and the inmates here run the asylum. The ownership has sold this fraud to the fan base for too many years, and when I say fraud, I mean team. They needed this more than anything. In fact, Frank Gore gained similar respect from this team during his rookie season, in the pre-season no less. He gave the team a tongue lashing for their lack of dedication and selfishness. Gore is one of the few team players they have. So sorry Edgar, but you just haven't seen this team up close.

To Edgar (and anyone else who thought Singletary was out of line)

WAKE UP! I'm here in the South Bay Area where the Niners practice and the players are a running joke. Many have seen this jackrabbit Vernon Davis partying non stop, using cocaine, etc. The papers here are applauding Mike for finally doing what every other coach was afraid to do. This is an undisciplined team and the inmates here run the asylum. The ownership has sold this fraud to the fan base for too many years, and when I say fraud, I mean team. They needed this more than anything. In fact, Frank Gore gained similar respect from this team during his rookie season, in the pre-season no less. He gave the team a tongue lashing for their lack of dedication and selfishness. Gore is one of the few team players they have. So sorry Edgar, but you just haven't seen this team up close.

Some players like Vernon Davis need someone like Singletary to whip them up. They're the mentally weak players. They're followers not leaders. I can't imagine someone had to motivate Jerry Rice or Walter Payton to make them perform better. Real winners don't need outside motivation. They motivate themselves to win and win they do.

Most peoople dont realize that Vernon Davis has been a huge problem for the 49ers over the last threyears, he is paid too much and his head is not in the game.

Much like Jacksonville's Jack Del Rio, Singletary, a former linebacker, will have the respect of his team. And hopefully, a guy like Vernon Davis, can do what Jaguars WR Matt Jones has done in 2008 and screw his head on straight after acting like a Fickle premadonna his first three years.

Singletary is a little bit like a rookie himself, but the kind of rookie we want to keep in town a damn long time! I personally love it.

The league has to make a stand on the players running the teams and if Mike Singletary sets the example then the NFL should give him a big wet smooch on his rear end.

Anyone who thinks that the league is beyond the days of coaches like Ditka, Halas, Lombardi and Parcells not putting up with egotistic crybabies is wrong.
I wish that we had a guy like this coaching the Bears.

CocoBear, you misunderstood my post. I never said that Singletary was out of line. I explained that he is walking on a thin line as an interim head coach with the preaching. Yes, certainly guys like Vernon Davis deserves the tongue lashing and as you and Greg imply, maybe more than half of the team deserves to be called out, but all I'm saying is that before Singletary goes on a tirade like that in the media, I would think that he needs to earn respect as a HEAD COACH first before going off like that in public on specific players. Hey, I'm all for whipping these spoiled and selfish me-first pro athletes into real professionals, don't get me wrong. I loved Singletary as a player and I'm sort of an old school guy myself, but I'm not so sure this is the way to go about disciplining these generation of young pros. We'll see though and I wish Singletary all the luck of coaching those misfits down there, but it's going to come down to patience and wins and losses. I don't like his chances, but that's just my opinion. Greg brought up Jack Del Rio which is fine, but he didn't go off like this on a player in public during his first season as head coach. And don't forget, look for a power struggle to happen in that coaching staff with Mike Martz down the road... that'll also become news soon enough.

Edgar! You talking crazy man! This is just what these overpaid, me-first clowns need! Singletary is a HOF player from the most intimidating team in NFL history and I'm sure he commands respect from players just on that. And to say his methods won't work, well, check this: http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/Vernon-Davis-blogs-about-Mike-Singletary-s-tirad?urn=nfl,117803

Samurai Mike is just what we need in Chicago. Our current "head coach" too often gets mistaken for a wet noodle on spaghetti entrees. When Snooze-button Smith talks, I fall asleep. When Singletary talks, heck, get your umbrellas folks, a storm is coming.

Bring Mike back home!

Good for Mike Singletary that he got his head coach position. Good for Rivera to be named Defensive Coordinator for the Chargers. Now that the congratulations are over let's get on with reality: Mike got himself an awful team to coach. Almost no chance of getting the interim removed from that title. They have way too many problems for him to preach his way thru it. You guys applaud that he went off on some tirade in his press conference and he's old school for doing that but I don't see it that way. For one he walked over to Davis on the bench and calmly told him to go to the locker-room. Didn't shout or scream, just Lovie-like told him to leave the bench. Then I saw frustration boil over and he went off on a tirade like someone who was just pissed. Okay. Being pissed is alright but you have to understand one thing going: Singletary has still yet to coordinate anything. He wasn't ever a defensive coordinator with any team. Even with the niners. Assistant Head coach? What does he do in that respect? Whatever it is it isn't hands-on enough to validate being a head coach. Not to me but whatever. There is a reason that he walked away from football for well over ten years. If he was fed up after 92 when they had one Deion Sanders in the NFL how do you think he feels with just about 5 or 6 on every team? I just don't know if you're gonna get results calling out players every week. Like Keith said; these guys are prima donnas who are very used to being catered to especially during the years where most of us after working up the urge to talk to girls or are popping zits or tripping over our two left feet. Imagine people kissing your butt since you were 16 or 17? Who is going to tell you what to do when people are willing to pay you handsomely to play sports. My father and I have long arguments- Marvin Gaye and his father type of arguments- about the players of today being just about the money and not about championships or winning and he believes that they are in it to win it and I believe that they are just about the money. Why not? Signing bonuses bigger than what your whole family will make in 10 lifetimes. Don't ever expect to see a current player of any sport selling used cars like the ones from the 60s to make ends meet. Guys nowadays don't know a thing about the sacrifices that previous players made to get them their millions. Guys like Singletary won't get respect like you'd like because I'm sure there are plenty of people in his locker room who feel that he wouldn't have even make most teams nowadays because he would've been too small or too slow. If they don't care about the legacy of the Niners, how will they respect the legacy of the Bears? No one cares about heart anymore and with the team that he has,at times he's goin to be the only one who does.

Man, I wish Lovie had 1 1/10th of that passion.

I LOVE IT.

Guys like Singletary won't get respect like you'd like because I'm sure there are plenty of people in his locker room who feel that he wouldn't have even make most teams nowadays because he would've been too small or too slow.

By William R. Donald on October 28, 2008 6:48 PM

Mr. Donald it is people who speak in this manner and backed-up KLS statements which makes the professional game of any sport horrendous. Why do guys like yourself even waste time watching the games when knowing it is no more than a WWF match?!

I have read many of your posts, but nothing like this to allow placating the behavior of some of these players. When reading your particular post on this topic, if owners perform collusion and downward sprialing of salaries began with less COLOR to the game, no one should be surprised.

It amazes me you want the head coach to kiss the player's ass for a job they are well paid for instead of the player(s) understanding, if he don't perform, no incentives or bonuses will kick in. Or merely a pariah in the locker-room. Forget the guaranteed salary, maybe the issue is simply all the players are mental midgets in the locker rooms.

No, players will not have to be used car salesmens or take on a second job to help pay for the nights at the strip club, but what does that have to do with playing the game?

People have been kissing their butt since they were 16 or 17 is a very good reason to admonish the child-like behavior they still exhibit presently that teenagers do. What is the matter with you? Can we think Cedric Benson? Ain't picking on the guy but he didn't behave as someone with a lot of maturity and damn if he wasn't given every opportunity to succeed.
******

You can only talk to someone like that when they RESPECT you. And even then, they will only listen because they know you are speaking from love and respect.
By Keith Lifetime Southsider on October 27, 2008 11:47 AM

I don't apologize for this statement but the two of you guys statements irk me! That is like a child going home and telling their parents when doing poorly in school, "THE TEACHER LIKE ME!" In other words admonish the teacher(coach) and not the child(man-child playing sports) I guess.

So now the coach don't like (LOVE & RESPECT) a player, therefore a grown ass man goes sit in the corner, and suck his thumb because he has been petted previously before!

I am really missing something with you two guys analogy!! Have you two been petted or something, and feel like Mike Singletary is NOT displaying ENOUGH LOVE to the players? Please!!

Yo Mike! Coach em up! So he's still interim coach, this is Samurai's chance to show what a team is going to get from him as a head coach. If not with the 49ers then some other team. It may not be conventional for nfl head coaches now, but it was once. So why should singletary tone it down just to play it safe? I say go for it, and if he can get half a dozen guys on the team to start playing the way he wants them to, then he'll be on his way. The players need to be responsible to each other, but the coach has to set the tone and head off any outliers. If the owners of the 49ers like what they see, and get rid of a few bad apples, maybe Mike can get it done in SanFran.

"Man, I wish Lovie had 1 1/10th of that passion.
I LOVE IT."

What exactly would that get you? Do you see Bellichek screaming? Did you see Tom Landry or Joe Gibbs?

meatball alert...meatball alert...

Bears Fan, ask you a question: what does Keith and I have in common more than anything? We are both from the neighborhood that most of these inner-city players are from and are still aware what is going on in the inner city. So if we have a first hand knowledge of what these players are coming from why are you angry at us? At no point did we say that the mentality is correct. We said what the mentality was. Who does not size up a former player and feel that he's from a era that isn't better than what's going on? You honestly think that not one players had that thought cross their mind? That thought would have a guy approaching him a certain way. I met a guy who was 70 and he said that he was a Packer during the war. Even though I know we all get shorter as we grow older the guy was 5'1" and the height alone spoke volumes. Did I bow down at him because he did something I wanted to do once in my life. No, I respected him as a patient but I knew he was lucky to play in an era when his talent was needed. And as long as guys play well no one will care about the color of his skin. These players know that they are meat and cattle. They also know that fans and owners use them up and cast them aside when they are done. Have you seen one salary go down except for a guy who was a bust? But that guy who was a bust once commanded a signing bonus that was a lottery winning that most of us would retire on. Even guys like Benson get that second or sometimes 3rd and 4th chance regardless of behavior. When owners like Jerry Jones and Davis are signing castoffs then it sounds more like wishful thinking on your part than reality. Why do you guys waste your time telling a guy about his previous posts when he doesn't even remember them like I don't. I don't even remember the tone or intent of most of your posts. Unless it is leveled at me I can care less. That last one I will remember. But,so what.

Bears Fan, I thank you for even expressing your displeasure. I have no problem with that. Like Big Willy said, we are speaking from our perspective and experience.

Name me ANY player that is a top notch star in the league who is also an idiot, and I guarantee, he does what he wants, and is PAID like T.O.. And you are not going to scream at him an embarrass him - for long. YOUR job depends on him. Detroit got rid of Roy Williams, but watch him bounce back. Randy Moss, left for dead, but you see what happened with him last year. IMHO I have found that the screamer loses the player and his job, but the communicator reaches the player and they all win together.

There are different types of players and coaches. I personally love the old school coach, maybe because they are entertaining. But I have come to appreciate the Phil Jacksons of the world who speak with their RESULTS. Coach Ditka was great, he and Buddy, and Cohwer, but communication is the wave of the future. The screaming guy wins one big one. The communicator wins several. The screamer wins the game, but the communicator wins the PLAYER. And as a PARENT and a coach, I can tell you that its better to reach a person because they respect you instead of fear you. You can also ask John McCain how thats fear stuff is working for him. You cannot argue with RESULTS.

Although I typically agree with less than 4.7% of what WRD says, and even less of the time, will I agree with BOTH WRD and KLS at the same time, but...this time I do tend to agree, not with this particular singletery point, but the larger point about Coaches having to show respect to their players.

& I think other than both being from the city, they are both probably players at heart.

I was both a player and a coach and I had 10 different head coaches in 12 years of oranized basketball. I have seen it all, I have been all types of players of those different coaches.

But there is NO QUESTION...that a Coach will get more out of a player who respects him and feels that you are genuinlly concerned for their best interests, than you will out of a player who just wants a pay check.

Thats the difference between being a player and being fan!

WRD, KLS, Culzie, I have to agree with you all. I have played for coaches in basketball who were dictators, and yellers and screamers, but they didn't yell at everyone. It left a sense of favoritism, and players felt entitlement. I have also played for coaches who were concerned about our welfare, and developing the whole player.

There is a difference in screaming at someone and telling someone off to the media, and being concerned about that person's problems with whatever plan is implemented, gaining their trust and respect about you and your coaching ability. You must put you pride aside at times, and be a man. Bill Cowher is a perfect example of that. He had his player's trust till he retired, yet he yell and screamed all the time.

I wish Mike well, too. He's gonna need it to exact the change in this franchise that he wants.

I'm flattered B because I thought you only agreed 1.3 percent with me. I'm moving up in the world..

Bonus money, front loaded contracts are the problem here.

"Play For The Pay" is the answer.

I think you guys are missing something here. Singletary didn't eject a player and call him out in front of the media because he dropped a pass or jumped offsides. This clown punched/slapped someone. In Hackbart vs. The Cincy Bengals (1973) the courts ruled that any strikes/blows that are not permitted in the game can be considered tortious conduct. So not only were Vernon's actions illegal in the NFL and counterproductive to the team (-15yards), but he could have been punished by the judicial system.

Chuck, I agree with you on coaches who yell, shout, stomp their feet, hold their breath etc. when something goes wrong in the game or when a player is out of position or whatever, and have played for those coaches as well. The Bobby Knight's if you will. But what Davis did, Singletary was right on.