When the 49ers dumped Steve Mariucci last January, many eyebrows were raised. Mariucci had guided the team to a remarkable turnaround following two years of salary-cap hell. The 49ers had just won their first division title since 1997 and had rallied from a 24-point deficit to stun the Giants in the playoffs before getting shelled by the eventual Super Bowl champs the following week in Tampa.
Apparently, de facto team owner John York and GM Terry Donahue were unhappy that Mariucci had made himself available for other job opportunities, most notably at Notre Dame and Tampa Bay during the previous offseason. York and Donahue even went so far as to say Mariucci’s dismissal was not performance related, thus giving the impression that they really couldn’t stand the guy. Mooch’s strained relationship with star wide receiver/diva Terrell Owens didn’t help matters, either.Immediately, rumors started flying in the Bay Area about who Mooch’s successor would be. Dennis Green, who coached under Bill Walsh during the eighties, was the first name mentioned. Niner fans began dreaming of Green coming back to town and opening up the 49er offense, which many felt had been hamstrung by Mariucci’s conservative approach. York would have none of that, however, due to concerns about sexual misconduct allegations against Green while he was coaching the Vikings.
Other names began to crop up on fans’ wish lists: Bob Stoopes, Bill Parcells, even Jimmy Johnson. Still, the 49ers made no effort to meet with these well-respected coaches. Time began to drag on. Parcells joined the Cowboys. Marvin Lewis finally got his shot in Cincy. Even Mariucci landed on his feet in Detroit. But the 49ers were still without a head coach after talking to the likes of Greg Blache, Monte Kiffin, Rick Neuheisel and Jim Mora Jr. What were they waiting for? What stroke of genius from the Niner front office would raise the spirits of the Faithful?
And then, it happened. Out of the blue, without any warning, the 49ers announced that their new head coach was…Dennis Erickson.
Dennis Erickson? The same guy who skipped out on Washington State when the University of Miami came calling? The same guy who left the out-of-control Hurricanes football program amid a wake of NCAA violations in order to take the Seahawks’ head coaching gig? The same guy who led the Seahawks to a sub-.500 record before being released without a postseason appearance? The same guy who ended up back in the college ranks in the Pac 10’s waste bin, Oregon State? Yep, that guy.
Instead of writing a blank check to a proven commodity like Parcells, Green or Johnson, instead of promoting from within, instead of grabbing an up-and-coming talent from another team, York and co. picked a low-priced NFL retread from the “Good Ol’ Boy” network. The media was miffed; fans were pissed. This was the once-proud San Francisco 49ers, after all, and not the Jacksonville Jaguars. This wasn’t they way Eddie D. ran the show during the team’s run of five Super Bowl victories. The fact that the 49ers were retaining their offensive and defensive coordinators was a red flag to all who were hoping for a fresh start with a strong-willed head coach.
At his first press conference, Erickson promised to open up the offense, even hinting at empty backfields and formations with five wideouts. “Okay,” Niner Fan said on local radiowaves, “we’ll give this guy a chance. Maybe he didn’t catch any breaks in Seattle. Maybe he’s learned from his past experiences.” But privately, everybody who followed the team knew that the 49ers had downgraded and were fuming that York and Donahue never had a plan for replacing the well-liked Mariucci when they canned him a month earlier.
Less than 10 months later the Niners’ 2003 season has been filled with disappointment. A woeful kicking game, repeated tirades by Terrell Owens, a quarterback controversy, ineffective game plans, a winless road record and a general lack of discipline and heart have been among the lowlights as San Francisco stumbles towards the finish line. Last Sunday’s 44-6 drubbing by the Ravens, led by third-string quarterback Anthony Wright, effectively ended the 49ers’ postseason chances before the month of December began.
There are plenty of people to blame for this debacle of a season in San Francisco, including many of the players on the field. Even Erickson has admitted that the fault has to be placed at the top, as he pointed out during the aftermath of last Sunday’s performance. Erickson, of course, was referring to himself, but that’s not enough for me. After all, Erickson is what he is – a mediocre NFL head coach. Everybody knew that before the 49ers had opened training camp.
I’m bestowing this week’s award to the two architects of the shitpile that has been the 2003 49ers: Terry Donahue and John York. Along with the trophy, I’m going to pass along a bit of advice to these gentlemen who are both in way over their heads.
To Terry Donahue: call Bill Walsh. Do whatever he tells you to do, even if he asks you to step aside and let him get the franchise back on track.
To John York: stop running the franchise as a business. It’s not. It’s a football team. If you can’t handle that, sell the 49ers to the group Steve Young and Brent Jones have assembled. You’ll make your money and Niner Fan will never have to hear from you again.
And finally, a word of advice to Niner fans: always remember, no matter how low the 49ers sink to the depths of the league’s also-rans, you were able to enjoy one of the greatest dynasties in professional sports. Just think – it could be much worse – you could be Charger fans.
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