Stanford football coach accused of hostility toward female staffers

Accusations against the head football coach of a major university. Hardly unusual. Except the university is Stanford and the coach in question is Troy Taylor, who came from Stanford’s biggest rival, California, and also ironically served as a radio commentator for the Golden Bears recently. 

Stanford. The Harvard of the West. Where the emphasis is on academics. Not that the administration and of course the alumni don’t want to succeed in sports. Only to a point of moderation. Years ago when Stanford was overwhelming USC and going to the Rose Bowl, a member of the faculty contender suggested that some people at the school were embarrassed, as if there was something wrong in making the all-American squad as opposed to making Phi Beta Kappa.  

The football program slipped considerably and so Stanford went after Taylor, who was a star at the school across the Bay—yes, Cal, or, as some people derogatorily call it, UC Berkeley. Taylor arrived before the 2023 season and has struggled, not surprisingly, in this era of transfer protocol, and the charges against him disclosed by ESPN arrived only hours ago. 

These charges, according to the ESPN report, say Taylor bullied and belittled female athletic staffers, sought to have an NCAA compliance officer removed after she warned him of rules violations, and repeatedly made “inappropriate” comments to another woman about her appearance. 

The report on the 56-year-old Taylor was prepared by Timothy O’Brien, senior counsel for the Libby O’Brien Kingsley & Champion Law firm in Maine. O’Brien said, “He never had encountered the level of animosity and disdain for a university compliance officer. Even during the interview with me, when talking about compliance issues, Coach Taylor’s tone was forceful and aggressive.” 

The complaints against Taylor came early enough. The investigation began after multiple employees filed grievances against Taylor for what they called hostile and aggressive behavior, as well as personal attacks. Those comments came from a previous investigation by Kate Weaver Patterson of KWP Consulting & Mediation in the spring of 2023—weeks before Taylor’s first game. 

Taylor was contrite in responding to the report. “I willingly complied with the investigations,” said Taylor, “accepted the recommendations that came out of them, and used them as a learning opportunity to grow in leadership and how I interact with others.” 

That Taylor still has his job may be his willingness to admit his intemperance. Stanford’s administrators, including Athlete Director Bernard Muir, while not pleased with the situation and report, have shown a high degree of patience. 

No school wants to be paying a football coach who has been removed from his job, particularly when it has nothing to do with the final scores. Stanford was 3-9 this past season and lost to Cal in each of Taylor’s two seasons. 

He is in the process of getting things right on the field. No less, obviously, he must get them right with the women on his staff.

Andreeva’s BNP Championship hardly was a “Mirracle”

INDIAN WELLS — She’s the kind of kid who, when it comes to her game, doesn’t kid around—paraphrasing the old Dion song—a teenager in love with a sport where her opponents often end up with love, which, in tennis, means zero.

We know where Mirra Andreeva has gone, by age 17, Sunday winning the women’s title of the BNP Paribas Open, after winning at Dubai in her previous start.

What we don’t know, but certainly can surmise, is how far she is about to go. 

Andreeva defeated world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 in a sold-out Indian Wells tennis garden stadium, where determined by the shrieks and shouts, the majority of the 16,100 fans were cheering for Andreeva.

That match was followed by Jack Draper, the Brit, beating Holger Rune of Denmark, 6-2, 6-2 in the men’s final in a tidy 1 hour 5 minutes. If that result wasn’t a surprise—and to many who have been touting the 23-year-old Draper, it wasn’t—then the women’s final certainly was. Or was it?

Andreeva, the Russian, has been getting accolades seemingly for years, although perhaps not that long. She has progressed beautifully from one step to another, ranking as the top junior in the sport two years ago and then meeting expectations, climbing the figurative ladder.

Andreeva dropped the first set to Sabalenka and you figured she was a bit overmatched. Not true. She roared back as all the great ones do—joining the ranks of Tracy Austin, Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, and Kim Clijsters, all of whom became stars at a very young age.

“After the first set it was tough to come back really,” insisted Andreeva, “but I tried my best.”

Her best was enough even against a 26-year-old who has won three majors, including 2 Australian Opens and a U.S. Open, but who faltered big time in this one. 

“Honestly it was me against me,” said an understandably upset Sabalenka. “I made a lot of unforced errors on important points, and I just let her play a little bit better. She kind of like believed in herself. After that, I started playing much worse, and I was just trying to find my rhythm back but it didn’t work this time.”

There are turning points in tennis as there are in many of our popular sports.  And this may have been one. The underdog, the hopeful, breaks through and everything changes. 

It’s a matter of finding the confidence that unleashes the potential. Once a player realizes she can do it, the rest of the field realizes it, too.

It’s cute to say Andreeva’s success is a “Mirracle”, but that ignores the skill and determination which got her there—and should get her to the pinnacle of tennis.

No Three-peat for Alcaraz at BNP; Draper stopped that

INDIAN WELLS — That thought of Carlos Alcaraz and his three-peat at the BNP Paribas Open was knocked into the desert halfway to Death Valley by a guy named Jack Draper, who made sure Saturday that the result of the men’s final would be a “One-peat.” 

On a Saturday when the weather in this resort area finally met expectations, with temperatures reaching the low 70s, Stadium One at Indian Wells Tennis Garden was packed. The winners of the two men’s semifinals likely felt the energy. Draper, a 23-year-old whose mother was a competitor in England, began his tennis journey by hitting balls against the walls of their home club. He defeated Alcaraz 6-1, 0-6, 6-4.

In Sunday’s final Draper will be up against Holger Rune of Denmark, who took care of Daniil Medvedev 7-5, 6-4. 

The ladies also will have their last match on Sunday, World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka will face wunderkind Mirra Andreeva, the 17-year-old from Russia. They advanced Friday night, Sabalenka crushing Madison Keys of the U.S. 6-0, 6-1, and Andreeva winning over two-time BNP champion, Iga Swiatek, 7-6,1-6, 6-3.

Maybe nothing should be a surprise in sports, especially in tennis, but Keys winning only one game against Sabalenka was a real stunner. The 11th game, in particular, stood out. Keys, 34, the American, had defeated Sabalenka just seven weeks ago in the Australian Open final, securing Madison’s first major victory. Sabalenka called Saturday’s match "revenge," while others described it as a "bagel, breadstick" finish.

Alcarez has won four major titles, including two Wimbledons, and Draper none, but Alcarez was properly weary of his opponent. Alcaraz said of Draper, “I think he’s ambitious, and he always goes for it. That makes him a really tough opponent.”

How tough was evident in the final score. “I mean, this one hurts”, said Alcaraz. “I don’t want to lose any match, but I think this one was even more special to me. It was difficult today, a lot of nerves in the match.”

When asked what he could have done better, Alcaraz reflected, “Just playing my style and stepping onto the court with fewer nerves. I think that was the big difference.”

You might think that a man who has won Wimbledon twice, along with titles at Roland Garros and the U.S. Open, would be less nervous—even at an event known as the "Fifth Major." But internal pressure is always a factor when competing at the highest level. 

When the opportunity arrives, how does the athlete respond? Draper showed us. 

“Yeah, I feel incredible obviously to beat Carlos in this sort of stage in the tournament on that court,” said Draper. “You know, I have watched the top players in the world play on that court for many, many years now, and it feels amazing, honestly, both those things.”

Rune, who has reached the quarterfinals in three Grand Slam tournaments, is one of those players whose name always seems to pop up and cause you to ask,  “Who’s that?” But to followers of the sport, he’s more than just a name. His win on Saturday over Medvedev, a two-time BNP Paribas Open runner-up, was particularly impressive.

“I feel like I’m very clear in my mindset,” said Rune. “Also (Sunday) I have to go for it. It’s not going to be handed to me. It’s a lot of work.”

Nothing is handed to you in sports. As Rune said you have to go get it.

49ers may not get to next Super Bowl, but 49ers stadium will

Wasn’t it Jim Mora Sr., then coaching the Saints, who, when asked about games with unexpected results, said, “You don’t know, you can’t know, you never will know”? Mora's insight comes to mind when reflecting on what happened in the Super Bowl.

Or if you prefer, what didn’t happen.

Oh yeah, one thing we do know: The next Super Bowl, LX, will be held at Levi Stadium, where the San Francisco 49ers play home games. And one more thing we do know: the Niners won’t be in that Super Bowl, because they are in the same conference as the Philadelphia Eagles—who crushed  Kansas City Sunday, 40-22 in this Super Bowl—the Los Angeles Rams, the Minnesota Vikings, and the Washington Commanders. 

Unless somehow they can rebuild as quickly as they came apart last season. Defense wins. It was never more evident than how the Eagles stopped the supposedly unstoppable Chiefs and their excellent quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Kansas City was trying to become the first team ever to win 3 consecutive Super Bowls. It couldn’t be done. The thinking here is that it never will be done. There are too many factors.  The Niners won two in a row and appeared very much about to defeat the New York Giants at Candlestick Park for the so-called “Three-peat.” But it was not to be. A Roger Craig fumble, a Montana injury, and five field goals by the New York Giants, who won 15-13 without a touchdown. 

Kansas City was a 1 to 1 ½ point favorite, but the Chiefs were never really in the game. Still, it wasn’t until they trailed 34-0 late in the third quarter that Fox TV announcer Kevin Burkhardt grudgingly conceded that Philly was going to win.

This is not to fault Burkhardt, who had a better game than Mahomes. TV people want to keep you watching. Otherwise, those ads, which sold for $8 million for half a minute, would go unseen. Burkhardt also fell into that new method of describing how far a team is in front or behind. When the Chiefs trailed by that huge deficit, 34-0, he said it was a five-score game.

Until the Super Bowl, Mahomes and the Chiefs had survived by winning games thanks to things like late missed field goals by the opposition. Good teams find ways to win—that’s why they’re good teams. And that’s why KC was a narrow favorite. But the Chiefs fell behind so quickly, with the Eagles running the ball effectively and picking off passes, that Kansas City barely knew what hit them.

A year ago, the 49ers lost to the Chiefs in overtime in the Super Bowl and went on to struggle throughout the 2024 season. The unfounded description is “Super Bowl hangover”—the idea that a team, for one reason or another, can't regain its footing after a tough championship defeat.

What’s going to happen to the Chiefs? Will they be as effective and successful as they were before the Super Bowl? Or will that one awful game stay with them in the coming months? 

To use one of Jim Mora’s observations, “You don’t know.”

Of football and fire

The contrast was being played out on our television screens. There on ESPN, as proper, the pictures and words were about the NFL. Fun and games. On CNN were scenes of tragedy, smoke and flames. One of man at his best, competition. On the other, nature at its worst, destruction. Football as scheduled. Fire as unimaginable.

Athletic heroes, at least in name. First responders and emergency personnel, heroes deserving of the label.

Fire pays no attention to status. We are all at the mercy. It’s merely a question of where the ashes land and where your residence might be. We’ve been through this before in California, but not really anything like this.

Who would have believed the entire Pacific Palisades or several miles away, Sierra Madre, would be razed? Yes, I’m a sportswriter, but I covered news through the years that included fires in Southern California, where I grew up, and Northern California, where I now reside. The Oakland Hills fire in 1991, which destroyed 2800 homes, and the Camp Fire in Butte County were awful, but what has gone on the last week and a half offers a new definition to that word. 

The frightening thing is we kept getting warned of the possibility. Not that we could do anything but worry, stay alert, and heed evacuation warnings, although sometimes we disregard the warnings because of the misplaced belief that it will never happen. 

But it happened this time.

Warriors coach, Steve Kerr, was one of the victims.  The home in which he grew up in the Pacific Palisades, close to Santa Monica, was burned to the ground. His 90-year-old mother, who evacuated, was saved. But all the trophies and awards Kerr collected in his very illustrious career—he was Michael Jordan’s teammate—are gone.

Los Angeles Lakers coach J.J. Reddick also lost his home, and when interviewed on TV seemed understandably shaken. It’s as if what occurred would have been impossible. But as we know, nothing is impossible. 

That the National Football League readily shifted the Los Angeles Rams-Minnesota Vikings playoff game on Sunday to the Arizona Cardinals’ stadium outside Phoenix was both necessary and correct. It was an inconvenience for the fans in Southern California, although busloads of them made it to the game, some 200 miles from Los Angeles. Yet the fact that the game was held at all could be acknowledged as a reassurance that the fire would not ruin all sense of normalcy.

The NFL and various outlets including all the networks broadcasting the postseason, kept telling us about how to donate for fire relief efforts. Sometimes those requests are overdone. Not after this fire. Too many lives were lost and too many buildings were lost. 

All we can do now is to retain our sense of perspective and know that sport might contribute to providing what little benefit might be possible. And thanks to those who brought us the news good and bad.

Niners head toward a future of needed change

The San Francisco 49ers’ lost season has come to a close. With a loss naturally. Would you have expected anything else?  

The question now is what should be expected? Other than the fact that having recorded a painful, almost absurd 6-11 record, the Niners must improve greatly through whatever methods are possible. This includes taking an impactful player, possibly a defensive lineman, with their first pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Due to their poor finish, they will be picking 11th in the first round.

On Sunday, in a game which, to use a phrase, was full of subs and scrubs for the Niners, San Francisco was defeated by the Arizona Cardinals 47-24. Niners starting quarterback, Brock Purdy, was kept out of a seemingly meaningless contest.  Although, in a sport all too competitive, it’s perhaps incorrect to use the description “meaningless.”

It may be better to try and look ahead rather than grimly recalling what went on the past several months, but reflecting is both necessary and appropriate. True, San Francisco chose to go with journeyman quarterback, Joshua Dobbs in place of Purdy, who injured his elbow a week ago. However, it was the defense, as has been the case of late, that cost the 49ers any chance of a win today. Arizona rolled up 436 yards on offense, an inexcusable amount for a team that hopes to win.

In a way, that’s old news. However, you need to know what happened if you are going to make a change.

“They wore us down by the third quarter,” Niners coach Kyle Shanahan pointed out. “We’ve been processing what’s been going on and got to get to work during the off-season,” he said in what is a massive understatement.

Journeyman Joshua Dobbs, in his start game of the year, taking over for Purdy, completed 29 passes of 43 attempts for a solid 326 yards and two touchdowns. The problem was he also threw two interceptions and lost a fumble. He, and the Niners, lost a top receiver when Juaun Jennings was ejected for fighting in the second quarter. Shanahan said, “I didn’t see him throw a punch, and am surprised he got ejected.” Jennings said he was being held down and couldn’t get up. As often happens, the officials failed to notice that part of the incident. 

A perfectly imperfect situation in a year when everything went wrong. 

It would be no surprise if the Niners have a placekicker other than Jake Moody next season. Moody did connect on a 51-yard field goal, but then later missed a 47-yard attempt. 

Once again, the Niners hurt themselves with penalties. They were called 13 times for 85 yards. Meanwhile, the Cardinals had only one penalty for 5 yards. Ineffective teams usually draw more penalties because the players are trying to offset a disadvantage, grabbing, pulling or beating the count.

Twelve months ago, the Niners were heading to the Super Bowl. Now they head to a questionable future. 

A rose on my seat, and the end of a streak

The press box seat was vacant. Except for a lone flower, a rose, of course, placed there by a sympathetic and understanding official. Wednesday, for the first time in roughly three-quarters of a century they were playing a Rose Bowl game in Pasadena and I wasn’t there.

Oh, I watched the game on television at home as most others, but as you might imagine it wasn’t the same. 

Streaks of any sort become obsessive and rewarding, and mine probably was both. Starting as a program salesman in 1954, and continuing as a spectator and then a sports writer, I had been to 70 consecutive Rose Bowls. No, I didn’t go to the Covid game in 2021 that moved to Texas, but if it wasn’t held in the famed stadium was it a Rose Bowl?

A pro of nothing but perhaps pertinent to everything, Ben Hogan, the golf great kept reminding us not to get old. I seemed to have missed the advice. My vision had deteriorated to the point where I couldn’t maneuver around the stadium by myself. So for safety's sake, the decision was to step away this time at least. Unfortunately. 

True, Ohio State routed Oregon, 41-21—I’ll get into that later— but it didn’t seem like the most compelling event. It was a throwback to the 1940s and 50s when the Big Ten would roll over schools from the West, winning game after game.

Still, until you have been there, it is difficult to grasp why the Rose Bowl holds such a prominent place in college football. It was the first bowl game, as the slogan quote “Granddaddy of them All” keeps us aware. The setting is particularly special, in the Arroyo Seco, surrounded by trees and a rustic area of homes, all set against the backdrop of the Sierra Madre's towering peaks. It would be a great place, even without the football game. Sunset is the best time of day when the game is coming to an end and the peaks to the East turn purple. Maybe even the stunned Oregon fans could appreciate the beauty.

There is a saying about football, “you don’t know, you can’t know, you never will know.”  We certainly had no idea what would happen when an undefeated Oregon team, which had beaten Ohio State by a point in September, would again face off against the Buckeyes. But we found out all too quickly. The game was decided halfway through the first quarter, Ohio State simply was too strong. You almost thought about the Buckeye teams when grumpy Woody Hayes was the coach, with his “3 yards and a cloud of dust offense.” Maybe the game was an unsuspected mismatch, but as almost always, the weather was great, as it usually is. 

The last time there was appreciable rain for the Rose Bowl Game was 1955 and interestingly, Ohio State was one of the opponents. Yes, the Buckeyes won but Hayes memorably complained about the band of the other team, USC, marching on the soggy field at half-time. He always needed something about which to be unhappy. Until the final score.

That was my second Rose Bowl and I got drenched, but I went home, changed my wet clothes, and told myself, you have to come back again.

I did. Again and again and again. Until this year.

Niners looking at next year, although two games remain this year

And for this unmerry holiday (and NFL) season, the San Francisco 49ers will receive the 11th pick in the 2025 draft. Which one guesses is better than a lump of coal. Or another game when they can’t stop making penalties. 

No, the Niners are not finished with the 2024 schedule, unfortunately. They still have two games remaining, including Monday night in San Francisco against the Detroit Lions (13-2), a team playing as well as the Niners have played poorly.

When you get to December in pro football you hope to be at your best. And one year ago, the Niners were. Just wanted to reference the good times. Wasn’t the old showbiz slogan, “Always leave ‘em laughing?”

There is no mirth in Ninerville these days, especially after the failings and misfortunes that have haunted them since September—untimely penalties, numerous injuries, and a general lack of football smarts—that ganged together in Sunday’s 29-17 loss to the Dolphins in Miami. That defeat left San Francisco 6-9. It also officially eliminated the 49ers from any spot in the postseason, although even coach Kyle Shanahan conceded they were out of it before kickoff. 

“We knew that last week,” Shanahan said.

What he similarly knew was that the offensive line and overall defense had regressed. “There was a lack of concentration,” said Shanahan, “the penalties, a missed field goal (by Jake Moody). You can’t expect to have three personal fouls on three drives in the second half and expect to win. It was disappointing in how we got the penalties and how many we had.”

Disappointing is a word that is repeated too often about the Niners this season. They have had their chances, but not unusual for a troubled team, they were unable to benefit from them. The Niners need to get younger and stronger. They lost control of the offensive line, and have to make improvements in the running game—although if Christian McCaffrey comes back healthy that will make a difference.

Quarterback Brock Purdy had a semi-effective game Sunday throwing for 313 yards. However, with the Niners getting outgained on the ground with 81 rush yards to the Dolphins’ 166, he didn’t have much help. The old line is “to win you have to be able to run the ball.” 

“Offensively we didn’t play good enough,” said Purdy. “We hurt ourselves. When we think about the plays we should have made, we had plenty of opportunities, but we couldn't finish. Dang it, that hurt.” 

Purdy is going to get a very large contract in the offseason, maybe $60 million a year. The 49ers also are going to have to spend at other positions, including defensive backs.

After a less-than-stellar performance in the loss to the Rams in the rain a week and one half ago, Deebo Samuel played well against Miami, catching seven passes for 96 yards and a touchdown and rushing for 25 yards in five carries.  

“I’m not frustrated,” said Samuel, who perhaps will not be on the team next year if changes are made. “We have had injuries. We need to get prepared for next year.”

Planning ahead is not a bad idea after a bad season.

For the Niners, plenty of rain but not a touchdown

It was an awful way for the San Francisco 49ers to end the season, in the rain at Levi’s Stadium, without a touchdown, and with a 12-6 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. No, the Niner’s season is technically not done, but after Thursday night’s depressing defeat, everyone who is a realist understands that’s it for 2024.

Never mind the playoffs. You have to wonder if the 6-8 Niners even have a chance at finishing the season with a .500 record. To make matters worse—as if they could get worse—one of San Francisco’s defensive linemen, De’Vondre Campbell, refused to return to the game in the third quarter. “I’m not going in,” he reportedly told the coaches.

San Francisco at least played effectively on defense, but the offense was alarmingly poor, managing only two field goals by Jake Moody. That started with the game plan by head coach Kyle Shanahan, continued through quarterback Brock Purdy, and went down to boastful wide receiver Deebo Samuel, who had spent the week insisting he wanted more opportunities with the ball. As if answering his demand, the Niners called a pass to Samuel the very first play from scrimmage. It was incomplete.

Samuel eventually caught three passes for 16 yards but gained only three yards on two carries. “The rain impacted us from running as well as we could,” Samuel explained. “We got to do better. It was frustrating.” That word can also be applied to the Niners performance this year.  Indeed, they had far too many injuries, including such key players as running back Christian McCaffrey—who will not return until next season-—and defensive stars Nick Bosa and Drew Greenlaw, who were able to come back to face the Rams.

Yet every team has injuries and when the Niners lost players, they also seemed to lose their heart.  Everything that could go wrong went wrong for many games, including this one on offense.

“We had offensive struggles,” admitted Shanahan, stating the obvious. “They got their run game going better than we did” (the Rams racked up 142 rushing yards compared to San Francisco’s 63). “LA played well and we left a lot out there. Deebo on third down didn’t catch the ball. That was a big one.” 

The Niners were swept by the Rams for the first time in six years. Can you imagine what it was like for the home fans, getting drenched and then being unable to cheer for a single TD? 

And can you imagine what it was like for Purdy, who had one of his poorest games? He was under constant pressure from the Rams, who came in prepared with methods of keeping the Niners QB scrambling, throwing incompletions (14 for 31 for 142 yards) and an interception. It was a career-worst for Purdy, who gained fame as “Mr. Relevant”, the last man picked in the draft. 

“Obviously this one hurts,” said Purdy. “We have lots of people ready to fight to finish out the season the right way. We had opportunities that we didn’t convert out. I didn’t play my best tonight. I left a lot of plays. I could have been better for my team. The defense did a great job.”

Oh well, someday the sun will shine again.

For Niners, even with a win, ‘These are desperate times’

The San Francisco 49ers understand. They are playing for survival, playing for pride, and playing for respect. It would have been difficult to believe in September, but as acknowledged by defensive end Leonard Floyd, that’s exactly where they are. 

The Niners did beat the Chicago “Very Bad News” Bears on Sunday with a decisive 38-13 victory at Levi’s Stadium. But so what? The victory may have been a tourniquet to stop the bleeding from a three-game losing streak that was finally coming to a close.

In the immediate future, this Thursday night, the 49ers will host the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams not only defeated the Niners two and one-half months ago but also stunned the Buffalo Bills on Sunday—who crushed San Francisco in an all too typical Buffalo snowstorm last weekend. 

Technically, the Niners still are going for a spot in the playoffs, although perhaps only in misguided dreams. They need to win all their remaining games, on a schedule that includes the Detroit Lions, who have lost only once in thirteen games.

“These are desperate times,” said Floyd. “The goal is to grab it by the horns and go home early.”  He didn’t mean departing before the postseason but that seems to be the fate awaiting the 49ers. With a 6-7 overall record and sitting at the bottom of the NFC West, their chances of making a playoff run appear slim. 

It’s hard to judge your quality in a game against the Bears, who were playing their first game under interim coach Thomas Brown and have dropped their seventh straight game.

Still, San Francisco was remarkably impressive on defense, keeping Chicago to four yards in the first half. So, the Bears would be an embarrassment to their late founder and owner, George Hallis, but they’re still a legitimate NFL team. 

The Niners' offense was, in a word, effective. Quarterback Brock Purdy reminded us of his performance last year, the Super Bowl year, completing fourteen of his first sixteen passes and finishing with 20 of 25 for 325 yards and two touchdowns. “We had offensive rhythm in the first half,” said Kyle Shanahan, the Niners' relieved coach—who had been a target of fans and journalists during the brief losing streak.

“We had to step it up today”, said Shanahan. “We did and we got a win.”

Floyd, who had two sacks of San Francisco’s total seven, said “Great defense. Everyone stepped up. The goal is to carry it to Thursday.” 

The defense had been a problem with the injuries to Nick Bosa and others. 

Bosa still was unable to play for a third straight game, but with Floyd and ever-reliable Fred Warner taking charge, the D certainly dominated Chicago. The Bears were held to just 162 total yards. San Francisco surged to a commanding 24-0 lead by halftime, effectively deciding the game before the break. Chicago didn’t score until about the middle of the third quarter. 

Niner partisans had been eagerly anticipating—or perhaps just patiently waiting—for a performance like this over the past couple of months. They finally have it. However, it might have come too late.

Montana’s advice to Purdy: Don’t press

The evening dealt with the passing of time and because the guest speaker was a quarterback—in San Francisco, The quarterback—the passing of a football.

Through the years, the MPSF Speakers Series has offered prime ministers, former presidents,  executives, and other notables. On Wednesday at the Paramount Theater in Oakland and on Zoom,  it was Joe Montana. 

He is now 68 years old, a proud grandfather of three, and as successful in the business suite as he was on the gridiron—arguably even more so A look back is full of sweet memories, both for Joe, who led the 49ers to four Super Bowl victories, and for the fans who remember the exploits of the guy nicknamed “Super Joe” and others from those championship years.

An audience that likely included more than a few current Niners supporters frustrated with the team’s disappointing record this season was given the opportunity to ask questions. Unsurprisingly, one of the questions was about Brock Purdy, who now holds the quarterback position that long ago was held by Montana.

What advice would he give Purdy, was a question for Montana. “You don’t press,” was Montana’s response. “Go back to your fundamentals—on offense and defense.” 

Sounds simple, but as Montana knows, it doesn’t turn out to be simple. 

Montana was drafted in the third round in 1959 by a rookie coach named Bill Walsh. The Niners were not very good in those days. 

“That season, to put it mildly, we looked like the Bad News Bears,” said Montana. “When we played the Cowboys, Bill started to substitute and I hid behind him, but he saw me and put me back in the game.”

Ronnie Lott, the star defensive back, joined the team in the 1981 draft, and, alongside the maturation of Montana, helped elevate the Niners to a Super Bowl appearance that once seemed out of reach. "The culture improved," Montana recalled.

Walsh then chose a little-known receiver from Mississippi Valley State University, Jerry Rice, who broke virtually every receiving record and helped win more Super Bowls. 

“Walsh was ahead of his time,” said Montana. “He started the back shoulder throw. His offensive style was different than the others. He always wanted to complete the pass. You had to understand the philosophy behind what he did. He demanded that the quarterback be perfect. He paid most attention to the littlest details.”

Montana fondly recalled Walsh’s sense of humor, like the time he dressed up in a bellman’s uniform to greet the team upon their arrival in Detroit for Super Bowl XVI. He also talked about Super Bowl XIX at Stanford, where before the game Walsh sat in the locker room and jokingly whined, “Oh, those Miami Dolphins are so good, we have no chance.”

As history shows, the Niners beat the Dolphins.

Montana and his wife Jennifer have been married for 40 years. And Joe laughed as he talked about trying to propose to her. 

“We were out to dinner, and I wrote on the back of the check, ‘Will you marry me, Jen?’ She said I didn’t really ask her. Then I hired a plane to fly over the Marina Green with a banner that said, ‘Will you marry me, Jen?’ She still said I hadn’t actually asked her.”

Finally, he added, “So then I asked her properly—and she said yes.”

He always had the right touch.

Where do the troubled Niners go from here (aside from Buffalo)?

It wasn’t only that the Niners were without notable starters Brock Purdy, defensive end Nick Bosa, and offensive tackle Trent Williams due to injuries. It also was because the men on the field seemed to be as confused as they were incapable.

These Niners have evolved from a team that last season appeared in the Super Bowl—oh how far away that seems with the current circumstances—to one that appears incapable of stopping making penalties or even more critically incapable of stopping the opponent from making yards on the ground.

Statistics are sometimes misleading. Not this time. The Niners failed to record a first down until roughly midway through the second quarter. They gained only 44 yards rushing (while allowing 169). They were called for nine penalties, costing them 77 yards. The Packers had an unordinary five penalties for 44 yards. 

As you might surmise, the Niners coach Kyle Shanahan, having endured one of the most one-sided defeats in his coaching career, was less than thrilled.

“We missed way too many tackles,” said Shanahan. “The 1st half was the worst.” 

That’s when they fell behind 17-7. 

“We had three turnovers and they all turned into touchdowns,” emphasized Shanahan—as if on this Sunday, when the Niners dropped to a record of 5-6 and the bottom of the mediocre NFC West, he needed to be emphatic. What he needs to do is figure out how to restore the winning ways, something that may prove difficult. 

San Francisco next plays at Buffalo against a Bills team that is the only one in this season of 2024 to defeat the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs. Purdy’s return certainly will help, not that the Niners didn’t get an impressive temporary replacement in Brandon Allen, who hadn’t been in a game for three years. He completed seventeen passes for 199 yards. 

It's the defense—formerly the backbone of the Niners—that needs fixing. Suddenly, they can't stop the run, and when that becomes a problem, a team is in serious trouble. The opponent simply calls one ground play after another, gaining yards and keeping the ball. In the end, on Sunday, the Packers controlled the ball for 36 minutes compared to San Francisco's 23. Hard to do much in football without the ball, except conjure up ways to get it and then give it away. The three turnovers—an interception, a lost fumble by Allen, and another by Christian McCaffrey—were part of the reason the Niners' offense was stymied. 

Where do the Niners go from this point? Do they regain some of their skills and their mojo? Or, because of what has transpired, does it get worse before it gets better? If it ever gets better?  

Amazing how long it takes to reach the top or close to it, and how quickly a team can tumble.

Was it the defense, the offense, or both that cost the Niners?

The San Francisco 49ers’ expectations of September have been overwhelmed by the failings of November. Head coach Kyle Shanahan used the word disappointing. He was specifically talking about the 20-17 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. But the word would apply to the 2024 season, in which an attempt to return for a second straight year to the NFL Championship game now seems very doubtful.

Whatever happens to teams that lose the Super Bowl is mysterious and deflating. Right now the Niners are 5-5, and almost certainly a doubtful participant in the coming Superbowl. The unavoidable factors on which football is known, offense, defense, special teams, and, perhaps heart—that propelled the Niners to success a year ago—have vanished. 

Yes, key players have been missing and bad breaks have been too prevalent, but good teams overcome the bad stuff. Which is the reason they are good teams.

The manner in which the Niners fell to the Seahawks giving up the lead they had taken with only twelve seconds to go, is all too indicative of a team that for whatever reason has lost its way.

This was the fifth time San Francisco failed to retain a fourth-quarter lead this season. They say good teams win the close ones. What this makes the Niners is up to the judgment of the individual, but so far they certainly seem to meet the standard of a good team.

“We had our opportunities to win this game,” said Shanahan, “but we didn’t get it done. Penalties just killed us.”

That the Niners were without their star defensive lineman, Nick Bosa, in the final minutes, after he incurred a hip injury, certainly did not help. Yet winning teams manage to survive the negatives.

Through the length of an NFL schedule with players crashing into each other game after game, there will always be injuries and missed games. It’s how you respond when key players are not on the field. One of those was Bosa. Another, unquestionably was George Kittle, the Niners tight end whose blocking and receiving are a major part of the offense. He was declared out even before the kickoff. Still, as Shanahan has pointed out, the Niners had their chances—opportunities he called them—and were unable to take advantage of them. It’s been that kind of year for San Francisco, a team often unable to do the right thing at the right time, or even at the apparent wrong time. 

The Niners were unable to move the ball on the ground. A month ago in Seattle, the 49ers rushed for 228 yards and beat the Seahawks. But Sunday, they gained only 131 yards. Was it because the offensive line has worn down or because Seattle was better on defense?

Some might point out that the reason the Niners were beaten by Seattle in this game was because of their defense. However, maybe if San Francisco picked up more yards with the ball, it wouldn’t have mattered how many they allowed when the other team had the ball.

It may be unfair to blame what the Niners couldn’t do with the ball on what the Seahawks could do with the ball, in other words finding fault with the offense rather than the defense.

In truth, it was a little bit of both. And that’s why the Niners are struggling and may not get to the postseason.

Will 49ers find it less stressful against Seahawks?

Yes, as you are aware, after three failed field goals, a muffed punt and a confrontation between a couple of teammates, the Niners crushed the hard-luck Tampa Bay Buccaneers down in Florida, where the guys on the telecast kept talking about the hot weather and the officiating.

The winning margin was provided by Jake Moody, who, after missing the previous two games because of an ankle injury and missing kicks in this one, hit the winning field goal with 0:00 on the clock.

The game was perhaps a bit too exciting for the 49ers, who had opportunities to make it easier on themselves.  However, what they did accomplish was pull off a 23-20 victory and get their record above .500. Now, they have a chance to go up a notch when they face the Seattle Seahawks this Sunday—a team they defeated just a few weeks ago in Seattle.

Christian McCaffrey played for the first time this season, and according to those in the know, helped make a difference. He gained 39 yards on 13 carries and caught six passes for 68 yards. 

“I feel good,” said McCaffrey, who was recovering from leg and groin problems.  

Quarterback Brock Purdy completed 25 of 36 for 353 yards, several of those in the final minute on third-down plays as San Francisco drove for the victory.  

It was a satisfying conclusion. However, anyone viewing on Fox TV would not forget that in the first half after one of those errant kicks, Moody was challenged (threatened? berated?) by Deebo Samuel, who was irked by Moody’s inability to get the ball through the uprights.

Both players eventually shrugged it off, using that familiar explanation that emotions become apparent in an activity where 200-plus-pound individuals spend hours pounding into each other.

Niners coach Kyle Shanahan didn’t offer much more about Samuel-Moody or whether Moody would remain the man responsible for field goals and PATs. Shanahan said he had no advice for Moody before the kick that would win the game. 

"What am I going to say to him?" Shanahan remarked. "'You better make it'? Does that help?"

Hard to say, and maybe it would hurt.

Nerve-wracking but successful: 49ers game against the Cowboys

Sure it was more nerve-wracking than preferred, but in the NFL you accept the fates the opposition and your defense provide, especially when the game concludes with a win that was most needed and satisfying. Especially when it comes against the oh-so-pretentious Dallas Cowboys.

On Sunday night, the Niners held on—that phrase is not meant critically, but emotionally—to a 30-24 victory at Levi’s.

History virtually dictates that the 49ers will somehow defeat “The Boys” because they usually do. However, this one, after the Niners came from behind and then almost came from ahead, was as difficult and exciting as any recent Niners-Dallas game. It also was as necessary as any game this season, with San Francisco coming in with a 3-4 record. Now they’re even and now they have a bye for the coming week which may enable them to continue their brief success and regain some of their injured players, primarily the running back Christian Mc Caffrey who still hasn’t played since the end of last season.

Look, there is still half the season to go, but you don’t want to settle down with a losing record, especially when you are only a few months away from competing in Super Bowl XVIII. And you got that very feeling from the post-game remarks by head coach Kyle Shanahan. He called the game a “gut check” which is strong language and a reflection of how important it was.

The Niners trailed early, 10-6, and then led 27-10, but the final margin was six after the Cowboys scored on a pass from Dak Prescott to Cee Dee Lamb with 3:36 to play. 

Whether the Niners were in danger of losing depends on the viewpoint, but they seemed enough in control that this one wasn’t going to get away as some games earlier in the season. Brock Purdy had arguably his best game after being criticized earlier in the week. In today’s game, he used his legs as well as his very accurate arm. He scrambled several times and also bursted away for 16 yards on one carry, ending up with a rushing total of 56 yards. He completed 18 of 26 pass attempts for 260 yards and one touchdown.

The defense kept us in it,” said Purdy, “and then we got going on offense.”

All this despite the lack of MacCaffrey and Deebo Samuel, who after spending time in the hospital because of pneumonia, injured his ribs carrying the ball in this game. Just another hurt player for a San Francisco team that has been affected by an enormous amount of injuries. 

If you turn on ESPN, you might believe the Cowboys are the only team in existence. Yes, they have their reputation, and their owner, Jerry Jones, is only too willing to discuss the franchise anytime there is a microphone within shouting distance.

The Niners have performed well against the Cowboys, winning the last four matchups. This rivalry—if you can call it that—is beneficial not only to both teams but also to the league as a whole.

“Going into this game we knew it was a big one, “ said Shanahan. 

Maybe bigger than the coach of a 3-4 team would admit. No worry, that’s old news. The record is back to respectability.

Niners’ Shanahan on loss to Chiefs: “We got our ass kicked today”

They were calling it a Super Bowl rematch. It was more like a mismatch.

"There's no way to sugarcoat this. We got our ass kicked today," said Kyle Shanahan, the San Francisco 49ers coach. 

The final score made it seem close, Kansas City Chiefs 28, Niners 18. It wasn’t. A more accurate reflection would come from the time of possession: Kansas City owned the ball for more than 35 minutes. It owns the 49ers seemingly forever, now having beaten San Francisco the last five times they played.

The Chiefs only defeated San Francisco 25-22 in overtime in Super Bowl LVIII last February, and yes, the 49ers could have won that game. They had no chance of winning this one, Sunday, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, as Shanahan so tersely pointed out.

Not only was it because of the three interceptions of quarterback Brock Purdy, who concedes he tried to force the last two of the throws. Indeed Purdy and the Niners were without three top receivers, Jauan Jennings, Deebo Samuel and then when he got hurt in the fourth quarter—apparently a torn ACL—Brandon Ayuik. The loss of those players understandably had a huge effect on the Niners' offense, but every team in the NFL has injuries. KC was without several players, and the best teams survive if not thrive.

The Chiefs indeed are thriving at 6-0. They are the only team in pro football still undefeated with the Vikings falling to Detroit earlier Sunday. So much for any thought that KC would have a letdown after last season's title.   

The Niners are 3-4. While the situation figures to improve if and when halfback Christian McCaffrey returns, along with several of the missing receivers, it will not be easy to return to the playoffs. 

So many things have gone wrong this year, including the inability to finish games. If the Niners are to regain their once-exalted position as one of the NFL’s leading franchises, Sunday night’s game against the Dallas Cowboys would be a good place to start. 

The Cowboys have had their own troubles, and have owner Jerry Jones giving various explanations. Long ago Dallas was labeled “America’s team,” and whether that was justified, the Cowboys have earned as much respect and disdain as any team in any sport. 

The Chiefs have simply gained admiration under coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes. They just kept winning and on Sunday the Niners were their victim. Again.

KC did it with a defense that wasn’t overwhelming, just efficient. The Niners gained 384 net yards, compared to the 358 for the Chiefs, but San Francisco, as has been the case, could not turn yardage into enough points.

Purdy’s three interceptions were part of the reason. Turnovers hurt even the best teams, and it is obvious that San Francisco, now behind Seattle in the division, isn’t one of the very best teams at the moment. The Niners still have more than half of their season remaining, which could be good news if they figure out how to complete the drives and somehow keep players healthy enough to play.

Niners get the game they needed—for themselves and the fans

This was the game the San Francisco 49ers needed, maybe as much for themselves as their doubting fans and skeptical media. And this was the game the 49ers, calling down the echoes, grabbed in the most resounding and reassuring of ways.

True, the final score showed the Niners only in front 36-24, but from the opening moments you sensed they not only were going to win but prove that the talent and fire were still in the locker room and on the field.

They didn’t correct all the faults on display in consecutive losses to the Rams and Cardinals, but they once more reminded us of the exciting teams that got the ball into the end zone and stopped opposing runners when needed.

Playing at Seattle’s home, Lumen Field, against a Seahawks team that had its own problems, but still had a better record (3-2) than San Francisco, the 49ers showed plenty of offense (483 yards) and enough defense—including big interceptions by two rookie defensive backs, Renardo Green and Malek Mustapha. 

Maybe the game became a little uncomfortable for the Niners and their supporters, when the Seahawks, after trailing 16-0 late in the first half, closed to 23-17 late in the third quarter.

However, one never felt the Niners wouldn’t stay in control.

The belief that the Niners were among the NFL’s best teams had been restored, although we’ll find out more when they play the Super Bowl champion, Kansa City Chiefs, a week from Sunday. At the moment, we’ll be content with the fact that against the Seahawks the Niners seemed revitalized and very competitive.

Niners coach Kyle Shanahan, as disappointed in his team’s offensive output the previous two games as anyone—San Francisco had only one offensive touchdown against the Cardinals—was understandably thrilled by the way his team moved the ball, especially moving it into the end zone.

Shanahan was intent on opening up things, and that tactic worked beautifully, quarterback Brock Purdy throwing three touchdown passes, a 76-yarder to Deebo Samuel, and two to the ever-reliable George Kittle, 10 and nine yards. For a man known for his solid blocking that sets runners free, Kittle is impressive as a receiver.

“He made two very good catches,” said Shanahan about Kittle. “And Deebo really turned in a great play. We used him a lot.”

Purdy spoke about the team’s resilience after its stumbling start.

“I think that we all came together as a team,” said Purdy. “Both touchdowns were trust factors. We stuck together as a unit.”

Niners need a kicker, luck and a win

The San Francisco 49ers need a new placekicker. Surely they will have one before Monday is done. The 49ers need a victory. They may get that in a few days. The Niners likewise need a break. Who will guess when one might occur?

The intent is not to seek sympathy for the Niners, who over the past decades have had their share of good fortune and success. And even if that were the intent—nothing is normal in the business of pro sports—none would be provided.

But for all the things that went right through the years when the 49ers were winning, including last season when they came within a victory—albeit a very significant victory—of taking the Super Bowl, so much has gone wrong this screwball season of 2024.

Not only are the Niners stumbling along with a losing record of 2-3, but the situation seems to be even bleaker than the numbers. On Sunday at Levi’s Stadium, San Francisco had built a 13-point lead over the quite mediocre Arizona Cardinals and then lost on a field goal with 1:37 remaining. Yes, the temperature climbed to more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit by the second half and yes the Cardinals train in the desert where temperatures are in that range daily, but good teams overcome such difficulties, which is why they are good teams. The Niners, on Sunday, could not. What the Niners similarly could not overcome was the loss of their kicker Jake Moody, who injured an ankle while trying to do what kickers and quarterbacks should be reluctant to do, make a tackle.

San Francisco after consecutive defeats to two other West Division teams, the Los Angeles Rams—blowing a big lead in that one—and the Cardinals, are in more than a bit of trouble.  They do have a chance to make a correction quickly when they play the Seahawks in a Thursday night game at Seattle. However, that could end up as another loss for the Niners, no matter who they pick up as their new kicker.

You’ve often heard the line that defense wins. And that’s not untrue, but you need a little offense, and it would be unfair to blame the defeat against the Cardinals on the D even though the Niners had built a large advantage. San Francisco scored only one touchdown on offense and was shut out in the second half. The Niners were without their All-Pro back, Christian McCaffrey, as they have been in every game this season, yet backup Jordan Mason has done more than an adequate job. It’s just like a jigsaw puzzle, the pieces don’t fit with the Niner offense. San Francisco outgained the Cardinals 384 yards to 358. And yet, the Niners were unable to do what we’ve become used to them doing, taking the ball and getting it into the end zone when needed.

It was needed Sunday and maybe it will show up for Thursday’s game along with the new kicker.

Nobody said winning would be easy, but it has become very hard for the Niners the last few games.

49ers use a Belichick-type defense to beat his old team

You imagine Bill Belichick found a measure of appreciation the way his former team was defeated Sunday—if given the circumstances, not quite to the same degree Kyle Shanahan found in his current team winning.

Belichick’s historic success with the New England Patriots, the seven Super Bowl championships, was constructed on defense, although to be sure, no one doubts the contributions of a quarterback named Tom Brady.

The Patriots, now without Belichick and very much rebuilding, came to Levi Stadium Sunday, where the 49ers finally showed the type of defense needed to win in the NFL, defeating the Patriots, 31-13.

Quarterback Brock Purdy again played impressively for the Niners, but the difference as Purdy pointed out in the post-game interview, the defense missing the last couple of weeks—both defeats—was back and in full force. If that was the result of linebacker Fred Warner’s pre-game almost threatening inspirational speech to the squad, then so be it. Sometimes it takes a slap from more than the final score.

The Niners knew what to do. It’s just that they didn’t do it against the Minnesota Vikings or the Los Angeles Rams. Was it complacency or merely the unavoidable fact that teams do not play at the highest level each time out? 

“We were not playing the way we should,” said Warner.  

Quickly enough he turned his words into actions. In the opening minutes of the second quarter with San Francisco ahead 6-0, Warner picked off a pass from Jacoby Bissett and turned the interception into a 45-yard return for a touchdown. He injured his ankle on the play and did not return, but Warner said he would be fine—and after the pick-6 it was apparent the Niners also would be fine.

“The defense was awesome,” said Shanahan, “especially on 1st downs.”

San Francisco limited the Pats to a mere 216 yards on offense. New England had the ball for only 3 fewer minutes than the Niners, but couldn’t do much with it. The Niners had six quarterback sacks, in part because of the Patriots’ ineffectiveness but in part because of San Francisco’s needed aggressiveness. After all, didn’t the Niners give defensive lineman, Nick Bosa, $170 million for five years to help the defense play the way it finally did?

Purdy will be getting a new contract for next season and it is predicted to be enormous because quarterbacks, understandably, get better paid than anyone in pro football. But at the moment, however, Purdy is only talking about this season—and what has transpired.

“The offense and defense today were complimentary,” said Purdy, alluding to one category helping the other. “We distributed the ball.”

Jordan Mason, filling in beautifully for the injured Christian McCaffrey, rushed for 123 yards. Tight end George Kittle, known for his necessary blocking, made a spectacular touchdown catch and kicker Jake Moody was perfect on three field goal attempts.

So now the Niners seem to be revitalized, particularly on defense. They have many games left to verify that this is true, starting with the one against the Arizona Cardinals. If a game against the mediocre Cardinals verifies anything.

Was Niners' loss to Rams mystifying and mortifying?

It wasn’t so much who was missing. A great team, even a very good team, overcomes the loss of star players through injuries, inequities, bad breaks, and surprises—very tricky of the Rams to pull off that fake punt. 

Which the San Francisco 49ers did not. Which is why they are not a great team.

Yes, the Niners were without Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel and George Kittle, but they did have a 14-0 lead early on, and then a 10-point lead with 6 ½ minutes to go.

And they were playing the Rams in Los Angeles where they never lose—at least more than the once they did in the playoffs a few years ago. And all the fans, as you could tell on television,  the red-shirts and jerseys and unstopping cheers at So-Fi Stadium, as always the majority of the fans were cheering for San Francisco.

Despite all this, the previously winless Rams on a 37-yard field goal with two seconds remaining by former Stanford kicker, Josh Karty, beat the 49ers 27-24. 

This was more mortifying than mystifying, perhaps. Teams losing Super Bowls, as did the Niners in February,  seem to disintegrate the following season. That doesn’t mean the Niners are doomed, but they are 1-2. No excuses even with the big injuries.

Niners coach Kyle Shanahan seemed as stunned as anybody. 

“There were a number of times we could have put them away,” said Shanahan on the Niners post-game telecast. “It was a frustrating game. We kicked a field goal and they came right back with a field goal.” 

In trying to raise the spirits of the 49ers faithful, Shanahan pointed out that the 49ers had a three-game losing streak last year and as we know they made it to the Super Bowl. And as we also know they didn’t win the Super Bowl. It is a tough league, the NFL, and while it takes a team a long time to climb to the top, it can tumble into the depths oh so quickly. That doesn’t mean the Niners are headed for a decline. But the little things that go right when a team is successful seem to go wrong when the defeats begin to mount. 

That doesn’t mean the Niners are doomed, and they could well recover from this inglorious start to the season, but losing to the Rams certainly is ominous. A win in L.A. seemed almost a given.

Even with McCaffrey, Samuel, and Kittle ailing and missing from the offense, it seemed to be the defense that couldn’t respond to the demands. In the first half, there was a sequence in which the Rams had the third down and 29 to go, LA seemed notably hopeless. But as we should have known from watching pro football through the years, situations and ideas change almost as quickly as teams do from one end of the field to the other.

Brock Purdy, the Niners quarterback, played even better than some would give him credit for. He completed 22 passes in 30 attempts for 292 yards and three touchdowns, all three caught by Jauan Jennings. Purdy also ran 10 times for 41 yards.

“No problem with Brock,” said Shanahan. “He played his ass off.”

There wasn’t much more to give or to say.