How long has it
been?
The only thing worse than watching your own once-great team
lose—yet again—is following that up with watching two teams like the
Colts and
Pats go at it the following Monday night, going toe to toe like the
prize
fighters that they are, playing really excellent football.
It actually depressed me, not only watching the Pats/Colts
last night, but the ESPN highlights this morning, because I immediately
harkened back in my own head to all the times I sat and watched our
Niners look
every bit that good, year in and year out.
Looking back on the great passes and catches, running,
O-line protection and defense, great play-calling, and the highly
intelligent
quarterbacks, head coaches and coaching staff that kept the wheels
greased on
the well-oiled juggernaut of an organization that the San Francisco
Forty
Niners once was is especially tough now, when no end is in sight.
We all remember watching quality football, game in and game
out, season in and season out. I’m sure we did our share of moaning and
bitching in those days, like the spoiled rotten fans we were, but for
the life
of me, looking back, I can’t imagine what anyone could have had to
complain
about.
I know the talk shows were all thriving back then—in fact, a
number of Bay Area radio/TV big shots got their breaks covering the
Forty
Niners, because they were lucky enough to time their careers with the
Niner’s
ascendancy to greatness.
The trouble with knowing where you’ve been is that you can’t
avoid comparing it to where you are now. It’s like trying to unring a
bell—can’t be done. That’s what makes York’s lingering stench so hard
to take.
Other teams have shaken off the dust and rust and risen from their
ashes, under
the correct tutelage and the right circumstances. Mike Holmgren’s
Seahawks are
a good example. Holmgren is a seasoned veteran—and he’s head coach and
executive VP in charge of football operations. He negotiated for and
was given
the resources, and license to use them, to improve that team. Of only
that was
true of our situation.
Instead, we’ve just got El Gordo York, and mini-York Jed
waiting in the wings, who still won’t be competent to do anything, and
will
stall have to spend Papa’s money the way Papa says.
Note to Santa: All I want for Christmas is for El Gordo to
sell the team.
Posted -
November 8, 2005
|
