Mike Singletary is a Breath of Fresh Air

49ers head coach Mike Singletary has certainly has had his share of media exposure in his two week tenure as interim coach. In his first game against the Seahawks on November 2, his Niners lost 34-13 but that was not the major headlines from the game. Singletary was irate with his team’s performance and much of that ire was directed at tight end Vernon Davis, who was flagged for a 15 yard unsportsmanlike penalty after gaining a first down. Singletary was so displeased with Davis that he ordered the tight end off the field. In the coach’s own words:

I told him that he would do a better job for us right now taking a shower and coming back and watching the game than going out on the field

Here is video of the very memorable Singletary press conference after his coaching debut:

If that was not enough, it was determined that Singletary dropped his trousers in an effort to prove a point to his team.

I used my pants to illustrate that we were getting our tails whipped on Sunday and how humiliating that should feel for all of us.

Singletary then vowed to figure out who was airing the team’s dirty laundry into the public eye – I know I wouldn’t want be on the business end of whooping by someone nicknamed “Samarai Mike”.

Then in his second game in the national spotlight of ESPN’s Monday Night Football, Singletary and the 49ers lost to the Arizona Cardinals 29-24 after running back Michael Robinson was stopped on the one yard line as time expired.

But its clear that Singletary’s message is being heard loud and clear. Singletary has instructed that the team go with an offensive strategy more geared towards the power running game with Frank Gore. The result in Monday’s game was 100 yards for the running back. The only problem in the game against the Cardinals was the turnovers that starting quarterback Shaun Hill created. But San Francisco Chronicle reporter Gwen Knapp believes the 49ers are heading in the right direction.

I think 49er fans have got themselves a good one in Singletary. He is so passionate about playing the right way, that 49er players will have to play for him or they’ll be shown the door much like Vernon Davis was shown the showers in the first game. It’s also nice to have a coach who isn’t such a buzzkill – yes I’m talking to you Bill Belicheck and Romeo Crennel. I like that there is at least one coach in the league that shows emotion and speaks from the heart when discussing team matters – it makes Tuesday through Saturday a lot more enjoyable.

 

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