With no General Manager in San Francisco and Trent Baalke elevated to the position of V.P. of player personnel, team president and CEO Jed York said Thursday that coach Mike Singletary will have control over the team’s 53-man roster.
As it turns out, it’s not a new development. York explained that Singletary previously has had control over the 53-man roster. Asked how long that’s been the case, York said that Singetary has had that power since he became the head coach.
But Baalke won’t be powerless. York said that the new V.P. of player personnel be in charge of the draft and trade.
It gets interesting when it comes to free agency. York said that Baalke and Singletary will work together. Still, York didn’t explain what will happen if Baalke and Singletary disagree.
Also, York said that Singletary will have the power to hire and fire the members of the coaching staff, as he always has had. Pressed as to the identity of the person who’ll have the ability to fire the head coach, York finally said, “The head coach, because he’s gonna keep winning.”
It provoked a laugh, but the bottom line here is that Jed York will now be a key player in the power structure of the football operations. York, Singletary, and V.P. of football operations Paraag Marathe each report to York, and York mentioned at one point that he’ll have final say over all coaching staff hires.
Presumably, York will be the one to break any ties or resolve any disagreements that may arise among a trio of men who report directly to York.
Thus, even though the 49ers don’t have a General Manager in the traditional sense, the power ultimately rests with Jed York. Then again, as a practical matter that’s the case with every football team or, for that matter, every business. The guy in charge has the power to do whatever he wants. Still, in this case York has created a structure that could result in his employees periodically coming to him in order to help provide some rock-scissors-paper clarity to the situation, since no one beneath York has the clear ability to make the final call.
This has been the case for awhile in SF. Jed York wants to be a Jerry Jones type owner who is the ultimate decision maker on football questions. Hence why the niners won’t be looking to hire a REAL GM anytime soon- also why the niners have no shot at winning a championship until the worthless ownership finally decides to sell.
Depressing times for bay area sports fans
Lets hope he control dropping his pants this year.
During my time as a missionary in Central America, I also met a man who thought he had control over his tribe. In reality, the young girls of the village were sneaking away at night to meet with the men from the oil company that had a drill site down the road. By the time my mission was completed and it was time to come home, all the girls were pregnant. Coach Singletary would do well to learn from this lesson: The tighter you squeeze your hand, the faster the grains of sand will slip through.
What ever happened to coaches coaching… and general managers (or whatever moronic title you want to give your ‘general manager’) making personnel decisions.
Baalke puts the players on the field. And Singletary coaches them. That’s how it SHOULD and NEEDS to be. What has the NFL come to???
Hey!!! Will someone tell the Niners that I live in Sacramento, CA and would be happy to be the next GM for that franchise….God knows I could do better than the current “roster makers” in SF.
Also tell them I didnt get hit in the head everyday for over a decade so my head is clear enough to keep my pants up during the locker room speeches (LOL), and tell them I am a GM for my current company…I await your calls Mr. York.
Who is in control of ordering the girls for the Chiefs for away games?
If you get the right folks in the job, this structure works fine. It works OK for the Steelers.
Translation: Chaos ruled by Doogie Howser.
Doogie Howser who is not a credentialed football person. Great moves picking up Singleberry a month before actual qualified candidates came came available like Gruden, Shanahan and Holmgren. Great moves like sticking with ASmith past his expiraton date. Great moves like picking up David Carr for a lot of money (forgot the actual donation). Great moves like firing the only football mind they had in the front office 2 weeks before the draft. Great moves like trying to pound a square peg in a round hole with the proposed stadium in Santa Clara.
I can hardly wait for the next mess up.
The coach needs his guys in there. He will have this team in the playoffs and doing well.
JesusIsStillMySavior says: May 20, 2010 4:28 PM
Stupid trolls.
They get dumber and less original every day don’t they?
@BigSuede
Yeah depressing time to be a sports fan in the bay area. The Niners improved last year, the Giants and As are both competitive, the Sharks are a constant playoff team, and one of the richest people in the world might soon own the Warriors. Even the Raiders had a nice little draft this year. Its not like its the 80s with the Giants and As in the world series and the 49ers in the Super Bowl. Or the early 90s with the Warriors going deep in the playoffs and Bonds and still the Niners in the Super Bowl. But its way better than 2003-2008.
The comments on this one are just plan weird. By almost all professional opinions the niners had a great draft. Finally addressing their o line problems. They’ve seemed to keep all their top players happy and believing in the system despite last years meager showing. Maybe you guys are just peeved about the push to move to Santa Clara or something but I think the Niners have turned a serious corner here. And harpin’ on Coach Sing? What the hell for? I mean, yeah, he’s not a mental giant but I haven’t heard any credible criticism of his coaching besides a couple rookie mistakes last year with clock management and loosing his cool. You can never tell what a team is going to do for sure, but I’m going to give the Niners the benefit of a doubt. If they are at a 1 and 5 start this year, THEN I’ll eat my helmut, but definately not today.
I think Big Ben orders the girls for every team during away games.
Zzzzzz…49ers…Zzzzzz
What, no Brokeland fans posting stupid comments? Wow that’s a first, there must be extended hours at the soup kitchen today, or the library isn’t allowing the homeless to use computers anymore!
@JesusIsStillMySavior
You’re an idiot.
So in 300 words less – the organizational structure is exactly what any moron would guess.
As it should be…