Great news!

Now what Matt?
QB coach? Combines? Jimmy Raye acceptance watch?
We Niner fans are an inquiring lot.

Hilarious how terrible some reporters can be. Dude needs to get his journalist ID revoked. Although I do agree on the surface that him having dinner with Wade and Jones is a bit sketchy, it's not like he didn't know either of them.

Hearing that he's breaking down film already is really heartening. I hope Sing is starting to do the same because you can only motivate guys so much.

ahh sorry about my confusing usage of pronouns, I'm a little jet lagged coming back to the bay.

have you ever looked at a Dallas Newspaper Sports page.
Those guys would cut each others throat to put something in ink. Their sports page is as thick as a daily in the bay area. When it comes to the NFL those guys spoof the heck out of each other. I so look forward to another Dallas meltdown in 2009. My perfect NFL Sunday. Rams lose Dallas lose Raiders lose 49er win. I am stoked for the week.

Oh no! Public Relations nightmare "Jimmy Raye mulling offer" (might not be bad for 49er fans from a football standpoint). If we get stuck with Hue Jackson (I'm hoping we will...Jimmy Raye will accept a position as a Thanksgiving Day consultant to the Cowboys and Lions), I glad he will know we put him right up there with root canals and public speaking.

Our proud heritage prevents me from bashing Mike because I think he's a stand up guy ninerbob. I just pray this isn't some 3 ring circus sideshow that is going on behind closed doors with this hiring process?
I'm beginning to buy the rhetoric that we're looked upon as a cyanide capsule option when all is fails.
The optimist in me says, Go Old School and pray that we get the personnel to make this thing go, which is something Noplan failed at miserably.
BUILD THE LINES.

I had big hopes for Manusky when we first got him from San Diego. Maybe he was held back by Nolan too much, I'm not sure. Only after Coach Sing had exerted total control over the team did we start playing solid, consistent defense last year. But I think he consistently mishandles his personnel packages- and what's with only allowing MANNY LAWSON on the field 20% of the time. That's just plain dumb. And don't get me started on Mark Roman playing ALL the time. I would have LOVED for this kind of coaching to end up in Dallas.

Show us something this year or we'll all pitch-in and buy you a one-way ticket to Big D ourselves Manuskey !

Manusky will do fine under Singletary...we all saw evidence of that the 2nd half of last season. Get him a real pass rusher, a stud NT, and yes, a better FS, and watch our defense take off. All of those things are doable this off-season...and my guess is McSingletary will make them happen.

I know this is trivial, but I'm sure many of us caught the line on NFL Network where Favre answered Mooch's question about getting into coaching?
His answer was 'I leave at 5 o'clock'.
Somehow I don't see anyone using that sort of posture with Sing and that very well could answer some questions about the NYJ and the reason they didn't make the final bell this past season.
Good teams finish, good coaches motivate, good players execute the plan they're asked to follow.
If Mike and Jimmy and Tommy and Greg provide the leadership, it always comes down to the soldiers on the field.
Gotta give Sing credit for redirecting the Noplan show, I just need to see the talent improved in the areas that need it most.
That comes down squarely on Scot and the Scouting staff.

I will agree with your sentiments in regards to Singletary, and in fact this probably isn't that bad of a choice for OC. I want desperatly for Sing to succeed (if not just to shut Ralph Barbieri up). I just got stuck on the notion that Jackson was a perfect fit for a team that wanted to run first, and needed to bring in a young QB to develop.
I will say that as worried a we are about the OC hire, we all probably think that we couldn't do worse then Hostler...this might not be the most telling stat but Hill had a 101.3 QB rating under Hostler (5 TD/ 1 Int), under Martz an 87.5 QB rating (13 TD / 8 Int). Hill maybe the real X factor that makes this offense go and whoever his OC is does not seem to phase him.

I cant believe it. Waitng 30 days for this. One oldtimer with no history of success to run to our offens. I wish I didnt got up this morning. MATT we need some answers from Sing, and I really neeed a long run to calm down.

I'm glad Manusky is staying. Our defense seems like its on the rise. A better safety and a pass rush will put us into the elite level of defenses in the league.

As for Jimmy Raye, my first reaction was ARE YOU KIDDING ME? It seems like we're promoting the long time bank teller to the bank's COO job and saying, please rescue us. The only hope is that Hill has a great year and we draft the next coming of Joe Montana. Admittedly, Raye hasn't had much to work with over the years. I'd say part of that is his own doing though. He had Steve Young and didn't see the potential or couldn't get the performance out of him that Bill Walsh was able to get. If Raye's the guy I guess I'll have to take a wait and see attitude. First impression is depression though.

Matt,

I ask this with tongue in cheek, any chance Sing is fired if Raye turns down the OC position?

Hold on guys. Just one more shout. NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

What happened with Jackson?!!
Matt-
Lets look at the jets running game last year.
Thomas Jones: stronger and more powerful than Gore. (I love Frank, but really)
Leon Washington: lightening speed and explosive plays.
Jets line: Yeah not too bad either.
So he was successful with THOSE guys, but what about our guys?

We do not have any of those pieces. What have we done? Got a nice core of young receivers waiting to become big time players. However, now after we finally find some wide outs and a consistent QB we are going to run the football with a pass blocking O line??
I really cannot see us being a dominant run team unless somehow Sing has cloned Larry Allen and Allen Larry and Harry Larren are waiting in a tube somewhere.

Oh and what about VD as a pass rusher? - just a crazy thought

Matt,
I am sorry b/c I know this is DC thread, but what a joke of a hire with Jimmy Raye! I am so frustrated with this entire process. When Singletary finally speaks with the media will you please ask him some hard questions on this hire. 49ers fans deserve some answers.

The Rams spent the 90's getting #1 draft picks and no results - until an old school guy named Vermeil, who'd been out of football for many years, stepped in and took them straight to the SB. After which, he left and a brilliant young guy named Martz ran that wonderful team straight into the ground and back to the outhouse in three years flat. Martz was replaced by another brilliant young guy named Linehan who flopped so abysmally his team revolted and quit on him. Can't wait for Singletary's press conference. It'll be interesting.

I could see this coming. WHAT AN ABSOLUTE DISAPPOINTMENT! I'm not jumping off the cliff.....YET, as it is really the PLAYERS that count. But how utterly UNINSPIRING. Now it looks like that's what Singletary wants. We had one of the really great offensive minds in Mike Martz and now we have a plodder. See if you can spin this any other way - Sing wants a guy who knows who the boss is and will "be around a while" - Geez! Now, for the first time, I'm starting to feel we're stuck with Singletary, when we could have had Shanahan or maybe Holmgren next year - maybe we'll be 9-7 with Sing some day (Jets 9-7, not Cardinals 9-7).

There is no Defense ever invented that can counter an offense that overpowers the defense's players. It's that simple and that's what Singletary intends to do.

Will he succeed? We'll see. I wouldn't bet against him.

This has the potential to be pretty good, but although I didn't think it was necessary before it is time now to bring back #5 Jeff Garcia to run this offense. This team needs a proven leader who can throw on the run and not make mistakes. Garcia was PERFECT here when Hearst was running for 1,500+ yards and I think this will be the same kind of offensive plan. Lots of running and a really good short passing game and although Hill has been really good Garcia would be nice to have around.

Why not resign Mike Martz? Singletary wants to run the ball, but time of position is more important. With Martz we practically dominated opposing teams on time of position! Now remember, this was Martz fist year with the niners, can u imagine how much better the offense would be with a second year? Singletary needs to realize this concept and hire Martz again. Remember, this will keep our defense fresh and our offense will have a second year of this offense!

MM - I'm waiting to hear that Hue Jackson, Johnson, and Raye are all in the mix getting hired. Is this wishful thinking on my behalf?

Neither ESPN or Fox sports has reported this hire of Jimmy Raye? Please Please be a false report by Shefter of NFL.com.... PLEASE!!!! Just be a bad DREAM!!!!

No question Mike S. has put his name and reputation on the line with this OC hire. Right now he does not have the runners or blockers on offense to make a running attack a GO for 16 games. Plus running teams don't always do that well--Giants, Ravens, Panthers, Titans--where are they?? they're not in the Super Bowl because of poor passing attacks! If we have 5-6 win seasons for 2 years, and that's a real possibility, Mike S. is gone (in 2 years for sure, maybe even 1). We must remember Martz put up 7 wins + 2 that should have been wins except for new coaching situation, so this new coordinator better put up at least 9 wins. Martz's offense had some real complexity to it--hard to defense. The Jets didn't seem all that hard to defense!! This OC's record is NOT GOOD! The heat is on ..... Scot M better hit some home runs in the draft to save Mike S.!!! Or are we dealing with a head coach who has tunnel vision????

Let's go back in time. The 9ers fire Jim Hostler and the OC position is open. The 9ers interview only 2 candidates... Mike Martz and Jimmy Raye. Who are you hoping the 9ers hire? I'll bet it's not Raye. Well thats in effect what happened. The 9ers got rid of Mike Martz to hire Jimmy Raye. I wonder what NFL GM's think about this move. Would Bill Polian fire Mike Martz to hire Jimmy Raye? Would Scott Pioli fire Mike Martz to hire Jimmy Raye? My opinion is: absolutely not.

Absolutely... BUILD the Lines! if we get a chance at an outstanding O Lineman take him! Same goes for D Line... Nothing gets done without the big horses. It was Nolan's crucial mistake, that and the failure of Jennings with an old Larry Allen who was let go by the Cowboys for a real reasons.

If Pioli had a choice between Martz and Raye, there's no question at all that he would choose Raye. Same with Polian. And, apparently, same with the entire NFL, since Martz is getting no offers at all.

Nineroracle - I don't think Coach Sing would want it ANY OTHER way: "No question Mike S. has put his name and reputation on the line with this OC hire”, This is much different than the Mike Nolan panic hire of Mike Martz for headlines and fan appreciation.

You're definitely entitled to an opinion no matter how wrong you are...

Damn decent of you, old chap. A bit condescending, though. Especially when the entire NFL agrees with me, and only you are enamored of Martz. In fact, Pioli has a chance to hire Martz. I bet you the entire state of Texas he'll decline to exercise that option.

I know I should stay out of the spat between Skeebers and Houston 9er but... The fact that Mike Martz hasn't gotten another offer to this point is not empirical evidence that everyone else in the NFL would choose Jimmy Raye over Martz if the choice were between only those two candidates. All we know for sure is that Mike Singletary and the Niners prefer Raye over Martz. What other offers did Mr. Raye have in front of him? Don't get me wrong, I am not a great fan of Mike Martz, but his success building offenses far overshadows Jimmy Raye's performances. If you really want to put yourselves in a funk, check out Tim Kawakami's article on the Raye hire in The San Jose Mercury.

I know I should stay out of the spat between Skeebers and Houston 9er but... The fact that Mike Martz hasn't gotten another offer to this point is not empirical evidence that everyone else in the NFL would choose Jimmy Raye over Martz if the choice were between only those two candidates. All we know for sure is that Mike Singletary and the Niners prefer Raye over Martz. What other offers did Mr. Raye have in front of him? Don't get me wrong, I am not a great fan of Mike Martz, but his success building offenses far overshadows Jimmy Raye's performances. If you really want to put yourselves in a funk, check out Tim Kawakami's article on the Raye hire in The San Jose Mercury.

Jimmy Raye has done nothing, repeat NOTHING yet with these players in this climate. But to the 'all-knowing" ones out there, he is already an abject failure. Wow! How absolutely astute some of us are. Amazing! And these "all-knowing" opinionspredictions/conclusions are based on what exactly? Then there are the truly gifted ones lamenting over not hiring Shanahan, Cower or Holmgren early on in the process. I think what most wrote was, "why didn't we wait and hire Shanhan/Gruden, etc first." Duh, how the hell would anyone know IN ADVANCE those in question would be fired to begin with. Wake up already. It is what it is now - or put another way - it will be what its destined to be. For crying out loud, let's let something substantive happen first BEFORE we start predicting doom and gloom.

I say your wrong in jest. I definitely am not trying to be condescending. Especially since all these posts are opinions and can only be validated when we see the offense next year.

I won't pull up any of my old comments to prove this but I am not a Martz fan. I think his offense is predictable and he has a history of choking in crunch time. Having said that, I'm not a fan of firing a guy who has a history of success with no apparent plan, and then hiring a guy who has absolutely no history of success. I still say given a choice between Martz and Raye at least 95% of the teams in the league would hire Martz.

There you go again! Remember that saying?
Attacking those who have questions about "Sing" and the mess he and the Yorks created in trying to hire a competent OC ! Raye is a complete joke who will bring NOTHING to the table! NOBODY wanted this guy! His record has more black spots than a spotted leopard! But he's perfect for "Sing" because "Sing" can push this reject around and run his 3 runs up the middle Bear offense. And when Raye sends in a pass play "Sing" can take his headphones off and act like he didn't hear anything but a run play! But what is better for "Sing" is that after the game and loss he can blame Raye even by name because the guy will know his place. He definetly must have grovelled for his job! And that exposes "Sing" for what he really wanted in an OC! A NO THREAT nobody! A punching bag! No threat to "Sing" and that's what he wants and as hard headed this "Sing" is, he demanded it! That's why others laughed at the front office and flew out of town!
Now as President of the "Sing" Club you have to come up with some kind of fictional "great" background Raye has. Good luck! I really mean that! You've got your work cut out for you!
Why don't you call a meeting of the Club and you guys can pull your pants down and get to work on the fiction!

Vermeil!? Let's see! Martz was hired by Vermeil! Vermeil was instrumental in the hiring of Martz for HC! So using your logic, that shows Vermeil was great butat the same time inept for hiring Martz! And it also says loudly that Vermeil was out of touch because of hiring him and being instrumental in his hiring as HC because Martz was such damaged property!
But Martz still ran the BEST OFFENSE statistically in the NFL when HC! And don't give me the crap that he had all these great players! There are and were a lot of NFL teams who had great players and won squat!
But I give you credit for sticking to the "old school" line! You began using it when you thought "Sing" was going to hire old fart Reeves! But Reeves OBVIOUSLY was intimidating to "Sing" if he was on the coaching staff! Even though it's reported that "Sing" did seek Reeves input over the years, it's different when the guy is 3000 miles away. But when he's right there under your nose and next to the other coaches and the front office, boy that can be scary to an inexperienced, pride dripping guy like "Sing."!
So go back to the Club and come up with something better. Maybe you guys didn't pull your pants down far enough?

Where is this "over powering" offense? After the last few years including "Sing's," the 49ers "overpowering" offense couldn't even score from the one foot line with first and goal! And that happened over and over again! Excuse me! "Sing said publically that was Martz's fault! Of course it wasn't his!
So your answer is draft choices or trades, right? New lineman able to push defenses all over the field. That takes years and people able to see this kind of linemen in the draft and in trades ,and KNOWING he will succeed! "Sing" doesn't know offense from poop, and admits it himself! And Raye and the rest? I won't even waste the time going there! So who's going to have this ability to see these powerful lineman?
By the way, I remember a defense that didn't EVER allow an offense, any offense, to "overpower" it! It was right under "Sing's" nose! He played in it as I remember it! It won the SB over New England as far as I remember!
There's always a defense EVERY YEAR that doesn't ever get, as you write, "overpowered!" And as the old saying goes, defense wins Championships! Even Bill Walsh admitted that!