As I write this entry Jimmy Raye is the 49ers' new offensive coordinator -- I think. News outlets are reporting he's the new OC, but the team hasn't said anything, so we're all in limbo, exactly where we've been the past month with Mike Singletary and his search for an OC.
Who is Jimmy Raye anyway? He's 62, old for a coordinator and he's been everywhere and he worked for Norv Turner in Oakland but never got to call plays. He will give Singletary what he wants. A boring, run-first, smash-mouth attack. He almost surely will get Frank Gore murdered.
This is an unimaginative hire, maybe even a bad hire. And I have to ask a serious question. Mike Singletary dumped Mike Martz for this guy? To read my column on Raye click here.
I have supported the Mike Singletary hiring and I'm seriously concerned about this hire on many levels. The jury is still out, but Lowell you are looking pretty solid on your "what's the rush to hire this guy" position in terms of the head coach. In management there are two kinds of managers. There is the kind of manager that surrounds his or herself with people in their image (and these people are usually unimaginative and turn out to be “yes” people). There is also the kind of manager that hires people that will challenge. This type of manager will appreciate opposing points of view however, when it’s time for people to march in a common direction that manager can make it happen. I thought Singletary was the latter, but this hiring smacks of hiring people in his image and that’s bad for business and bad for this football team. No one thinks Singletary will be the next “Genius” so if his leadership and motivation skills are his strong point he really needs to hire some smart people to support him. Did he do that? Ahhhh no. So Lowell, if I don’t agree with you on this blog at times, I think it’s only fair to state when I think I was wrong and right now it feels like I was wrong.
Sorry, cannot resist:
return of Jimmy Reye Hart......:
(they are about the same age, right?)
gary
TWO OF A KIND? -- So Singletary chooses a fat old guy to be offensive coordinator. I expect Singletary will give Raye a crucifix to wear around his neck, and then the 49ers will have two of a kind running the offense. But God will help, also.
Singletary finally found somebody else who will pull his pants down and show his butt to the team in the locker room! That's got to be the only reason that Raye was signed! GREAT!!! Sure glad in their wisdom the York's signed Singletary so fast!!
Boy Lowell!! You were sooooo right in you judgement about signing this guy so fast!!
Outside of raising Bill Walsh, what choice did the 49ers have? Bottom line, none of us really know what it takes to be a good OC. I know he solved half the problem by hiring a guy that won't get a head coaching sniff. Hue Jackson could of been gone in 1 year. Jackson will be a head coach. I think being a good OC in the NFL is more about execution with good players than tricking someone with play calling. He will do just as well as anyone else.
Yes, tricky probably won't really carry a team, but a little originality is essential, especially since I don't think anyone believes the 9ers O line is going to dominate the LOS against any team worth squat. Maybe their saving some cash on the OC hire to help pay Gore's insurance premiums. He's gonna need it.
what was Norvelle's record as off. coordinator in 2006??? oh yah..... a 3rd-rate 7-9.....
About the only good thing I can say about Raye is that at least he has been coaching in the NFL instead of running a bed & breakfast the past few years.
The thing smacks of a sort of affermative action hire. I can appreciate the fact that 30 years ago Raye might have deserved to be a head coach but was overlooked because of his race. But those days are over, and we cannot undo all the injustices of that era. I mean to say, if President Obama tried to undo all the injustices of the sixties in this manner, we will have a cabinet full od doddering old 80 somethings.
Getting your RB "murdered" and hiring bad assistants are bad stuff. I agree 100%.
Wait a FREAKING minute...
Wait a FREAkING second...
Do you know what I'm FREAKING thinking??
Isn't that Mike F. Shanahan?
Multiple RBs murdered and multiple bad DCs hired.
I hate to bring up Coach Shanahan's name, but
it is to show how bias one can get: Find no flaws in one person while quick to judge on another.
And please stop spewing FUDs about boring, 3 runs and out, old Bears offense. No truth to that.
I really don't know. I liked what Raye said yesterday.
But I really don't know.
The Niners need another running back, maybe Clayton, maybe someone else. And they need Moran Norris.
Let's see how McC handles that.