Mike Singletary's self analysis

0

Every time I begin to think Mike Singletary is struggling as the 49ers head coach, he responds with some insightful analysis that makes you believe that he gets it. CSN Bay Area's Matt Maiocco put Singletary on the therapist's couch for a line of questioning during Singletary's Tuesday news conference, and to his credit, Singletary admitted he needed to be more self-restrained in interviews, like the one he had last week with KPIX's Dennis O'Donnell, where he reverted back to his wide-eyed linebacker past.

"Should I have reigned myself in? Probably so," a subdued Singletary said. He also said he'd approach media interviews differently.

Singletary will try to be more restrained.

Singletary will try to be more restrained.

"I'm going to be more analytical," Singletary said. "(When) you guys ask a question, I'm going to stay on that question."

Hopefully, Singletary won't change too much. Certainly he wants to avoid the appearance that he's imploding. But Singletary is emotional, volatile even. He seems to have severe peaks and valleys, and he admits that's not going to change.

"I have to be who I am," he said. "I'm not a politician; I'm not a tap dancer. I say things I feel. I do have to do a better job and not let the media bait me."

What we see out of his football team seems to be a reflection of the man himself. The 49ers play with emotion, but they are high and low. For example, they got blown out by a rebuilding team in the opener and nearly toppled the reigning Super Bowl champions the very next week. We see the team play with energy, verve and purpose, but we also see them trip up over small details that make the difference between winning and losing.

But is their play really an extension of their coach? And do we really know him? We the media are always attempting to force the image of what we see of a coach and overlay it on the team he commands. And yet there's so much we don't see. Our only contact with Singletary is in mostly prescribed slivers through group-interview contact. We see him in practice and when he dawns a microphone during games issuing a constant stream of punitive admonishments to his players.

What we don't see is how he is in closed-door meetings. How he is one-on-one. How he works diligently to know each of his players so he knows best how to motivate them. We see the brazen anger, but not the nuance of his leadership.

Some of the latter might leak out in how he has publicly handled players. He has been hard on Vernon and Nate Davis, but relatively easy on Alex Smith and Michael Crabtree.

All this pyschoanalysis is interesting but what does it matter? Singletary will ultimately be judged by won-loss record. That spare unemotional statistic is ultimately all that matters.

SINGLETARY AND REFEREES: Singletary decided to abandon his policy of being nice to officials after his players asked him if there was something wrong with him during the opener. He nearly came unglued Monday night when officials didn't hear him call timeout in the fourth quarter. He was asked if the NFL should install an electronic system to alert officials about a timeout. Singletary got huge laughs from reporters when he joked, "You mean like shocking them or something. I'd like that."

NOTES: LB Takeo Spikes (knee contusion), WR-KR Kyle Williams (toe), CB Will James (ankle) and G Chilo Rachal (stinger) WR Ted Ginn Jr. (knee) are day-to-day.

HEITMANN'S STATUS: The news part Mike Singletary's news conference? Eric Heitmann might not get his job back once he returns from his broken leg. Singletary likes what David Baas is doing. Singletary did say Chilo Rachal would replace Adam Snynder at right guard when Rachal recovers from his stinger.

Singletary also said Nate Byham's role could increase as the season goes on because of his flexibility to be an in-line and lead blocker.

Posted By: Kevin Lynch (Email) | September 21 2010 at 11:33 AM

Listed Under: O-line