Reflection Letter

July 29, 2013

Professor Jerome McKeever

Corporate College West

23425 Center Ridge Road

Room 301 D

Westlake, Ohio 44145 

Dear Professor McKeever:

 

Wow, this semester went by so fast. I was concerned that with my work schedule, I might have a hard time keeping up with the speed of this class. I remember when I took your English 1010 class, I had just returned to taking college courses and I was concerned because it had been a very long time since I had to write an English paper. I was terrified of the MLA format and only managed an 8 out of 10 on the MLA format quiz. This time around, I nailed it!! Despite taking a sixteen week course in eight weeks, I was much more confident this semester because I am more comfortable with the MLA format, how the discussion boards work and what you expect from students taking your class. My only hesitation, this time around, was this course involved a lot of research and citing and documenting my sources. I am comfortable with research, after all, I do it almost every day at work.  

 

I found the resources you provided to be very useful. The MLA format samples and samples of different styles of writing were a great guide for me. Smarthinking.com is truly an invaluable tool. I really enjoy the discussion board aspect of the class. It is interesting to see what other people are thinking and their style of writing. I especially like when other people offer opinions or feedback on my discussion board posts. I found the ongoing dialogue to be insightful and I have  a blast  participating.

 

In English 1010, my thoughts and ideas came easily, but I struggled with putting them down on paper. This time around was much easier for me. I am not sure if I should attribute this to growing as a writer, or writing about a subject that I know so much about.

 

I chose that San Francisco 49ers as my subject because, outside of the Cleveland Browns, I love this team. I am not a band-wagoner though. I have followed them since I was young. I grew up watching and worshipping Joe Montana and Steve Young. I admired the talents of Jerry Rice and feel strongly that there will never be another receiver who is as talented, or has the work ethic he does. I wanted to be Ronnie Lott when I played defensive back in high school. I feel strongly that there has never been a more talented or ingenious coach than Bill Walsh. And, despite his fall from grace, there has never been a more passionate and invested owner than Eddie DeBartolo. He loved owning that team and he treated his players and all of his staff like they were his family.

 

I am excited about the future of the San Francisco 49ers. President Jed York has the team going in the right direction. He directs the team a lot like his Uncle Eddie did. The new stadium will be the best in the league (take that Jerry Jones). I like what Coach Harbaugh is doing with the team. The players are exciting to watch. Colin Kapernick really has a bright future. Frank Gore is virtually unstoppable. Patrick Willis is no doubt the leader of the best defense in the NFL. So, year after year, when my Cleveland Browns let me down at the factory of sadness, I always have my 49ers to watch.

 

The research aspect of this class was relatively easy for me. It involved walking to my home office and pulling a number of books from the shelves. There are easily 15 resources available to me right in my own home. I enjoyed writing all three papers because I absolutely loved the subject matter. The narrative on Jerry Rice was probably the easiest to write. I could have written so much on him, but I chose to focus on his formative years. I truly believe those years were crucial to making him, in my humble opinion, the greatest player ever to have played in the NFL. The hardest paper for me to write was the review paper. Without the stadium being finished, I had to focus on the stadium designs and various articles about the stadium. I hope to see it when it is finished. I would love to attend a 49ers game at Levi stadium. I promise, if I actually get to do that, I will send you another review and a picture!!

 

As I said last time I took your class, I really enjoyed having you as my professor for this course. You are a really good guy, a true class act. I can see your passion for teaching and your desire to have every single one of your students succeed. Your enthusiasm and desire is very infectious. I am sure I speak for other students, it makes you want to do better. It is also not lost on us that you take time to learn a little bit about each of us that is much appreciated. While I appreciate your thoughts and feedback regarding my school work, I truly enjoy our other conversations. I wish you the very best and I hope to hear from you outside of class. After all, football season is right around the corner. GO IRISH and GO BROWNS!!

 

Best Regards,

 

Jason Lowbridge

A Review of Levi's Stadium

Jason Lowbridge        

Professor McKeever

English 1020

25 July 2013

Word Count: 1910

A Review of Levi’s Stadium

            Measure J was passed, by voters in Santa Clara, California, on June 8, 2010. Measure J was an issue placed on the ballot that allowed the City of Santa Clara to lease land to the San Francisco 49ers Stadium Authority for construction of a new NFL football stadium. It passed on June 8, 2010. Funding for the stadium was secured on December 13, 2011, groundbreaking took place on April 19, 2012 and the first steel beam was laid almost one year ago, on July 30, 2012. (Rosenberg) The new home of the San Francisco 49ers is expected to be completed in time for the beginning of the 2014 NFL season. Although, at the present time, the stadium is incomplete and, despite the disappointment of it not being located in the City of San Francisco, review of the design plans, technology plans and the environment friendliness of the stadium, will make the new home of the San Francisco 49ers quite unique, impressive and a stadium like no other.

            In July of 2006, the San Francisco 49ers presented an initial stadium plan to construct a 68,500 seat stadium, with 9,000 club seats, open-air stadium in San Francisco. The stadium was to be built at Candlestick Point and would convert their current stadium (Candlestick Park) into housing and retail space. The city of San Francisco was hopeful that it would improve the blighted area known as Hunters Point. (Mercury News) Unfortunately, the City of San Francisco and the 49ers were unable to come to any agreement and the 49ers were forced to turn their focus to the City of Santa Clara.  

            While the City of Santa Clara is beautiful, and the 49ers currently have their offices and training camp located there, there are some major negatives to moving the stadium there. Obviously one disadvantage is the economic impact that the City of San Francisco will suffer. The City of San Francisco will lose millions of dollars in revenue, with the division of Parks and Recreation taking the biggest hit. They are the department that operates Candlestick Park. “ The 49ers generate an estimated $9.6 million in gross revenue and roughly $4.1 million in direct and indirect tax revenue for the city” (Lee). Additionally, “no other team has their home stadium located further away from their home city than the 49ers, at 38.3 miles” (Rosenberg). Gone are the scenic views of Alcatraz, Bayview Hill, San Francisco Bay, and the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. No longer will fans and viewers be able to watch the beauty of the fog rolling in while watching the game. The move by the 49ers will be a big loss for the City of San Francisco. Clearly not the best move by the city, not only for fiscal reasons, but the lure of potential development that goes along with the renovation of the waterfront. A larger effort should have been made by the city officials to keep the team in the actual city.

            Despite the disappointment that the stadium will not actually be located in the City of San Francisco, that may be the one true negative plaguing the new home of the 49ers. The design of the new stadium is an impressive open and airy stadium, with a natural grass playing field, which is embraced by the stunning and scenic views of Silicon Valley.  Its seating capacity is relatively small for an NFL stadium, seating 68,500.The bonus is it can be expanded to seat almost 75,000 people for larger events. The lower bowl of the stadium will hold almost two-thirds of all the fans at the game, making it one of the largest bowls in the NFL (San Francisco 49ers). Similar to the gorgeous Ford Field in Detroit, all of the luxury suites are expected to be located on one side of the field. The goal of this stadium is to make it a multi-purpose stadium. In addition to the NFL games, the stadium is hoping to house concerts and motocross. The stadium is also designed to meet the requirements for international soccer events (such as FIFA World Cup). Finally, the stadium also has over 109,000 square feet of prime meeting space. This will allow business people a less-congested place to meet, and not actually have to travel into the City of San Francisco, all while bringing a return on investment for the City of Santa Clara. An added bonus for people travelling with families to Santa Clara, is that the stadium is located next to the Great American Theme Park. Coincidentally, the Great American Theme Park is owned and operated by Ohio Company Cedar Fair. This is the same company that is located Sandusky, which owns and operates Cedar Point.

            The most amazing and easily the most impressive element of the stadium design are its green, or environmentally friendly, components. The stadium is currently one of the largest buildings resisted with the US green Building Council. The 49ers new stadium is also the first in professional football to be an LEED certified stadium. LEED is simply an acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Equally impressive is the fact the stadium will have a number of solar elements which will generate enough energy over the course of a year to offset all of the power consumed during the 49ers home games. The stadium will have three solar arrays over its bridges, incorporate water conserving plumbing and use of many recycled materials.  In keeping with the environmentally friendly theme, the stadium will also boast a green canopy above the tower portion of the stadium and the training facility. The stunning 27,000 square foot canopy will be covered with vegetation, which will seek to insulate the luxury suites and aide in storm water runoff. NRG Energy, who are partners with the Santa Clara Stadium Authority, are also devising economically friendly ways for fans to travel to the games. Bike lanes are being added and so are car charging stations, along with an extension of the gorgeous San Tomas creek trail walking paths. Plus, all fans are encouraged to use the city’s public transportation systems. I try to be environmentally conscious and have much respect for those who do. I must say that I am quite impressed with the efforts of the 49ers and Santa Clara. Ideally, the NFL will follow suit.

            Equally as mind blowing as the environmentally friendly components of the stadium, is the technology in the stadium. One of the first things the 49ers hope to do is provide convenience to their fans. The stadium will now be a ticketless and cashless infrastructure. Quite the impressive feature. Through their mobile device, fans attending the game will be able to do things like have their tickets scanned or be able to order and pay for food from the comforts of their recycled material seats. Additionally, they will up the wow factor by allowing fans, through their mobile devices, to watch the game from a particular camera, be able to view instant replays or get stats on players. The original thought of the Stadium Authority was to install in-seat monitors, but they withdrew that plan by logically figuring that they would merely get in the way. Many fans stress that they enjoy watching a game from home, rather than going to the stadium. They are able to see many things that fans attending the games just don’t see. Now you can bring your mobile device to the game, or choose to leave it at home. The fan, for once, will be able to customize their entire game day experience. The primary scoreboard will not be as obscene as the one located in Dallas Cowboys stadium. Additionally, the stadium will contain video displays in the North and South end zones (measuring roughly 48 feet high by 200 feet wide), featuring 13HD pixel layouts. There will also be a ribbon display around the seating bowl, also featuring 13 HD pixel layouts. As if this is any surprise, this will be the first stadium to have this feature. As previously stated, the NFL stadium will seat 68,500 fans. If you have ever been to an NFL stadium, you know all too well that internet connection ceases to exist. Well, not in the 49ers brand new venue. Each and every fan will have simultaneous access to a Wi-Fi network. Broadband restrictions will not kick a user off. Each and every person in the building will be able to check scores from around the league, watch replays or send photos. As a Cleveland Browns season ticket holder, I can assure you, I am jealous. There is absolutely nothing worse than not being able to access your cell phone for four straight hours. For those of you that would ask why you would want to do that at a game. Remember, I said I was a Browns season ticket holder.  Interesting, and somewhat ironic, that the best Wi-Fi network created at a sporting venue is right in the heart of Silicon Valley.

            Despite the stadium’s estimated 1.2 billion dollar price tag, big events are already successfully generating income for the City of Santa Clara and the San Francisco 49ers, long before its completion date. These events will play a major role in helping the San Francisco 49ers and the City of Santa Clara to offset the staggering price tag, in addition to generating revenue. In May of 2013, the San Francisco 49ers announced that Levi Strauss & Co. had purchased the naming rights to the new stadium. Levi Strauss secured the naming rights for 20 years. In doing so, they agreed to pay the City of Santa Clara and the San Francisco 49ers, $220.3 million dollars. Plus, Levi Strauss has an option to extend the naming deal an additional 5 years for $75 million dollars, which is the third largest naming rights in American sports.  As a side note, Levi Strauss has already trademarked the moniker “field of jeans” for the start of the season. Starting in 2014, Levi Stadium will become the new home for college football’s Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl. Additionally, the San Francisco 49ers and the City of Santa Clara are hoping to land the FIFA World Cup games. In closing, on October 16, 2012, Levi Stadium was announced as one of two finalists (the other finalist was Sun Life Stadium in Miami, Florida) to host Super Bowl 50. On May 21, 2013 NFL owners voted and decided that Levi Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers, would indeed host the 50^th Super Bowl.

            Clearly the City of Santa Clara and the San Francisco 49ers have done an outstanding job in creating an environmentally friendly, state of the art NFL stadium. As an added bonus, they are already bringing in revenue. Come 2014, the NFL experience in Santa Clara is going to be fantastic. Being at the breathtaking Levi’s Stadium, will undoubtedly be an unforgettable experience for the fans attending the games.

 

Works Cited

Lee, Stephanie. “Loss of 49ers Will Be A Big Hit To S.F. Budget.” SFGate.com. Web. 21 July    2013

Rosenberg, Mike. “49ers Kick Off Move To Santa Clara With Far From Traditional           Groundbreaking.” Mercury News.com. Web. 22 July 2013.

San Francisco 49ers. “About Levi’s Stadium.” 49ers.com. Web. July 22 2013.

San Jose Mercury News. “San Francisco 49ers Stadium Beams Rise From The Dirt In Santa         Clara.” Mercury News.com. Web. 21 July 2013.

 

Updated Annotated Bibliography

Jason Lowbridge

Professor McKeever

English 1020

21 June 2013

The San Francisco 49ers: The Eddie DeBartolo/Bill Walsh Making Of A Dynasty

An Annotated Bibliography

Barber, Phil. We Were Champions. Chicago: Triumph Books, 2002.

                        We Were Champions starts out discussing owner Eddie DeBartolo’s purchase of    the San Francisco 49ers and team morale during the early losing season. It highlights Mr.   DeBartolo’s hiring of future legendary coach, Bill Walsh. It discusses the highs and lows            that came with building a dynasty. This will be used as one of my primary resources.

Cohn, Lowell. Rough Magic. New York: HarperCollins, 1994.

                        Rough Magic discusses Bill Walsh’s return to coaching college football.      When   he left the San Francisco 49ers, he returned to Stanford University. This is where        he was             coaching when the 49ers came calling. What excited him about returning was he           knew   his team was not athletically superior to other teams, but he knew that most of them        were smarter, and he loved the challenge of coaching that game.  He truly appreciated the           high academic standards at Stanford.  I will probably use this book more for the profile             paper.

Dickey, Glenn. The San Francisco 49ers First Fifty Years. Atlanta: Turner Publishing, Inc.,           1995.

                        The title of this book describes exactly what the book is about, the San Francisco   49ers franchise from 1944 – 1994. The book discusses the highlights from those years     and also highlights players. Profiles range from the Million Dollar Backfield to Joe         Montana and Jerry Rice. Glenn Dickey is considered a premier authority on the San     Francisco 49ers, having written a number articles and books. This will be used as one of my primary resources. 

Lee, Stephanie. “Loss of 49ers Will Be A Big Hit To S.F. Budget.” SFGate.com. Web. 21 July    2013.

                        Stephanie Lee’s article details the financial losses the City of San Francisco            expects to incur because the team decided to build their new stadium in the City of Santa      Clara,   California. Very detailed information and the impact it will have, especially on         the department of Parks and Recreation.

Myers, Gary. The Catch. New York: Crown Publishers, 2009.

                        The Catch discusses one of the most memorable plays in NFL history, which          occurred between two NFL dynasties: The San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys.     The book covers reactions from many of the players and coaches that participated that             game. While the book is highly entertaining, it is not necessarily a good resource for me.

Rice, Jerry and Silver, Michael. Rice. New York: St. Martin’s Griffin, 1996.

                        Rice gives Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice’s perspective on the first eleven years of his career. He discusses what motivates him, lessons he has learned and            how he teaches young players. Jerry Rice is considered the greatest wide receiver of all       time, if not the greatest NFL player of all time. An interesting perspective from a player.

 

 

 

Rosenberg, Mike. “49ers Kick Off Move To Santa Clara With Far From Traditional           Groundbreaking.” MercuryNews.com. Web. 19 April 2012.

                        Mike Rosenberg’s article discusses the actual groundbreaking of Levi’s stadium     and the future home of the San Francisco 49ers. The article also talks about the early days of construction.                      

San Francisco 49ers. “About Levi’s Stadium.” 49ers.com. Web. No date given.

                        This is the web page for the San Francisco 49ers. There is a very detailed section

            about the Levi’s stadium, the new home of the San Francisco 49ers. In addition, webcam video is available to see the progression.

San Jose Mercury News. “San Francisco 49ers Stadium Beams Rise From The Dirt In Santa         Clara.” Mercurynews.com. No date given.

                        The Mercury News covers all things 49ers. Many articles detail the cost,     construction and design of the new stadium.

Walsh, Bill,  Billick, Brian and Peterson, James. Finding the Winning Edge. Champaign:    Sports Publishing, Inc., 1998.

                        Finding the Winning Edge discusses the organizational, structural and         philosophical preferences of San Francisco 49er head coach, Bill Walsh. It shares his       insights into the game of football and provides a blueprint for winning. The book is more        about strategies and geared more towards team personnel, rather than your average NFL       fan.

Walsh, Bill and Dickey, Glenn. Building a Champion. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1990.

                        Building a Champion discusses how to build a winning team, and not just on the   field. It covers everything from player acquisition to contract negotiations to personality     issues within an organization. It is a book that is geared towards business professionals        looking for suggestions on how to build a successful organization.

Everything Happens For a Reason

Jason Lowbridge

Professor McKeever

English 1020

18 July 2013

Word Count: 1595

Everything Happens For a Reason

            He certainly wasn’t the worst kid growing up in the very small town of Crawford, Mississippi. It was almost impossible to be bad in a town with less than 500 people. Everybody knew each other’s business, and you could get away with very little. Typically he obeyed the rules, but he was known to cut a class, or two, at Moor High School. On one of those days he chose to skip a class, he went to that perfect hiding spot behind the high school building. Unfortunately for him, it was also the day the principal decided to case the school grounds. Instead of acknowledging that he had been caught, the 10^th grader took off running. Too bad for him, the principal knew who he was dealing with. That red blazer that he always wore surely gave it away. When he returned to school the next day, he was immediately summoned to the principal’s office. It was there that he was presented with two options, be whipped by the principal’s belt, or join the high school football team. Who knew that this one event in this young kid’s life would prove to be so life changing? The old saying that everything happens for a reason, would indeed be the case. Had he never been presented with the option to join the high school football team, the course of this child’s life might be dramatically different and the impact he would go on to make in football might have been missed. The child accepted his punishment, developed his skills and went on to becoming the greatest player ever to play in the NFL.

Despite the options presented to him, really the 10^th grader did not have much of a choice. Principal Wickes had already told the football coach just how fast the student was (Rice).  Although he loved watching his beloved Dallas Cowboys on television, he had never played anything more than pick up football games with his brothers and friends. He really had no interest in playing at school, and his mother definitely did not want him playing. He had great energy and was always running and working out, but she worried about him being injured. After all, he was very skinny. But, the young 10^th grader decided to accept his punishment and play for the Moor High School football team. “The football team, which played at a stadium that seated only 100 people and had light poles on just one side of the field, served as a forum to display his tremendous work habits. As much of his childhood was filled with play, he always had a keen sense of the value of hard work” (Rice 23). Not only did he accept his punishment, but he went on to excel in football. He played receiver, defensive back, and even quarterback.  Basically, he played wherever the coach needed him. By the end of his high school career, he was honored as an All-State end and defensive back (Rice).

            The young man and his brother often dreamed of becoming professional athletes so they could but their parents a brand new house. Getting there would prove difficult. His brother’s career fizzled out right after college when he was unable to make it in the NFL. Although the high school senior had interest from about 40 colleges, “nobody was really pounding on his door” (Rice 27). Archie Cooley, head coach at Mississippi Valley State was one of the few coaches that showed any real interest in him. “Coach Cooley had heard about him through an extensive network of black high school coaches, and when he showed up to scout the lanky teenager, the kid was so impressed that he immediately accepted a scholarship to the little known Division 1-AA school” (Rice 27). An added benefit was that the kid was very interested in the pass-heavy offense that Coach Cooley ran.

            Within the first week of his college football practice, the young man made an immediate impact on his coaches. Coach Cooley is quoted as saying “I knew he was a special athlete because his work ethic was so great” (Rice 27). The young player attributes his work ethic and pass catching skills to his father, His father was a brick layer who often took his young soon to work with him. His father was determined to teach him the value of hard work. The added benefit was catching the bricks his father would throw up to him strengthened his hands, which made him a much better receiver and taught him hand/eye coordination. Ironically, during his freshman year of college, his teammates nicknamed him “world” because “they reasoned that he could catch anything in the world” (Rice 29).

            “Coach Cooley ran a no-huddle, four receiver set offense and threw the ball almost 90% of the time” (Rice 27).  During his freshman season, the young receiver made an immediate connection with his quarterback, Willie Totter. “The two developed a connection that was downright scary” (Rice 29). By his sophomore season he caught 66 passes for 1,133 yards and seven touchdowns (Rice). Hardly pro-prospect numbers though. With those numbers it was more likely that he would find a career within his chosen major of electronics, not the NFL. His junior season was really a breakout year for him. By the time he finished his senior year, and college career, he would set 18 Division 1-AA records with a total of 4,693 receiving yards (Rice). In addition, he was named the MVP after playing in the Blue-Gray game. Now his NFL prospects seemed a little more likely. During his senior season, a number of NFL scouts came to watch him play and practice. While they were impressed with his pass catching abilities, they timed his speed at a relatively slow and unimpressive 4.6. Lucky for him, the head coach of the world champion San Francisco 49ers saw things differently.

            Head coach Bill Walsh was obsessed with the kid, but knew there was no chance they would be able to draft him. After all, the 49ers were coming off of a Super Bowl win and were picking 28^th in the NFL draft. “But come draft time, Bill Walsh was known to engage in more high-stakes trading than Wall Street, and 1985 would be no exception” (Rice 36). Two days before the draft the San Francisco 49ers had a tentative deal in place to trade with the New England Patriots. This would give the 49ers the 16^th pick in the first round. When the Buffalo Bills selected a cornerback with the 14^th pick, the 49ers finalized the deal. Shocking almost everybody who is involved with, or follows the NFL, Bill Walsh got the kid he was fixated on.

            The person I am referring to was born October 13, 1962 and is a retired wide receiver that played twenty seasons in the National Football League.  Many consider him to be the greatest wide receiver ever in the National Football League and some even consider him to be the greatest player, of all time, at any position. In fact, he was chosen by the NFL Network as the greatest player in NFL history. He was a member of the all decade teams of the 80’s and 90’s. He is the all-time NFL leader in receptions, touchdown receptions, and yards. He retired with 38 NFL records to his name. He was selected to the Pro Bowl 13 times and named an All-Pro 12 times. He won three Super Bowls playing for the San Francisco 49ers and was once voted Super Bowl MVP. In addition to the San Francisco 49ers, he also played for the Oakland Raiders and the Seattle Seahawks. At the  of the 2004 season, his 20th in the NFL, he joined the Denver Broncos, signing a one year contract, but ultimately decided to retire. On August 19, 2006, the San Francisco 49ers announced that he had signed a one day contract with them, allowing him to retire as a member of the team where his career began. On August 24, he officially retired as a San Francisco 49er, signing a one day contract for $1,985,806.49.  The number was merely symbolic and was never actually paid. It represented the year he was drafted (1985), his number (80), the year he retired (2006), and the 49ers (49). (Rice) Over the course of his career, he played in 303 games overall. Honoring his storied career, he was selected for induction in the Pro Football class of 2010 in his first year of eligibility. He was inducted in Canton, Ohio on August 7, 2010 along with Emmitt Smith, Floyd Little, Russ Grimm, Rickey Jackson, Dick LeBeau, and John Randle. Two months later, on September 20, 2010, during halftime at the 49ers-Saints game, his #80 jersey number was retired.

He really had nothing short of a pretty amazing career. And in this case, everything really did happen for a reason. Had he never been caught skipping classes by his high school principal and forced to join the high school football team, had he never worked hard and made a name for himself on a virtually unknown, small college football team and had he not caught the eye of the head coach of the world champion San Francisco 49ers, football fans everywhere might have never enjoyed the pure talent and grace that was Jerry Lee Rice on the football field.

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

Rice, Jerry and Silver, Michael. Rice. New York: St. Martin’s Griffin, 1996.

 

 

Eddie DeBartolo and the Making of the San Francisco 49er Dynasty

Jason Lowbridge                                                                                            

Professor McKeever

English 1020

3 July 2013

Word Count: 1808

Eddie DeBartolo and the Making of the San Francisco 49er Dynasty

            It was Super Bowl XXIII and Bill Walsh was hoisting the Lombardi trophy in the air. It was the third Super Bowl trophy for the San Francisco 49ers in the last eight years. Outside of the New York Yankees, such dynasties in professional sports are almost unheard of. It was a proud moment for Eddie DeBartolo too. As owner of the San Francisco 49ers, he was the critical component in their success. Eddie DeBartolo was the most important factor in making the San Francisco 49ers one of the rare dynasties in professional sports because he knew how to treat those that worked for him, took a chance on a man named Bill Walsh, and was willing to spend top dollar to have hall of fame talent on his team.

            The San Francisco 49ers are a professional football team based in San Francisco, California. The team was formed in 1946 and played in the All-American Football league and later joined the National Football League (NFL) in 1949. For the first thirty years of their existence, they celebrated only mild success. “As members of the All-American Football Conference from 1946-1949, they were in fact considered the second best team, right behind the Cleveland Browns” (Barber 17). At the time the San Francisco 49ers were owned by the Morabito family, Anthony and his brother, junior partner Vic. Tony Morabito died of a heart attack at age 47, during halftime of a 49ers game against the Chicago Bears in 1957. In 1964, eight years after Tony Morabito's death, Victor Morabito also died of a heart attack, at 47. Josephine Morabito, Anthony’s widow, joined her 30 percent share of the team's franchise with a 25 percent share held by Jane Morabito, the widow of Victor. The sisters held the distinction of being the first female owners of a professional sports team at the time. The women were considered to be more knowledgeable about football than many men, but they considered the game to belong to a man's world. Because of this, the sisters-in-law chose to remain in the background of the team's operations and left the day- to-day management to Lou Spadia, who was then president of the club. While the relationship between Spadia and the Morabito widows was not always great, they deferred to him. Unfortunately, for thirty-one straight seasons, the San Francisco 49ers never won a championship. In spite of this, fans loved the Morabito family. But things were about to change when then family sold the team.

On March 31, 1977 Edward DeBartolo Sr., who had made his fortune in construction, specifically malls and strip malls, purchased the franchise for his son Edward DeBartolo Jr, and the making of a dynasty was born. Edward (Eddie) DeBartolo Jr., born in Youngstown, Ohio, was 31 years old when he took over ownership of the San Francisco 49ers. He was as old as the 49ers franchise and now was the youngest owner in the NFL. At the time he acquired the team, the team was terrible. Tight end Brent Jones tells a story about how his younger brother cried when he gave him a 49ers jacket for Christmas. Funny thing was, his brother was no small child. He was only three years younger than Brent. The 49ers were so bad that literally, it made a grown man cry. Eddie was in a hurry to produce a winning team, but “perhaps it was his youth that made him impatient” (Barber 17).

Despite his eagerness and desires, early impressions of Eddie DeBartolo were not necessarily positive with the team and their fan base. In one of his first press conferences, he announced that the team would be run like a business and they were going to do their best to make money (Barber). Not what the players or fans, who were tired of the recent losing ways, really wanted to hear. In addition, early staffing decisions were not successful. One of Eddie’s first hires was a man named Joe Thomas. He was named General Manager. Randy Cross described Joe Thomas as, “he was to an NFL franchise what scorched earth is to landscape” (Barber 18). Immediately, Joe Thomas wanted to eliminate the rich tradition of the 49ers and start fresh. At one point he removed all 49ers memorabilia and was going to take it to the city dump. Joe Thomas was quoted as saying, “history begins today” (Barber 18).  The new owner went through multiple coaches and general managers. They actually went through five coaches in a two year span. Despite his family’s success in business, Eddie was the first DeBartolo to test the waters owning a sports franchise. There was no point of reference for him and he was learning solely by trial and error. However, what he did learn from the family business was the right way to treat his employees. Eddie credits his father for teaching him this. All 600 employees in Youngstown, each and every one of them, were considered a member of their family. It was something he wanted to carry over to the San Francisco 49er organization. Any member of the franchise, no matter what position they held, whether they were sick or had a problem, could go to Mr. D, as he was affectionately known. He worked hard to be close to his employees and build a family atmosphere. He spared no expense either. Everything he did was first-rate. Players had their own hotel rooms. They travelled on private jets, rather than commercial. Births and graduations were always remembered and recognized. Elaborate parties where thrown. He knew the name of every person that was a member of the franchise and knew their family members names as well. From the starting quarterback to the equipment manager, Eddie made them feel special, wanted and important to the cause. “When it came to running the 49ers DeBartolo violated one of the cardinal rules of the sports business. Ownership and talent cannot be pals. But somehow it worked in San Francisco.” (Barber 27). The 49er franchise was starting to establish an identity. Truly, the way he ran his business and treated people was instrumental in establishing a solid franchise.  Clearly, this laid the foundation for the dynasty. People wanted to play and work for Mr. D. But, it really wasn’t until the hiring of head coach Bill Walsh in 1979 that the 49ers would emerge as a perennial contender in the NFL and write the 49ers legacy.  

            Bill Walsh was a local guy, head football coach at Stanford University. A local radio talk show host suggested that Eddie DeBartolo meet with him about the 49ers head coaching job. No members of the 49ers front office were sold on him, but Eddie DeBartolo knew he was the man for the job the instant that they met. Their initial meeting, when he was hired, lasted less than an hour. Eddie was impressed with his talk of family, how to run an organization, and most importantly, his vision for the San Francisco 49ers. Bill Walsh would remain head coach of the 49ers from 1979-1988. He was the winner of six NFC West titles and Super Bowls XVI, XIX and XXIII. His career record was 102-63-1 when he retired. In 1999 he returned to the team as General Manager and later served as a consultant. He had an amazing and hugely successful career. Rightfully so, Bill Walsh will be remembered as one of the greatest NFL coaches of all time. He is affectionately known as “the genius.” Other football coaches study his body of work, hoping to replicate the blueprints that have made the 49ers so successful. Walsh’s philosophical changes to the game caused smash-mouth football, with deep and inaccurate passes to change to short and accurate passes. It was a well-choreographed dance, or a beautiful sonnet. Receivers glided in unison with their quarterbacks. Offensive lineman set their splits accordingly. The NFL would not be the same. “Rough Magic” was born and it would be several decades before defensive coordinators could even hope to contain it. 

            All the great coaches were a lot like old war heroes. Paul Brown, Vince Lombardi and George Halas to name a few. Much like Patton, they would out muscle their enemy and overpower their opponent into submission. Torrential warfare was executed over and over again on the gridiron. However, Bill Walsh was different. He did not subscribe to Woody Hayes theory of three yards and a cloud of dust. He looked and acted very much like a conductor. He was Ludwig Van Beethoven and his team was a finely tuned orchestra. Each department complimented the other, blending together to maximize impact and production. When done right, it was just like a fine symphony. Eddie DeBartolo took a huge leap of faith in hiring Bill Walsh. Rumor had it that coach Bill Walsh was blacklisted by head coach and NFL icon, Paul Brown. It was a hiring that Eddie DeBartolo had the courage and gut instinct to make. It was one that he and the San Francisco 49er organization would not live to regret.

            Finally, I would be remiss to not mention the players who helped Eddie DeBartolo make the 49ers into an NFL dynasty. Eddie DeBartolo spared no expense in acquiring and keeping top talent. A number of Hall of Fame players were members of the team during the dynasty years. Hall of Famers like Jerry Rice, Joe Montana, Ronnie Lott, Steve Young, Randy Cross, Fred Dean and Roger Craig all played for him. It was because of this lavish spending, the Salary Cap was put into place in the NFL. The Salary Cap essentially limits player’s salary and puts a global cap on the total team salary. Despite the salary setbacks, the successful blueprint that the 49ers had in place would allow the team to continue their winning ways.

            In 1997 Eddie DeBartolo was suspended by the NFL for his role in illegal casino licenses in Louisiana. In 2000 Eddie DeBartolo was convicted of failing to report extortion in Louisiana Federal Court. He was forced to sell the team to his sister Denise DeBartolo York. As a side note, the law firm I was employed at worked on the deal that transitioned the team to Denise. His nephew Jed York is now the team’s CEO. Jed York credits his uncle as an inspiration and acknowledges Eddie’s help and guidance in recent years. Jed York even hired head coach Jim Harbaugh, who was Bill Walsh’s last hire at Stanford, and subscribes to Bill Walsh’s philosophies. And, by the looks of things the last couple of years, the 49ers may soon have another dynasty on their hands. 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

Barber, Phil. We Were Champions. Chicago: Triumph, 2002. Print.

An Annotated Bibliography

Jason Lowbridge

Professor McKeever

English 1020

21 June 2013

The San Francisco 49ers: The Eddie DeBartolo/Bill Walsh Making Of A Dynasty

An Annotated Bibliography

Barber, Phil. We Were Champions. Chicago: Triumph Books, 2002. Print.

                        This book starts out discussing owner Eddie DeBartolo’s purchase of the San        Francisco 49ers and team morale during the early losing season. It highlights Mr.        DeBartolo’s hiring of future legendary coach, Bill Walsh. It discusses the highs and lows            that came with building a dynasty. This will be used as one of my primary resources.

Cohn, Lowell. Rough Magic. New York: HarperCollins, 1994. Print.

                        This book discusses Bill Walsh’s return to coaching college football. When he left the San Francisco 49ers, he returned to Stanford University. This is where he was   coaching when the 49ers came calling. What excited him about returning was he knew        his team was not athletically superior to other teams, but he knew that most of them were   smarter, and he loved the challenge of coaching that game.  He truly appreciated the high       academic standards at Stanford.  I will probably use this book more for the profile paper.

Dickey, Glenn. The San Francisco 49ers First Fifty Years. Atlanta: Turner Publishing, Inc.,           1995. Print.

                        The title of this book describes exactly what the book is about, the San Francisco   49ers franchise from 1944 – 1994. The book discusses the highlights from those years     and also highlights players. Profiles range from the Million Dollar Backfield to Joe         Montana and Jerry Rice. Glenn Dickey is considered a premier authority on the San     Francisco 49ers, having written a number articles and books. This will be used as one of my primary resources. 

Myers, Gary. The Catch. New York: Crown Publishers, 2009. Print.

                        This book discusses one of the most memorable plays in NFL history, which          occurred between two NFL dynasties: The San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys.     The book covers reactions from many of the players and coaches that participated that             game. While the book is highly entertaining, it is not necessarily a good resource for me.

Rice, Jerry and Silver, Michael. Rice. New York: St. Martin’s Griffin, 1996. Print.

                        This book gives Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice’s perspective on the first     eleven years of his career. He discusses what motivates him, lessons he has learned and how he teaches young players. Jerry Rice is considered the greatest wide receiver of all       time, if not the greatest NFL player of all time. An interesting perspective from a player.

Walsh, Bill,  Billick, Brian and Peterson, James. Finding the Winning Edge. Champaign:    Sports Publishing, Inc., 1998. Print.

                        This book discusses the organizational, structural and philosophical preferences of San Francisco 49er head coach, Bill Walsh. It shares his insights into the game of football        and provides a blueprint for winning. The book is more about strategies and geared more   towards team personnel, rather than your average NFL fan.

Walsh, Bill and Dickey, Glenn. Building a Champion. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1990. Print.

                        This book discusses how to build a winning team, and not just on the field. It        covers everything from player acquisition to contract negotiations to personality issues      within an organization. It is a book that is geared towards business professionals looking            for suggestions on how to build a successful organization.