That would describe the 11 years Jeff Tedford spent as the head coach of the California Golden Bears football team. I was fortunate enough to photograph the Cal Bears football games during all the but the last season  of Jeff Tedford ‘s tenure as head coach. As the first line of the post mentions, it started great, and ended poorly.

I’ve photographed Cal football for over 30 years.  I’ve seen the ups and the downs.

The season before Jeff Tedford took over certainly was one of the down seasons. The team would finish the year at 1-10. I still remember the season opener that year. It was as though Cal didn’t know there was a game that weekend as they appeared very unprepared to play organized football. It wasn’t that they were playing a vastly superior team, it was just a team that knew how to play college football.

Things changed from the very first play from scrimmage of the very first game Jeff Tedford was head coach. As I recall the play, the Quarterback Kyle Boller threw a backwards pass to his running back who then threw the football down field to a wide open receiver who scored a 61 yard touchdown. Just one play from scrimmage, and Cal Bear fans had reason for optimism at Memorial Stadium.  Cal won that game 70-22 over the visiting Baylor Bears. It would be the season that saved Kyle Boller’s college football career, and got him selected 19th overall in the 2003 NFL draft by the Baltimore Ravens.

Things had changed for the better at Memorial Stadium, and Jeff Tedford was the reason. By the 2004 season, Cal was national football power. They went to USC and lost a nail bitter to the Number 1 ranked team in the country that seasson. They would finish the season 10-1 and expecting a invite to the Rose Bowl as Pac-10 champion USC would be playing in the BCS National Championship game.

These two photos from the Bears home season ending victory over Stanford show both players and fans thought Cal was heading to the Rose Bowl to meet the Big Ten champion Michigan. Why wouldn’t they? Well enter into the picture Texas coach Mac Brown who wanted his Texas Longhorns to visit the Rose Bowl. Never mind that Cal was ahead of  Texas in the polls and their only loss was to the number one team in the country. Never mind that Cal hadn’t been to the Rose Bowl in decades. If Texas coach Mac Brown could find away to sway voters his way, he was going to get that Rose Bowl bid. Turns out Mac Brown did sway enough voters to just barely squeeze into a Rose Bowl spot the didn’t deserve, while 4th ranked Cal ended up in the you-got-screwed-over-royally-bowl ( Holiday Bowl )

There were more good years to come, but it might have been a sign. If a 10-1 season with a loss to the number team in the country doesn’t get you into the Rose Bowl, what will? After all, Cal will never really be a football factory school. Instead of producing National Championship football teams they instead Nobel Prize winners on a regular basis. That’s something to be proud of, it just doesn’t get you on Saturday TV during football season.

Things were going pretty good at the start of the 2005 season. So good in fact, a Cal coed professes her love for Cal coach Jeff Tedford with her homemade shirt.

Of course the good times would only last a couple more years. The last 5 years have been pretty average, to down right sorry. It was time to go.

Coach Tedford, thanks for all the memories, the victories, and the new stadium that your wins made possible.

]]> http://ksimonian.com/Blog/2012/11/20/jeff-tedford-fired-after-11-seasons-as-cal-football-coach/feed/ 0 http://ksimonian.com/Blog/2012/01/20/2012-nfc-championship-game-preview-new-york-giants-at-san-francisco-49ers-candlestick-park-sunday-january-22nd/ http://ksimonian.com/Blog/2012/01/20/2012-nfc-championship-game-preview-new-york-giants-at-san-francisco-49ers-candlestick-park-sunday-january-22nd/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:20:24 +0000 admin http://ksimonian.com/Blog/?p=4829 They 49ers were 6-10 last season, headed nowhere, and had fired their head coach Mike Singletary. One of the biggest turnarounds in NFL history started in January of 2011 when the San Francisco 49ers hired Jim Harbaugh. The team completed a 13-3 regular season, and defeated the New Orleans Saints in the Divisional round of the playoffs. They will host the New York Giants on Sunday January 22nd at Candlestick park to determine the NFC representative in the 2012 Super Bowl played Lucas Oil stadium Indianapolis Indiana on February 5, 2012.

What no quarterback in the NFL wants to see – 49er Defensive Tackle Justin Smith leaping over offensive lineman.

#85 49er Tight end Vernon Davis looks to repeat his 2 touchdown 7 catches for 180 yards performance against the visiting New York Giants.

It’s not holding if they don’t call it. They didn’t.

Saints cornerback #33  Jabari Greer leap frogs over 49er Michael Crabtree.

Saints QB Drew Brees set an NFL regular season passing record in the 2011 regular season. The 49er defensive slowed him down enough to claim victory in the Divisional playoff game last Saturday.

He scores touchdowns and leaps over photographers with a single bound, it’s 49er tight end #85 Vernon Davis.

#19 Ted Ginn waiting for the Saints kickoff.

49er Linebacker #52 Patrick Willis tackles #10 Eli Manning for a loss during their regular season meeting at Candlestick park that the 49ers won 27-20.

Touchdown catch by #82 Mario Manningham with the Fox Television dual camera sideline cart in the background.

San Francisco 49er Offensive lineman #74 Joe Staley “blocks” New York Giant #72 Osi Umenyiora during their Sunday November 13th regular season game.

Alex Smith, meet Osi Umenyiora. The 49ers are hoping to hold the Giants pass rush at bay. In this photo #72 Osi Umenyiora tackles #11 Alex Smith just as he releases the football during their November 13th regular season meeting the 49ers won 27 to 20.

AFC – NFC Championship update: The New England Patriots beat the Baltimore Ravens 23-20 in the AFC Championship game. The New York Giants prevailed over the San Francisco 49ers 20 to 17 in overtime with a 31 yard field goal. The Patriots will face the Giants in Super Bowl XLVI on February 5th at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis Indiana. Super Bowl update: The New York Football Giants were victorious over the New England Patriots 21 -17 to claim the Super Bowl Championship.

December 28, 2012 News – Things were all smiles for New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton before the NFL 2nd round playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers at Candlestick Park. It turns out the 36 – 32 loss to the 49ers that day would become the least of the coach’s problems. Saints head coach Sean Payton would become one of the leaders of what became known at Bountygate. For his part in the Saints Bountygate program, Payton would be suspended for the entire 2012 season by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Because of provisions in his contract, the contract extension that Payton signed in 2011 that would have seen him as head coach through the 2015 season was voided. Today come word that Sean Payton has signed another contract extension that will see him as the head coach for the Saints and allow him start working for the Saints right after Super Bowl XLVII which takes place in Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, LA.

What a difference a season and a coach who knows how to coach can make. The 49ers went 13-3 during the regular season and earned the 2nd seed in the NFC playoffs. That 2nd seed got them a week off and a divisional playoff game against the New Orleans Saints. It would be Alex Smith’s first ever NFL playoff game. He made the most of the opportunity by leading the 49ers to a 36-32 victory over the Saints in front of 69,732 fans. The win over the Saints means the 49ers will host the New York Giants in the NFC Championship game on January 22, 2012. The winner of that game will meet the winner of the AFC championship between the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens in the 2012 Super Bowl to be played  on Sunday, February 5, 2012 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana.

This photo shows what would be the biggest play of Alex Smith’s seven year career up until that point as he rolled left on a designed run play for a 28 yard touchdown run the put the 49ers ahead of the Saints 29-24 with just over 2 minutes to play in his first ever NFL playoff game.

Quarterback Alex Smith and other 49ers congratulate Vernon Davis on making “the grab” which would be the game winning touchdown catch with just nine second left in their Divisional playoff game against the New Orleans Saints.

This photo is from Alex Smith’s first NFL game, a pre-season game against the Oakland Raiders on August 13th, 2005.

It’s not easy being an National Football League quarterback. Defensive players grab your face mask to try and tackle you.

Those defensive players grab your shoulder pads to try and tackle you.

The also grab your jersey to try and sack you. Sometimes one person does all that on one play as was the case with New Orleans free safety Malcolm Jenkins on this series of photos.

Alex Smith recovers this dropped backwards pass.

Then after winning the biggest game of your life you just stroll off the field content with a great job of playing quarterback. We shall see Sunday  against the New York Giants if this improbable season for the 49ers continues on to the Super Bowl

The 49ers last home playoff game in 2003 was a wild and exciting game against the New York Giants that featured the 2nd biggest comeback in NFL playoff history ( 24 points ) and a good deal of interesting officiating. The first photo in this post shows what many thought was an interception by #29 Ahmed Plummer 2 plays before what was to be a botched field goal attempt by the Giants that would have won the game.

Instead of rehashing the rest of the 2003 playoff game, I’m going to do more of a “where are they now” feature. First up, T.O., or as the program says, #81 Terrell Owens. TO had a great game that day in 2003 with 9 catches for 177 yards and two touchdowns. He would play one more season for the 49ers before heading to the Philadelphia Eagles. It took just two years before he wore out his welcome there. Next up, the Dallas Cowboys for three seasons. Then one season with the Buffalo Bills, and in 2010 his final NFL season was with the Cincinnati Bengals. In October of 2011 Owens held an open workout hoping to attract the attention of another NFL team. Not one team sent anybody to watch.

Kerry Collens #5 the then Giants quarterback played one more season with them before moving onto the Oakland Raiders for two seasons, the Tennessee Titans for 5 seasons, and finally the Indianapolis Colts for the 2011 Season.

#81 Amani Toomer was a East Bay Area product having first attended Albany high school, and the transferring to Northern California football powerhouse De La Salle high school in Concord, CA. After attending the University of Michigan he was the 34th overall draft pick in the 2006 NFL draft being selected by the New York Giants. He played 13 seasons with the Giants and was part of the 2008 team the won the Super Bowl XLII against the New England Patriots.

Quarterback #5 Jeff Garcia played his college career at San Jose State University. With no NFL offers, Garcia went North to play in the Canadian Football League where he played for the Calgary Stampeders. In 1999 he was signed by the San Francisco 49ers as a backup for NFL Hall of Famer Steve Young. Following Young’s retirement in 1999, Garica became the starting quarterback. In 2003 he was released by the 49ers and played the 2004 season with the Cleveland Browns. After the Browns he played for the Detroit Lions ( 2005 ), Philadelphia Eagles ( 2006 ), Tampa Bay Buccaneers ( 2007-2008 ), Oakland Raiders & Philadelphia Eagles ( 2009 ), Omaha Nighthawks ( 2010 ), and back in the NFL with Houston Texans for the 2011 Season. The Texans will play the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Divisional playoff game this Sunday with a 10 AM ET start. According to the Houston Texan depth chart, Jeff Garcia is listed as the 3rd string quarterback for the game at the M&T Bank Stadium.

I have no idea where this gentlemen is now.

The 49ers lost the next week to the eventual Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  That game marked the end of Steve Mariucci’s coaching time with the 49ers as fired on Janaury 15th in what many thought was a power struggle with then 49er General Manager Terry Donahue. During his 6 years as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers Mariucci had a 60-43 ( .583 ) record including 4 playoff appearances. Dennis Erickson became the new head coach and lasted all of two years with a record of 9-23 during those years. GM Terry Donahue was also fired along with Erickson. Mike Nolan was next hired at head coach and lasted 3.5 years and was fired mid season and replaced with Mike Singletary. “Coach” Singletary lasted 2.5 seasons and was fired at the conclusion of the 2010 season. The 49ers hired highly recruited Jim Harbaugh from Stanford University in January of 2011, and have never looked back as they finished the 2011 NFL regular season with a 13-3 record and the 2nd seed in the NFC playoffs.

The only player still on the 49er team that played in that 2003 playoff game is Brian Jennings #86 the team’s long snapper. Jennings  played college ball at Arizona State and was the 230th player ( 7th round ) selected in the 2000 NFL draft, and has played his entire 12 year career with the 49ers.

The drama started unfolding two weeks earlier on December 26th with the 49ers loss to the St. Louis Rams which eliminated the 49ers from playoff contention. After traveling home from St. Louis that day, 49er head coach Mike Singletary was fired by team president Jed York at the team’s headquarters in Santa Clara, California. On Monday December 27th Jed York announces the 49ers will hire a General Manager, something they didn’t have all season. It was also announced on Monday that 49er defensive line coach Jim Tomsula would be the interim head coach for the last game of the season on Sunday January 2nd against the Arizona Cardinals. On Wednesday December 29 reports say that Jed York has already selected 49er personal chief Trent Baalke to be the team’s new general manager.

On Sunday January 2nd the San Francisco 49ers defeat the Arizona Cardinals 38 to 7 giving interim head coach his first NFL win in the head coaching role. The game most likely also was the last as a 49er for former first round pick quarterback Alex Smith. With the 49ers now in full head coach search mode, the name most often mentioned at the top of that list is Jim Harbaugh. On Monday January 3rd, the Mike Harbaugh coached 4th ranked Stanford Cardinal routs Virginia Tech 40 to 12 in the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida. After the game it’s safe to say the Jim Harbaugh is the most sought after head coach in either college or professional football with Stanford hoping somehow to hold on the their hot property, the University of Michigan Wolverines hoping to lure back their college alumni Jim Harbaugh to coach, the Miami Dolphins looking a possible head coaching change, and the San Francisco 49ers looking for a coaching upgrade after the dismal performance of Mike Singletary.

On Tuesday January 4th the 49ers announce they have indeed hired Trent Baalke to be their new General Manager. Across the bay in Oakland on the same day the  Raiders announce they will be firing their head coach Tom Cable.

Now things really start to get hectic. On Wednesday January 5th, the University of Michigan fires their football head coach Rich Rodriguez after a disappointing three years on the job with a 15-22 record. It’s reported the Jim Harbaugh isn’t interested in returning to his alma mater even though the school would most likely throw a pile of money at the coach. The new 49er GM Trent Baalke interviews Oakland Raider offensive coordinator Hue Jackson for the vacant head coach position. Jackson is also rumored to be in line for the head coaching job at the Raiders. After that meeting  both Baalke and Jed York meet with Jim Harbaugh for 6 hours, while Miami Dolphin owner Stephen Ross files to San Francisco to meet with Harbaugh. At this point the Dolphins still have a head coach, Tony Sparano.

Thursday January 6th is greeted with the news that Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck who is a mortal lock to go first in the NFL draft decides to stay another year in school to get his degree in architectural design. The rumor mill is flying with stories that Jim Harbaugh will take the Miami Dolphins head coaching job for a reported $7 million to $8 million a year. At this point the Dolphins still have a head coach, that being Tony Sparano. It’s also rumored that Stanford University is trying to pony up some big bucks and keep Harbaugh on job there.

Friday January 7th is greeted with the news at 12:30 pm that the 49ers will be holding a 3:30 pm press conference at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco. There it’s announced the Jim Harbaugh has signed a 5 year $25 million deal to be the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers.  On Saturday January 8th the Miami Dolphins announce they are giving their current head coach Tony Sparano at 2 year extension on his contract through the 2013 season.

This photo shows then Stanford head Jim Harbaugh  during the team’s 48 to 14 victory over the Golden Bears of California in the 113th Big Game played this year in Memorial Stadium in Berkeley.

January 13th, 2011 update:  Stanford University has selected David Shaw has it’s new head coach. Shaw was Stanford’s offensive coordinator for the past four years on head coach Jim Harbaugh’s staff. Shaw becomes the 34th head coach of the Stanford football program. He is the first alumni to hold the job since Paul Wiggin had the job from 1980 to 1983.  Shaw played at Stanford from 1991 to 1994 under head coaches Bill Walsh and Dennis Green.  Shaw was with Jim Harbaugh as the wide receiver coach and passing coordinator during the 2006 season at the University of San Diego.

January 14th, 2011: The San Francisco 49ers today announced the hiring of three new coaches. The new coaches are Greg Roman as offensive coordinator, Vic Fangio as defensive coordinator, and Tim Drevno as offensive line coach. All three coaches were on Jim Harbaugh’s staff at Stanford this past season. The Jim Harbaugh led 49ers will meet the Baltimore Ravens who are led by Jim’s older brother Mike Harbaugh. The game will take place in Baltimore at a date to determined when the complete NFL schedule is released.

2012 NFL Playoff update: The 49ers finished the 2011 NFL regular season with a 13-3 record and a 2nd seed in the NFC playoffs. That 2nd seed gave them a bye week in the first round of playoffs. The 49ers hosted the New Orleans Saints in the Divisional playoffs who were victorious over the Detroit Lions 45 to 28 in the first round of playoffs. Two late 4th quarter drives sealed the 49ers 36-32 victory over the favored New Orleans Saints.

The Niners will host the New York Giants who upset the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers 37-20 at Lambeau field in Green Bay Wisconsin, in the NFC championship game on Sunday January 22. An interesting note is that the Jim’s older brother John Harbaugh will lead the Baltimore Ravens against the Tom Brady lead New England Patriots on Sunday in the AFC championship game.

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