Foggy logic

Sporting News, The, Jan 27, 2003 by Paul Attner

Having a short memory is good when you are a cornerback. But it's hardly becoming for an organization like the 49ers, who once again have displayed a callous disregard for the achievements of their head coach. With the 49ers, what you have done for me lately evidently has no bearing on job security.

George Seifert won two Super Bowls for San Francisco. But that wasn't enough to charm Carmen Policy, who was running the 49ers in the 1990s for then-owner Eddie DeBartolo. Policy became infatuated with Steve Mariucci, who was coaching at nearby California. So after the 1996 season, when the 49ers finished 12-4 and were in the playoffs, they manufactured an exit play for Seifert, handing him his retirement papers long before he really wanted to become a full-time fisherman.

Now, with a new front office, the 49ers once again have proved twisted in their decision making. Instead of Policy, now the Browns president, we have John York, husband of Denise DeBartolo York, who has replaced her brother Eddie as team owner. York, a pathologist, has no football background, yet he is making football decisions about a talented coach like Mariucci, who oversaw the 49ers' massive rebuilding campaign brought on by salary cap stupidity. Within three seasons, Mariucci had guided the 49ers to the playoffs, a remarkable accomplishment. And they made a second straight postseason appearance this year.

And for this, he was fired. But hey, he didn't win a Super Bowl in six seasons. Tough bar to reach in San Francisco.

Talk about bizarre: York sends out general manager Terry Donahue to face the media and discuss the firing. York eventually goes public, but instead of appearing before the cameras, he sits in his office on the second floor of the team's practice complex and talks on a conference call to reporters on the first floor.

In the best 49ers tradition, the official reasons for Mariucci's dismissal were left murky. You can bet no one ever will speak on the record about what really happened. Just not the 49ers way, whether this is the '90s or 2003. To Mariucci's replacement: Just remember, winning never will be enough.

E-mail: pattner@sportingnews.com.

DRAFT DISH

By THE WAR ROOM

Observations from practices held before last weekend's Senior Bowl: Ohio State DL Kenny Peterson looked good. Peterson, a four-year starter who played end and tackle for the Buckeyes, was impressive at end in one-on-one drills. He is one of the fastest-rising players on the draft board.... Nebraska DE Chris Kelsay wasn't the fastest, most athletic or biggest defensive lineman we saw last week, but he may have been the toughest and hardest working. He has a terrific club move. Kelsay's draft value had been fluctuating, but he may be back in the mix as a first-day prospect.... Although Illinois OT Tony Pashos is projected as a third- or fourth-round pick, we're not sure we would spend even a seventh-rounder on him. With his overdeveloped upper body and underdeveloped lower body, Pashos looked like a man on stilts when he tried to redirect. He also lacks a mean streak and doesn't always finish his blocks. ... Steve Sciullo, who played tackle at Marshall, was moved inside to guard by the pro coaches at the Senior Bowl, who figure he'll be a better fit there in the NFL. But Sciullo, who's not a great athlete, really struggled with the change. He has too much body lean and tends to get caught overextending with his first step. In our opinion, Sciullo is a very mediocre prospect.... Wake Forest FB Ovie Mughelli doesn't catch the ball very well and is not particularly elusive or fast, but he is an extremely powerful blocker. There aren't many isolation blockers left in the NFL, but Mughelli fits the bill for a team looking for that type of back.... Kentucky RB Artose Pinner was a disappointment all week. For a reputed power back, Pinner sure didn't show much power. He didn't show a second gear or much elusiveness, either. His stock really dropped.... The best running back we saw at the Senior Bowl was Penn State's Larry Johnson. Although Johnson runs a bit high and doesn't veer enough from a straight-line style, he is both tough and consistent.... Arizona WR Bobby Wade doesn't have great size (5-11, 187), but he is quick and catches everything in sight. He should be a productive No. 3 receiver in the NFL.... Syracuse RB Clifton Smith does not play as fast as his 40 time (in the 4.65 range) would imply. He does not do a good job of reading his keys and reacting to plays. Smith looks more like a late first-day pick than a late first-round pick.... It was a productive week for Southern California RB Justin Fargas. After a rocky start to his career at Michigan and sustaining several injuries there and at USC, Fargas is healthy and flashing good potential. He has good speed but needs to add some bulk--he weighed only 207 pounds last week. If he can stay healthy, Fargas is an intriguing Day 2 prospect.... Washington State CB Marcus Trufant was the smoothest, most consistent cover corner we saw in one-on-one drills. He earned himself a first-round selection. But Oklahoma's Andre Woolfolk, a terrific athlete with ideal size for a cornerback, looked less polished than we thought he was.... A small-school prospect who fell from "sleeper" status rather abruptly was Northwest Missouri State OT Seth Wand. While the 6-6, 328-pound Wand has the frame to grow and moves pretty well for a man his size, defensive ends bull-rushed him with ease once when they realized he was weak in the lower body. A team would be crazy to draft Wand any higher than the sixth round as a developmental prospect.