Harbaugh takes jab; Kap aids Somalia
Jim Harbaugh delivers his most pointed criticism of 49ers brass since his firing; Colin Kaepernick (above) participates in an effort to bring relief to Africa.
He didn’t attack them with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind, but Jim Harbaugh delivered his most pointed criticism of 49ers CEO Jed York and former general manager Trent Baalke since he was fired after the 2014 season.
Harbaugh’s comments to Sports Illustrated came after his brother-in-law, Tom
Crean, was fired as the Indiana men’s basketball coach Thursday. Harbaugh likened his exit from the 49ers after the 2014 season to Crean’s dismissal.
“Much like my situation in San Francisco, the people that are doing the micromanaging … when it comes to building a ball team, what they know could not blow up a small balloon,” Harbaugh said. “In my case, an owner and a general manager. In his case, an administration. They are so similar in that way. And he still wins two Big Ten championships outright.”
In his two seasons at Michigan, Harbaugh has often said he wants to take the “high road” when asked about what the 49ers termed his “mutual parting” from the organization. In December 2014, after his final game as the 49ers coach, he was asked if he was leaving on good terms with York and Baalke.
“Yes, yes,” Harbaugh said. “As I said, everybody. As I described it, this has been the time of my life.” The 49ers have since fired
Jim Tomsula and Chip Kelly after one-season tenures before signing Kyle Shanahan toa six-year contract in February. After the 49ers fired Tomsula, Harbaugh said, via Twitter, “Do not be deceived. You will reap what you sow.”
Kaepernick assisting Somalis: Former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick is participating in an effort to bring relief to the people of Somalia and announced via a Twitter video Friday that a group he’s working with has secured the use of a plane to bring supplies to the impoverished east African nation.
“Amazing news, Turkish Airlines granted us an airplane to fly to Somalia, a 60-ton cargo plane so we can fly there with food, with water for these people,” said Kaepernick in the 43-second video. “Now we’ve started a GoFundMe page to allow anyone to help us donate food, donate water. We’ll make sure every cent goes to help these people.”
According to the GoFundMe page, the flight will take place March 27. The goal is $1 million; in the first 11 hours, more than 21,600 people had pledged a total of more than $650,000. Kaepernick led the way with a $50,000 donation (he reportedly also donated $50,000 to the national Meals on Wheels organization Friday).
Last year, Kaepernick found himself in the national spotlight when he knelt for the national anthem before 49ers games to protest what he said was racial injustice in this country. The move landed him on the cover of Time magazine, but also made him a lightning rod for criticism in virtually every corner of the country.
Kaepernick, 29, opted out of the final year of his contract with the 49ers and is a free agent. It’s unknown whether last year’s anthem protests have dissuaded other teams from signing Kaepernick, but new GM John Lynch said Friday that the quarterback nearly signed with another team last week — at the same time the 49ers added Matt Barkley.
“He was in everyone’s mind in this league, very close to signing a deal with a team at a really good number,” Lynch said on KNBR. “And it fell through, apparently.” Linebacker signed: Linebacker Dekoda Watson, who has played with four teams in the past three seasons, signed a three-year deal with the 49ers. A seventh-round pick by Tampa Bay in 2010, Watson, 29, played four season with the Bucs. Since then, he’s been with Dallas and Jacksonville (2014), New England (2015) and Denver (2016). Assistant sports editor Mike Lerseth
contributed to this report.