Sadness, Then Madness

November 9

When the news came down that Penn State President Graham Spanier and football coach Joe Paterno were fired in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky case, I tweeted “Someone finally came to their senses in Happy Valley.” Little did I know …

Students took to the streets in protest. Police in riot gear had to be called out. Someone overturned a news van. Rocks were thrown. Police used mace.

All because a FOOTBALL COACH was fired. Student protests have definitely changed since my days at school.

The Board of Trustees did what they had to do, although they bungled one thing: by firing Paterno by phone, they continued the pattern of lilly-livered behavior that dates back to 1998, and is the reason for the current crisis. They also gave protesters another thing to be angry about.

Maybe some students were legitimately outraged, while others were just trying to be part of the scene. Whatever, they made themselves look like damned fools. Utter and complete myopia. Just plain ugly.

Penn State has a lot of cleaning up to do, literally and figuratively, that much is clear. It starts with students opening their eyes to the world outside Happy Valley.

Across town, however, a vigil was being held for the child victims. Sanity survives, somewhere. The victims. And there may be more than just eight.

This story will not go away and in fact, in the coming days, it might get uglier and sadder. Madness has no place in this conversation. Let sanity in.

Sadness, Multiplied

November 8

“If we can’t protect our kids, we as a society are pathetic” — Matt Millen on ESPN Sportscenter Tuesday.

If you believe that, Penn State has become Pathetic State. As the story continues to unfold, the repeated lack of courage among those involved is stunning.

That lack of courage began the first time Jerry Sandusky was allegedly caught in the shower of the school’s football facility with young victims in 1998. Then, with the school allowing the retired defensive coordinator continued access. Then, the well-publicized events of 2002. And now, nine years later.

As the story unfolds I am having a change of heart in one regard. Mike McQueary, the graduate assistant who witnessed the 2002 sexual abuse, must shoulder some responsibility. He was not an authority, but he was an adult.

Under the letter of the law, he did the proper thing in reporting the incident to another authority in Joe Paterno. Paterno then went to Tim Curley, and Curley to Gary Schultz. All along, nothing was reported to police, and no one — including the man who witnessed the attack — followed up or inquired about the young victim. All bound by protocol or institution, incapable of critical or moral thinking.

The rest is sordid, disgusting history.

I’ll give Curley and Schultz this much credit: they quit when it was obvious they couldn’t continue their jobs. If Paterno and school president Graham Spanier really care about Penn State they will do the same, as will others. Somehow, I don’t count on that happening, based on the way they’ve acted up to this point.

When I was a child, my Dad used to talk about “short-term thinking.” He said it would often get you into trouble. Failure to see the big picture or the long-term consequences of our actions is a universal human failing.

Penn State’s now out-of-control scandal is a classic case of short-term thinking: everyone worried about their job, worried about trouble or publicity, worried about little past their own noses, just wanting the whole thing to go away. Ostriches with their heads in the sand, unable to see the dune buggy bearing down on them.

In a world that barely knows what a moral compass is anymore, we are seeing more and more examples of how people do wrong, try to cover up or ignore the problem instead of nipping it in the bud. It almost always ends disastrously.

As a result of short-term thinking by so-called authorities, a couple of Jerry Sandusky’s alleged victims became three, then four, then eight, then possibly more if you believe the latest reports. Young lives ruined because too many people lacked courage and couldn’t be bothered with Sandusky or his alleged proclivities. They wanted to keep their jobs, but nine years later, everyone must go.

It’s so sad for so many people, especially the alleged victims, who when they were young couldn’t be expected to fight back. Now adults, one after another has summoned up the courage to finally say something. God bless them.

It’s sad for anyone connected with the university — student or alumni, football player or professor — who had nothing to do with this depressing chain of events. A university with a previously good reputation that is forever stained. ( By the way, the students rallying in support outside Paterno’s home aren’t helping that reputation. )

It’s sad for Paterno, a relatively good guy in the world of college football who at the very least suffered a cataclysmic lapse in judgement. At worst, enveloped in his college football cocoon, he is partly responsible for allowing Sandusky to continue ( allegedly) molesting kids.

If the victim was a child or grand-child of Paterno, would he have followed a “chain of command ?” Would he have conferred with an attorney, or with his superior a day later ? Would he have followed protocol ? HELL NO.

If McQueary witnessed Sandusky abusing a family member, would he have gone to Paterno ? HELL NO. He would have beaten the crap out of Sandusky. Part of me wonders why he didn’t anyway, or at least intervene.

Perhaps because he knew Sandusky, he was reluctant to take such action. The same could be said of other Penn State officials, although a previous incident had been reported on campus. Maybe they didn’t really believe Sandusky would commit such a heinous act. Whatever.

This is not a rush to judgement. It’s a rush to necessary quick action. Not by appointing a committee, as Trustees plan to do, but by at long last demonstrating courage and cleaning house, before the stench overtakes everyone in Happy Valley.

For those whose professional lives at the school may end, I can’t summon any sympathy. Not even for Paterno. Their woes are nothing compared to those of the kids, and they are likely to leave financially secure.

As for Sandusky, the legal system will run its course and we’ll be forced to listen to some very gruesome details unless he decides to plead guilty and spare the victims the agony of testifying. If found guilty, he will hopefully be spirited away to a societal cave, never to see the light of day again.

This case is a reminder of something else, too: we have to stop deifying college coaches. They can be role models at best, but they are human beings like everyone else, and in major college sports they are paid way too much money.

It’s the saddest chapter in what has been a very bad year for college football, a sport that has almost become too big for its own good. Soaked in money, it is co-opting coaches, athletes, and certain media outlets.

Dad was right. Short-term thinking gets you into trouble. As sports fans and human beings, we need to open our eyes to the bigger picture, and act accordingly more often in the future.

Experiment Over

November 7

If Asteroid 2005 YU55 hasn’t hit Earth on Tuesday, Melky Cabrera will open up the 2012 season somewhere in the Giants’ outfield, and Jonathan Sanchez will be in the starting rotation of the Kansas City Royals. Will everyone be happy ? That’s the aim of a classic major league baseball trade.

Would that be such a bad thing ? If the Giants get the 2011 version of Melky in 2012, and Sanchez pitches well for the Royals ( who will likely be also-rans again ), would that ruin your day, Giants fans ?

I guarantee you this: the minute Sanchez gets a W, or the first time he strikes out ten in a game, some fans will howl at the idiocy of Brian Sabean. Meantime, Melky will need to make the All-Star team and become an MVP candidate.

Nothing less than a fleecing will please some fans. Many are upset enough as it is. Shoot, in their minds, “Sanchy” should have been traded for Ryan Braun, or at the very least Cory Hart.

Hey, I was one of the people who wanted the Sanchez Experiment to end a year ago, and bemoaned the fact that he was damn-near un-tradeable at the end of the 2011 season. I’m actually amazed they got MELKY CABRERA for this guy, given his present state, instead of a bag of Funyuns.

I’m not the biggest fan of Sabean: his track record of free agent signings and trades for hitters is well below the Mendoza Line, so it will be easy to summarily dismiss this trade. Sure enough, some Giants fans have already done so. They dismiss Sanchez’s bad 2011 as an anomaly, and do the same with Cabrera’s terrific 2011.

However, I prefer to look at each trade on its merits, so here we go:

The Royals needed starting pitching depth and wanted to make room in the outfield for prospect Lorenzo Cain, so it made sense for them to deal Cabrera, who will be a free agent after 2012. In their minds, they’re getting a pitcher who has struck out more than a batter an inning who could return to his 2010 form.

His average fastball dropped below 90 last year, due in part to biceps tendinitis. He also had an ankle injury and never seemed to get untracked physically, or mentally, last year. His sometimes-flaky mental approach was driving the Giants crazy, and they’re usually pretty good in working with pitchers.

Sanchez would routinely lose his arm-angle and his fastball would sail on him. Opponents had a low batting average against him, but when you account for the all the walks, it didn’t take more than one or two swings before crooked numbers appeared on the scoreboard.

Sanchez has always had “swing-through” stuff but has struggled with control for much of his career. In 2011 he walked everyone but Lou Seal, who had an enlarged strike zone.
Even in a strong 2010 campaign he led the league in walks and was not much more than a six-inning pitcher, so the Royals should not expect him to be more.

There’s a chance he could regain his form in KC, but I think there’s a slightly better chance the lineups of the Tigers, White Sox, Rangers, Yankees, and Red Sox will feast. Like Cabrera, Sanchez might want to rent in his new city. If the Royals think he’ll be a top-of-the-rotation horse, they’re sniffing around in the wrong stable.

Royals’ General Manager Dayton Moore chooses to see him as “young” at age 29. That’s an age where it’s time for pitcher to fish or cut bait. Some blossom after age 30, but Sanchez is beyond the stage where it’s realistic to discuss his potential. For both clubs, it’s a matter of what you choose to see — for Sanchez and Cabrera.

Cabrera had a career year in 2011, his numbers well above anything he’d ever done in several categories. Many fans worry that will be his best year, and he will regress to his previous level. If Cabrera was in his 30′s, that would be a legitimate worry, but Cabrera is 27 and has clearly benefitted from a fitness and weightlifting program.

The Giants will be his fourth team in four years after the Yankees decided he wouldn’t fulfill his promise, he had an awful year in Atlanta, and then came into his own in Kansas City. It could be a case of a young veteran ballplayer reaching his prime.

For those worried about Cabrera playing in A-T & T, it’s worth noting that Kauffman Stadium was the second-toughest home run park in the majors last year, next to the one at Willie Mays Plaza. Cabrera still hit 18 homers, but also managed 44 doubles and banged out 200 hits.

He’s not a great outfielder in terms of range or throwing arm, but is capable enough to play three outfield positions. He doesn’t walk a lot, so he’s not an ideal leadoff hitter, and my hope is the Giants will do a better job of addressing that need. His steal rate wasn’t great last year ( 20/30 ) but was much better in previous years.

Cabrera has one year left of arbitration eligibility and will probably cost the Giants a couple of million dollars less than Sanchez will. The Royals paying up to 6 mill for Sanchez ? Have at it.

And for Cabrera, no two words spell motivation better than “contract year.” He’s looking for his first big deal. If he plays well for the Giants and gets a gold mine elsehwere, fine. Hopefully Gary Brown will be ready to patrol center field in China Basin by that time, plus Aaron Rowand’s money is off the books.

It’s uncertain where Cabrera will be in the lineup, but with him and Sandoval the Giants get two switch-hitters. If they happen to sign Carlos Beltran, that’s three, and that causes havoc for opposing managers and pitching staffs.

I tend to think Melky’s arrival is just a first step. There may be another trade, because that’s the most likely way for the Giants to bring bats into A T & T Park. I doubt there will be more than one signing of a free-agent hitter.

If Cabrera plays center field, Andres Torres’ days as an everyday player are over. In fact, they might be even if Cabrera plays right or left.

Also consider that Buster Posey appears to be on the fast track to recovery from his injuries, and Freddy Sanchez returns ( for however many games ) in 2012. The Giants offense set the bar limbo-low in 2011, so there’s certainly hope for improvement.

Sanchez’s departure means that Barry Zito will get yet another chance to claim the fifth spot in the rotation. He is still owed 46 million dollars, so as much as we’d like to see this steaming pile of cash thrown in the dumpster, it ain’t happening.

The Giants will also need to bring in a couple of veteran starting pitchers as a backup plan. I don’t think Eric Surkamp is ready to pitch a full season in the majors, so Sabean and company will need to go trawling for a veteran arm or two.

I think at worst, this trade is going to be a wash. Cabrera is not going to be a perennial All-Star but still has a chance to be a solid ballplayer, and frankly, his 2011 numbers would have made him the next best hitter outside of Pablo Sandoval.

If he comes close to his “career year” it’s a big plus for the Giants. Whatever Sanchez does, it will be done in Kansas City. He could be pitching meaningless games in September.

That’s the damn thing about trades, though: you have to wait to see if they actually work out. Right now, everyone is right. If nothing else, the Giants have a better Cabrera on their roster now.

As for Asteroid 2005 YU55 ? JUUUUST a bit outside … hopefully. Or do we need Chuck Norris ?

Karma Train Is Rolling

November 6

Joe Paterno has lived a long time but probably has never ridden a bigger roller-coaster than the past week. First he sets the major college football coaching victories record, then a sex scandal involving his former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky goes nuclear.

I’m not going to go into the sordid details of the charges here. You’re an adult, you can look them up.

I know this much: Joe Paterno needs to resign. If the indictment against Sandusky is true, Paterno and other Penn State officials knew about his proclivities before the incident reported by a graduate student assistant in 2002, and allowed him access to football facilities afterward.

Paterno, and those above him, failed to report the incident to police. They also failed to look after, or even inquire about, the young alleged victim. Sandusky, if the indictment is true, continued his pattern of abuse afterwards.

It’s terribly sad that Paterno’s legacy is stained, but it’s absolutely nothing compared to the real-life allegations involving not one, but eight boys. Also, as any investigator could tell you, there may be more victims who did not come forward or whose cases can’t be prosecuted.

Although Paterno is not the most culpable, as football coach he bears some repsonsibility for what happens at football facilities. He took one step, but not enough steps.

In fact, Paterno testified against Sandusky before a grand jury. If he didn’t think there was something fishy about the guy, why would he do so ?

Maybe self-preservation is one answer. However, I don’t see anything to gain by prosecuting him, and there’s no way that’ll happen in Pennsylvania, anyway. Tim Curley and Gary Schultz will face the wrath of the law, but Paterno is not blameless.

The buck should have stopped at the coach’s office. This story will not go away, and Paterno must resign.

This is quite possibly the ugliest story I’ve ever seen from the often-sordid world of college football. Eight boys, some now adults, allegedly had their young lives ruined. And there is a mushroom cloud over the heretofore sedate Happy Valley.

***

Steve Williams just needs to shut up. Now. ( Where have you heard that before ?)

As disturbing as his comments about Tiger Woods were, so are the number of people trying to apologize for Williams and cloud the issue by telling people like me that we are “too PC” or are experiencing “white liberal guilt.” Still others are using the lame excuse that Williams’ comments were at a private dinner and not meant to be reported.

Williams himself says his comment was not racial in nature. OK, I’ll let you, the reader decide:

When asked at the caddy’s dinner about his jubilation over Adam Scott’s win in Akron, he said “It was my aim to shove it straight up that black arse —-,” referring to Tiger, who let him go this summer.

First of all, Williams needs to turn the page. Whatever he felt Tiger did to him, however wronged he feels, he’s still on the bag with a pretty damn good golfer and he has a lot of cash in the bank thanks to Tiger.

The continued venom toward Tiger is pointless, and Williams is managing to do the impossible: turn Tiger into the good guy. At least for a moment.

If his remark wasn’t racial in nature, why use the word “black”? Maybe if he directed the barbs at Tiger when he was in the same room, and Tiger laughed ( although I don’t know why he would ), that would have been a different story.

Is it unfair to report such remarks from a dinner that was supposed to be private ? I suppose that would be true if the remarks were at someone’s home, but this was at a caddy’s dinner in connection with a PGA and European Tour-sponsored event, the HSBC Champions in Shanghai.

Golfers, caddies, and sponsors were present. It was pretty close to an official golf gathering, even if it’s supposedly a no-holds-barred event.

Sadly, Williams made the kind of remarks many people associate with the world of golf. Tiger should know: Fuzzy Zoeller made some remarks back in 1997 that had a racial tinge, though not nearly as blatant as Williams’ words.

While the event in Shanghai is somewhat multi-cultural, golf remains in large part a white person’s sport. Williams said the kind of things many people of color suspect white people say behind closed doors.

Williams has again brought unwanted attention to the sport. There is hardly any time that a caddy should be a story, at least not like this. There’s no way to misinterpret the caddy’s motto: “Turn Up, Keep Up, Shut Up.”

Williams has made himself a story far too often because of his big mouth and, apparently, sizeable ego. Tiger might have dumped Williams after Steve stuck with him during the abyss, but Williams also created problems with his bully-like behavior on the golf course and remarks about Phil Mickelson, for which he had to apologize.

Now, as Adam Scott’s caddy, he has thrust Scott into the middle of a controversy. Scott is standing by Williams, which might mean short-term gain but could hurt him in the long run.

How can Scott trust a guy who bared his fangs at Tiger after they parted ? Sure, Tiger might have deserved some of the venom, but now Scott has to deal with a media s— storm because of his caddy.

Now, they’re both going to Scott’s homeland of Australia for the Masters and President’s Cup, and you know the Australian media will have their teeth bared, as well. It’s Scott’s business what he does with his caddy, but he’s walking right into a maelstrom.

Scott didn’t ask me, but I don’t think he should keep Williams, nor should he downplay the remarks. It makes him sound a bit insensitive about the imapct of such words, but I guess I can’t expect much more from someone who hits a golf ball for a living, and is rewarded rather handsomely thanks in part to the expert advice of Williams.

There’s a reason Williams keeps getting jobs, despite his buffoonery: he can help guys win, and make a lot of money. He’s good at what he does. However, there are times his star outshines that of his employer, and that’s never good for a caddy.

In this case, it’s not a star shining, but a very harsh light. It’s glaring down on Williams, and his sport.

I don’t buy into political correctness, but in my view his words go far, far beyond that. At best, they were idiotic, at worst, racist.

***

I’ve got no real beef against Tim Brando. He’s a solid broadcaster and a good play-by-play broadcaster. I could have gone the rest of my life without thinking a single bad thought about him, but he had to go and blow it Saturday night.

It happened after the 17th Game of the Century this century, the over-hyped matchup of #1 LSU and #2 Alabama, a 9-6 overtime win for the Tigers. A game bereft of a touchdown, very physical but deep-REM inducing.

Brando, perhaps aware of the social media criticism of this march through molasses, informed me and fellow viewers that the game ( on his network ) was a classic. Furthermore, if we were not entertained, we knew nothing about man-on-man, hard-hitting football.

I didn’t really need a pudgy, middle-aged white guy who colors his hair to lecture me about hard-hitting football. As a pudgy middle-aged white guy whose hair is greying, I would not presume to lecture anyone else.

So, I’ll say this much: if you liked physical football, you loved this game. Me, I like to hear the pads pop as well, but would it be too much to ask to have ONE touchdown ? Even in overtime ?

Clearly, there will be more defensive players than offensive players from both teams who will go in the NFL draft. It’s also clear that for all the hype, this is not the end-all or be-all for college football this season.

I’d love to see Andrew Luck and Stanford take on either of these teams in a BCS championship game. They just might get their chance.

***

Stanford outlasted Oregon State, 38-13 as Luck overcame a slow start, but it’s a battle of attrition for the Cardinal now. Among the injuries was the concussion suffered by receiver Chris Owusu on a scary hit by OSU’s Jordan Poyer.

Poyer was flagged on the play as Owusu fell limp to the ground, and a scene that has become all too familiar in football was repeated. Paramedics surrounded Owusu while players looked on somberly and waited, a few kneeling in prayer.

Owusu gave a thumbs-up as his stretcher was loaded into the back of an ambulance, and he will be re-evaluated later this week. Replays showed that Poyer’s hit might not have deserved a flag, but it was vicious enough in real time for referees to penalize him.

This is the third scary hit Owusu has sustained this season. He will be re-evaluated later in the week, but it might be time to shut him down for the season.

Football is a game of hard hits, and I know there are some who bemoan the stricter rules, saying there are gray areas. Often, players who deliver hard hits are trying to dislodge a football, and if their opponent is hurt in the process, that’s part of the game.

However, too many players go for the hit and the ESPN highlights, and not enough attempt the fundamental wrapup tackle. Players are too big and fast now, and football must legislate against vicious hits, especially given our improved knowledge of concussions.

Not real football ? Sorry. Times change. The players don’t wear leather helmets anymore, either. Some argue that bringing back leather helmets would make players less-emboldened to try the slobber-knocker tackle. OK, run that by some player in the heat of battle.

***

Monday marks 20 years since Magic Johnson revealed he had the virus that causes AIDS. I doubt there was one person alive at the time, outside of Magic, who thought he would still be among us today.

He has survived, and he has thrived. He has overcome the backwards attitudes of many former teammates and competitors, and in the process has enlightened them.

In many ways, November 7, 1991 was not only a watershed moment in sports, but a watershed moment in the battle against the disease — and the battle against prejudice toward those who have suffered.

Here’s to 20 more, Magic.

We’ll Call It A Comeback

November 3

How do you win Comeback Player of the Year ? First, you need to suck, thereby setting the bar low. Then, have a good year after that and bingo, you’re in.

Lance Berkman, who was pretty rank as a Yankee in 2010 and very good as a Cardinal this year, beat out Jose Reyes and Ryan Vogelsong for the Players’ Choice honor. The players agreed with baseball writers on that count.

Sometimes the award goes to a player who suffers an injury and returns healthy the next season. Berkman was bothered by a bad knee in 2010 ( and by American League pitching ), but bounced back to his previous form in St. Louis.

Some would argue that Vogelsong was never very good as a major leaguer, so how could he “come back” ? In fact, there were a couple of years when he was God-awful, even for a Pirates pitcher.

As a result he was eventually jettisoned from The Show, ending up in Japan. So, both he and Berkman were bad, but one could argue that Vogelsong traveled farther to get to where he is now.

Where is he now ? Perhaps owing to the fact that the game favors pitchers more than it did seven or eight years ago, and perhaps because he learned how to pitch, Vogelsong emerged as the most pleasant surprise for the Giants last year.

Is there a Pleasant Surprise Award ? Vogelsong would have to win that. At the very least, his good-guy-makes-good story was certainly one of the best parts of “The Franchise.”

Yet, as heartwarming as his 2011 story was, I can’t help but issue a Red Flag Warning. Given his past track record, the whole thing could go up in flames in 2012. I think there’s a good chance it won’t, but I wouldn’t be so certain that I would set his name in stone.

Fans and pundits routinely mention his name as part of a solid rotation for 2012, as if he is now locked in as a #3 or #4 guy. He would have to suffer an awful spring or an injury to be knocked out, or an awful April to lose his starter status.

Likely ? No. Possible ? Yes.

Vogelsong is 34, and not many major leaguers suddenly become good at that age. I seem to remember we had a similar conversation about Andres Torres last year. The Giants are praying he’s not the pitching version of Torres.

To be sure, baseball history tells us more pitchers than position players can become established in their 30′s. Al Leiter piled up 129 of his 162 wins from the age of 30. Bob Tewksbury had 89 of is 110 career wins starting at age 30. Jamie Moyer racked up 233 of his 267 wins from age 30, owing largely to the fact that he pitched WAY after the age of 30.

Those are just a few examples, but they are instructive. Still other pitchers who are already major-leaguers don’t really learn their craft and blossom until they’re in their 30′s. For some, it’s a career-long learning process.

The Giants are hoping Vogelsong is one of those guys. His low-cost experiment paid off handsomely in 2011, and he will still be low-risk next year. However, if he reverts to the back of a very spotty baseball card, the Giants will be left with a gaping maw in their rotation.

Not trying to be Chicken Little here. There are plenty of people in the blogosphere and media who embrace that role. I’m just saying it’s something to watch.

The good news is that Vogelsong is not only a good guy, but a very determined guy who has turned into a pretty smart pitcher. Also, he doesn’t need to be as good as last year for the Giants to succeed. He may only need to be “pretty good,” with an ERA under 4.00, if the Giants do enough to upgrade their offense.

Independent of Vogelsong, the Giants need to do that anyway. That is, if they want to keep Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum around in the coming years. Those are much bigger fish to fry.

Throw-Away Day

October 23

The Raiders’ trade for Carson Palmer was undoubtedly the hot sports topic of the week around the Bay Area. The Raiders are relevant again, and on the heels of the death of longtime leader Al Davis, they’ve been in the headlines quite a bit lately.

On Wednesday, several reputable NFL reporters had Palmer starting. We cited those people in our reports, also citing the fact coach Hue Jackson had not made a decision and “laughed” at those reports. This despite the fact his offensive coordinator, Al Saunders, told a Kansas City radio station Palmer would play “if he’s breathing.”

On a certain level it made sense to start Palmer if he was anywhere near football-ready. The Raiders gave up a lot to get him, and Kyle Boller was the alternative. Saunders inadvertently dissed Boller by summing up the reaction to Palmer’s arrival on the practice field: “there’s a REAL quarterback.”

On another level, Palmer had a lot of information to digest and hadn’t had any training camp. The Raiders were also hosting the lowly Chiefs, and with a bye week coming up, you wouldn’t blame them if they kept Palmer on the sidelines.

Jackson, who is certainly acting “large and in charge” these days, was having a fine old time playing with the media, much like a cat with a ball of yarn. Either he knew who was going to start and was stringing the media along, he didn’t have an idea until right before the game, or he changed his mind.

As it turned out, Boller got the start. Even against the Chiefs, his presence made this a “throw-away” day. Take the loss if you have to, and reload with Palmer for the stretch run to the playoffs.

Sadly, Boller took “throw-away day” literally. At the outset, he threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown. Later, a potential scoring drive was killed by his third pick. That’s when Jackson definitely changed his mind.

The Raiders went into the half trailing 14-0, and that was extended to 21-0 early in the third quarter when the loudest roar of the day was heard. Palmer came into the game and threw a completion on his first pass, but that drive and a subsequent drive stalled. In the 4th quarter, he threw his own pick-six and had three interceptions to add to three for Boller. As Twitter follower Ernie Hernandez noted, the Raiders gave up two picks for Palmer, so he decided to give a few back in return.

In short, the Raiders were no worse off with Palmer in the game than they were with Boller. It’s possible they would have been in better shape, assuming Palmer wouldn’t have had all those disastrous throws in the first half. Especially if he knew he was starting and could prepare as such. If Jackson was worried about putting his prized quarterback at risk, those concerns washed away in the second half.

If Palmer was good enough to bring into a game with a 21-0 deficit, when the Chiefs could pin their ears back, wouldn’t he be good enough to enter the game 0-0 ? Maybe starting Palmer limited the playbook and thus made him easier to defend, but starting Boller providing the Chiefs’ defense with even more opportunities. With a chance to tie the Chargers atop the AFC West, the Raiders literally threw it away.

In one sense, it didn’t seem to matter who started because the offensive line blocked poorly for both quarterbacks, making one wonder how long before Terrelle Pryor saw action. Combined, Boller and Palmer threw two touchdown passes, to Chiefs receivers. But the Raiders had an even bigger problem Sunday: the foot injury that sidelined star running back Darren McFadden.

In the final analysis, the desultory loss to the Chiefs seemed to raise more questions about the rest of the season. Will the Palmer deal end up like the Giants’ trade for Carlos Beltran — mortgaging the future for a short-term payoff that never comes ?

Will the offensive line be able to keep Palmer upright for the rest of the season ? How many reps does Pryor get next week ? Will McFadden be able to come back, and if so, will he be 100 percent ? Will Boller’s beauty-queen wife be able to comfort him?

I think Palmer will be fine. It was his first action of the season, a week after he was sitting on the couch watching NFL games with a friend. He will get the bye week to get used to things, and he’ll make a contribution down the road. Hopefully not too little, too late. Like Beltran.

One Of A Kind

October 11

The legacy of Al Davis varies, depending on whom you ask. Marcus Allen might have a different answer than Tim Brown. Dave Casper probably has a different answer than Jon Gruden. Paul Tagliabue has a different perspective than, say, John Madden, and so on. Davis generated a wide range of emotions, from admiration to ridicule.

Few people have played a bigger role in making the NFL what it is today, and few people have been more closely identified with their team. Few people have done all the things he has done — from coach to general manager to commissioner to owner.

You would be hard put to find a man more willing to be a lightning rod than Davis, for better or worse. He was forward-thinking in terms of diversity in hiring and civil rights issues, but was vindictive to a fault. He was also prolific in the hiring of lawyers.

Under Davis, the Raiders were one of the most successful pro sports franchises in history — until they weren’t, and then they were a spectacular failure. Davis had a keen eye for talent, but seemed to lose his touch for a while after 2000, capped by the man who helped re-define the word “bust,” Jamarcus Russell.

Despite a loyal and rabid fan base, he abandoned Oakland for Los Angeles, then left Irwindale holding the bag over a stadium deal that never was, then returned to Oakland. He ran through a long list of head coaches, including Jon Gruden, whom he traded to Tampa Bay — and a year later, the Raiders lost to the Buccaneers in the Super Bowl.

In the ensuing years the team became a laughing stock, with home games regularly blacked out. Davis made several foolish spending decisions and appeared to be totally out of touch. His appearance became more disheveled at each succeeding press conference as his health declined, a once-powerful symbol of the franchise looking as battered as his team.

Once Bruce Allen left Davis asserted total control over football decisions, and it led to several years of darkness. Through it all he was defiant, which only subjected the team to more ridicule.

The Raiders were as secretive and paranoid as the Nixon White House. This didn’t help their relationship with the media. The remaining fan-base was painfully myopic, yet at the same time charmingly loyal.

And then, in the last couple of years of Davis’ life, things began to turn around. The Raiders had a few solid drafts and became respectable, going 6-0 vs. the AFC West in 2010. This year, with the sharp Hue Jackson as coach, the Raiders showed even more life — including a stirring win over the Jets, and a 3-2 record.

A day after Davis’ death, the Raiders pulled off an emotional win in Houston Sunday. Michael Huff picked off Matt Schaub in the end zone as time ran out, vaguely reminescent of the pickoff by Mike Davis that sealed a 1981 playoff win in Cleveland. On Sunday, Jackson knelt on the field afterward, overcome by emotion.

Too many people cared a great deal about Davis, and too many expressed gratitude toward him, to believe that he was simply a Simon Legree in a Silver and Black jumpsuit. Sure, he could be nasty and litigious, but he also took care of many ex-players who were in a financial bind, doing more for them than the league or the players association has done.

An interesting fact about Davis: he wasn’t the majority owner until 2005. He owned 67 percent at his death. How many people thought he was the ONLY owner ? Regardless of the numbers, there was no question who was in control — again, for better or worse.

As someone who heaped a dumpster-full of criticism on the Raiders and Davis in recent years, I still got a kick out of his cantankerous spirit and his rambling press conferences. He would go on for more than an hour, railing against his critics, yet displaying amazing energy and recall. I will miss him.

I also recognize his iconic role in the formation of the NFL, certainly putting him on the Mt. Rushmore of pro football with George Halas, Paul Brown, Vince Lombardi, and Pete Rozelle. He was truly one of a kind, and that’s the problem.

Now the Raiders are faced with a dilemma similar to that of Apple after Steve Jobs died last week. No one can replace Jobs and his brilliant mind, and no one can replace Davis. In fact, Davis’ son Mark might need to hire a couple of people to cover for his dad.

It will be interesting to see whether the Raiders lose their indentity, or whether they tighten up the ship without Davis around. It will be a good story, either way.

You know what else will be a great story ? A movie on Davis’ life. “Just Win Baby” should be the title. It will take a hell of an actor to play his role.

Life Gets In The Way

October 6

Sports is a cocoon. Entertainment. A diversion from the nasty world.

We’re very lucky at KNBR. We get to nestle in that cocoon every day for a living, and if we are sane, we don’t take ourselves too seriously.

Sometimes, however, real life breaks through the walls of that cocoon. That’s when we have to take things very seriously.

KNBR afternoon host Ralph Barbieri knows this well. For years, he has been battling Parkinson’s Disease silently. Until this week.

The Chronicle’s Scott Ostler told Ralph’s story better than I ever could, so I won’t go into much more detail. I’ll just give you my perspective as someone who looks across the glass at Ralph and his co-host Tom Tolbert daily.

I told Ralph I could not do what he did: keep his disease secret for so long. He told me, “it wasn’t easy,” and he made it clear on the air how much of a relief his disclosure has been.

I have a ton of respect for him because of that. All the while, raising a small child and trying to stay on top in a competitive business. Sports is a cocoon, but radio can be rough-and-tumble.

It’s also remarkable that Tom knew about the disease for five years, and was a good enough friend to respect Ralph’s wishes and tell no one. Fortunately for Ralph, his condition was not obvious to the untrained eye. I certainly had no earthly idea.

He is doing his best to battle Parkinson’s to a standstill, and hopes to do so for a long time. While some may question the timing of going public with the disease — before his contract expires — I would ask them to walk in his shoes. Would they do it differently ?

Let’s face it: the timing of revealing his disease might be benefit him, but it can also be risky — depending on the circumstances.

My take? As a human being, he has the right to handle his disease as he sees fit. As a co-host of a top-rated show who has been at KNBR for 27 years, he should be cut some slack as well.

Ralph is a polarizing figure who pulls no punches. He generates strong emotions among detractors and supporters. Honestly, a considerable number of people find him annoying. How do they know? They listen. That is one of the reasons he’s still on the air.

Whatever you think of him, I hope you will join me in giving him full support — and if you’re so inclined, prayers — in his battle. I hope he’s physically able to keep pulling no punches on KNBR for a while longer.

Youngstown Mojo

October 2

After a come-from-behind, 24-23 win over the Eagles in Philadelphia Sunday, 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh called it “as good a win as I can remember being a part of.” Amazing, I know. He ended a sentence with a preposition.

This is the coach who just led Stanford to an Orange Bowl win in January, and led the Cardinal to one of the biggest upsets in college football history a few years ago, over USC. Maybe those memories kicked in; he later revised his statement to say it “felt” like his biggest win.

Harbaugh was positively giddy by Harbaugh standards, and why not ? Is it a “signature” win ? The rest of the season will determine that, but right now it looks like a wake-up call for the rest of the NFL. Not as stunning as the Detroit Lions’ start, but still noteworthy.

49ers teams of the past few years would not normally come back from 20-point deficits to beat teams of the Eagles’ caliber, certainly not on the road. Especially, 49ers teams led by Alex Smith.

Smith, Frank Gore, and Kendall Hunter were the key players in two second-half touchdown drives. They also got some help from the Eagles: Alex Henery missed field goals of 39 and 33, and they had two key fumbles.

The second fumble was, however, the result of a truly great defensive play by 49ers defensive end Justin Smith. With the Eagles driving for the possible go-ahead field goal ( or touchdown, depending on their level of trust for Henery ), Smith ran down receiver Jeremy Maclin from behind to force the game-deciding fumble at the 49ers’ 31-yard-line.

The 49ers were able to run out the clock and run out of Lincoln Financial Field with a win that nobody saw coming. Nobody but Harbaugh and the 49ers players.

Certainly no one foresaw Smith’s nearly-flawless second-half performance, and those who were shoveling dirt on Frank Gore had to take a breahter. Gore, fighting through a bad ankle, ran for 127 yards and the go-ahead touchdown, and the rightfully-maligned offensive line turned in its best game of the season.

It’s also true that the hype surrounding the Eagles — fueled mostly by the eastern media — was misguided or at the very least premature. They have trouble stopping the run, and in the second half Sunday couldn’t stop the pass.

They also have a dynamic quarterback in Michael Vick, who threw for 416 yards. However, it’s an even-money bet that he won’t be able to stay on the field all season long.

Philadelphia talk radio, led by Howard Eskin ( who pretty much guaranteed an Eagles victory Friday on KNBR ), should be very interesting Monday. I wouldn’t want to be Eagles coach Andy Reid. For one thing, it would mean I gained 150 pounds.

The 49ers ended a baseball-like ten-day road trip with two wins, making good use of their time in Youngstown, Ohio in the past week. That’s something else nobody saw coming: that Youngstown is a place to get your mojo back.

Actually, it’s a place to acclimate to the eastern time zone. I could think of many better places to do so, but they have far more distractions than Youngstown, and they don’t carry the DeBartolo family lineage.

The 49ers are 3-1 and in first place in the wide-open NFC West, with a home game next Sunday against the Buccaneers, who will be dealing with a short week. Then they get to visit the suddenly-mighty Lions in Detroit.

Point being, so far so good, but there’s a long way to go. Most of the media wags, and even The Faithful, thought Harbaugh might eventually turn the 49ers around — but not this quickly. It’s a team that still has flaws, but Harbaugh has something cooking.

We’ll see if the final meal is well done in December.

What A Night

September 28

Notes from the last day of the baseball season:

Jose Reyes bunts for a hit, then sits out the Mets’ final game, vitually assuring him the National League batting title with a .337 average. He is booed as he leaves, possibly spending his last moments as a Met.

Weak? Ehhh … this kind of stuff has happened before in baseball. It happens in a game that places such an emphasis on numbers and let’s face it, it means a few more bucks, too. In the end it didn’t really matter, because Ryan Braun finished at .332.

The Giants lose to the Rockies, 6-3 to end things, but a nice ovation for Pat Burrell on what might have been his final day as a major leaguer. He went 1 for 3 with two strikeouts, mirroring his average in The Marina.

As Bill Neukom bows out as managing partner ( with a nice video tribute from the franchise that is giving him the heave-ho, er, celebrating his retirement ), Burrell ponders his future. Hopefully there is a role for him in the Giants’ organization.

The Giants gather to thank the fans who supported them so well with a season of sellouts, and manager Bruce Bochy says “let’s get ready for 2012.” The Giants have a lot of work to do in the offseason, so it’s probably just as well that they’ll get an extra month to do so this year.

In Arizona, Matt Kemp finishes one home run shy of a 40-40 season, as the Dodgers become the first team since July to beat the Diamondbacks. Arizona won 76 of their last 77 to win the NL West, or so it seemed.

No one will favor the NL West champs in the playoffs, which will make them dangerous. Sound familiar?

Ah, but who else will make the postseason? Here’s where the fun begins …

Tony LaRussa’s Cardinals crush the Astros, 8-0, assuring no worse than a Wild Card play-in game with the Braves on Thursday. The Braves squander a 3-1 lead to the Phillies, and Freddie Freeman grounds into a double play in the 13th, burying his helmet in the turf as the Braves’ historic collapse is complete, 4-3. Chop this.

For LaRussa, the September comeback from the dead may be the crowning achievement of a Hall of Fame career. The Cardinals celebrated like they stole something, which they did, sort of. LaRussa acknowledged the Phillies for playing hard until the end when they had already clinched the NL East.

The only consolation for the Braves is that their swan dive will be overshadowed by the Red Sox’ tailspin — or the Rays’ comeback. The Sox were sitting pretty for a while Wednesday night, with a 3-2 lead over the Orioles while the Rays trailed the Yankees 7-0. But that’s why they play nine innings.

The Sox were sent into the clubhouse after a rain delay that must have been torture for them, except that word has been copyrighted by the Giants, I think. During the delay, the Rays scored six in the 8th to pull within a run, 7-6.

Then in the bottom of the 9th at the Juice Box, former A’s first baseman Dan Johnson homered to tie the game, 7-7, and force extra innings. I know, amazing isn’t it? Dan Johnson is still playing baseball.

In Baltimore, the Red Sox still held a 3-2 lead in the 9th. Their closer, Jonathan Papelbon, gets two quick strikeouts. Then Chris Davis doubles, Nolan Reimold doubles, and Robert Andino singles.

Carl Crawford slid but could not snare the low, sinking liner off Andino’s bat, and the throw home was late. Crawford ends up aiding his old team, the Rays. The O’s celebrate their 69th and most significant win after they were down to their last strike. The Sox finish a 7-20 September.

Now, the Sox must get the Yankees’ help to reach the postseason. Fat chance.

The 4-3 Orioles’ win is posted on the scoreboard at the Juice Box. On cue, just minutes later, Evan Longoria hits a low screamer that would have short-hopped the wall in the left field corner at A T and T Park. Fortunately for him and the Rays, the wall is only 315 feet down the line, and is lowered near the foul pole.

Longoria, who had hit a three-run homer in the 8th, is a hero in an 8-7, 12-inning victory. Just like that, Sox are out, Rays are in.

They’ll do an ESPN 30 on 30 about this remarkable evening. The nine ESPN employees who aren’t Red Sox fans will be part of the production. Meanwhile, otherwise- learned authors will waste their brainpower on another 39 books about the Red Sox tortured history, and this historic collapse.

No one outside of New England will care because the Sox have won two World Series in the last seven years, and have saturated the media. I won’t miss the shots of praying fans at Fenway. Boston has already had an embarrassment of riches in sports.

The Boston media and Red Sox fans will grind on this for months. Nothing personal against the players, who are crestfallen, but it’s yet another reason to delight in the Sox’ demise.

Some are already calling for Manager Terry Francona’s head. Seriously. That’s what he gets for bringing Boston the first two World Series titles since the over-told “Curse Of The Bambino.”

A reporter after the game asked Papelbon “his feelings” about the loss. Really. His feelings? Fan-freaking-tastic! The look in Papelbon’s eyes told the story: I want to kill you.

My schadenfreude is not reserved solely for the Red Sox. Once again, the Braves flame out, sparing the nation the sound of the baleful “Tomahawk Chop” war-chant. It is at worst, highly offensive, and at best inane.

As usual, the talking heads and ‘wags’ go overboard, calling it the “greatest night of baseball ever.” MLB Network’s guys, who did a great job keeping track of the action, were positively giddy, talking about how “honored” they were to cover this evening.

I really don’t know how to quantify it, but the night reminded me of a few nights around here last fall. Nights that make me glad I’m a baseball fan.