Jim Harbaugh uses demeaning rhetoric against reporter

[Marvin49]

The reporter asks a single follow up question after Harbaugh's one-word answer, and Harbaugh's response is to belittle him and put him in his place on camera in front of a group of reporters:

"Tim, I know you probably worked really hard on asking that question, and probably stared in the mirror and thought about just the way you could ask that.”

That's the not the way a professional and decent person behaves. And if someone made that mistake, you would expect that they would apologize for their patronizing and aggressive tactics. There is an obvious power imbalance between NFL coaches, who make millions of dollars a year and are idolized and protected by the fans, and the beat writers, who make peanuts for covering them for the fans. Kawakami had the balls to ask the tough questions about Harbaugh's hypocrisy, and he should be commended for not backing down after being mocked and belittled.

Again...your error is the assumption that this conversation is taking place in a vacuum. You don't understand WHY Harbaugh is reacting. Kawakami isn't the hapless victim here.

And again, your mistake is putting your fanaticism over decency. You say Harbaugh is "no angel," but what does that actually mean to you? Are you willing to acknowledge that intimidating a reporter because you don't like the question is poor conduct and that he should apologize? Step out of your fanatic "vacuum" for a minute and think about that.

Dude...Pot? Meet Kettle.

PLEASE tell me where Harbaugh was "intimidating" a reporter. LOL. Insane hyperbole right there. Harbaugh didn't want to answer the question. He was pretty damn clear about it. That's his right. Kawakami pressed like the sensationalist reporter that he is. Where is this "intimidation"? LOL.

That's a reach.

Harbaugh is no angel: As in he's a tough interview who won't always give a reporter what they want. He won't only not answer a question, he'll reject the entire premise because he knows what the reporter is trying to do. He can see the picture the reporter is trying to paint and rejects the entire thing. He's always been that way.

Reporters like Kawakami and the Cohns seem to think he owes them something. He doesn't. He owes his players something.

 

[bigtrain21]

The reason I asked my question Marvin is that Harbaugh immediately went to the "practiced those questions in the mirror" comment which seemed to be jumping the gun. It's possible Harbaugh saw the whole line of questioning coming and was immediately on the defensive. Another way of looking at it though is that Harbaugh's comment about him practicing in the mirror brought on the further difficult questions that he knew would get a rise out of Harbaugh. In my mind, Harbaugh really jumped the gun on being a jerk to Tim. He could have deflected that question really easily, instead he took the opportunity to slam Tim.

 

[Marvin49]

The reason I asked my question Marvin is that Harbaugh immediately went to the "practiced those questions in the mirror" comment which seemed to be jumping the gun. It's possible Harbaugh saw the whole line of questioning coming and was immediately on the defensive. Another way of looking at it though is that Harbaugh's comment about him practicing in the mirror brought on the further difficult questions that he knew would get a rise out of Harbaugh. In my mind, Harbaugh really jumped the gun on being a jerk to Tim. He could have deflected that question really easily, instead he took the opportunity to slam Tim.

I see how you can get that. I just have way to much experience watching Kawakami. The guy is a total hack. I just don't see him as a victim because he starts this crap...ALOT.

He's on CSNBayArea quite a bit down here and I routinely have to mute the TV or change the channel when he's talking.

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO arrogant. Acts like players and coaches owe him something.

Just can't stand the guy.

 

[Sports Hernia]

"Defend! Deflect! Excuse!"

So that's what Marvin looks like!

That's what I've I imagined if that's his moms basement. Now people here are figuring out why I refer to him as "the 9'er excuse machine".

 

[Tech Worlds]

I am with Marvin on this. Is the douchebag innocent? No but the reporter has a history, I know this because I have read his stuff before. Dude has an agenda and this is personal between him and the douchebag.

Because of the personal nature and history between the douchebag and the reporter I can totally understand the douchebag's behavior.

 

[TXHawk]

There's enough douchebaggery there on both sides to fill a reservoir. I'd rather have those proverbial bamboo shoots shoved under my fingernails than to be locked in a room with those two.

 

[hawknation2014]

The reporter asks a single follow up question after Harbaugh's one-word answer, and Harbaugh's response is to belittle him and put him in his place on camera in front of a group of reporters:

"Tim, I know you probably worked really hard on asking that question, and probably stared in the mirror and thought about just the way you could ask that.”

That's the not the way a professional and decent person behaves. And if someone made that mistake, you would expect that they would apologize for their patronizing and aggressive tactics. There is an obvious power imbalance between NFL coaches, who make millions of dollars a year and are idolized and protected by the fans, and the beat writers, who make peanuts for covering them for the fans. Kawakami had the balls to ask the tough questions about Harbaugh's hypocrisy, and he should be commended for not backing down after being mocked and belittled.

Again...your error is the assumption that this conversation is taking place in a vacuum. You don't understand WHY Harbaugh is reacting. Kawakami isn't the hapless victim here.

And again, your mistake is putting your fanaticism over decency. You say Harbaugh is "no angel," but what does that actually mean to you? Are you willing to acknowledge that intimidating a reporter because you don't like the question is poor conduct and that he should apologize? Step out of your fanatic "vacuum" for a minute and think about that.

Dude...Pot? Meet Kettle.

PLEASE tell me where Harbaugh was "intimidating" a reporter. LOL. Insane hyperbole right there. Harbaugh didn't want to answer the question. He was pretty damn clear about it. That's his right. Kawakami pressed like the sensationalist reporter that he is. Where is this "intimidation"? LOL.

That's a reach.

Harbaugh is no angel: As in he's a tough interview who won't always give a reporter what they want. He won't only not answer a question, he'll reject the entire premise because he knows what the reporter is trying to do. He can see the picture the reporter is trying to paint and rejects the entire thing. He's always been that way.

Reporters like Kawakami and the Cohns seem to think he owes them something. He doesn't. He owes his players something.

After reading the rest of this comment, it's clear you don't know what this expression means.

 

[Marvin49]

Again...your error is the assumption that this conversation is taking place in a vacuum. You don't understand WHY Harbaugh is reacting. Kawakami isn't the hapless victim here.

And again, your mistake is putting your fanaticism over decency. You say Harbaugh is "no angel," but what does that actually mean to you? Are you willing to acknowledge that intimidating a reporter because you don't like the question is poor conduct and that he should apologize? Step out of your fanatic "vacuum" for a minute and think about that.

Dude...Pot? Meet Kettle.

PLEASE tell me where Harbaugh was "intimidating" a reporter. LOL. Insane hyperbole right there. Harbaugh didn't want to answer the question. He was pretty damn clear about it. That's his right. Kawakami pressed like the sensationalist reporter that he is. Where is this "intimidation"? LOL.

That's a reach.

Harbaugh is no angel: As in he's a tough interview who won't always give a reporter what they want. He won't only not answer a question, he'll reject the entire premise because he knows what the reporter is trying to do. He can see the picture the reporter is trying to paint and rejects the entire thing. He's always been that way.

Reporters like Kawakami and the Cohns seem to think he owes them something. He doesn't. He owes his players something.

After reading the rest of this comment, it's clear you don't know what this expression means.

Weak.

 

[hawknation2014]

Dude...Pot? Meet Kettle.

After reading the rest of this comment, it's clear you don't know what this expression means.

Weak.

Now THIS would be the appropriate time to use that expression.

 

[RolandDeschain]

Tough questions from the media? WHEN DID THIS NONSENSE START HAPPENING?!?!

Come on; reporters have had hard-ons for asking tough and awkward questions since Watergate. It's not anything new, and there's certainly a reasonable expectation that an NFL head coach deal with it more gracefully than Harbaugh does. Take the Belichick approach if you have to and just sit there saying nothing from time to time, haha.

 

[loafoftatupu]

I don't like the Kawakami guy. I think he is more of a douchebag than Harbafreak. It is like he is trying to bait Hardouche into making a mistake. I would imagine that there are other media guys that would enjoy causing embarrassment to him.

There is something about Harbafreak that is wrong though. Regardless of Smith's sentence, he is a convicted felon x3 and misdemeanor x2, yet he is perfectly welcome in Niner land. That is totally Harbafreak's choice, he did say that he would give him every chance to contribute.

I wonder if Harbafreak is just allowing Smith to be there to keep him off the streets, like a baby sitter. Maybe Douchebaugh is just trying to prevent any further tarnishing of the puke and red. That makes total sense. Just imagine what Smith would be doing if he wasn't playing football, knowing he was going to be suspended? At this moment Smith is salvageable for games this season, but another mistake is catastrophic.

 

[Hawkfan77]

bullying a reporter

:roll:

To be fair the whole "You must have practiced that in front of the mirror" was kind of an asshole thing to say

Yeah, but I laughed...ugh this was the first time I didn't think Harbaugh was the biggest douche in the "room"

 

[Front7vLOB]

I don't like the Kawakami guy. I think he is more of a douchebag than Harbafreak. It is like he is trying to bait Hardouche into making a mistake. I would imagine that there are other media guys that would enjoy causing embarrassment to him.

There is something about Harbafreak that is wrong though. Regardless of Smith's sentence, he is a convicted felon x3 and misdemeanor x2, yet he is perfectly welcome in Niner land. That is totally Harbafreak's choice, he did say that he would give him every chance to contribute.

I wonder if Harbafreak is just allowing Smith to be there to keep him off the streets, like a baby sitter. Maybe Douchebaugh is just trying to prevent any further tarnishing of the puke and red. That makes total sense. Just imagine what Smith would be doing if he wasn't playing football, knowing he was going to be suspended? At this moment Smith is salvageable for games this season, but another mistake is catastrophic.

As a 49ers fan, I mostly agree with all of this.

----------------------

Here is a link about Tim K. He is the infamous reporter that got into a fight with a Raiders' FO personnel. Obviously the Raiders are not a franchise to emulate, but it just shows that Tim K has a knack of starting crap.

http://deadspin.com/5053785/its-jus...-discusses-his-run-in-at-raiders-headquarters

In this instance at Raiders HQ, I thought Tim was mostly in the right, but then you hear him keep asking "do you want to hit me? do you want to hit me?"

That's not only unprofessional, but also pretty idiotic.

 

[Marvin49]

I don't like the Kawakami guy. I think he is more of a douchebag than Harbafreak. It is like he is trying to bait Hardouche into making a mistake. I would imagine that there are other media guys that would enjoy causing embarrassment to him.

There is something about Harbafreak that is wrong though. Regardless of Smith's sentence, he is a convicted felon x3 and misdemeanor x2, yet he is perfectly welcome in Niner land. That is totally Harbafreak's choice, he did say that he would give him every chance to contribute.

I wonder if Harbafreak is just allowing Smith to be there to keep him off the streets, like a baby sitter. Maybe Douchebaugh is just trying to prevent any further tarnishing of the puke and red. That makes total sense. Just imagine what Smith would be doing if he wasn't playing football, knowing he was going to be suspended? At this moment Smith is salvageable for games this season, but another mistake is catastrophic.

Well we've already done the debate over Aldon and the charges...so not going to go over that again...

...but you are dead on about Kawakami and kinda the way Harbaugh approaches it.

He said recently that if someone asks him for help then he is going to do his best to help that person. I think that's what he sees in Aldon...a kid who has made some mistakes and is redeemable. You can (and most will) have the debate over whether or not he'd help someone less talented or productive, but to me the bottom line is that Aldon needs help and as of right now the 49ers are willing to help him get that help.

If this keeps happening tho....I think he's on a short string. According to some reports this morning, Aldon has made some promises to the front office. It's really on him now to stay clean.

 

[m0ng0]

What a let down, I was expecting a meltdown :roll: In this case its pretty obvious there is history between these two, much ado about nothing , two jerks pushing each others buttons....

 

[loafoftatupu]

I don't like the Kawakami guy. I think he is more of a douchebag than Harbafreak. It is like he is trying to bait Hardouche into making a mistake. I would imagine that there are other media guys that would enjoy causing embarrassment to him.

There is something about Harbafreak that is wrong though. Regardless of Smith's sentence, he is a convicted felon x3 and misdemeanor x2, yet he is perfectly welcome in Niner land. That is totally Harbafreak's choice, he did say that he would give him every chance to contribute.

I wonder if Harbafreak is just allowing Smith to be there to keep him off the streets, like a baby sitter. Maybe Douchebaugh is just trying to prevent any further tarnishing of the puke and red. That makes total sense. Just imagine what Smith would be doing if he wasn't playing football, knowing he was going to be suspended? At this moment Smith is salvageable for games this season, but another mistake is catastrophic.

Well we've already done the debate over Aldon and the charges...so not going to go over that again...

Im sorry.. did I miss something? What is it about my statement that is debatable?

Aldon Smith IS A CONVICTED FELON, regardless of the sentence. All I have "debated" is the outcome of that sentence.

You don't have to be a lawyer to understand that. Regardless of the sentence, the Niners have a convicted felon showing up for OTAs. Whether they have one on work release or probation is a different conversation.

 

[Sports Hernia]

I don't like the Kawakami guy. I think he is more of a douchebag than Harbafreak. It is like he is trying to bait Hardouche into making a mistake. I would imagine that there are other media guys that would enjoy causing embarrassment to him.

There is something about Harbafreak that is wrong though. Regardless of Smith's sentence, he is a convicted felon x3 and misdemeanor x2, yet he is perfectly welcome in Niner land. That is totally Harbafreak's choice, he did say that he would give him every chance to contribute.

I wonder if Harbafreak is just allowing Smith to be there to keep him off the streets, like a baby sitter. Maybe Douchebaugh is just trying to prevent any further tarnishing of the puke and red. That makes total sense. Just imagine what Smith would be doing if he wasn't playing football, knowing he was going to be suspended? At this moment Smith is salvageable for games this season, but another mistake is catastrophic.

Well we've already done the debate over Aldon and the charges...so not going to go over that again...

Im sorry.. did I miss something? What is it about my statement that is debatable?

Aldon Smith IS A CONVICTED FELON, regardless of the sentence. All I have "debated" is the outcome of that sentence.

You don't have to be a lawyer to understand that. Regardless of the sentence, the Niners have a convicted felon showing up for OTAs. Whether they have one on work release or probation is a different conversation.

Your wasting your time. Marvin will never GET it!
He will say "I get that but......" then he'll go on and on with a 4 paragraph word salad proving he doesn't get the point.
He is strange, even for a whiner troll.

 

[Marvin49]

I don't like the Kawakami guy. I think he is more of a douchebag than Harbafreak. It is like he is trying to bait Hardouche into making a mistake. I would imagine that there are other media guys that would enjoy causing embarrassment to him.

There is something about Harbafreak that is wrong though. Regardless of Smith's sentence, he is a convicted felon x3 and misdemeanor x2, yet he is perfectly welcome in Niner land. That is totally Harbafreak's choice, he did say that he would give him every chance to contribute.

I wonder if Harbafreak is just allowing Smith to be there to keep him off the streets, like a baby sitter. Maybe Douchebaugh is just trying to prevent any further tarnishing of the puke and red. That makes total sense. Just imagine what Smith would be doing if he wasn't playing football, knowing he was going to be suspended? At this moment Smith is salvageable for games this season, but another mistake is catastrophic.

Well we've already done the debate over Aldon and the charges...so not going to go over that again...

Im sorry.. did I miss something? What is it about my statement that is debatable?

Aldon Smith IS A CONVICTED FELON, regardless of the sentence. All I have "debated" is the outcome of that sentence.

You don't have to be a lawyer to understand that. Regardless of the sentence, the Niners have a convicted felon showing up for OTAs. Whether they have one on work release or probation is a different conversation.

SMDH.

Even when I attempt not to discuss the issue in a post in which I'm mostly agree with you....you find the need to argue.

Sigh.

 

[Marvin49]

I don't like the Kawakami guy. I think he is more of a douchebag than Harbafreak. It is like he is trying to bait Hardouche into making a mistake. I would imagine that there are other media guys that would enjoy causing embarrassment to him.

There is something about Harbafreak that is wrong though. Regardless of Smith's sentence, he is a convicted felon x3 and misdemeanor x2, yet he is perfectly welcome in Niner land. That is totally Harbafreak's choice, he did say that he would give him every chance to contribute.

I wonder if Harbafreak is just allowing Smith to be there to keep him off the streets, like a baby sitter. Maybe Douchebaugh is just trying to prevent any further tarnishing of the puke and red. That makes total sense. Just imagine what Smith would be doing if he wasn't playing football, knowing he was going to be suspended? At this moment Smith is salvageable for games this season, but another mistake is catastrophic.

Well we've already done the debate over Aldon and the charges...so not going to go over that again...

Im sorry.. did I miss something? What is it about my statement that is debatable?

Aldon Smith IS A CONVICTED FELON, regardless of the sentence. All I have "debated" is the outcome of that sentence.

You don't have to be a lawyer to understand that. Regardless of the sentence, the Niners have a convicted felon showing up for OTAs. Whether they have one on work release or probation is a different conversation.

Your wasting your time. Marvin will never GET it!
He will say "I get that but......" then he'll go on and on with a 4 paragraph word salad proving he doesn't get the point.
He is strange, even for a whiner troll.

This guy again...

Please enlighten me on what I don't "get".

Aldon plead No Contest. There is no deal. At no point have I said otherwise. Please school me on what I don't get.

All that's in question is what happens now.

The only discussion is what the lawyer was thinking in advising his client. Loaf says Aldon has simply thrown himself on the mercy of the court. All I'm sayin' is that the lawyer must have a pretty good idea what's about to happen if he advised his client to do so. That doesn't mean a deal...but that doesn't mean that the lawyer doesn't have a good idea what's going to happen.

For the life of me, I can't understand why this is so contentious an opinion.

 

[hawknation2014]

This guy again...

Please enlighten me on what I don't "get".

Aldon plead No Contest. There is no deal. At no point have I said otherwise. Please school me on what I don't get.

All that's in question is what happens now.

The only discussion is what the lawyer was thinking in advising his client. Loaf says Aldon has simply thrown himself on the mercy of the court. All I'm sayin' is that the lawyer must have a pretty good idea what's about to happen if he advised his client to do so. That doesn't mean a deal...but that doesn't mean that the lawyer doesn't have a good idea what's going to happen.

For the life of me, I can't understand why this is so contentious an opinion.

Aldon's lawyer likely advised him not to contest the three felony charges and repeat misdemeanor DUI because he knew they would not get a better deal and would lose if they went to trial. It's likely that the news of his recent misdemeanor bomb threat did not help Aldon's position for a more favorable plea deal. By not contesting the charges, he is merely hoping for a shorter jail/prison sentence from the sentencing judge.