NFL Coaches: Beware of the Harbaugh Handshake

posted at 4:55 pm on October 17, 2011 by Rovin

Despite a boisterous Lion’s crowd, the San Francisco Forty-Niners pulled out an upset win yesterday in Detroit. But the storyline is all about a hand-shake that didn’t meet with Jim Schwartz’s approval :

The postgame handshake between Lions coach Jim Schwartz and 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh nearly turned into a scuffle between the coaches, after Harbaugh’s team pulled out a 25-19 win in Detroit.

An excited Harbaugh ran across the field with his arms in the air, pumping his fist to celebrate the victory. Harbaugh then emphatically slapped Schwartz’s hand and patted him on the back, with Schwartz taking offense to something during the exchange.

“I went to congratulate Coach Harbaugh and got shoved out of the way. I didn’t expect an obscenity at that point,” Schwartz said.

As Harbaugh ran off the field, Schwartz chased after him, bumping him shoulder-to-shoulder. San Francisco offensive lineman Anthony Davis stepped in to separate the two, then was joined by several players and officials.

Kevin Seifert at ESPN thinks Schwartz’s call for “protocol” is a bit hypocritical:

Schwartz said “there’s a protocol in this league,” implying that Harbaugh violated some unwritten rule of postgame sportsmanship. It’s rich, to say the least, that Schwartz would be offended after a season of his exuberant fist pumps, cursing at officials and taunting opposing players. Those instances were fun and representative of the Lions’ newfound passion, but this one violated protocol? Hmmmm.

And for the record Harbaugh apologized saying “That is totally on me,” Harbaugh said. “I shook his hand too hard. I really went in, and it was a strong, kind of a slap-grab handshake.”

Bottom line: Frank Gore runs for 140 yards. The Niner defense comes up with some crucial stops against a potent Lion’s offense in the 4^th quarter, and the Niners (on a fourth down) complete a great comeback TD that wins a great game between two very fine teams, (who may meet again), and “this” is the story? Schwartz lecturing about protocol? Give your team some credit Schwartz—they played a hard fought football game between two young teams heading in the RIGHT DIRECTION, and the Lions lost their first game of the season. Instead, we have a coach who didn’t receive the “proper handshake”? What’s the NFL going to do next—throw a flag for improper handshaking?

Disclaimer: I’m a longtime 49ers fan going back to the 60’s with John Brodie at QB, the terrible 70’s (where either the Rams or the Cowboys would kick our butts), and the glorious 80’s with Montana and company.

Blowback

Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.

Trackbacks/Pings

Trackback URL

Comments

Hey, a few of those Cowboy butt-kickings in the 1970s were in playoff games, so the ‘Niners didn’t totally suck. (My all-time favorite, of course, was the December ’72 game with the big come-back by the Pokes.)

I thought Schwartz acted like a big baby. Michael Strahan’s original comment was on the money. Man up, Schwartz.

J.E. Dyer on October 17, 2011 at 5:08 PM

There’s so many things about contemporary professional sports that I can’t stand. For now, I’ll take the counterpoint on the controversy: I do believe a certain protocol was violated by Harbaugh. Couldn’t he have waited until after the Schwartz handshake to begin the celebration? Even he admits it. Put yourself in Schwartz’s shoes. Of course, he shouldn’t have gone after Harbaugh either. Should have left it alone. Think about John Wooden and how he would have reacted in either role.
By the way, I go all the way back to Y.A. Tittle and
R.C.Owens…..Alley Oop!

VBMax on October 17, 2011 at 5:35 PM

I thought the whole thing was awesome, especially when Schwartz wouldn’t even look Harbaugh in the eye after he chased him down and yelled at him.

uknowmorethanme on October 17, 2011 at 5:39 PM

By the way, I go all the way back to Y.A. Tittle and R.C.Owens…..Alley Oop!

VBMax on October 17, 2011 at 5:35 PM

You do “go back” a ways Max. I’ll bet we were both at Kezar at the same time.

R.C. Owens always reminded me of Harold Carmichael, both very tall and strong receivers.

Rovin on October 17, 2011 at 8:03 PM

Disclaimer: I’m a longtime 49ers fan going back to the 60’s with John Brodie at QB, the terrible 70’s (where either the Rams or the Cowboys would kick our butts), and the glorious 80’s with Montana and company.

I knew I liked you for some reason