S.F. Examiner: Harbaugh talk sounds like sour whine

By Art Spander
San Francisco Examiner

So Jim Harbaugh, who restored the 49ers almost to what they used to be, turns out to be fanatical. Which of course, those who played for him, such as the now-outraged Alex Boone, didn't dare mention while it mattered — meaning while they were playing for him.

Coaching football never has been equated to raising zinnias or marigolds. More like raising Cain. Of the great Vince Lombardi, who led the Green Bay Packers to five NFL championships, his defensive tackle Henry Jordan once said, "He treats us all the same — like dogs."

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© 2015 The San Francisco Examiner

S.F. Examiner: No secrets: Better, smarter, stingier team won

By Art Spander
San Francisco Examiner

OAKLAND — It took so long this time. The Warriors won it, because at the end they had the better team, and they were playing at home, at Oracle Arena, where losing is as rare as California rain. But they had to work, because playoff basketball is as much about adjustments as personnel.

Game 1, it was the Warriors start to finish, and the misconception was Game 2 would be a duplicate. That doesn’t happen in the NBA.

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© 2015 The San Francisco Examiner 

S.F. Examiner: Giants go from bad to worst

By Art Spander
San Francisco Examiner

Bruce Bochy was alone at his desk, studying numbers that could only reinforce what he knew, what we knew — the Giants are a team in trouble. The scintilla of optimism that burst forth Saturday night like the reflection off the championship rings that had been awarded, and the victory that at last was achieved after eight straight defeats, had disappeared.

They’re not very good, these 2015 Giants, the defending World Series champions. They may in fact be very bad. The 5-1 victory by Arizona on Sunday set up what even Bochy, at his postgame news conference, agreed would be a critical few games against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

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© 2015 The San Francisco Examiner 

S.F. Examiner: Davis awakens late, raises brows and concerns for Warriors

By Art Spander
San Francisco Examiner

OAKLAND — In the first quarter, you virtually couldn't find Anthony Davis, on the floor or in the box score. He was in both places, of course, but we're talking figuratively.

Ten minutes plus, one basket, no rebounds. The big man for New Orleans, 6-foot-10, tons of points and boards, seemed overwhelmed by the first playoff game of his three-year NBA career. He'd been waiting for this. What was wrong?

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© 2015 The San Francisco Examiner

S.F. Examiner: Baalke likes 49ers' offense, quiet about draft plans

By Art Spander
San Francisco Examiner

SANTA CLARA — The 49ers, who have the 15th pick in the first round of the NFL Draft on April 30, will select a football player. A big, strong one, according to what general manager Trent Baalke said Friday in what was a less-than-informative media session on what Baalke is thinking.

Standard operating procedure in the NFL, certainly, is never to give away a scintilla of meaningful information because the enemy may steal the guy you really hope to draft.

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© 2015 The San Francisco Examiner