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From the San Francisco 49ers forum:
Why Pioli?
-- He's been a pro personnel assistant, director and/or vice president with four NFL franchises (Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets and Patriots, with whom he is in his ninth season).
-- Working alongside detail-oriented coach Bill Belichick has taught Pioli how a well-oiled front office operates. Belichick's personnel and coaching staff from Cleveland included Pioli, Titans defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz, Fresno State coach Pat Hill and former Raiders personnel chief-turned NFL Network analyst Michael Lombardi. It's an impressive group of proteges.
Belichick is so meticulous in hiring and personnel matters, he's known to have backup lists of 10-12 coaches and players for every open position. Pioli has the same philosophy: Be very prepared. Be very smart.
Then there is this bit of football heritage - Pioli's father-in-law is a guy named Bill Parcells, who knows a little about the game.
-- Credibility. Having a proven commodity like Pioli in charge of the 49ers' football operation tells the NFL that the Yorks mean business as owners. That they recognize the need to bring a top football mind into their fold. In an instant, the franchise will go from irrelevant to significant - an important consideration now that the Collective Bargaining Agreement with the players is set to expire at the end of the 2010 season, and business will not go on as usual.
-- Structure. The 49ers' recent record in the draft and free agency - 10 of the 22 starters come from drafts preceding the arrival of general manager Scot McCloughan - has given Singletary a roster that lacks overall quality, talent, experience and depth.
What's worse, since 2005 the 49ers have had two head coaches, four offensive coordinators, two defensive coordinators and two special teams coaches. There is no consistency in philosophy or scheme.
-- Track record. The Belichick/Pioli system is so highly regarded around the NFL that other franchises have copied it. Falcons owner Arthur Blank hired Thomas Dimitroff - the Patriots' director of college scouting - as his general manager in January.
Dimitroff, 42, has been effusive in his praise of the "Patriots Way" as his football model, and he used it to hire head coach Mike Smith, the Jaguars' respected defensive coordinator. He also employed it in drafting quarterback Matt Ryan No. 3 overall, a 14-game starter who is now being mentioned as an MVP candidate.
Singletary has earned the right to remain as the 49ers head coach. The owners should recognize that he's not the answer to what ails their franchise, but part of the solution.
Pioli may be reluctant to leave a sure thing, but he's also on the radar of several ailing NFL franchises that desperately need to rebuild. At some point, you figure Pioli will want to make his own mark apart from Belichick, to validate his career. The timing may be right.
Jed York made his mark this season by opting for Singletary. He should keep the momentum going by pursuing Pioli, before another team gets there first.
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