Did you happen to see the note in the news recently that the SF 49ers have promoted Keena Turner to vice president of football affairs?
A link to the Niners glory days, KT is so deserving of this new post that I wonder why it hadn’t happend sooner . . . director of the team’s alumni coordinators until his recent promotion, Keena played linebacker for SF for 11 seasons (1980-1990) and has been part of the 49ers preseason television broadcast team for the past 13 seasons.
In his new role, according to vice president of strategic planning Jed York, KT “will be in charge of all programs related to player well-being & success – including counseling, faith-based programs and player-development programs.” He will also serve as an adviser to the coaching staff and head the club’s alumni program.
Drafted out of Purdue, Turner helped lead the 49ers to four Super Bowl wins as a player and since his retirement in 1990, has represented the team at public events and assisted in player development.
This move may not draw much attention league-wide, but it may very well rank right up there as one of San Francisco’s BEST “off-season” moves in many years!
I for one applaud the Yorks for seeing his worth and the Niners for naming KT a VP . . . I also send along my best wishes to a great Forty-Niner!
– JayDub
Why even have a contract?
June 12, 2008It seems to me in the sports world, a contract is a merely a suggestion, rather than a iron clad agreement that both sides will agree to. The latest case in point is Giants receiver Plaxico Burress, who has recently announced he will not report to team activities because he wants a new contract. Ah……………..Plax, YOU HAVE A CONTRACT! Burress has three years remaining on a $25 million dollar deal that he and his agent agreed to in 2005, and SIGNED. The wide receiver is due $3.25M in 2008, $3.5M in 2009, and $3.75M in 2010. Not bad for a player that will be in 12th year in the league when the contract expires. Nope, not good enough for Plax. He and his agent saw T.O and Randy Moss both recently sign three-year deals at $9M per, and Larry Fitzgerald sign a four-year deal for $10M per. Yeah, I do think Burress is under paid relative to some receivers that have recently signed deals, or other receievers that got deals last year, or before. But that’s really not the point, is it? Burress SIGNED a contract in 2005 for 6 years. Now he wants that contract to be placed in the nearest paper shredder and create a new one at a level that is commensurate with many of his “peers.” Perhaps he should have signed a three-year deal in 2005 instead of a six-year contract? Perhaps he should have signed a two- year contract? The point is, if you agree to a contract in the NFL or anywhere, and if the terms and conditions are met, you need to honor it………….pure and simple.
MN
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