49ers Send Mixed Signals In Smith Situation
All I can say is: What was that? No, not about the 49ers pitiful performance on Sunday but about how the 49ers organization is handling the All-Pro Aldon Smith situation. Aldon Smith was arrested for his second DUI in two years on Friday night after he crashed into a tree in San Jose. The 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh said earlier this week that the consequences would not come down by the team but rather by the league itself. Here is part of his statement:
“That’s pretty exclusive to the league,” Harbaugh said about any potential suspension Smith could face. “They have exclusive rights to the consequences and there will be consequences. There always is. Good or bad, we all have consequences.”--CSN Bay Area 9/20/13
Yet, almost immediately after the game on Sunday, in which Smith played, the 49ers CEO Jed York announced that Smith will be suspended indefinitely. Wait, what? Now you suspend him? After your head coach said that no consequences would or even could come from the team? This sounds like a double standard to me. If this was a rookie and not a All-Pro in this, they would be not just suspended but most likely released immediately.
If you want to send a real message, you suspend Smith right away and not allow him to play after all. The message I am getting from the 49ers organization in this is that its ok to drive drunk, you won't get into trouble by us. This is a very sad message they are sending. 49ers' CEO Jed York only did this in my opinion because he got so much flack the last 24 hours he felt obligated to do something.
For anyone that knows me personally they know that I am a die hard 49ers fan but I never condone actions that Smith continues to indulge in. He should have been suspended immediately, and not allowed to play at all in today's game.
That's another thing. This is Smith's SECOND drunken driving incident in two years. That alone would have made you think the 49ers would have taken action right away. It is obvious Smith has a problem. Yes, the 49ers are addressing it, but only after public outrage and media scrutiny pushed them to do so it seems.