49ers careen out of control as grumbling about Owens continues

49ers careen out of control as grumbling about Owens continues
By Jason Cole
Knight Ridder Newspapers
(KRT)
MIAMI -- One of the unfortunate fallouts from the Rush Limbaugh controversy is that it overshadowed a more important story with far-reaching impact the rest of this season.
That is, what's going to happen in San Francisco after the latest Terrell Owens meltdown and the failure of coach Dennis Erickson to gain control of the team?
The short-term answer is Erickson will try to cover up the truth, in keeping with several of his previous transgressions at the University of Miami. Erickson will put a happy face on the situation.
The reality is Erickson has lost control. During the offseason, players were grumbling about the preferential treatment Owens received when he was excused from minicamps.
Now, Erickson is turning the other cheek on Owens' embarrassing blow-up at offensive coordinator Greg Knapp during last week's blowout loss in Minnesota. It furthered the notion Owens can get away with anything and is running the show.
"T.O. barks, and Dennis just acts like the lap dog," one 49ers player told The Miami Herald. "Erickson is still the coach and tells everybody what to do, but it's not like people believe in him right now."
With Owens set to be a free agent at the end of the season, how this unfolds will have a huge impact on the 49ers. If the season continues to unravel like it has the past three weeks, not only will Erickson be on the hot seat, but general manager Terry Donahue will take his shots as well.
It was Donahue who submarined the coaching search by going after Erickson at the last moment. That was after the team not only fired the successful Steve Mariucci, but also interviewed candidates with solid NFL backgrounds, such as Ted Cottrell.
Yet Donahue hired Erickson, who showed little ability to discipline during his days with the Seattle Seahawks. Numerous other coaches have talked about how disorganized the Seahawks were under Erickson.
In the background is 49ers owner John York, who has been grooming his son for a big role with the team. York doesn't like to be humiliated, and this has humiliation written all over it.
This could be the final blow that ends one of the great eras in sports if the 49ers are overhauled. The team that defined consistency and greatness while winning five Super Bowls is suddenly looking at years of mediocrity if the coach, general manager and perhaps the team's best player are dispatched this offseason.
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