49ers send Aldon Smith to rehab UPDATE detained for reported LAX bomb threat

He'll miss the next game at least, Thursday against St. Louis. This after Jim Harbaugh blew off the entire situation last week, saying the league can handle the discipline if it's needed, and Smith played the whole game Sunday.

http://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/Aldon-Smith-to-seek-treatment-miss-Rams-game-4835110.php

This strikes me very much as an ownership reaction to the publicity about the case and the many other cases involving Smith. (Chronicle's Ann Killion blasted Harbaugh and the 49ers this morning: http://www.sfgate.com/49ers/article/49ers-Harbaugh-sends-wrong-message-on-Smith-s-DUI-4831978.php)

And it's also clearly a rebuke to the coach. I'm sure his ego and non-confrontational personality will be just fine with being overruled on personnel matters involving his 2012 team MVP, though. Probably no problem there.

Two losses in a row, a first for Harbaugh's 49ers, and now this. Could get interesting.

 

Re: 49ers send Aldon Smith to rehab

I doubt Harbaugh had to deal with this much at Stanford on San Diego. Seeing the arbitrary way the league issues punishment, I'm not sure I'd want to leave it in their hands. I sense Smith'll miss more than one game, though

 

Re: 49ers send Aldon Smith to rehab

York screwed this thing up from the beginning.

And in other breaking news, the sun rose in the east this morning.

 

Re: 49ers send Aldon Smith to rehab

Didn't Harbaugh make a minor deal of some back-up linebacker getting a DUI last year and how he couldn't travel with the team as a result, etc. I have a vague memory of this.

 

Re: 49ers send Aldon Smith to rehab

Handled very badly. Maybe Harbaugh was looking for an excuse for the inevitable loss to the Rams on Thursday night.

There is no consistency to how DUIs are handled in the NFL. There are times when it's almost ignored and times when it's huge news.

 

Re: 49ers send Aldon Smith to rehab

Yep, DeMarcus Dobbs. Didn't go to St. Louis last year and then was suspended by the league for the first game this year.

Also, there was a case this summer of Ahmad Brooks cracking a teammate over the head with a beer bottle and threatening to get his gun. The case didn't result in charges despite the initial DA action, which has most people thinking the 49ers used their connections roger favorable treatment, and Brooks missed no time.

No way to spin it other than the better you are, the more you get away with, and Smith clearly can be the next LT as far as Harbaugh is concerned.

 

Re: 49ers send Aldon Smith to rehab

Showtime premiered a movie about LT a couple of days ago, and Parcells does not appreciate the the idea that he may have enabled Taylor:

 

Re: 49ers send Aldon Smith to rehab

I saw that movie. It was damn good.

I'm sure Parcells was pissed, but so what. He's the one who ignored the problem for 10 years. The parallel to this situation is pretty strong.

 

Re: 49ers send Aldon Smith to rehab

It's an interesting line. I get the sense that Parcells genuinely cared about LT's well-being, but also cared about keeping him on the field because he wanted to win.

I'm sure Parcells knows he did things that kept LT on the field when he should have had him in rehab. Then again, you could get away with a lot more then than you can now. If LT hadn't been so open about his past, I wonder how much we would know about all of the things that went on back then.

 

Re: 49ers send Aldon Smith to rehab

Didn't see the movie, but I agree. Thought it was a good comparison.

 

Re: 49ers send Aldon Smith to rehab

I'd be interested in what Harbaugh's reaction would be if the exact same scenario played out in Seattle, and Pete Carroll's star player was able to stay active and play against the 49ers before going into rehab.

I'm guessing Harbaugh wouldn't be so much in favor of letting the star player suit up in that case - and would be quite a prick about it.

 

Re: 49ers send Aldon Smith to rehab

When the Seahawks' suspension news hit, Harbaugh said the 49ers wanted to be "above reproach" in everything on and off the field.

Would love to know Pete Carroll's private reaction to all of this -- after **giggle giggle**, of course.