Fired for taping practice, Scarnecchia hired by Syracuse

Former Broncos videographer Steve Scarnecchia, the team's video operations director who illegally taped a six-minute portion of the San Francisco 49ers' Oct. 30 practice in London, has been hired by Syracuse University to take over video operations, the school announced Friday. He replaces Erik Kunttu, who left to become the video coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts.

"I am 100 percent certain (Scarnecchia) is the right man for this job," Syracuse head coach Doug Marrone told The Post-Standard. "Steve knows he made a mistake. He acknowledged his mistake and faced the consequences. I am convinced that he has learned his lesson. Steve is a Syracuse University graduate, and I am thrilled to have him back at his alma mater."

Scarnecchia earned his bachelor’s degree in television, radio and film from Syracuse’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, graduating cum laude in 2000.

About a month after the Broncos lost to the 49ers, 24-16 at Wembley Stadium, the Broncos informed the NFL that Scarnecchia filmed part of the 49ers' walk-through the day prior to the game. He presented the video that day to head coach Josh McDaniels, who declined to view it. McDaniels was cleared from the video-taping incident, but he and the Broncos were each fined $50,000 because McDaniels failed to report the incident as required by league policy. McDaniels was fired Dec. 6, less than halfway through his four-year contract.

Scarnecchia and McDaniels previously worked for the New England Patriots, who were found to have videotaped New York Jets coaches sending in signals during a game in 2007.

The league's investigation determined New England had violated rules over several seasons. Scarnecchia, who was a Jets employee when the Patriots were penalized, worked for New England between 2001 and 2005. He was found to have participated in New England's videotaping when he worked for the Patriots in the early 2000s.

The NFL bans such videotaping and issued $750,000 in fines against the Patriots and coach Bill Belichick. The Patriots also were stripped of their 2008 first-round draft pick.

McDaniels, who worked in New England from 2001 to 2009, hired Scarnecchia in Denver shortly after becoming the Broncos' coach.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Police: Talib's mother says her son could have fired gun at man

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Singletary fired after 49ers knocked out of playoff contention

SAN FRANCISCO -- Mike Singletary was fired by the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday night after two disappointing seasons, including a 5-10 showing this year for a franchise expected to win the NFC West.

The team made the announcement late Sunday upon returning to the Bay Area, several hours after San Francisco was eliminated from playoff contention with a 25-17 loss at St. Louis. Defensive line coach Jim Tomsula was promoted to interim coach and will run the team in next Sunday's season finale at home against Arizona. He was to be formally introduced in a news conference set for Monday at 3 p.m. ET.

Team president and CEO Jed York addressed reporters in St. Louis after the Niners' loss Sunday and was noncommittal about whether Singletary would coach the final game, saying he planned to think about it. Singletary was told of his dismissal back at the team's Santa Clara complex after the trip home.

"I want to thank Mike Singletary for the passion and effort that he brought to this organization," York said in a statement. "He is a tremendous person for whom I will always have great respect."

San Francisco began the year with high hopes of winning the West and reaching the postseason for the first time since 2002. Singletary finished with an 18-22 record in two-plus seasons.

"One of the greatest experiences of my life was having the opportunity to coach the San Francisco 49ers," Singletary said in a statement. "What made it so special were the players. They were some of the most outstanding men I have ever been around in my life. The coaches were truly professionals. I wish the 49ers nothing but the best. I am thankful to the York family for having given me the opportunity to be a head coach in the NFL. I am indebted to them for that. I am also thankful for the Faithful fans, I am just sorry I couldn't give them more."

The 49ers began 0-5 and will finish with a losing record for the seventh time in eight years. They went 8-8 in Singletary's first full season, then produced an unbeaten preseason this year only to drop their first five games. It was the franchise's worst start since losing seven in a row to begin a 2-14 season in 1979 -- in the late Hall of Famer Bill Walsh's first year as coach.

No team has recovered from an 0-5 start to reach the playoffs, but the 49ers would have made it if they had defeated the Rams and won again next Sunday. If that had happened, San Francisco would have won the tiebreaker over Seattle and St. Louis to win the division and become the first team with a losing record in a non-strike season to make the playoffs.

"You know what, I'll put it this way: a personal failure. I'm the head coach of this team and obviously wanted us to do better, felt that we could do better," Singletary said after Sunday's loss. "There are some obvious questions that I hoped would be answered as the season went on, and obviously were not answered. When that happens, you end up out of the playoffs.

"I take full responsibility for every unanswered question."

The 52-year-old Singletary, who first took over as coach on an interim basis when Mike Nolan was fired in October 2008 and soon declared "I want winners!" had two years remaining on his contract. York -- son of owner John York -- seems ready for major change around the Niners despite having to pay Singletary, a Hall of Fame linebacker during his playing days for the Chicago Bears.

"Money is no object," Jed York said in St. Louis. "I mean, our object is to win the Super Bowl, year in and year out be there and compete for Super Bowls. We're going to make sure we get this right."

Initially, Singletary seemed to be the man to do it, with his way of ripping into a player one minute then finding a way to turn it into a positive.

During his debut in place of Nolan -- a 34-13 loss to the Seahawks on Oct. 26, 2008 -- Singletary pulled down his pants in the locker room at halftime to make a point, benched struggling quarterback J.T. O'Sullivan in favor of Shaun Hill, and sent now-Pro Bowl and captain tight end Vernon Davis to the showers early for what he deemed inappropriate behavior following a personal foul penalty. Afterward, Singletary called out his team with the now infamous "I want winners" speech.

"I'd rather play with 10 people and just get penalized all the way until we have to do something else rather than play with 11 when I know that right now that person is not sold out to be a part of this team," Singletary said. "It is more about them than it is about the team. Cannot play with them, cannot win with them, cannot coach with them. Can't do it. I want winners. I want people that want to win."

This year, Singletary fired offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye after Week 3, then lost secondary coach and special assistant Johnnie Lynn when he resigned for personal reasons earlier this month.

Singletary switched quarterbacks three different times, starting with Alex Smith, going to Troy Smith for five games even after Alex Smith's hurt non-throwing shoulder had healed, then back to Alex Smith for two games before Troy Smith started Sunday -- only to give way to Alex Smith in the fourth quarter after Troy Smith had a heated exchange with Singletary.

"I'm not worried about individual things like that. What bothers me is we come in here, this is a playoff-caliber game, and we didn't get it done," York said. "And that's the bottom line."

York said he plans to hire a general manager and will open a search to fill the job. Since former GM Scot McCloughan departed last March -- and ended up with Seattle -- in what York called a "mutual parting," San Francisco's football operations have been run by vice president of player personnel Trent Baalke. He was responsible for selecting two offensive linemen with the team's first-round draft picks in April, and both Anthony Davis and Mike Iupati are starters on the Niners' revamped offensive line.

York was asked whether a new general manager would help in a potential coaching search.

"We'll have a general manager, and as we go forward, that will be something that the general manager and I discuss together," York said after the game.

Finding a quarterback will be another priority. Alex Smith most certainly will be gone after this season once the 2005 No. 1 overall pick's contract expires.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Special teams coach Bonamego fired by 'Fins after meltdown

DAVIE, Fla. -- A prime-time meltdown by the Miami Dolphins' special teams cost an assistant coach his job.

Just 12 hours after a calamitous performance against the New England Patriots, the Dolphins fired special teams coordinator John Bonamego on Tuesday.

Special teams cost Miami 21 points in a 41-14 loss Monday night. Two blocked kicks led to touchdowns, and the Patriots returned a kickoff 103 yards for another score.

The Dolphins (2-2) also had a punt blocked one week earlier in a loss to the New York Jets. The back-to-back divisional defeats dropped Miami to third place in the AFC East.

Assistant special teams coach Darren Rizzi will replace Bonamego, Dolphins coach Tony Sparano said. Bonamego was in his 12th NFL season and had been with the Dolphins since Sparano became head coach in 2008.

"It's a hard decision to make," Sparano said. "I know how hard this guy works. Nobody works harder than him at what he does."

Unlike Bonamego, quarterback Chad Henne won't lose his job. Sparano said he'll stick with Henne despite an erratic three-interception performance that accelerated the Dolphins' self-destruction.

While the turnovers hurt, the lapses by Bonamego's units doomed the Dolphins. The Patriots trailed 7-6 before Brandon Tate returned the second-half kickoff untouched for a score. Pat Chung blocked a punt to set up a touchdown, then blocked a field-goal attempt that Kyle Arrington returned 35 yards for a TD and a 34-14 New England lead early in the fourth quarter.

"We shot ourselves in the foot," Miami cornerback Jason Allen said. "You can't expect to win when you're playing a team like -- actually, any team. I don't care who you're playing, when we do the things we did."

Linebacker Tim Dobbins plays on special teams and said he was embarrassed.

"We all should be," he said. "We let the whole team down."

Patriots coach Bill Belichick didn't seem surprised to hear of Bonamego's firing.

"I don't think probably much of anything that happens in the league these days is a surprise or unheard of," Belichick said. "It's unfortunate. ... I'm sure those decisions aren't easy."

The Dolphins rank last in the NFL in punting, last in kickoff coverage and 25th in kickoff returns. Continual turnover at the bottom of the roster might contribute to the Dolphins' special teams woes -- in the past month, they have made 19 roster moves.

"That's part of the special teams challenge, when you bring new players in and you get them involved," Sparano said.

The succession of breakdowns against New England resulted in Miami's most lopsided defeat since 2007, when the team went 1-15. The Dolphins lost even though they outgained the Patriots by 135 yards, limited them to 146 passing yards and held Randy Moss without a catch.

The Dolphins have a bye this week, then resume a rugged stretch in the schedule. Their next six opponents are a combined 16-8.

Sparano said he expects the Dolphins to bounce back from the drubbing. Belichick does, too.

"Miami is a good team," Belichick said. "I am sure we haven't heard the last of them."

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But the Dolphins need to quickly figure out how to block for kicks and cover them better. That responsibility now rests with Rizzi, a former college head coach at New Haven who took his first NFL job when Sparano hired him last year.

"He's very smart guy who has his own way of doing things," Sparano said. "He'll have his own spin on the special teams area. It's important that we have some continuity there and fix the problems."

The fix might mean more players in the offensive and defensive rotations contributing. Defensive regulars Dobbins, Cameron Wake and Chris Clemons already have roles on kicking units.

"I want my core players to play better on special teams," Sparano said. "If we need to put some starters out there, then we will."

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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