Trailer: https://tinyurl.com/dfft5d48

I watched this two-part series about a month ago, and didn’t write about it then because no one would know what I was talking about. Kind of like when I wrote about “Hamilton” before the mania hit. There’s a delay. Even worse, this two-part series premieres tonight on MGM+, the streaming service formerly known as Epix, and how many people have a subscription to that? Ultimately, it will be available elsewhere, but the buzz will be gone, and sans buzz will it ever be seen?

So what you’ve got here is a maybe to be forgotten production about a fading era.

This is very strange for those of us who lived through it. Kind of like the Deadheads of today, whose knowledge seems to start with 1970’s “Workingman’s Dead.” But before that there was a journey into the universe, an exploration, yet what about the rest of the San Francisco bands? Like the Charlatans?

Completely forgotten.

The Charlatans were fronted by Dan Hicks, who ultimately had success in the early seventies with his band the Hot Licks. There was “Canned Music” and “I’m an Old Cowhand (From the Rio Grande).” But even more there was “I Scare Myself,” with Sid Page’s violin.

Here, check it out, and you should:

Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/7zcu2chp

YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/yc6u9b79

Listening today you’ll hear a roughness we didn’t experience back in 1972, when it was released. You see back then it wasn’t about perfection, but a feeling, an essence. The music was not bulletproof, it connected on a soulful level, it lived and breathed, which is why we embraced it.

Like the Grateful Dead themselves. Who might have been the roughest of them all, even into the seventies. “Workingman’s Dead” and “American Beauty” were anomalies. Mostly the band was one of experimentation, trying to find a groove that would hook the audience and lift the assembled multitude.

Now the funny thing is the pre-1970 San Francisco music scene is being forgotten. Back then there was almost no information. And there were few hits. The Dead had none. Nor Dan Hicks. The Jefferson Airplane broke through on “Surrealistic Pillow” with “Somebody to Love” and “White Rabbit,” but Quicksilver Messenger Service never had a hit. And it wasn’t until the seventies that Steve Miller became ubiquitous.

Now by time you hit the seventies, there’s music on TV, and tons of press, and that era remains alive. So the second episode of this production is less enticing, but the first…

There were no influencers, there was no social media, everything was positively local. And Grace Slick was two-dimensional, all you knew about her was her songs. Which made her even more iconic. Because you filled in the blanks yourself.

And Janis Joplin… Her backstory has faded, but even creepier, her music has faded. At this point, Joplin is mostly remembered for her rendition of “Me and Bobby McGhee,” if she’s remembered at all. But that first Big Brother album, “Cheap Thrills”… That was not background music. You listened to that record and wanted to get closer. Which is why you went to San Francisco, you wanted more of this.

Now this experimental ethos in music was superseded by the experimental ethos in tech, ironically also from the Bay Area. Used to be California was a different country, three hours behind. Cut loose from the east coast. A place where anything went. Today they say that’s Florida, but nothing could be further from the truth. Florida is about retro hedonism. Sure, there are a lot of loose nuts and bolts, but California has always been about moving forward, pushing the envelope, this is where Chuck Yeager made his sound-barrier breaking flights.

Yeager was made famous by Tom Wolfe, by his inclusion in “The Right Stuff,” which they even made into a movie. But the piece-de-resistance of Wolfe’s nonfiction output came earlier, in 1968, with “The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test,” the story of Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters. This was required reading for the college student of the seventies. This was inspirational. Here were a bunch of people rejecting conventional society, making fun of people who rarely got the joke.

So, Jerry Garcia is dead. Tom Wolfe too. When I talked to Dan Hicks in the nineties he was burned out, still singing for his supper, after all these were not people with IRAs, but living in the now.

And not only are so many of the musicians gone, now their audience is disappearing too. And their stories with them. This won’t happen to the modern era, everything is digitized, at your fingertips, but before that…

I highly recommend the first episode of this series. And if you’re younger than forty, stick around for the second too, it will be new to you.

But mostly the series bummed me out. Because I’d been there and done that and seemingly everybody has moved on from there. Warmongers employ the peace sign. Groupthink is prevalent.

But once upon a time it was all about being an individual, on your own trip. That was what the sixties in San Francisco were all about.

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Nick WagonerESPN staff writerJuly 3, 2023 at 6:00 am ET6 minutes reading

Cameron Latu’s best highlights on his move to the 49ers

Find out why the San Francisco 49ers selected Cameron Latu in the third round of the NFL draft.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — For the past six years, the San Francisco 49ers have spoken frequently about making significant moves at the tight end to complement George Kittle.

Despite flirting — they were in the process of signing Austin Hooper before he landed with the Cleveland Browns in 2020 — the Niners never invested in anything more than low-cost free agents or late-round picks at the position.

Since Kittle joined the league in 2017, the list of the Niners’ other tight ends reads like a who’s who from Who’s That? The 11 other tight ends who played offensive snaps for the Niners during this period include Logan Paulsen, Daniel Helm, Levine Toilolo and two Coles (Wick and Hikutini).

Those 11 tight ends have played 3,411 total snaps across 220 games, averaging 15.5 offensive snaps per game. The non-kittle tight ends have rushed for 1,333 yards on 111 receptions and 15 touchdowns.

Kittle, meanwhile, has played 4,264 offensive snaps in 82 games, averaging 52 per game. He has 5,254 receiving yards on 395 catches and 31 touchdowns. Suffice to say, the idea of ​​giving Kittle a little breather was easier said than done.

“It’s not like we want to take George’s plays because he’s one of the best players in the league and you want him out there, especially at critical moments,” said tight ends coach Brian Fleury. “But we also want the ability to function at a high level in case he potentially breaks his chin strap and has to be out for a couple of games.”

To that end, the 49ers finally put some more action behind their words in the April NFL draft, picking Alabama tight end Cameron Latu (No. 101 overall) and Oklahoma tight end Brayden Willis in the third round seventh round (No. 247 overall). . The goal isn’t to get Kittle off the field too much, but to choose places where he can find extra rest and have reliable options versatile enough to do anything when Kittle isn’t available.

Therein lies the Kittle riddle. His aggressive style seems injury-prone (he’s missed 16 games in five seasons through injury but only played fewer than 14 games once), but it’s also the thing that has made him one of the most prolific tight ends in the league in his history first six seasons.

“It’s just the reality of the game we’re playing and the style in which he’s playing it,” Fleury said.

The dilemma is that Kittle is equally effective as both a pass catcher and blocker, leaving defenses in the dark when he’s on the field. Easier said than done is finding tight ends who aren’t specialists who could give the defense a clue as to what’s to come.

“It’s the luxury we have on the field with George,” Fleury said. “We’re unpredictable when it comes to how we use the tight end. Many other teams don’t have that luxury. And if we don’t have George on the field, we need to have him.” aware, “Are we creating tendencies with one tight end against another?” So it’s up to us to balance those issues. It is a challenge and we are aware of it.”

George Kittle had a career-best 11 touchdown passes last year, including seven in his last four games.Brandon Sloter/Icon Sportswire

In 2022, Kittle had 60 catches for 765 yards but set a career-high with 11 touchdown catches in 15 games. Kittle has been particularly effective at finding the end zone after Brock Purdy took over as quarterback, catching seven touchdown passes over the past four weeks.

Perhaps more importantly, Kittle says he finished the season healthier than he’s been in years. Kittle didn’t have to worry about sore ankles, hamstring injuries or other injuries and was able to approach his off-season in a way that allowed him to work on improvement rather than rehab. As two areas of focus, Kittle points to getting in and out of breaks faster on his routes and improving his catch radius.

“It just allowed me to work the way I wanted to earlier in the offseason,” Kittle said. “Actually, I was able to lay a good foundation… The ability to get on the field, run good distances, catch the ball and not miss anything, it’s just a lot more fun to be on the football field than on the field .” the side watching.

That hasn’t stopped Kittle from keeping an eye on the Niners’ new tight end signings, however. Kittle is one of the founders of Tight End University, a now annual gathering of NFL tight ends to train together and share tips on how to play at the position. Both of the Niners’ newcomers are invited and quickly joined Kittle, showering him with questions and watching intently as he does reps in practice.

Perhaps that shouldn’t come as a surprise considering Latu and Willis named Kittle as one of the players they hoped to emulate on the pitch.

“We saw a lot of George Kittle,” Willis said. “He does so many things that we do on offense, like the same schemes that we do in terms of gap, zone, outer zone, inner zone, counterattack and all sorts of things. … He’s a willing blocker, great pass.” -Catcher, great athlete, guy who can do anything. We look at him as a pawn, a guy who can move, a guy who can do a lot of things and pay the other team to do it, and that’s how I see him myself. I look forward to learning from him. He’s one of the best in the business and I can’t think of a better mentor for me and my style of play.”

Latu and Willis have to earn their chances. Both have a reputation for being willing blockers, but need more tweaking when it comes to passing. And they’ll still have competition from veterans like Charlie Woerner and Ross Dwelley making the roster. Whoever makes it will work behind Kittle, and the Niners will find other ways to keep Kittle fresh, such as not assigning him certain blocks or giving him breaks during season training.

“If you’re thinking of how to complement the rest of the space, just look for a combination of all of those skills in those behind George,” Fleury said. “It’s up to us to determine who is in the game at what point. So if George isn’t there, we have to make sure we make the best of it.”

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Nick WagonerESPN staff writerMay 17, 2023 6:00 am ET6 minutes reading

Why the Eagles aren’t the favorite in the NFC

Dan Graziano explains why the 49ers are the betting favorite over the 49ers.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — After another turbulent offseason filled with the usual staples like quarterback woes and injury updates, the San Francisco 49ers finally return to the field Monday for the NFL’s May bid, the one closest to actual training.

And while the answers to many of their remaining questions won’t be available for months, the Niners can start gathering more information before training camp begins in late July.

With that in mind, here’s a look at some of the most pressing issues facing the 49ers in opening organized team activities.

Who is in the middle?

No serious list of the 49ers’ problems can begin without discussing the quarterback. They believe that in Brock Purdy they have their quarterback for the short and long term, but they won’t have him for OTAs as he continues to recover from ulnar collateral ligament surgery in his right (throwing) elbow. Purdy appears to be on the right track and is expected to begin a throwing program in early June that will give the Niners a better idea of ​​the timeline for their return.

The Niners now have three signalers – Trey Lance, Sam Darnold and Brandon Allen – under contract. Coach Kyle Shanahan has said that Lance and Darnold will get first-team substitutes in the offseason program. That’s not necessarily indicative of a pecking order, but the 49ers want to create as much competition as possible between this duo rather than just reinstate Lance as a starter while Purdy recovers.

“We’re coming to training camp,” Shanahan said. “Hopefully we’ll get Brock back soon… You never know how much we’ll end up doing in the OTA sessions, but it’s been good to have two guys out there throwing.”

This offseason is crucial for Trey Lance, especially with suspected starting quarterback Brock Purdy out for OTAs Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire

This is a particularly important off-season for Lance, who has been fully healed of the fractured right ankle he sustained in Week 2 last season and is even further away from the broken bone in his right index finger that slowed his development as a rookie . Despite ongoing trade speculation, general manager John Lynch has stated that he believes Lance will be a 49er in 2023. If that’s the case, it’s up to Lance to determine what his role will be while Darnold adjusts to a new offense.

“Trey knows exactly what the situation is,” Lynch said. “His mindset is all about competition and I think that’s exactly what his mindset should be. We’re thrilled with the position he’s put himself in with the work he’s put in this offseason to No. 1 get healthy, No. 2 get better over some things he was dying to improve on … We are thrilled with Trey’s ability to apply for a job.”

When does Nick Bosa get his big payday?

As usual, Bosa has spent his off-season in Florida training with his brother Joey. That’s nothing to worry about as this has been Bosa’s MO for years. However, Bosa is the next candidate for a market-defining contract extension for a defender.

The Niners and Bosa have said throughout that they will be patient when it comes to closing a deal. Recent precedent would indicate that there is not much to worry about. In recent years, the Niners worked their way through their offseason business before turning their attention to big-money renewal. And all of that — tight end George Kittle, linebacker Fred Warner, and receiver Deebo Samuel — were completed either right before training camp or shortly after it opened.

A deal for Bosa is expected to materialize in the same window as the others, if not a little sooner.

“I’ve said many times that this is a priority for this offseason,” Lynch said. “History shows that we have a really good track record of doing and making this happen. I look forward to working on it when the time comes.”

Will there be more squad changes?

Earlier this offseason, the 49ers implemented simple contract reshuffles at cornerbacks Charvarius Ward and Warner to provide the necessary salary cap headroom for entry into free agency. Then, just before the NFL draft, they made another game with running back Christian McCaffrey, opening up $8.576 million in additional space. The move prompted some to question whether they were preparing to move for another veteran in an emergency situation.

According to Lynch, the primary reason for the move was to make room for the team’s rookie class signing, but he also kept an option open to look around.

“It just gives us some space,” Lynch said. “We will see. We will never stop looking for players who can help and it’s just that a lot of spots are filled and where they aren’t we will fill them up when needed.”

The Niners have a full 90-man roster going into the OTAs but will likely create even more space as they lengthen Bosa, meaning they have some flexibility in adding experienced offensive line help, want to look at Edge Rusher or elsewhere. Even when nothing is imminent, OTAs offer Shanahan and Lynch an opportunity to assess what they have and act accordingly when they feel more is needed.

What will the offensive line look like?

The 49ers are returning four of their five starting offensive players from last season but must replace powerful right tackle Mike McGlinchey, who signed a five-year, $87.5 million deal with the Denver Broncos in March. After refusing to invest free-agent money or significant draft resources in the position, they made it clear they believe McGlinchey’s replacement in the form of swing tackle Colton McKivitz is already on the roster.

McKivitz has only started five games since the Niners drafted him in the fifth round in 2020, but they believed in him enough to sign him on a two-year, $4.56 million extension this offseason.

“You can win with Colton,” Shanahan said. “He’s been here a while. When he played, we won games with him… I understand not everyone else knows that much about them because they haven’t seen them, but I mean that’s what we wanted to do.” I’m hoping to create a draft in hoping to find depth and find some competition, but to go into that draft thinking you’re going to find someone starting over from someone like Colton or as good as Colton can and was would be very unusual . “

The Niners’ hope is that McKivitz can follow the path of center Jake Brendel, a relatively unknown player who took the starting center job in 2022 despite much outside consternation and played well enough to earn a four-year, $16.5million contract in March to receive US dollars.

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Nick WagonerESPN AuthorMay 9, 2023 6:00 am ET5 minutes read

Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel’s combined cap count is set to increase by just over $30 million next season as part of their current deals. Michael Owens/Getty Images

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — After San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch sold DeForest Buckner to the Indianapolis Colts in 2020, he described it as the toughest decision he’d made since taking the job three years earlier .

Similar difficult scenarios have surfaced since, most recently with proper tackle Mike McGlinchey, the No. 9 overall pick in the 2018 draft. McGlinchey wanted to stay in San Francisco and the Niners wanted to keep him, but well before McGlinchey signed a five-year, 87.5 contract in March million dollars signed with the Denver Broncos, it was clear the teams were headed for a breakup.

At the heart of these decisions were the either-or choices between great players that most teams would love to have. In 2020, that meant Buckner was out as his defenseman Arik Armstead stayed on. This year, it was McGlinchey on the move because Williams signed a contract in 2021 that made him the highest-paid offensive tackle in the game. To a lesser extent, the 49ers opted to re-sign linebacker Dre Greenlaw rather than retain Azeez Al-Shaair.

All of this sets the table for what could be San Francisco’s next big contract dilemma: what to do with receivers Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk. Given that Samuel signed a three-year, $71.55 million extension in August, it seems too early to discuss. But with Aiyuk eligible for an extension and coming off a season in which he, not Samuel or Pro Bowl tight end George Kittle, picked up the team, he’s well on his way to a big payday.

“That’s a good question,” Lynch said. “That’s a valid question because I understand the mindset. You can’t keep them all.”

That mindset, combined with the 49ers getting calls from teams interested in acquiring Aiyuk, was enough to make people wonder if the Niners could actually move him this year. The rumor mill worked so hard during draft week that Aiyuk, the #25 pick in the 2020 draft, had moments of doubt. On April 28, Aiyuk tweeted that he received a call from his agent who was “just chatting” but was worried it might be the call that was delivered to him.

While Lynch and Shanahan insist they will listen to everyone – they joke they’ll swap if the offer is good enough – they never planned on doing anything other than keeping Aiyuk for 2023.

The Niners kept Aiyuk and picked up his fifth-year rookie option before the May 1 deadline, which guarantees him a base salary of $14.124 million for the 2024 season if he doesn’t sign a renewal by then. Therein lies the predicament of the 49ers. Traditionally, they prefer not to sign first-round picks for an overtime until after their fourth season. That will happen later this summer with Nick Bosa, who is likely to become the league’s highest-paid defender once his deal is finalized.

If Aiyuk can build on the 78 catches, 1,015 yards and eight touchdowns he clinched in 2022, there’s a fair argument that he’s not only San Francisco’s best straight pass catcher, but also one of the league’s burgeoning receivers. With the cost of top wideouts rising, the Niners would theoretically have to choose between Samuel and Aiyuk.

That could happen eventually, but there’s also a way for the Niners to delay that decision for at least another year while they continue chasing their elusive sixth Lombardi trophy. Samuel’s salary cap for 2023 is an affordable $8.65 million, while Aiyuk’s is a little under $4 million. Their total increases from $12.65 million to a whopping $42,696,000 in 2024.

But under normal circumstances, most first-round picks who sign a lucrative long-term deal will have a more manageable first-year salary cap than if they had played with the fifth-year option. Samuel’s cap in 2022 after signing his renewal was $6.88 million and won’t drastically increase until 2024 ($28.5 million). That’s still a significant investment. But it’s not outrageous to think that the Niners could keep Samuel and Aiyuk together for a few more seasons by structuring an Aiyuk overtime to limit his short-term cap hits.

Regardless, the Niners view Aiyuk differently than players like Buckner and McGlinchey, largely due to their development as a franchise. The Niners made some of their earlier decisions to try to extend their Super Bowl window as long as possible. Your current choices are made to jump through this window before it closes.

“We’re trying to do something special this year and Brandon will be a big part of that and beyond,” Lynch said. “You always have to think a few years, but we’re really excited for Brandon. I feel like he took another big step last year and I think the best is yet to come and that’s why we want him to be a part of it.

“Right now and in the future, we’re really excited about Brandon Aiyuk and where he is as a professional.”

Another major factor in how this might play out: the Niners’ belief in quarterback Brock Purdy. Purdy is expected to return to the starting role this season and beyond once he recovers from right elbow surgery. Purdy is not eligible for a contract extension until after the 2024 season and has cap hits of $889,253 and $1,004,253 in 2023 and 2024, respectively.

That bargain price coincides with massive cap jumps for Kittle, Williams, and linebacker Fred Warner. It also goes a long way in helping the Niners afford to keep their core for at least two more seasons and sign high-profile free agent defensive tackle Javon Hargrave. And if Purdy delivers and earns a lucrative deal of its own, San Francisco has even more onerous decisions to make.

“That was the whole goal,” Shanahan said. “If we could get a quarterback on a rookie deal to play at a high, high, high enough level that we thought we could win with that, then we thought we could build our team.”

The post When will 49ers have to decide on between Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel? – ESPN – San Francisco 49ers Weblog appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Hello Archinect,

I’m at 518 Valencia in San Francisco for a panel hosted by San Francisco Transit Riders on the role of public transit in fighting climate change.

The event will be moderated by Ellen WuExecutive Director of Urban Habitat and the panelists are:

• Amanda EakenChairman of the Board of Directors of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) and Director of Transportation and Climate at the Natural Resources Defense Council
• Jason HendersonProfessor in the Department of Geography and the Environment at San Francisco State University and author of Street Fight: The Politics of Mobility in San Francisco
• Tom RadulovichPolicy & Planning for Livable City, and past elected director of the Bay Area Rapid Transit District from 1996 to 2016
• John Anderson350 Member of the San Francisco Coordinating Committee

6:39: Ellen Wu asks Amanda Eaken to do the prelude, and Eaken asks the small assembled crowd: How much of San Francisco’s emissions come from traffic? We throw out guesswork and it turns out the answer is 42%. How much of our transport emissions come from private cars? 72% And how much of our total emissions come from public transport? 1%.

Left to right: Amanda Eaken, Jason Henderson, Tom Radulovich, John Anderson. Not pictured: Ellen Wu.

6:43: John Anderson: …We are looking at conditions on planet Earth that nature has never encountered before and facing changes that we cannot predict. We know that if global temperatures rise by two degrees or more, we are on an irreversible course.

Ellen Wu: Thanks for throwing down the gauntlet; We will spend the rest of our time tonight talking about how to mitigate that risk.

Tom Radulovich: There are other costs of our current car-centric transportation system in the United States, not just climate. The United States spends as much on parking as it does on the military. And low-income communities are disproportionately affected by pollution and traffic violence.

So when we think about climate justice, we also have to think about health – and by extension, the importance of infrastructure for livable cities through cycling and walking.

… We also have to think about things like: How do we help people to find new jobs if we phase out polluting industries?

6:50: Jason Henderson: Climate justice is about cumulative emissions over time, and that affects generations. The United States’ cumulative emissions far exceed those of the rest of the world, and that’s important. Another thing we don’t always take into account is displaced emissions, the global emissions of making things that are consumed by the wealthiest 10% of us [disproportionately in the United States].

Henderson points out that people can really change their behavior significantly and quickly; Mobilization can be rapid. For example, when the Covid lockdowns took place, people generally complied despite the politically polarized environment in the United States.

Host Ellen Wu

Wu asks the panelists to think about how we can turn this crisis into an opportunity. Eaken responds first, addressing the tax cliff faced by the SFMTA and other transit agencies across the state.

Eaken: You all know that transit has been hit hard during the pandemic. And yet 100,000 people drove MUNI every day – mostly essential workers. Today we’re back to 400,000, but we haven’t fully recovered yet. So we need to increase ridership, help get more people paying, and push the state to provide gap funding to bridge us over the transit tax cliff when federal funds run out. In addition, federal highway funds may be used to cover local public transit.

Radulovich commends Seamless Bay Area for working on the tricky problem of how to help our various transit companies work better together for drivers.

Wu: What political hurdles stand in our way?

Henderson: That’s what I study. San Francisco has a lot of car values, a focus on parking and a sense that curb space is private. That said, it’s also true that as the city gentrifies, there are people who rent and park their cars on the street and wealthier people who buy houses, which more often have their own garages. So there are fairness issues in that regard.

There is also resistance to cycling – not so much political resistance, but more institutional. The infrastructure just isn’t there. At San Francisco State University, where Henderson teaches, more students would likely ride bikes if it was easier to get their bikes on MUNI buses. “So that’s some feedback for you, Madame Chair.”

Eaken: “Thanks for your comment!” [Audience laughter; we all know that Chair Eaken spends a lot of time in SFMTA meetings hearing public comment.]

7:06: Wu: What can we learn from other cities?

Radulovich: Mayor Anne Hidalgo in Paris has done a lot to shift the street space from cars to pedestrians, cyclists and public transport. And they’re seeing huge changes downtown and even the outer ring.

And there are also things that we did well in San Francisco, such as:

And [State Senator] Scott Wiener says we should always build a subway, and that’s great – but that work is slow. We could build two or three miles of subways in a decade. Alternatively, we can build a light rail system if we have the political will to allocate surface street space for it. One reason people prefer subways to overground transportation is that street space remains untouched. but does that always have to be the goal?

Wu: What makes you hopeful?

Henderson: The 2024 election will have a large turnout, especially in San Francisco. So we need transit priority on the ballot and link it to climate and our goal for 80% of travel to be “sustainable” (which has been defined as transit, cycling, walking and carpooling for this purpose). [Henderson is referencing the fact that higher turnout elections tend to have more progressive voters].

Eaken tells stories of many cities building priority lanes for transit. In a city where 1% of the vehicles are buses carrying 50% of the people, the first day the transit-only lane was used, the bus flew past the rest of the traffic and “people were literally cheer for the bus.”

Eaken: There is a tale that ridership has fallen. But as Tom pointed out, where we’ve invested in improvements, we’re actually exceeding pre-pandemic ridership. The 49 Van Ness bus is at 109% of pre-pandemic ridership; and we can do this quickly and relatively cheaply. [Note: the 49 is spectacular and has a ton of ridership, but it’s been pointed out to me that its ridership is also boosted by the suspension of the 47 route, which covers similar areas.]

Radulovich: Thorough lanes, slow streets, car-free areas are all exciting things to do in San Francisco. We’re also seeing cracks in the narrative surrounding electric vehicles (EVs) as we realize they’re not the complete answer we’ve been looking for. EVs have a lot of embodied energy, so they need to be driven a lot to offset those environmental costs upfront; and they need a lot of infrastructure changes. We know that 95% of a car’s particulate matter pollution doesn’t come from the exhaust but from the friction of the tires – and electric vehicles are heavier, so they generate more of it.

So we recognize that we need walkable and cycleable cities and modes of transport.

Anderson: I still think electric vehicles are part of the solution. A survey by the Economist a few weeks ago, which showed that young people’s interest in owning a car is declining sharply, gives me the most hope.

Question from the audience: What role do you see in fare-free and cheaper local transport?

Eaken: We made Transit free for youth, which we’re really happy about. My kids kept losing their Clipper cards so that’s great. But our financial challenges are so great, and we know that the number one reason people don’t take public transport is the service, not the fares. So until we have a funding source to cover the revenue from the fares, going fare-free isn’t realistic.

However, there are some people for whom the fare is a liability and we need to have that conversation and subsidize there. But not for the many who aren’t burdened because we have a $100 million tax cliff. $100 million is 20 lines of ammunition, and no one wants to cut 20 lines.

Radulovich: I understand because I used to run a transport company too. But when we think about what we want to encourage as a society and what we discourage – driving alone – then we think about how we price parking compared to public transport. That’s crazy!

With public transport, you should pay for each trip, but when it comes to parking, we hide costs from motorists wherever we can. There is a basic cost to parking because someone had to pay to build this road. You can charge people for the cost of building and maintaining the road and add a means-tested program to subsidize them for low-income people.

So it’s crazy because we’re creating the wrong incentives.

Eaken addresses the audience: If – it’s not a question of if, but when – we propose unpopular things like raising parking fees, we need you all to support it.

Wu: What strategies can we use to make transit as widespread, cool and diverse here as it is around the world?

Eaken: Did you make it to SOMArts for the Muni Raised Me art exhibition? It was amazing! And I love the idea of ​​introducing unexpected experiences and joy What if one in two hundred buses was an art bus, or one in a thousand trips to the DJ? But the transit must also be immaculately reliable. And as Vice Chairman Borden has advocated, we need better customer service. For example, paying for your fare needs to be as easy as possible by tapping on your credit card when you want to.

Radulovich: I’m probably the wrong person to ask how to make things cool for young people. But one thing is skateboards, which are popular with younger people. Skateboard advocacy is still growing and is where bike advocacy was twenty years ago. For example, you can’t take your skateboard into buildings everywhere, and there’s more we can do for skateboarders.

Another thing is electric scooters; something about it caught the imagination of young people. And it’s not just tech bros driving these; It’s a diverse group. We must therefore take young people’s mobility wishes seriously.

Anderson: My dream is to attract local movie stars and celebrities and maybe you’ll find them on the bus. I would also like to see places where scooters can ride that are safe but not on the sidewalk; and being able to bike across the Bay Bridge.

End.

Thank you for reading!

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A Bitter Slice: A Double Murder With Unanswered Questions…

The Enterprise and the South San Francisco Journal reported that around 3:30 p.m. Monday afternoon, a certain Todor Kiprof found two men – Peter Giorgi and Spiro Gioref – at the German and French Bakery on Grand Avenue near Linden Avenue shot and mortally wounded May 1908.

As is all too common, the cause of the crime, in this case a double homicide, was money.

The bakery had been there for a while but was sold to Giorgi at the beginning of April. Much of the money to open the bakery came from Kiprof, although there had been other investors. Kiprof was frustrated that no money was coming back to him and demanded a full settlement from Giorgi. Giorgi basically told him to walk away, probably because he’s only owned the bakery for a very short time. Kiprof then threatened in front of Gioref (the driver of the bakery’s delivery truck) to kill Giorgi. According to The Enterprise, Giorgi and Gioref “laughed at Kiprof and told him that the company lost money since (Giorgi) took it over”.

Kiprof got angry, pulled out an automatic pistol and started shooting at the two men.

The shots, amid a peaceful spring afternoon, quickly drew a crowd, and they found Giorgi still alive but “writhing on the ground.” The quickest route to a hospital was via the van owned by Charles Young, a plumber. Giorgi died in hospital later that night.

Gioref only appeared wounded when he was able to escape from the bakery and run down the street, calling for the police. He made it to a nearby post office before collapsing. He was taken to the same hospital and was lucid enough to testify to District Attorney JJ Bullock, who had been subpoenaed by the coroner. After issuing a full statement detailing the shooting, Gioref also died. Kiprof had walked down Grand Avenue, surrendered his gun, and quickly surrendered.

With eyewitness testimony very soon after the event and Gioref’s detailed testimony, I was surprised to find only a brief continuation in the September 12, 1908 Enterprise, which states: “The trial of Todor Kiprof, who is charged with the Murder of Spiro Giorgi in this city last May 11th is scheduled for next Tuesday in Redwood City. Kiprof was recently charged and acquitted in the murder of Peter Giorgi.”

Why Kiprof was acquitted in what appeared to be a fairly open case involving the murder of Giorgi is beyond me. And I could not find any information about the outcome of the Gioref trial. If one or more readers have more details on the outcome of this case and the fate of Kiprof, please leave them in the comments below!

There was an interesting side note to the whole story, however, and The Enterprise reported on a possibly unrelated murder: Stoyan Steff, one of the eyewitnesses to the aftermath of the shooting (and perhaps also an investor in the bakery), was stabbed to death in July 1908 . He should take a stand in Kiprof’s first trial. But Steff issued a deathbed statement saying he did not recognize his attacker.

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Nick WagonerESPN Author1:49 p.m. ET5 minutes read

DT Javon Hargrave signs four-year deal with the 49ers

Adam Schefter reports that former Eagles DT Javon Hargrave has signed a four-year, $84 million deal with the 49ers.

The free NFL agency is rolling, and we’re tracking every major signing, trade, and release of the 2023 offseason with analysis from our NFL Nation reporters and grades from our experts. The new league year begins March 15 at 4:00 p.m. ET, which means free agents can officially sign after that. The first round of the 2023 NFL Draft begins April 27 on ESPN.

The 49ers are stepping into freehand to take the next step after failing in the NFC Championship Game for the past two seasons. To do that, they’ll likely have to figure out how to replace outstanding free agents like right tackle Mike McGlinchey and linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, among others, while putting money aside to sign Nick Bosa, the reigning NFL defensive end Player of the Year — too a lucrative, long-term extension. The Niners also have to keep an eye out for a possible quarterback as Jimmy Garoppolo departs while holdups Brock Purdy and Trey Lance recover from serious injuries.

Here’s a breakdown of all the 2023 NFL free agents signed by the San Francisco 49ers and how each impacts the upcoming season:

Javon Hargrave signed a four-year contract with the 49ers averaging $21 million a year after registering a career-high 11 sacks last season. (Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire)

Hargrave, the No. 2 free agent on ESPN’s Top 100, has agreed to a four-year, $84 million deal that guarantees $40 million upon signing with the 49ers, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

What it means: Ever since coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch arrived in 2017, the Niners have made the defensive line their number one priority. This group did not live up to the standard in 2022, especially in the interior. So it’s no surprise that the Niners were chasing the best defensive tackle on the market at Hargrave. Landing Hargrave allows the Niners to pair him with Bosa and lineman Arik Armstead. There is still work to be done in the secondary school, but the San Francisco defense was No. 1 in the league last year and has a chance to be even better in 2023 with Hargrave on board. It’s an added bonus that Hargrave’s departure weakens the Eagles, a team the Niners believe will be in contention for the NFC crown for the next few seasons.

What’s the risk: With a reported $21 million per season with $40 million guaranteed, it’s a significant investment in a player who is 30 years old. But Hargrave has proven very durable in his career, missing just three games in his seven seasons. Hargrave is coming off the best season of his career with 11 sacks so it’s fair to ask if he can repeat that, but playing with Bosa should help him continue playing close to that level. The greatest risk may lie in the opportunity cost of taking this step. The Niners don’t have many resources to add to other places that need help and may have to make some sacrifices to make everything work.

Tashaun Gipson Sr. returns to the 49ers on a one-year deal after giving them a big safety boost in 2022 Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Gipson agreed to a one-year contract worth up to $2.9 million on Sunday, a source told ESPN, confirming multiple reports.

What it means: Gipson was one of last season’s better under-the-radar signings for the Niners, signing in late August and quickly becoming a full-time starter in place of an injured Jimmie Ward. He played well enough (his five interceptions was the second most in the NFL) that he kept the job even after Ward returned and the Niners wanted to bring him back. With the return of Gipson, the Niners are presumably set with their two starting safeties (along with Talanoa Hufanga) and can redirect their key resources elsewhere, namely on offense and defense.

What’s the risk: There’s not much of a risk here, as Gipson’s deal is only for one year and is valued at up to $2.9 million. But Gipson is 32 and there were doubts if he wanted to continue playing after the 2022 season. He did and the Niners wanted him back, but he’s still closer to the end of his career than when he started. With that in mind, and with Ward and Tarvarius Moore slated to become unrestricted free agents, the Niners need to continue to build their position looking ahead.

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Nick WagonerESPN AuthorFebruary 14, 20236 minutes read

Why George Kittle craves QB stability at the 49ers

George Kittle reflects on the “frustrating” quarterback turnover with the 49ers in recent years and explains his desire for stability in the position going forward.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — As per tradition, San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle stood in front of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo’s locker as he answered questions from reporters on locker cleaning day following the 49ers’ loss in the NFC Championship game.

Kittle had just covered everything from the pain of losing to the Philadelphia Eagles to the amount of microphones a reporter was holding when the subject, which he had been unable to avoid in his six years in the league, was brought up. When Kittle heard the word “quarterback,” he stopped the question in its tracks, noting that he’s no stranger to questions about the game’s most important position.

“I had a six-year career and a year with a quarterback,” Kittle said. “Besides that, I’ve had two or more. Four out of six (years) I’ve had three or more… I just love having an abundance of quarterbacks to choose from.”

The sarcasm in Kittle’s voice served as a cover for the apparent frustration he and the 49ers have had since coach Kyle Shanahan’s arrival as quarterback in 2017. While the Niners have had a lot of success — they’ve gone to the NFC Championship Game in three of the last four years — there’s an unmistakable sense that if they only had a quarterback that could do it, they would have at least one Super Bowl title is to stay fit and healthy.

Instead, San Francisco has gone through six quarterbacks – Garoppolo, Nick Mullens, CJ Beathard, Brian Hoyer, Brock Purdy and Trey Lance – who have started at least four games since 2017. Injuries have played the biggest role in musical play quarterbacks and, after the Niners ended the loss to the Eagles with zero-signal callers who could throw the ball, are once again driving the Niners’ biggest offseason storyline: Who Will Be in 2023 be their starter?

If you’d asked that question in September, the answer would likely have been Lance, who the Niners drafted No. 3 overall in 2021 after trading two first-rounders for promotion. If you had asked in October or November, Garoppolo would have been a legitimate possibility. If you had asked in December or most of January, all signs would have pointed to Purdy, the final choice of the 2022 draft.

Here in February, the Niners don’t necessarily have an answer, at least not one set in stone, aside from the near-certainty that Garoppolo won’t return after becoming a free agent in March. Early indications are that it will ultimately come down to either Purdy or Lance, with Purdy being the favorite if he is healthy. It’s the only logical way to look at it since they’re also the only two quarterbacks signed for next year and beyond.

“I know we have two starters on our team right now that I think we can win with,” said coach Kyle Shanahan. “When you have that situation, you’re not so eager to look around.”

Based on his game in 2022, Purdy should be seen as a leader to start next season, but whether that comes to fruition will depend largely on how he recovers from a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.

Purdy is due to have surgery on that right elbow on February 22, with hopes that he can be fully released in about six months, which would eventually see him back in training camp. When Purdy and Shanahan had their exit meeting, the topic of next year’s launch didn’t even come up.

“In terms of who’s going to be the starter and who we’re bringing in or any moves or anything, we haven’t covered any of that,” Purdy said. “To be honest, I didn’t want to hear anything. I just wanted to focus on my recovery now and what I’m doing with my arm moving forward.”

Assuming Purdy can recover in time, it’s hard to imagine anyone ushering him in as a starter considering how he’s performing in eight starts. He was a revelation when healthy, finishing with a 70.3 QBR (third-best in the NFL) after stepping in for Garoppolo in Week 13. The Niners went 8-1 in games where Purdy grabbed the most snaps, with the only loss coming to the Eagles in a game where Purdy only caught six snaps before suffering the elbow injury after being hit by Haason Reddick had been beaten on a stripsack. Purdy reentered when backup Josh Johnson suffered a concussion and ended the game, but was limited to just two short pass attempts and 13 handoffs.

“I don’t see why you can’t trust Brock Purdy after putting it all together,” Kittle said.

As Shanahan is quick to point out, Purdy’s recovery means the Niners won’t have to make a decision anytime soon, which opens the door for Lance to reassert himself. Lance suffered a fractured right ankle that required two surgeries to repair in a Week 2 win against the Seattle Seahawks. But Lance is expected to be released in three to four weeks and said he should be back at 100% in time for organized team activities in May.

The Niners need to add at least one more quarterback to get through the offseason program, but Lance shouldn’t have a shortage of opportunities.

“I’m looking forward to going out and showing what I can do,” Lance said. “The same situation it’s been for me for the last two years and really my whole life.”

For their part, the 49ers recognize that the constant quarterback injuries made it difficult for them to win the sixth Lombardi Trophy, but they also know that Purdy and Lance are their best options right now. While acknowledging that somehow they need to add another quarterback or two, Shanahan said he wants “the best thing that’s available that fits into our team’s structure and the salary cap and all of that.”

Suffice it to say the 49ers aren’t teeming with cap space and don’t seem ready to go big game hunting. At least not now. This is especially true given that Tom Brady has already announced his retirement and the many complications that would come with chasing Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers, who is unlikely to be treated in the NFC, has far too large a contract for the Niners to have accepting him, and almost certainly will require compensation beyond what the Niners could offer.

All of this leads to the natural conclusion that San Francisco will most likely lean on Purdy and Lance with the possibility of signing a mid-level veteran like Andy Dalton, Jacoby Brissett or Teddy Bridgewater for insurance. Matt Ryan could also be an intriguing name if it becomes available and the price is right. That’s a task made easier by the fact that Lance and Purdy — along with a $10.19 million salary cap in 2023 — are on their rookie deals.

“Bottom line, it’s better to have a quarterback that you really believe in because it’s such an important position,” said general manager John Lynch. “Coincidentally there are two young people that we really like, so I think that more than anything would bring us to it. … I think it’s something we can exploit if we choose to go in that direction.”

One way or another, the Niners are hoping they can finally find some quarterback stability and play a full season with the same starter for the first time since Garoppolo led the 49ers to Super Bowl LIV in 2019.

“It’s just the situation we’re in,” Kittle said. “For whatever reason, sometimes our quarterback position gets hurt and it’s unfortunate … And we’ve been dealing with that for a while, so hopefully we can fix that mistake and just play quarterback.”

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SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The San Francisco 49ers have had a different rushing leader every year since coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch arrived in 2017.

And they’ve gotten significant production from a group largely comprised of unknowns, though former first-round pick Carlos Hyde (2017) was a holdover from the previous regime. In the four seasons that followed Hyde, the Niners leading rusher has been a former undrafted free agent (Matt Breida, Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson Jr.) and a sixth-round pick last year in Elijah Mitchell.

If you tied your fantasy team’s hopes to a Niners running back based on the previous season’s production, you probably came out disappointed. As we head toward season no. 6 for Shanahan and Lynch, that trend may continue.

That’s because the Niners, for the second year in a row, invested a third-round pick in a running back, this time LSU’s Tyrion Davis-Price. This after the Niners re-signed Wilson and JaMycal Hasty while Mostert departed for the Miami Dolphins in free agency.

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The addition of Davis-Price gives the Niners a crowded running backs room that also includes Mitchell, Wilson, Hasty, Trey Sermon and undrafted rookie Jordan Mason. Not all will make the roster, but recent history shows the majority will contribute at some point in 2022.

“There’s plenty of room for these guys,” Lynch said. “Most seasons we’ve used four, we’ve used five. … We emphasize the run game here and we want versatile backs. I think we have that with our collection of guys, and we’re excited about that group. ”

While there’s no denying injuries have forced the Niners to play musical running backs in recent seasons, it is fair to wonder why they needed to draft another running back with a relatively early pick. That’s not a knock on Davis-Price so much as a testament to the Niners’ ability to uncover late-round and undrafted gems.

Just last year, the team selected Sermon in the third round and gave him every opportunity in camp to become Mostert’s primary backup. Instead, Mitchell emerged as the more reliable option and, after Mostert suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 1, Mitchell set a franchise record for most rushing yards by a rookie (963) while adding five rushing touchdowns. He did it in just 11 regular-season games, which speaks to his production but also to an inability to stay on the field.

For Mitchell, this offseason has been all about getting healthy after knee, rib, concussion and shoulder issues, and trying to bulk up to better handle the rigors of the NFL season. Mitchell hopes to play at 215 pounds in 2022, which is about 15 more than he carried last season.

“I definitely want to put some more mass on,” Mitchell said.

The 49ers still view Mitchell as their top option in the run game as they open organized team activities this week. But they also envision Davis-Price emerging as a bigger, more powerful complement. Listed at 6-foot, 211 pounds at the NFL scouting combine, Davis-Price ran the 40-yard dash in 4.48 seconds. He played his final season at LSU around 225 pounds and says he plans to be in the 220-222 range in San Francisco.

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That would give the Niners a more physical presence at running back, something they lacked in 2021 when none of their backs weighed more than Sermon at 215 pounds.

“I love delivering the blow,” Davis-Price said. “I don’t like getting tackled. I know it happens but I hate getting tackled. I love bringing the contact to them so that they don’t want to tackle you. In the first, second quarter they might take it a little bit , but eventually they don’t want any more of it. That is always my mindset, to go and attack the defender and wear them out, make them quit.”

That approach could go a long way in helping the Niners in short-yardage situations, where they were perfect in 2021 when close enough for quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to execute a sneak but one of the NFL’s least successful teams when handing it off.

To wit:

• The 49ers ranked 29th in the league in third-down run conversion percentage, gaining a first down on just 42.4% of their rushing attempts on third down.

• On handoffs to running backs, their conversion rate of 42.1% was last in the NFL on fourth or third-and-3 or fewer.

• They averaged 2.3 yards per carry on third-and-2 or fewer yards, which ranked 26th in the NFL.

In 2021, Davis-Price had 36 carries for 153 yards and two touchdowns on third or fourth down. From that, he went for 111 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries when the Tigers faced third or fourth down with 3 or fewer yards to go.

While those might feel like deep-in-the-weeds numbers, it’s worth considering the Niners’ last two postseason losses came in part because of the offense’s inability to keep the chains moving in the fourth quarter. Davis-Price should also help lighten the load on star receiver Deebo Samuel, who split time between wideout and running back for the back half of the season after injuries ravaged the running back room.

“The more guys you can add the better, but kind of the physicality that he brings gives you a chance to have a very physical one-two punch,” Shanahan said. “I thought Deebo helped us do that towards the end of last year bringing that in, but you don’t want that to be just your one- two punch. You got to bring in some other backs to do that. I do think we have some guys on roster that have a chance.”

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SANTA CLARA, Calif. — To the surprise of many, perhaps even some of those inside the walls of team headquarters, Jimmy Garoppolo is still a member of the San Francisco 49ers.

The first week of the new league year has come and gone and the Niners have yet to find a taker for Garoppolo on the trade market. As the game of quarterback musical chairs continues, the amount of open seats has significantly dwindled and the final tunes are about to be played.

All of which begs one big question: Why have the Niners been unable to deal Garoppolo?

Too many other dominoes

After the 49ers fell to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship Game, general manager John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan mostly played coy about Garoppolo’s future, but it was clear from Garoppolo’s own news conference that he believed his days as a Niner were all but over. Garoppolo offered an emotional goodbye and acknowledged that he and Lynch discussed trade destinations.

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The hope for both parties was that Garoppolo would be one of the best quarterbacks available in a market full of teams in need. For a moment, at least, it looked like that might happen. Tom Brady retired from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson appeared to be staying put in Green Bay and Seattle, respectively. Nobody knew what to make of Deshaun Watson’s pending legal issues.

It all changed when Wilson was traded to Denver and Brady announced he was coming back. Wilson was a double whammy for the Niners, removing the Broncos as a potential suitor and leaving a quarterback void on the division rival Seattle Seahawks, a team the 49ers would prefer not to trade with.

Dominoes continued to fall elsewhere as the Washington Commanders traded a pair of third-round picks to the Indianapolis Colts for Carson Wentz, in no small part because of Garoppolo’s pending right shoulder surgery.

When a Harris County grand jury declined to indict Watson on sexual misconduct allegations, he immediately became the object of the remaining QB-focused teams’ desire. Watson’s trade to the Cleveland Browns tipped over even more unforeseen dominoes, leading to Jameis Winston’s return to the New Orleans Saints, Matt Ryan’s trade to the Colts and Marcus Mariota’s signing with the Atlanta Falcons.

As it stands, the Browns are seeking a home for Baker Mayfield with the Carolina Panthers and Seattle as the two most logical landing spots remaining for him and Garoppolo.

It always made sense that teams in need of quarterback help would want to pursue bigger and better options than Garoppolo. Few could have foreseen that so many would be available, though.

Shoulder surgery snag

Even if the 49ers had found offers for Garoppolo in, say, February, news of his right shoulder surgery and inability to throw until early July would have tossed a wrench into any deal. Trades agreed to at that time could not be made official until March 16, and trades also require physicals, which Garoppolo probably wouldn’t have passed. The reset button could have easily come into play on any agreed-upon pact.

Garoppolo’s shoulder injury means he would likely miss the entire offseason program for a new team, no small thing for a quarterback learning a new system. That’s something that concerned the Colts and at least one other interested team.

The shoulder surgery also added to a lengthy list of injuries on Garoppolo’s résumé. A big part of the reason the Niners are moving on from him is his inability to stay consistently on the field.

That’s also the chance the Niners took by hanging on to Garoppolo, starting him throughout the season and hoping he could reestablish his trade value. He almost made it, but his latest injury happened at the worst possible time for a trade to come together.

‘At his ceiling’

Of course, there are football reasons that a deal for Garoppolo hasn’t come together. Multiple sources outside the organization wondered whether Garoppolo is already “at his ceiling” and suggested that moving away from a good situation with Shanahan designing and calling the plays and the talent surrounding him would make it difficult to get commensurate production elsewhere.

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Since Garoppolo doesn’t rise to the level of a Wilson or Watson, it’s understandable why a team would be hesitant to give up much in compensation and salary (roughly $25 million for an acquiring team) for a player who might be no more than a one-year placeholder.

It’s why, when combined with the shoulder injury, a team such as the Pittsburgh Steelers would rather roll the dice on upside with a younger, cheaper, and more athletic player in Mitch Trubisky.

The Niners could still find a trade partner for Garoppolo, though when and for what are increasingly difficult questions to answer. Hanging on to him for now is possible and would provide some financial benefit since he is due a $7.5 million injury guarantee. On the field, keeping Garoppolo wouldn’t technically interfere with the transition to Trey Lance since Garoppolo isn’t able to participate in the offseason program anyway, leaving Lance to get the starter’s reps.

Eventually, though, something is going to have to change. It’s hard to envision a scenario where Garoppolo is back on his current contract, though retaining him to gain more certainty about Lance’s progress is an option.

Releasing Garoppolo would save about $18 million, with the other $7.5 million to come back once he signs with another team for up to that amount. That’s an outcome that seems unlikely, at least for right now, since things can change elsewhere with injuries or draft plans or both. It can’t be ruled out down the line, however.

One way or the other, it appears more patience is required before a resolution is found.

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