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the demise, disgrace and embarrassment |
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the demise, disgrace and embarrassment |
In December 1997, facing rumors of an impending federal indictment on fraud, racketeering and/or bribery charges relating to his gambling dealings in Louisiana, Edward DeBartolo, Jr. signed an agreement giving managing control of the 49ers to his sister, Denise DeBartolo York, in essence abdicating his rule over the 49ers. Amongst the loud cheers among Niner-haters and proponents of justice everywhere, the NHS, though optimistic, cautioned, "Don't get your hopes up." Our caution was well-founded.
Predictably, Eddie D. reversed his resignation and decided that notwithstanding his gambling/bribery connections, felony conviction and rumors of impropriety and insolvency, he should be the one running the 49ers, and everyone else be damned. Sadly for some and comical for us, the path Eddie has chosen is to abandon many of his closest allies of the past, desert his own sister and even forsake members of the heretofore vaunted and now obviously fictional "49er family", such as Carmen Policy.
As one would expect, this unsavory affair has sent ripples into all facets of the franchise. For the NHS, the end result of who ultimately sits in the merlot-and-cheddar throne is secondary to how this saga will impact the long-held myths associated with the team. Questions must be examined, such as: What will happen to the new stadium already embroiled in controversy? Will the media continue to pander to the 49ers' interests? How will the typical, ignorant 49er fan react? Is there anyone still left that's stupid enough to believe in the myths of the "49er family" or "49er class"?
In addition, the import of this scandal must not lose significance when the 49ers' past is examined. For the past two decades, Eddie and the 49ers have been lauded as a model franchise, adored by the media, and even had the gall to incorporate "class" into their official company slogan. While 49er-haters easily saw through this propaganda, millions of people were duped into believing the fake image of "49er class", and that was one of the driving forces behind the creation of the NHS and this website. Sure, everyone now sees the true stench of Eddie and the 49ers, and it will taint everything the franchise does in the future; however, the taint must be properly translated back to the past as well. Everyone needs to remember that the 49ers have never been about class or family, but have always been about about money, deceit and corruption, and anything they supposedly earned while under Eddie's reign deserves an asterisk next to it as the product of sleaze.
Finally, the most important role for NHS during this soap opera is to entertain Niner-haters everywhere. So sit back, click away and enjoy the show as the 49ers make fools of themselves once again for our amusement.
With the gambling scandal, conviction, and other associated embarrassments, Eddie DeBartolo has been in essence dragged out from under his rock and his true nature exposed in broad daylight. Many were horrified by what they were seeing for the first time. After all, up until these recent scandals, Eddie was constantly referred to by the media as "a classy owner" or "the class of the NFL", and the 49ers regarded as "the model franchise". To buoy this image, the 49ers created an official slogan for themselves, "50 Years of Winning With Class". The cumulative result of this avalanche of propaganda is that many people today think of Eddie as a classy guy with a long history of being an upstanding owner who just recently has changed for the worse.
The NHS, of course, has seen through the facade from day one. We've toiled to expose the true nature of Eddie, and to those that are new to the stench, it is important that you know the full story. Contrary to what his spin machine would like you to believe, Eddie has always walked the other side of the line of decency.
For example, in 1992, Eddie was accused of sexual and physical assault of a cocktail waitress. Another example of Eddie's character was when he punched a Green Bay fan. This act, while mostly buried by the media, at least prompted a slap on the wrist from the NFL. (text version of letter).
Eddie's world is one surrounded by illegality. His father's corporation had been nailed by the S.E.C. for securities fraud in the past, and the 49ers were fined $60,000 for a 1991 illegal campaign contribution scheme. Eddie learned well, embarking on his own sleazy campaign for a 49ers stadium/mall (more in chapter 6).
But even more telling than these glaring particular instances is watching Eddie live or in person. If you've seen Eddie in a press conference or interview, you see very quickly what he's all about (such as the time he announced Marc Trestman's firing). Crass, smug, and full of contempt for those beneath him (everybody), he is very much the persona of the fat little rich kid who does not respect any rule, law or morality except his own. This translated to his ownership of the 49ers, as he flaunted NFL rules, exploited loopholes, threw his family's wealth to buy player and media loyalty, and garnished every unfair advantage possible to create an uneven playing field for his beloved 49ers.
What did Eddie's depraved approach earn him? A few slaps behind the scenes here and there, sure, but publicly, the players, media and fans heaped lavish praise upon him. He lived in the limelight as a one of the more popular owners in sports and as the image of class. The reasons for his successful ruse were obvious: the players loved his money, the media loved his free drinks, and above all, the team was winning (as John Madden once remarked, "winning is a great deodorant").
Through it all, the NHS waited patiently, valiantly exposing the hidden facts and withstanding the criticism from people who would have rather remained sheltered in their little world. And even though it seemed clear that nobody would be able to destroy Eddie's facade, it was okay, because with people like Eddie, you just have to wait for them to destroy themselves.
Call it Karma or a belief in what goes around comes around, given Eddie's reckless past of shame, he was due for a fall. It took the form of a federal "target letter", informing the world Eddie was under investigation for his dealings with former Louisiana governor Edwin Edwards in procuring a riverboat gambling license. Almost immediately thereafter, on December 2, 1997, Eddie resigned from his position as CEO of the 49ers.
Strangely, all seemed calm on the surface; i.e., in the media. "Eddie is just taking a time-out to put out a little fire, the 49ers are fine" was the common theme. Privately, people were wondering the obvious and the NFL's worst fears: if Eddie is involved in gambling or bribery, are the 49ers? Internet groups buzzed, yet the only media outlet that would broach the crucial questions was the NHS.
Details surfaced over the next few days. The entire affair began when Eddie wanted to the acquire the last available Louisiana state riverboat gambling license. Eddie turned to the notorious former governor of Louisiana, Edwin Edwards. Edwards' name is synonymous with shady Louisiana politics and behind-the-scenes dealings with businessmen who traveled the tightrope of corruption, including Eddie's father.
While the official decision rested with a government committee, Edwards reportedly had the political sway to determine whether or not Eddie would get his casino license. In order to ensure that the license would end up in Eddie's chubby little hands, the two met in a Burlingame restaurant where Eddie handed Edwards a briefcase full of crisp, new $100 bills amounting to $400,000. Eddie got his license, Edwards got his money -- and the FBI, who had Edwards under surveillance, got it all on tape.
Eddie and Edwards vehemently and uniformly denied accusations of bribery and declared the funds were proper fees for expert services rendered. Over the next few months, the government went quietly about seizing evidence, issuing subpoenas and building its case.
Meanwhile, DeBartolo reversed his decision to resign and was working to get the 49ers back. By September 1998, Eddie had only succeeded in driving off Carmen (as discussed in chapter 3). The big stickler to his return seemed to be the NFL's concern over the looming indictment. For some silly reason they didn't like the possibility of an owner being associated with gambling and/or bribery. Combining his wish to get back the team and the fact that the government's main target was Edwards, it was no surprise that Eddie worked out a plea bargain to save his skin, even though it sold out his friend (more in chapter 5).
49er-Haters had two opposite reactions to the news of the guilty plea. First, elation. "Eddie DeBartolo, convicted felon" has a sweet ring to it, doesn't it? There will be no separation between the words "criminal" and "DeBartolo", a man inescapably linked to the 49ers. The franchise is officially owned by a crook, making a mockery of their old joke of an official slogan, "50 Years of Winning With Class". Certainly, being convicted slams the door on any talk of class.
The other reaction was disgust with the system. The bizarre plea of guilty to misprision of felony left the door open for Eddie to weasel out of a sticky situation. It was disgusting because it was nothing we hadn't seen before -- Eddie makes a mistake, Eddie gets called to the carpet to atone for his mistake, Eddie opens his wallet, mistake is forgiven, Eddie leaves thinking "no harm done". This time around, he skipped any major punishment for his alleged involvement in gaming fraud, instead using the good ol' plea bargain -- and $1 million -- to buy his way out.
Further disgust came at realizing the beauty of Eddie's plea as an excuse that Eddie himself was not culpable. As we've learned throughout the years, whenever the 49ers, their players, employees or even owner screws up, there's some kind of an excuse. The refs lost the game for us. Steve Young was injured. My teammates sent me to that massage parlor as a joke. I don't know why that man slugged me, I didn't do anything to him. And now, that evil man Edwin Edwards tricked me into giving him $400,000.
Minutes after entering his plea of guilty and apparently oblivious that he just became a convicted felon, Eddie declared on the courthouse steps that he wanted to begin the process of getting back the 49ers "right now". To him, his plea signified that Louisiana was done with, old news, and the path was clear for him to resume his role in football.
Hmm, not so fast. Surprisingly, the NFL didn't accept the "Eddie was a victim" spin presented by the plea bargain. The NFL grew some backbone and decided to research the issue on their own, with commissioner Paul Tagliabue reaffirming that Eddie at least temporarily should remain separated from the team. The NFL feared more revelations connected to the Louisiana case -- especially since Eddie was going to have to testify -- and wanted to wait out the situation. Undaunted, Eddie began to unofficially resume his former role as CEO of the 49ers, first in a clandestine manner, then brazenly by appearing at 49er games, riding in the ambulance with Bryant Young, then hiring Bill Walsh.
These stunts forced the NFL's hand. Tagliabue angrily responded to Eddie's antics. Just as it seemed Eddie was oh so close to getting the team back, the NFL declared a suspension through the 1999 season, imposed a $1 million fine, and placed Eddie on lifetime probation. The penalties were imposed for "conduct detrimental to the interests of the NFL and professional football,'' a violation of the NFL bylaws. Most notably, Tagliabue said Eddie lied to the league when it inquired about reports he was getting involved in a riverboat gambling venture in Louisiana. The punishment agreement, signed by Eddie, was not released, even to other NFL owners, further emphasizing how sensitively the NFL is treating the issue.
In addition to the suspension, Eddie's relationship with his sister, Denise, has taken a turn for the worse (to put it mildly). The DeBartolo family is now communicating through reciprocal lawsuits (discussed in chapter 4).
While it is certain that the 49ers will be Eddie-free for the remainder of this millennium, the door is open for his return. However, it looks like the lock and key is now in the hands of his sister, the judicial system, and maybe someday, a jury.
"Why is Eddie fighting against Carmen? All I've ever heard was is that the 49ers' ownership is the class of the NFL and they loved each other like family..." --paraphrased thoughts of millions of duped people finally waking up to reality.
One of the most outrageous lies ever perpetrated on football fandom was the myth of the "49er family". We can laugh about it now, but for almost two decades, many people actually believed that the 49ers rose above and were more special than any other sports franchise because of love. Yep, that's right; Eddie, Carmen, Joe, Jerry, Roger, Ronnie ... one big loving 49er family that overcame obstacles together in a fashion that put them on a pedestal above all others. Sane people and the NHS, of course, never believed this tripe and endeavored to debunk the myth. In 1998, the myth was decisively removed from within.
In January 1998, Carmen Policy announced that he had nearly been fired by Eddie and the two had survived a brief rift in their friendship. Eddie responded by saying the event was being overblown by the media. However, within the next few days, Eddie and Carmen ceased talking to each other and whatever relationship they had was over.
So what exactly was going on within football's favorite first family? According to the S.F. Chronicle, it started in 1995, when Eddie decided to form DeBartolo Entertainment Corp. and enter the gambling business. Policy advised against it and was told basically to shut up and run the 49ers while Eddie went off and pursued his gambling interests. From then on, Eddie shifted from trusting Carmen's advice to trusting gambling figures such as Ed Muransky.
Turning back to 1998, although the two stopped talking in January, the issue didn't explode until April. Eddie had reconsidered his choice to give up control of the team and had been trying to work out an agreement with his sister, Denise. Suddenly, it was reported that Eddie was on the verge of buying-out his sister, and as part of his plan, he was going to replace Policy with Bill Walsh. Policy, who had been removed from publicly commenting on the ownership situation (a 49ers press release said he was on an expedition to the South Pole), returned in the form of a two-day media blitz to combat the rumors coming from Eddie's camp.
Two versions of Carmen's role in the ownership mess surfaced. One painted Carmen as benevolent peacemaker, trying to broker a deal between Eddie and Denise, and if accord could not be reached, as a last resort, Carmen would put together an ownership group to keep the 49ers in San Francisco. Eddie had a different perspective. He accused Carmen of betrayal in trying to steal away the team by playing Eddie against his own sister. Policy's days with the 49ers were suddenly numbered.
Yes, the famous "49er family" apparently had all the love of the Bobbit family. With the backstabbing, name-calling and accusations that went on, the feud between Eddie and Carmen was nothing less than an expose, tearing down the facade of the "49er family" and proving it a sham. Said the SJ Mercury:
"So that's what was underneath! The 49ers have ripped off their buttoned-down veneer and exposed a tangle of bloodied egos, hurt feelings and bad judgment. The image of the 49ers as a classy, cool-headed organization is gone forever, as irreparable as the relationship between Eddie DeBartolo and Carmen Policy. You can't light yourself on fire in public and expect everyone to look away."
NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue decreed a "freeze" on 49ers operations to prevent his friend Carmen from being fired. In July 1998, Policy left to join the Cleveland Browns, leaving behind only the bitter aftertaste and crumbled facade.
When Eddie resigned from the 49ers in December 1997, he signed over control to his sister most likely for several reasons: she was already involved in the corporation, she was family that he could trust, and she had no interest in running a football team, only keeping his seat warm until his return.
It's 1999, and that seat is getting awfully hot.
In the beginning, Denise DeBartolo York was portrayed as a keen businesswoman with no interest in a football franchise. All reports had the brother-sister tandem working together to figure out how Eddie could get his beloved team back. But two areas of Denise's persona lurked in the background: as a businesswoman, she really, really loves money, and as Eddie's sister she really, really hates gambling. -- coincidentally the two most important factors in Eddie's life. It became clear Denise loathed Eddie's lifestyle of gambling and lavish overspending and was going to try and force Eddie to change his ways.
In order for Denise to reach these ends, talk of the 49ers ownership changed from a family effort to a two-party negotiation. Yes, Denise wanted her dear brother to get his team back -- but it was gonna cost him. The price was for Eddie to turn over his other interests in the DeBartolo empire in exchange for control of the 49ers, thus forever separating Eddie and his gambling from the family's "legitimate" business endeavors (not to mention protecting and perhaps furthering Denise's financial interests).
Eddie seemed willing to pay this price up until late January 1998, when negotiations broke down and the brother-sister rift became very public. First came the reports that Denise was upset about the costs of the stadium/mall project, then that Eddie was in debt millions of dollars to the 49ers' corporation. Then came the reports that Denise seized and sold a corporate jet that Eddie used to hobnob around the country. Finally, Eddie accused Carmen Policy of manipulating his sister against him, and when he began circulating that Bill Walsh should take over, Denise sided with Carmen.
After Carmen's departure and Eddie's plea bargain, the way seemed clear for Eddie to get the team back from his sister. But in January 1999, the SF Chronicle reported that the siblings were still unable to come to a financial agreement, and Eddie had in essence walked away from the table. A month later, Denise issued a scathing memorandum that was released to the public. "When Eddie was involved in the direct management of this team, he enjoyed many of the benefits, which are earned when undertaking such responsibility,'' the memo read, "(But) he no longer functions in that capacity.''
Denise declared that any information, reimbursements for expenses or use of assets by Eddie must be personally approved by her. In addition, the memo declared Denise's husband, John York, would take over the day-to-day business operations of the 49ers.
The memo made Eddie fly off the handle. A friend of Eddie's summed up the situation as quoted by the SF Chronicle, "How would you feel if your brother-in-law came in and took your job overnight? It's one thing when it's the NFL -- it's another when it's your own family. And to attack in such a low manner."
Denise responded that it was not an attack, just a clarification in response to the NFL's impending "divorce" decree that would suspend Eddie from the team for the rest of 1999. Eddie obviously didn't buy that excuse, and his first revenge on his sister was a power play within the corporation, proposing to place notorious gambling figure Ed Muransky (whom Denise loathes) and his daughter Tiffanie (not exactly a great corporate mogul) on the company's Board of Directors.
In April, the inevitable became reality when the feud finally landed in court. Denise filed a lawsuit to remove Eddie from the stadium/mall project. It alleged that Eddie had improperly brokered a side deal which would pay him $10 million plus a 22% interest in the mall. Further, it demanded that Eddie repay $94 million in past debts that he allegedly owed to the corporation.
Eddie responded with a lawsuit of his own, claiming Denise reneged on a deal to turn over the team to him and other damages amounting to a comfy $650 million. Naturally, Eddie didn't just file the suit, he presented it in a press conference. Joe Montana, Jerry Rice and Roger Craig were marched silently in and out to show their support for their former meal ticket, just adding to the circus. Eddie angrily declared Denise betrayed him and that genes were the only reason they should be considered brother and sister.
Denise characterized Eddie's comments as "inaccurate mudslinging" and fired shots of her own: "He is trying to shake my faith in doing what is right and he's trying to take away my dignity."
The U.S. District Court Judge in Ohio ordered Eddie and Denise to cease all public comment about the lawsuits and court-supervised negotiations began behind closed doors. Reports began surfacing in June, 1999, that Eddie was ready to give up; i.e., turn over the 49ers to Denise. One factor cited was the NFL's reluctance to let Eddie back as an owner even if he did get the team.
As a final insult, in July, John York handed over crucial information to the NFL concerning an alleged salary cap fraud scheme perpetrated under Eddie's ownership involving Carmen Policy, Brent Jones and his agent, Leigh Steinberg. The angry Bay Area media assailed York for "spilling the beans" and "blowing the whistle", hilariously killing the messenger while ignoring the 49ers' and Eddie's apparent corruption.
On July 31, 1999, the unofficial declaration was trumpeted: Eddie agreed to hand over all ownership of the 49ers to his sister in exchange for other assets. Eddie packed up and moved to Florida, leaving a legacy of over two decades of sleaze.
What do you think when you hear of a briefcase full of crisp, new $100 bills amounting to $400,000 being passed at a table in a restaurant near the airport? Legitimate fees for professional services rendered, of course!
For several months, that was the unified response by Eddie and Edwin Edwards to bribery, fraud and racketeering allegations surrounding their relationship to procure a riverboat gambling license in Louisiana. "I can unequivocally say that nothing occurred that was improper, unethical or illegal" said Edwards, just days after Eddie resigned his post from the 49ers.
Indeed, lawyers for Eddie were saying the same thing. Edwards described his relationship with Eddie as "nothing but close friends who have done some business together." It was reported that the two were joined by a history with Eddie's father and that they had hobnobbed in Las Vegas together. Just a couple of pals.
Less than ten months later, Edwards was saying, "I hope the 49ers lose on Sunday."
That's because in September 1998, Eddie did an about-face, suddenly stating he had been duped into giving Edwards the cash. According to Eddie, he didn't know why Edwards needed the money, he just knew that Edwards told him his riverboat license would be in serious jeopardy if he didn't give Edwards a piece of the action. In short, Edwards extorted a payment from poor Eddie, who just threw the money at Edwards to make him go away.
Eddie agreed to a plea bargain with the federal government. He pled to the lesser, obtuse crime of "misprision of felony" (guilty of failing to report a crime), received two years probation and paid a $1 million fine. Of course, the federal government returned the $400,000 cash payment back to Eddie, because he was now considered a victim under the new version of events. Sure, the government still contends the $400,000 cash was a bribe, but the catch is that while the payment involved two men, it is now proposed that there was only one criminal: Edwards. As for Eddie, the theory is he was the victim of the evil Edwards, and the worst you can say is the Eddie should have known better when he passed him the cash. Case closed against Eddie.
This, of course, is "pure nonsense," according to Edwards' lawyer, "The (FBI phone) tapes ... won't support any allegation or suggestion that Eddie DeBartolo was a victim. Such a suggestion is somewhat laughable. The bottom line is Eddie DeBartolo chose to make a deal to avoid having to go to trial, and he was willing and able to say whatever the government wanted him to say ... to keep the Niners. I look forward to cross-examining him."
The government's motivation for making the deal is clear: the brash Edwards has slipped through their grasp before and they want him bad. Eddie's motivation is just as clear. By avoiding jail and portraying himself as a victim, he intends to sell the NFL and the media on the notion that he was innocent in this affair.
The idiotic media, naturally, will pander to Eddie's spin as usual, because the language of the crime opens the loophole:
Misprision of felony: Whoever, having knowledge of the actual commission of a felony cognizable by a court of the United States, conceals and does not as soon as possible make known the same to some judge or other person in civil or military authority under the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both. (United States Code Title 18, Section 4)
On its surface, this law seems to imply that all Eddie can be guilty of is watching a crime happen to him and failing to report it, right? Wrong. While the media will be content to hide behind this facade to spin everything into gold for Eddie, here's what the crime actually means:
Federal case law defines the elements of misprision of felony as "that principal committed and completed alleged felony, that defendant had full knowledge of that fact, that defendant failed to notify authorities, and that defendant took steps to conceal the crime." (U.S. v. Cefalu (1996) 85 F.3d 964)
In English, that means for Eddie to be guilty of misprision, the following must be true: (1) Edwards committed and completed alleged felony, (2) Eddie had full knowledge, (3) Eddie failed to notify authorities, and (4) Eddie took steps to conceal the crime.
Yep, even if we accept Eddie's version as true (which we don't), his own spin makes him guilty of a cover-up! Used to be a cover-up was the most horrific offense in the eyes of the media (ask Richard Nixon). Of course, Nixon never won a couple of Super Bowls, so maybe that explains why columnist like the Mercury's Mark Purdy are writing headlines like "Free Eddie D.!", completely oblivious to all aspects of Eddie's guilt.
In sum, the plea bargain for Eddie is nothing the criminal justice system hasn't seen before. Like O.J. Simpson, Eddie was able to buy his way out of guilt. Like with Al Capone, the government was happy to settle for nabbing Eddie on a convenient, lesser charge. Like with a sleazy drug pusher who sells out his supplier, Eddie sold out his good friend to avoid jail time.
And in case you were wondering, if for some reason Edwards goes free, Eddie doesn't get off the hook. His felony conviction will stand no matter what happens to Edwards. No wonder Edward's lawyers are frothing at the mouth, waiting for Eddie to take the witness stand and tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
We've been waiting for that from the 49ers for a long time.
(to be continued)
In 1997, the 49ers embarked on a mission to procure themselves a new stadium. 3Com nee Candlestick Park was, in a word, dilapidated. While the old dinosaur was indeed an embarrassment to any franchise, the primary motivation for Eddie to build a new stadium was, of course, money. CandleCom lacked big-time luxury boxes, whereas a new stadium could be formed around such cash cows. Two measures were placed on the ballot for San Francisco voters to decide whether to approve giving $100 in public money for the new stadium and mall plan.
The first public opinion polls showed an overwhelming majority of San Franciscans hated the idea. What should have been a small local issue exploded into gargantuan proportions, because Eddie decided that no matter what, he was going to shove the stadium/mall down San Francisco's throat.
While the NHS received several requests to support the opposition to the stadium, we explained early that we considered the issue to be for the people of San Francisco to decide. Our role was to continue as watchdogs for the truth. Boy, did this issue reveal a lot of truth about the 49ers and Eddie.
The fact that there was so much opposition was a serious blow to the widespread romantic image of the relationship of the 49ers and their community. There was not blind, rabid, loving "49er faithful" support as NFL films and the media liked to depict, but instead people suspicious of giving fat cats like Eddie millions of public money and a fishy stadium/mall hybrid (why the hell was there a mall attached, anyway?)
Eddie, Carmen, and the rest of the 49ers teamed up with slick Mayor Willie Brown and his political machine, embarking an a sleazy campaign to get their stadium. They used disinformation. They used millions upon millions of dollars to buy each vote. They used a promise from NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue to hold the 2003 Super Bowl in San Francisco as a bribe. They threatened to move the team to Los Angeles. Scared, misled and saturated, the beleaguered San Francisco voters staggered to the polls and bowed to Eddie's will, passing the ballot measures by the slimmest of margins.
Or did they? Stories of fraud and illegal campaign tactics quickly emerged, which was not unexpected given the unholy mix of Mayor Willie Brown and the 49ers. Several voter integrity groups rose to challenge the validity of the election, convincing several government agencies to investigate. It was revealed that a time-honored technique of election-tampering was employed by the pro-stadium/mall campaign: having dead people vote for the stadium. Also, illegal voting sites were administered in certain areas of the city in order to boost the pro-stadium turnout. Despite the obvious wrongdoing, in the end, a California judge decided that it was not enough to overturn the election.
It seemed Eddie, Carmen and the 49ers had won, but again, things aren't always what they seem. While the 49ers have always used the ends to justify the means, in this case, they may have lost. People were disgusted by the tactics used by the 49ers, including some members of the media, who for the first time anyone could remember actually started mixing in a little bad press with their usual coverage of the franchise. The spattering of criticism centered on the gall of the 49ers to threaten to move to evil Los Angeles if the team if the voters didn't cow-tail, a possibility considered nothing short of sacrilege (of course, only NHS had the take from Southern California).
As an example of the sleaze going on, Jack Davis, a campaign consultant hired by the 49ers, threw a party that included bizarre sadomasochistic sex-acts and devil-worshiping. True, such things are not unheard of for San Francisco's private citizens, but this party was thrown by a representative of the 49ers with Willie Brown, Carmen Policy and his wife in attendance. But even in such despicable matters, the media showed it still had allegiance to the 49ers.
In sum, the 49ers won their stadium/mall but lost a lot of luster off their precious image. In the end, the latter may prove to be the only thing that reaches fruition. When the gambling activities hit the fan, Eddie's resignation, combined with his ouster of Carmen, broke up the cartel that supported the stadium, and it was only a matter of time...
Larry Thrailkill, installed by Denise DeBartolo York, quickly revealed the truth that everyone already intuitively knew: something in the fishy stadium/mall plan simply didn't add up. Just six months after it passed the ballot election, Thrailkill stated that the team was placing its stadium plans on hold while investigating rising costs estimates. The Mayor was left holding the bag, and continues to defend the stadium/mall election to save his own political neck. Amid all the stalling and confusion, the NFL decided to pull the plug on the 2003 Super Bowl bribe. Finally, in what may be the death blow, Denise has accused Eddie of negotiating a side deal in the plan which pays Eddie $10 million plus a 22% interest in the mall (and you wondered why the mall was ever involved).
It took a concentrated effort from Eddie, Carmen and Willie Brown and all their dark resources to hoodwink voters and the system into allowing the stadium/mall to come about. It seems that only a similar concentration of sleaze can possibly save it, and that ain't gonna happen. Even if Eddie deflects these latest charges, so much time has passed that there are undoubtedly those rising costs to consider. Eddie chose to go to war with Carmen and is fighting on too many fronts. In the end, the 1997 stadium/mall campaign won't be remembered for producing a new stadium of which the community can be proud, but instead for producing more evidence of Eddie's character of which the 49ers, fans and the media should be ashamed.
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