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San Francisco 49ers Tickets - How Are The 49ers Like The Dawn Of The Roman Empire? Part II

In the first part of this discussion, we equated the 49ers' auspicious legacy in the 1980s and '90s with the legacy of Ancient Greece and the Early Roman Republic. We also discussed how Mike Nolan (and to some extent Steve Mariucci and Dennis Erickson) represent a change in political/tactical leadership from passing-oriented to running-oriented offense.

Nolan's characteristics also mirror Julius Caesar's, thus forming a neat little Nolan-as-Caesar analogy. Class ended with a talk about how Mike Martz, who also shared some characteristics with the historical Brutus, id probably Nolan's biggest enemy in the locker room, and like Brutus, has motivation for trying to change the direction of the organization and get rid of the current head, Nolan (Caesar). But who are the other characters in this drama?

Mike Singletary is Mark Antony

In the wake of Caesar's assassination, order had to be immediately restored to continue the government's effectiveness and keep the people in line. As Julius Caesar's loyal general, beloved friend and political ally, a soldier's soldier and popular hero of the plebs, Mark Antony quickly fell into place as the ad hoc Roman emperor. Although he possessed little skill in subtlety or political shrewdness, Antony was the logical surrogate dictator in a complex time.

Mike Singletary mirrors Mark Antony's character and leadership appointment in many significant ways. First of all, more so than any of the other characters in this drama, Singletary is a player's player, a well-known linebacker from the Chicago Bears' glory days who immediately connects with the armies, er, the players on the (battle)field and in the locker room. Without the same patrician lineage of coaching as Nolan and Martz, Singletary is, like Antony, a common man in an extraordinary position of power.

Furthermore, Singletary was the loyal assistant to Nolan prior to their package deal move from Baltimore to San Francisco. When Nolan was hired in SF, he took his loyal assistant Singletary with him, in much the same way that Mark Antony followed on the coattails of Julius Caesar from the battlefields of Gaul to the floor of the senate in Rome.

Upon the sudden displacement of Nolan (Caesar), his loyal second in command, Singletary (Antony) stepped in to carry out the role as leader of the 49ers (Roman Empire). Don't all these analogous statements make you want to buy some San Francisco 49ers tickets?

Who Will Become Augustus?

It's my assessment that, like Antony, Singletary won't last long as the head of the 49ers Empire. As history has shown, Antony will make errors and be disposed. An Augustus will rise from the confusion and take the lead as the 49ers make the final shift from passing republic to running empire. Until the football version of Augustus seizes the day, 49ers fans will be in for a period of civil war between two systems of football strategy. Sure, San Francisco 49ers tickets will still be hot items, but the team on the field will not be as glorious as its potential might suggest.

Based on what we know about Augustus (formerly Octavian), we can assume a few things about the future 49ers head coach. He will be from a long, famous coaching tree, as Octavian was of the royal Julio-Claudian family. Also, the new 49ers coach will probably have to silence dissention in the leadership, presumably by getting rid of Mike Martz, who, in the new analogy, will have to either represent the entire senate or a rival like Mark Antony.

Here's the recap on the analogies:

1980s = Ancient Greece
Joe Montana = Alexander the Great
Bill Walsh = Socrates/Aristotle/Plato
1990s = Early Roman Republic
Steve Young = Gaius Marius
George Seifert = Cato the Elder
Passing Offense = Republic
Running Offense = Dictatorship
Mike Nolan = Julius Caesar
Mike Martz = Brutus
Mike Singletary = Mark Antony
?? = Augustus

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