National Football League

Gary Peterson: Mike Singletary keeps hand hidden, but he's showing two faces

Published Oct. 10, 2010 10:13 p.m. ET

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This week's Unintentional Hilarity Hour featured host Mike Singletary apologizing for declining the traditional postgame handshake with Falcons coach Mike Smith last Sunday in Atlanta.

"It was poor sportsmanship on my behalf," Singletary said last week. "I'd be the first to tell my kids that it was wrong."

Conspicuously so. Postgame handshakes between rival coaches are a football tradition, regardless of the outcome of the game or of their feelings for one another. Stanford tacked on a gratuitous two-point conversion in its 55-21 rout of USC last fall, yet coaches Pete Carroll and Jim Harbaugh met at midfield after the game. They may have been shouting "What's your deal?" at one another, but they were shaking hands.

Eric Mangini and Bill Belichick can't stand each other. But for the three seasons they both coached in the AFC East, they did the deed twice a year.

Al Davis and Pete Rozelle were mortal enemies. But after the Raiders' win in Super Bowl XVIII, the two shook hands as Rozelle handed the Vince Lombardi Trophy to Davis -- granted, while appearing to detect a spectacularly foul odor.

Singletary? After his team's galling loss a week ago, he simply ran off the field. That's a bad look for a master motivator who wants winners who play the game the right way.

Singletary has a gift for the mixed message, and that is the biggest factor in his expanding credibility gap. It began with his first two games as 49ers coach. In the first, he ordered tight end Vernon Davis off the field for committing a foolish penalty. In the second, Davis scored a touchdown, then was penalized for excessive celebration. Singletary met Davis at the sideline with a huge smile and a pat on the back.

Go figure.

The 49ers were a running team last year until they become a spread team. Singletary gave offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye a vote of confidence after a loss in Kansas City two weeks ago; hours later, Raye was canned. After getting thrashed in the season opener, Singletary thanked Seattle coach Pete Carroll "for kicking our tails." Three weeks later he wouldn't acknowledge Atlanta's Smith.

There are times when it seems Singletary asks more of his players than he does of himself. What's his deal?

"I don't know if you guys ever get ticked," he said by way of explanation.

Let's see: An 0-4 start; communication issues; coaching upheaval; players bolting the team; the league's 31st-ranked scoring offense and 27th-ranked scoring defense.

We're going to put 49ers Fan down for a "yes."

Contact Gary Peterson at gpeterson@bayareanewsgroup.com .

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