The 49ers used to be my favorite

football team when I was a child... but that's because they had Joe Montana, Steve Young, Jerry Rice, and red & gold uniforms.

Now, I must say, we see the sad state of pro football in the San Francisco Chronicle. This tape, made by PR director Kirk Reynolds (now resigned), is obviously crude and crass. Made for a friend by a friend, it would be okay. I wouldn't agree with its contents, but it would be a private thing. However, this is an official tape or the 49ers. I don't care if the locker room is "like a fraternity" (cornerback Mike Rumph). This is shown to new recruits and characterizes the pro football scene as racist and sexual.

I think the game would suffer from less problems, and be played/run better, if people higher-up actually treated players like business associates and not just dumb jocks who want to play football and get their rocks off. I know not all players are like that, but obviously the bad apples spoil the whole basket. If coaches truly demanded strict professionalism from players whenever "at work," there would be a couple pissed off players who can't throw tantrums and pitty-parties, or crude end-zone dances, but they would be pushed out of the league by not conforming and getting old.

The new generation would understand better that their abilities are a gift, a gift that allows them to be hired by great companies, but with that job comes real responsibility, not just scoring touchdowns. It's time for the NFL to truly become like any other corporation. Crass comments to superiors, in the presentation room, or coming to or leaving from work on a whim would all get an employee fired. Such should also be the case in the NFL. It would solve a lot of headache and heartburn.

San Fran will apologize for this and then do nothing. The climate won't change, and the problem will resurface in the future.