Lowell Cohn: Even 49ers' Jed York deserves praise sometimes

Today’s column will tick off readers. Lots of them.

It is in praise of Jed York, an unpopular team owner. Could be the least popular owner in the history of Bay Area sports. Niners fans don’t like when anyone praises Jed.

Going to praise him anyway. In two areas.

Praise Area No. 1: He hired Chip Kelly - and paid a fortune for him. Reports are $6 million a year for four years.

Why would I praise Jed for hiring Kelly?

Simple. Kelly may not turn out successful in San Francisco/Santa Clara. Who knows? But he’s intriguing. Fascinating. Jed made a big-splash hire that instantly makes his team interesting. Every fan - and I mean every fan - will anticipate next season, anticipate watching Kelly’s offense. Wonder how different it is from other offenses, how effective it is, how thrilling and surprising. The 49ers are a 5-11 team that just became captivating.

Good, brave, imaginative hire.

And, please, don’t be sore at me for writing that.

Of course, you could say Jed just chose a guy who got fired in Philly and seemed to alienate an entire city. And Jed had to make that risky hire because he parted ways with Jim Harbaugh and then he hired the incompetent Jim Tomsula. Sure, but at a certain point you have to move on. Harbaugh and Tomsula are history. Harbaugh is ancient history in the quick-turnover time span of the NFL. Time to focus on the available reality. Its name is Chip Kelly.

Praise Area No. 2: Jed did not leak the Kelly hiring. As far as I know, he didn’t leak it. Neither did anyone in his front office.

For me, the operative words are “as far as I know.” I have come to expect leaks from the Niners. Certainly, someone or more than one someone was leaking stuff about Harbaugh while Harbaugh was coach. It was disgusting. Not how a reputable bunch operates.

The Niners leaked to national writers. They were strategic leakers. Wanted the biggest bang for each leak. Didn’t bother me. I’m mostly in the business of analyzing news wherever it comes from. But the leaks made the Niners seem unprofessional and, even worse, a bunch of hypocrites. Always sprinkling that word “class” into conversations like someone over-salting mashed potatoes. Class?

I don’t think they leaked the Kelly news. The morning they hired Kelly, I was on the phone with a source talking about Mike Shanahan. I thought Jed was going to hire Shanahan. Source said Shanahan is - or was - a good coach but he has beady eyes and talks out the side of his mouth. Then Jed tweeted he had hired Kelly who I don’t think has beady eyes or talks out the side of his mouth.

Well, good for Jed. He had kept his secret. Or as my mother always told me, “Lowell, you are always master of the unspoken word.” In this case, unless I’m deluded, Jed acted as professionally as Brian Sabean - the standard of how to run a team, how to master the unspoken word.

I praise Jed for all that. Hope he keeps it up. Hope this is the new Jed. Hope he’s growing up as his uncle Eddie DeBartolo grew from a shaky, immature, defensive young man into a beloved owner with gravitas and a warm heart. Hey, I know you can say bad stuff about Eddie. I know all that stuff. Let’s move on.

Except for one thing. At his postseason news conference, Jed invoked “my Uncle Eddie” a million times, said how he’s constantly in touch with Eddie for advice. Forthwith we need to invoke the Uncle Eddie Clause. Every time Jed says my Uncle Eddie, we fine him 100 bucks. It’s called the Uncle Eddie Fine and we donate the dough to charity.

Jed, it sounds phony when you talk about constantly consulting with “my uncle.” Insincere, too. Maybe even untrue. Lay off.

I want to share something with you about what happened after Jed’s end-of-the-season presser (journalism slang for news conference). We were in the big auditorium. Think of a college lecture hall. The seats even have those oversized arms you raise over your lap to function as a desk. When I’m in there, I expect PR director Bob Lange to pass out the final exams. “Describe a bubble screen in 100 words or less.”

So, Jed finished his Q&A with the media. I saw him turn toward the exit door and walk across the stage and walk down the steps. I assumed he was leaving the room. I looked to my right and made small talk with Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. I felt a presence to my left. A looming shadow. I assumed it was my son Grant. I talked more to Barrows. I looked left. What did I see?

Jed. Jed looming. Jed waiting. Jed waiting like a waiter. For me.

I didn’t know what to say. Jed leaned over and whispered something conciliatory. Something nice. Gentlemanly. I won’t write what he said. Consider it off the record. The other writers in the front row - where I always sit - heard it. None has written it. Good friends. Respect off-the-record.

What Jed said was aboveboard and kind. Then he stuck out his hand and we shook hands and he left the room.

Driving back to Oakland, Grant and I tried to figure out what happened. We both were English majors. What was Jed’s motivation? What did we learn about Jed? Was he sincere? Turns out this really was the final exam. Where are the blue books, Bob Lange?

I give Jed credit for sincerity. If I’m wrong, I won’t die from it. To me, Jed’s behavior was a form of peacemaking with the media. That’s what Grant and I said. Jed’s relations with the media have been the pits. He chose me, we thought, because I am the oldest - alas - and I have seen so many Niners teams and coaches and players and even a few owners come and go. And Jed was making peace publicly with me as the designated recipient for all the media. Jed was starting the long hard process of making peace.

And I said to Grant, “Well, good for Jed.”

And I say it to you.

For more on the world of sports in general and the Bay Area in particular, go to the Cohn Zohn at cohn.blogs.pressdemocrat.com. You can reach Staff Columnist Lowell Cohn at lowell.cohn@pressdemocrat.com.