Our old friend Bishop Harris is at it again !

[Barton]

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/football/2020AP_FBN_49ers_Beasley_Benched.html

49ers' frustrated fullback is furious

By GREG BEACHAM

AP SPORTS WRITER

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Fred Beasley never imagined his eight seasons with the San Francisco 49ers ending in such a tawdry way. The former Pro Bowl fullback has been fighting with his position coach, battling nagging injuries and chafing as a backup.

Perhaps that's why the soon-to-be free agent still holds out hope he'll be back with the 49ers after the final three games of this lost season - and that running backs coach Bishop Harris, not Beasley, will be discarded by Mike Nolan.

Beasley spoke at length Wednesday about his conflicts with Harris in another losing season with the 49ers (2-11), who have dropped 11 of their last 12 games.

After missing three games with a neck injury, Beasley was in uniform in Seattle last weekend - but the veteran wasn't put in the game for a single play, something that would have been unfathomable for the 49ers' offense in recent years.

"I kind of expected it, especially from a guy like Bish," Beasley said. "I was still ready mentally, but it affected me. He didn't talk to me. He didn't say anything. That was the most frustrating thing. I didn't know what was going on."

On Wednesday, Beasley talked with coach Mike Nolan about his conflicts with Harris, who hasn't spoken to Beasley since insulting the fullback last week with a dismissive, disrespectful instruction to "go run around the field" after Beasley said he was ready to return from injury.

Beasley felt better after talking to Nolan, who finally discussed his role: He'll be the backup to journeyman Chris Hetherington, apparently for the rest of the season.

"Of course I don't like it, but that doesn't matter," Beasley said. "Personal feelings don't matter, especially in this business. I've just got to step in and keep preparing like I'm going to play every down."

Beasley has been the 49ers' starting fullback since 1999, his second NFL season. He has rarely carried the ball in the past five seasons, but served as an excellent run-blocker for Garrison Hearst and Kevan Barlow.

The rest of the 49ers often rallied behind Beasley's stalwart presence, and he got a standing ovation from his teammates when he was selected to the NFC Pro Bowl team late in 2003.

But this season has been his rockiest. He played fairly well in the first three games, but tore ligaments in his right thumb two months ago, and then injured his neck last month in a game at Chicago.

"He was injured for quite some time, and he just needs to get on the field and play," Nolan said. "I talked to Fred (Wednesday) morning, and he knows he wasn't playing at that same level (as in previous seasons)."

Nolan doesn't believe Beasley's disagreements with Harris have caused the fullback's poor play, but Beasley acknowledges their effect. The fullback thinks his rift with Harris might have started when he defended his younger teammates in position meetings.

Harris, who rarely acknowledges the media's existence, declined comment through a team spokesman.

And Beasley's brusque, old-school mentality has caused rifts with teammates before. He once came to blows with Barlow in a team meeting room after several disagreements, but Beasley said the two are friendly now.

Beasley also criticized Brandon Lloyd while the 49ers went 2-14 last season, saying the young receiver cared more about jewelry and a rap career than the 49ers' success.

Harris spent the past four seasons with the New York Jets. He also has a history of conflict, most notably getting into a shouting match with Jets coach Herm Edwards during the third quarter of the Jets' 20-17 overtime playoff victory over San Diego last January.

Harris left the Jets in late February and joined the 49ers hours later.

Despite his predicament, Beasley insists he expects to stay in San Francisco after his contract expires this winter. Retiring with the 49ers is among his major life goals, and he isn't ready to give up on it just yet.

"I told him I set goals for myself," he said. "I made the Pro Bowl, and I made All-Pro, and my next goal was to retire here and have my picture over there on the wall as a 10-year guy," gesturing toward the elite wall of photographs in the Niners' locker room.

But Beasley also said he probably couldn't work with Harris next season if their relationship remains fractured. So why would he think everything will work out?

"I've got my reasons," he said. "Hopefully they just don't look at me as the bad guy here. ... This is my home. I'm a 49er. They gave me my first opportunity to become the player that I am, back in '98, and I'm very loyal to them. I want to stay loyal. This is home to me."

[The Gun Of Bavaria]

I still would have loved to have seen Harris knock Edwards on his ass.

[Maxman]

I still would have loved to have seen Harris knock Edwards on his a$$.

Please Herm would have went Buddy Ryan on him and knocked him out.