Of slackers and slacks

By Jeff Haney (contact)

Friday, Nov. 7, 2008 | 2 a.m.

As a sports handicapper who strives to interpret intangibles, or factors that don’t fit neatly into the creation of a betting line, it figures Joe D’Amico would have a provocative take on the strange halftime show put on by Mike Singletary in his debut as 49ers head coach.

San Francisco was well on its way to a lopsided loss to Seattle on Oct. 26, as a 5-point favorite no less, when Singletary dropped his pants during a locker room speech, reportedly to show his displeasure about how the team was getting its rear end kicked. Or something.

A student of the game as well as a betting analyst, D’Amico expects Singletary’s maneuver will backfire, possibly leading to even more turmoil for the struggling 49ers.

The 49ers are 2-6 straight-up and against the point spread heading into Monday’s game, in which they’re a 9 1/2-point underdog at Arizona.

“Mike Singletary, to me, was one of the greatest football players ever to don a uniform,” D’Amico said. “He’s right up there in the top five middle linebackers of all time. He was smart. He was a leader, he was courageous and he knew football.

“But to take your pants off in front of the team in your first game as coach? It’s not a great way to start a relationship with them. Be tough, chew them out, but don’t degrade them. A coach earns respect. It doesn’t come automatically.”

Certainly some degree of respect should come with serving as an authority figure on a team, D’Amico acknowledged. But that’s a separate issue from becoming a true leader, the kind who instills loyalty in his team.

“I don’t care if you’re Babe Ruth or Michael Jordan,” D’Amico said. “You can’t just show up and say hi and expect it to happen right away.”

In Singletary’s defense the incident did occur in the locker room, traditionally a sacred ground, but news of it was leaked to the media by persons unknown. Talk about worldwide pants.

The lack of respect for the locker room — the original “what happens here, stays here” site — could indicate a breakdown in team morale.

“Sure, some players are prima donnas,” D’Amico said online at the Vegas Insider betting Web site (vegasinsider.com). “But you have to remember that guys still have to play for you, they have to believe in you and they have to believe that you’re capable of leading them to winning.

“Things are going to get worse before they get better for Mike Singletary and the 49ers.”

Two teams heading in the opposite direction of San Francisco — that is, up — at the midway point of the season are the Titans and Falcons, D’Amico said.

He expects Tennessee, 8-0 straight-up and 7-1 against the spread, to return at least part of the way to earth. Even if the Titans play .500 ball for the rest of the regular season, they’ll be 12-4 and in position for a strong playoff run under coach Jeff Fisher, who has earned high marks from D’Amico.

“Fisher’s been doing great handling the team,” D’Amico said. “He shows a lot of integrity and class. This team has a very good defense against the pass, and they’ve been running the ball really well.”

The Falcons have exceeded expectations thanks largely to quarterback Matt Ryan, the former Boston College star who’s making a push for rookie of the year honors.

“He plays with such poise,” D’Amico said. “The transition from college to pro football for a quarterback often takes five years. He’s already playing like he’s in his third or fourth year.

“With Michael Turner running the ball, the Falcons have a nice 1-2 punch. I’d like to see them make a run for the (NFC South) division title, but their defense looks a little vulnerable.”

The Dallas Cowboys have been perhaps the toughest team to figure, D’Amico said, especially since they sustained a substantial reversal of fortune with quarterback Tony Romo’s injury Oct. 12. Romo is expected to return Nov. 16 after the Cowboys’ bye week.

“Romo is so valuable to this team,” D’Amico said. “With the receivers he has, with Jason Whitten at tight end, Romo has the feet and the mind to make things happen. He’ll lead this team back, and quickly.”