Former 49ers running back Kevan Barlow lashed out at Coach Mike Nolan and the direction of the franchise in a series of phone calls to the Contra Costa Times on Tuesday, two days after being traded to the New York Jets for a 2007 fourth-round draft pick.
“Nolan just doesn’t know what he’s doing. He’s a first-time head coach with too much power,’’ Barlow said from New York. “He has too much power as a first-time head coach. He walks around with a chip on his shoulder, like he’s a dictator, like he’s Hitler. People are scared of him. If it ain’t Nolan’s way, it’s the highway.’‘
Two phone calls later, Barlow softened his stance and blamed some of his statements on the emotional whirlwind he endured the previous 48 hours.
“I was kind of harsh on him, saying he’s a dictator. That’s bad. Saddam Hussein is a dictator,’’ Barlow said three hours after his initial call. ``I was speaking on emotion.’‘
Barlow called Nolan ``a liar’’ for trading him.
“It was dirty. He had no respect for me or the organization,’’ said Barlow, 27. “He doesn’t know about the 49ers way, and that’s too bad because even his dad (Dick) was coach of the 49ers. Bill Walsh set the standard there, and he ain’t living up to it.’‘
[Barlow rips Nolan over his trade to Jets] – Mercury News
nj49erfan2555 said:
obviously barlow is going to be pissed i would feel betrayed too.
25 mins after the fact.dj432 said:
Hey Kevan,
Welcome to the business of professional football. Maybe you should talk to Ronnie Lott or Joe Montana about the way Bill Walsh dealt with players when their value to the team had diminshed to the point that other players had more value than they did.
29 mins after the fact.ABQ9erFan said:
I think it is funny how Barlow says that guys are afraid that their jobs may be in jeopardoy if they do not preform….DUH! Just because you have been a starter and some other guys is preforming better than you, Gore, dose not mean that you can be a starter still. He even goes on and says that some of the best players are not playing, what a hypocrite. I mean common if your a 49er you want to win and if that means your ass is sitting on the bench untill we need you than thats the way it is.
Im glad he is gone i used to like him but now I see he is just a little bitch. Frank Gore is gonna dominate.
2 hours after the fact.sffan said:
Of course he’s upset. He’s upset he had to move in one day’s notice. He’s upset his job isn’t “secure”. It’s understandable when a player is upset after being cut/traded/waived.
Being upset doesn’t not give you the right (or excuse) to rip on your previous coach. Be a little professional here. Acting the way he’s acting shows exactly why Nolan traded him, and why it’s taken so long to unload him.
Crying about being afraid you’ll lose your job because you don’t perform should not be the normal reaction. If you’re afraid of losing your job, you perform better… you push yourself. Do what you have to to keep it, to show management that you WANT to keep it.
On a side note, when did Nolan reassure him he wasn’t going to be traded? The only things I’ve read are that “talks aren’t CURRENTLY serious”, and that Nolan even went on to say something like “no one is assured a place on this team, not even myself”.
2 hours after the fact.Justin said:
I can’t help but feel sorry for the man. A day before he was traded he was saying that he is a Niner, the Niners are his team. He has been here for a while and of course he is going to get emotional. I’m one of those people who wanted him traded, but I still feel sorry for him and wish him luck in New York.
3 hours after the fact.dj432 said:
This trade just shows why the Jets are…well…uh…the Jets.
ANSWER: They do dumb things.
3 hours after the fact.Haha said:
Not as dumb as the Redskins. A possible 1st and 3rd for fucking TJ Duckett? COMON!!
3 hours after the fact.MntIdaGold said:
How could Barlow be surprised? The guy was singing “New York, New York” in the locker room last week. So he knew something was happenning after he spoke to Nolan.
3 hours after the fact.Eric said:
Although the fullback position is becoming extinct, it’s too bad this didn’t happen sooner. As some of you may or may not know, Fred Beasley flat out HATED Kevan Barlow. And Beasley’s blocks were worth more than Barlow’s sub 1000 yard rushing seasons. 1 season of plus 1000 yards out of 5? I know there is injury in there, but that is not production. I’m glad he’s gone, too bad we lost Beasley before this happened though.
3 hours after the fact.Jer said:
wtf?? this is like ryan leaf complaining about why he should be a starting QB…this is a business kevan (i kno he’s not reading this but still). I believe that Nolan was telling him the truth when he said that talks with NYJ weren’t SERIOUS at the time…and that on that particular day he was traded, that’s when the trade talks heated up…a 4th rounder from the jets is better than i could have hoped for…i wouldn’t have been surprised if we traded for another 7th rd pick. what a baby! now i’m really glad he’s gone…and nolan even said himself that it’s possible he might come back (GOD i hope not)
4 hours after the fact.Blow Me Barlow said:
Lets see Barlow:
Hitler kills millions of Jews and sparks a world war that kills tens of millions more.
Nolan trades an older player after getting a good offer because a younger player CLEARLY was whipping his ass.
Yes, I DO see the comparison now! This Barlow guy is smarter than Gore too, I want him back!
4 hours after the fact.Forrest said:
I didn’t know Barlow could be so funny.
Dude, Hitler was a badass. “BLITZKRIEG!!”
4 hours after the fact.P'Nelly said:
What a “Whiner”. Can’t wait to see the NY media describe Barlow’s tap dance act in the backfield….and he thought Nolan was tough on him. Boo Hoo, Loser!
6 hours after the fact.49erfanJeff said:
I don’t really want this to come across as racist. But what is it with African Americans athletes and doing fucked up shit? Barlow = douche bag!! I know your feelings are hurt and you loved playing for the 49ers. But let’s face it, you have had your chance to prove yourself and you still haven’t full filled you roll. Head coaches get fired all of the time after bad season, you don’t see them crying and calling people out. It’s a business just remember that. Speaking of cry babies TO is the KING of them…....just thought I’d add that. Doesn’t look like he’ll be playing this week VS the Niners, so no chance of Tony the man Parish ripping his head off.
Go Niners in 06-07
7 hours after the fact.D said:
Why would Nolan “respect” Barlow; what did Barlow do to earn any respect since Nolan arrived? Certainly nothing on the field.
7 hours after the fact.Bob In Pacifica said:
Gore’s a better runner than Barlow now.
Don’t let the door hit your ass on the way out.
10 hours after the fact.draper said:
while being a professional football player is an emotional roller coaster, i’m sure, i think that one of the important keys to ANYTHING is…
DON’T BURN ANY BRIDGES. barlow has not made any friends around the nfl with this outburst… and i promise you, NO coach in the league will forget about it… after the jets cut him, everyone + their mom will call nolan to get the real inside scoop on this kid. at first i was pissed by this trade, now i see barlow’s true colors. not a team player.
10 hours after the fact.draper said:
49erfanJeff: a couple of things.
First, that was extremely racist (never seen a baseball player throw a tantrum?? COUGH COUGH RYAN LEAF).
Second, I’ve seen head coaches bitch out people after losses.
Mike Ditka (when w/ saints)
10 hours after the fact.Mike Holmgren (after losing SB XL)
ted berkowitz said:
Barlow is a fucking homo
always has been (since 2004)
dont let the door hitcha where the good lord splitcha!
10 hours after the fact.chris said:
I can’t wait to see how much of a fuckin bitch barlow runs like behind two rookie o lineman and anthony clement. While gore has a breakout year.
11 hours after the fact.Craig said:
Lol he said Nolan is like Hitler. So I guess that meens Noaln is going to win us a ton of superbowls then take a bunch of drugs and attack the bears defense in the snow…
12 hours after the fact.ac388 said:
Even Tom Cruise get fired
Barlow at least still has a job, what is he upset about 
12 hours after the fact.49erfan4lYfe=] said:
barlow is right. nolan is trading away everyone that he does not like. this is not only his team. if what barlow said is true about his friends on the 49ers not wanting to play like themselves, the 49ers are in real trouble.
ROLLIN WITH NOLAN OR ROLLIN WITH NO ONE
15 hours after the fact.MJ said:
Nolan sucks balls. Trading Barlow for a next year draft pick only ensures we are stuck with him for 1 more year. The man can draft, but he can’t coach. I wouldn’t want to play for him either. Barlow leaving is not a shock, but has anyone noticed he is TOTALLY cleaning house to build a team of “Nolan Guys?” Who the hell would want to play for him! I feel for Barlow, because he wanted to be a 49er. However, who would want to play for a defensively oriented coach who never goes for it on 4th downs (even if it’s 4th and 1, with 2 minutes left in the game and we are down by 24 points) who has no confidence in his team, especially the offense. Even worse, he can’t manage the time clock for shit. Nolan sucks, I can’t wait for his ass to get fired. Damn I wish we still had Debartolo as our owner…..all this rebuilding shit would never have happened….
18 hours after the fact.49erfan4lYfe=] said:
too bad everyone is brainwashed by these rollin with nolan and faithful campaigns. nolan guys = you have to act and talk and look and behave the way nolan likes. oh well, when is his contract up? and when will alex smith be cuttable without taking a big cap hiT?
18 hours after the fact.Eric said:
You douche bags are acting like Nolan is ruining the Niners. He’s building them. Oh, and once again, THIS ISN’T HIS CALL, HE’S NOT THE GENERAL MANAGER. Some of you are bitching because we traded off a guy who has 1 1,000 yard season out of 5
!! He’s a piece of shit. Why? Notice how he waited until AFTER his physical was passed and it was official. Chicken shit waited until he was sure he wasn’t being sent back to say what was on his mind. That is chicken shit right there, just like the way he runs.
24 hours after the fact.Mike from MA said:
the only thing i thought was weird about the whole situation was they told barlow he was starting against the raiders and nolan told him he wouldnt be traded and then he gets traded right before the game.
1 day after the fact.49erfan4lYfe=] said:
in the offseason earlier, nolan even said that barlow fits into the teams plans for next season
1 day after the fact.ted berkowitz said:
barlow is a piece of shit, hey mj, why you always on here knocking nolan, always saying he cant manage the clock, dont you remember who ran the offense last year? it wasnt nolan it was mccarthy, he is the one that made all the OFFENSIVE decisions, i dont know what your problem with nolan is, are you mad cuz he is trading alot of players? if those players were worth keeping, we would have kept them, rumph, barlow, lloyd were all players who we will not sink without. all these players have been here for awhile and still havent contributed as much as the players we did keep like derek smith. and next year we will resign anthony adams and tony parrish and other players who are worth keeping.
and if you say that next year is not relevent then i say screw you cuz the fact of the matter is even if we kept all those players we still wouldnt be a playoff team, we have to build for the years to come, we have no choice, so give nolan a break and a chance for crying out loud!
2 days after the fact.