Why the Local Media Won't Hold Kyle Shanahan Accountable

Several times after the 49ers won at home this season, a few prominent Bay Area sports writers in a mocking tone would ask, "Who will hold Kyle Shanahan accountable this week?" as they walked to the locker room.

As if the idea of holding Shanahan accountable is absurd. As if Shanahan is a champion who hasn't blown multiple double-digit leads in the Super Bowl. As if sports writers attend 49ers games simply to chronicle greatness and nothing more.

My father, Lowell Cohn, covered all five 49ers championship teams, and he still held Bill Walsh accountable every day. Here's what my dad said about the local coverage of Kyle Shanahan after he blew his third Super Bowl.

"There was one article in one newspaper by a friend of mine, and the headline said, 'Don't blame Kyle Shanahan for this one." Don't blame Kyle? Who the hell else would you blame? I blame him. I really blame him. And the more information that comes out, I blame him more. No one that I know has written about what George Kittle did. This should be on the front page of the newspapers, what he did. And there should be an article in every local newspaper, to the extent that there are local newspapers, explaining in detail, step by step, how Shanahan lost the Super Bowl with his boneheaded, uninformed, ignorant, childish, unprofessional decision. There's no getting around it. Where is the column about that? Where is the local media? Are you there to cheer on the 49ers or hold them accountable? It's like writing about World War II and you don't mention Pearl Harbor. Where is the coverage? The media is in the 49ers' corner rooting for them."