Where Did The Beatles Play Their Final Concert?

As the 49ers prepare for what is expected to be the final game at Candlestick Park Monday night against the Falcons, there’s a strong waft of nostalgia around the outdated stadium that has housed baseball, football and even pop culture history. It’s always the answer to the music trivia question: Where did the Beatles play their final concert?

The perception to Bay Area outsiders is that the ‘Stick fan-base mostly eats brie and sips Pinot, but if you’ve ever spent any time in the bleachers like me, you know it’s all about the insults and suds. Case in point in the early 90’s when Reds reliever Rob Dibble was warming up in the bullpen. As he was getting verbally pounded, he stopped, looked directly at our section and shook his head in disgust.

The cascading boos clearly got to him because a minute later, Dibble flashed us half the peace sign! I also vividly remember fans in the bleachers during Game 4 of the 1989 World Series serenading the Chemical Brothers, er Bash Brothers Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire with chants of “STER-OIDS!” We were a rowdy bunch fiercely protecting our turf on Jamestown Avenue, but that shared sentiment is now likely faded away with an updated, shimmering new home south of San Francisco. Gonna miss that big ‘ole monolithic lug.

The Redskins have successfully made the Raiders, yes the Raiders, the tranquil beacons of stability in the NFL. Think about that for a second. Washington is now a powder keg with head coach Mike Shanahan holding the matches, ready to light the fuse. In perhaps his final combustible decision, Shanahan has shut down his franchise quarterback Robert Griffin III for the rest of the season.

His reasoning is that RG3 has been sacked 24 times in five games and wanted him healthy for the off season. That may very well be true, but that reasoning sounds awfully flimsy. If he was really concerned about his health, then why did he have Griffin playing in the snow last Sunday against the Chiefs? Lions running back Reggie Bush got hurt just in WARM-UPS prior to the snow bowl with the Eagles. Why didn’t he shut him down then? Makes no sense.

I spoke with former GM Charlie Casserly when the news came down and he said the sack total is a bit of a misnomer if you watch game tape of Washington and KC. RG3 is running out of bounds and not necessarily absorbing vicious blows time after time. The other point Casserly made to me is that Griffin’s mechanics are now off. He’s not throwing the football like he did prior to his knee injury and that needs to be corrected. Shanahan claims that he spoke with owner Dan Snyder last week to discuss the future of the young signal caller, but it’s painfully clear, this is a power play by the head coach.

Will Selva discusses the Raider’s current performance in the NFL.

Shanahan did not like the fact that RG3 had a cozy relationship with Snyder if reports are to be believed. It’s as if Shanahan is daring Snyder to fire him over this move. Besides, Shanahan wants to get paid the remaining 7 million of his contract. For Kirk Cousins, this is now a 3 game audition. The Redskins are rooting hard that he does well, while the Rams want him to badly flame out. Remember, the Rams hold the Redskins top pick from the mammoth RG3 trade. Cousins could significantly increase his trade value with solid play over the final 3 regular season games.

Meanwhile, Snyder has stayed above the fray and not said a word through all of this. Good move too, he doesn’t want to be hit from all the stray debris that’s about to be strewn all over Redskins Park.