Jim Harbaugh hates to lose more than he loves to win. He proved it Sunday after the San Francisco 49ers lost to the New York Giants in the NFC championship game. Harbaugh quickly congratulated his counterpart Tom Coughlin then disappeared. When Fox came calling for the traditional post-game press conference, Harbaugh offered a stiff arm.
The entire scene was reminiscent of New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick’s infamous exit with seconds left on the clock during Super Bowl XLII. The difference between Harbaugh and Belichick is the latter acknowledges his immaturity.
“I’ve been a jerk since day one when I got here, and I’m still a jerk today,” confessed Belichick after the game. “If anyone could teach me to be more of a classless jerk than I already am, it’s Randy [Moss].”
Belichick even disappointed Tom Brady. “Seeing Bill do such a poor job? It’s really disappointing,” he told the media after Super Bowl XLII. “The man knows how to coach, but who cares when you make such a bad exit?”
Being upset after losing conference title game … I get it. Being intense … I get it. Having high expectations … I get it. But as the late Vince Lombardi said, “If you can’t accept losing, you can’t win.”
Sports does not build character, it reveals it. On Sunday, it revealed Harbaugh’s immaturity and inability to handle defeat with grace.
