49er's Caught In PR Scandal, Or Merely Just a PR Stunt?

June 1, 2005

In the first portion of the video, Reynolds stops in Chinatown and relates the fact that the team analyzes and deals with everything that is written about the players and the organization. That this is true is demonstrated by an interview with a bespectacled, buck-toothed "Chinese" man in an aloha shirt (acted out by then-49ers trainer and martial arts expert George Chung (currently in contention for an Oscar)) whom is asked to translate an Asian language newspaper article.

Sure — the man says in a stereotypical Asian accent reminiscent of Mickey Rooney in "Breakfast at Tiffany's."

"Tim Latte (Rattay, a Niners quarterback). He feel good now. He feeling good. No plactice with the team, so most of the time he play with himself."

"49ers love being in community. Very patriotic . . . support president and his George Bush erection."

"Erection?" Reynolds asks.

"Yes," the Chinese man echoes. "It say, 'You like Bush — then you like his erection.'

"My name is Suck Hung,'' the Chinese man says as he's leaving. "My brother's name is Suck Young — my whole family suck."

To the credit of the 49ers' front office, the person most visible (and possibly most responsible for the video )in the video has been discharged, and statements have been issued relating the fact such videos and beliefs are "absolutely contradictory to the ideals and values of the San Francisco 49ers."

Granted this video was never meant to be viewed by the public at large, but what does this say about how certain people within the organization see their fanbase? I can't believe the 49ers would allow something like this to be produced. The team is based in one of the most diverse markets in the US.

Let's just hope it is a few bad apples, and not the whole bunch. Overall, I really see it as much ado about nothing. But some heads might be in an uproar about it.

Read the SF Gate story.

See the videos in question (note, there is explicit material contained within).

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sounds like an interesting movie. hope it makes it here to australia
I have read the coverage of this scandal from the perspective of being a football fan AND a PR professional.As a football fan, I found it offensive and insulting. As a PR professional, I confess that I found it hilarious -- because I couldn't believe someone with a PR job in a high profile organization like the 49ers would be so incredibly stupid as to think that this was a good idea.