Singletary's end represents less-than-perfect sports year

I have heard the question many times this year, following the SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS' victory in the WORLD SERIES, the march of MY BELOVED OREGON DUCKS toward college football's national championship game and ENGLAND'S continuing efforts in the ASHES TESTS Down Under:
"This has to be your greatest year as sports fan, right?"
My response:
"Well, yeah, but you forgot about the 49ers."
For all the success of my other favorite teams, the travails of the SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (and the BLAZERS, but that's another blog post) has been both embarrassing and frustrating.
It's no surprise, then, to learn that Niners coach MIKE SINGLETARY was fired overnight, shortly after the team lost, 25-17, to the Rams.
I wanted Singletary, a former star linebacker to succeed, but so many of the things that went wrong with the team seemed like his responsibility. His final record with the team is 18-22.
Consider these four factors:
1. A suggested playoff-caliber team, the Niners seemed unprepared for the season and lost their first five games.
2. Singletary brought in yet another offensive coordinator this season, but fired him after three games.
3. No one seemed to know who should quarterback the team, with Singletary even joking in press conferences that it would be "Smith." The joke was on us: Neither Alex Smith nor Troy Smith could do anything to lead the team.
4. Singletary was supposedly a defensive-minded coach, yet the defense continually underperformed, and young players such as Ahmad Brooks and Dashon Goldson have not developed as expected.
Some might say I am needlessly complaining about a team that has at least provided fans with five Super Bowl titles.
I'm just answering a question. Yes, the Giants, Oregon and England have made this a wonderful year for this sports fan. The Niners, though, made it less-than-perfect.