Poll
Should postgame handshakes between coaches be mandatory?
Your vote has been counted, thank you for voting.
Raise your helmets if you'd like to see Jim Harbaugh and Jim Schwartz slap hands and snarl at each other before Sunday's 49ers- Lions kickoff.
You know, just to energize the place a bit?
Bristling coaches add a layer of intrigue to games because, let's face it, Jims like these badly want to pummel each other. The reason TV cameras follow the postgame handshake routine is twofold: catch a sportsmanship gesture and stay tuned in case of a combustible flare-up.
Remember when Steelers coach Chuck Noll grabbed onto the hand of Oilers coach Jerry Glanville following a heated 1987 contest in the Astrodome and threatened to rip his head off? You can find it on YouTube; it's timeless. Noll was convinced Glanville ordered his players to spear with their helmets.
College coaches sometimes hiss at each other while shaking hands, too, yet they shake because they're supposed to shake. When you think of Harbaugh in college, you think of him being confronted by then-USC coach Pete Carroll with "What's your deal?" followed by a Harbaugh bark of "What's your deal?"
In high school, the motto in California is "Pursuing Victory with Honor," but last fall's playoffs included several incidents where coaches charged at opposing coaches, furious that the score was run up.
What to watch
High school football, "Final Quarter," 11 p.m., FOX40: The Bee's Joe Davidson talks about the Burbank-Del Oro game.
Today's poll
Should postgame handshakes between coaches be mandatory?
• Yes, for sportsmanship
• No, it's phony
Vote above or leave your comments in the comment field; or, go to www.sacbee.com/sports
Thursday's results
Should Melky Cabrera be allowed to win the N.L. batting title?
• Yes: 26%
• No: 74%
Total votes: 268
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