Jim Harbaugh vs. Jim Schwartz: Which Coach Has a History of Crazier Behavior?

Sunday’s night’s matchup between the Detroit Lions and San Francisco 49ers was considered the game of the week, but in the end it came down to a battle of the Jims.

San Francisco head coach Jim Harbaugh and Detroit head coach Jim Schwartz were involved in an altercation after the game that quickly became the focus of attention in what otherwise was a fantastic football game.

This isn’t the first time either coach has been caught up in the spotlight for an off-the-field incident, but fans everywhere are quick to side with one of the energetic head coaches.

Which of the two has a bigger history of crazy behavior? Let’s find out.

Harbaugh Claims Pete Carroll Only Has One Year Left

Harbaugh's first brush with the media frenzy came in 2007 when he'd been hired by Stanford as the new head coach. Harbaugh was quoted as saying he believed USC coach Pete Carroll would only stay one more season from the Trojans.

"He's only got one more year, though," Harbaugh said. "He'll be there one more year. That's what I've heard. I heard it inside the staff." When asked by the LA Times where he'd gotten the information, Harbaugh said "from multiple people secondhand, from people that have talked to people on the SC staff."

Harbaugh was incorrect—for three seasons. Carroll eventually did leave USC right when the NCAA investigations came calling, but Harbaugh's fortune cookie was off by a few years.

Harbaugh's Cardinal Pours It on USC

Jim Harbaugh coached the Stanford Cardinal before uptaining the San Francisco job and had a well-documented run in with then-USC coach Carroll.

With his team up 53-22 against the ninth ranked team in the nation, Harbaugh elected to have his team go for two. That brought the score up to 55-21.

Carroll and Harbaugh met at midfield after the game and a visably upset Carroll asked, "What's your deal?"

Whatever Harbaugh's deal was, running up the score wasn't a very sportsmanlike thing to do, even against a rival school in a big game.

Jim Schwartz Offers Some Adivse to the Refs

Warning: The above video contains a rather naughty word.

Following his teams game-winning field goal in their comeback victory over the Vikings this season, Jim Schwartz came onto the field while the refs were still discussing something.

Who knows what the refs were talking about, because the game was obviously over. But Schwartz wanted to make sure they knew it, and screamed "Hey! Learn the ****ing rules!" so loudly that the Fox crew filming the game caught it as loud as if he'd just said it from the stadium's PA system.

Obviously Schwartz was excited about his teams comeback, but this is just over the top.

Jim Schwartz Calls out Dez Bryant

In the Lions comeback against the Cowboys earlier this season, Schwartz challanged a ruling during the game that Cowboys wide reciever Dez Bryant had caught a pass.

While the refs were reviewing the call, Bryant began arguing with some Lions players and was separated by his teammates. But when the refs overturned the call, it was Schwartz's turn to start taunting Bryant.

The camera showed Schwratz waiving his arms and saying "incomplete you (bad word here)!" Understandably, football is a game of emotion and Schwartz had just won a crucial challenge, but Schwartz should have been able to keep himself composed.

Excessive Celebrations

Both coaches have shown this year that they get pretty excited after victories.

Above is Jim Schwartz, celebrating the victory over the Vikings (before he went on to cusing at the refs).

And as for Jim Harbaugh, his most excited celebration was against the Lions on Sunday (see next slide).

It's obvious both coaches get really fired up in victories, and there isn't anything wrong with that. Football isn't a sport for those who aren't passionate. But at the same time, if you're celebrating, you gotta be willing to let the other guy celebrate when his team wins.

Winner for Craziest Behavior: Jim Schwartz

It's hard to take Jim Schwartz's anger from yesterday's "fight" that seriously when everything he was upset about was something he'd already done this season.

Understandably, Jim Harbaugh should have approached his fellow coach in a less enthusiastic manner, and Harbaugh isn't without fault.

But Schwartz completely overreacted and the hypocrisy in his complaints was palpable. 

"I went to congratulate Coach Harbaugh and got shoved out of the way," Schwartz said. That was hardly a shove, Jim. 

Harbaugh was quick to apologize for his handshake. "That is totally on me," Harbaugh said. "I shook his hand too hard. I really went in, and it was a strong, kind of a slap-grab handshake." 

But if Schwartz really believes he got "shoved out of the way" he needs to go look at the tape. Ironic that Schwartz said, when ending his press conference, "I'll just leave it right there. I'm sure it's on video." It really isn't "right there."

Second off, Schwartz took offense at something Harbaugh said. "And then I didn't expect an obscenity at that point, so it was a surprise to me at the end of the game." 

Ironic, coming from a coach who swore so loudly at a referee that the filming crew caught it. A season full of exuberant celebrations and obscenities thrown at opposing players and this is the step that goes to far?

Harbaugh got too excited, as he has in the past. He's certainly not without blame in this situation, and the problem with Pete Carrol back in the USC/Stanford class proves he can be over the top in his enthusiasm with victories.

But Jim Schwartz's  record this season with crazy behavoir alone dwarfs Harbaugh's entire career. Every complaint Schwartz leveled at Harbaugh on Sunday was so exceedingly hypocritical that it boarders on lunacy.

When it comes to football's Crazy Town, Jim Harbaugh may be an occasional tourist, but Jim Schwartz is in contention for the Mayor's job.