Who says a general manager can't affect a team's bottom line before his first draft or free agency?
While he's waiting, John Lynch is working the phones and closing season ticket deals in San Francisco.
According to Lange, Lynch wanted to meet some of the business team "in their own element" instead of a meeting, so he weaved his way around the team's business offices and into the sales department where a new member of the team's sales staff was trying to sell an SBL, or Stadium Builders License.
Another staffer joked that the salesperson should put Lynch on the phone, so he did.
"Not planned at all," Lange said.
Lynch is aiming to be a John Elway-type figurehead in the 49ers' organization, which is why the team already hired personnel executives like former Lions general manager Martin Mayhew and Adam Peters in the last couple weeks to round out the staff. The notion of "culture building" can be overblown these days, but it looks like Lynch is taking the dive head first to ensure no stone is left unturned.
Something tells us he'll find the white knuckle days of free agency a little harder but make no mistake -- selling SBL's aren't easy.