Here we are, poised on the biggest game around these parts in 9+ years, and the comparisons to the 1981 team are a bit eerie. Beyond the fact the Niners are playing in the same dump of a stadium while some other teams have gone through 2 stadiums (hello Detroit) in that time frame is only the beginning. Starting with the owner, you have in Jed York a similar figure to you Eddie DeBartolo. Both are young upstarts who didn’t bring a hell of a lot of experience other than being the son of a very wealthy dad. Eddie got the Niners because his father was not allowed to own a hockey team and a football team at the same time. Jed got the Niners from his dad because Dr. John was an inept buffoon who charged the team for every bottle of water they drank, dismantled one of the greatest dynasties in sports, and let the stadium bond that Eddie fought so hard to get die on the vine.
The 1980 Niners posted a 6-10 record amidst guarded hope that the team was at least heading in the right direction under Bill Walsh. The 2010 Niners posted a 6-10 record amidst the crumbling regime of one Aluminum Mike Singletary. Walsh came in as an offensive wizard who made his bobnes under legendary Paul Brown. Harbaugh came in as an overachieving quarterback who willed his teams to improbable victories, and as a coach is being heralded as an offensive visionary who has done well in developing quarterbacks like Josh Johnson, Andrew Luck, and now Alex Smith. The 1981 season, very much like the 2011 season, started with a lot of questions, and a bit of hope. The 1981 draft provided the 49ers with a brand-new defensive backfield (minus Dwight Hicks). The 2011 draft provided the 49ers with a bunch of depth at important positions (RB, CB, O line), a starting FB, and a pre-eminent pass rusher. A huge key to the success of both teams.
Both teams started their seasons tentatively. The 1981 Niners lost to Detroit and Atlanta to post a 1-2 record out of the gate. At that point in the season, it was like, well, they could go 8-8. Wait til next year. This year’s Niners won a fairly pedestrian game against Seattle, and lost a close one at home to Dallas. At the time, I thought, well, we’ll be 8-8, but it might win the division. Let’s just keep seeing incrememtal improvement, and wait til next year.
The 1981 Niners then reeled off 7 straight wins. Along the way, beating powerhouses like Washington, Dallas, and Pittsburgh. The 2011 Niners did them one better and won 8 straight, beating playoff teams like Cincy, Detroit, and the NYFGs. Both teams finished strong to end the year at 13-3 and vastly exceeded the expectations of a hungry fan base. This team is playing with a highly rated defense and an underrated offense. The 1981 Niners were a highly rated offense with an underrated defense.
In 1981, the 49ers were the surprise #1 seed. This year, the surprise #2 seed. Forget Tim Tebow, tomorrow will be the next step to see if this truly is a magical season (and yes, even with a loss tomorrow, the season was an unmitigated success) for the 49ers that leads them and their fans to Super Bowl XLVI.
Forty Niners Forever 
Flavor what was the deal with yer cutting the score from 37-31? You hang with that YOU WIN the First Annual Divisional Playoff Prognostication Prize which we’re waiting for chuck to announce. Of course he foolishly cut his prediction too -to something closer to Grant’s which was the winner of the worst call of the game award. Of course this will give him a perfect excuse to weasel outta awarding any prize so not holding my breath.
Internet may be shit over here but since we’re 9 hours ahead it’s easy to see da future.
well, I hammered the Niners on the ML for actual US currency so I;m not sweating my loss at the ‘Forever Prediction contest too much. If you read my blog you’d have known that. Actually, the game played out the way I thought it would AFTER I knocked the number down. THe Niners D did a great job on the Saints and vice versa till all that weird shit went down in the 4th Q.
But whatever, it has benefited me greatly so far. Even more so if Houston and the Giants cover tomorrow……..
I’ll check that out. Good on you to make some bucks on this…more’n I can do.
So how is that Crow tasting tonight Dennis?
Hey, did you guys (watching the Pats/Broncs) game see that commercial they just ran?
Holy Mother of Pearl. Little kids reciting John 3:16. Tebow strikes again.
Brady and his Dark Side led by the dude in the hoody have torn the fabric of the Tebow force and burned it in a firestorm of dominance…
That’s outta the New Testament right? Revelations?
Why is Brady still in there up 42-7?
Darth Bellichick proving a point?…
That’s his MO snaark.. God I hate that guy, but at least they crushed Tebow 😉 Cheers!
That was the best game I have seen in over a decade… Cheers!
It was outstanding from start to finish, wasn’t it?
Thank you very much I’m all over my Patriots prediction 45-10.Yowzer!!!!!
did you nail that cold? That’s fucking awesome if you did.
Um. I was dead wrong about Denver covering. I can hold my head high and admit it. Feels good, the air is better up here anyway. 🙂
I don’t think Pats are as good as they looked tonight. Broncos just hit the level to which they didn’t belong. I would just luv a Niners-Pats Super Bowl…
I don’t give a shit about the next gm or the super bowl or any of that. I’m bursting right now. A July 4th fireworks show is crashing down upon me as I type this….
Shit, I’ve been saying for a little while now that NO is the best team that’s on our agenda. And we fucking took it to them. That was pretty fucking nice. The bootleg as brilliant. And you may have said it ott, Flav, but I called for that damn exact play 2 series before when we were getting close. The party here is over, but what a goddamn rush.
YYYEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THAT was a fucking game!!!!!!!!!!
One national media guy who deserves mention is Merrill Hoge who has been a 49er and Smith supporter all year. The other ESPN guys were openly snickering at him when he said that the 49ers were the best all-around team in the league- before the game. He did a bit afterwards about how stories like Vernon’s and Smith’s are what sports are all about. A guy who got thrown off the field and another nearly run out of town…they grew up together here and now have joined playoff lore after two of the clutch performances in memory.
Yeah, I heard Hoge this morning talking, and he said the best all around team still in the playoffs was the 49ers. And that was BEFORE this game. I almost fell out of bed (hey, it was early). There have been some people behind the Niners in the national media, but for the most part, they don’t get the props they deserve. The talk has been, they can’t keep up with a guy like Brees. Well, the whole game, I’m saying ‘one drive, come one, one drive’. There were countless times we could have put the game away, but once the Niners fell behind, those were the 2 biggest drives in the past 15 years that Smith came up with there. Unfuckingbelievable. The house was ROCKING . . . ! It has been a LOOOONG time that this team has come through this well in crunch time.
That being said, Crabtree needs to understand what the fuck is going on. This is the playoffs. You CANNOT drop drive-killing passes like that. Those 3 drops were bad bad bad.
Still and all, what a game. What a fucking game. Next week should be easier than this one . . .
Yeah, its probably not time to criticize after such a hellacious win, but Crabtree has got to step up. He caught one slant TD, but that was an EZ catch, great play design. The other catches he dropped were contested, and Alex pretty much but the ball right in his hands. He has to catch that shit…
And, with that in mind, and no way do I want to wish away the rest of this season, but sheesh. Balke has GOT to get some WRs in here over the offseason. It is flat amazing that the Niners have gotten this far with a cast of receivers that is so weak. VD had a great game, sure. But, they need a huge injection of upgrade in the WR area. The Saints WRs are freekin awesome, we could use anyone of those guys…
The thing is, and I’ve said it before, is look at the catches other teams get out of their WRs and TEs. Graham caught some tough passes that were HARD to get. Colson had some tough catches. Our guys drop shit on their hands. Nevermind get the tough ones. I do have to give VD major props. He was MONEY MONEY MONEY. Like I’ve never seen him.
I keep waiting for the coaches to get KW more involved. If Crabs had KW’s hands, he’d be an all pro every fucking year.
It will happen. Baalke knows we’re thin here
As much as this season reminds me of 1981, that TD catch by VD sure reminded me of the Owens Owens Owens catch of the 1998 wildcard game against the Packers. VD comes off the field crying uncontrollably in the arms of Harbaugh, just like TO with Mooch.
Unreal. With Tebow out, do we have the magic?
Hell yeah.
Just like Bill Walsh seconds after Dwight’s catch. See snarkk’s video of 1/12/12 @ 7:07 PM and my comment same thread @ 8:06 PM. “The Game The Game The Game”. At 1″15 on the tape LOOK at BW’s face.
Do we have the magic? Yes same magic and a heck of a lot better team Chuck!
Crab is good but the game is 4 quarters. He reminds me of Vernon before MS laced him in a game, on TV. Not recommending those tactics. It’s a maturity issue and MC has a ways to go: consistency, concentration. Under Harbaugh he’s going to be okay and will keep improving. Saw a shot of him doing a beautiful ‘layup’ over the crossbar after the TD. Beautiful but there were 3 more quarters to go. Vernon has been patient really all year and when we really needed him Alex and he hooked it up for some history making franchise production. Crab we needed too but it’s still a work in progress and he’s not there yet. Still when I consider how angry I was at this man during training camp…
Where did this rank?
I suppose that as a single game winning drive, “The Catch ” still reigns supreme because it sent them to the Super Bowl, but this was TWO and Alex channeled both HOF QBs in doing it.How did the three fare overall on those big days?
Montana 22 for 35 286 3 TD 3 INT 81.4 QBR
Young 18 for 32 182 3 TD 2 INT 77.9 QBR
Smith 24 for 42 299 3 TD 0 INT 103.2 QBR
This OBVIOUSLY does not mean Alex will ever compare to these greats but it does mean this- on January 14 2012, Alex Smith had a day for the ages, one that would make Joe and Steve proud. Bravo…
as a Niner fan, even if you were one of the fools who never believed in him at any point in THIS season, you HAVE to look at his performance yesterday and do nothing other than bow down, honor him, and thank him…..
No arguing with that. Blake Costanzo said somewhat miffed: “And just what more do you want from him?” to a reporter yesterday.
Nice comparison. He might rank with them in the end. He’s got a lot of football left in him, good teammates, great coaches. What a day 1/14/12 was, man
From the time that Niners hired coaches that knew nothing about a passing offense, I have said how can you evaluate your QB when half the time he is running for his life from a pass rush when it it 3rd and long. Alex truely showed what he is made of. Reminded me a lot of Steve Young trying to get out of Joe’s shadow.
Still unbelievable, still basking. The only problem was my DVR stopped taping halfway through the 4th quarter. Got to find the NFL network replay , , ,
Hell of a stand by Houston…..
I think the NFL Network can begin to show replays on Tues at 5PM PST. I looked ahead, teams are still TBA.
Saw that stop. They’re hungry w/ a dang good D
You didn’t go to the game then?
Team is playing tough, fierce football right now. Definitely on a roll going into the NFC title game. With the guys we got it doesn’t get any better than this. Pack or Giants are going to have their hands full next Sunday.