Excuse the wonderment here, but the 49ers find themselves in the exact same uncomfortable position that AZ was a a scant few days ago. And that was the distict possibility that they could lose their nominal starting QB Kevin Kolb, AND lose out on the Peyton Manning sweepstakes. Well, in a few short days, Kolb re-signed with AZ, and Peyton is knocking on our door. For good, bad, or indifferent, the Niners could very well lose Alex Smith AND fall out of the Manning race.
And, yes there are some that wouldn’t be too sad about that. Until you look at the fact that the alternative is someone like Josh Johnson (unproven), Matt Hasselhof (decomposing), or even Matt Flynn (unproven as well). There are others who say whoever the starter is, Jim Harbaugh will wave his majic QB wand and produce another winning starter a la the job he did with Alex last year. Given the fact the Harbaugh set the bar impossibly high after one short year, Manning would have 2 years tops to produce a Super Bowl win for it to be considered a good move. Even if the status quo holds out, the bar is set to improve on last season. Which again means Super Bowl or bust. Heady stuff, yes, but QB roulette at this point is a very dicey game to be playing when Harbaugh has preached team team team since he arrived.
At this point, losing out on both Smith and Manning would be a fatal mistake. I’m not sold by any means on Manning being the missing piece to take the Niners to the championship (he may not be healthy or STAY healthy to play), and Smith did his part in spades to get the Niners close, but I’m good and goddamn sure that fricking Hasselhof ain’t the guy. Neither is Johnson. Both those moves would be strictly placeholders until Cappy Kaepernick is ready to go. Flynn? Who knows? And in Hasselbeck’s case, Cappy would be starting by week 6. In other words, without either Smith or Manning, the Niners definitely regress. Sure, they’ll likely make the playoffs, but again, that ain’t the goal going forward. The goal is Super Bowl XLVII. Anything short is failure. I don’t think Hasselhof/JJ or even Flynn get the Niners all the way. They screw up this QB search, and this season is likely a back-pedal.
Forty Niners Forever 
Packers Again on the road? If I didn’t know better I’d be thinking we are STILL paying for Eddie’s sins…and for our gall in winning 5 SuperBowls
BTW WordPress forcing me to log in there to post here…
It is a scary scenario at this moment knowing your starter is “Capt Cappy” and your backup “Beam me up Scotty Tolzien are the only signed QB’S on the roster and neither have thrown a pass in an NFL game…Yikes!
Harbaugh will work wonders!
Cappy got in a few passes last year . . . 6?
He’s a vet!
From Mike Sando;s ESPN NFC WEST Blog:
“We should not underestimate this organization. York has led a successful push for a new stadium. He went against convention when hiring Trent Baalke as his general manager, with better-than-expected results (think NaVorro Bowman, Carlos Rogers, Donte Whitner, paying Ray McDonald instead of Aubrayo Franklin). The organization secured Jim Harbaugh as head coach when Harbaugh was the hottest and, it turns out, best candidate.”
http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcwest/post/_/id/61159/manning-and-49ers-championship-window
Sando thinks Smith will swallow his pride/disappointment and be fine if he stays
There’s damage already- players now know that Harbaugh’s word is worthless. Cohn has tried to portray it as just cold- like Walsh. But I’m unaware of Walsh going anywhere close as Harbaugh has to feign friendship with a player as he goes behind his back to replace him. Walsh was cold- but he was no liar…
How do we know Smith didn’t know all along, or that Harbaugh wasn’t up front about it from the time they went after Manning, whenever the hell that was? He and Manning have the same agent. THAT is a head scratcher to me, how an agent can provide proper service to two QBs after the same job…
Smith is said to be considering changing agents, which certainly suggests he wasn’t “in on” it…dedfinitely looking like a tag team gang bang..
Be that as it may, the Niners are going to sign Smith if they don’t get Manning. Cold-blooded of Harbaugh? Sure. But hey, it IS Manning. Smith is a big boy. He’ll be fine once OTAs roll around. Football in the end is a business. Players go through this all the time. From stars to also-rans. If Montana can get dicked around, anyone can . . .
No comparisoin, Chuclkles, As Poole said:” Does Harbaugh want to put his integrity on the line? That’s what he’d do if Manning signs with San Francisco. The implicit message to everyone in the locker room: Watch what I do, not what I say.”
Sorry, pal… Harbaugh has proven to be a liar, big diff between that and a cold tough businessman,..
“But hey, it IS Manning” Haven’t you done a 180 on Manning? Here’s the bottom line:
“Smith is a healthy, ascending quarterback, while the 36-year-old Manning is an injured, descending player.”
And now Alex is said to be considering changing agents,…and the offer from the Niners is said to be 3 years at 8 million a year. He should spit in Harbaugh’s face over that.
Alex can take a dump in my horse’s barn for all I care — Did we sign Peyton Manning yet?
I detect a difference of opinion between you two.
Listen to me my friends. I know I’m losing you by minute…so if this only reaches Berger, Rob and my best friend, Frank. Hear me and hear me good:
It’s Peyton Fucking Manning. Nuff ‘Said.
Where is Rob these days?
Ok, time for Dennis Hussein Abd-Smith, and the Grumpster, ta-ta.
So many admirers! How does one man do it?
A healthy Alex Smith or a healthy Peyton Manning for next year?
If you answer that question wrongly, may your first born child, be a manly child, and may that child get run over by a bus.
Twin is never wrong!
“Smith is a healthy, ascending quarterback, while the 36-year-old Manning is an injured, descending player.”
Manning is eligible for permanent disability, he will never be healthy.
Who you voting for this election year?
Me? I got my money on the Mayans.
Might as well, Sarah is SO finished now.
Ah, now children are mangled beneath the wheels of a city vehicle. Death Threat is back…
I thought we had an agreement, no more “Death Threat” nomenclatures.
It’s getting old. And believe me, I play nice, but when push comes to shove, my horses shove.
Your children “joke” demanded the return of the Death Threat moniker. And that sounds like a personal threat , DTD. That would be a bad idea.
Peyton Manning or Alex Smith?
For the love of Christ, I should be drawn and quartered for asking that question.
You should be drawn and quartered for the child “joke”…
Child “joke?” You should be drawn and quartered for NOT being funny.
That was no child… you’d better see where Frank is.
Zeke! Bad boy! I’ve told you not to eat strange cats. You never know where they’ve been…
TF, I guess we have a difference of opinion when it comes to humor.
I can that accept that fact.. So could we also accept dropping the name calling?
Name calling? Death Threat is descriptive. So no- you discontinue your constant, tiresome, annoying, stupid, Smith hatred and we’ll talk..
I would love to join the pie fight breaking out around here but it seems my ‘puter be hijacked by WordPress.
Lemme try agin…
So… Smith is good but a victim
Manning is bad but also useless
Harbaugh is bad and has faulty morals
Dennis bad but funny
Anything else going on around here?
Flynn threw for 6 TD’s in a game that was either a throw away game at the end of the season or Rodgers was hurt. Not even Farve did that. Might be worth a look.
Sure if we don’t get Manning and Smith bolts to Seattle or sumptin’ Flynn might work
Flynn is 99% to Miami.
Way I heard it at Skeeb’s blog is that supposedly Manning called the 9ers and asked if we are possibly interested in his services. If so what is coach and GM supposed to do? Tell him to buzz off without a look see? Forget about possibly upgrading the team?
What? Our guys are covering all the bases. This is bad?
Huh?
If Manning called us it was because the Niners let it be known that they would be interested if he showed he was interested- double sneaky.,..
“Tell him to buzz off without a look see?” Actually, yes, that is exactly what you do when you’ve claimed you’re *not* interested and said your caddy is the man…
That is conjecture.