Well, the NFL in their infinite wisdom, scheduled the now famous Detroit Hand Shake Bowl II for week 2 of the schedule. to me the incident itself was funny enough. Jim Harbaugh was very excited about the win over a tough team on the road, overcoming deficits of 10-0, 13-12, and 19-15 and scored 10 unanswered points in the 4th quarter to win 25-19. He ran over to little Jimmy Schwartz, and gave him a hearty handshake, a slap on the back, and a ‘hell of a game’ comment as he ran for the locker room. Poor little Jimmy took offense to the heartiness of it all. This of course after Schwartz ridiculed Harbaugh for a screwed up challenge, and his sideline antics of waving his fingers to the crowd to count off sacks by his team. It then nearly turned into a fight as Anthony Davis chased down Schwartz as he ran to yell at Harbaugh and the hilarity ensued. But you all know this.
The funniest thing to me was Harbaugh saying he shook Schwartz’s hand too hard. “I got right in there, and went BAM!” Pretty much Harbaugh’s way of calling Schwartz a pussy. No one played up that aspect of it, but that’s how I read the whole thing. The media wouldn’t let it go, but whatever. Flash to the here and now, and everyone is pretty much letting this fade to the background. Well, everyone but the media. They are billing this Handshakegate II, or whatever. Seeing as this is a nationally televised Sunday Night game, the intensity should be pretty high anyway. Home opener for the Niners. Let’s hope for no power outages. On the field and in the stadium.
Deetroit in their infinite wisdom, has started chirping already. Here’s what CB Chris Houston had to say about Randy Moss:
Moss is a “possession receiver.” Houston added that he doesn’t think Moss can “take the top off” the defense.
Given Detroit’s problems in the defensive secondary, it’s not the smartest thing Houston ever has said. Moss caught a TD in the 49ers’ road opening win over the Packers, so Houston shouldn’t give Moss any extra reason to try even harder to make an impact. Funny thing is, Houston is nursing a high ankle sprain and may not play. Safety Louis Delmas is also hurting (knee injury) and both could miss the game. So, egging on the opposition while nursing your owie isn’t the smartest course of action. Many Detroit players even admitted to looking past the Rams (which nearly cost them the game) to this home opener for the 49ers.
We took it to them in their house, and they want to return the favor. Yeah, we get it, guys. You are awesome at yapping to the press. Unfortuately for you, the game is played on the field. Harbaugh, for his part doesn’t want to talk about the handshake. He merely deflects the questions as if they are about preparations for Deetroit. I think the Niners win going away, 31-17.
Forty Niners Forever 
Some GPS games for the NFC West this week, Zona of the 8-2 out of last 10 games record play the Pats in Gillette Stadium, Hawks host Romo and the Boys and the Rams have the red hot RG3 and the skins at home. Our GPS game was last Sunday but it wouldn’t hurt to hammer the point home against the lions at the stick on National T.V.
Incidentally, Niners O ranked 12th, D ranked 14th….. Lions O ranked 5th, D ranked 2nd all based off 1 game played so far.
Nope, 12th. Just the license plates. If I’d been smoking pot or a had a single seed in the trunk, I’d have a good time watching My Guy Nate of the Amarillo Venom on TV.
For about the next 5.
Just California license plates in Texas. They don’t shit like there down inTexas.
BLEEP TEXAS!
Double Bleep!!
Only been to Texas once, San Antonio, loved the river walk and a restaurant there called “Dicks”, didn’t have any problems but then again I wasn’t driving a Cali car.
Rankings after one week are total, unmitigated horseshit. Wait until 8 games in, let’s see where the teams stand. Then, we can start handicapping a little bit. Even then, 8 games remain and injuries thereafter could play a huge role…
Injuries always are a huge factor. A lot of people thought Houston might run the table last year. Then they lost Schaub. Already, the Ravens have lost Suggs.
The 49ers have impressive depth for the cap era… but still, there are any number of guys they can ill afford to lose.
In the NFL, it’s not so much about who has the best roster… it’s about who still has the best squad in January. That’s why, even the very best NFL teams have no better than a 1 in 2 shot at a championship, and usually somewhat less. It’s just hard to keep all your key pieces healthy. I remember the Steelers losing both Harris and Bleier in 1976 in the playoffs. Probably cost them their threepeat shot. The 49ers had various seasons shortened by injuries to Joe Montana, Eric Wright, Dwight Clark, Dwaine Board, Roger Craig, and various other guys.
For everything you do to prepare, luck still has a big hand in things down the stretch. All you can do is be as ready as you can and play the hand you are dealt.
Yeah, the Niners were fairly lucky last year inhjury-wise, even if they did lose Patrick Willis for 3-4 games and Joshua Morgan early on. Teams like the Giants last year certainly had their rash of injuries, and they struggled. Until everyone got healthy and they made their run. SD was killed by injuries last year. StL the year before. It doesn’t take much to derail a season. As you said, Grump, Hou was on their way to great heights when Schaub went down, and their season went down as well.
That being said, the Niners ARE pretty well-positioned to withstand SOME injuries. Of all the teams out there, I think the Niners are about as deep as you can get in this post-cap era. Even Alex Smith. I think having Cappy in there would show a completely different style and bring more offensive firepower. Not that I really want to find out at this point.
Criminy, I didn’t know there were that many ‘power rankings’ out there. I counted like 8 doing a quick search.
The key player for us is Justin Smith, looking through the roster we have adequate replacements where the drop off in production should be minimal, but Smith plays at an unbelievable level. Aldon Smith would also be a big loss.
Yeah, the only time I’ve been to Texas is to go to Houston on business. A much different scene than way out in the hinterlands of west Texas.
Good call, 12th. he’s about the only guy who is truly irreplaceable. Let’s hope it never comes to that.
With our new offensive weapons and stout OL I think we score 30 again and give up no more than 20. 30-20 Niners. Don’t see it being too close a game. Should be a great day at the Stick, wish I could be there after the great start to the season.
Scoring Challenge:
Chuck: 31-17 Niners. “You are awesome at yapping to the press. Unfortuately for you, the game is played on the field. Niners win it going away.”
Phil: 30-20 Niners: “With our new offensive weapons and stout OL I think we score 30 again and give up no more than 20.”
12th man: “30-17 Niners, 2 TD, 3 FG and a pick 6 and conversion, how’s that for a team win”!
Grumpy Guy: 31-13 Niners. “I think we crush the kitties”.
rtfirefly: 16-7 Niners. “Defense. Special Teams. Ball Control. Turnovers. I’m gonna keep this up all season”.
Del Mar seems to be missing in action. Hopefully due to a change of heart since the Niners are now very competitive.
De ja vu, Phil . . .
Excited to see some decent O from our guys!
Ok Phil, here ya go. 30-17 Niners, 2 TD, 3 FG and a pick 6 and conversion, how’s that for a team win!
Yeah I could see that too Man. Will update manana. Nice sound bite.
I think we crush the kitties. 31-13.
If our ST plays to ability there will be no 80+ yard botched punt return. 22-8 = 14 so 13 for the freakin’ Lions sounds right.
Flavor you axed: “Has anybody researched the Exact distances these ’63 yard’ kicks went? Were they zackly 63 yards or more or less? Who rally hit the longest FG?”
Sir I have researched this question in my usual rigorous, scientific manner and present my definitive conclusion as follows:
According to whatchutalkinabouthillis says: Sep 13, 2012 12:23 AM
“””Official record says they tied but I think Akers beat Dempsey by half a foot.””
Hyuk, hyuk.
Oh boy.
Yep it’s slow here today in coconutville
Here’s an excellent breakdown of the job the Niners O line did against Green Bay.
http://www.footballoutsiders.com/word-muth/2012/word-muth-49ers-packers
Looks good I’ll check it out when I get back from the tree farm this morning.
Highlights of last weekend’s game:
http://www.49ers.com/media-gallery/videos/The-Remix-49ers-at-Packers/cc23894b-48dd-4803-92bc-f7403c0a9193
Good stuff
Defense. Special Teams. Ball Control. Turnovers.
Lions-Niners. 7-16 (home game).
I’m gonna keep this up all season.
Apropos of nothing, I just think this is funny, seeing where the Giants are in the standings.
Apropos of nothing. I was the only guy in the county wearing my Niner baseball cap before last season started. People asked me what it was. When there was three feet of snow on the ground and the roads were treacherous, I started switching my Niner winter coats (i have a bunch of ’em from windbreakers to California winter coats – all from Candlestick). People asked me what those were too at the stores and on the streets. At the libary. At Church. Niner baseball hat at the library, church, you gotcha.
I went from John Brodie to the demolition and Joe Thomas and then Bill Walsh and Joe Montana and lots more.
After I threw the playoffs parties for the Saints and the Giants here in New Mexico, people started to show up. So some friends of mine got this for me before the Pack game to get me ready. They believe now. I’m watching it again before the Lions.
http://preview.tinyurl.com/9lsvsv5
I know what you mean about wearing niner stuff, lots of new shiny things seen in the street these days.
Umm, your friends got you a parrot???
I’m not very good at posting videos, 12th. The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill, a little low budget I’d never heard of.
lol, makes two of us
I haven’t finalized a score prediction just yet. But I know one thing. It’s going to be a helluva lot closer than the woodshed beat down I put on Unca’s Army this week in fantasy football.
The margin of my victory is going to be wider than the stretched out pussy found at his favorite whorehouse.
Hyuk there the Dennis we know and love. All I managed was a tie with somebody.