6 days and counting before the Super Bowl. What a long crazy season it has been. From the finally broken W-W-L consistently inconsistent play of the team to the emergence of Colin Kaepernick as the weapon of choice for the 2nd half of the season, the team has gelled at the right time. The playoff games showed Baltimore that the Niners can run the read option with Kaepernick or with Gore. The playoff games showed the Niners can overcome adversity with the early pick 6 in the Green Bay game, and the 17 point deficit in the Atlanta game.
My hope for this game, however, is a faster start by the defense. Both playoff games the defense was on their heels early, and they gave up points. 14 in the GB game, and 24 in the Atl game. They settled down, created some turnovers, and shut down both teams to the tune of 3 point by GB (with a late garbage-time TD), and 0 points to Atl. I love the adjustments, although last week, I don’t thinkthey changed much, they just started playing better and wore down Atl’s line and got more pressure on Natty Ice.
Thanks to Kevin for the pic above. I’d love to figure out how to contact those soldiers and let them know we are behind them all the way.
Forty Niners Forever 
It was an ordeal with a shanked FG and a Crabtree strip at the goal line but the D refused to let us lose. We got the ball back and Frank put us ahead to stay = ticket to the dance. After that we should lose? Naw we will win this sucker
Regarding Obama, Pollard and NFL player safety, I could honestly see some crazy changes coming to the NFL. I do NOT think that getting rid of kickoffs is the answer. You can’t change the structure, but I do think you can continue to change the rules in a way that would affect the game immediately. Here are some ideas:
1.) Fining players doesn’t work in big games. If I can deliver a devastating hit in the Super Bowl that helps win the game, why not? I’ll take the fine and deliver the hit. But what about ejecting the player? Getting ejected doesn’t help win the game. And what’s to say a one time big hit is intentional? If you follow my line of thinking, the answer is soccer. Yellow card, red card. Think about it. If fining doesn’t deter in big games, ejection would but it can’t be controversial. It wouldn’t be if there was a warning.
2.) The NFL must have full disclosure. The NFL must work everyday to not only help understand head injuries caused by the sport, but the NFL must also disclose all of their findings to their players and the nation. In doing so, past players and their families (eventually) couldn’t say, “You knew and you didn’t tell us,” like Junior’s wife recently has done in a lawsuit. Full disclosure, and maybe even some kind of agreement upfront – “You play, you get paid and you know brain trauma is a very real possibility,” so the owners aren’t liable.
3.) More required padding. Eric Dickerson used to wear every single pad known to mankind. Other players didn’t. Padding is optional. It shouldn’t be. The NFL can regulate Frank’s socks but not his pads?
4.) The NFL should sponsor increased drug testing at the high school and college levels. These NFL players aren’t building muscle mass illegally in the NFL where the tests are. They’re building illegal muscle mass that creates faster and stronger players at the lower levels. If the NFL doesn’t want to help with drug testing, make a statement that if a player is caught at the lower levels using steroids they’re banned from playing in the NFL for life.
5.) Take the weight rooms out. You read that right. Make the game more about endurance, flexibility and cardio, and less about muscle mass. It’s laughable to think of football players doing hot yoga at the team’s facility, but guess what, it’s the muscle mass that’s creating the head injuries. Bill Walsh and Bobb McKittrick’s offensive lines were more finesse than power. That could easily be the game if that’s what the owner’s made a priority. And sure, some guys are naturally huge and that’ll make other guys want to cheat, but it’s the culture in the NFL that the owners are fostering that could kill the game. It’s literally an arms build up. You get bigger, the team gets bigger, the other teams have to get bigger, quicker to keep up. If the owners get together and take out all the trainers, nutrition specialists, etc., etc,, designed to make the players bigger and stronger, you’re not going to have the arms build up. Forget about the trainers trying to build mass. Just have trainers helping to heal injuries.
I know this all sounds crazy but the NFL needs to start changing ASAP. When the President speaks out in an era where change is impossible, there’s trouble.
Good luck with that. Goodie Goodell already wields too much power. Having him mandate HS and college drug testing will never happen in 20 lifetimes. Pads? No. Weight room? No. Stiffer penalties for hits? That will happen.. However the NFLPA will fight this tooth and nail every step of the way. As they already have.
At some point there will be sensors put on all helmets. Helmet-to-helmet contact? Instant penalty if it’s over the sensor limit.
Made me LMAO, they would be better off with Alex Smith!! Head line in Yahoo sports:
Jets reportedly considering JaMarcus Russell
What, they need a new blimp?
Smith makes too much sense. The Jets are making the Raiders look like genuises. The Raiders burned 5 picks (or whatever) on Carson Palmer and Terrrelle Pryor. Neither of whom should be in the NFL at this point. Getting Gradkowski would be an upgradefor them now. Or even Alex.
It’s going to take years to undo Al’s stupidity
Damn. The Rams just announced they WON’T be hiring Rob (Revolving Door) Ryan as their Defensive Coordinator, citing philosophical differences.
Color me disappointed. I think Fischer is a good HC, and so therefore, I’m not surprised he didn’t hire the bum.
Fischer probably did have philosophical differences with Ryan. Rex thinks he is a good coach, and Fischer thinks he is a self-aggrandizing jackass. It would never work out.
Rob, Rex, they’re both jackasses, LOL.
A notable quote below from the espn nfcwest blog,
http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcwest
“The Ravens want to force Kaepernick to beat them with his arm. ”
Work for me. I also continue to see comparisons to Vick. To me , that is a joke. CK’s arm, accuracy, pocket presence and poise are already worlds above anything Vick has shown. I am AOK with them hyper focusing on not letting him beat them with his legs. And I am still somewhat puzzled that everyone is so obsessed with his running. They are ignoring what ultimately is going to kick ass over the next ten years. TD passes. I guess it is the shiny new object syndrome.
I don’t think the media knows what John Harbaugh intends to do to stop Kaep. Surely John just saw Frank and LaMicheal in the Falcons’ game feed off the read option. Nolan keying on Kaep is what won us the game. I’d be willing to bet that John makes Kaep run the ball. Think Kaep and Jim didn’t see Pollard knocking out the Pats’ running back? John knows he can beat Alex Smith. I think you’re right, though, Barley…. I do think the end result will be Kaep needing to be a pocket passer in this game, and I think Jim anticipates that.
I truly hope Jim doesn’t play conservative in the first quarter because Kaep is so young. Kevin Gilbride, in the first Giants’ Super Bowl with Eli, called a lot of running plays and said openly, “We’ll start throwing the ball more once Eli gets comfortable in the game.” I can see the reasoning in that, but I think Jim knows that Kaep can handle all comers. I’m hoping for an early, aggressive passing game. It’ll only add to the Colin Kaepernick legend.
The 49ers are in a really interesting position after the Super Bowl. I don’t believe in jinxs, so I can look ahead while I hope the team isn’t.
The 49ers will get a huge savings from the Colin Kaepernick’s rookie salary cap contract. In addition, they’ll save by releasing Smith. There may also be some contracts that need to be restructured, and now, finally, the 49er organization has some leverage over players regardless if the 49ers win the Super Bowl – “You want a shot at ring? Play in SF.” That goes for free agents, but more importantly, it goes for our own players. Think now that the 49ers have a potentially awesome offense that Dashon Goldson doesn’t want to play in SF?
I don’t pretend to know what the 49ers’ salary cap looks like after Baalke makes his cuts, retains some more players, and restructures more contracts. Nobody knows. But I’m confident they will be in better shape after the draft because the 49ers have something like 10 picks. The 49ers could package up picks to move up to get a real impact player – trading with a team like the Saints who need picks and have a relatively high draft pick this off season. Because the team is so good, late round picks mean less, so package ’em up and trade up.
I believe the 49ers have some unique off season options. They could go out and get a free agent pass rusher like Dwight Freeney, or a DT like Richard Seymor. Unca’s boy, Mike Wallace, will probably be available this year as well. The 49ers should guard against jeopardizing their salary cap – guard against mortgaging for the future, but I have faith in both Baalke and Harbaugh to avoid such pitfalls, especially when they have so many draft picks.
Like the Falcons a few years ago, the 49ers are in position now to package up picks and move up into the first round to get an immediate impact player. I think in the first round the 49ers could get a dominant defensive tackle, drafted in the top 15, who could immediately contribute and learn from Justin Smith. For my money, if I’m the GM, I package up picks to get a high first round pick and I use it on DT.
But the 49ers also have other needs. They could use a new kicker, a third string developmental quarterback, another safety, corner, offensive tackle, running back and another wide receiver even though Kyle Williams and Manningham will be healthy, and Moss is coming back.
Jim Harbaugh was on KNBR recently saying how his team is poised to make a run at three Super Bowl rings. I honestly believe that’s just what he’ll do…… hopefully more.
Do your comments come with cliff notes?
Those ARE the Cliff Notes, Shaman. The full text is on 37 stone tablets brought down from Mount Shasta.
Ray Lewis suspected of using a ban steroid during his recovery from his torn bicep muscle.
Antler-velvet extract!!
Hey Dennis…,Did Ray hook up with you for his fix at your Pub in Pinole,Antlers?
Hope they ban his ass from the game,but Goodell has no balls for that to happen.
Gawd, Spit. Hire a fucking editor. No one reads your tomes. A lot of important guys are signed. The biggest decision next season is Goldson. He’s so all-over-the-place though. His start in the Atl game was atrocious. His WAY late hit in the GB game was boneheaded as well. He can be good at times, but he hasn’t been very good lately. I wouldn’t burn the coin to sign him to a big deal. He wants something like 4 years/$30 mill. No way no how. They could even franchise him again, but he’d be VERY pissed if that happens.
And, as I’ve said a million times, they have flexibility at the corner position. There are a ton of DBs in the draft. If they find a FS they love in the draft, get him. If they find a CB they love, move Culliver to FS.
The Niners have 14 picks this draft when you wade through the supplementals. If they trade Smith it should be for 2014 picks.
Without Goldson’s hit on Hernandez that gave him and a few other Patriot receivers alligator arms, we might have lost that game – and the division. I doubt we would have made it to the SB as a wildcard.
He is inconsistent as hell, but he does make his share of plays. I would not let him go without a very solid plan to replace him. I have not seen enough of Culliver in run support to consider him that plan. In any event, Culliver has the most upside of our CBs and should stay there.
Wouldn’t that be poetic justince? Ray Lewis suspended for one game. His last one!
Yer right though. Goodie Goodell won;t do it. Ray could go out and kill a guy and he wouldn’t suspend him.
Been there, done that.
New thread is up . . .