Well, the seaon comes to an inglorious end. Lots of changes look to be on the future. David (lefty) Akers, Alex Smith, Dashon Goldson, Ted Ginn, Leonard Davis, Jonathan Gooodwin, Larry Grant, Ricky Jean, Randy Moss, and Delanie Walker (among a few other backups) are all UFAs. Frankly a lot of these guys look to leave. I’d put Alex, Goldson, Ginn, L Davis, Goodwin, and Randy (what, me try?) on the goodbye list.
Grant proved to be an able back up last year when Willis went down. He’s a keeper. Ricky Jean may not be big enoung in the middle, but he’s a solid back up on the line. He stays. The rest? Goodwin’s old, maybe a one year deal. L Davis is a possible keeper, but we have Kilgore and Looney waiting in the wings. Alex? Please. If he wants to stick around an be a backup, he’s a fool. It’s all in his court. Moss? Fuck him. If he can’t get up for a Super Bowl then see ya. Ginn? 4th string WR and a fading punt returner. Bye. Goldson wants a huge payday. Take the 3/25 from 3 years ago, or adios muchacho. Walker? He’s too inconsistent. he has great games followed by games (like the Atl game) where balls clank off his hands like, uh, things that bounce off other things. Sue me, I’m tired.
The Niners have a ton (14) of picks and can afford to get some good FA WRs, CBs, or whatever they don’t nail in the draft by. The core of the team is solid, and they should be able to fill ouyt the roster going forward.
I’m out of here for a while. See y’all next week. Time to forget me some football and hit the slopes. Love that run off to the right there off the Lincoln Chair at Sugar Bowl.
Forty Niners Forever 
Pretty much with you on all that. Moss? Gimme a break. Bringing him back would be a waste of a WR spot. He said in SB media week he wasn’t happy being a “decoy”. So, make him happy and cut him loose to fly with the other GOAT ducks.
Delanie, I’m on the fence. He had a good SB, and did well on STs there and during the season. He’s a handy guy, good in the locker room, he’s just not dependable to catch the damn ball. At the right price, he stays. Maybe. I’d see what’s out there in the draft and FAs for better TE options.
Kickers? Akers obvioiusly gone. That’s the least of worries. Tons of guys kick 80% plus now.
Got to get a freekin big, fast receiver that can go get the ball. I can’t believe we’re two years into Harbaugh time and STILL the WR corps is below average. That MUST be fixed, especially now with a guy at QB that can really chuck the rock. Keenan Allen works for me…
BTW, Alex has to go. Keep him at $8,5M for a backup? Silly talk. Trade him for whatever best package of player(s) and/or picks you can get and be done.
We must shed this team of the Alex, and move onward into the Kap era…
Snarkk i like Keenan as well,size,speed the whole package.Problem is he will probably be off yhe board the time the Niners pick.He’s rated highly.
Heard talk Niners could be interested in Seabass Janakowski.Raiders need draft picks,Niners have plenty.If they could land him with say a second or third with a few lower picks six or seven,that could work.He is up their in age but can still boom them.Just a thought.
Sorry Kat, but no old dudes, there will be plenty of young kickers in the draft. I would rather give them a shot.
By no means do i think Alex stays. his $$$ is too high for a backup and he wants to be a starter.
If he stays, then I’m baffled beyond belief. I don;t think the Niners offer him anything. Jed’s trying to generate some buzz around him. and there should be some interest, seeing the crap in the draft, and the lousy FA class. Trade for Flynn? Good luck. Build a team around Mike (woof) Vick? Nope. There’s few good options, and Alex is head and shouldersd above the dreck available.
Goodbye Alex. Chuck on the slopes? Yikes
Alex will be gone. All the talk otherwise is a smokescreen, or too many bong hits. Moss is gone too. I’ve read all year about how great he is in the locker room, and everyone looks up to him, etc. But his act pre-SB and what often appears as a lackadaisical effort on the field has worn thin. Still as pointed out by snarkk, we are unacceptably thin at WR. I still think Jenkins will be a bust (for a first rounder, anyway).
Best guestimate on keeping: Goldson, Goodwin, Grant, Ricky-Jean, Walker.
Leaving: Smith, Moss, Ginn, Davis, Akers.
I want to pipe in on the previous talk about JH being wound tight, sideline antics, etc. For the record, I think he HURTS the team with that shit. I think he had them wound up too tight. There is a balance between being super focused and being relaxed. You need both, IMO. I also concur with NF’s comment about how JH’s antics and tantrums on the sidelines cannot but detract from his focus on situational playcalling, time clock management, etc., not to mention that constantly browbeaten officials eventually are going to either tune you out or disrespect/dislike you to the point they might even subconsciously give the opposition the benefit of the doubt on calls. It’s not suppose to be a popularity contest, I get that, but being a prick that whines after EVERY single little call IMO not only doesn’t gain you shit, it takes something away.
As for those that say, hey I’ll take JH and his NFCCG/SB appearances in a heartbeat, I’m a fan first, so how can I disagree with that? Really, I can’t, but it doesn’t mean that he’s got a fucking halo on and is above criticism. As Spit alluded, the guy could be so much BETTER if he figured out that screaming your way through the process is really in the end not the best way.
So as far as the “I don’t give a shit as long as he wins” mantra, I have to say that I DO give a shit, and think that less whining, less tantrums, and some fucking grace in defeat is going help his decision making in pressure moments as well as filter down to his players and the result will actually be…less defeats.
There is also the issue that continuing to act like this could mean not winning down the line. So far the team has been down with Jimbo but there is the risk that if he acts too much the fool that could change. If he loses the locker room we’re right back to the gruesome endgame of the last two regimes. There is probably a time to get tough with the officials – but if you think that time is a dozen or two dozen times a game, you’ve got a problem.
The question is what’s the agent for change for Harbaugh? Is it a mentor like John Madden reaching out? Is it the blogs that question Harbaugh? Is it the media? Jim Harbaugh knows he has to handle things with grace and class. After the Super Bowl, when talking about the refs, he said, “I want to handle this with class,” then he spoke about the refs. And what does Harbaugh always say, “Moving forward with humble hearts?” Jim knows the value of class and dignity as a head coach and what kind of longevity that affords him. “But thoughts and deeds give nose bleeds when trying to convert”- Sir Walter Spitblood.
This Super Bowl loss could change Harbaugh. It’s widely believed that Jim had the better roster. That points the finger at Jim. Mike Holmgren, after losing the Super Bowl, said he went to a dark place for the entire off season. I don’t wish a dark place on anyone…… well, except Skeebers, Berger, Bullit/Unca/Tommy/DirtDiver, Rob and Twinfan…. and Sarah Palin, but Jim Harbaugh needs some serious pain to move him off his perch.
I’ve longed believed that sports writers look to blogs to mine for ideas. I think this blog gets about as much professional traffic as Billy Joe Bob’s worm circus (whatever that means), so I’m thinking of blogging these very thoughts on a site where they would take it to Jim at a press conference. Maiocco might. Cam might. I’m certain the lesbian father and son tandem at the Press Dem would, but who’d listen? But I think Lowell writing an article about it might at first make Jim pissed, but then others would say, “Yeah, that is THE problem.” Who knows?
Either way, Jim needs to change three areas – how he interacts with his team, the officials and the media. This team played tight, made too many mistakes, and it cost Jim the Super Bowl. But all things happen for a reason. The Harbaugh Bowl happened because the contrast between Jim and John can’t be ignored. The better person won….. as it should be.
Yeah, it’ll be telling to see how this next season goes. The division is infinitely more difficult this season, and Sea at least looks real good. StL is coming on. If AZ ever got a line and a QB, they’d be tough themselves. It can turn around pretty quickly.
My point being, if they get beaten up in the division, and Harbaugh continues down this road of hypersensitive-to-everything shit, the players could very well tune him out as well. At this point I think everything’s cool, but seeing how JH reacts to a bad stretch of games remains to be seen. He’s hitting the 3rd year. The year that took down both his predecessors. But it was Walsh’s crowning year.
Interesting to say the least.
Yeah it’s losing the team that worries me. The officials to some extent. Fuck the media, they’re worthless anyway. But lose the players, and it’s all over.
Jim just needs a nice vacation.
I would hope AS leaves but I don’t rule out them keeping him. They will *not* go with Tolzien as the 2, with Kap’s risk factor for injury, they’re going to get a vet to back up CK anyway. Anyone decent will cost bucks and the best bof the FAs is probably Jason Campbell so they’d have to trade for one. Shit, they could end up giving Alex a RAISE to stay… just kidding, but no team needs two good QBs more than we do.
Have a good time up there Chuck.. I’m taking my kids to see snow for the first time in a couple weeks.. Looking forward to it.
Chuck, you seemed to have a different attitude about Harbaugh’s whining and bitching when you posted about this on the Flap. Do you think his conduct is acceptable or not? I’m genuinely asking a question. Here you seem to agreeing with the others who find his antics distasteful. Barley said it best-
:”So as far as the “I don’t give a shit as long as he wins” mantra, I have to say that I DO give a shit, and think that less whining, less tantrums, and some fucking grace in defeat is going help his decision making in pressure moments as well as filter down to his players and the result will actually be…less defeats.”
On the Flap you say “And, please. Harbaugh’s whining? Sure he is. He should be pissed about it. Show me someone who accepts horrible officiating and I’ll show you a loser. There were 3-4 non-calls on those last 3 plays. He goes ballistic? Christ. this shows the players he’s got their back. Frankly, I don’t give a shit if it isn’t the ‘proper’ way to lose. I’m sure he’ll be a little more concilliatory later on, but now? Fuck that. I’d be furious too. 2 years, 2 deep playoff runs, and this is the thanks he gets? I don;t agree with what he does all the time, but really, this team is instantly in the Super Bowl hunt on the strength of his coaching. He ruffles some feathers along the way? I say tough shit. ”
Where do you stand? That’s a reasonable question, I’d appeciate it if you answer in a reasonable manner.
Twin right again!
Oh can it, Nip. I will say that I was surprised to see some unlikely people demonstrating some concern for the value of sportsmanship and voicing displeasure with Harbaugh’s embarrassing antics.
Twin to be honest how many points Harbaugh gets for style.
?…..is seriously low on my coaching priority list.
Been meaning to say this and keep forgetting. Chris Culliver is a good CB. He played well in most games and very well in some. He was overly aggressive in the SB and paid the price for it and will be better for the experience.
Brown and Culliver will make a good starting tandem.
Agree 12th man.I really like Tarell Brown,dude is gonna be a pro-bowler IMO in the future.Culliver just got caught up in the SB hype,and it fucked up his game in Nawlins.He is agressive and I like that,he’s a keeper.
Chucky really wants Goldson gone.That’s just stupid.Dude is one of the best Safety’s in the game.He is a Text book tackler,and most of his fines the refs hit him up for were BS,he had a few legit,but most were not helmet to helmet.
Goldson brings the Lumber like Ronny Lott always did,nothing wrong with that.
If im the Niners,im considering dumping Whitner,and getting a heavy hitter like Matt Elam S
Florida,or TJ McDonald S USC .
I see it the same way Kat. Whitner is past his sell by date. Goldson is top 5 at the position, maybe a little better. Carlos has maybe 1 good year, so in my opinion we need a safety and a third CB to cover the slot cause Carlos is a tick slow there.
I’d rather keep Goldson than Whitner, even at a *somewhat* higher price. The other safety should be better in pass defense. Culliver plays the man well, the ball not so well. Let’s see how things look after another year. In any case, we need help in the secondary. At least try to push Rogers off the roster, and find a FS.
Per Grant Cohn’s rantings: Whitner gave up 12 touchdowns and a 130.6 QB rating this season according to Pro Football Focus.
That is even worse than I expected.
Yeah Twin,im “All In” in what Jimbo brings to this team.He has the team running thru walls for him.He has the utmost “Fire” of any coach in the league.He’all about “Fucking Winning” and he has,and turned this Franchise into a juggernaut for years to come.2 yrs Championship game & SB,fucking everyone should be doing cartwheels on this turnaround.
Jimbo is so far ahead of the curve on all coaches and DC right now.Coaches and DC especially are having nightmares going forward trying to figure out how to stop the pistol offense,the read option out of it,the multiple formations they can run out of it,the fantastic speed factor going forward,with James,Hunter,Kap blazing downfield,still a good dose of Frank Gore,who Jimbo scaled back on the carries this year, which was also smart coaching, as he was fresh and hungry going into the playoffs.And devastating blocks by one of my favorite unsung player Bruce Miller,who loves the pistol and gets involved now more then did when Alex was in.
Keep doing what your doing Jimbo,cause it’s all good with me.Same goes for Trent Ballke,and his “Great Godfather Voice” between him and Jimbo,gonna go great in the War Room on draft day.These 2 no how to find the talent.Ballke blew me away,and im sure others on the Aldon
Smith pick,and wow that was golden.Same with Jimbo,who even coveyed to his Dad ((Jack) under total secrecy that he was gonna move up in the draft and take Colin Kaepernick,who Jim thought was the best player in the “Whole” Draft. That’s showing some major “Cajones” with that prediction,but in the end,he was Damm Right Kappy will be the bestfrom that draft!!!!
The Ravens are erecting a statue to Ray Lewis already. How long till someone duct tapes a knife to its hand I wonder?
And add some Antler’s to his head.
I wish I was in Baltimore with duct tape and a knife. That is just so wrongly right.
Jim’s antics don’t worry me. Just keep bringing in the talent and coaching them up and winning will solve all these other little things.
12 and Kat: “Style” is not neccassrily a synonym for “class”…anyway- as others here has said, handling defeat *and* victory with class *is* a value many think to be important. But forget that- his coaching lost the game. For the second game in a row they were stream rolled early, and on the pivotal 4th down play, he had a TO his pocket that should have been used, instead a green QB had to audible out of the play call into a low percentage fade route. The TO was worthless if they were stopped, he *had* to use it.
I’ve never questioned his coaching ability, but I’ll quote Barley again- a reasonable commenter who nails it with this: “less whining, less tantrums, and some fucking grace in defeat is going help his decision making in pressure moments as well as filter down to his players and the result will actually be…less defeats.”
He’d already shown that his words have little value, he’d shown his lack of class in victory, now his lesson to the team in defeat is not to look within, but blame it on others.
As others “have” said.
I’m as big of a Harbaugh fan as their is but he’s hardly perfect. He needs to stop going ballistic at every single penalty that’s called on his team. It’s hard to get any credibility with the refs when you’re basically calling them dumb asses every time they throw a flag. What ref is ever going to want to throw a make up call the Niners way with JH ranting like a lunatic on the sideline over every penalty? And it’s much smarter to save the sideline meltdown for penalties that are the most egregious. It’ll get the refs attention better.
And I don’t know if this is Roman or Harbaugh or Fangio, but the team starts like shit in big games. Hell, their first half against the Cardinals was bad, too. It was incomprehensible to me to see us line up illegally ON THE FIRST PLAY OF THE SUPER BOWL. Why does it take this team an entire half to start playing well? They gotta fix that.
I also think he could act like a man a little more after tough losses. Give the opposition credit and move on. Blaming the loss on the non-call was bush league stuff. That isn’t why they lost the super bowl.
Finally, he could disclose more to the media. I’m down with him playing it close to the vest in the week before a game but called Justin Smith’s torn tri an “arm injury or an elbow injury” for like 2 straight weeks? Disclosing the actual injury is a team secret?
I’m also done with all the *mighty men* talk and all the rest of his hyperbole.
But other than all that, I fuckin’ love the guy. 🙂 🙂 🙂
Ok dudes, good bloggin’ with you. With P/C’s reporting in 5 days I’ll be spending most of my blog time at my own blog. Check in when you can.
Go Niners.
Oh an Chuck, I forgot to include it in my above post, but THANK YOU for all that you did this year to keep this blog humming all season long. The work you put in to the volume of posts, especially leading into the super bowl, was fantastic. It’s the only Niner blog I ever go to and it’s because it’s the best Niner blog out there…….
Great Job chuck, Thanks.
Lol. I guess I gonna be moonman until I figure out how to fix it. Thanks again chuck.
winder
Culliver is now putting the blame of the Jacoby Jones TD on Whitner. Culliver is quickly making himself persona non grata in SF. It’ll be interesting to see how the 49er organization handles Culliver from here.
Regarding offensive free agents, two names pop out at me: Titans’ TE Jarid Cook and KC WR Bowe. Both would be upgrades over Walker and Moss. I don’t think this team needs anymore speed on offense.
Releasing or trading Smith gives the 49ers a lot more wiggle room. I just can’t see the 49ers keeping Smith. Tolzien can win games while Kaep heals. If Kaep’s out for the season, the 49ers are screwed with Smith or Tolzien.
Cook has better hands and production than DW but is not a very good blocker. The real problem, though, is he would still not be an every down player here in SF with VD around. Apparently that is one of his issues in Tennessee. I can’t see him wanting to come here. Too bad, he’s good and only 25. The Titans might also franchise him – they franchised their last TE, Bo Scaife, two years running.
Bowe is the kind of big RZ target we could have used last week. I’d at least have him in and see what kind of money he is looking for. If he cares even a little he’s already got “No Moss” beat.
I still like Randy and think he does care, but in his old age he’s not physical enough. I think Bowe would be far more physical, and I don’t think Bowe’s just an end zone threat. Cook doesn’t have to be an every down TE. He could be a backup and do just fine in that role because I do know he has good hands. I don’t know about his blocking or his franchise potential with the Titans. I also like Revis, obviously. But if the 49ers are going to be free agent players, they need to move Alex Smith.
The question is not whether Jared Cook could excel in that role, it’s whether he would be willing to accept the role. He has apparently been unhappy being pulled on some downs in TN. I’d love to have a big target with soft hands at TE – VD and DW are NOT prototypical TEs and it is sometimes really annoying not to have that, despite VD’s big plays. If we don’t find that kind of guy in FA, we should look for it in the draft. And keep developing Celek, who has some potential.
Bowe would help everywhere on the field, but he will be more help in the Red Zone than a pure speed guy. Speed kills, especially between the 20s, and there is much to be said for taking the top off the other guy’s defense, but in the Red Zone big bodies help – particularly if the league keeps allowing certain teams (Hi Douchebag Pete!) to play uninhibited 60s style pass defense.
AS is gone. He thinks he deserves to be a starter, and that is not going to happen here. The team has made it’s choice and will go forward with CK. It would be nice if we can get something for Alex, but regardless, he is gone.
This off season is going to be easier than last year’s. It’s disappointing losing a Super Bowl but for me easier/better than losing the NFC Title Game. We’ll be better next year but so will the NFC West. Gonna be a dogfight- or a knife fight in a phone booth per GG.
I do agree Jimbo needs to chill a bit more with the refs. It’s reasonable to think he’ll be a better coach and person going forward.
They don’t have big holes personnel wise, but there *are* serious questions- Fangio’s unit staggered home, and his units have *always* deteriorated yearly. When Jimbo gets out of anger management he needs to demonstrate that rumored Walsh-ian ruthlessness and put Vic out to pasture. Culliver should be easily replaceable, FSU placekicker Dustin Hopkins should be available in the 5th or 6th round to replace Akers, Soapy goes, Moss goooooooonnnne..
We have a boatlod of draft picks- but HarBaalke had an awful draft in 2012- can they rebound? The only guy who made an impact was LaMichael.
They need a solid vet QB, that’s a given. Tolzien is a scout QB, that’s all. Despite all the AS is outta here talk, that’s hardly a given, alas. Someone has been buying from Walter White when he can say the 49ers are fucked if Smith plays. I suspect they *will* move him, and hope that happens- but they need a replacement- a guy who they can go 19-5-1 with.
And they need a wide out ? Why is this so hard here? Good wide outs are a dime a dozen in any draft…
Most of all they need their HC to mature..
Twin right again!
I see you got this month’s check. I’ll try to be on time next month. I’ll up it 10 bucks if you upgrade to “Twin right as always”..
Weren’t you a big Alex Smith fan, now trying to downgrade to “he’s a good guy?” I mean, if he can’t win a Super Bowl he deserves a clipboard, and that’s what he got. Were you right about that?