Well, the once overabundant amount of running backs has been waylaid by the injury bug in 3 short days. First, Marcus Lattimore was placed on the PUP list last Wednesday, due to a combination of his previous knee injury, and a more recent hamstring injury. Then on Thursday, Kendal (endzone) Hunter blew his knee out in a non-contact drill. Then of course, on Friday, LaMichael James, a guy who would have likely gotten more looks with the other injuries, turned his good fortune into a dislocated elbow, and he’ll be out for a month.
Other than that, C Marcus Martin, Bruce Ellington, OLB Aaron Lynch, and DL Kaleb Ramsey were also PUPed. Martin and Ellington both suffered minor ankle injuries, and they should be back pretty quickly. No idea ’bout the other guys. I really want Ellington on the field as much as possible.
Anyhow, who among you think this is a bit of a blessing in disguise? Sure, Gore looks to be the starter, and Hyde the backup, that was pretty much set in stone. But Hunter was a good change of pace guy, but not as elusive as LMJ, but that’s a different can of worms. Either way, the lack of depth could force the coaching staff to look to the passing game more than they might have. Having a healthy corps of WRs certainly is a change from previous years when we had scrubs and decoys.. This could be looked at as the next step in the growth of Colin Kaepernick as quarterback as well. Give him more options to evaluate, and have him read the field more rather than the one-read-and-run that was apparently the usual play design.
I’m not too concerned with these injuries, other than Hunter. For his limited role he brought a different skillset than Gore. Either that, or we have a Jewell in the rough . . .
Forty Niners Forever 
Ok Spit I’ll bite. Harbaughs team against the Ravens were woefully unprepared and the stage was too big for Harbaugh at that time IMO. Harbaugh was out coached against the Squawks, Pete did a better job then Jim on the day. Your reasoning about the running game has some merit but thats the point the coach changes things up if something isnt working,. Pete baited Jim at the end of the game and it worked out for him, barely. The Niner team was marginaly better than the Squawks IMO.
No coach in the NFL is making double digits. I’m not 100% but I don’t think anyone is making 9m yet 12m and 15m are being tossed around like confetti.
Clearly Jim thinks he isnt being offered enough of a contract value and York thinks he is or this deal would be done already.
Jim gets another chance this year to increase his value to the franchise. I dont think a SB is the only way to do that, but less than another NFCCG is a step back so Jim has a narrow opportunity to improve his leverage beyond his current achievements. NFCCG improves his leverage, less than that detracts. Either way 10m a year would likely not be on the table. The Market sets the value and the market is 32 guys in business together.
In the Super Bowl, Harbaugh didn’t get out-coached by brother John. In the Super Bowl, Jim Harbaugh’s asshole was tighter than a snare drum. The fish rots from the head down. Harbaugh doesn’t know how to win big games, and never has – even as a player. It’s because he wants to win too much. He presses too much. Montana was “Joe Cool,” because in big, pressure situations Montana was relaxed and let things come to him or made plays seems effortless whereas Harbaugh’s players press because of the coach’s intensity – borderline insanity. Harbaugh wasn’t “out-coached,” regarding the X’s and O’s by brother John. Harbaugh couldn’t relax. If you noticed, John was relaxed.
In the last NFC Championship game against the Seahawks, both Trent Baalke and Jim Harbaugh have some liability for losing that game. That game came down to running the ball and stopping the run. I think Colin Kaepernick, for all his mistakes, was a total net zero in that game because he was trying to make things happen on offense and he was really the only one doing anything. But back to run the ball and stop the run. I will always contend that Frank Gore was done last year. The fact that Harbaugh didn’t use two fresh horses in Hunter and James against the Seahawks IS a Jim Harbaugh fault. No question. And the error is even more egregious now that Gore still looks to be the primary back heading into 2014. But there’s not much Harbaugh and Fangio can do to stop the run mid game. The 49ers didn’t have the guys up front. This year Tank and Dial will certainly help, but like Frank Gore, Justin Smith should also see a significant loss in playing time.
In defending Harbaugh, or better yet, presenting my case to everyone here that Harbaugh and Kaepernick are light years better than Seifert and Young, I appear to be making excuses, but if you go back and read this blog and others you’ll see that I was saying these things right after each and every big game – and in some cases I was very much critical of Harbaugh. But Harbaugh and Kaep are better than Seifert and Young and here’s why.
1.) Harbaugh didn’t have anything handed to him like Seifert did.
2.) Seifert was never able to beat good head coaches in significant games. Seifert was schooled by both Holmgren and Jimmy Johnson. He beat both guys, but in insignificant games that never lead to Super Bowl rings. Seifert’s one soul Super Bowl (I don’t really count the 1990 Super Bowl because a chimpanzee could have coached that team to a ring), was like Peyton Manning’s one soul Super Bowl – the clouds opened up and let it happen. Manning beat the Bears with Rex Grossman and Seifert beat the Chargers with ……Bobby Ross and I can’t even remember who their qb was.
3.) Harbaugh found Colin Kaepernick and developed him. Seifert’s forte was defense, but for winning multiple Super Bowls, I like the offensive head coach with hand picked qb formula better than the Seifert / Young model, but that’s just preference.
4.) Going into big games with Seifert and Young I knew we were going to lose. Those two together couldn’t beat big opponents. With Harbaugh and Kaepernick I don’t feel that way. I feel like Harbaugh and Kaepernick can beat anyone at any particular time in any stadium. I don’t like to blame the refs, but lets not forget that video about all the blown calls that went in the Seahawks’ favor. And I do believe in conspiracies.
5.) Harbaugh’s two flaws as a head coach in big games are that he’s too loyal to older players (Gore lost the 49er / Seahawks NFC Championship game), and he’s too tight, making his players tight and then in turn make mistakes or don’t play to their potential. This is why the power outage helped the 49ers in the Super Bowl so much – they started to relax and realize at that point they had nothing to lose. Seifert’s flaw was that the offense was too predictable, he had a deer in the headlights look, and aside from the ’94 season when Carmen bought every good free agent in sight, Seifert’s defenses were mostly solid but not overwhelming. So Seifert was vanilla while Harbaugh is too loyal and too intense. And don’t tell me Seifert was intense. Seifert was goofy.
6.) In general, Harbaugh’s a self-made coach unlike Seifert, with nothing handed to him, and Harbaugh not only has “out-coached” significant coaches like McCarthy, Mike Smith, Sean Payton and others, but Jim Harbaugh and Colin Kaepernick could beat anyone at anytime. Let’s also not forget that Harbaugh’s still learning how to coach – he’s only been in the league three years.
I’m betting this year, because I believe in conspiracies, the NFL says it’s good for the league for a sloberknocker rivalry with two teams in the same division with back-to-back rings, so this is the 49ers’ year. And once Harbaugh and Kaep have a ring, those two could win more together than Montana and Walsh… but right now that’s coulda, shoulda, woulda….
The key to Harbaugh getting a ring this year will be his ability to sit Justin Smith and Frank Gore, and Harbaugh’s ability to relax in big games which will be indicated mostly by how he treats the refs.
The key to Harbaugh getting a ring this year…
Del – I got your invite to the FF league. I won’t be playing it this year. Nobody really participated last year.
Dorsey out for the season. Another mistake by Baalke in the draft…. no backup NT. I thought the 49ers should draft two running backs and a NT. I was saying the 49ers needed to draft Devonta Freeman and Jeremy Hill, and I said the 49ers should have drafted a NT instead of their reach for Ward.
Now with Bowman and Dorsey out, and with Reid and Bethea and no Whitner… the spine of this defense is going to suck!
And stop with this nonsense that Kap is “light years” ahead of Young. Now you’re just talking out your ass. You’re talking about a HOFer there. Kap’s still waiting in line to buy a ticket for his entrance into Canton. Not to mention he hasn’t even turned the same corner that Young did when he became a better passer than a runner. And that’s where Kap still is at this moment. And if you don’t think that’s a major problem, I can’t help ya.
And stop blaming the goddamn officials. It’s pathetic, petty and ultimately sad.
Fight?
Young became a better passer in something like year seven of his career. Kaep in year three has gone farther, done more and is a much better passer than Young when both were in year three. And Kaep’s a much better runner than Young was …… period. Year two Kaep was in the Super Bowl. Year two Young was in the USFL. Ouch.
Year two Kap LOST the Super Bowl. Year three he LOST the NFCCG. Worse yet. Year one Kap couldn’t beat out a QB who had previously lost his starting job to the likes of Shaun Hill, JT O’Sullivan and Troy Smith. Double ouch.
Year one Kaep wasn’t in competition for the starting job. Year one Jim Harbaugh was running a full-on Alex Smith marketing campaign to rejuvenate his career in SF. Having Smith compete with Kaep would have been a bad idea for that Alex Smith career overhaul. Let’s not get carried away. And losing the Super Bowl by one play when you only have 8 games as pro under your belt AND the last competition you faced was college division II ball ain’t nothing to be ashamed about.
But what is something to be ashamed about is only winning one Super Bowl with deep pockets Eddie D as your owner when there’s no salary cap. Holy Shit, Steve Young! That’s the biggest OUCH there is!!!!
Because Trent Baalke sucks at his job, the 49ers are now going to have to trade for a NT – or switch to a 4/3 with conventional DTs in the middle. No Dorsey or Bowman along with a really light Eric Reid and Bethea means the Seahawks will be able to run the ball right down our throats. I look for the Seahawks to now beat us twice this year, and it’s because Trent Baalke isn’t nearly as good of a GM as you people believe he is. No backup NT is inexcusable.
Dennis is ready! Drink until one of you hits the sawdust floor.
I just started. But I can’t sit here all day and play with you guys on the blog. Saturday is my big horsey day. I have to convince myself that I’m at least semi-informed when they run up the track.
And I’ll say it again. Any horseplayer will tell ya that the worst thing to happen is getting nipped at the wire and lose by just a nose. That’s exactly what these three years with Jimbo have been like. Losing every race by a nose. It eats at ya. It literally tears a guy’s soul out.
Lose by a nose or finish up the track in 6th? Lose the NFCCG or Super Bowl or finish 6-10? Two of the easiest questions I’d ever have to answer.
So what Del’s saying is he’d rather have Mike Singletary as a head coach than Jim Harbaugh. You don’t get handed greatness. You earn it. You don’t inherently become a winner. Bill Walsh honed his craft with Paul Brown. Harbaugh is honing his craft with the 49ers. Walsh was a grey haired fox by the time he was winning Super Bowls. You don’t get to just walk in and win. Carroll was with the Jets, Patriots and 49ers. You earn it. And you earn it as a fan as well. You live and die with your team and then you take it like a man. You don’t cry when your team loses, citing heart problems. When Harbaugh does turn it around, and by the looks of things (with Dorsey and Hunter out and no real depth at RB or NT) it won’t be this year – Del won’t get to enjoy it. I’ll make sure of that.
Don’t give me this poppycock about having to “earn” or being inherited with a winner. My first year as a young season ticket holder at the pubescent age of 13 WAS with Walsh and his POS 2-14 squad. But I was thankful. Thankful to just be there as they say. Then we improved to 6-10 next year, and the rest they say is history.
I’ve paid my fucking dues as a life-long 49er fan. I owe nothing to no one. I’ve literally bled and gone to jail for this team. So I’m going to react and feel however the fuck I want. I got that coming to me. Not only that, but it’s *owed* to me. Guys have been sent to the gas chamber for less.
I agree, you’re entitled. However, we’re all entitled to take a stand one way or another. Each coaching staff, each quarterback, each team position of significance the true fan has an opinion on. Are you on the right side or the wrong side hating Harbaugh but somehow justifying your love for Seifert and Steve Young? Time will tell. But what if Harbaugh and Kaep win 3 Super Bowls together? You’re gonna be one bitter bastard. Or will you do what you did with Peyton Manning and after he lays an ostrich egg in the Super Bowl drop your plea, “Have we signed Peyton Manning yet?” You were on the wrong side of that one. Oops. You’re on the wrong side of Harbaugh debate as well.
Au contraire, mon frère. I’ve never wavered on our Niners missing out the the Peyton Manning signing. Rues me to this day. And you do know why we “didn’t,” my incessant mantra was, “DID we sign Peyton Manning yet?” Semantics aside, the reason we didn’t sign Manning is the one and same we’ve been arguing about — Jim Harbaugh. Jimbo wasn’t about to let Peyton turn *his* offense into a Ferrari. He wanted a guy like Alex to drive his tank.
You know what happens to guys who drive tanks? They lose.
That’s a tough break losing Dorsey. Can’t count on Ian Williams being healthy either. Through in no Bowman and Aldon for the first part of the season and this “new” offense better be scoring some pts. Our defense is going to be allowing ’em.
Bet the OVER (49) Week 1 vs DAL. You can thank me later.
Steve Young and George Seifert were overrated. Neither should be in HOF. I don’t think Seifert is…. Young shouldn’t be.
Spit, I’m sure you’ll get a kick outta this one as you’re a big Daniel Day-Lewis fan such as myself…I was 3/4 of the way home in the PK 4 at Saratoga today when I was singled in the final leg to a horse named Plainview. That money-grubbing, oil-sucking horse was leading the entire way until he spit the bit in late stretch. Cost me some serious drinking money — and then some.
It’s like that horse Plainview had a straw…
A good feud is great entertainment. So much bile to give and receive. Good show so far!
Hey, Spit‽ Gotta love my use of the WOTD there, but I digress. I don’t like talking politics, let alone bringing them up on a 49er blog. But I blame myself as I brought up Dukakis and his tank-driving mookness. But this is odds related so I consider that OK…
Hillary Clinton is 7/5 (+140) favorite to win our next presidency. The second choice at 15/1 is Jeb Bush. Do you know what that means? That’s right. This country is going from a moulinyan to a cunt at presidency.
That’s a Daily Double that no one wants to hit.
Drainage is a beautiful thing.
Spit I know how much you love Baalke and all but, let’s recall that Dorsey was a deal Baalke made, (on the cheap), to upgrade the interior of the previously ailing DLine – Post Ice and RJF, who couldn’t anchor inside against the run.
Baalke smartly let them depart in FA, gathering Comp considerations in the process.
Taking Tank and Dial could also prove that having a vision to the future is equally important from the GM position.
Dorsey rejunivated his career last year, simply because he got the opportunity to start, after losing out to an Ian Williams season ending injury, who BTW, Baalke smartly snagged as an UDFA, free, as in no Draft Pick spent.
I buy much of your argument for Harbaugh, however, I still firmly believe good franchises start with good GMs/talent evaluators/Scouts and, smart Cap Mgrs.
Absolutely no doubt that once the talent is obtained, the Coaching has to shine and, Harbaugh has proven that he can produce positive results as a HC.
I do agree completely with your assessment that the Offensive minded Harbaugh likely tabbed Kaep as the future of the franchise but……he’s also a run-first minded HC.
I would prefer to see Kaep in the pocket more, using his arm more than his legs.
For this reason, Harbaugh is likely taking heat to some extent, as the passing game has suffered in big games.
That is a combination of Jims’ penchant for the ground game and, a young QB who likely wasn’t close to ready for the big game spotlight as a passer.
There were numerous opportunities, both in the SB loss and, the NFCCG loss to Seattle.
Walker was open in the end zone vs the Ravens, as Kaep locked onto Crabtree, just as other options were available in Seattle last year in crunch time, again, while Kaep locked onto Crabtree.
To that end, Williams is still available to us and, Tomsula IMO, is one of the best DLine Coaches in the game.
It’s been a mystery to me that he, (Tomsula) hasn’t gotten more exposure to HC opportunities too.
He’s taken an absolute football virgin, Lawrence Okoye, and by all accounts, is turning him into a viable option as a DE.
Again, talent evaluators make or break a roster but, good Coaches take that talent to another level.
See Jerruh in Dallas to realize what a buffoon does to an organization when talent isn’t properly evaluated or Drafted in the proper slots.
Each piece of a football organization has to work with each other.
Harbaugh and Baalke NEED to coexist.
As for trading for another DT, we still have Mike Purcell and Kaleb Ramsey waiting in the wings for a chance to show something.
Typically, DTs take a couple of years to shine, just like the QB position.
Sucks to lose Dorsey but, we aren’t bereft of talent at this point.
Baalke has provided ample depth to rely on IMO.
Preseason games will provide a window to see where we are.
Like you, I’m always looking for the next Ted Washington/Michael Carter Naloti Ngata or Vince WIlfork.
Those big boys inside are the LBs best friends.
Haloti Ngata of course – apologies for the typo.
Lets see it’s about 3:15 in the morning……..has Dennis finally crashed on to the sawdust floor?
I think you broke his fall, Nip.
Looks like it’s time for the 2013 draft class to step up. Neither Dorsey or Williams (limited, sure) were anything more than decent, so the hope is these young guys can hold steady up front without too much concern.
The defense is looking like a big ? what with a depleted line, a banged up LB corps, and a group of new DBs who need to coalesce quickly.
4 days til the preseason opener, so we’ll see something resembling football on Thursday.
Seriously, Spit? 6-10 was an indictment of the coaching staff, not the players. Any idiot knows that.
A “stacked team” doesn’t go 6-10 with a chimpanzee coaching. Do you remember these names? Moran Norris, Josh Morgan, David Baas, Chilo Rachal, Aubrayo Franklin, Manny Lawson, Micheal Lewis, Takeo Spikes, Parys Haralson, Nate Clements, Reggie Smith and Alex Smith? Of course you don’t. You’re dumb enough to create an argument with blinders on.
I’m glad you speak for all the idiots out there. That figures. But the team went 6-10 for a reason under Singletary.
I just learned the other day that both Singletary and Jimmy Hat are now wearing suits and working for the league office in some trumped up capacity. That’s a helluva operation Roger’s got running over there.
9ers claimed WR La’Damian Washington from Dallas – Waived Jon Baldwin to make room on the roster.
Big target 6’4″ with 4.38 speed –
He’s a project at best.
Decent numbers at MO though.
Obviously Baldwin hasn’t done squat so Baalke just dumped a Contract at least.
You see, Spitty, the 2009 !niners were 8-8. The idea was they’d been unshackled from the onerous dick Nolan, and were on their way to greatness in 2010. Well, it didn’t work. Not because of the players. But because of Sing.
What does this have to do with my 1:02 post? I think you’re getting dummer. If possible.
Gee, I don’t know spit. That same 6-10 team was 8-8 the year before. Teh concensus was the team would improve under Singletary after his promising start in 08-09. They were predicted to do well. Why is that? Because they sucked? Because they had shitty players? Because Sing was a holy man?
No, skippy. I’lll let you fill in the rest.
You act like the team bore no resemblance to each other year to year.
I think you might be an idiot. Honestly. Look at how you’re defending your side of the argument. Is that even coherent? No offense meant, of course.
My point with listing all the starters from the 2010 year (Singletary’s last) was to show Harbaugh created significant turnover in that “stacked” dream team you claim was here in 2010. I think Jamie Dukes at the time said it best on the NFL Network. Dukes said the 49ers had “some nice pieces in place for a good coach.” They certainly did. I’m not denying that at all. But it took a good to potentially great coach in Jim Harbaugh to assess the team’s weaknesses and bring in guys who could play immediately to complete the team. And let’s not forget, Trent Baalke was the GM in 2010 with Singletary so the immediate turnover probably didn’t have much of Baalke’s expertise included in it.
Of the 22 starters on both offense and defense from the 2010 year – Singletary’s last, Harbaugh dumped 13 of them. That’s not a “Stacked” team. That’s good coaching because part of coaching is assessing who can play.
What irks me the most about all you who AREN’T COMPLETELY in the Harbaugh corner is just how short your memories are. Did you guys forget how bad the 49ers were for the decade leading up to Jim Harbaugh? Did you?
Let me throw some names at you just to refresh your ungrateful memories. Dennis Erickson, Kevan Barlow, Steve Stenstrom, Chris Wienke, Sammy Davis, Jim Hostler, David Carr, Chilo Rachal, Moran Norris, Rashaun Woods, Cody Pickett, Tim Rattay, Arnez Battle (sp?), Jimmy Raye… I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to go back there. I mean you guys who think Harbaugh was just handed greatness are complete idiots. This team was an emotional wreck. This team had scars of ineptitude all over itself. The players were downtrodden. The owner was hated. The stadium, empty. And for brain-dead Unca to assert that Harbaugh was handed a “stacked team,” makes me wonder if we need to up-Chuc’s meds.
But we all know Unca can’t think for himself. Unca rides the fence until the issue is resolved and then he give us his patented, “Like I was saying last month….” LMAO. Right now Del’s influencing Unca’s feeble brain. But Del’s fragile sensibilities (not being able to root for anything other than a winner but he somehow loves Peyton Manning and Tony Romo) shouldn’t influence anyone with some huevos.
Spit’s questioning another’s intelligence and calling them “dummer?”
You’re just being ironical now.
Jesus H. Christ. Listening to Ray Guy now during the HOF Game I had forgotten how much he sounds like a “dum” redneck. Ray’s straight out of a Jeff Foxworthy punch line…
If you’ve ever been too drunk to fish…