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All-Time Post of Forever (#1)
NJ49er
says:
September 7, 2011 at 7:40 pm (Edit)
I see this Season starting with lots of motion and ground attack.
Our OL is going to take time to adjust to the new system, however, a WCO should help them once Alex and the WRs get into the necessary rhythm.
Game 1, lots of Gore and Hunter, 9ers win a close one. I do expect Harbaugh to take some deep shots though, VD and Braylon will be a nice duo.
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2026 Draft
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#27 - Round: 1 Pick: 27
#58 - Round: 2 Pick: 26
#92 - Round: 3 Pick: 28
#127 - Round: 4 Pick: 27
#133 - Round: 4 Pick: 33
#138 - Round: 4 Pick: 38
#139 - Round: 4 Pick: 39
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2025 Schedule
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13 - 5
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1 – 9/7 SF 17 - Sea 13
2 – 9/14 SF 26 - NO 21
3 – 9/21 SF 16 - AZ 15
4 – 9/28 Jax 26 - SF 21
5 – 10/2 SF 26 - LA 23
6 – 10-12 TB 30 - SF 19
7 – 10/19 SF 20 - Atl 10
8 – 10/26 Hou 26 - SF 15
9 – 11/2 SF 34 - NYG 24
10 – 11/9 Rams 42 - SF 26
11 – 11/16 SF 41 - AZ 22
12 – 11/24 SF 20 - Carol 9
13 – 11/30 SF 26 - Cle 8
14 – 12/7 - BYE
15 – SF 37 - Tenn 24
16 –SF 48 - Indy 27
17 – 12/28 SF 42 - Chi 38
18 – 1/4 Sea 13 - SF 3
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19 - SF 23 - Philly 19
20 - Sea 110 - SF -6
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2025 Draft
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1-Mykel Williams DE - GA
2-Alfred Collins DT - TX
3-Nick Martin - LB OK ST
3-Upton Stout - CB WKY
4-CJ West - DT Indy
4-Jordan Watkins - WR Miss
5-Jordan James - RB Ore
5-Marques Sigle - S K State
7-Kurtis Rourke - QB Indy
7-Conner Colby OL Iowa
7-Junior Bergen - WR Mt
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UDFAs
LB Stone Blanton, Mississippi State
RB Corey Kiner, Cincinnati
OL Drew Moss, Colorado
WR Isaiah Neyor, Nebraska
CB Jakob Robinson, BYU
DL Sebastian Valdez, Washington
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Regular Season
6-11
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1 · SF 32 - NYJ 19
2 · Minn 23 - SF 17
3 · LA 27 - SF 24
4 · SF 30 - NE 13
5 · AZ 24 - SF 23
6 · SF 36 - Sea 24
7 · KC 28 - SF 18
8 · SF 30 - Dal 24
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WEEK 9 BYE
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10 · SF 23 - TB 20
11 · Sea 20 - SF 17
12 · GB 38 - SF 10
13 · Buff 35 - SF 10
14 · SF 38 - Chi 13
15 · LAR 12 - SF sux
16 · Miami 29 - SF 17
17 · Deet 40 - SF 34
18 · AZ 47 - SF 24
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2024 Draft
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- 1 (31) Rickey Persall WR, Fla
- 2 (64) R Green CB, Fl St
- 3 (86) Dom Puni OL, Kan
- 4 (124) Mustapha, S Wak For
- 4 (129) RB Guerendo, L'ville
- 4 (135) WR Cowing, AZ
- 6 (215) G J Kingston, USC
- 7 (251) LB Bethune, Fl St
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UDFA
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Cody Schrader, RB, Mo
Drake Nugent, C, Mich
Evan Anderson, DL, FAU
Mason Pline, TE, Furman
Tanner Mordecai, QB, Wis
Terique Owens, WR, Miss St
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2023 Schedule
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14-6
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1 - SF 30 - Pitts 7
2 - SF 30 - LAR 23
3 – SF 30 - NYG 12
4 – SF 35 - AZ 16
5 – SF 42 - Dal 10 - fuck yeah!
6 – Cleve 19 - SF 17 - fuck no!
7 – Minn 22 - SF 17 *gulp*
8 – Cincy 31 - SF 17 *freefallin'*
9 – BYE
10 – SF 34 - Jax 3 boooooom!
11 – SF 27 - TB 14 boom
12 – SF 31 - Sea 13 - fuck Pete!
13 – SF 42 - Philly 19 - FUCK YES!
14 – SF 28 - Sea 16 - SQUALK!
15 – SF 45 - AZ 29 - Tweet! BOOM!
16 – Balt 33 - SF 19 - Thuuuuud!!
17 – SF 27 - Wash 10
18 – LA 21 - SF 20
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PLAYOFFS
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SF 21 - GB 17 @ SF - Squeeeeeek!
SF 34 - Deet 31 0ooheartattack!
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SUPER BOWL!!!!!!!
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Fuck
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2023 Draft Picks
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3: 87-S Ji’Ayir Brown, Penn St
3: 99-K Jake Moody, Mich
3: 101-TE Cameron Latu, Ala
5: 155-CB Darrell Luter Jr., S Ala
5: 173-DL Robert Beal Jr., Ga
6: 216-LB Dee Winters, TCU
7: 247-TE Brayden Willis, Okla
7: 253-WR Ronnie Bell, Mich
7: 255-LB Jalen Graham, Purdue
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49ers 2022 Season
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All games Pacific time
Home games in bold
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15-5
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1 Chi 19 - SF 10
2 SF 27 - Sea 7
3 Den 11 - SF 10
4 SF 24 - LA 9
5 SF 37 - Carol 15
6 Atl 28 - SF 14
7 KC 44 - SF 23
8 SF 31 - LA 14
9 - BYE -
10 SF 22 - SD 16
11 SF 38 - AZ 10
12 SF 13 - NO 0
13 SF 33 - Miami 17
14 SF 35 - TB 7
15 SF 21 - Sea 13
16 SF 37 - Wash 20
17 SF 37 - LV 34
18 SF 38 - AZ 13
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Playoffs
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SF 41 - Sea 23
SF 19 - Dall 12
Fuck the Eagles
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2022 Draft
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- 2-61 DL Drake Jackson, USC
- 3-93 RB Tyrion Davis-Price, LSU
- 3-105 WR Danny Gray, SMU
- 4-134 OL Spencer Burford, UTSA
- 5-172 CB Samuel Womack, Toledo
- 5-187 OL Nick Zakelj, Fordham
- 6-220- DL Kalia Davis, UCF
- 6-221 DB Tariq Castro-Fields, Penn State
- 7-262 QB Brock Purdy, Iowa State
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12-8
1: SF 41 – Det 33
2: SF 17 – Phi 11
3: GB 30- SF 28
4: Sea 28 – SF 21
5: AZ 17 – SF 10
6: Bye
7: Indy 30 – SF 18
8: SF 33 – Chi 22
9: AZ 31 – SF 17
10: SF 31 – LA 10
11: SF 30 – Jax 10
12: SF 34 – Minn 26
13: Sea 30 – SF 23
14: SF 26 – Cincy 23
15: SF 31 – Atl 13
16: Tenn 20 – SF 17
17: SF 23 – Hou 7
18: SF 27 – LAR 24
PLAYOFFS
SF 23 – Dal 17
SF 13 – GB 10
NFC Championship Game
LA 20 – SF 17
Fuck this
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7 picks
- Round 1, pick 3 – Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State
- R 2, 48 (from LV) – Aaron Banks, G, Notre Dame
- R 3, 88 (from LAR) – Trey Sermon, RB, Ohio St
- R 3, 102 – Ambry Thomas, CB, Michigan
- R 5, 155 – Jaylon Moore, OG, Western Michigan
- R 5, 172 – Deommodore Lenoir, CB, Oregon
- R 5, 180 – Talanoa Hufanga, S, USC
- R 6, 194 – Elijah Mitchell, RB, Louisiana
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6 – 10
1 AZ 24 – SF 20
2 SF 31 – NYJ 13
3 SF 36 – NYG 9
4 Philly 25 – SF 20
5 Miami 43 – SF 17
6 SF 24 – LAR 16
7 SF 33 – NE 6
8 Sea 37 – SF 27
9 GB 34 – SF 17
10 NO 27 – SF 13
11 – BYE
12 SF 23 – LAR 20
13 Buff 34 – SF 24
14 Wash 23 – SF 15
15 Dal – 41 – SF 33
16 SF 20 – AZ 12
17 Sea 26 – SF 23
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15 – 3
_________________________
1: SF 31 – TB 17
2: SF 41 – Cincy 17
3: SF 24 – Pitts 20
4: Bye week
5: SF 31 – Cle 3
6: SF 20 – LAR 7
7: SF 9 – Wash 0
8: SF 51 – Car 13
9: SF 28 – AZ 25
10: Sea 27 – SF 24
11: SF 36 – AZ 26
12: SF 37 – GB 8
13: Balt 20 – SF 17
14: SF 48 – NO 46
15: Atl 29 – SF 22 ooops
16: SF 34 – LA 31
17: SF 26 – Sea 21 de ja vu!
Div: SF 27 – Minn 10
NFC: SF 37 – GB 20
SB: KC 31 – SF 20
FUUUUUUUUUCK
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1: Nick Bosa, DE, Ohio State
2: Deebo Samuel, WR, SCar
3: Jalen Hurd, WR, Baylor
4: Mitch Wishnowsky, P, Utah
5: Dre Greenlaw, LB, Ark
6: Kaden Smith, TE, Stanford
6: Justin Skule, OT, Vandy
6: Tim Harris, CB, Va
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1 Minn 24 – SF 16
2 SF 30 – Det 27
3 KC 34 – SF 28
4 SD 29 – SF 27
5 AZ 28 – SF 18
6 GB 33 – SF 30
7 Rams 39 – SF 10
8 Cards 18 – SF 15
9 49ers 34 – Oak 3
10 NYG 27 – SF 23
11 – BYE –
12 TB 27 – SF 09
13 Sea 43 – SF 16
14 SF 20 – Den 14
15 SF 26 – Sea 23
16 Chi 14 – SF 9
17 LAR 48 – SF 32
Pffffffffffffffffft
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1 (9) Mike McGlinchey, OT, ND
2 (44) Dante Pettis, WR, Wash
3 (70) Fred Warner, OLB, BYU
3 (95) Tarv. Moore, S, S Miss
4 (128) Kent. Street, DE, NC St
5, (142) D.J. Reed, DB, K State
6 (184) Marcell Harris, DB, Fla
7 (223) Jul. Taylor, DT Temple
7 (240) Rick James, WR M Ten St
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Regular Season (6-10)
Garoppolo 5-0
Sept. 10 Carol 23 – SF 3
Sept. 17 Sea 12 – SF 9
Sept. 21 LA 41 – SF 39
Oct. 1 AZ 18 – SF 12 (OT)
Oct. 8 Indy 26 – SF 23 (OT)
Oct. 15 Wa 26 – SF 24
Oct. 22 Dall 40 – SF 10
Oct. 29 Phi 40 – SF 13
Nov. 5 AZ 20 – SF 10
Nov. 12 SF 31 – NYG 21
Sunday, Nov. 19 Bye
Nov. 26 Sea 33 – SF 13
Dec. 3 SF 15 – Chi 14
Dec. 10 SF 26 – Hou 16
Dec. 17 SF 25 – Tenn 23
Dec. 24 SF 44 – Jax 33
Dec. 31 SF 33 – LA 13
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___________________
3. Solomon Thomas, DE Snodfart
31. Reuben Foster, LB Alabama
66. Ahkelo Witherspoon, CB Colo
104. C.J. Beathard, QB Iowa
121. Joe Williams, RB Utah
146. George Kittle, TE Iowa
177. Trent Taylor, WR Louisiana Tech
198. D.J. Jones, DT Mississippi
202. Pita Taumoepenu, LB Utah
229. Adrian Colbert, CB Miami
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2 – 14 (We OWN the Rams!!)
SF 28 – LA 0
Panthers 46 – SF 28
Sea 37 – SF 18
Dal 24 – SF 17
AZ 33 – SF 21
Buff 45 – SF 16
TB 34 – SF 17
NO 87 – SF 20
AZ 23 – SF 20
NE 30 – SF 17
Miami 31 – SF 24
Chi 26 – SF 6
NYJ 23 – SF 17
Atl 473 – SF 13
SF 22 – LA 21
Sea 25 – SF 23
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1: 7 – Ore DL DeForest Buckner
1: 28 - Stanford G Joshua Garnett
3: 68 – Miss State CB Will Redmond
4: 133 - LSU CB Rashard Robinson
5: 142 – App State DL Ronald Blair
5: 145 – Georgia OL John Theus
5: 174 – Ole Miss OL Fahn Cooper
6: 207 – Louisiana QB Jeff Driskel
6: 211 – Florida RB Kelvin Taylor
6: 213 – Mich St WR Aaron Burbridge
7: 249 – W Ky CB Prince Charles Iworah
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5 – 11? Fuuuuuck
1 SF 20 – Minn 3
2 Pitt 43 – SF 18
3 AZ 47 – SF 7 –
4 GB 21 – SF 6
5 NYG 30 – SF 27
6 SF 25 – Balt 20
7 Sea 20 – SF 3
8 StL 27 – SF 6
9 SF 17 – Atl 16
10 Bye Week
11 Sea 29 – SF 13
12 AZ 19 – SF 13
13 SF 26 – Chi 20
14 Cle 24 – SF 10
15 Cincy 24 – SF 14
16 Det 32 – SF 17
17 SF 19 – StL 16
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1 (17). Arik Armstead, DL, Ore
2 (14). Jaquiski Tartt, S, Samford
3 (15). Eli Harold, OLB, Virginia
4 (18). Blake Bell, TE, Oklahoma
4 (27). Mike Davis, RB, SCar
4 (33). DeAndre Smelter, WR, GT
5 (29). Bradley Pinion, P, Clemson
6 (14). Ian Silberman, OL, BC
7 (27). Trenton Brown, OL, Florida
7 (37). Rory Anderson, TE, SCar
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8-8
1 9-7 SF 28 – Alice 17
2 9-14 Chi 28 – SF 20
3 9-21 AZ 23 – SF 14
4 9-28 SF 26 – Iggles 21
5 10-5 SF 22 – KC 17
6 10-13 SF 31 – StL 17
7 10-19 Den 72 – SF 3
8 BYE WEEK
9 11-2 StL 13 – SF 10
10 11-9 SF 27 – NO 24
11 11-16 SF 16 – NYG 13
12 11-23 SF 17 – Wash 13
13 11-27 Sea 19 – SF 3
14 12-7 Oak 24 – SF 13
15 19-6 Squalks
16 30-27 SD – fuck, I don’t care
17 SF 20 – AZ 17
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1 (30). Jimmie Ward db NlU
2 (57). Carlos Hyde rb Ohio St
3 (70). Marcus Martin c USC
3 (77). Chris Borland ilb Wisc
3 (100). Brandon Thomas ol Clem
4 (106). Bruce Ellington wr SCar
4 (129). Dontae Johnson cb NC St
5 (150). Aaron Lynch olb S Fla
5 (170). Keith Reaser cb Fla Atl
6 (180). Kenneth Ackercb SMU
7 (243). Kaleb Ramsey de BC
7 (245). Trey Millard fb Ok
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PRE 8/08 Donkeys 10 – SF 6
PRE 8/16 SF 15 – Chefs 13
PRE 8/25 SF 34 – Vikes 14
PRE 8/29 SF 41 SanDawgs 6
—————————————-
01 9/08 SF 34 – GB 28
02 9/15 Sea 29 – SF 3
03 9/22 Indy 27 – SF 7
04 9/26 SF 35 – StL 11
05 10/06 SF 34 – Hou 3
06 10/13 SF 32 – AZ 20
07 10/20 SF 31 – Tenn 17
08 10/27 SF 42 – Jax 10
09 Bye Week
10 11/10 Carol 10 – SF 9
11 11/17 NO 23 – SF 20
12 11/25 SF 27 – Skins 6
13 12/01 SF 23 – Rams 13
14 12/08 SF 19 – Sea 17!!
15 12/15 SF 33 – TB 14
16 12/23 SF 34 – Atl 24
17 12/29 SF 23 – AZ 20
PLAYOFFS (2-1)
1/5/14 SF 23 – GB 20
1/12/14 SF 23 – Carolina 10
1/19/14 Sea 23 – SF 17
Not again!
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1 – Eric Reid – LSU – S
2 – Tank Carradine – Fla St – DE
2 – V McDonald – Rice – TE
3 – Corey Lemonier – Aub – DE
4 – Quinton Patton – La Te – WR
4 – Marcus Lattimore – SCr – RB
5 – Quinton Dial – Bama – DE
6 – Nick Moody – OLB – Fla
7 – B. J. Daniels – So Fla – QB
7 – Carter Bykowski – Iowa S – OT
7 – Marcus Cooper – Ruts – CB
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W Sun 9/9 SF 30 – GB 22
W Sun 9/16 SF 27 – Det 19
L Sun 9/23 Minn 24 – SF 13
W Sun 9/30 SF 34 – NYJ 0
W Sun 10/7 SF 45 – Buff 3
L Sun 10/14 NY 26 – SF 3
W Thu 10/18 SF 13 – Sea 6
W Mon 10/29 SF 24 – AZ 3
. . . . . . . . . . . Bye . . . . . . . . .
T Sun 11/11 SF 24 – StL 24
W Mon 11/19 SF 32 – Chi 7
W Sun 11/25 SF 31 – NO 21
L Sun 12/2 StL 16 – SF 13
W Sun 12/9 SF 27 – Mia 13
W Sun 12/16 SF 41 – NE 34
L Sun 12/23 Sea 100 – SF 3
W Sun 12/30 SF 27 – AZ 13
Playoffs
W Sat 1/12 SF 45 – GB 31
W Sun 1/20 SF 28 – Atl 24
Super Bowl
Sun 2/3 Balt 34 – SF 31
The horror. The horror . . .
All time PST
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1: WR A.J. Jenkins — Illini
2: RB LaMichael James — Ore
4: OL Joe Looney — Wake Forest
5: LB Darius Fleming — ND
6: S Trenton Robinson — Mich St
6: OL Jason Slowey — W Ore
7: DE Cam Johnson — Va
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San Francisco 49ers Forever 
From what I read Shanny will probably go pull someone from the practice squad. I am not sure who is even there but the article also said something along the lines of team continuity whatever that means since it’s a temporary move.
This is a great video mainly because of the crowd. I know it’s from 2015 but I love the way the people were so into it especially the younger crowd. It was heartwarming to me.
That black Strat. . .
In that vein, I saw this tour in 1988.
What a great show.
FWIW here’s who’s available from the practice squad.
Alex Barrett
58 DL 6-2 250 29 2 San Diego State
T.Y. McGill
96 DL 6-0 295 31 8 N.C. State
Spencer Waege
69 DL 6-5 295 24 R North Dakota State
And the rest
Jesse Davis
66 OL 6-6 309 32 7 Idaho
Tyrion Davis-Price
32 RB 6-1 219 23 2 Louisiana State
Alfredo Gutierrez
77 OL 6-9 332 27 1 Tecnológico de Monterrey
Kemon Hall
38 CB 5-11 190 26 3 North Texas
Erik Harris
35 S 6-2 225 33 8 California (PA)
Tayler Hawkins
41 S 6-1 205 25 1 San Diego State
Corey Luciano
61 OL 6-4 307 25 R Washington
Ilm Manning
60 OL 6-2 294 24 R Hawaii
Tay Martin
86 WR 6-3 185 26 1 Oklahoma State
Jeremy McNichols
22 RB 5-9 205 27 4 Boise State
Curtis Robinson
59 LB 6-3 235 25 3 Stanford
Willie Snead IV
83 WR 5-11 195 31 8 Ball State
Jake Tonges
88 TE 6-4 240 24 2 California
Jason Verrett
CB 5-10 188 32 10 Texas Christian
Yeah, I read that this morning in one of the Athletics news letters they send out daily. I think Suh would be a major upgrade but I don’t know that for certain. There might be a reason he’s still out there.
Yah, hard to say what kind of shape he’s in at this point. It sucks the it looks like we won;t have AA or Hargrave back for this game.
What we need for Lamar is a net, and maybe a border collie 😀
Suh at 36yrs old won’t do much in the open field. He’s a useful addition between the DEs to plug.
Gotta play Lamar like we played Hurts.
Keep him contained, if that’s even possible.
Dude is a human joystick.
Yeah, Jackson is a much better passer on the move than Hurts will ever be.
Suh is all about slowing down the run game. But if he’s chasing Jackson it won’t work!
Still not that worried about this one. As long as we beat the Commies and the Rams.
These are the 2 best teams in the league though. Should be a fun one.
I can’t copy and paste this one but there is finally an article by Kawakami in the Athletic worth reading about Purdy and Haliburton(sp) the Pacers basketball player.
IMO we should go all out to beat the Ravens this week. This is truly the time for another statement game. It’s gonna be a tough one the Ravens play defense like we do in that they are hitters. I don’t think this years Niners would get a big head over a win here but I do think it would prove once again about the team mentality which we so have this year.
Pretty cool article. I’ve never known Kawakami to write a non-attack piece.
Here we go. Pretty long but nice.
They could’ve been any two level-headed, hard-working, unheralded college freshman athletes on any campus anywhere in America. They certainly weren’t anything close to stars at the time. They weren’t at the most glamorous school. They could’ve been two barely anybodies headed it-doesn’t-matter-where.
But they were Brock Purdy and Tyrese Haliburton, randomly landing together in a classroom at Iowa State in the fall of 2018, which is when something told each guy that the other was worth watching and, psst, maybe worth helping out (or getting help from) on a test or two.
“I’m trying to think what class it was,” Haliburton told me with a loud chuckle during a phone interview this week. “I want to get it right. I think we were in accounting together? Or maybe stats. And we helped each other get through that course, let’s just say. We helped each other get through that.”
They survived. Oh yes, they survived. Destiny prevailed.
These days, Haliburton, in his fourth NBA season, is one of the league’s breakout stars after leading the Indiana Pacers to the finals of the In-Season Tournament and generally supplying most of the engine power for the league’s highest-scoring team. And Purdy, you may have heard, is the league MVP favorite in his second NFL season while helping guide the San Francisco 49ers to an 11-3 record and a clean shot at the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs.
If you were their classmate those days, you probably wouldn’t have assumed they’d mirror each other so profoundly and prominently in a dual climb to the top of the American sports universe. But look deeper — the easy-going guard from Oshkosh, Wis., and the unassuming quarterback from the Phoenix suburbs sensed it from the beginning.
“As a freshman athlete, you come in and have a lot of similar classes as other athletes,” Purdy told me recently of his relationship with Haliburton. “So he and I had a bunch of classes together and just riding the buses around campus from our classes, our facilities and stuff, we always talked and caught up.
“Man, he and I went into Iowa State not really knowing what to expect, but both played early and got a lot of experience early on. We hit each other up all the time, just how we’re handling our business and how proud we are of each other. So yeah, we’re pretty close.”
Wait, bus rides? That was a normal part of the Iowa State football and basketball experience?
“Oh yeah, all the time,” Haliburton said. “It was either the Red 23 or the Orange 23, that’s the bus that goes around campus. So after class, we would jump on the bus together and we would ride all the way until we got to the parking lot, the football facility’s right there, and the parking lot’s right there.”
Tyrese Haliburton played two years at Iowa State, got drafted by the Sacramento Kings in 2020, was traded to the Pacers in 2022 and is now an NBA breakout star. (David K Purdy / Getty Images)
As Purdy said, neither was expected to be a headliner at Iowa State right away. Haliburton was a three-star (out of five) recruit known for his versatility and passing ability. Purdy, also considered a three-star, was highly pursued only late in his recruiting process, when he got a scholarship offer from Alabama. He ended up at Iowa State because he felt a connection with coach Matt Campbell and the attitude of the Cyclones program.
But fate quickly intervened for both. Haliburton earned playing time early at Iowa State, became a star as a sophomore and was drafted 12th overall by the Sacramento Kings in 2020. After a season and a half, Haliburton was traded with two other players to the Pacers for a package headlined by Domantas Sabonis. And lately, Purdy has been heard in the 49ers’ locker room touting Haliburton’s NBA MVP candidacy and noting that Haliburton is young and only getting better. By the way, Haliburton is 23. The same age as Purdy.
So as long as the MVP is such a talking point with these two guys, whom might Haliburton be supporting for NFL MVP honors this season?
“I’m pushing the agenda every day,” Haliburton said. “I’ve been pushing the Brock Purdy agenda since we were 18, so it’s not going to stop anytime soon. Yeah, I believe he’s the MVP of the league. Just keep doing what he’s doing. I was pissed when he got hurt last year (in the NFC Championship Game). I was the one running around saying if he doesn’t get hurt, they’re winning the Super Bowl. I’m super excited to see what he’s doing.”
You want to get Purdy to break his laser-eyed game face and grin, if just for a second? Just mention Haliburton. You can tell that Purdy’s friendship with Haliburton, because it began before either was famous and because they’re going through some of the same pressures and same doses of sudden and immense fame at basically the same time, is a steadying thing.
“Tyrese, he has such a good personality, man,” Purdy said. “Everybody loved being around him. His joking around, his voice and stuff. He’s a fun guy to be around. Everyone respects him, too, for what he’s done on the court and obviously who he is as a person. I love seeing what he’s been doing and watching him.”
Some of this, clearly, is about the atmosphere on that campus in Ames. About the collegiality among athletes and the understanding that this isn’t exactly the fast lane to the big leagues. However talented you are, if you’re there, you’ve got to work your way to the highest level.
“Iowa State is very much a college town; it was really just us out there,” Haliburton said. “But we got along right away. We didn’t talk a ton, but I knew him as the kid going to Iowa State who had an Alabama offer. So he’s probably nice, you know? Their season started before ours. I went to all the games. Then everybody got hurt and I kept saying, ‘Play Brock! Play Brock!’ We were cool, and I wanted to see him play. Then, next thing you know, he was starting, then took the starting job over, and he wasn’t really supposed to play.
“Similar situation happened with me. I was not supposed to really play (as a freshman) and I ended up starting almost the whole year. So I think we related in that way. And it was pretty obvious to everybody who were fans of Iowa State that we were the future of the football and basketball programs moving forward. I think that that bonded us right then and there. I think that’s allowed us to have a relationship now, and we’re both having a lot of success. So it’s really, really cool to see because coming from Iowa State, it’s not like we’re supposed to have professional success.”
Brock Purdy
After four years and 48 games leading Iowa State, Brock Purdy was the last pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Now he’s an MVP candidate with the 49ers. (David K Purdy / Getty Images)
While Haliburton had a bit of a wait to get drafted — the Warriors took James Wiseman No. 2, the Cavaliers took Isaac Okoro No. 5, the Suns took Jalen Smith No. 10 and the Spurs took Devin Vassell one pick ahead of Haliburton — it was nothing like Purdy’s wait during the NFL Draft two years later. After his four years at Iowa State, Purdy famously was the last pick, No. 262.
And Haliburton wasn’t worried a bit about Purdy’s future. Because he knew him too well.
“I’m the type of person that keeps my expectations so low, so I didn’t even think Brock was going to get drafted, if I’m being honest,” Haliburton said. “But I didn’t think any of it because I know him as a person and I knew he’ll be fine, he’ll figure it out. But to see his name get called, I was so, so excited for him. I texted him right away. I was very excited for him to be with the Niners, and then it was just a matter of, ‘Man, I need to see my boy play, I need to see my boy play.’ Now all that he’s doing, it’s so, so cool to see.”
Two years earlier, Purdy had very similar thoughts watching Haliburton’s entry into the NBA after cheering through Haliburton’s Cyclone career.
“We all knew; we’d go to a bunch of basketball games and watch,” Purdy said. “You hear about mock drafts and stuff, but everyone at Iowa State knew that whoever got Tyrese Haliburton was getting a gem. For him to go 12th, that’s still pretty good. We’ve all watched and had his back all these years. To see him go off like he is now, we saw that at Iowa State.”
Last season, while Purdy was moving through the NFC playoffs with the 49ers, Haliburton declared his allegiance by wearing Purdy’s 49ers jersey to a Pacers game. When I asked Purdy about it at the time, he broke into a huge smile and said he was honored but not surprised because Haliburton’s such a great guy.
Yeah, the feeling’s mutual on that one.
“In a world that’s so me-me-me, I think what he was and the football program as a whole at Iowa State, and I think Brock led that, was just give all the glory to God, give all the glory to his teammates,” Haliburton said. “Now he’s doing what he’s doing, and he’s talented himself but understands that it’s not possible without the other guys.
“I always try to get Brock to talk big about himself, but that’s just not in his DNA. He’s not that type of guy. He’s not a self-centered or arrogant person at all. I think he really understands the essence of team. You could probably ask all his teammates in that locker room, that’s definitely what they love about him. Brock goes to games wearing a T-shirt and jeans and a Levi’s jacket and some boots or something. He’s not ever going to be all flash. He’s about his business, and I really like that about him.”
And Purdy and Haliburton believe that each represents the essence and highest point of something they love: the Iowa State ethos.
“I think that’s the best part about it, to be honest,” Haliburton said. “I think something that me and Brock both share is we both really love our university. Brock was there for four years; I left after two, but my dog’s named Ames. I really embody Iowa State. Both of our girlfriends went to Iowa State with us. We both love the university. We share that bond, and it’s cool to see us having success because I think we both love going back, love going to Ames, and we’re proud of our university and it’s something that they’ll be able to use in recruiting and stuff … that we’re having success at the professional level. It’ll help get kids there because, obviously, as kids, we all want to play at the professional level, the highest level. It’s cool that our school gets to use that.”
Maybe there are two freshmen at Iowa State — or at any college, anywhere — who are just as motivated and just as talented as these two. Maybe they’re friends now. Maybe, if everything breaks right, they’ll be professional stars in half a decade.
But the odds of two athletes coming into any school at the same time and breaking out in the NBA and NFL like this, at almost the same time, feel quite low. Which makes the Purdy and Haliburton symmetry and friendship so special.
“For him to do that in basketball, to have myself and a couple of my teammates from football do their thing in the NFL, it’s been pretty sweet, man,” Purdy said. “We had a pretty good class of athletes go through there while we were there, and I was fortunate to get to know a lot of ’em. To be able to represent Iowa State like we have, man, that’s what it’s all about. Proud to be a Cyclone.”
The two share their experiences via text and phone calls. But Purdy and Haliburton haven’t really had time to sit down together over a meal and let the combined moment sink in. The last time the Pacers were in San Francisco was Dec. 5 of last year … which happened to be the day after Purdy had to sub in after Jimmy Garoppolo broke his foot in the first quarter and take over as the starting QB for the rest of the season. So the Purdy era began for the 49ers when his Iowa State peer was just 50 miles away. How’s that for cosmic symmetry?
“I was hurt, but he had just got the starting the job,” Haliburton recalled. “And I texted him, ‘Yo, you coming tonight, let’s go get dinner!’ And he was like, ‘Yo, Coach has told me I probably shouldn’t. I should get into the playbook and be ready to go because I’m starting now.’ So we didn’t get to do anything.”
There will be time for that in the days and years to come. There is a lot to discuss. A lot to celebrate. A lot to plan. Or maybe two of the biggest young sports stars in North American sports will just sit there quietly, thinking about those early Iowa State days and the bus rides and everything that had to happen to get them from there to here. And that there is nobody in the world who went through this. Who is going through this. Except each other.
Thanks for that every time I try to copy and paste they won’t let me do it all the way. I think Kawakami gets paid by the word. He starts out with a good idea and then just stretches it out until your brain starts to die.
lol. yep.
Yeaj, Randy Moss and Jason Williams played together in high school. Williams was MVP of the football team and Moss the MVP of the basketball team one year.
Alex Smith and Reggie Bush also played together in hs.
Either New Orleans really sucks, or the Rams are getting theor mojo back.
New thread is up.