by Andrew, The Grand National Championships
They will sing songs write books about this season. The magic that I am going to perpatrate upon these so-called suckas is going to be scary. Flat out and pure Hellraiser shit, am I right?
Right. Everybody's cracking wise upon the situation at quarterback. But you know what? I make the mediocre excellent. J.T. O'Sullivan will be my greatest victory ever. He has the physical gifts that Jon Kitna and Kurt Warner just don't have. And he's been learning at my feet for years. It doesn't matter that it's a rookie, the Reverend, and Bryant Johnson at wideout. He has Vernon Davis. They shall make each other superstars.
And did you know that the philistine before me didn't give Frank Gore twenty touches in a game but thrice? It's, as they say stupid, and when I say stupid, I do not mean stupid fresh...and they call me prickly and unlikeable!
I've had to deal with worse offensive lines, this is one that's passable. Jon Kitna prayed every day to get a line like this. It can make Frank Gore great and J.T. good. This is an offense that's gonna shock the world.
As defenses go? It doesn't matter. Kentwan Balmer, Jimmy Volmer, Arnoold Palmer, whoever can be their #1 pick. It does not matter. My offense can make them special too. Though Patrick Willis? He is the truth.
This offense can heal the tensions in South Ossetia, and this offense gives the 49ers the division. Bank on it.
Love,
Mike Martz
Monday, August 25, 2008
FROM THE DESK OF MIKE MARTZ...
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
MANUFACTURED JOY - SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
by Zac, Throwing Into Traffic
Manufactured Joy is a series in which we'll be going through the NFL team by team, from the bottom to the top, and giving fans five good reasons why they should be excited to watch their team in action this season. Today, the San Francisco 49ers.
1. Vernon Davis’s third year!
This is the last year I let Vernon Davis break my heart, but I’m willing to give it to him, because it’s not fair to measure him as anything other than what he is: A dynamic wide receiver in a tight end’s body. As such, year three, traditionally the make or break year for receivers, is going to be similarly telling for Davis, who up to this point has been a non-factor for the offense. The team still lacks a wideout with the ability to stretch the field and catch the ball the way Davis can, and if he’s ever going to matter to this offense, it’s going to be with Mike Martz using him as his best vertical weapon (Arnaz Battle isn’t exactly putting the scares in people downfield) and Alex Smith leaning on him. Davis has all the gifts in the world to make it happen, so it’s time to make it happen.
2. Frank Gore has still got it!
Ok, last year was not a great year for Frank Gore, but come on, it’s not like he single-handedly murdered forward progress. Even as he destroyed fantasy teams nationwide, he put up over 1100 yards and averaged 4.2 yards a carry rushing, and threw up 436 receiving yards on 53 catches, and he did all of this while struggling with injuries! Furthermore, he was the victim of his team’s inexplicable decision to get away from the run. While there’s certainly an excuse for him getting less than 20 carries in blowouts like the 33-15 debacle against the Giants or the 37-16 squash against the Steelers, can someone explain how the same is true for a 9-7 grudge match against the Ravens? Again, it falls on former offensive wunderkind Martz to get Gore involved, and if he does expect things to get much easier for the offense as a whole.
3. Patrick Willis cometh!
This was the lone bright spot of last season, and to say Patrick Willis was good would do him a disservice. Patrick Willis was GREAT. Fun fact: Willis led the league in tackles with 174. The next guy down on the list had 33 fewer tackles. With the 49ers bringing in a beast of a defensive linemen to take up blockers in the middle, you have to imagine that Willis will have an even greater opportunity to destroy opponents all over the field. If that’s not worth watching, then I don’t know why I’m even doing these anymore…
4. Drafting for the trenches!
No matter what anyone else says about any other position, the fact remains that you turn a bad team into a good team quickly by repairing the lines. The Jets and Bears did it offensively in 2006. The Giants proved that consistent production from the line defensively can win championships last year. This past draft, the 49ers were evidently hoping they could get a similar spark. The team took three linemen in the first four rounds, including physical monster DT Kentwon Balmer and potential second round steal (if he can stay focused) OG Chilo Rachal. Both of these players are considered high risk/high reward gambles at their respective positions, but considering the state of the team last year (Willis needed some help up front to create problems in the backfield, and the offensive line gave up 55 sacks), a gamble was needed to save a whole lot of jobs, including that of head coach Mike Nolan, and in a division where literally anybody can win the whole thing (in ugly, pyrrhic fashion, but still win it), even a slight turnaround could produce big results.
5. Mike Martz + Alex Smith = ALEX SMITH IS NOT A BUST!
Seriously, can we all agree on this and shut up about the small hands already? In three years Smith has had to learn three different offenses from three different coordinators, and he’s on his fourth. In 2006, but for a close scrape against the Seahawks, his team would have gone to the playoffs in his second year, and he put up almost 3000 yards starting all 16 games. Oh, and who exactly is he throwing to? Arnaz Battle? Ashley Lelie? The most potent downfield threat he’s had is Antonio Bryant. HOW IS THAT FAIR TO A FIRST ROUND DRAFT PICK FORCED TO START AS SOON AS HE ENTERED THE LEAGUE?!? The point is that outside of his small hands (on which there’s been an inexplicable focus), Smith has all of the tools to succeed, and has shown he can do so over the course of a season when the staff opens the offense up and lets him use his outstanding gifts, including a tragically underrated intelligence on the field, to make things happen. Under Martz, barring a wildly idiotic decision to hand the keys over to generic “We’re going 6-10, tops” backups Hill and Sullivan, look for Smith to finally get the chance to sink his teeth into an offense that plays to both his physical and mental strengths, especially if even one of the hyper-talented pieces around him (ahem…Davis…Gore…) plays up to their potential.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
OPTIMIST/PESSIMIST - THE NFC WEST DRAFT CLASS
By Zac, Throwing Into Traffic
In the weeks since the NFL Draft, OPTIMIST/PESSIMIST has been analyzing the draft classes by division both here and at Throwing Into Traffic. Today, we finish off our analysis with the NFC West.
Seattle Seahawks
Optimist:
There’s something about USC players that makes me take them completely for granted, but DE Lawrence Jackson is one of the names I actually knew from that team coming into this draft. While not overly fast, Jackson has solid quickness, and a long build that makes him trouble once he gets past his initial matchup, and considering he’ll be lining up with Patrick Kerney, it’s doubtful teams will be able to devote multiple blockers to stopping him. Considering that he may be a special pass rushing compliment to Kerney, if both he and physically dominant but raw DT Red Bryant can develop into their natural ability, Seattle’s mediocre pass defense (19th in the league) could see drastic improvements thanks to the front four.
Pessimist:
It’s almost like this team is TRYING to make me not care about them. Here’s the drat lineup for the Seahawks: 2 D-linemen, a tight end, a fullback, a throwaway running back, a kicker, and a LONG SNAPPER. Who the hell drafts a long snapper? Oh, I forgot, this team totally doesn’t need a WR like Adrian Arrington; the rapidly decaying Bobby Engram is all the number two option you need, and Deion Branch isn’t the worst WR signing of the last five years. Keep doing what you’re doing, Seattle, because you’re at your best when absolutely nobody even remembers you have a team.
Arizona Cardinals:
Optimist:
Nobody will accuse the Cardinals of playing it safe this year. With their first pick, the team took the biggest risk of the draft with CB Dominique Rodgers Cromartie, the workout wonder who played FCS ball and happens to share a last name with the guy who revolutionized the interception last year. Then, rather than taking one of several bland running backs available (Ray Rice has the juice, but lacks the size to contribute in a big way in the NFL), Arizona went for DE Calias Campbell, who is coming off of a mediocre senior year but is still massive for his position (6’7”, 290 lbs) and can wreak havoc on offensive linemen when he finds his groove. And as risky as both of those moves are, they were probably the right calls. Arizona had the 5th worst pass defense in the league last year, and if even one of these two can live up to their potential, that statistic should immediately improve. Throw in stocky WR Early Doucet as a slot man in the Wes Welker mold and things could be looking up in the desert.
Pessimist:
Ok…maybe the position is cursed (Lord knows if Edgerrin James and Emmitt Smith couldn’t make it work, maybe nobody can), but would it have been crazy for a team with the fourth worst running offense in the league to take a running back higher than the 5th round (Timothy Hightower seems like a nice guy, but a 4.6 40 isn’t cutting it in the pros)? Also, not to make anybody panic, because I love watching Matt Leinart get smashed in the backfield thanks to his cement feet as much as anybody (Drew Bledsoe v.2.0!!!), but maybe one of the many signal callers who dropped from the sky would have made a fun project? Again, I love the risks that this team took on day one, but I think that some more chances early on at positions of need on day two would have made things much more interesting.
San Francisco 49ers:
Optimist:
I love the moves this team made in the trenches. Even if Kentwan Balmer turns out to have been a flash in the pan thanks to a weak ACC (and bear in mind that he could easily be just as special as his physicality and stellar final season indicate), OG Chilo Rachal is versatile enough to play either guard or right tackle (a must have for an O-lineman on this team), and OC Cody Wallace did solid work at the college level, and could develop into a solid pro. Considering how badly things went for this team last year, the right move was to make low risk, high reward picks in the interest of making life easier for Alex Smith, and all three of those picks should help reduce pressure on Smith (or whoever winds up under center) next year.
Pessimist:
You know what else would reduce pressure on Alex Smith? Picking up a WR who can actually catch the ball. If Arnaz Battle, Bryant Johnson, and Ashley Lelie haven’t made it yet, they’re not going to now. Isaac Bruce is now the ghost of WR past. At this point, I’m past harping on all the WR prospects that slipped, but here was a team that could have sent a message that it wasn’t ready to quit on its QB just yet. Instead, this all feels like preparation for the installation of a new, untested signal caller, which is a shame, because Smith can still do something for a team creative enough to use his intelligence.
St. Louis Rams:
Optimist:
DE Chris Long is going to be a very good pro lineman, and turns the Rams defensive front four into the stuff of offensive nightmares. WR Donnie Avery is a burner who can turn his top end speed on in the blink of an eye, which could mean that his lack of ideal size won’t be a dealbreaker at the next level, particularly considering his sizeable body of work in college. Throw in a couple of offensive linemen who the team took flyers on in the later rounds, and it was a productive draft for a team that was nowhere near as bad as its terrible start last year would indicate.
Pessimist:
DE Chris Long is not DT Glenn Dorsey, plain and simple. Long is going to be very good; Dorsey could be the type of Albert Haynesworth defensive lineman that accounts for 2-3 wins in a season on his own. It’s the NFL, Rams GM Jay Zygmunt, you’re gonna have to get over that fear of big black guys in the locker room. Equally troubling is the decision to go with Avery over WRs Limas Sweed, Malcom Kelly, or Devin Thoman, all of whom have better size for the position, and lose very little in terms of speed (although again, Avery’s ability to hit high gears immediately can change offensive plays). I like big, splashy moves, but the road back to legitimacy is paved with unsexiness, and you have to get there before you can justify taking the kinds of chances the Rams did here.
Friday, March 14, 2008
CIVILIZATION SAFE: ISAAC BRUCE WON'T WEAR #80
by wwtb?, Pacifist Viking
Thankfully, Isaac Bruce will not be wearing Jerry Rice's number when he plays for the San Francisco 49ers next year. To make us fully aware of just how closely we averted travesty, let us try find an equivalent for anybody but Jerry Rice ever wearing #80 for the 49ers again.
John McCain arrives at Republican National Convention with a beard and top hat, and keeps calling himself "three score and eleven."
Peter Griffin starts saying "D'oh!"
Woody Allen remakes Casablanca starring himself as Rick and Kathy Griffin as Ilsa.
How I Met Your Mother starts shooting scenes in Monk's coffee shop.
Wade Phillips wears Tom Landry's hat.
The University of Phoenix changes its name to IvyLeague.com.
The Chicago Cubs change the name of their ballpark. Oh wait.
George Bernard Shaw declares he's a better playwright than William Shakespeare. Oh wait.
George Lucas superimposes Hayden Christiensen into the end of Return of the Jedi. Oh wait.
Can you think of any other equivalents?
Friday, February 8, 2008
THE TEAMS THAT WEREN'T EMBARRASSED TO BE 18-1
by wwtb?, Pacifist Viking
"18-1" is of course a mocking insult to the 2007 Patriots.
But two other teams have gone 18-1; they just had the good sense to lose their one game sometime during the regular season.
The 1984 San Francisco 49ers went 18-1. In the regular season, they were #2 in points scored, #1 in points allowed, and they outscored their opponents by an average of 15.5 points per game. Their one loss was by three points. They outscored their three playoff opponents 82-26.
The 1985 Chicago Bears went 18-1. In the regular season, they were #2 in points scored, #1 in points allowed, and they outscored their opponents by an average of 16.1 points per game. Their one loss was by 14 points. They outscored their playoff opponents 91-10.
The '84 49ers and '85 Bears are two of the greatest football teams ever. They played superb football all season long, but peaked at the end, winning convincingly in the playoffs and dominating the Super Bowl. The Patriots matched their win totals, but for the Patriots, "18-1" is a disappointing insult.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
YOU'VE BEEN DOWNSIZED, MIKE NOLAN
by Ray, Flyers Fieldhouse
Mike Nolan: Y-You wanted to see me, Mr. York?
49ers Owner John York: Come on in and sit down, Mike. Can I get you anything? The usual?
(Nolan nods nervously)
York: Stacy, be a dear and get Mr. York two slices of white bread and a glass of milk.
Nolan: No crust, please.
York: I don't need to tell you that it's been a trying season, Mike. We rode in with high expectations. Perhaps too high. But we are a proud franchise. And 5-11 and just won't cut it here in San Francisco. These fans show up, no matter if we're winning or we're winning huge. Like Barry Bonds, they deserve a bandwagon to jump onto and claim they were there all along, and then ditch when it becomes boring again. Are you getting my drift, Mike?
Nolan: (gulps) I promise you, Mr. York, this team is going in the exact direction I pictured when I was hired. We are on the brink. Most of the pieces we need are there. (falls to knees and begins sobbing) Please don't fire me. You don't know what it's like. I had to start Trent Dilfer! The humanity! Pleeeeeease!
York: Dear God, boy, get it together. We're not firing you as head coach. That said, we are going to strip you of some of the liberties you once enjoyed here. For one, we are replacing you as general manager of this team.
Nolan: OK, I can handle that. I'm man enough to take my punishment and move on as a professional. Thank you, Mr. York.
(Nolan begins to leave)
York: Whoa whoa, we're not done here. We're also moving you out of your cushy office to somewhere that has a few less distractions. You've been moved to the ticket office. You'll have plenty of time to sit in that dank little room with those uneducated fools and think about what you've done.
Nolan: But I don't see how I'm supposed to get work done if-
York: Next ... you will no longer be allowed to show off in those prissy little designer suits you've been gallavanting around in. Real men wear nylon track jackets to work on Sunday.
Nolan: But that was to honor my father! He's dead, you know!
York: Sure is. Deader than nu metal. And do you expect that he's looking down and smiling at his legacy being carried on in this fashion?
Nolan: I like to believe he's proud of me no matter the record.
York: Wrong, my boy. Life is all about wins and losses, and right now your scoreboard reads "fail."
(Nolan begins to whimper again)
York: I'm also going to need the company car back.
Nolan: You never gave me one.
York: Really. Well, then I'll take whatever you drove here today.
Nolan: That's my personal car!
York: Heads must roll, Mike. The fans won't be satisfied until they see me driving around in whatever s**tbox you've been rolling in. Only then can the healing begin.
Nolan: I'm not sure I see how that-
York: Lastly, I'm going to need your first born son as a sacrifice. The sacrifice will be held publicly, but it will be done tastefully.
Nolan: Absolutely not! That is over the line, Mr. York. No way am I doing that unless I am reinstated as genera- ... wait, no no no. No sacrificing my son. That is final.
York: Would you settle for Trent Dilfer instead?
Nolan: Oh lord yes.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
THE AFTER PARTY
The HUMMER Metro Ice Challenge spices up the rivalry between the Rangers, Islanders and Devils. Plus, it's for charity. (MSG)
Your days of juicing are over, Billy Casper... (Steroid Nation)
The 49ers essentially traded a future Hall of Fame wideout and a top five pick for Joe Staley last year. (SimonOnSports)
"With Leather" joins the Mile High Club... and gets fat. (SPORTSbyBROOKS)
A list of some possible replacements for Lloyd Carr. (Rumors and Rants)
If Mariano signs, his next save could be worth one entire Joba Chamberlain season. (The Grand National Championships)
Relive the days when you could understand Harry Caray and there were no lights at Wrigley Field. (Home Run Derby)
The Blog Show XXIX. (Burly Sports)
For the Chicago Bulls, no Kobe = no championship. (Chicago Bull)
Brady Quinn and a butch lesbian, which is which? (With Leather)
Yet another reason to love Australians - Nicky Whelan. (CamelTap)
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
THROWING KNIVES: WE GOT WHAT WE WANTED
by BD, Staff Writer
(Programming note: TK will not be seen tomorrow and Thursday remains up in the air at this time. Expect me back on Friday for sure, though.)
We Got What We Wanted....
Or did we? With LSU and Oregon atop the BCS Standings it appears the majority will get the game they wanted. Just two weeks ago many of us hated the idea that BC and Ohio State would be playing for the National Title. Now we have two teams that are considered to belong. One problem though: Kansas. Who could potentially jump Oregon is they can run the table. Which would include wins over Missouri and Oklahoma. Others may argue for Hawaii, but having seen them play a couple of times I don't even think they belong in a BCS game.
I'd like to bash the BCS and toss out ideas to improve the end of the College Football season, but that'd be a waste of text. We all know the system isn't changing anytime soon. Because money is more important to these schools than crowning an undisputed champion.
I ask you though, is Oregon-LSU the game you want?
For me, the answer to that question is no. Even as an SEC fan I have no interest in seeing LSU in that game. As I think a Kansas-Oregon match up would be far more exciting to watch. Though it's not going to happen as I just don't see Kansas knocking off both Mizzou and Oklahoma. Though if they do, I'll rank them #1 without a second thought.
I could get the game I want though if Kansas pulls off the unexpected and runs the table. As I think LSU will fall at the hands of Georgia, should the Bulldogs continue to play as they have, and reach the SEC Title game. Which would take a Tennessee loss as they beat the Bulldogs earlier this season.
Another reason I'd like to see Oregon play Kansas? It shits all over pre-season rankings. Neither team was ranked coming into the season.
So I ask again, who do you want to see play for the National Title this year? And why? Given the complete clusterfuck that the season has become with no clear-cut deserving squads (Outside of Kansas should they go undefeated).
Marbury Out In NYC?
Their saying this morning that the Knicks are considering either trading, or buying out Stephon Marbury. A buy out is probably what Steph would prefer and it has me wondering where he might fit if it happens.
Assuming he's willing to take little money after he's received his buy-out I'd have to think Boston, Houston, Cleveland, Miami, and the Lakers should all be considered. Boston is the most intriguing to me as KG's there and when in Minnesota was the only time anyone got Marbury to buy into playing second fiddle to someone else.
49ers NFL's Most Disappointing Team?
They just might be. Many considered them a contender to win the division, but with Norv Turner coaching in San Diego Alex Smith has fallen apart. Smith's play as also resulted in team's stacking the box and shutting down Frank Gore. Last night's drubbing in Seattle was San Fran's seventh straight loss. They're probably not the league's most disappoint team with Cincinnati, Baltimore, St. Louis, Denver, and San Diego playing as they are, but they're still pretty disappointing.
Yesterday In Sports...
'Melo's Team Continues To Own LeBron's
The Nuggets cruised to a 122-100 win in Denver.
Give The Ball To Chris Paul
CP3 made a nice mid-air adjustment to hit the game-winner in New Jersey last night with 2.6 left on the clock.
Another Boring Monday Night Game
Seattle easily knocked off San Francisco 24-0.
Eric Gordon, Best Freshman?
He lead his team to a 99-79 win over Chattanooga with 33 points in his debut.
Weekend Box Office Top 5
1. Bee Movie - More proof kid's movies are where the money's at.
2. American Gangster - Still haven't had time to see it, but I will soon.
3. Fred Claus - No interest.
4. Lions for Lambs - Tom Cruise playing a Senator? The shoes fits.
5. Dan in Real Life - May be too much of a family flick to bother watching it.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
TOM BRADY COULD HAVE BEEN YOUR TEAM'S QUARTERBACK, AND YOUR TEAM'S, AND YOUR TEAM'S, AND YOURS, AND YOURS, ...
by DCScrap, Our Book of Scrap
Tom Brady is on a hot streak like we've never seen before by an NFL quarterback. First, he bags smokin' hot Bridget Moynahan and has a kid with her, then he scores a super-rich supermodel in Gisele. Oh, you thought I was talking about his 27 touchdowns in the first seven games of the season? Okay, let's go there then.
Today I was listening to the radio when the host was discussing the 2000 NFL draft. You know, the one in which everyone completely ignored the guy who is on his way to making an argument for being the best quarterback of all time was drafted. The host brought up some interesting tidbits that I wanted to share with you. That's just how I am. None of this is groundbreaking news, but it is an interesting reminder of just what happened back then, how bad NFL GM's drafting skills can be, and how selecting a QB in the draft is such a crapshoot.
First off, let me say that this might have been the worst overall draft in NFL history. The top five picks were Courtney Brown by the Browns, LaVarr Arrington by the 'Skins, Chris Samuels by the 'Skins, Peter Warrick by the Bengals, and Jamal Lewis by the Ravens. I don't see a Peyton Manning or LT in that bunch.
Also, did you know there were six quarterbacks taken ahead of Tom Brady in that draft? Probably. Did you know that there was only one quarterback taken in the entire first two rounds of that draft? If it weren't for Brady, this might have been the worst crop of quarterbacks to ever be taken in a single draft.
Let's take a look at how those six fellas have panned out so far, shall we?
Round (Overall) Team - Player, POS College
1 (18) New York Jets - Chad Pennington, QB Marshall
Chad has had a nice little career. Nothing Brady-like and definitely not first-round-worthy.
CAREER STATS: 13,184 YDS, 81 TD, 53 INT
3 (65) San Francisco 49ers - Giovanni Carmazzi, QB Hofstra
The next Steve Young he was not. More like Jim Drunkenmiller, only with less picks.
CAREER STATS: 0 YDS, 0 TD, 0 INT
3 (75) Baltimore Ravens - Chris Redman, QB Louisville
That's okay though, they drafted Kyle Boller shortly thereafter and he has been, uh, below average.
CAREER STATS: 1,111 YDS, 7 TD, 5 INT
5 (163) Pittsburgh Steelers - Tee Martin, QB Tennessee
Hey, he was almost as good as Peyton Manning.
CAREER STATS: 69 YDS, 0 TD, 1 INT
6 (168) New Orleans Saints - Marc Bulger, QB West Virginia
WOW! A decent QB and in the same round as Brady. Nice job NFL GM's! What's that? He doesn't play for the Saints? Never mind.
CAREER STATS: 17,223 YDS, 97 TD, 66 INT
And then we go back to this...
6 (183) Cleveland Browns - Spergon Wynn, QB Southwest Texas State
CAREER STATS: 585 YDS, 1 TD, 7 INT
And finally, our hero...
6 (199) New England Patriots - Tom Brady, QB Michigan
3 rings and Gisele. 'Nuff said.
CAREER STATS: 23,689 YDS, 174 TD, 80 INT
But hey, the Redskins took QB Todd Husak just three picks later, while the Chargers took QB JaJuan Seider five picks later. Ohhhhhh, so close.
TOTALS OF THE SIX QB'S TAKEN AHEAD OF HIM:
32,172 YDS, 186 TD, 132 INT
Let's say that those six QB's were just one guy. I think I would still rather have Brady.
And since we're on the subject of that wicked pissah of a draft, check out some of the other genius selections at the skill positions made by NFL GM's in the year 2000...
1 (10) Baltimore Ravens - Travis Taylor, WR Florida Bad.
1 (11) New York Giants - Ron Dayne, RB Wisconsin Bad.
1 (21) Kansas City Chiefs - Sylvester Morris, WR Jackson State Bad.
1 (31) St. Louis Rams - Trung Canidate, RB Arizona Bad.
Hell of a first round I tell you. Some real building blocks were taken that year.
Go 'Skins.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
RANDOM OBSERVATIONS : SEAHAWKS @ 49ERS, SECOND HALF EDITION
by Davey, Blown Coverage
I guess the Bucs are for real. Tampa is leading Carolina 17-0 and I don't really see Carolina coming back in this one. The Steelers are holding a slim 7-0 lead over Arizona while LaDanian Tomlinson is leading the Chargers over the Chiefs.
Mike Nolan has come out in the second half without his coat on and with his sleeves rolled up and I'm thinking that he has assaulted someone during half time. If Trent Dilfer comes out bleeding, we know why.
RANDOM OBSERVATIONS : SEAHAWKS @ 49ERS, FIRST HALF EDITION
by Davey, Blown Coverage
A bunch of the 1 o'clock games are in the books and so far the underdogs have been coming through, much like we saw in college football yesterday. Cleveland beat Baltimore, Buffalo tops the Jets, Atlanta took care of Houston and the Lions are about to beat Chicago. The only constants so far are that the Dolphins and Rams are horrible.
Speaking of which, after watching Daunte Culpepper lead his Raiders with 5 touchdowns over Miami, you can imagine how my mood is right now. It's somewhere between committing a crime or developing an addiction. But hey, I'm going to try and watch Seattle at San Fran and hopefully it will distract me a bit. I have no real rooting interest in this one and for fantasy purposes I have Frank Gore. Let's get it started...
Friday, September 21, 2007
THROWING KNIVES: SLOW FRIDAY
by BD, Sports Show On Mute
It's a somewhat slow sports morning so I'm lacking as far as big topics go. Fear not though captain cubicle I've got a bunch of little stuff to lob at you. I think just about everyone thought Texas A&M was a borderline Top 25 team at best. But, I'm not sure anyone expected them to get completely waxed in the Orange Bowl last night. The score was a lot closer than the game and after watching that I can't imagine what the Sooners are going to do to the Aggies (11/3). Am I the only one who found it refreshing that the Yanks and Sox had the night off? The NL East is back to 1.5 games as the Mets comeback in the top of the 9th and then blow it in the bottom half. They'd eventually lose in the 10th. The Phillies made a comeback of their own to knock off the Nationals. On tap for tonight? Oklahoma covering against Tulsa and assorted baseball games. I know their nothing more interesting than the Texas-Baltimore series taking place in Arlington. I still have no idea who Giorgia Palmas is, but I'm guessing she's a model. (Send all link submissions for the weekend editions of TK here.)
It's Over, It's Over!!! (Yeah, right)
Could I really be referring to anything other than SpyGate? The NFL has destroyed all of Darth Belichick's material. Now, I think we all know this is far from over after Brian Billick pulled the cheating card (like the race card, but not) on Eric Mangini this past weekend. I'm just hoping every Monday morning it's a race to see who can lob accusation's first. Next thing you know only Tom Coughlin will be free from accusations and his success will start to make sense.
T.O. Is Clever
Whether we like it or not T.O. is the king of media. The only true challenger to his crown is Ocho Cinco and despite my preference for Chad. T.O. is still the top WR personality in the league right now. This is mostly due to his villainous persona. Many of us love to hate T.O. but let's face it... we really don't. Anyhow, on to the reason I'm writing of T.O. in the first place. Yesterday, after being slapped with a $7,500 fine his mocking of SpyGate in the end zone on Sunday. T.O. gave us this: "I'm like [Bill] Belichick,"Owens said. "I misinterpreted the rules." Is that classic or what? Fantastic stuff from the ultimate antagonist as usual.
The fine, however, is questionable at best. When you consider Johnson , he of the positive persona, used a prop to celebrate a touchdown last week. While Owens used the ball and while I'm unsure if he can use the ball as a prop or not. It's really moot if you ask me. I enjoy Ocho and his antics but if your going to fine Owens because he took a swipe at a league wide controversy and claim he broke the "No Fun" rules. Then you have to fine Johnson for using a prop as well. Sorry Rog, you've got to hold everyone responsible for their actions. Not just the guys you don't like.
The Whole Kirilenko Trade Thing
From what I can gather Andrei Kirilenko has requested a trade from the Jazz. There's been a gluttony of rumored deals that the Jazz have balked at to this point. I've seen one explanation for the Jazz's disinterest in dealing their disgruntled star. That reason? They don't want to set a precedent for dealing players who don't get along with their coach. Somewhat of a silly reason. Especially if the Jazz can actually get someone like Jamison or Marion. I know Marion is almost a lock to walk out the door next summer, but it's something at least right? They can't have a mopey Kirilenko playing like he did for most of last season as he ended up hurting the team more than anything else. We'll see where this goes. My guess is the Jazz stand pat and Kirilenko puts together another season like he did last year. Or, things get a whole lot worse if they don't respect the Russian's wishes.
Manny Lawson Tears ACL
49ers Sophomore linebacker Manny Lawson tore his ACL in practice yesterday and will miss the rest of the season. This is a pretty big loss for a young defense that had looked quite good the first two weeks. I'm not sure who will be filling Lawson's spot in the starting lineup but I have no doubt the drop off is significant.
Bucks Match Heat's Offer Sheet To Charlie Bell
This situation is about as retarded as they get. The Bucks spent the summer letting Bell sit around and wait. Just when Charlie got what he wanted in an offer from an NBA team outside of Milwaukee the Bucks have roped him in again against his will. Hopefully someone else ups the ante and Bucks let him walk, but I wouldn't count on it. (I told you it was slow....)
Scoreboard - September 20th - 2007
NCAA Football
Miami 34, (20) Texas A&M 17
MLB National League
Colorado 9, Los Angeles 4
San Diego 6, Pittsburgh 3
Philadelphia 7, Washington 6
Florida 8, New York 7 F/10
Atlanta 3, Milwaukee 1
Houston 18, St. Louis 1
Cincinnati 4, San Francisco 2
American League
Kansas City 3, Chicago 0
Baltimore 6, Texas 3 F/10
Los Angeles 9, Seattle 5
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
NFL Preview: San Francisco 49ers
by WCK, 100% Injury Rate
The last two years have not been kind to lifetime 49ers fans. We had to deal with a beyond awful 2005 season where Alex "Small Hands" Smith looked like he wasn't even worthy of being selected in the CFL Draft. We're still mad here that Matt Leinart decided to return to school that year.
Then in 2006 we saw signs of hope. Frank Gore emerged as a monster NFL running back, Alex Smith got better, and we were playing in the horrible NFC West. Anything seemed possible. But with a slim chance of making the playoffs, we lost a must-win game against the Buzzsaw with Leinart at the helm. Matt stabbed us in the back yet again.
But now it's 2007, and the 49ers are suddenly the sexy pick, which of course means they're going to suck. Well, maybe not, since we did have one hell of an offseason. Either way though, this is a make or break year for the 49ers. Let's take a look.
Offense: I'm still not sold on Alex Smith and I may never be. He's not as good a decision maker as Leinart, and to me, the most important ingredient for a QB is decision making. Who cares if someone can throw the ball 80 yards. Honestly, when are you going to need that? But that said, Smith has improved dramatically in 2 years and his decision making has gotten much better. What's crucial for Smith is that this year he'll actually have some fairly good receivers and a true deep threat. Darrell Jackson was a solid pickup, Arnaz Battle is a good possession receiver and Ashley Lelie, if he has his head screwed on right, is a true deep threat. Jason Hill, a rookie, could also play a crucial role as well and some experts believe he could become the #3 very quickly. The only problem is we lost Norv Turner, who is a terrible coach, but a great offensive coordinator.
That core of receivers is even more critical, because defenses will be keying on Frank Gore, who was beast in 2006. I expect big things from Gore again, but to prevent defenses from throwing 8 or 9 guys in the box, Smith and the receiving core must do some damage. There haven't been a ton of changes to the O-line, which was more than decent in 2006. Frank Gore didn't rack up all those yards just by himself. On the flip side, if Gore gets injured, we're absolutely screwed judging by the preseason. We have no backup. So don't get injured Frank.
Lastly, for some reason I have the feeling Vernon Davis at TE will be a key part of how well this team does. He's an incredible athlete who could add a deadly extra dimension to the 49ers receiving core. He has the ability to absolutely dominate the middle of the field. No linebacker in the league should be able to defend him. The only problem is Davis looked lost a lot during his first year and has been a bit of an asshat at camp this year.
Defense: Now this is where I'm truly excited. They did do some great work in the offseason. Nate Clements is a true shutdown corner, which is something this team needed since we were 26th in passing yards given up per game in 2006. The addition of Patrick Willis is also already being lauded as one of the best signings in years. I certainly hope so, because we had trouble stopping the run last year, giving up an average of 121 yards per game. Another year under Manny Lawson's belt should help as well. The D-line was fairly solid last year in pressuring the quarterback, and hopefully rookie Ray McDonald can add to that.
As long as the defense can be in the middle of the pack, this team has the capability to have a fairly good season.
Special Teams: If the dominant 49ers clubs of the 80s and 90s ever had an Achilles Heel, it was usually their kicker. That hasn't been the case with this squad. Joe Nedney, a San Jose State grad, WAS our offense in 2005 and was again at times in 2006. I have never had complete faith in a 49ers kicker, but I do in Nedney. Our punter, Andy Lee, also returns. He boomed punts last year to an average of 44+ yards, but his net was mediocre. Hopefully our 3rd stringers who I know nothing about can provide better coverage this year. As for kickoff and punt returners, uh, I hope they'll be good.
Overall: Mike Nolan has himself a decent squad this year. But as I said, this is a make or break year for the 49ers. They made some great offseason moves and its time to see if they'll come through. The front office certainly did their job. Now it's up to the team and Nolan.
Personally, I'm still not sure
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