http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=5960603 Just give DeBartolo the fucking team back. The 49ers had their best years under him and his group of mobsters and Hells Angels. Let him fix that mess.
this team was on the rise until this year. they terribly underperformed this year in part because they have what amount nothing at the qb position. troy smith at this point is the best they have and he is not very good at all. he is a backup not a starter and has no business being on the field for any full game. singletary may end up being a decent coach, he at least gave them hope. however nobody likes a tough guy anymore.
Alex Smith performed good enough when healthy, which was incredibly difficult to do between that swiss cheese line. Singletary grasping at straws and having a new QB starting every other week was the biggest issue here.
I'm not sure if I should feel bad for Alex Smith or not. He hasn't had a stable coaching staff around him since he arrived in San Fran, so it must be hard for him to develop into an offensive system. On the other hand, WTF maybe he's the problem.
^This. Sure he's been tossed around systems, but the guys is not a big time QB. Look at other young QBs around. Sanchez has progressed. No he's not perfect, but he's showing more and more as his time as a starter. He's in a high pressure situation with a very talented team around him and making things happen for us. Stafford can not stay healthy. When he is he shows the tnedancy to make big plays and big mistakes. If he can eliminate the picks and stay healthy, you can seee him becoming a very good QB in the NFL. Bradford has shown poise, ability, and leadeship in taking the lowly Rams on his back and near the NFC west crown. Even a guy like Cutler has been making more positive plays than picks now days and is doing it with a much less talented receiving core than he had in Denver. I won't go into Matt Ryan or Joe Flacco because I think I've made the point. Smith never had a big arm. He's not leading his team on game winning drives or even consistant drives. He was not a firy enough leader to make singletary hang his hat on him. Bascily he's a somewaht talented guy without a big arm, is not a great leader of the team, who makes too many mistakes, and not enough of the special plays you need to see out of a QB. In other words, not exactly waht you want to build a franchise around. He's got two good reveicing weapons in Davis and Crabtree. A stong running game with Gore in place and still can't get it done. The 9ers need to look elsewhere.
All 3 of his weapons have suffered either injury or sit outs. He was injured behind that dreaful oline how many times? How many OC has he been thru? A. Smith was injured and that's what gave T. Smith the start. T. Smith is obviously not the answer either, but A. Smith at least provided them with a spark more than 1 time. I'm not sayign he's some amazing QB, but I am saying I think he could suceed if given a stable enviroment to develop in. The 49ers are a fucking clusterfuck.
I've watched him several times over the years and he's never shown me as much as any of the guys I mentioned above. I agree the 9ers are not the prefect situation, but I don't belive he would have it given everything a QB could ask for.
I'm on record as saying that I think Alex Smith is a really decent QB who would flourish in a settled environment, and I've seen nothing to change that view. You can't blame the guy for getting things wrong when three seconds in the pocket is considered a luxury, and he's got a brand new offensive system every season. If he had gone, say, 10th instead of 1st he wouldn't get anything like the grief he does, I reckon.
This was supposed to be that year for Smith. The 2nd one in a row with the same coach and QC from the year before. All he did was come out week 1 and play soooo badly that the OC was canned in 3 games while throwing 9 picks in his first 5 starts. What moments of watching him make you think he's got the talent to do it? After a few years of luke warm to cold games I really think he's done.
I hope Jon Gruden goes back to San Francisco. I think he's got what it takes to turn that franchise around.
I hope Gruden stays in the booth, I love him on Monday night football and would rather not have the 9ers getting better anytime soon lol. In reality he is a good canidate for several of the open positions. His offense could be scary good with Davis and Crabtree in position.
I could care less about about the Niners being any good. They aren't a threat to the Jets. I've been talking about Gruden to San Francisco since Singletary was fired. Everyone assumes they'll go after a QB early. If Gruden takes over, I'm willing to bet he goes after a veteran like Kyle Orton or Kevin Kolb. Looking at his past head coaching jobs, he's always had veteran quarterbacks: Brad Johnson in Tampa and Rich Gannon in Oakland.
I agree. Thats the only thing about them that does not look good is the lack of QB in place, but they may be in a good position to pick up a vet. Decent young O-line, power running game, good receiving weapons in place. The defense needs some work, but its not too far away. Could be a very interesting place with Gruden and a new QB. Kolb would work wonders with him.
