San Francisco 49ers Archive

Amazing day of news: 49ers name QB, closure for Vick and Stallworth

By
Zuri
Published: August 13, 2009Tags: , , , ,
Rick Pitino's affair is gone into a bizarre zone. So much so, I don't know what to say about it.

Rick Pitino's affair is gone into a bizarre zone. So much so, I don't know what to say about it.

First, and most importantly, coach Mike Singletary will plug in Shaun Hill as the team’s starter for the San Francisco 49ers’ first preseason game. It’s an indication, in my mind, that the starting spot is his to lose.

Now, on to the ex-convicts and extra marital affairs.

In unprecedented, but most welcomed, news, Roger Goodell announced a season-long suspension for Donte’ Stallworth.

He had it coming.

I can’t help but think this is karma at work for a guy who literally killed a man while driving drunk and spent 23 days of repentance in soft-core jail. I wrote about the backwards way the justice system was working on this case in June. It was atrocious to mete out a 30-day sentence, however long the probation period.

If you’re scoffing at this, you’re either rich or ignorant.

Read the rest of this entry »

NFL training camp wants: Shaun Hill, don’t screw this up

By
Zuri
Published: July 19, 2009Tags: , , ,

Shaun Hill better have his game together, because the 49ers cant go back to Alex Smith for the sake of my sanity.

Shaun Hill better have his game together, because the 49ers can't go back to Alex Smith for the sake of my sanity.

Life must be good for Alex Smith. He’s a pro football player, a millionaire, his shoulder is feeling better and he’s back in competition for the starting QB spot for the San Francisco 49ers, which won’t be named until Aug. 29 when the 49ers play the ‘Boys in the final preseason game.

I’d hate to have the 49ers go this route for two reasons:

  1. When Smith was the starter, and healthy, he went 7-9 in the 2006 season while leading the 49ers on two phenomenal comebacks. Unfortunately, these two golden nuggets were not a sign of promise. It’s a sign of his limit. What we’ve come to know of Smith is that he’s fragile. (how did he injure that shoulder again last season? Oh, that’s right, by throwing the ball in practice. The primary function of his job!) He’s also sensitive and he wilts under pressure. Taking slices of Smith’s career and then evaluating him as a whole is faulty logic, and an apologist’s summation for a loser.
  2. Locker room leadership may take a hit if Hill can’t surpass Smith. I remember vividly the divide on our team in high school when we were trying to determine who would be our quarterback. Of course, it was always up to the coaches but everyone had their sides. And when a decision was made, some folks were disgruntled. If you think that can’t or won’t happen on a professional team, you’re whacko. Last thing Mike Singletary needs on his team is a loser. Guess who fits that description best of the two.

Look, I don’t want to go back down the path of trying something old (relatively speaking), tested and not battle ready. That’s exactly what Smith is. We’ve tried him, it didn’t work, it’s time to move on. Full-time duties should be put on Shaun Hill until he screws that up royally. And if it comes to that, the 49ers need to make moves for a veteran free agent. I mean, Trent Green is available. It can’t get worse than that. Can it?

Feeling a little crabby over 49ers first round pick

By
Zuri
Published: April 29, 2009Tags: , ,


Don’t tell me I’m supposed to be happy with that first round.

I think it’s about time to end the Michael Crabtree lovefest. Hands down, Crabs, Crab cakes, or whatever you want to call him (my personal favorite is Crabfest), is the greatest wide receiver in the 2009 NFL Draft, outranking the likes of Oakland’s pick, Darrius Heyward-Bey, by a longshot and a steal at No. 10 for the San Francisco 49ers.

But was Crabs really the answer for San Francisco? I don’t think so.

While the pick both excited and stimulated all of 49ers nation into hype not seen since Alex Smith was drafted first overall in 2005, it also killed any hope for what was expected to be the selection of Smith’s replacement.

With Matthew Stafford off the board two days prior and the New York Jets taking USC’s Mark Sanchez, hopes were slim as the remaining talent was heavily scrutinized.

All the while, all the pundits overlooked little old Josh Freeman of Kansas State, selected No. 17 overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was written off for playing in a poor conference, being a project quarterback and generally not being the cool character that everyone knows Sanchez portrays.

There was so much scrutiny between the Stafford and Sanchez themselves, there wasn’t enough room to bring Freeman into the argument. Not to mention the fact that the 49ers were waddling over selecting one of the top-rated tackles or linebackers, Crabs was a pleasant surprise at No. 10.

“We had a head-on issue with it,” Singletary told the media on draft day. “You’ve got Michael Oher there, you’ve got (Michael) Crabtree. So what do you do? You want to tear up something. You’d like for it to be Crabtree or it’s Michael Oher. But when they’re both there at the same time and how we had our board, Crabtree is one of the best players in the draft so you’ve got to go there.”

You can say The Crabster’s availability threw a wrench in the 49ers’ planning. Or, if you’re thinking as nefariously as I am, the Raiders ruined the 49ers’ plans by passing up on the Texas Tech phenom.

How could they? As a two-time Biletnikoff winner, he was deserving of being the first receiver picked — bad foot and all. He’ll certainly prove his worth for years to come and Old Al will have to read it in his own local newspaper to boot.

Nice.

But the 49ers were quick to jump the gun. Considering there are now 10 wide receivers on the roster, including Isaac Bruce, Josh Morgan, Arnaz Battle and Jason Hill, there won’t be enough balls to go around with all the development in the works.

The beautiful part about the NFL draft is there’s always room for redemption. The 49ers did their own version of addressing the quarterback issue and redeeming hopes in the future of the franchise’s lead role by picking up Ball State quarterback Nate Davis in the fifth round.

As Singletary put it, the guy was a steal. But don’t let him get your hopes up, he’ll have to put in at least a year carrying the clip board.

“This year, we’ve got Alex Smith and we’ve got Shaun Hill,” Singletary said. “Those two guys are competing for that job and at the quarterback position right now that’s enough to look at and focus on.”

One thing is for sure, and worthy of praise, there is a plan and there is focus. That’s promising.

Editor’s note: This column originally appeared in The Union.

NFL mock draft: Top 10 picks with comments

By
Zuri
Published: April 24, 2009Tags: , ,


Been scouring all the mock drafts out there. I think it’s appropriate I do one for myself, at least through the first 10 picks. After that, it just gets sketchy. Without further ado, here we go:

  1. Detroit Lions (0-16 last season): Matthew Stafford, Georgia — It’s sad that Daunte Culpepper didn’t work out for the hapless Lions, but it really illuminates their struggles. After being on a wide receiver binge for the last six years, they’ll likely draft to build first rather than win first. It’s a no-brainer, especially with the worries about Mark Sanchez and the USC quarterback’s who have floundered after being drafted as of late (ah hem, Matt Leinart).

  2. St. Louis Rams (2-14): Jason Smith, Baylor — With the departure of Orlando Pace, and the struggles the Rams had in pass protection (45 sacks) and rushing (103 yards per game), they’ll focus in on the basis. And that starts up front with the hogs. The big if is whether Smith gets the nod, or Eugene Monroe from Virgina. Consider this a toss up of the two.

  3. Kansas City Chiefs (2-14): Aaron Curry, Wake Forest — After filling the quarterback hole, rethinking the tight end position (departure of Tony Gonzalez and signing of Sean Ryan) and having a new general manager to lead the draft, all eyes point to talent above need. Curry is the talent that most observers are saying is the “safe” pick, even though he’s marked as a guy who would flourish in a 3-4 defense, he’ll easily adjust. He looks that good.

  4. Seattle Seahawks (4-12): Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech — He’s my favorite player in this draft. If you recall, last season the Seahawks went into the year with four or five receivers injured. They started signing guys off the street and it was just getting ridiculous after awhile. And then of course, this offseason people started looking at Matt Hasselback like he was the problem, or more nicely, the future problem. They’ve got one major need and Crabtree fills it. They’d be stupid to draft anywhere else so high.

  5. Cleveland Browns (4-12): BJ Raji, Boston College — After getting this whole positive/negative drug test results cleared up, it appears the big defensive tackle will still be in the top-10. What better place to go than Cleveland, which gave up 356 yards a game (25th in the NFL) and finished with only 17 sacks last season. This Raji’s 337 pounds would help, if not now, down the line.

  6. Cincinnati Bengals (4-11-1): Eugene Monroe, Virginia — Every year I think the Bengals should focus on the basics (blocking and running) and every year I’m a little more disappointed. Here goes wishful thinking.

  7. Oakland Raiders (5-11): Jeremy Maclin, Missouri — Al Davis has apparently taken a liking to the Missouri wide receiver. It comes as no surprise that Davis is a sucker for potent threats. Talent first, need second. In this case, Maclin fills a need and a want.

  8. New York Jets (from Jacksonville Jaguars): Mark Sancehz, USC — As much as you (OK, really me) want to knock what Trojan quarterbacks have done in the pros lately, he’s the best thing available for this team with a quarterback identity issue.

  9. Green Bay Packers (6-10): Brian Orakpo, Texas — The recent moves by the Packers to fix up their offensive line before the draft gives me the distinct hint they’re posturing toward a defensive player. This is a good time to take Orakpo, a defensive end who had 23 sacks in 21 starts for the Longhorns. They build football players at that school.

  10. San Francisco 49ers (7-9): Andre Smith, Alabama — In a draft lacking a lot of depth, the 49ers will immediately fill a hole with Smith at tackle. Pass protection has been an issue the last few years. But even more important will be Mike Singletary’s emphasis on the running game. While a quarterback would be the team’s pick of choice, their top choice (Stafford) will be long gone by this point. And other top tackles will be gone, so Smith falls here by default. Josh Freeman, the No. 3 quarterback in most draft rankings, may not be sexy enough for the 49ers to grab here. But if it were up to me, they’d totally do it.

Here are some good mock drafts you should be aware of:

49ers need to snap up Jay Cutler

By
Zuri
Published: March 18, 2009Tags: , , , ,


Hey Denver, your loss may be San Francisco’s gain. And I’m not talking about the Rocky.

If Jay Cutler successfully forces a trade because of Josh McDaniel’s first bungled player-personnel flap, I’m personally suggesting to Scot McCloughan that he should make a move on the 3-year veteran.

What’s more, I’m pretty sure that if the 49ers don’t make a move in the first round with a quarterback selection as expected and don’t find another “capable” quarterback in free agency, San Francisco is going to be doomed with the likelihood of a prolonged quarterback problem as Alex Smith and Shaun Hill battle it out for the top spot. I know Smith took his medicine last year getting benched, but his lingering presence is, at best, a distraction. At worst, drama.

Shaun Hill, for all of his positives and glowing record as a starter (7-3), is just not the man to carry the franchise to the next level. Now is the time during to build on a solid, new prospect. Cutler can be the man the 49ers always hoped for in Smith.

Cutler, or a young unnamed and undrafted quarterback, fixes everything that eviscerated under Mike Nolan’s power. The guy from Santa Claus, Ind., is coachable, he’s fairly precise (career 62.5 percent completion rate) and his faults haven’t been played out on the pages of the San Francisco Chronicle.

No, we’ve watched him dismantle the Oakland Raiders (in prime time) and lead a relatively successful career in the shadow of John Elway’s legacy. His 4,526 passing yards and 25 touchdowns were career bests last year — a pro bowl year.

Did I mention that he’s only 25?

I’m high on Cutler because he’s one of those 12 quarterbacks in the league with 100 percent ownership in fantasy football leagues. Hill would kill for 50 percent next season.

And you know what? After all that he’s done for his team and city, they’re treating him like he’s Alex Smith.

I’m flabbergasted.

You don’t bring in another quarterback when you’ve got a pro bowler on your team in the very same position. Repeat: You don’t bring in another quarterback when you’ve got a pro bowler on your team in the very same position.

What McDaniels did was a slap in Cutler’s face. For him to jockey for power at their recent meeting, when the feud was really about respect, is the infancy of idiocy.

Did he learn his people skills from Bill Belichick? I’d really like to know.

To solve Denver’s problems, which are not going to change without some furniture moving, and to quell the angst of this 49ers fan’s spirits, I suggest a trade of Smith and Cutler, with appropriate draft picks to measure the weight of the Broncos’ loss.

Smith would get the fresh start he deserves — as far away from my red and gold as possible — and Cutler will get treated with respect and dignity in a football town in need of a quarterback.

Oh, and Denver will get exactly what it deserves — another loss.

Editor’s note: This column originally appeared in The Union.

Niners still lack QB plan

By
Zuri
Published: March 11, 2009Tags: , , , ,

When Alex Smith restructured his contract Tuesday, there was a loud poofing noise that occurred at 49ers headquarters in Santa Clara.

It wasn’t the normal poof that occurs when you lose an idea, a dream or some really cool visual. On Tuesday, the poof in Santa Clara was the vanishing sense of a huge financial obligation once bestowed upon the 2005 No. 1 draft pick.

In many ways, the poof was the relief the 49ers had always desired from an overpaid bust. Smith was due nearly $10 million this year. That’s just unacceptable for a likely benchwarmer. But it was also the beginning of a very tough conversation the red and gold will have to have: What next? And even more precisely, who is next?

The recent addition of Damon Huard (50-of-81 for 477 yards passing in five games in 2008) doesn’t make this 49ers fan feel like the quarterback issue is solved. Nor does the idea of a new quarterback competition, a la 2008, in which Shaun Hill (7-3 as a 49ers starter) is challenged by Smith, of all people, make me feel as if something is being accomplished. It all looks like musical chairs.

The one thing general manager Scot McCloughan should think about going forward, with Mike Singletary at his side, is what will his long-term quarterback plan look like. Not just the every-year shuffle of “who is the next fix,” but who can be drafted, secured and/or stolen that management and players alike will want to build around.

Who, I say? Who?

The fruition of the 49ers’ plans will not begin to take shape until we have seen the first draft by McCloughan and Singletary. If memory serves me correctly, the last draft was non-sensical and totally devoid of the 49ers’ most prominent needs, a quarterback or receiver in the first round. That means first-round caliber. That means talented.

Maybe one will fix the other. Maybe the 49ers are banking on their latest wideout addition, Brandon Jones, to fill some invisible gap.

Maybe they don’t have a plan.

The obvious observation is that the plan was nonexistent up until negotiations began with Smith. The fact that he’s bought into this now yearly charade of competition is absurd. He needs to find the bottom of the depth chart and quietly disappear.

To note that there is quarterback competition reveals how flawed the plan is in its infancy. But again, this all can go down the toilet with one stellar pick at the No. 10 spot April 25. (Mark Sanchez more than likely will be available. Just do it. Just. Do. It.)

More than anything else, they need to find the one guy everybody will love and groom him like he’s the prince getting ready for the throne. Let Hill be the caretaker of the quarterback duties until he’s ready and let Smith date the clipboard. But no matter what the 49ers do, they have to formulate a winning plan and stick with it.

The last thing Singletary needs is to define his reign by Hill or some other toss away quarterback.

This column originally appeared in The Union.

Rebuilding over; now 49ers need wins

By
Zuri
Published: January 3, 2009Tags: , , ,


In 2008, the 49ers failed to prove that they wanted to win, until it was too late.

Let’s be principled about this. If we’re going to go into the new year, we’re going to have to be goal oriented and, better yet, results oriented.

Mike Singletary has been anointed. Shaun Hill has shown, two weeks in a row, that he can be the savior’s solution to the quarterback puzzle. And Mike Martz, canned after one season amid marginal improvement in the team’s total offense (23rd in the league after ranking dead last in 2007), is out the door. There’s no looking back now. This is Singletary’s team.

And with the 10th overall pick in the 2008 draft, in addition to selecting a new offensive coordinator, Singletary will solidify his mold on this red and gold creature. What will take shape, only he can dream up.

What seems to be the unanimous opinion of pundits and fans alike, myself included, is that the will of Singletary will be so strong, he will make winners of those around him despite whatever talent they have. I expect any great leader, like Singletary, to do so. But I want to stop and implore him to think about the end game for the 49ers and what’s really necessary to be successful in the long run, as well as the short one.

Let’s not pretend SF is still rebuilding. That’s such a tired excuse for a franchise with so many weapons on offense and outstanding talents on defense. The pieces are in place. From the stacked linebacker corps, secondary and even wide receiver group, there’s only so many places SF needs an upgrade — and in some cases, solidification.

Namely, the offensive line needs bodies. Rookie Chilo Rachal stepped in and did some good work for the 49ers late. But it’s telling that a rookie can step in and make an impact when veterans have been at the forefront. Same goes to Bryant Johnson, who’s hefty price tag was repaid with a surplus of injury days.

But again, this is about direction. Any pick, 10th or 42nd, will have to build upon Singletary’s pre-ordained philosophy and come to formation on the structure that Mike Nolan put in place. I don’t want to win in 2010. I want to win in 2009.

The only logical move for a big name piece is either an offensive lineman or a dynamic player on the board that can have instant impact. Too many lineman have gotten hurt, hence Rachal’s second round selection last year, and too many have underperformed. Solid line play will lead to a solid running game, which Singletary favors, and a ball control offense which the 49ers desperately need.

The defense will have to take care of itself, all while the quarterback situation is figuring itself out.

In 2009, execution will be the prominent theme. And wins will be highlighted more so, thanks to all the wonderful tools already in the shed. If Scot McCloughan is writing down any resolutions, he should try this: Have a plus .500 season. Because everyone knows plus .500 means you’ve won the NFC West.

Next step: Playoffs.

This column originally appeared in The Union (Grass Valley, Calif.).

Dear Santa: Get me a winner!!

By
Zuri
Published: December 24, 2008Tags: , , , , , ,


All I want for Christmas is a winner.

Kings, Warriors, 49ers, Raiders, Giants and A’s, take notes.

You too, Sharks. You’re not out of the woods yet.

When you step out, do so with the intention of winning. Nothing else. And when you plan for the future of your franchise, plan with the intent of winning. Nothing else.

If I hear about this false pretense of “rebuilding” one more time, I swear to the Lord almighty I will throw my television out the window and lead the rest of my days as a recluse in the Sierra foothills.

Why? Because I’d rather be ignorant of Northern California’s collective incompetence than spare another second of my time on Earth being complicit in this buffoonery. It’s either second place or the worst of the worst. And if history is any precursor, those that plan to rebuild are planning to fail. Just picture being a lifelong Cincinnati Bengals fan. Or how about an L.A. Clippers fan?

That’s hurt.

And honestly, that’s too much hurt for any one fan to handle. So instead of starting my own self-help group and letting my fantasy leaguemates get angry at me because I’m ignoring my duties as commissioner, I’m going for the Hail Mary.

Santa, you’re a few years overdue and I suggest you pay what you owe.

Is it too much to ask that when one of our area teams takes to the playing field (listen up 49ers), that they attempt to win every game? I can’t for the life of me remember a year in which there was more disappointment after acquiring so much talent to bolster team play. It’s just god awful. I want people who want to be better than before and have the talent to do it. Then, back it up with a .500-plus season.

Saint Nick, you hearing me? Singletary?

I want, for once in my young life, to have a team proclaim that off years are no excuses for poor team play and spending less money on available talent.

You got that Maloofs?

I want the guy on my team that says “put it on my back, and I’ll carry us.” Tim Lincecum, are you the man for the job?

I long for a general manager that has a better selling season than book. (Yo Billy, stop acting like Mr. Bean and take care of business.)

I need a new owner and a new coach in Oakland — for the Raiders and the Warriors.
And I need the Sharks to not tank on the cusp of a Stanley Cup. Just when I was getting into watching hockey, it went south. That’s unacceptable. Kind of like when I just got into watching golf, and then Tiger takes the rest of the year off. It’s killing my mojo.

Santa, if for once you can do what you’re supposed to do — bring joy to those that are good — then take heed here. I’ve paid for my fair share of tickets and memorabilia. And I’ve written about some of these teams way too much. Help a fan out that’s two steps away from his tube.

It’s sad that it has come to this, but I knew — for some reason or another — we were at this point. Maybe it was the collective surprise that both the 49ers and Raiders won on the same weekend. Or maybe, it was on Saturday, when the Grant Pacers football team did more for Northern California than the collective Bay Area teams have done in three years by beating Long Beach Poly for the state championship.

Those kids, their parents and the Sacramento region are swelling with pride right now.

I’m so jealous.

You can find this column and more on TheUnion.com.

49ers got a coach, now they need a QB

By
Zuri
Published: December 16, 2008Tags: , , , , , , ,


From a column I wrote last week:

You’re just going to have to get used to Mike Singletary barking at you on that TV screen because he’s not going anywhere, anytime soon.

After the 49ers dropped the New York Jets, one week after downing the Buffalo Bills, there’s a distinct flavor of football being formed in the San Francisco Peninsula. It’s an unmistakable change from the random week-to-week strategy that was offensive oriented, unorganized and worse yet, a losing culture.

Now, with Singletary playing captain, Shaun Hill starring as first mate and Vernon Davis being a good sailor, there’s a lot of positives to take from a tragic 2008 season.

Like pheromones, the Yorks will unknowingly, or rather ignorantly, enjoy the plunders of these non-essential, late-season wins. They’ll look at the few wins they pick up and see justification for sacking Mike Nolan, justification for benching J.T. O’Sullivan, and justification for not going after another quarterback last offseason, and probably this upcoming one.

Singletary deserves the credit for bringing discipline. He’s a pretty stern dude who has reinvigorated a defense that was not playing up to par. Holding Buffalo to three points showed that and holding the Jets (who had just beat the previously undefeated Tennessee Titans) to 14 proved that. It’s very satisfying to see the defense play so well when they’re supposed to, all the while understanding that you can’t expect that performance every week.

To read the full column, go to TheUnion.com.

UPDATED: So the 49ers took a loss to the Dolphins this last weekend and I couldn’t help but stew about that. It wasn’t like there was something magnificent about what the Dolphins did, it was more about how magnificently anemic the 49ers offense was. They just couldn’t get the plays when they needed ‘em. I don’t think all of the blame should be on the quarterback in this scenario. There’s a lot of fault laying around that offensive line and the lack of running plays called.

The question is, if the 49ers are going to lose to the Dolphins, when they can clearly win the game, will they lose to the Bengals if they played today? I mean, this is the low of the low. Can they even beat the Raiders.

Singletary fills us in on his philosophy

By
Zuri
Published: October 29, 2008Tags: ,

In his first game at the helm of the San Francisco 49ers, coach Mike Singletary showed us what kind of job he would do. He benched J.T. O’Sullivan for his 17 turnovers, including three in Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks, and sent Vernon Davis to the locker room for being “nonchalant” about causing his team yards after a penalty.

But who is better to explain Singletary than Singletary himself.



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