Good.

the Rams SHOULD win at 8-8. That's how it should go. The team with a real coach and a real quarterback should win the division. a 7-9 team should not. Good.

They're not just losing

they're going to be completely embarrassed tomorrow. Does anyone really doubt this? Really? There's no way they're winning this game, or even keeping it competitive. For gods sake- they're in a "playoff hunt" and don't even know WHO THEIR STARTING QUARTERBACK SHOULD BE!! Are we sure we're against just throwing out the NFC west this year and letting Tampa in? Because that would be better for football as an institution.

Just let in tampa, and let New Orleans host that first round playoff game. Because a 7-9 team who doesn't know who their starting quarterback is in WEEK SIXTEEN OF THE SEASON should not be hosting a playoff game. Please let the Rams win tomorrow and the next game to go 8-8 so the NFC west doesn't have the stain of a sub .500 team hosting a playoff game. Please! Dear god!

There's just no way the 49ers can possibly win this game. The stakes are too high, in that there are actual stakes in this game. It means something. So that means they're not just going to lose, but they're going to be humiliated in an important game. Prove me wrong, you bunch of spineless cowardly pussies. Prove me wrong. Win one "important" game. God knows you haven't in 8 years, so why should I expect you to now?

And even if you win this "important" game, you'll probably lose to John Skelton at home next week anyways when you decide at the last minute that Chris Weinke gives you the best chance to win because he went to school at florida state where they were good that one time 10 years ago. That makes about as much sense as anything else you've been saying lately, you clueless bunch of hacks.

No, you can't even win a fake "important" game. Because you are spineless and clueless and soft and cowardly and afraid of your own success. You are not a real NFL organization, and tomorrow you will be embarrassed by a rookie quarterback who's already hit the wall and a team that FUCKING SUCKS and has 1/10th of your talent. Because you are clueless and soft, and do not deserve a spot in the playoffs.

I hope you die in a fire, you worthless cowardly pieces of dog feces. I hate you and want you to fail so you might actually get it through your goddamn head that what you're doing isn't working and that it's time to maybe get somebody in charge of the team who KNOWS SOMETHING ABOUT RUNNING A PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM. WHAT A SWELL IDEA THAT WOULD BE.

God I hate what you've become. Just go die peacefully in a field so I don't ever have to worry about you again, at least not for 9 more months.

So we should just not play anymore, right?

That seems to be the recipe for things going well for the 49ers. It certainly doesn't happen while they're playing on the field. Still alive!

And I have to say, they are probably the favorites right now. If they've shown that they can do anything recently, it's beat the NFC west in at least somewhat convincing fashion. They suck, but dear lord those other teams are even worse. The only challenge is beating the Rams next week, since that's a road game. Even this team will not lose that Cards game at home. That's not happening.

So basically, they're losing next week. Because if they win that, they're in the playoffs for the first time in 8 years. And that's not happening. But I will admit, it would be fun to see, even if it came with a 7-9 record, and even though it would mean they'd be picking 21st in the draft.

Biggest game in 8 years

The 49ers don't win big games. They're not a real team. They don't know how to properly prepare for teams like the Chargers (read: GOOD teams). They are not a good NFL team. They have no real coaches and don't have a real quarterback. They haven't won an important game in 8 years. I've already stated my desire for them to lose games for their long-term well being. They had even less time than normal to prepare for their vastly more talented opponent. They don't have their best offensive player. 2 of their key defenders have broken hands. They are 10 point underdogs. They are going to get destroyed.

BUT I'M STILL A NERVOUS WRECK BEFORE THIS GODDAMN GAME. WHAT THE HELL.

If they somehow find a way to pull this game off....god dammit. How many times have I said that over the years? AND THEY NEVER FIND A WAY TO PULL THE FUCKING GAMES OFF. EVER. WHY CAN'T YOU JUST WIN ONE IMPORTANT GAME?! ONE! Just give me that! 8 years! JUST GIVE ME ONE PLEASE!!!

It would be nicer to not care.

Might not have seen THIS coming,

but everyone saw this coming. They'll probably sit on this lead in the 2nd half, win like 33-20 or something, make everyone think they're back in it, then they'll lose @ SD and then lose at St louis and kill any chances they might have had. Vintage.

The 49ers are heroine

I'm excited for the game tomorrow. I know they should lose. I know it's better for them if they lose. They most likely WILL lose. Yet I'm excited and want them to win. Totally hopeless.

Well, this is maybe sort of interesting

Hmmmm:

There’s a growing belief that former Raiders and Bucs coach Jon Gruden will return to the NFL in 2011. As his son, Deuce (really?), tells it, Gruden may be targeting 2012.

Via The Big Lead, Deuce Gruden appeared on the Sporting Rave podcast, and Deuce said that the family could be heading for San Fran or Cleveland.

I'm still stuck on the Harbaugh bandwagon, but Gruden wouldn't exactly be a bad choice either. There's always the chance that it's PR posturing, but it's mildly exciting nonetheless.

Officially a Rams fan

The NFC west needs a team to finish over .500. Please God, do not let a 7-9 team host a playoff game. Please. Let it be the Rams, too. Because fuck pete carroll, that's why. The Rams are (kind of..ok not really) fun to watch and are winning for a good reason- they have a really really good quarterback. That's why teams SHOULD win. They shouldn't skate by on luck or special teams or whatever- they need a great quarterback. And they have one. PLEASE let them go 9-7 or better. Please.

As for the 49ers? Well everyone saw this coming. Not at all a surprise, though that play to Vernon at the end of the half probably put me in the playoffs in a FF league, so that was awesome.

But I'm not just a Rams fan because I want the NFC west to be represented by a not-terrible record. It's because I value the long-term future of my own team. And for this season, every win my own team gets harms their long-term future. Each win serves only to take them farther from a draft pick, and each win solidifies (if however shakily) their coaching staff's employment.

Dear god, can you imagine if they'd lucked into a win today? There would have been talk about Singletary maybe saving his job. Maybe they run the table and go 9-7! Sing has turned the corner! We can win with this guy!

Thank. God. A beatdown. EXACTLY what was needed. I want one further, though. I want them to lose out. I've gotten to the point where I will be disappointed after every win and ecstatic after every loss. I'm not a bad fan- it's the exact opposite. The only thing the 49ers can accomplish by winning is to harm their team even further.

Every loss brings us closer to a real quarterback and a real coaching staff. After the expectations this team had, if they finish 3-13, there will HAVE to be WHOLESALE changes throughout the front office. They could not possibly keep anyone. And they could not possibly justify making a minor tweak. If they spend the cash on a QB and a real offensive coach, next year they could win 10 games with the talent they have. Losing is for the best. GO RAMS!

(PS, as I write this I'm sitting at a starbucks in downtown portland with my man purse sitting next to me. I've never felt more at home)

(PPS, I want to thank my uncle for choosing this weekend to get married, so I didn't end up spending 200 bucks to go to this game, which was my original plan when the season began. I can't thank him enough)

The Ewing theory writ small

Frank Gore: the most important offensive player the 49ers have had this season, no question. We all saw the stat: all by his lonesome, Frank Gore has accounted for THIRTY SEVEN PERCENT of the 49ers' total offensive yardage from scrimmage.

Obviously, he is a great, great player. But is it possible that maybe they were leaning on him a little TOO much? I don't mean that the crazy high workload led to this injury (though I guess that's possible), but more that maybe they were using him as a little bit of a crutch. Maybe in a weird way their reliance on him was actually holding the offense back?

I'm sure you've all heard of the ewing theory, but in case you haven't: read this.

Basically, the theory states that when a team is written off following the loss of a star player, it usually has the exact opposite effect: the team actually plays BETTER without that player.

Do I think Brian Westbrook is a better player right now than Frank Gore? No, I don't. But that's not what this is about. I think the hidden advantage to this injury is that perhaps the offense will get opened up a little bit now. I really doubt there's anyone on the coaching staff stupid enough to give Anthony Dixon and Brian Westbrook the amount of work they were giving Frank Gore. (Though, to be fair, I've underestimated the stupidity of this coaching staff many times to my cost).

I think, when utilized properly, this offense is better with Gore on the field. But I'm not sure letting 1 guy account for nearly 40% of your yards gained is what I'd call being "utilized properly". They were leaning on Gore to the point of him being a crutch rather than a piece that helped the offense move along.

It's not like there's no talent at other postions- we saw what Vernon Davis can do last year, and we've seen my boy Crabtree make some out-STANDING catches this year. Maybe this injury opens the way for those guys to get more involved, and maybe Sing backs off on the "RUN AT ALL COSTS" mentality he obviously had (regardless of what he might say).

It will be interesting to see. I think Mike Johnson is a guy who has some innovative ideas, but who was maybe being hamstrung by his head coach's philosophy. Hopefully we'll maybe get to see some more imaginative offense now that they don't have Gore to use as a little bit of a whipping boy.

Oh, but the blitz pickup will probably be worse. Does that matter against the Packers? probably not, right?