Who knew? All it took to get some national attention wasn't winning, it was a change at quarterback. I can't remember a time when the 49ers were covered this thoroughly on a national stage. They led both PTI and Sports Center tonight. I certainly don't view ESPN as having any sort of credibility in terms of who deserves the spotlight, but it's interesting to see the proverbial dog bone they chase being my team for once.
The downside, of course, is that they don't know what the hell they're talking about. They seem to think Kaepernick is Tim Tebow with a stronger arm. It's amazing to me just how lazy the national media are, and not just in sports. Whatever is the easiest, most convenient narrative is what they latch on to. Never mind that Kaepernick has completed half as many 20+ yard passes (10) as Smith (22) this season in 6 fewer games, never mind that he has better pocket presence after 2 starts than Smith has after 7 seasons, never mind that he throws a deep ball more accurately than Smith could even dream of- he runs! He's a QB! He's dynamic! Tim Tebow!
The other downside is that the team that gets this much attention almost always craps the bed at some point. All those years I pined for the 49ers to get more national love, and now that it's happening I wish they would just leave us alone and let Jim do his thing.
Speaking of, I sure hope he's handling this better in private than he is with the media, because if not then this could become a pretty bad deal. Why in the hell are you stringing both Alex and the team along publicly like this? I get that it's rough to admit that you're making a change because the guy you wanted to play all along finally got his shot due to an injury, but just saying that out loud would seem to be a lot less foolish and damaging than clinging to the notion that somehow both guys are your starter. That's patently ridiculous and EVERYONE knows it. Kapernick is the starter until he sucks or gets hurt, just say that. That would make this whole thing go away.
I have to admit that it is a little fun to have the spotlight on this team, and I'm more excited to watch them week to week now than I was even last year. Don't get me wrong, it ruled to win all those games, but that team, while effective, was plodding and unglamorous. This team has the potential to be that team + about 17 points a game. They could be legitimately exciting, and as we've all been saying, it's been awhile since we've seen that.
