Blerg

Final 53 man is set (copied from Matt). Mostly what I thought, but anger-inducing players marked appropriately:

QB (3) - Shaun Hill, Alex Smith, Nate Davis

RB (4) - Frank Gore, Moran Norris, Glen Coffee, Michael Robinson

WR (6) - Isaac Bruce, Josh Morgan, Arnaz Battle, Micheal Spurlock, Brandon Jones, Jason Hill.

TE (2) - Vernon Davis, Delanie Walker

OL (8) - Joe Staley, David Baas, Eric Heitmann, Chilo Rachal, Adam Snyder, Tony Wragge, Barry Sims, Cody Wallace.

DL (7) - Isaac Sopoaga, Aubrayo Franklin, Justin Smith, Kentwan Balmer, Demetric Evans, Ray McDonald, Ricky Jean-Francois.

LB (9) - Manny Lawson, Patrick Willis, Takeo Spikes, Parys Haralson, Jeff Ulbrich, Scott McKillop, Ahmad Brooks, Marques Harris, Diyral Briggs.

CB (5) - Nate Clements, Tarell Brown, Dre' Bly, Shawntae Spencer, Marcus Hudson.

S (5) - Dashon Goldson, Michael Lewis, Mark Roman, Reggie Smith, Curtis Taylor.

ST (4) - Joe Nedney, Andy Lee, Brian Jennings, Allen Rossum.


Not a whole lot of quibbles, but like I mentioned earlier, Kory Sheets should be on this team. I really doubt he'll clear waivers for the PS, so this means we're probably losing him for good. I hope that's not the case, because I think he was in the Ahmad Bradshaw "speed with OMG he's-also-got-power" category.

Why we had to keep Briggs around boggles the mind. Would another team have really claimed him? Really? Over Sheets?? WTF. He would have been a MUCH better candidate for the PS.

Arnaz Battle. Enough said. Thank the lord his spot didn't come at Jason Hill's expense. I would have given his spot to Pascoe. Now we have to go out and find some scrub to be a blocking TE. Pascoe looked like he had a lot of promise, and I think there's a good chance we lose him, too.

Spurlock may lose his spot when Crabtree signs. Or maybe Briggs, or mayyybe Battle, if there is a God who cares about us.

Last one is Hudson- I would have preferred Green, but that's just because I really don't like Marcus Hudson. Not a huge problem with it, but c'mon. Marcus Hudson? Really?

Oh yeah, and WTF is Ulbrich still doing here??? Jeeez, why are we wasting a roster spot on a guy whose only contribution is special teams? I don't see the need for 9 LBs when we only have 2 TEs.

Quick note

Nate Clements, if you can't turn around and face the ball to prevent a 30 yard TD on 3rd fucking down against the other team's FOURTH GODDAMN RECEIVER THEN YOU NEED TO GTFO.

I don't care if it's preseason, he looked like an idiot on that play, and right after he dropped an easy INT, too. Jesus.

I need to take a moment to profess my raging man love for:

Nate Davis

Kory Sheets

Jason Hill


If Arnaz fucking Battle makes the team at the expense of Jason Hill, all of my enthusiasm about Singletary will go out the window.

ROSTERBATION!

That's what Grant over at McCovey Chronicles calls off-season Giants lineup speculation. With the first round of cuts coming up very soon, I thought we could do the yearly "who's gonna be on the 53-man roster" guesses. Position-by-position, here's what I'm hoping:

QB (3): Hill, Smith, Davis

RB (3): Gore, Coffee, Sheets

FB (2): Norris, Robinson

TE (3): Davis, Walker, Pascoe

WR (6): Morgan, Bruce, Crabtree (he'll sign), Jones, Hill, Zeigler

OT (4): Staley, Snyder, Sims, Trade/FA pickup (not sure any FAs would be worth it. Do trades like this ever happen in the NFL? Maybe use next year's extra number 1 or something)

OG (3): Rachal, Baas, Wragge

C (2): Heitman, Wallace

DL (7): McDonald, J. Smith, Balmer, Evans, Franklin, Sopoaga, Jean-Francois

LB (7): Willis, Lawson, Haralson, Spikes, McKillop, Harris, Brooks

DB (9): Clements, Brown, Bly, Green, Spencer, Roman, Goldson, Smith, Lewis

ST (4): Jennings, Nedney, Lee, Rossum

So that's my quick list. Goldson looks like he's gonna be a lot of fun to watch. He might give up some big plays, though, so look for that. His really aggressive style is more likely to make big plays, but can definitely backfire if he's not careful.

McKillop is a tackling machine. I think that he'll probably be a very good replacement for Spikes when the time comes. That should be a very dominant defensive middle with him and P 52 back there.

Overall, I'm pretty encouraged with the defensive look of things. The offense is full of ?s. Morgan? Davis? Hill? We just don't know if these guys will be able to blossom into really good players. We'll just have to wait and see. I'm very nervous that we're going to see a version of 2007 happening again.

Hill is better than Dilfer obviously, but the look of the offense is a cause for a little bit of concern. Raye seems like he's not going to take too many chances. That FG with 4 minutes left against Dallas showed a little too much conservatism for my tastes.

I really hope Singletary is not THAT conservative as a head coach, because if so then it will only be a matter of time until we're chasing him out of town too. I really think he's a guy who can succeed, but I thought that about Nolan at one point too.

The thing that encourages me the most is that the team looks like it can win games now. They were at least hanging in every game during the second half last season, and I see no GLARING holes on the team that make me think "ohhh craaaaap we're screwed". I'm actually excited to watch them, and I wasn't last year because JT O'sullivan was our quarterback. Should be fun.

It's that time of year again!

So it's been a little while, but with the season just around the corner, here's what I've been thinkin bout:

• Starting Shaun Hill was the right call. Alex, you may very well develop into an NFL-quality quarterback one day, but today is not that day. I saw nothing different from him in his 2 starts that showed he was any different than he's ever been- great arm, spotty accuracy, and inability to make quick decisions. Shaun moves the offense and keeps things going smoothly.
  

• Micheal Crabtree- OK, when's the last time someone held out an entire season after being drafted? It never happens. As of right now, Crabtree is only losing any workout bonuses he might have had in his contract- the real money doesn't come until week 1. So yes, he's losing valuable time he could be spending learning the offense, but when do rookie WRs ever come in and set the world on fire? It's stupid, but he will sign. How do I feel about it? Exhibit A:

Yup, that's mine. He'll sign, and he'll catch touchdown passes.

• Mike Singletary: capable coach

This team can make a run this year. Maybe I'll do a deeper breakdown of the NFC west a little later, but here's a quick primer:

Cardinals: Fluke of all flukes last year. They lost both coordinators, AND they lost the superbowl. That is the kiss of death. 2 more things: they're still the cardinals, and their season rests on an octogenarian who's one hit away from a rest home.

Rams: Look at their roster. LOOK AT IT! Name me 1 legitimate impact player whose name doesn't start with S and rhyme with "spleevin waxin". Also, he's always injured.

Seahawks: Jim Mora is their coach. JIM MORA! Yes, they were an intensive care unit last year, and yes, Matt Hasselbeck will be better, and yes, TJ whosyourmamma makes them better. I think they are the biggest threat to take the division, and I don't think it's unrealistic to think they can. But allow me to re-iterate my first point: JIM MORA JR IS THEIR COACH!

I really do think the 49ers have an actual, legitimate shot at 10 wins, and 10 wins should almost certainly be enough to win the division. I love that 3 of the first 4 are inter-divisional games, because that will show us if this feeling is justified right out of the gate.

Hopefully we get this place going a little bit this year, because it should be a fun time to watch our team. Look for me on TV week 3 @ minny, I'll be the doofus with the Clements jersey (unless crabtree signs and makes it into the lineup by then- doubtful) and the 9er helmet.

Wow, who's this guy?

I'm sure you've all read this by now, but it really struck me as amazing. I always remember Alex Smith interviews as being extremely frustrating- DUDE! Just say what you mean already! I guess that's just how most athletes are in general, though.

Do yourself a favor and read it if you haven't already- the guy is showing a maturity and determination that, at this point anyways, is very nice to hear.

A couple other notes: Matt seems to think Josh Morgan looks REALLY good so far. Again, it's spring. Everyone's going to go 16-0 in the spring. But still- I really think that without Crabtree we would have been behind only AZ with regards to NFCW WRs. With him, we're right there challenging them, and (maybe) even above them a little. Is Morgan comparable to Fitzgerald? Probably not, but he is really good, and Crabtree is....well, he's going to be just so much fun to watch.

Also, this Brandon Jones guy- we haven't seen much of him, but I was watching a Titians game replay on NFLN the other day, and the guy looked like he had some talent. With those 3 WRs, the offense is really looking promising. The one quibble I have is that none of our WRs is over 6'1. I'm not sure that's going to matter in Crabtree's case, since the guy has a knack for coming down with the ball, but it would still be nice to have a big tall guy out there. Maybe VD finally comes around and is that target.

I don't know, maybe I'm crazy, but this team just feels different now. I love the "don't tell me, show me" mantra. Admittedly, I'm pumping Crabtree before seeing him in the NFL, but some things are sort of a given. I really like Sing and the attitude he's given to the team, as well as the talent he's brought in. I think he's the kind of guy capable of taking a team to the playoffs, whereas Nolan really didn't seem like he had what it took to field a winning team. And I'm not sure if anyone else has noticed, but doesn't it seem like things are getting handled a LOT better between the coaches and the media these days?

Yes, that sounds like a bunch of BS, but from the moment Sing took over last year it was a different team. I really really hope the QB thing gets sorted out smoother than last year.

Draft Roundup

Alrighty, well that was an exciting weekend. What I thought I'd do (and I can't believe no one on the internet has done this yet!) is go pick-by-pick through the niners' draft, and give highlights of each guy.

1. Micheal Crabtree: I've heard of him. I think he might be pretty good. Here's a video complete with that music you always hear in car commercials:



2. Glen Coffee: I have to say, I never saw the guy in college, but from what I hear he's exactly what we're looking for- tough runner who will finally be able to get tough yards consistently. Doesn't need to have amazing speed- his job is to pick up the 3rd-and-ones we've been failing to get over and over and over and over. Sounds like he can. And from this video, he sounds like a perfect Singletary guy:



3. Scott McKillop: The only thing I know about Scott McKillop: his tackle rating in Madden 10 will be in the top 5 of all rookies. So he MUST be good, right? He sounds almost like a young Derek Smith- not going to blow your socks off with speed, but a very smart, very capable tackler in the middle. Sounds good to me. Not much video out there, so I went with Mel's anaylsis.



4. Nate Davis: YES YES YES. I was hoping from when I first saw this guy play this year that the niners would end up with him. Strong arm, excellent mobility, amazing accuracy. I think he'll be ready sooner than we realize, and here's hoping Alex Smith is able to hold him off. If Smith comes around or Hill is good, we'll have some really nice QB depth.



5. Bear Pascoe: Seriously, has there ever been a more appropriately named blocking TE? From what I hear, the guy's an even better blocker than Bajema, but also more of a receiving threat. So when we go 3 TE now, it's not a given that it's a running play. This video shows a nice red zone TD, but is kind of long. For added entertainment, watch their 2-point "try" at the end.




6. Curtis Taylor: Again, a guy I know really nothing about. He sounds to me like another Mark Roman- smart, but slow. He's a really big guy though, so that's a definite plus. The scouting report said he "likes to go for the big hit" rather than a turnover or the sure play. Roy Williams?


7. Ricky Jean- Francois: What? A FRENCH GUY?!?!?! But seriously, Mel sez he's really good but also quite raw, so he'll need some seasoning. See Soct? THIS is where you take talented-but-needs-work D-linemen, not the first round like you did last year. But I digress. This video showcases Taylor's really good Junior year and Jean-Francois making some nice plays before he got hurt.




All in all, I really like this draft. Matt's wrap-up is exactly how I feel; the lack of an OLB pick means they really think Manny and Parys are good. The lack of an OT pick means they're not Terry Donaghue and only take a guy if he's good, not just because he fills a need. I think Snyder and Wragge are fine as backups at this point anyways- there's always stop-gap FAs you can pick up in a pinch.

Should make for exciting times next year.

Miquanell Owrabdin

OMGOMGOMG. I cannot believe this. I mean, obviously I can, since I called it (me me me!!), but I SERIOUSLY CANNOT BELIEVE this actually happened. I knew the Raiders wouldn't take him (see next graph), and once the Chefs took Jackson over Curry I think that sealed it for us. There were enough teams with needs before 10 and enough players that weren't named "Micheal Crabtree" to fill those needs.

One quick note: Mike Mayock called Heyward-bay to the Raiders about a month ago and his reasoning was so good I latched right on to it and was pimping that from the moment I heard it. The Raiders are idiots and will always ALWAYS go for the fast guy, not the good guy. They are morons, and will see how stupid they were in the preseason when they get a TERRIBLE case of crabs. Ted Ginn Jr, vol 2. That is a such an idiotic Al-Davis-stuck-in-the-70s pick.

Anyways, we can now forget about having difficulty scoring in the red zone. Or from the 30. Or pretty much at any time ever. Wanna double Crabs? Fine, we got Morgan, VD, Gore, Walker, and Jones (is he any good? IDK, but he's making a lot money so he must be, right? *zito*). Wow, I just got excited talking about the 49ers' offense...

As for the trade, I have to say that I love it. I wanted Crabtree and Brace, and maybe Maualuga, but once those other 2 were gone, I think it was very smart of Scot to get a second first next year (even if it's only in the 20s), rather than forcing a pick in that spot. Is there anyone taken around there that's really that special? The only thing I don't like about it is giving up the 4th and not at least getting a 5th or 6th back next year. I never like 2-for-1s, but if that's what it takes, then that's what it takes I guess. Also tells me a couple things: A) the draft isn't very deep, B) Scot thinks Crabtree is fucking awesome, and C) Scot must also think Larylson is going to be able to get the pass-rush thing done.

Carolina just spend a first AND a second-rounder on hopes that Everett Brown is good. Clint Sintim? What kind of name is that? There just isn't anyone taken after Brace that makes me go "Ooooh, shoulda kept the pick!" Looking ahead to Sunday, and stealing from Gil Brandt, I really like Micheal Johnson and Jarron Gilbert, both of whom are big DEs. I especially love Johnson, a 6'7 guy who runs a 4.7 40. Very nice. He's also got hops and looks real quick. And Gilbert can jump out of a swimming pool! So that's cool!

Like I said before, I think Manny and Parys are going to do very well on the pass-rush front, and Manny can cover pretty damn awesomely if asked to. We also have that Balmer guy who might sorta be decent. Still not sure though. Considering that, the smart pick at 3 would probably be a Tackle. Brandt likes Jamon Merideth and why not? Nothing really looks bad about that pick if he's available. I think Tackle is probably the most pressing need at this moment and the guy looks like he's pretty good to me.

One thing that upsets me: Holy sh*t do the Seahawks have them some linebackers now. Replace Julian Peterson with AARON CURRY? Oh crap. Last year after the draft I posited (sorry to be sounding like a douchebag sportswriter here) that the Cardinals posed a serious threat after their draft...of course none of their rookies did much, but they were, as I recall, a decent team. I have that same feeling with the Seahawks. If they're not injured this year, they're going to be very VERY tough. Hasselbeck, Housh, Tatupu, Curry. That's a good base. Of course, we have crabs now. So there's that. Should be a lot of fun to watch anyways.

Other than Seattle, though, I see no real contender in the division. Combine the factors of superbowl losers' hangover, coaching upheaval, and the undeniable amount of "The Arizona Cardinals" left in them, and you've got a 5-11 or 6-10 Cards team. Also, their only good QB is 95. And the Rams are still the Rams. I'm pretty sure they're trying me out at WR tomorrow because their options are so limited. I run a mean 6.5 40.

And how about those unis?? Anyone else get the 15% off offer? I'm totally buying a Crabtree one. I've been driving his bandwagon since I saw the TT/Texas game. Too soon to say Crabtree/Morgan = Rice/Taylor? Nah! Not for football fans!

Yes sir! I've never been so excited after an entire day of a draft netted my team one player. Our season has changed for the much better today.

So this pass-rush thing

Apparently parys harallsosinlsnn is pretty good. That's exciting.

As for Lawson, I'm getting a kind of Julian Peterson vibe on the dude, just without the pre-injury production. JP was pretty lame the year after his injury, but then exploded all over the place the following season. Could we be in for the same from mr manny?

I'd say we go ahead and count on "yes", don't take a pass rusher until the middle rounds, and take Crabtree at 10. Watch out, NFC west. We gonna crush you (gonna gonna crush you)

Also, it sucks that we didn't get Jay Cutler. I think what the Bears paid was eminently reasonable, but whatev

49ers 2009 Schedule Released

And I bet they play the Rams, Cards, and Seahawks twice. Who cares: NHL PLAYOFF OVERLOAD TONIGHT!

My, well this is exciting

Yes indeed, it is not every day that your team has the opportunity to grab a young franchise-defining quarter back. So what do you give up for him? My preliminary offer to the Broncos would be as follows:

this year's number 10, next year's number 1, and next year's number 3. and Shaun Hill. I love Shaun Hill and have been one of his biggest backers, but come on, let's be serious here. JAY CUTLER.

Would this be enough? Would it be too much? Here's another question- if you had the chance, would you trade 3 lottery tickets that each have a 1 in 10000 shot of winning you 5 million dollars for a one-time, tax-free lump sum of 3 million dollars? Because that is what you're doing here. You're getting a guy that will single-handedly put your team in the playoffs for the next 5 years. What is that worth?

Last year, Jay Cutler didn't have his star WR for 2 games, and he didn't have a decent RB for 16 games. He had a defense with more holes than an aging porn star! /Rick Reilly.

Despite this, dude had his team 1 game from the playoffs. He was a machine (who, incidentally, led my team to fantasy football stardom). You bring him to SF and give him Frank Gore to play with...you've got an NFC west champion.

So to anyone who reads this in the next couple days- what is your ceiling on an offer to Denver? Do you think it's possible? Would you like to see this dude wearing number 6 in our shiny new unis?

Also: Isaac Bruce is back, which gives me much joy and happiness.