CHAAAANGE I can BEELIEEEVE In!

Anyone else been incredibly impressed with how Singletary is doing? He has a plan, he knows where he wants to go, and Jed York seems intent on letting him do exactly what he wants to do. That sure seems like the way a football team should be run- get the football guys to do the football guy stuff, and get the owner to write him checks to do said football guy stuff without asking too many questions. 

Hiring a 106 year-old OC whose career path has really had no success does seem a little worrying- but I'm starting to warm to the idea. The 49ers are going to be a defensive team, and there's nothing wrong with that. It's been defensive teams that have been the most successful over the past few years. IF they build up a decent-to-very-good defense (and they're really only a pass-rusher away), then the offense just has to be competent, not dominant. With Frank Gore and Shaun Hill, you've got yerself a competent offense. 

Think New York Giants- a team with a very good defense, a good running game (Scot wants to add a second RB to help Gore), a QB who's OK but not a world-beater, and a pretty good Oline. Sure, the niners don't have a Plaxico Burress type on the outside, but no analogy is perfect. Shaun Hill also makes fewer stupid mistakes than Eli Manning. 

The point is, all Mr Raye and company have to do is not lose games. The offense will not be responsible for winning most of the niners' games- it'll be up to the defense to keep it close, then the offense to put it away. That's what they did in the second half of last season (except when they were playing the Rams), and that's the plan for next year. There will be no more J.T. O'Sullivan throwing away games that should have been close, if not won. 

I, for one, am excited about this whole offseason. Singletary really seems like a guy who's given this whole thing a lot of thought and he seems very confident in his plan. I'm sure I felt the same way about Mike Nolan, but Sing has his record last season to go off of, and that was a pretty impressive performance. 

Also, I think we really need to recognize how cool Jed York is. To this point he really looks like a guy you want as your team's president- winning is everything and cost means nothing. Just get us a stadium and we'll love you forever, Jed. 

Umm,

what seems to be the problem RE: the OC thing? Am I the only one who's starting to realize that Chudzinski is looking like the perfect fit? They guy made Jamal Lewis a 1000 yard back, and he loved using his big, athletic TE. The 49ers' biggest weapon is Gore, and Vernon sure has a lot of potential if he has a coach that would use him effectively. Why is this taking so long? Linehan was probably a very good choice, but since he's declined, I'd love to know why Chud isn't being made an offer yesterday.

It's getting to the point where it was before 2007, when it was like February before we knew who the OC would be. Sing said he wanted it done quickly, so get it done man!

Chud for OC 2009. YES WE CAN

Fun fact

If his production was spread out over the whole season, Shaun Hill's numbers would have been 4000 yards, 26 Tds, 16 INTs, and a completion percentage over 60. Thanks again for O'Sullivan, Mr. Martz.

And it's not like they were playing the '85 Bears early on, either. Argh

The OC

Ok, so it's gonna be 7 in 7 years. I love what Mike Singletary's done so far, but forgive me for being just a little bit nervous about this one. He said all the right things in his press conference ("I know we need a long-term solution", "our philosophies were different", "I want to be able to run the ball late in games"), however, I'm just not entirely sure it would have been so terrible to hold on to Martz for one more year. Isaac Bruce was playing very well and probably won't come back with a different OC.

This move probably means that Alex Smith is out the door, unless he wants to hang around and have to learn a 5th offensive system in 5 years. Maybe some think that's not a big deal, but I have a feeling that will come back to bite the niners in the rear if they let it happen.

The best thing about it is that they're moving fast. Sing wants a new one hired "yesterday", so at least they understand the need for speed. Scot Linehan is actually a pretty interesting idea. Maiocco keeps throwing his name out there, and I can't see to much wrong with it. Ain't no way anyone's hiring him as a HC for a good long while, and he was a pretty decent OC. We all saw what happened to Cam Cameron- terrible HC gig, went right back to improving his next team's offense as an OC. Of all the names that have been thrown around, I gotta think Linehan is the most intriguing, even though I think he's a total douche. FWIW I also thought Martz was a total douche.

WHAT A Day

For someone who loves football, it really doesn't get much better than today. A ton of great games with playoff implications, the 49ers winning yet again and looking pretty good while doing it, it was just awesome.

Oh yeah, AND I BEAT KEV TO WIN THE FANTASY CHAMPIONSHIP BOO YA I BEAT YOU IN YOUR FACE KEVIN!!!!!

Ahem.

So looking at the 49ers' side of things, Frank getting 1,000 yards was not quite as impressive as him doing it last season, but still very awesome that he pulled it off in an injury-riddled year. The fact that Foster performed very well again against a pretty good D was another nice bonus. I'll have to watch the whole game through, but from what I was able to watch, Shaun Hill did very good, save for that pretty terrible interception.

I have to say, after hearing that Singletary got his much-deserved extension, I am really very excited for next year. I know a few of you are thinking that this is just the 49ers winning yet more late-season meaningless games, but unlike previous years, it really looked like the team was playing better. In the past, it just seemed like they were hanging on to win, whereas this year it really looked like they were the better team almost every week. Their ability to come back to win the Rams game really showed the difference between Nolan's teams and Sing's teams. There's no way Nolan's team wins that game.

So yeah, it seems like there's hope. Find a pass rusher, find a safety who can actually cause turnovers (anyone notice that the D got a little better when Roman and M. Lewis were out?), stop screwing around and give Shaun Hill the permanant job, and get ready for a 2009 division title run.

BTW, what do you all think about Mike Martz next season? There's no doubt that he massively improved the offense this season, but he also had some pretty terrible late-game play calls. I personally am leaning towards bringing him back just so the team doesn't have to learn yet another offense, but I actually trust the coach to make a good decision this time. Sing has shown some pretty decent judgement this season.

HAHAHAHAHAHA KEV HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Good times.

A Conflict

Boy, do I love winz. You know how many winz us niner fans have had since we last saw our team in the playoffs? 30. In six seasons. 30 winz. That's pretty bad. 5 winz a year is pretty bad when you play 16 games.

So, with that in mind, it sure would be fun to just keep winning and see our team go 8-8 and finish with a non-losing season for the first time in 6 years, right? ....right? It's not exactly improbable when you look at the schedule and the way they've been playing lately.

But, there's the conflict. Not only are the playoff hopes for this team over, but each win is taking us further and further away from a nice high draft pick. Also, if the 9ers beat the Dolphins this week, that means that either Brett Favre or Bill Bellichick will be in the 2008 playoffs. Wouldn't it be fun if both those douchebags missed out?

Sooo...what do you root for? I love this team and the new direction it's headed in, but let's just say I won't be crushed if they lose this game. I really like the story of the Dolphins and always liked Chad Pennington. Seeing them beat out The Bretts and the Cheatriots for the playoffs would probably make me feel better than a few more (mostly) meaningless winz for our team.

Let's put it this way- if it turns out to be one of those last-team-to-have-the-ball-wins kind of games, and the Dolphins have the ball last, and their unknown kicker wins it for them....I won't be upset. That's actually a nice feeling to have before a football game- I'd love another east-coast victory (becuase then we'd have two wins over there when nobody else even has 1), but I'd also love the Phins to win their division.

Football is weird. Am I crazy for maybe sort of rooting for a close niner loss?

Exorcising the Demon

BRETT FAVRE CAN SUCK IT!!!!

Do I care that it took him being 47 for us to finally beat him in a home game during the season? No, because that game ROCKED.

The 49ers did something in that game that I have literally never seen them do in all my 4 years of following them closely- they actually looked like the better team when playing against a squad with more talent. They beat the best person who's ever even thought about thinking about playing QB. The humanitarian football jesus himself.

When they had a key 3rd and goal, they didn't do what Mike Nolan would have done- run it into the pile and taken the 3 points; they came out with a 25-step drop and a beautiful fade playcall to the big WR on the team for an absolutely nut-kicking TD. THAT is the effect that a new coach has on a team. Is there any way in that Nolan would let that play be run?

Then, as the game was running down in the 4th, the 49ers- without their all star RB- ran the clock down. Like an NFL team would do! They didn't throw it, they didn't run it into a pile, they were very efficient and by the time they had to give the ball back to the Jets, there was only enough time left for Brett Fav-rah to throw a nice little game-icing INT to our own ageless wonder. THEN, they put a big, fat exclamation point on their victory by putting his stupid ass on the turf TWICE. That's what I call finishing right there.

All in all, these last few weeks give us hope for the future. If the 49ers don't re-sign Mr. Singletary after the effect he's had on this group, you will be looking at one pretty angry fan here. If you try to tell me that it's just a coincidence that this team looks so good now, I'm sorry, but I'll have to call you an idiot. The only difference between this team now and this team earlier is the QB and the head coach.

Shaun Hill, Jason Hill, and Mike Singletary- me thinks these will be the 3 major benefits of us having to sit through this season. It looks like those are 3 key foundation pieces that actually belong on an NFL team. Just find a pass rusher already!

Unfortunately,

this one matters too. I just wish I could see more than the first quarter of it.

Why am I so excited for a week 12 game when my team is 3-7? This cannot be healthy. We all know what's coming- T.O for 158 and 2 TDs, and our offense makes them look like the '85 Bears. It's a road game starting at 10 AM. It's an all-world running back against a D that made Antonio Pittman look like Gayle Sayers. It's going to be ugly.

And yet...I'm nervous. As though this game actually means something. Maybe it's because if.....if they actually look somewhat competitive, then we can have some sort of hope for the future. So for all of our sakes, let's hope that when I have to stop watching at the end of the first quarter, the score is 35-0 Dallas, so that we can see our team for what it really is: not very good.


That said, how effing sweet would it be to beat the Cowgirls in our last ever game there?!??!?!?!

How do I feel about this game?

Sorry, can't help it....Gamenight thread

I have BFS- battered fan syndrome. No matter how many times this team has kicked me square in the balls, choked under pressure, failed after a bye week, played without fire...despite all of it I'm still unbelievably excited about tonight's game. There really isn't much reason for hope, though Shaun Hill is still undefeated as an NFL starter. In the 2 games he started last year, Mr. Davis had 2 TD catches.

Is this the night the tards finally turn back into the tards? It's set up perfectly- you KNOW they're not going to finish over .500 this year. Let's start their downturn, k?

1st Half:

• OMFFFGGGG!!!!!!!! Is there a better way to start this game?????? ALLLEENNN ROOSSSSUMMMM
• Noticing the defense still struggling. That D line is pretty awful- they really need to get some sort of pressure on mr. fumble statue.
• I'm not liking the niners looking somewhat OK so far. They're building up my hopes FAR too high.
• Ok, STOP IT GUYS. What a frickin great throw and catch to Josh Morgan. Is he for real after all? We shall see.
  
• Hey 49ers coaching staff- I'm still waiting for Shaun to do something that warrents his getting benched this year.
• THERE THEY ARE! Took a little while, but there we go. Letting Kurt Warner out maneuver you, giving up 60 yard passes to 3rd options, that's the niners we know.
  
• Still, it's nice to see them being sort of competitive.
• Anybody else see that? Shaun Hill got hit on the throwing hand and.....held onto the ball! And even threw a completion! It was short of a first, but that's a huge change in field position.
• The return is complete! That was horrible tackling on Boldin- you cannot take him down with shoulder hit. This is the 49ers (defense) we know and love.
• HE WANTS IT! Shaun Hill has become Steve Young! What a run!
• Ok, shit yes on that drive. SHIT EFFING YES. Vernon Davis finally makes the kind of catch he was drafted to make.
• Oops, he's still VD, though.
• LOL CARDS. Good thing the penalty actually gave them WORSE field position. I told you they were still the Cardinals.
  

Halftime report:

This defense is making me very nervous for the second half, but I think it's obvious this team at least wants to win the game. The offense is what it should be- run first, throw short, then take occasional deep shots. Shaun Hill, so far anyways, has shown himself to be more than capable of running a team, and this is now 3 straight starts where he's thrown a TD to Vernon Davis. Maybe Vernon just needs the right QB? Or needed to get yelled at maybe?

Either way, reason to be optimistic, but the worst aspect of the team tonight (defense) will be on the field first in the second half. This is a great chance for the Cards to turn the momentum right back in their favor.

2nd Half:

• Big return, followed by a quick completion. They're at midfield- here comes the momentum shift.
• I've been dogging the d, and they looked bad on this drive so far, but wow the run D really showed up tonight. They've shut down a very good player. They can't stop the pass, but they've at least not been gashed by Hightower.
• BTW, F U to all the refs. Terrible call against Nate on that one.
• OK, it's up to the team to respond to that non-effort by the defense.
• Boy, I loooovvvee this offense. Soo much more effective to be grind-it-out rather than going long every time. I friking love this.
• That was very close to VD's second TD there. Wow.
• Take the points. Sure, it would be nice to be up by 8, but the D can't stop them tonight, so you HAVE to get points on every drive. I'm not confident enough in the short yardage O to think that was makeable.
• OK, so the defense again looked terrible, but I'll definitely take the refs finally making a call in our favor. Take the stops how you can get them, and score points when you have the ball.
• We need another 13 play, clock-killing drive here.
• .....what a terrible sequence. That INT was horrible, we get another shot, then their entire D is offsides and it's not called....WTF?
• Sorry, but these refs are awful. What the hell was that? Facemask? No grounding? Picking up flags? Good lord. Still, at least it was only 3 points.
• That drop is the kind of play that loses games.
• This pass rush is really bad. The run d has been extremely stout, but wow they're getting no pressure and covering no one. I'm really quite nervous about how this drive is going.
• *EXHALEEE* Finally we get a stop, so now it's up to the offense to just get points.
• Boy, that was the kind of play that just knees you right in the groin, liver, and kidney at the same time.
• Here's where we see what the team's made of. Plenty of time to drive for a score, so let's see how bad they want it.

END

I can't even speak about how this game ended. I know I shouldn't be surprised, but it's my BFS acting up again. I honestly thought we could win this one, but wow did the team ever turn into the 49ers at the end. That was the worst 2-minute sequence ever. They should have won, and they just handed it away.

That said, the refs sure didn't help. This was one of the worst-reffed games I've ever seen. Gore should have had a TD, and there were numerous penalties that weren't called. Unbelievable.

I liked the way the team played tonight, and they made the game closer than I realistically would have thought they could, but they showed they still can't finish a game like even a mediocre team could. For what it's worth, I've gotta say that it seems like Singletary is at least a passable head coach, but I'm sure that after I get a closer look at the game I'll change my mind.

Ugh- this is sports. Such a sick feeling.