Winds of change have blown through San Francisco

By Thomas Sorrell  |   Thursday, May 03, 2007  |  Comments( 20 )

San Francisco 49ers
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Nine months ago, I was hired by RealFootball365 to cover the San Francisco 49ers -- a football team I knew very little about. Oh sure, I knew certain players and was aware of the team's coach, but I was unaware of the intricacies of the 49ers.

Over the course of the nine months, however, I learned quite a bit. After I took over the beat writing duties and began submitting five columns a week, I learned even more...call it a crash course in 49eromics. While I still don't know the team inside and out the way the most passionate fans do, I feel much more comfortable making statements and forming opinions about the players and coaches than I once did. I even developed a bit of a soft spot for a team that ripped my 10-year-old heart out back in Super Bowl XXIII -- something I never thought would happen.

Prior to their 2006 rejuvenation, the Niners were still in the initial stages of rebuilding, and to be honest, they were not a very fun team to watch. They had a new coaching staff that had the unenviable job of pulling the franchise out of the hole Dennis Erickson put it in and restocking the roster with coachable talent. The 49ers had a rookie quarterback who looked confused and even frightened at times. A mediocre (at best) receiving corps. And a defense with more holes than the hat Davy Crockett wore at the Alamo.

What a difference a year makes, eh?

What was once a struggling franchise is now a legitimate playoff contender, and possibly even a Super Bowl team if it jells properly and gets hot at the right time. The talent level has been substantially raised across the board, especially on offense, and the team is fun to watch again.

Like Rocky said after he KO'd Ivan Drago: "If I can change...and you can change...EVERYBODY can change!"

Quarterback:

Alex Smith is the same person he was in 2005, yet he's not the same player -- not by a long shot. The nervous kid who literally had an 11-to-1 interception-to-touchdown ratio his rookie year improved in leaps and bounds last season, prompting me to compare him to Troy Aikman on more than one occasion.

In my years of watching football and actually understanding the nuances of the game, I have seen many young quarterbacks have that one game where everything seemed to click. Occasionally, it's a bona fide harbinger of greatness like Carson Palmer against Baltimore in 2004 and Vince Young rallying the troops against the Giants last year (maybe). Then again, just as often (and maybe more so) it's the first upswing in an erratic career, such as Michael Vick's performance in Green Bay in the playoffs and Eli Manning's four-touchdown, no-interception performance versus St. Louis in 2005. You just never know.

Smith had his "I get it now" game on a cold, nasty December night in Seattle. In the fourth quarter of that contest, Smith played like a much younger, less-botoxed Steve Young, and he looked like he would end up living up to the pressure-laden title of No. 1 draft pick. Of course, he went out the next week and laid an egg in a must-win contest against the Cardinals and followed that up with a shaky but solid performance to top the Broncos in the final game of the year.

The point is, I have no idea where Smith is headed, but it looks like he has a chance to turn into an upper-tier NFL quarterback. He certainly has the weapons to thrive; and at the very least, he should be a very solid player for the next 10 to 12 years with a Madden rating ranging between 87 and 93.

Running back:

Oh sure, Frank Gore isn't really a home-run threat (seriously, how many times was he caught from behind?), but thanks to his absurd combination of initial burst, power, vision and quick ankles, he still manages to break off two to three big runs a game. It's possible he caught the league off-guard like Hideo Nomo back in '95, and it'll catch up to him this year, but I just don't see that happening.

Regardless, he's still head and shoulders above his predecessor. In fact, comparing Gore to Kevan Barlow is like comparing a bottle of Arrowhead water to a puddle on the ground. Either one serves its purpose (that being hydration), but one is refreshing and pure while the other just might make you sick to your stomach.

One last thing here: Can we just go ahead and nickname Frank Gore "The Inconvenient Truth" and beat Joe Buck to it? Please? I don't ask for much.

Fullback:

Moran Norris is the modern-day Lorenzo Neal. Wait, can we say this with Neal still in the league? Would it be like calling Vince Young the modern-day Steve McNair?

Whatever, we're going with it.

Wide receiver:

Quick multiple-choice question:

The difference between Darrell Jackson, Ashley Lelie and Arnaz Battle compared to Rashaun Woods, Cedrick Wilson and Brandon Lloyd is that of:

A.) Las Vegas to Atlantic City
B.) Las Vegas to a Texas Hold 'Em tournament in a small-town bingo hall
C.) Las Vegas to a slot machine in a gas station
D.) Las Vegas to the handheld poker game in your parents' bathroom

Tight end

Blocker? Present (Billy Bajema).
Receiver? Present (Vernon Davis).
Superhero? Present (Delanie Walker).
Fragile pass catcher? Absent (Eric Johnson).

Offensive line

The Niners' O-line is arguably the deepest unit on the team, and with the brilliant trade up to select Central Michigan's Joe Staley in the first round last Saturday, now its even better. Other than Larry Allen, who is obviously inhuman (in a good way -- like RoboCop), there is not a single player in the group over the age of 29, though Jonas Jennings will turn 30 in November.

Yes, all this change has definitely been a good thing for the 49ers. There is now talent at every position along with excellent coaching on the sidelines. As a direct result, it's a safe bet that an appearance in the playoffs is not far off.

Sadly, I will not be around to write about it, as I am leaving like Mary Poppins, only with much less singing and gallivanting with chimney sweeps. Though I have thoroughly enjoyed my time covering the 49ers, personal responsibilities must take precedent. I may still contribute an article from time to time, but this will be my final regular column for RealFootball365. I'm just happy I was able to cover a football team on the beginning of its return to glory, and I will continue to keep an eye on the 49ers in the future.

Thank you for reading, commenting and e-mailing over the past nine months. It has been a pleasure.

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CommentsComments: 20  |  Sign Up  View all comments
No.1
random		02:48 AM
05/03/2007
I just discovered this site this year, in Feb. I dig so many niner articles. It's my new favorite website. I hope someone...
No.2
Alex Guzman		08:07 AM
05/03/2007
Another fascinating article...It's been a pleasure editing Thomas' material, learning more about Niners and football along the...
No.3
DHNF		09:51 AM
05/03/2007
Good article but Dennis Erickson had nothing to do with the hole we were in. That was dug by Terry Donahue. Erickson was brought...
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