A half dozen years of hard-to-stomach football

By Scott Dryden, 49ers World

Miami 14, San Francisco 9

Miami ; 1-15 in 2007 to at worst a 9-7 record this year, and maybe more. Along with Atlanta this year, the list of hapless down and out teams that manage to sort things out in short order continues. So why are the 49ers still mirered with losing record after losing record for the 6th straight season?

One word - Ownership

While the turn around efforts of Mike Singletary, Shaun Hill and company the past few weeks have been commendable, the mess left by John York's decision making blunders remain.

It all started with Steve Mariucci's dismissal in 2003 after leading the team to a 10-6 record in '02 and a division crown. (the team's last). Then replacing him with formal NFL failure, Dennis Eriksen, a man with no idea how to be a head coach in the pros, who led the landslide, all the way to the bottom with a 2-14 mark in '04 and let the franchise's most stabilizing player - QB Jeff Garcia walk away along the way. Then, York replaced Eriksen with Mike Nolan in '05, a man with no head coaching experience at any level. While Nolan is an accomplished defensive mind and drafted well on that side of the ball, leaving behind good talent, he had little to no idea how to build or run an NFL offense and it showed.

Drafting a "face of the franchise" QB first overall from a spread formation offense and trying to put him under center was the first indicator. Alex Smith was a flash in the pan at Utah and aside from the second half of a 2006 game at Seattle, never once looked like he had the chops to run an NFL offense. It's a shame too, because his attitude was first rate, and yet, Nolan screwed that up too. Leaving Mike Martz behind won't help Nolan's legacy. Martz will blow up or implode sooner or later. Mike Singletary or whoever is the next head coach would be wise to start fresh and get rid of Martz, who is playing possem til he gets the next head coaching gig he has stated he wants.

That gets us back to the Yorks and to the present. Singletary seems to have the right mix of hard-nosed attitude and leadership qualities to make a long term go as a head coach. Let's hope he gets the chance. However, based on history, I wouldn't put it past the Yorks to do something stupid like let him walk away and let Martz have a shot or some "el cheapo" option to match their financial balance goals rather than head coaching candidate requirements goals. The other issue and Nolan legacy that needs to be corrected is the GM spot. Current GM and former Nolan assistant GM Scot McCloughlan should have been gone along with Nolan. First, that they let Nolan switch places with his assistant rather than fire them both 2 years ago was ridiculous. Second, leaving McCloughlan in place up til now shows no concept by the Yorks for his part in the team's further dismise.

Watching the 49ers, and their "genius" Mike Martz's offense manage 3 field goals against the resurgent Dolphins brought 6 years of frustration to the boiling point for me. Another meaningless November/December game for the 49ers, who try to put a positive spin on things by saying they are "shooting for .500" rather than actually being competitive in the weakest division in football. Meanwhile, the team across the field looks to go from 1-15 to a possible 11 win season and a division crown in 1 season. Couple that with what's going on in Atlanta with Matt Ryan , Mike Smith and co. resurging after last year's 3-13 mess left by Mike Vick and Bobby Petrino, and you have to point the finger of blame at ownership.

Arthur Blank (Atlanta) and Wayne Huizenga (Miami) care - and put their money where their mouths are - and John York doesn't.

One can only hope that the Yorks may come to their senses just long enough to hire 1 decent football organizational mind to oversee things, otherwise the 49ers will continue to resemble the thrift-minded mis-managed Bengals and Cardinals teams of so many decades past. I think looking to the homecoming of Bay Area native Mike Holmgren might be a wise idea. Just because Holmgren has stated he won't coach, doesn't mean he wouldn't entertain upper management offers from his hometown team. He has stated before that coaching the 49ers would be his "dream job"

Offer him the President/GM job, renew Singletary on a 2 year deal and go from there. Let Holmgren shop for the grocerys (much as Parcels has done in Miami), and if he decides he wants to cook again, let him cook.

Anything is better than another year of the hash the Niners keep serving us.

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Is Hall too full for BY?

Matt Barrows, Sac Bee, June 13, 2008

Holy smokes - the Hall of Fame class for 2013 is shaping up to be one of the best ever. Brett Favre is a can't-miss first ballot guy as is Jonathan Ogden. You have to think that Michael Strahan, who is fifth on the all-time sack list and holds the season-single record in that category won't have to wait beyond 2013. (Given their dive-and-sack routine in 2001, maybe Favre should be Strahan's presenter. Buzz-zing!). In addition, Warren Sapp, Junior Seau and Orlando Pace (if he retires) are all strong possibilities. The question is whether two 49ers - Bryant Young and Larry Allen - will go into the Hall at the same time.

BY has three things going against him.
First, he played on a lot of crappy teams. Sure, his 49ers career began with a Super Bowl title, and from 1994 to 2002 Young and the 49ers made the playoffs seven times. But during the last five years of his career, the time when players like Young finally get the recognition and national attention they deserve, he was playing in meaningless games on dreadful teams. Second, his statistics are rock-solid but not mind-blowing. I know, I know. Young mostly played a position that called for him to do a lot of dirty work and to make sacrifices so that others could get the glory. And while teammates and opponents respect that, HOF voters will look to stats. BY's 89.5 career sacks are outstanding, but they're not as good as Strahan's (141.5) or Sapp's (96.5).
And finally, Young never called attention to himself. That modest business-like demeanor won him the admiration of coaches, teammates, opponents, the local fans and local media. But the ugly reality is that self-aggrandizement attracts attention and that attention sometimes gets you into the Hall. Just look at the Michael Irvin-vs.-Art Monk dynamic. Monk had better numbers than Irvin yet the flamboyant Irvin beat him into the Hall. As disgusting as this sounds, if Young had had some silly sack dance and had made outrageous comments, I bet he'd have a better chance of being a first-ballot guy. Then again, sometimes respect and dignity are more important than a yellow blazer.
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Keena Turner - vice president of football affairs

Tom FitzGerald, San Francisco Chronicle

Former 49ers linebacker Keena Turner, a link to the team's glory days, has been named their vice president of football affairs. In his new role, according to Jed York, the vice president of strategic planning, Turner "will be in charge of all programs related to player well-being and success including counseling, faith-based and player-development programs."

Turner, 49, who helped the 49ers win four Super Bowls, will serve as an adviser to the coaching staff and head the club's alumni program. Since he retired in 1990 after an 11-year career, all of it with the 49ers, he has represented the team at public events and assisted in player development. He has also done TV commentary on preseason games.
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49er 1st round selections, 1998-2007. Hope for the Willis Trend to Continue

Just hours before things kick off at Radio City Music Hall for the annual NFL "Selection Meeting" AKA the draft, lets look back at the last 10 years of 49er 1st round picks, and hope....like heck that the trend started only last year, continues on an upswing.

49er 1st round selections, 1998-2007

1998
R.W. McQuarters CB ,Oklahoma State
A bust during two seasons in S.F., he reemerged as a useful special teams player and helped the N.Y. Giants win a Super Bowl last season.

1999
Reggie McGrew DT ,Florida
Arguably the team's worst top pick ever, his not-so-illustrious career consisted of nine tackles and zero starts.

2000
Julian Peterson OLB ,Michigan State (right)
Terrific and versatile linebacker has made four Pro Bowls, including past two for Seattle Seahawks.
2001
Andre Carter DE ,Cal Bears
Faded in S.F. after a 12 1/2-sack season in '02, but has perked up again for Washington Redskins.
2002
Mike Rumph CB ,Miami
Proved to be a poor one-on-one cover man and managed only three career interceptions.
2003
Kwame Harris T ,Stanford
Failed to demonstrate adequate pass-protection skills at left tackle; will try to reinvent himself with Raiders.
2004
Rashaun Woods WR ,Oklahoma
Another contender for worst 49ers pick ever, managed seven career catches and helped doom G.M. Terry Donahue.

2005
Alex Smith QB ,Utah
Jury remains out because of injury trouble and poor supporting cast, but early returns aren't favorable.
2006
Vernon Davis TE ,Maryland
Still better known for his weight room prowess than his on-field production (774 yards, seven TDs in two years).
2007
Patrick Willis ILB ,Mississippi
NFL defensive rookie of the year became the first S.F. rookie to make the Pro Bowl since Ronnie Lott.

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Start with Rice No. 1, Moss No. 2 in best WR debate

By Mike Sando, ESPN.com

Jerry Rice caught passes from two of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. He played for the most influential offensive coach of his era, surrounded by a roster flush with talent. The most prolific receiver in NFL history also flourished after the league changed rules to favor the passing game, fueling statistical inflation on a scale previously unseen. Rice had a lot going for him, in other words, but not enough to dissuade seven expert panelists from naming him the greatest receiver in NFL history. Singling out Rice was the easy part.

"Jerry Rice, he's so obvious, it scares me," said panelist Boyd Dowler, a longtime scout and coach who finished his playing career in 1971 with 474 receptions, five championships and an eventual spot in the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame. Top 10 WRs of All TimeRaymond Berry, Boyd Dowler, Mike Holmgren, Ken Houston, Warren Moon, Keyshawn Johnson and Ted Thompson helped ESPN.com evaluate the best wide receivers in NFL history. ESPN.com weighed their contributions, balancing rankings with anecdotal evidence, to create the following list. (Click here for ZOOM Gallery.)Unanimity turned to ambiguity when ESPN.com asked Dowler and fellow panelists Raymond Berry, Mike Holmgren, Warren Moon, Ken Houston, Ted Thompson and Keyshawn Johnson to rank the greatest receivers after Rice. Panelists placed 13 players in the second through fifth overall slots. They ranked seven others between sixth and 10th. That left 20 all-time greats fighting for nine spots, and much work to be done.

"You reach a certain point and it's hard to do," said Berry, the NFL's career leader in receptions and receiving yards when he retired from the Baltimore Colts in 1967. "I've seen too many great ones, and it's hard to find a standard." An exhaustive analysis of the panelists' rankings, supplemented by more than six hours of interviews, gave New England's Randy Moss a slight edge over Green Bay legend Don Hutson for the second overall spot. Michael Irvin was fourth, followed by Paul Warfield, Charley Taylor, Steve Largent, Cris Carter, Terrell Owens and Marvin Harrison. (Click here for bios of panelists.) "Moss has the best hands of anyone today," said Thompson, the Packers' general manager. "A lot of guys can catch. He can catch on any platform, as we say in scouting. He can adjust and catch it over the top of somebody's head, catch it falling down -- and it doesn't matter if he is covered." All 10 receivers put up numbers that ranked them among the top producers of their eras. But panelists unanimously discounted raw statistics as a meaningful tool. They explained how changes in the game made the number of receptions less relevant than ever. They placed more value on touchdowns and yards per reception. They also singled out toughness as a leading characteristic of the great ones. "They've got to have big-play ability," said Moon, one of three panelists enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, along with Berry and Houston. "They have to have toughness. They have to be able to get off man-for-man, bump-and-run at the line of scrimmage. And they have to be able to make the big play at the right time."

A look at the top ten:

1. JERRY RICE

Career: Played for 49ers, Raiders and Seahawks from 1985-2004. Holds NFL records for receptions (1,549), receiving yards (22,895), TD receptions (197), TDs (207). Quick quote: "Jerry had a tremendous combination of speed, size, toughness, smarts." -- Holmgren, Rice's offensive coordinator in San Francisco

2. RANDY MOSS

Career: Set NFL record with 23 TD catches last season with Patriots.Quick quote: "Randy Moss catches the ball so well almost without looking at it sometimes. He is scary physically." -- Boyd Dowler, retired scout and former NFL receiver.

3. DON HUTSON

Career: Played for Packers from 1935-45. Held 18 NFL records when he retired. Elected to Hall of Fame in 1963.Quick quote: "Lean and swift, and boy, he could catch the heck out of it." -- Hall of Famer Berry, who studied films of Hutson in detail.

4. MICHAEL IRVIN

Career: Played for Cowboys from 1988-99. Had 750 career receptions for 11,904 yards. Elected to Hall of Fame in 2007.Quick quote: "People might not like some of the other things, but when he was on those stripes, he was as competitive as there is." -- Hall of Fame QB Moon

5. PAUL WARFIELD

Career: Played for Browns, Dolphins from 1964-77. Averaged 20.1 yards per catch. Elected to Hall of Fame in 1983.Quick quote: "Warfield was a lot like Charlie Joiner. Every step meant something to those guys. Warfield got into his route and it was like somebody falling off the face of the earth. That's how quick he could be into it." -- Hall of Fame safety Houston

6. CHARLEY TAYLOR

Career: Played for Redskins 1964-77. All-time leading receiver with 649 catches for 9,110 yards when he retired. Elected to Hall of Fame in 1984.Quick quote: "Those types of athletes who played more than one position --- Charley Taylor -- are worth the price of admission just to see them line up. That is an athlete right there, a subject in itself." -- Berry

7. STEVE LARGENT

Career: Played for Seahawks from 1976-89. Had 819 catches, 13,089 yards, 100 TDs. Elected to Hall of Fame in 1995.Quick quote: "He was as crafty as anybody I could recall. He wasn't a big guy, but he knew exactly how to lean on people and his hands were unbelievable." -- Packers GM Ted Thompson

8. CRIS CARTER

Career: Played for Eagles, Vikings, Dolphins from 1987-2002. Had 13,899 yards receiving, 130 TD receptions.Quick quote: "I've never been around a guy as competitive as he is. He is so confident. He was a hard worker, which I enjoyed because whatever I got in practice, I knew that's I was going to get in the game." -- Moon

9. TERRELL OWENS

Career: Has 129 TD receptions in career with 49ers, Eagles, Cowboys. Quick quote: "My biggest knock on him is he drops too many balls, but he makes a lot of big plays and he's as good as there is after the catch and he makes difficult catches." -- Moon

10. MARVIN HARRISON

Career: Has spent entire 12-yard career with Colts. Set NFL record with 143 receptions in 2002. Quick quote: "Of all the things that impresses me, it's how he goes about his job, how he goes about his business. He's not a fanfare guy. He's just a football player." -- Holmgren

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Niners edge Steelers, wear ultimate NFL crown

Greatest Football Team Ever!

1989 San Francisco 49ers

vs

From USA Today,

By a slim 23 votes out of more than 2,400 cast, the 1989 San Francisco 49ers, led by Joe Montana, held off Terry Bradshaw's 1978 Pittsburgh Steelers and have been declared the greatest NFL team of the Super Bowl era. In the semifinals, the Niners defeated Tom Brady and the 2007 New England Patriots by less than a percentage point in one semifinal, while the Steelers knocked off the 1985 Chicago Bears 52%-48% in the other semi. In the opening round, the Patriots pulled off a major upset with a resounding victory over the top-seeded 1972 Miami Dolphins 58%-42%. The other matchups went as expected with the No. 2 seeded Bears dominating the 1998 Denver Broncos 71%-29%. The third- and fourth-seeded teams, the 1978 Steelers and the 1989 49ers both won their quarterfinal matchups with 62% of the reader vote.
USA TODAY received 2,439 votes on the 49ers-Steelers matchup.

A combination of reader nominations and analysis from USA TODAY's NFL team produced the eight-team field.

The eight seeds:
1. 1972 Miami Dolphins - (17-0)
2. 1985 Chicago Bears - (18-1)
3. 1978 Pittsburgh Steelers - (17-2)
4. 1989 San Francisco 49ers - (17-2)
5. 1992 Dallas Cowboys - (16-3)
6. 1966 Green Bay Packers - (14-2)
7. 1998 Denver Broncos - (17-2)
8. 2007 New England Patriots - (18-1)*

* (Did not win Super Bowl)

*********

I've been saying this all along!! Nice to see that impartial voters out there see greatness for what it truely was and is. Playoff run in '89 of 126 points to 26 points allowed, and the largest score and margin of victory in Super Bowl history - Nuf said!

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Return To Glory Won't Be Solved By Players Or Coaches

In April 2000, Eddie DeBartolo (right) relinquished his stake as the 49ers' majority owner after being implicated in a bribing scandal. With Eddie gone, the golden era of 49ers football was nearing its end. Denise DeBartolo York and her husband John York (below) took over the team. And in their eight years at the helm of the team, one thing has become patently clear: They just don't get it. Because Denise, Eddie's younger sister, showed no enthusiasm or interest in running the franchise, that responsibility was deferred to John, who admitted in an interview in 2003 that he really wasn't into it, either. A medical researcher by trade, Dr. York was neither a football aficionado nor adept at public relations. And under his stewardship, the 49ers headed for a prolonged decline.

Aloof and often inaccessible, York has been a meddlesome owner who's had a few dust-ups with the media, of all people. In 2002, after a game, York reportedly confronted a 49ers beat writer, berating him and repeatedly poking him in the chest. Apparently, York was unhappy about a recent story that shed light on his micromanagement of the team, the juiciest nugget being that bottled water was taken away from the team's offices and placed under lock and key, in an effort to cut cost. Such matters aside, the 49ers actually performed well in spite of him, making the playoffs in 2001 and 2002. But after losing to eventual Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a divisional playoff game in January 2003, coach Steve Mariucci was shockingly fired three days later.

It was not York's finest hour. Mariucci's firing was handled extremely poorly, with just about everyone in the building knowing the ax was dropping -- except Mariucci. His wife Gayle heard the news on the radio. York did the firing but forced GM Terry Donahue to be the frontman for the news media while York capped the exercise by announcing to all of his front-office personnel that "everyone is expendable."

The 49ers have not had a winning season since.

York's choice of Donahue to replace Bill Walsh as the GM also was disastrous. While Walsh rescued the 49ers from salary-cap hell, Donahue's questionable drafts and free-agent signings -- in addition to his hiring of Dennis Erickson as coach to succeed Mariucci -- laid the foundation for the steady decline of the 49ers fortunes. At the end of the 2004 season, York canned both Erickson and Donahue. But York's troubles continued, on and off the field. In 2005 an internal training video, filled with risqué material and borderline racist/homophobic language, was leaked to the San Francisco Chronicle. It was the final chapter of a power struggle between media relations director Kirk Reynolds and Donahue. While Donahue publicly denied the charge, it was widely believed that he was the source of the leak as a way to embarrass the organization and particularly Reynolds, who was summarily fired.

After yet another losing season in 2007, York vacillated for several days about firing coach Mike Nolan, who is 16-32 in his three seasons, but ultimately decided against it. But Nolan was stripped much of his powers on personnel decisions and Mike Martz was brought in to revive a woebegone offense. At the end, it probably doesn't matter who's the GM, coach, offensive coordinator, down to the water boy. As long as the Yorks continue to own the 49ers -- and now you can add son Jed to the mix -- it probably won't make any difference.

They just don't get it.

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Joe and the Niners Still Reign Supreme

The debate is over. The mighty Patriots have fallen and Tom Brady no longer is perfect in the Super Bowl.The only quarterback that even remotely resembled our legendary Joe was Eli Manning and his Montana-like drive to win the Super Bowl. That clinching drive reminded some of the final minutes of Super Bowl XXIII as Manning threw the game winning touchdown with 35 seconds left. Montana to Taylor happened at 34 seconds to go.With the Giant upset, the Patriots can no longer be considered a powerhouse dynasty when compared to our 80's and 90's 49ers during their two decade run of dominance.

These teams not only won, they took opponents out in convincing fashion. The Patriots were expected to win and they choked under the pressure of the Giant defensive line.In Montana's fourth Super Bowl, he set records and led the 49ers to a 55-10 victory over John Elway and the Denver Broncos. The 49ers were expected to win and they did so in record breaking fashion over a tough team and a future Hall of Famer. In Brady's fourth Super Bowl appearance, he resembled a young Dan Marino in Super Bowl XIX as he was constantly hit and beat up throughout the game. The Montana to Brady comparison is no longer even remotely close.

Montana's 49ers were perfect during their run, including Steve Young's title in Super Bowl XXIX. The Brady and Belichick era Patriots now have one of the most disappointing losses in NFL history to deal with. Most championship teams are best known for winning the Super Bowl, but the contrary is true here. The 2007 New England Patriots and their perfect 16-0 regular season was still a great accomplishment, but great teams are remembered for winning titles. Despite the many great successes of this season, this team is now infamous for losing to the underdog New York Giants right on history's doorstep..Not the kind of legacy you are looking to have when history was right on their doorstep. So as 49er fans, all we have left at the moment is our rich history. Although our current 49ers are still a huge question mark, we can all rest easy now.The latest threat to Joe Montana's championship legacy is now over.

Even if the Patriots go on to win their fourth Super Bowl in the future, last night's loss tarnished their dynasty while the 49er accomplishments continue to sparkle in history's eyes as being truly extraordinary.The 1984 18-1 49ers were far superior teams to this year's Patriot team. Although, the 2007 Patriots share the same record as these two great teams, they simply didn't close the deal in the Super Bowl. The Patriot offense was stifled and their defense showed their age when Manning made play after play on the final drive. The 49er defenses during their championship runs were far better than the Patriots' current unit. I'll even take a rookie Ronnie Lott over a seasoned Asante Samuel.

Offensively, the Patriots may have set multiple records, but the 49ers revolutionized offensive football when Bill Walsh implemented the West Coast Offense that sprung up so many copycats throughout the league in recent years. Now 49er fans can rejoice as our legacy lives on. Tom "Golden Boy" Brady is no doubt a great quarterback, but now he will never leave the shadow of true Super Bowl perfection that is Joe Montana and the San Francisco 49ers.

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Just a site note. With the next major events on the NFL schedule being the Pro Bowl in Hawaii and the Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, I will continue my hiatis, but return on March 1st, in anticipation of the March 2nd start of free-agency, leading up to the draft in April.

Ex-49ers coach is mourned

By Matthew Barrows, Sac Bee

SANTA CLARA – Several months ago, even after Alzheimer's disease had forced Dick Nolan into an assisted living facility, he had football on his mind. The former coach of the 49ers would walk down the hall of Autumn Leaves and conduct football meetings with the facility's administrator, who would pretend to be one of his assistant coaches. Sunday, Nolan died at age 75. He also had been battling prostate cancer, and his failing health prompted his son, Mike, to fly to the Dallas area last week to see his father one last time. "Dick's love of football came second only to family, and those values persevere as his son Mike continues to carry on the legacy of his father both on the field and off the field," 49ers owners John and Denise York said in a statement.

The elder Nolan was a standout quarterback in White Plains, N.Y., and later was part of the University of Maryland's national championship team in 1953. The New York Giants drafted him the following year, and he developed a lifelong friendship with Tom Landry. Both played cornerback, and Dick Nolan said in 2005 he thought of Landry as his older brother. Landry died of leukemia in 2000. After Landry became the coach of the Dallas Cowboys, he hired Nolan as a defensive assistant. Nolan got his own head-coaching job in 1968 when the 49ers hired him to replace Jack Christiansen. Charlie Krueger, a 49ers defensive tackle from 1959 to '73, on Sunday said he remembered that during the 1971 season his own father had become ill and that he was apprehensive about asking Nolan for time off.

"He just looked at me – he had that same demeanor no matter what was happening," Krueger recalled. "He said, 'You do what you have to do. Don't worry about us here.' In football, you don't meet many people that treat you square. Dick Nolan did." Nolan was successful by his third season with San Francisco, leading the 49ers to a 10-3-1 record and the first of three consecutive NFC West titles. But the 49ers lost to Landry's Cowboys each time in the playoffs.
Nolan left the 49ers after the 1975 season. He then was the head coach of the New Orleans Saints from 1978 to 1980. Nolan joined the Houston Oilers as defensive coordinator in 1981 before returning to the Cowboys under Landry as a defensive-backs coach in 1982. Nolan stayed with Dallas until 1990.

Smith, Rodgers, Campbell or (Insert Name Here)... Who Would You Have Picked?

When the 49ers selected Alex Smith with the first pick in the '05 draft, most people were anamoured with the young signal caller, a finalist for the heisman the year previous, and a product of a solid Utah - Urban Meyer offense. No one was questioning the pick then, particularily in such a weak quarterback draft, as only Smith, and Cal's Aaron Rodgers were even considered legitimate first rounders, (Jason Campbell was considered a "project", risky for the first round and totally overlooked by experts such as Mel Kiper Jr.).

At a news conference to introduce the No. 1 pick of the 2005 draft, 49ers Coach Mike Nolan opened with a few questions of his own. "How many in this room thought we were going to take Braylon Edwards?" he asked. "And how many thought Aaron Rodgers?" "And how many thought Alex Smith?" Nolan was just having fun. The only vote in the room that mattered was the 49ers' and they selected Smith as their franchise quarterback.

Three years later, can we get another show of hands? Maybe we can ask the crowd one more question: "How many think we paniced when Matt Leinart went back to school?"Each passing week - that is, each poor passing week - shows with more certainty that the 49ers made a $24 million mistake. Sunday's debacle against the Atlanta Falcons leaves Smith with 19 touchdown passes against 31 interceptions. He has reached 200 passing yards, yes, I did say 200, not 300, just six times in 29 career starts. Smith has been hampered by injuries, a suspect offensive line, overmatched receivers and revolving offensive coordinators (three in three seasons). But that can't explain away everything. As Nolan, a Smith supporter, said Monday: "It's getting down to an execution factor. I think Alex recognizes that."

The No. 1 spot is supposed to be where John Elway, Troy Aikman, Peyton Manning and Carson Palmer come from, not players whose 57.6 passer rating ranks last this season among qualifying quarterbacks. There is still time, of course, for Smith to prove worthy. He is just 23, which makes him among the youngest quarterbacks in the NFL. And it is still so soon after draft day that another potential No. 1 - Rodgers, the former Cal standout - has yet to make even one career start. But going back to that franchise-altering day of April 23, '05, would Smith still be the top choice?

That famously dicey draft had no clear-cut No. 1, which meant the top choice was virtually untradeable. The top 10 alone has already yielded two epic busts: cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones (No. 6), whose behavior got him suspended from the NFL, and Mike Williams (No. 10), who is out of work after being cut by the Raiders. Other players have been haunted by injuries, including running backs Carnell "Cadillac" Williams and Ronnie Brown and linebacker David Pollack. With help from our 20-20 Hindsight Crystal Ball (and several national football writers), we've revisited the 2005 draft to reconstruct the top 10. This is based on considering just players in the top 25 picks. No one could fairly argue that a G.M. would have been courageous enough to use the No. 1 pick on, say, risky Frank Gore (the 49ers got him in the third round) or unheralded Derek Anderson (sixth round), the red-hot quarterback now with the Cleveland Browns. Our pool of candidates runs 25 players deep because Rodgers (24th overall) was a 49ers finalist that year; that means any player within Rodgers' range should also be considered a potential No. 1.

With that, here's how the first round should have gone down...

1. T Jammal Brown, Oklahoma (originally No. 13): Few commodities are as valuable as a stalwart left tackle, and Brown has all the makings of a mainstay for the New Orleans Saints. He made the transition from right to left last season and promptly made the Associated Press All-Pro team and started in the Pro Bowl. The 6-foot-6, 310-pounder has anchored a line that has allowed just five sacks this season, fewest in the NFL.

2. LB Shawne Merriman, Maryland (No. 12): Earned defensive rookie of the year honors with the San Diego Chargers, then followed that up with an NFL-high 17 sacks last year. He has made the Pro Bowl in each of his first two seasons. Merriman would rank No. 1 if not for the four-game suspension he earned by testing positive for a banned substance. Merriman's lawyer, David Cornwell, said Merriman unwittingly ingested nandrolone, which was present in one of his supplements.

3. LB DeMarcus Ware, Troy. (No. 11): Earned his first Pro Bowl start last season after registering 11 1/2 sacks, a Dallas Cowboys record for linebackers. He is also the first player in team history to have (or share) the team sackslead in each of his first two seasons. In all, he has 26 1/2 sacks and nine forced fumbles in 40 career games.

4. WR Braylon Edwards, Michigan (No. 3): While the 49ers struggle for every offensive yard, Edwards racks up huge totals for the Browns on a weekly basis. His 736 receiving yards trail only Randy Moss, Chad Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald this season. Edwards is a big-play threat (17.5-yard average) who racked up 146 yards and two TDs in Week 2. The highest total by a 49ers receiver this year is 77 yards by tight end Vernon Davis.

5. LB Derrick Johnson, Texas (No. 15): Has quickly matured into one of the Kansas City Chiefs' most consistent defensive players. Johnson's sideline-to-sideline speed helped him rack up 110 tackles in '05, according to the Chiefs. That's the most by a Kansas City rookie linebacker since Dino Hackett (140) in 1986.

6. RB Ronnie Brown, Auburn (No. 2): Before going on the injured-reserve list Oct. 23, the running back had emerged as the dual threat the Miami Dolphins envisioned. Brown led the NFL with 991 yards from scrimmage - a total that still leads the AFC. Playing for a woeful, winless team, Brown nevertheless managed four consecutive 100-yard rushing games, one short of Ricky Williams' team record.

7. QB Jason Campbell, Auburn (No. 25): With Smith struggling and Rodgers stalled behind Brett Favre, Campbell has emerged as the most productive quarterback from 2005's first round. He trails Smith in TD passes (19 to 16) but has less than half his interceptions (31 to 13). Campbell has held up well this season against a tough schedule.

8. CB Carlos Rogers, Auburn (No. 9): Like so many others from the '05 first round, Rogers has struggled with injuries. But he demonstrated excellent cover skills last season in leading the Washington Redskins with 17 pass deflections and finishing among the team leaders with 79 tackles (67 solo). Rogers is out for the season because of a torn ACL and MCL.

9. Cadillac Williams, Auburn (No. 5): The 2005 offensive rookie of the year had six 100-yard games in his first season with Tampa Bay. But he is out for the remainder of this season after suffering a knee injury Sept. 30. When healthy, Williams is an elusive runner who relishes the workhorse role.

10. WR Mark Clayton, Oklahoma (No. 22): Trapped in an inept Baltimore offense, the dynamic playmaker nonetheless managed 939 yards receiving and five touchdowns last season. A year earlier, he set Ravens rookie records with 44 catches for 471 yards.

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DeBartolo On Long Nominee List For Pro Football Hall of Fame

Nancy Gay, San Francisco Chronicle

Several Bay Area NFL standouts, among them former 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr., are on the list of 124 modern-era players, coaches and contributors on the preliminary list of nominees to the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2008. DeBartolo is included in the list of contributors, along with former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, who was among the 17 finalists for the 2007 class. Hall of Fame selectors will choose 25 candidates who will advance as semifinalists. That list will be announced in late November. The 25 modern-era semifinalists will be reduced to a ballot of 15 finalists, along with two previously selected senior candidates, Marshall Goldberg and Emmitt Thomas.

The 44-member selection committee will select the 2008 class during its annual meeting Feb. 2 in Phoenix, the day before Super Bowl XLII. In addition to DeBartolo, here is a list of other former 49ers and Raiders under consideration: Raiders: quarterback Jim Plunkett, wide receiver Cliff Branch, offensive lineman Steve Wisniewski, tight end Todd Christensen, defensive backs Eric Allen, Lester Hayes and Albert Lewis and punter Ray Guy (a 2007 finalist).

49ers: running backs Roger Craig and Ricky Watters, wide receiver Dwight Clark, tight ends Russ Francis and Brent Jones and defensive linemen Fred Dean, Richard Dent, Chris Doleman and Charles Haley.

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Two Streaks Alive For Struggling Passing Game

Matt Maiocco, The Press Democrat

The 49ers head into Sunday's game against the Giants working on two streaks. These aren't any nuggets you'll find the 49ers touting to prospective season-ticket holders. Nonetheless, the streaks are quite astounding. The first streak began at the Meadowlands in 2004, the last time the 49ers traveled to New Jersey to face a "New York" team. On Oct. 10, 2004, Niners quarterback Tim Rattay (right, with "the great Dennis Erickson") completed 38 of 57 passes for 417 yards in a 31-28 overtime victory against the Cardinals. The next week, the 49ers played the New York Jets. It was Game 1 of a streak in which the 49ers have gone without having a 300-yard passer. That streak has now reached 48 consecutive games . . . or three complete seasons.

But this next streak is one that's even more difficult to fathom.

Anything less than 200 yards passing in an NFL game is pretty crummy, right? (This, by the way, is the first time I've ever written the word "crummy" in this blog, thus ending a streak of 400 consecutive crummyless posts.) Anyway, the 49ers are working on an amazing streak. The 49ers have not recorded more than 200 yards of net passing in 18 consecutive games. This is not a typo. They have gone 18 consecutive games without breaking past the 199-yard barrier.
Alex Smith threw for 293 yards in a Week 3 loss last season to the Eagles (with sacks, the 49ers had 269 net yards passing). Since then, the 49ers have failed to eclipse the 200-yard mark.

The 49ers' problems in the passing game did not start with offensive coordinator Jim Hostler. But nobody really noticed the team's troubles in this area last season with Norv Turner as coordinator because the run game was so good. Seven times last season during this streak, the 49ers ran for more yards than they passed. Moreover, in the victory over the Raiders, the running game accounted for 165 yards, same as the passing attack. The difference this season is that the running game has topped 100 yards just once in five games. And even that was window dressing. The 49ers rushed for 109 against Seattle, but 28 of those yards came on a second-and-20 draw play with no time remaining in the first half.

I asked Nolan yesterday if Smith needed to adopt more of a "gunslinger" mentality. But Nolan said a gunslinger is more of a personality trait than a playing style. "I wouldn't call Peyton Manning a gunslinger; he's an awfully good quarterback, as is Tom Brady. Neither one of them are slingers because they don't have that personality," Nolan said. "Now, Brett Favre, without question, is a gunslinger. John Elway was a gunslinger. Joe Montana? No. "I think that's a personality issue more than anything else. It doesn't make a guy good or not. Sometimes the scheme can help you do that, but if you try to make someone just 'chuck and duck' or gunslinger as you call it, every down, you can get a guy out of his strength. I think it has to do with whether a guy's a pocket guy, outside the pocket, three step, all those types of things."

Nolan said Smith has been too careful, at times. But he said the offense, as a whole, has been too careful. When asked about it yesterday, Smith agreed that the offense has been too tentative. He pointed to the final drive against the Cardinals as a time when the offense just went out, didn't think too much and just played football. It's questionable whether Smith will play Sunday against the Giants. When he returns, Smith has to be given enough slack to just go out there and wing it around a little bit.

The 49ers' season and his development as a quarterback depend on it.

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- Trent Dilfer, not Alex Smith, was the No. 1 quarterback in team drills yesterday. For the last week and a half, Smith had circled the Wednesday practice on his calendar. If he was able to practice that day, he would play against the Giants. Dilfer led practice. So afterward, Mike Nolan made the announcement - Dilfer will start against New York, a team he once beat in the Super Bowl. -

Four Former 49ers Visit Dick Nolan

By Matt Maiocco, The Press Democrat

Dick Nolan, the former 49ers head coach and father of Mike Nolan, received a visit Wednesday from four of his former players at a facility for dementia patients in Grapevine, Texas. Jimmy Johnson (below), Dave Wilcox (right),Len Rohde and Ed Beard, standouts from Nolan's 49ers teams in the late-1960s and early '70s, traveled to spend about three or four hours with their former coach. Dick Nolan, 75, is suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Johnson asked Nolan if he recognized them. Nolan responded, "Heck, yeah, I know who you guys are."

"It was nice of those guys," Mike Nolan said. "It was neat. It touched my entire family." Nolan's younger brother, Jim, who lives in Texas, was there when the four men made the visit. Rohde visited the 49ers' practice facility today and told Mike Nolan about their trip. Nolan was very appreciative that the players got together to visit his father. "My brother called me," Nolan said. "He was all choked up on the phone because my father kind of lit up when he saw them, and he doesn't do that very often. Sometimes you're not sure if he's really listening.

"When I envision him, it's kind of like when I was there. His head is kind of down and he stares. Every now and then -- there were two or three times when I was there a month ago -- you'd say something, he'd look up and his eyes got kind of big and he'd recognize you and he'd make a smile or smirk. My brother said he kind of looked up when he saw them all and his eyes got big."
Beard lives on the East Coast. Johnson and Rohde reside in the Bay Area, while Wilcox lives in Oregon. Johnson and Wilcox are members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

49ers Team Valuation - Forbes.com

NFL Team Valuations - From Forbes Magazine (forbes.com , Sept.13/07)

First - # 1 Dallas Cowboys

Last - #32 Minnesota Vikings

#30 San Francisco 49ers

Team Value - $799 million

Ownership - Denise DeBartolo York - San Francisco 49ers are owned by Denise DeBartolo York, who bought them in 1977 for $13 mil.

The skinny - The 49ers served as the NFL's model franchise through the 1980s and '90s, racking up five Super Bowl wins in the process. But most of the past decade has been marred by salary cap problems, an ownership squabble, losing teams and the inability to get taxpayers to approve a new stadium. Despite playing in the country's sixth biggest TV market, the 49ers have some of the lowest revenues in the league thanks, to an antiquated stadium that features no club seating, and an onerous lease that forces the team to share concession, luxury-suite, naming-rights and signage revenue with the city. Major corporate sponsors are Coca-Cola (nyse: KO), Visa, General Motors (nyse: GM), Anheuser-Busch (nyse: BUD), Comcast (nasdaq: CMCSA), Sprint Nextel (nyse: S), Wells Fargo (nyse: WFC). Naming rights sponsor is Monster Cable.

Revenue - $186 mil
Operating Income - $9.9 mil
Player Expenses - $118 mil
Gate Receipts - $39 mil

Stadium Deal Reaches 2 Minute Warning

Exerpt from The San Francisco Chronicle

The 49ers' season kicks off out at Candlestick Point tonight, but it's the clock counting down off the field that has team owner John York pacing the sidelines. York has imposed a tight deadline of 2012 for a new stadium to be ready for the team, and with good reason. The Niners' lease at the decrepit, half-century-old 'Stick (right) expires in 2011, and York & Co. would be required under their deal with San Francisco to sign on for another five years if they stay beyond that date. Plus, every year of delay adds to the cost of a new stadium at York's preferred Santa Clara location, which already is priced at a whopping $853 million.

"It not only gets more expensive in terms of the cost of construction, but also in terms of lost revenues you are experiencing," said former 49ers executive Carmen Policy, who notes that the team already makes less than most pro football franchises. But winning this stadium game may be even tougher than winning the Super Bowl.

For starters, Santa Clara city officials don't expect even to complete their preliminary assessment of the 49ers' plan to build a 68,000-seat stadium (left), next to Great America until year's end. And even if the City Council likes what it sees, officials say they will need several more months to negotiate a final deal. That deal, in turn, is almost certain to have to go before the voters, something sources close to the team now predict may not happen until November 2008 or later. The team also needs to conduct an environmental impact study that takes a year or longer, and might not even begin before the voters have their say.

Put it together, and you have construction starting around 2010 or beyond.

Dress Rehersal Is Over. Are You Ready For Some Football?

Alex Smith and coach Mike Nolan believe they finally have enough talent to regain respectability - even making a playoff run. From Pro Bowl running back Frank Gore to the back of a surprisingly deep defense, the 49ers believe they'll raise their game and rejoin the serious competition in the NFC West. The Niners went 7-9 last season, with highs including Gore's franchise-record 1,695 yards rushing and two wins over defending conference champion Seattle. The miserable lows were just as telling, from their NFL-worst 412 points allowed to their December home losses to Green Bay and Arizona.

Yet simply achieving mediocrity was always a step in the plan for Nolan, who knew he was nearly starting from scratch in early 2005 after years of mismanagement under former general manager Terry Donahue. Nolan's decisions with personnel chief Scot McCloughan have been mostly solid. They made their most dramatic moves last March, signing Clements and Lewis to big-money free agent contracts to solidify a secondary that was barely competent when they arrived.

Clements, who got an eight-year, $80 million deal to leave Buffalo, wasn't scared off by the 49ers' losing ways when he decided to change coasts.Yet with so much change, there's still an unsettled mood around the 49ers. Nolan had to replace all three top assistants in the offseason after firing defensive coordinator Billy Davis and losing offensive coordinator Norv Turner to the Chargers.

Smith and his offensive teammates say little has changed schematically with the promotion of quarterbacks coach Jim Hostler. But Nolan and new defensive coordinator Greg Manusky have installed a true 3-4 defense, even though it's built around a defensive line that hasn't yet played together.

New nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin still hasn't suited up for San Francisco after a training camp injury, and 14th-year defensive end Bryant Young got his first preseason action Thursday at San Diego after missing most of camp with a sore back.Former Seahawks star Jackson, tight end Davis and a invigorated bunch of receivers should make life easier for Smith, who struggled with one of the NFL's worst groups of pass-catchers in his first two years.

And Gore should be ready for the opener against Arizona after missing the preseason with a broken hand. The Pro Bowl running back's eagerness to get back into practice was gratifying to Nolan, who took a chance on the oft-injured runner in the third round of his first draft. Nolan knows the third season of any NFL project is usually evaluation time, so both the team and Smith are up for their first serious grades in his tenure. Ever since he agreed to coach the team his father led for eight seasons, Nolan has kept his players focused on winning the division title and building from that benchmark.

Nolan Coyly Speaks On Subject of 'Throwback' Unis

From The Press Democrat,

Every once in a while the head coach will lead us to believe he knows more than he's letting on. Coach Mike Nolan gave us one of those moments after practice today when he was asked about the possibility of the 49ers changing permanently back to the distinguished uniforms the club fashioned back in the 1980s.

"We're in the process of looking at our uniform. But I'd rather leave it at that for now," Nolan said. "We haven't game-planned our comments on that, yet."

When I asked if the permanent change in uniforms is something that could possibly happen this season, Nolan said coyly, "I don't know. We haven't game-planned our comments on that." The 49ers have announced that they will wear their 1980s-style uniforms for the regular-season opener Monday, Sept. 10, against the Cardinals as a way to pay tribute to Bill Walsh, who died July 30 after a three-year battle with leukemia. The team has said that the league is allowing them to wear those uniforms twice this season.

Some fans have stated they plan to wear suits to the Monday night game, as a sign of support for Nolan. The folks at Reebok and the NFL are allowing him to wear a suit on the sideline for all 49ers home games. Nolan would like to wear a suit for every game - home and away. When asked what he would think if he sees fans wearing suits, Nolan replied, "I hope they're comfortable."

He said fans coming to the game in suits might be akin to the fans wearing their team colors and jerseys to a game. Then, he spoke about his motivation.

"What I'm doing it for is from the standpoint of respect," Nolan said. "I don't want to make it more than that."

Wide-out Brewer On The Shelf - Talent show to remember Herrion

San Francisco wide receiver C.J. Brewer is expected to miss this season after tearing a ligament in his right knee.

Brewer, a second-year pro who spent last season on the 49ers' practice squad, said he'll have surgery on Friday.

A longshot to make the San Francisco roster, Brewer was injured during practice on Tuesday when he caught a pass, attempted a violent cut and his knee buckled.

"It's just a road bump," Brewer said. "I'll be back in the offseason, ready to compete again."
Brewer, who wasn't drafted after his senior season at Wyoming in 2005, wasn't allowed to play in NFL Europe this summer, because league doctors couldn't detect an ACL in his left knee. He tore that ligament four years ago.

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The 49ers marked the second anniversary of Thomas Herrion's death with a team talent show Tuesday named in his honor. Coach Mike Nolan said last year the team paid tribute to Herrion, but it was a sorrowful occasion. Nolan said this year's talent show was something that the good-natured Herrion (left,in 2005) would have appreciated. Rookie Patrick Willis was among the standout performers. He wore a wig and tried to do a musical impression of James Brown, Nolan said. Nolan noted of Willis' singing, "The high notes were tough for him to get to, but he tried." Nolan thoroughly enjoyed the comic performance, and afterward he passed along his compliments to Willis.

Herrion provided special memories during training camp of 2005. Herrion made a memorable impression when he came to the rescue of quarterback Alex Smith, his former Utah teammate. Smith was supposed to sing the Utah fight song. When Smith was clearly struggling, Herrion came to the rescue. Herrion stood at the back of the room and starting singing along in quite animated fashion.

Several days later, Herrion died of a heart attack in the moments after an Aug. 20, 2005, exhibition game against the Denver Broncos.

Walsh Honored at Public Service

Fans of Bill Walsh paid tribute Friday to the Hall of Fame 49ers coach, describing him as a legend who uplifted the football franchise and the city. San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom told the crowd Friday the field at Monster Park would be named after Walsh, although the name of the stadium won't change. "He shared his action, he shared his passion and he made our lives better," Newsom said. Hundreds gathered at the field at Candlestick Park to celebrate Walsh, who died of leukemia on July 30 at 75.

Friday's service included a gospel choir singing "Amazing Graze" and a video recounting Walsh's achievements. Several of Walsh's former players, including Jerry Rice, Steve Young and Joe Montana, attended the event. Young described Walsh as a great football strategist who frustrated opponents with his plays on offense. "He helped us climb the mountain to the championship," Young said. "He made us all feel like champions." Walsh led the 49ers to three Super Bowl championships and revolutionized many aspects of the game during a decade as the team's coach. Overall, he won 10 of his 14 postseason games and ended with a record of 102-63-1.

Other speakers at Friday's memorial service recalled how Walsh and the 49ers uplifted the city during turbulent times. Sen. Dianne Feinstein said San Francisco was reeling from the assassinations of mayor George Moscone and supervisor Harvey Milk, the emerging HIV epidemic and the massacre of roughly 900 Californians in Jonestown. She recalled watching Montana's famous pass to Dwight Clark to win the 1981 NFC Championship Game. Montana said before his death, Walsh asked him to tell the players how much he loved them.

Mourners pay tribute to Walsh at memorial

From the Associated Press

STANFORD, Calif. -- Bill Walsh's family and friends joined the football fraternity in remembering the Hall of Fame coach at a quietly buoyant memorial service Thursday, praising the 49ers great as both an innovative leader and a loyal friend. More than 1,000 mourners gathered at Stanford Memorial Church to honor Walsh, who died of leukemia on July 30 at 75. They walked to the church through solemn rows of Stanford football players wearing their jerseys in honor of Walsh, who won three Super Bowls and revolutionized many aspects of the NFL during a decade on the San Francisco sideline. "He was a man who stood astride the football culture in America like a colossus for 10 years," said Harry Edwards, a noted sports sociologist and longtime friend who delivered Walsh's eulogy. "He walked with generals, senators and secretaries of state, but never lost his common touch."

Kathy and Mike Nolan attend Thursday's service where Coach Nolan was asked to read. Hall of Fame quarterbacks Joe Montana and Steve Young made poignant remarks in a ceremony livened by joyous music from San Francisco's famed Glide Ensemble choir -- just as Walsh envisioned when the consummate planner made arrangements for his own service in the months before his death. "Bill died the way he lived: with sublime grace and with class," said former 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo, who hired Walsh. "Up until the very end, Bill led us by example. ... Nearing the end, he always said that we were in the fourth quarter. Bill managed that fourth quarter with flawless accuracy." NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Sen. Dianne Feinstein also praised Walsh's forward thinking and vision for his team and the Bay Area community. Feinstein, the San Francisco mayor when Walsh took over the 49ers in 1979, recalled the team's ability to lift its beleaguered city with three championships. Walsh, who didn't become an NFL head coach until he was 47, went 102-63-1 with the 49ers, winning 10 of his 14 postseason games along with six division titles. He was voted NFL Coach of the Year in 1981 and 1984.

Most of the prominent coaches who trace their success to a job under Walsh attended the service, including George Seifert, Mike Holmgren, Dennis Green, Ray Rhodes and Pete Carroll, along with Walsh's former peers and friends, such as Don Shula, Dick Vermeil and John Madden. Current 49ers coach Mike Nolan read a passage of scripture. Jerry Rice and Ronnie Lott joined dozens of Walsh's former players with the 49ers and at Stanford, where he coached two terms over five seasons. "I live my life partly because of the way he molded me," a teary-eyed Montana said. "He took a 189-pound, skinny-legged quarterback out of western Pennsylvania and gave me the opportunity to continue doing something that I loved."

Thousands of 49ers fans are expected at Candlestick Park on Friday for a public memorial service honoring Walsh.