he's got the fever

Have you seen this year's version of NE quarterback Tom Brady? He's let his hair grow out...

he's got Bieber Fever!

it's great being quarterback, except...

for the way their stats are kept. Here's what I mean: say a quarterback is 9 for 20 in pass completions for a given game. Horrors! - they've completed less than 50% of their passes. But wait... let's say that the receivers misplayed or dropped 6 perfectly catchable balls. If that's the case, then it's mentioned as an additional statistic but never like the two stats are actually related. Well, if those passes were caught then wouldn't the quarterback have been 15 for 20? And had a 75% completion rate?

Then there are the passing plays when nothing is developing properly down the field and the best play actually is to just throw the ball away, out of bounds or something like that. Yet, it's just noted as another incompletion. And when the stats are read the next day, and discussed, and commented upon, no further examination needed - the quarterback's level of play is all there in the numbers. Or not.

At least in baseball (known for their stats, by the way), there is a distinction made between earned runs and unearned runs, for example. Although the stats are often misleading there as well: a pitcher can have a low ERA, but still have a win-loss record that doesn't reflect it because of a lack of run support. Still, that just takes a little more attention to the numbers - it still doesn't bother me as much as much as the misleading simplicity applied to the stats of a quarterback.

And while I'm thinking of it, when a quarterback is having a bad slump, what are the easiest, most convenient game highlights to show? Why it's when they're being sacked, of course! Being sacked makes them look bad, but it's not necessarily directly related to their performance. Perhaps they are hanging on to the ball too long instead of throwing to open receivers and thus getting sacked, but it could just as easily be due to other reasons: missed blocks, poorly run routes, whatever. But why not just show the poor sap getting sacked?

Come to think of it, maybe it's not so great being quarterback!

But it is great being Big Man on Campus.

preseason game - 49ers vs. Raiders

Hey, it's always a good feeling to win! Yet I find myself myself more concerned with whether or not the 49ers are prepared as well as possible for the regular season, when the games count in the standings. Will the lessons they need to learn from their victory over the Raiders make as much of an impression on their psyches compared to had they lost instead? With all that still needs ironing out, I can't believe that the league is considering reducing the pre-season schedule to only two games. Oh alright, I already went over this in a recent entry.

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One area I do feel extremely satisfied with is how adept the team is with their late-round draft picks. Just this year, having traded away both their 4th and 5th round picks, the team still had three picks in the 6th round and one in the 7th, and it looks like they found a lot of late-round keepers: Anthony Dixon, Nate Byham, Kyle Williams, and Phillip Adams. In last night's game, Adams, a small school pick, gave every Niner fan a big sigh of relief with how well he returned punts. He looked steady and confident, sure-handed and as a huge bonus, returned a punt for a touchdown! He's a cornerback and his play there has also been superb; many fans were concerned that the 49ers didn't use any of their earlier draft picks on a cornerback, waiting until the 7th-round when they chose Adams - well, that is certainly working out so far. It also allowed them to bolster other positions with their early draft picks.

In last year's draft, the 49ers selected Ricky Jean Francois in the 7th-round and he's looking like a steal too as he's playing back-up nose guard (or is it nose tackle?) to Aubrayo Franklin. Starting wideout Josh Morgan was drafted in the 6th-round in 2008, and offensive tackle Alex Boone went undrafted altogether and he appears to be maximizing his potential now.

It's so satisfying knowing that the Niners are making good picks through all 7 rounds of the draft; having recently traded Kentwan Balmer to the Seahawks for a 6th-round pick, it's like musing whether or not one would trade him for a, say, Anthony Dixon - and the answer to that is a resounding "Yes!" So next year, let's hope that the draft goes as well again; good picks can happen up and down the draft, and undrafted players are even Hall of Fame material (John Randle).

bands and food

My brother's friend, Ken, is one of the wittiest people I've ever known. Many years ago, a bunch of us went camping and to while away the time we went around in a circle, each of us trying to come up with band names that were also food; for example, Bread, the Raspberries, etc. Naturally, after a while we were each stumped. But Ken came up with this bit of inspiration: Sushi and the Banshees.

So with food in mind, I find myself wondering what if the 'Bad Boys of Rock and Roll' had instead decided to name themselves The Rolling Scones?

3 pre-season games sounds about right

So now it appears the NFL owners will soon be discussing whether or not to eliminate 2 pre-season games while extending the regular season by those same 2 games for a total of 18. I can't even remember when there were 6 games in the pre-season, and only 14 games in the regular season. Is that right? Even further back, were there only 12 games in the regular season? How many games did those (ever so) annoying Miami Dolphins have to win when they went undefeated in the early 1970's?

Whereas the 4 games in the pre-season football teams now have to play could seem a bit excessive (keeping in mind that it used to 6), I wonder how the coaches and players feel. They're the ones whose opinions should matter the most. Personally, I don't see why the regular season can't be extended to 17 games and the pre-season reduced down to 3 games first and see how that goes. 3 pre-season games seems about right for teams to be able to assess who should make their final rosters.

I was listening to ESPN radio early this morning, and the hosts were discussing their opinions about the prospect of reducing the pre-season while extending the regular season. One point that was made is if the league does make that change, then it makes sense to expand the team rosters (as well as the game-day rosters) at the same time. I would like that. Teams run the risk of running short of suited-up players as it is, what with the proliferation of injuries.

Like I mentioned in a previous entry to this blog, I'm not looking forward to the cuts that will have to be made before the season starts. Each one of these players has a story to tell of work and sacrifice. Some have the most amazing of life stories; for example, check out Jehuu Caulcrick, who is trying to make the team as a fullback.

Can't help but root for this guy...

preseason game - Vikings vs. 49ers

Winning is always a good feeling, and yet I have to tell myself that it's just a preseason game. What's most important is that the coaching staff and players learned as much as possible to best prepare for when the regular season starts. By the way, yes, the 49ers won!

Some people feel that preseason games are a big bore after the 1st-string players leave the game. As a fan, and especially a fan during modern times and the Internet (from which I can constantly be updated about the team and the players), I enjoy watching the game from beginning to end... I want to see everyone play and root for them to play well. I want them all to do well enough to make the team, and it is such a shame when some don't make the cut. Teams will have to pare their rosters down to 75 players soon, and all the way to 53 by the time the season starts. Some will still remain by being assigned(?) to the practice squad, and others will be let go entirely. If they don't attach themselves to other teams, then their dreams will have to wait, if that.

The next opponent? The Oakland Raiders! My 2nd favorite Bay Area football team. And both the 49ers and Raiders are undefeated so far this preseason, which doesn't amount to a hill of beans. But it will be fun to watch anyway. This Saturday night.

breathe, just breathe

At some point, the entries on my Facebook wall went up exponentially; it seems that all the things I listed as things I liked were automatically put on as 'likes' on their corresponding fan pages. I've recently gotten wall posts about 'Heart', 'Crowded House', 'Mad Men' - many more.

The most pleasant surprise lately was hearing from Anna Nalick. You see, it was maybe two years ago that I finally discovered her for myself on YouTube. I happened to click on the video for her song 'Breathe (2 am)' and I remembered hearing it on the radio. I learned that it had really gained in popularity when it was used on the TV show 'Grey's Anatomy.' It's easy to imagine that song being used in a scene from that show.

So I was quite excited seeking out what information I could about her. I spent hours on YouTube finding more I could listen to (back when I could access YouTube without locking up my browser - I seriously need to upgrade). One of my favorite performances was her singing 'Breathe' live with just a single acoustic guitar (played by her band's guitarist) for accompaniment. A gorgeous song, and it doesn't hurt that Anna is mighty fetching herself!

I also managed to find a website where she frequently updated an online journal, documenting her thoughts about the tour she was on back then. But my timing was terrible, because just when I was getting into her, her entries stopped and it seemed that she had disappeared from the music scene entirely, with just one formal studio album release 'Wreck of the Day' and an EP called 'Shine.'

Well, just as quickly as she disappeared (and I couldn't ever figure out where she went), she's started making music again! She's scheduling performances, updating her Facebook fans about where she'll be performing. If I should ever see her live, I hope she sings one of my favorite songs of hers, 'Home.' To my knowledge, it isn't available as a studio recording and I've only found a couple of live performances that were posted on YouTube. And not only do I hope she includes it in concert, but I hope she records it in the studio. It's one of those songs I could listen to over and over again. Although I would find myself pretending she's singing it about me, it seems that she's really singing about her cat. Oh well...

another hazard for catchers

Watching the Giants game last night, I saw a potentially horrific thing happen: the Phillies batter utilized the frightful technique of letting the bat go with one hand in his follow-through after swinging at a pitch, which enabled the bat to hit new star catcher Buster Posey smack in the back of the head, if not the back of his neck. I hate whenever I see that happen; perhaps I should be happy it doesn't happen more often. Posey went down for awhile, and although he stayed in the game, I have to think he played the rest of the game with a major headache. I don't know what can be done to prevent this from happening in the future, as nothing is being done now. As if playing catcher isn't hazardous enough as it is. Thank goodness they wear lots of protection to protect their heads, front and back. Maybe they need to wear more.

Nos. 21, 33, and now, 20

Wow, I write about a bunch of stuff in yesterday's entry and lo and behold, yet another bit of big news happens that same afternoon with the Niners: the signing of running back Brian Westbrook (who will wear No. 20)! I've only associated him with playing for the Philadelphia Eagles, and had to read about why he was even available to sign. He was released by the Eagles earlier this year to make room for a 'youth movement' with the team - Westbrook will turn 31 in a couple of weeks. Plus he was hampered by injuries last season. Should he remain healthy for the 49ers, he is a stellar pick up for the team. With his versatility, he may even work out better than had Glen Coffee not retired; it will also allow Anthony Dixon (No. 33) to develop under another talented and experienced veteran besides Frank Gore (No. 21).

Another encouraging sign is Westbrook chose to sign with the 49ers over several other teams, who ostensibly offered more money. From watching him being interviewed yesterday, one of the reasons is because of the opportunity to play for Coach Singletary. It was great hearing him say that!

preseason game - 49ers vs. Colts

So much to talk about! I suppose that is true with any team; however with the 49ers this year, it's been a particularly unusual training camp and preseason: one former first-round pick stopped showing up for practice (it's now being reported that the 49ers have traded Kentwan Balmer to the NFC West rival Seattle Seahawks for a sixth-round pick in next year's draft... from the first-round down to the sixth-round... talk about a loss in investment!); and just recently, last year's third-round pick, Glen Coffee, has up and retired from the league already. And that's aside from the injuries, which do in fact affect every team.

I've been reading different opinions about these events and yesterday's game too. Even as a fan, I try not to get too high while at the same time not get too low with my emotions. I'm always trying to avoid any 'knee-jerk' reactions! But here are some thoughts:

One thing I'd like to see is some way of comparing the 'success rates' of all 32 NFL teams regarding the draft. A lot of fans are coming down on the 49ers for their draft picks, particularly the higher ones. Shouldn't they have 'vetted' each of their picks better? Well, as we all know, it's a lot easier to do now in hindsight. I figure the 49ers would grade out well relative to most other teams. Some hits and some misses. And they seem to be balancing themselves out well with their lower round picks.

I'm a big fan of Coach Singletary. I believe that he brings out the best in his players, both in the way they play football and also their character as men. That Balmer decided he needed a change of atmosphere and Coffee decided to pursue the ministry instead of playing anymore are exceptions - I trust that Singletary is a great, inspiring leader. That is why I am perfectly comfortable with whomever they draft, even the ones that are considered to be 'character risks.' I'll always remember his edict: "I want winners! I want people that want to win."

Although reading too much into preseason games is pure folly, I really like this Anthony Dixon kid! The 49ers have gotten good performances from different running backs in preseason games before, but Dixon has an extra something or two that is cause for real optimism. He's a big back, yet runs with light feet (and a powerful stiff-arm). In other words, he's built like a fullback, but runs like a halfback. He's got good instincts to be elusive from would-be tackers, as opposed to always trying to run over people. I've read that all he needs to do now is improve at picking up blitzes and blocking to protect his quarterback. But running with the ball... check!

Speaking of quarterback, it's a touchy subject. I'm a supporter of Alex Smith and this is the year we've been waiting for. He's had a chance to soak up the same playbook over the course of two seasons, he's healthy, and he's got a heck of a supporting cast around him. This is his time to shine. But watching yesterday's game brought up some of my old worries about his ability: his passes tend to be high, thus setting up his receivers to be vulnerable to big hits and the ball being tipped; and how naturally can he lead his receivers with his throws, particularly on short passes? What I noticed when his backups David Carr and Nate Davis were playing is that they lead their receivers naturally where they don't have to break stride to catch the ball. At the pro level, I would expect this ability to be fundamental. I'm reminded of a former player for the Los Angeles Dodgers named Steve Sax. Here was a professional athlete, a major league second basemen, and he went through a phase of not being able to make the short throw to first base accurately after fielding a routine ground ball. It's like a mental block. Hitting the outlet receiver in stride should be automatic for any NFL quarterback. I hope Smith alleviates my concern about making such a throw.

retiring so young

Running back Glen Coffee yesterday shocked the 49ers organization and its fans by retiring from professional football... at age 23. This was only going to be his 2nd season in the NFL, playing backup to featured back Frank Gore.

Coffee's average yard per carry wasn't too impressive last year, and led many people to comment that he was a disappointment - yet from what I observed from the 49ers running game last season, there were few yards to be gained by anybody with the lack of space to run. It's a team game after all, and improvements to the offensive line were aggressively addressed this past draft with choices to offensive tackle and offensive guard with the 49ers' two first round picks.

An improved passing game would also help the running game as opposing teams aren't be able to 'stack the box'; honoring the threat of a viable passing game opens up opportunities to run the ball. And I have to believe that the 49ers passing game will be much, much improved this coming season.

Over the weeks I'd been tempted to remark about this on a discussion board: improvements to the blocking and passing games would lead to improvements by our running backs, including Glen Coffee. But for Coffee at least, it's a moot point now.

I wish him the best.

at the end of the fortnight...

That will be my phrase, just to be different.

G.O.A.T. - HOF - Flash 80

Tomorrow, Jerry Rice is being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Obviously, it's well deserved. There is even talk that not only was he the greatest wide receiver to ever play the game, but that he was the greatest football player ever, period. Not a bad case for that argument...

It's been a joy over the past week watching the coverage that this has been getting, including Jerry being interviewed sitting next to his presenter, Eddie DeBartolo, Jr. outside the Hall of Fame building. Oh what a happy time it was for us 49er fans watching him play!

Here's something to look forward to during the ceremonies that has been hinted at: the late, great Bill Walsh is reputed to have filmed something with the anticipation of Jerry's induction into the Hall. Coach Walsh was already aware of his impending death, yet also knew that Jerry would absolutely have his day in the sun... so Coach wanted to help honor Jerry. What I learned from the interview with Jerry and Mr. DeBartolo was that the presenters have already pre-taped their induction speeches; if a tape of Coach Walsh does indeed exist for this momentous occasion, I am guessing that it will be made a part of Mr. DeBartolo's filmed tribute. I can't wait!

And Jerry admitted that if Coach Walsh is a part of the ceremony and shares some kind words about him, he will lose it. If this rumor is true, I'm sure that many of us will be bawling too!