Harbaugh: ‘I like Alex … I like what I see on tape’

Jim Harbaugh was on the Murph & Mac Show on KNBR this morning.

Since I was asleep when the conversation began, I didn’t hear it in its entirety.

But Brian Murphy saved the obligatory Alex Smith questions for last so here are Harbaugh’s latest public comments on The Quarterback Who Inspires Quite An Emotional Response (the full audio is already up here, scroll down on page). Also, I’ll blog more highlights of the interview after getting out of bed, guzzling some coffee …

Q: Alex Smith is in your plans for 2011? He’s a free agent, right? So it could be up to him. Could you tell us that you two have worked out and what type of relationship you two have forged so far?

JH: “Well, I like Alex. And I like being around him and I like what I see on tape. It’s come up a lot and it’s really not that complicated of a thing. This is a very somewhat simple thing. We’re going to get the best possible quarterbacks we can on our football team and then we’re going to throw the ball out there and they’re going to compete for it. I believe that starting quarterbacks are not anointed. That is an earned position. It’s about as simple as that. I go back to football being a pure game. It is that and it shows up on the tape. And it’s my job to do the best evaluation for the organization and get the best quarterbacks that we can on our football team, and then we’ll go and that position will be earned.”

Q: Obviously you’ve spoken to him and you can’t speak for him, but he’s a free agent. So there’s almost a recruiting that you have to do, too? Because he can go wherever he wants when this CBA is settled.

JH: “Right. People are going to make decisions that they think are best for their family, best for themselves and best for the team. So, I’m not going to hide my feelings. I like Alex Smith, I like him as a football player, as a person and he’ll make the best decision for him. Some people say Alex Smith needs a fresh start — needs a new place to be or whatever. I say let that place be here.”

Jim Harbaugh was on the Murph & Mac Show on KNBR this morning.

Since I was asleep when the conversation began, I didn’t hear it in its entirety.

But Brian Murphy saved the obligatory Alex Smith questions for last so here are Harbaugh’s latest public comments on the Quarterback Who Inspires Quite An Emotional Response (the full audio is already up here, scroll down on page). Also, I’ll blog more highlights of the interview after guzzling some coffee …:

Q: Alex Smith is in your plans for 2011? He’s a free agent, right? So it could be up to him. Could you tell us that you two have worked out and what type of relationship you two have forged so far?

JH: Well, I like Alex. And I like being around him and I like what I see on tape. It’s come up a lot and it’s really not that complicated of a thing. This is a very somewhat simple thing. We’re going to get the best possible quarterback we can on our football team and then we’re going to throw the ball out there and they’re going to compete for it. I believe that starting quarterbacks are not anointed. That is an earned position. It’s about as simple as that. I go back to football being a pure game. It is that and it shows up on the tape. And it’s my job to do the best evaluation for the organization and get the best quarterbacks that we can on our football team and then we’ll go and that position will be earned.”

Q: Obviously you’ve spoken to him and you can’t speak for him, but he’s a free agent. So there’s almost a recruiting that you have to do, too? Because he can go wherever he wants when this CBA is settled.

JH: “Right. People are going to make decisions that they think are best for their family, best for themselves and best for the team. So, I’m not going to hide my feelings. I like Alex Smith, I like him as a football player, as a person and he’ll make the best decision for him. Some people say Alex Smith needs a fresh start — needs a new place to be or whatever. I say let that place be here.”

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