This is the opening for my Thursday article on what makes Aaron Rodgers special.
SANTA CLARA — The 49ers face Keyser Soze this Saturday night.
I’m not talking about the mythical villain from the 1995 movie The Usual Suspects. I’m talking about Aaron Rodgers, the Packers’ quarterback, the best quarterback in the NFL.
When he played at Cal, NFL scouts mistook him for Verbal Kint, Soze’s diminutive, handicapped alter ego. Rodgers was unorthodox, he held the football next to his ear when he stood in the pocket, and he was relatively short and awkward for a quarterback.
Twenty-three teams passed on him in the first round of the 2005 NFL draft. He sat in the green room for hours and smiled sheepishly at cameras while TV analysts talked about how sorry they felt for him.
And then the Packers drafted him. Rodgers walked onto the stage, shook Paul Tagliabue’s hand, held up a Packers jersey and left.
And like that, he was gone.
You could imagine him as Verbal Kint, limping off the stage, leaving the building and then all of a sudden losing the limp, lighting a cigarette and becoming Keyser Soze, the most feared man in the world.
To read the full article, click here.
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He’s the man. 9ers can beat him though.
Grant
My apologies for doubting your intent during this fortnight. You really are bringing some interesting reads!!! Thanks.
Great read braddah, but one man doesn’t beat a team and neither does one players emotions about being passed up. This story is old and dragged out.
The media loves this story more than Terrell Owens antics I swear hopefully Roman opens up the play book for Kaepernapskiiiii and the pistol offense.
Big runs inside will open up the outside with that pistol and walker and miss downfield. Sorry Vernon won’t be getting passed to hopefully A couple screens to Speedy James.
Let James punt and kick Return Ted Ginn is a cancer and bad luck bust. Hopefully Jenkins can put his big boy pants on but I doubt it. Our niners are going to win by 10, 28-18 I bleed RednGold.
8 years has passed and Aaron is still talking about the 2005 draft and how the niners passed on him! Come on man move on! I was a Rogers fan then but it worked out the best for him or he could have played for a few defensive coaches with out success.
Really, Chicago, do you think Rogers brought the draft up, or does it sound more like a rehashed question from a lame-o blogger?
>>Twenty-three teams passed on him in the first round of the 2005 NFL draft.
Actually is was 21 teams. Minnesota and Dallas, having 2 first round picks, passed twice.
Ribico is … (wait for it) …
“The Truth Whisperer”
Just a little fact checking. Now that Grant has received the promotion from mere blogger to esteemed feature writer he’s going to be held to account for these things.
All in good fun, Grant – congratulations!
Don’t have a clue about the people you reference…
You have to watch the movie…it’s pretty good.
It’s DAMN good!
A Classic. One of Spaceys best acting jobs. palmianteri’s too
“How do you shoot the Devil in the back……What if you miss?”
Who the hell is Keyser Soze?
+1
Nick
Do you really not know about Keyser Soze and Verbal Kint?
Mr ever…. I think who the hell is Keyser Soze is a line from the film
As a former Golden Bear, I’m a fan of Rodgers and an happy for his success. But this week, he’s the enemy and must go down.
*am happy
As a guy that grew up in Berkeley and watched Cal football I was pissed that the 9ers didn’t draft Rodgers. Now not so much. He’s great and all but the success that my favorite team is having and the emergence of Kap have made me a happy 9er fan.
As good as Mike McCarthy’s offense has been the last 5 years it’s hard to believe the Niners offense was so horrible in 2005. McCarthy was Niners offensive coordinator and Niners were ranked dead last in total offense and 30th in scoring (only 14.9 points per game) in 2005.
Alex was a rookie but damn, those are horrific stats/facts. Especially with
Gore being so good then.
Crab … the four letter word you’re looking for is already in your comment. Explains everything. Nonfunctional.
The o-line was pretty non-functional for several years there too. No o-line? No offense.
based on Smith’s inability to avoid a sack, I’m going to say that the offensive line of 2006-2010 wasn’t as bad as some may think. Especially when they paved the way for a very productive run game.
In fact Bay, lets put the entire drafts, free agents, salary cap hell that the Niners were in from 2005-2009 on Alex as well. I mean we could also add the national debt, homelessness and poverty on him as well.
everything that was wrong was smiths fault?
Yes everything that went wrong with the 49ers is on Smith. According to some, even when he is on a different team, they will blame Alex for all that’s wrong with his old team.
Look at Smith’s numbers his 2nd and 3rd year and they are very Christian Ponder like. Unsatisfactory when they had the benefit of strong production from Frank Gore.
His best year was under Norv and he still turned it over 20 times. And that was with Turner as the coach and with Gore contributing almost 2200 yards from scrimmage by himself.
Bay, no one cares, Alex is not the starter anymore and most likely he wont play another game in SF. Let it go man, move on to the Pack and the playoffs.
FDM, for a guy who didn’t really like Alex, he sure seems to be infatuated with talking about him? Makes me wonder what really happened between the two?
I was responding to Angus. But thanks for inserting yourself in the conversation.
Yeah but you seem to have every negative stat on the guy from almost 8 years ago. You need to move on and or stop polluting the blog!
Why is bay obsessed with continuing the Alex Smith argument?
By the way, Smith played with a separated shoulder in half of his 2007 (third year) appearances. He also had the legendary Jim Hostler as his OC.
But let’s hold the results of those games against him anyway. That seems reasonable.
Why is bay obsessed with continuing the Alex Smith argument?
Because that’s all he knows!
Prime, beware, here comes the name calling.
There’s something about being “right” that puts me on a pedestal. I don’t need to name call. I just need to look down on you and know that I knew what I was talking about and some other folks didn’t.
By the way for those of you traveling in, consider taking bus 79 from Union Square. It’s a straight shot and after the game they let the buses go through.
Pre game we go to Lefty O’douls and warm up by drinking duck farts….. Sort of a tradition.
“There’s something about being “right” that puts me on a pedestal.”
Right? LOL
But bay are’nt you really just like the rest of us here just guessing the majority of the time with no real expertise in the subject. I know when i make a prediction here if i end up being right i was probably very lucky. we all have opinions on a million different subjects on this blog and if we are right 55% of the time we would be on the high end around here. So if you feel you were right about Alex Smith good for you but if you are like the rest of us do’nt gloat to long cause you might just be wrong regarding the next 5 subjects we discuss here.
But then again i might just be wrong on that subject also.
Coach,
You ever have a duck fart?
@ bay:
There’s something about being “right” that puts me on a pedestal.
So you have a pedestal, but you’ve never been on it?
I don’t need to name call. I
And yet you do it all the time.
“There’s something about being “right” that puts me on a pedestal. I don’t need to name call. I just need to look down on you and know that I knew what I was talking about and some other folks didn’t.”
Bay, the organization was terrible during that time. Smith had little chance to succeed with those teams. Nolan and Singletary were terrible coaches. He isn’t the player that people expected him to be when he was picked, but he turned his career around with good coaching. Just stop talking about the guy already, he isn’t the starter. Let’s move on and watch CK develop. I’m thankful that Smith is there to help CK’s learning curve and I wish him the best in the future.
Mike Mularkey fired in Jacksonville.
Adios Señor Gregory
GRo must have a smile on his face
http://www.csncalifornia.com/blog/matt-maiocco/jaguars-gm-hire-roman-becomes-coaching-candidate
From NFL.com
“The assumption here is that Caldwell is going to pursue his former college roommate and current San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator, Greg Roman. With the 49ers set to embark on their NFC playoff run Saturday night against the Green Bay Packers, that reunion will need to wait, but Jacksonville didn’t fire Mularkey without a plan.”
If Roman goes to Jacksonville, could John Morton and Alex Smith go with him?
Would they want to sign Delanie Walker in the offseason?
Grant, got Shahid Khan on my speed-dial . . . hang on . . . Nope, Tim Tebow is his man that’s going to fill the stadium . . . and wait . . . He asks who Greg Roman is? LOL
Grant good question, I could see Smith going with Roman not sure about Morton tho.
However, he did offer to trade Blaine Gabbert and a lifetime supply of automotive parts for Harbaugh’s pickup in exhange for Scott Tolzein.
I don’t see Roman bringing Smith with him anywhere.
GR may be the choice as HC for the Jags. I could see him bringing AS with him. The Jags have a $12M investment in BGab and he hasn’t played consistently since being drafted. If GR brought AS in, the Jags could focus on defense with the #2 pick. Some think they will go after JJones of Georgia. If, and that’s a big if, GR joins DCald, it would make sense to bring AS. Not sure that would be AS’s first choice though.
Hof it will be interesting to see if GRO is hired who he selects as his QB. I think that if it is Alex, we will know more if he was onboard with the QB switch here in SF or not.
It could be that Harbaugh had this planned all along and was waiting for this opportunity to insert CK.
FDM, I agree. Additionally, we’ll also be able to find out more about the playcalling. Who really owns it? Regarding the insertion of CK, based on him getting snaps as early as the first game against GB, it seems that was the plan all along or at least get him comfortable enough to take over in 2013. I still didn’t like to see a player lose their job due to injury, but it is what it is.
Khan, the Jags owner, has stated he wants to hire the best HC available. To me, that sounds like he wants somebody with HC experience. I’m not sure that having a relationship with Caldwell will get Roman the job. If he does, good luck.
As far as getting AS, they already have Henne don’t they? Jags have the #2 overall draft pick and my bet is that if they want a QB, they’ll trade back to get either Matt Barkley or Tyler Wilson because KC will be drafting Geno Smith at #1 and neither Barkley or Wilson are worthy of a #2 overall draft pick. But I would not be surprised if KC did not try to get AS anyway to be the starter while Geno Smith who is considered a little raw, learns on the sidelines.
I agree Hof. I am okay with CK being the better talent and eventual successor. I think the plan all along was for him to be that in 2013 or 2014. But, like you, the idea of losing your job to injury is not right. Then again, when has life in the NFL ever been about right or fairness. We move on with Kap and hopefully a big win this weekend.
Geno Smith won’t go #1. He will get drafted in the top 10 but he’s not even worth a top 15 pick IMHO. I wouldn’t be surprised to see KC pick Luke Joekel or one of the top d-lineman coming out.
I always feel like a player should lose his job to injury, especially to a guy that’s better. If PW got hurt and lost his job to a better player, I’d feel the same. A coaches job is to play the best players.
Obviously 23 you have never coached and dont understand the ramifications it can possibly have on your lockeroom or potential recruits. Once you incorporate that philosophy into your program, you pigeon hole yourself. Players or recruits are always then looking over their shoulders thinking when will I be replaced? I better not disclose my injury or get injured cause I will then be gone. Players then tend to play cautious and nervous.
Now you are right. The coaches job is to play the best players. What stinks is that Alex never got an opportunity to prove he was not the best player. He should have started against the Rams. Given a half if need be to see if he was capable of playing at a high level as he was before he got hurt. Ithink you owe that to any player coming off an injury.
Now none of this matters but the way JH went about it was wrong in my opinion which means zero.
Don’t know Houston, Geno Smith seems to be the consensus #1 overall on every draft board I’ve looked at for months now. Who do you see KC drafting instead of a QB? You think Reid is going to stick with Cassell and Quinn? Bring in Vick?
Houston, saw your picks . . . OT and DL.
Well, if KC picks him then they are the biggest idiots in the league. Picking Geno Smith #1 overall would result in a Jamarcus Russell type bust. The kid can throw the ball around a little bit but the story around here is that he has the mentality of Ryan Leaf and the work ethic of Jamarcus Russell. I’m sure that will all come out in the wash. KC needs line help more than anything.
Here’s an interesting little connection re: Geno Smith compared to Alex Smith.
http://www.arrowheadpride.com/2012/12/29/3814316/nfl-draft-2013-geno-smith-alex-smith-comparison
FDM
Alex never got an opportunity to prove he was not the best player
Isn’t 8 years enough of an opportunity?
Nick when I hear people use Alex Smith’s first 3 years as an evaluation I think of people who probably just became 49er fans in the last 6 months. I say this because if you truly understood the lack of talent and coaching surrounding the team during those years, no way anyone would agree Alex had a chance. In fact no QB could have been successful in the way things developed during that time.
Now are you one of those people?
FDM,
Much repect for respectful dialouge. I respect your position.
+1, 23.
Jack,
Why don’t you think Smith ends up in Jax if Roman is the HC there?
It wont be Gino smith. We hadnt even had the senior Bowl yeat and stocks always rise and fall. Barkly was a consensus #1 before the season and now he is out of the top 10 so there is movement all the time. Who saw the WVU game in yaknee stadiun in the snow? Did that look like a number 1 pick? Even for a QB needy team pickin a QB #1 (when he is not the best palyer on the board) bombs faar more often then it works out
Grant
Do you think Delanie is a MUST re-sign type of free-agent?
No, his hands aren’t good enough and he’s not really a Y tight end. He’s an H-Back, or an F.
I’d bet they’ll offer him a contract, but I don’t think they’ll blow him out of the water.
Yeah, too many good TE’s in the draft for Delanie to be a must sign. Grant, do you know how much money the 9ers owe Vernon? I remember seeing that they restructured his contract when the resigned Navorro. Would it be possible for them to move on from Vernon with his salary and production not matching?
FDM
I have to resist calling you a name that rhymes with “tupid” right now. Here’s why …
FDM writes: “Obviously 23 you have never coached and dont understand the ramifications it can possibly have on your lockeroom or potential recruits … Players or recruits are always then looking over their shoulders thinking when will I be replaced?”
If you are a Niner fan, then you understand that Bill Walsh was the best coach in the history of all of sports. If you know Bill Walsh, you know that it was his daily mission to create an atmosphere on his teams in which “players [were] always then looking over their shoulders thinking when will I be replaced?” He thought it made them forever strive for perfection. The best man played. Kaepernick is the best QB on the Niners roster, and it took him just a single game to show it.
Grant
Is the Niners offensive system something that another guy like Delanie could easily pick up? I know he needs to work on his hands, but his versatility is pretty special. There are a couple of guys like Cobb and Harvin running around, but not too many short, fast, strong TEs like Delanie, who can run deep an short routes against cornerbacks, get leverage like a fullback, and kill a guy like Mebane on a wham!
How much do you think he’s worth? His catch rate is 56.8 percent this season.
And his drop rate is 36.8.
Thirty six point eight!
I like Philip Lutzenkirchen in the middle rounds.
http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft/player/_/id/30179
How can you go wrong with a TE named Lutzenkirchen
He can fix those hands. I know they’re terrible, but he hasn’t really been a focus until Kaep started playing. Trust me, I hate some of his costly, memorable drops over the years, but I thought when he fisted his chest while mouthing some encouragement to CK last game after dropping one, then made up for it with a big catch, well, that showed me something. It’s the lack of focus drops that plague him, not the circus catches. Spend an off-season with Crab and he can fix those skillets. Vernon’s hands aren’t that great. Delanie can do it.
So what would I pay? I don’t know, but more than the next highest bidder, unless unreasonable. It’s his unique contributions to the team that will be hard to replace. Probably around $4M per year.
The thing is that anybody that follows the draft knows that many teams are willing to make a “reach” to get that “franchise QB.” We see it every year as football fans with examples of QB’s taken much earlier than they should have – or could have in many cases. QB’s like Locker, Ponder, Tannehill and Weeden that really should have went in the 2nd round were pushed up because of how team teams are almost manical in their search for an upgrade at QB. The 2013 draft is considered one of the thinnest for QB’s, but just watch how many there will those taken earlier than they should have.
So glad Harbaalke actually understands Draft value. I remember “draft experts” projecting the 9ers picking Gabbert. Ugh. Kap in round 2? Money.
Exit Alex, the offense will flourish!
Oops.
Exit Roman, exit Delanie and all others with stone hands, the offense will flourish!
Maybe an Oops, we’ll see. Who will take the fall then? In any case we can always blame the kicker.
I’m going to make a prediction. If Roman ends up else where you will not see a measurable difference in the 49ers offense next year. Hopefully CK will continue to improve Jenkins will begin to produce but schemeing and play calling will remain basicly the same. As this is Jim Harbaughs offense and just like this year his O coordinator will follow his instructions.
@ old coach:
As this is Jim Harbaughs offense and just like this year his O coordinator will follow his instructions.
Exactly. I don’t know why that idea is so hard for some people to grasp. If Harbaugh was unhappy with Roman’s game plans, play-calling, etc., he would have changed them by now. Short of Harbaugh firing him in the offseason, I don’t see how anyone could come to the conclusion that Roman hasn’t been doing what Harbaugh wants.
Agree. Quite honestly that’s how it should be. If a HC isn’t the one making the decisions on what offense to run and at least have input on game planning and play calls then why even have the head coach? The head coach was presumably hired because he showed proficiency at something. In Harbaugh’s case it’s on the offensive side so he should leverage his expertise by influencing whomever is acting as the OC.
Not to mention he brought him from Stanford with him.
Not a big fan of AR! A little too arrogant for me. We must break him!
I don’t know if I’ve ever heard anyone think of AR as arrogant, but okay..
He seems like a class act to me. What makes you think he’s arrogant? Is it the smile on his face between plays? You know he picked that up directly by watching Brett Favre, right?
Fourth,
You haven’t been paying attention, if you haven’t heard about AR’s tendency towards arrogance.
He also showed himself to be kind of foolish on twitter, after his buddy Ryan Braun got off on a technicalilty, he tweeted, “To all of you haters – SSSSHHHHHHHHHH!”
I like the guy, but he definitely has a jerky side to him.
Rodgers is a great QB. As a Cal alumni I wish the Niners had taken him. But it is a team game and if he doesn’t get protection he can’t make the throws. Let’s hope Fangio has a few ideas for getting pressure on Rogers.
If Rodgers wants to blame someone for dropping down in the draft, he should blame Kyle Boller (and David Carr and Akili Smith). Boller had 3 so-so years at Cal, then a tremendous senior year in Tedford’s first season, wowed folks at the combine throwing thru the uprights kneeling from the 50 yard line, picked first round by Baltimore and went on to be a bust. Similar to David Carr who was coached by Tedford at Fresno State and Akili Smith at Oregon. So when Rodgers put up numbers at Cal, NFL scouts discounted it as a product of Tedford’s system.