49ers’ Colin Kaepernick can succeed by being ‘one of the guys’

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  1. If Kaep is somehow able to beat out Gabbert which isn’t a Given he’ll need to be more vocal and realize he HAS to be the Leader of the team.

    We’ll see

    1. A QB doesn’t necessarily need to be a vocal leader. Johnny Unitas was a very quiet person and rarely said anything. Other players would give fiery speeches before games to motivate the team. When people turned to Unitas for his words, he always said the same thing, “Talk is cheap.” If a QB earns the trust of his teammates by actually producing and being successful on the field, the team will follow him anywhere even if he is a quiet person.

  2. Kaepernick’s success is dependent on his health and pushing all his Chips into Kelly’s offense. For both of these guys, winning is a cure for all ails….

  3. interesting piece. as far as one of your “advice column” stories it’s one of your better ones.

    ultimately what will determine Kaepernick’s success is how well he executes the offenses as the QB. Leadership is a component of success. An important one but not the end all be all. Leadership helps get the team get through difficult stretches; bad games, poor perfomances etc..

    Leadership may also effect player performance by Kaepernick as well as his teammates. As much as we’d like to believe our actions are purely rational based; they’re not. Much of them are either entirely or by nuance emotionally based. How does that effect player performance? Receivers can cross the field and risk hits because they know the system and know it’s their route responsibility. But as far as behavioral nuance goes that receiver may feel good/strongly about his QB’s abilities which becomes confidence that the ball will come to them and therefore just a little extra effort is made to catch the ball…or at least it’s expected and doesn’t catch the receiver off guard. The QB’s feelings towards his receivers extends to his little extra belief that the receiver will make a play while making decisions in the pocket. Again, I’m not talking about conscious decisions but subconscious ones.

    I would argue that Kaepernick isn’t that far ahead of Gabbert as far as skill set goes. Sure Kaeperick is a bit faster and has a stronger arm. But Gabbert has a good strong arm…not a liability by any stretch of the imagination. Gabbert is also an excellent scrambler and quite fast (anywhere from an upper 4.5 to a mid 4.6 40) and he might be a bit quicker and more nimble. I’d say Gabbert has some great physical skills for a QB. But what everyone knows is that the primary knock on Gabbert is his fear of phantom footsteps. Which he’ll throw the safe underneath throw (and likely not get the 1st down) or completely wilt under pressure. Gabbert’s deficiencies aren’t skills based they’re inside the helmet based.

  4. Kaepernick is a shy guy. And that is a problem he has tried to overcome all of his life. It’s not that he doesn’t want to relate to others, he doesn’t know how. His background has made him feel awkward about himself. He’s adopted by white people and isn’t sure if he should consider himself black or white. His internal struggle makes him insecure and they way to overcome this is by working hard and playing hard.
    It still leaves him socially awkward when he has to relate to others, his tweets prove that he doesn’t know how to handle that.
    He thinks he can shut out the world and wears headphones
    Kap’s biggest enemy is Kap himself.

    1. For every story pushed by Grant about Kaepernick being shy and a loner, I have heard others that he is friendly and outgoing. I just don’t believe everything I read in the media.

      I remember a post game show on NFL network (in believe it was 2013) after a Sunday night game in which Kaepernick came on the set to talk to Coach Mariucci. Kaepernick was anything but shy and aloof in that interview. He brought over a gift bag for mooch, was smiling and interacting with Mooch in a professional and polite way, and basically was the exact opposite of the person people like Grant and Lowell portray him to be.

      Maybe it is because Mariucci has never tried to stab Kaepernick in the back as Grant, Lowell, Kawakami, Walcoff, and others in the bay area media have repeatedly tried to do. I certainly don’t blame Kaepernick for keeping these people at arm’s length.

      1. Montana on Kaepernick: “He’s a quiet person. He doesn’t share a lot. He doesn’t talk to a lot of the guys.”

      2. Shy people do well in a set situation where they know what’s going to happen.
        Interviews are something you can prepare for but look how Kap was performing when the questions were more confrontational or hostile. He becomes uptight and terse.

      3. I’ve heard from multiple people who went to college with him that he is an arrogant asshole

      4. Rick, I am not in the media and I had a very good conversation with a source not two weeks ago who told me that Kaepernick is not very well liked and is loner. I spent a good hour talking about all sorts of things we all wonder on this post. Great thing is I don’t have to wonder any longer. He was frank and honest, didn’t say it in s bad way, just matter of fact. Obviously, I would never disclose my source, but if you knew, you would question its veracity.

            1. Look Seb, I don’t care what you believe. Based on your posts, you don’t care what anyone tells you. I am nearly 50 years old, been a fan since my father took me to games in the 70’s. If I invited you into my world, you wouldnt question how learned what I learned, instead, you would just nod and thank me for letting me in.

              1. Trying to act like an insider so you can leak more smears does not endear me to you.

                No wonder Kaep wants to leave. It is a very toxic environment.

                It does sound like you are a FO toady, just doing their bidding.

                This is the whole problem with the Niner organization. They think that leaks and smears are just part of doing business as usual. It is their MO, and they leak like a sieve.

                I do care about what some posters think because I respect them, but if you think I am going to be awed by or intimidated because some supposed insider is dissing me, you will be sadly disappointed.

              2. Seb- No point in having a dialogue with you. You are just a defensive little child. Good luck though, you wear it well.

              3. Daniners, you will impress me more if you have cogent insight, instead of claiming insider knowledge that continues the leaks and smears.

                Maybe there is more than one person acting like a petulant child, and needs to start acting like an adult. I will say it again. Leaking smears and lies to disparage someone is not class, it is crass.

              4. Seb – what, are you friends with Kaepernick? He’s a public figure, athlete, an entertainer, this isn’t your next door neighbor. Same rules do not apply. Stop acting like I’ve injured him, or you.

                Smearing and leaking? Rich. This is a little blog site, where fans with too much time and too many opinions go to get their fix. The only voice being listened to is GC’s. The rest is just chatter. Sorry to burst your bubble.

                I chose to share information from a highly (beyond highly) reliable source saying Kaep’s a d**ck. I feel fortunate, I got the inside scoop. Now, move on.

              5. Daniners, if that person does not have the courage to face the cameras and declare what you say, he is a coward. Leaking smears behind some ones back is a cheap shot and a back stab. And SOP for the FO.

                Pardon me if I think you are on par with the leaker. I will only thank you when you apologize for leaking smears and lies.

              6. To be fair, Daniners posted in a thread which deals directly with Kap’s relationship with team members. Seb, if you call him a Toady then what does that make Joe Montana?

    2. The color of Kaps parents skin is irrelevant.
      If they loved him, that is far more important than the color of their flesh.

      Im white. But I guarantee you, I would rather be adapted by black folks that loved me than white ones who were indifferent to me.
      Too much about skin color-makes me very tired and bored.

    3. You are some what right. But the reason why Colin kaepernick respect cause he lost the loyalty Truthful and Respect from the locker room. Dating aldon Smith ex Nessa hoe ass. Is the reason why Colin cant be trusted no more also the front head office don’t like his ass too. Coiln lied to the front office about not having a fight or arguments on the field and had smith fired. Dating a Ex sloppy SECONDS.

  5. Grant, I wish to differ with your assessment of Joe Montana.

    From what I remember of the Glory Years, Joe was also a quiet guy and did his talking on the field. Joe did not say much, but when he did, people listened.

    Maybe you consider Joe to be loquacious and a chatterbox, but he seemed to me to be focused on winning games, not being the team spokesman.

    Kaep saw the writing on the wall when they drove away JH. He expected that he was next, and the players also saw the same thing. They did not buddy up to him because they did not want to be the next target. Locker room dynamics are complicated, and throwing shade on the franchise QB is a recipe for failure.

      1. Yep, when he won Super Bowls, he was the king. However, during his ND days, he was benched at times. During the first couple of years with the Niners, some players preferred Deberg. Joe kept quiet and put his nose to the grindstone.

        Players did not flock to him and consider him the next best thing since sliced bread.

        1. He was one of the guys at Notre Dame as well. He’d go out with his teammates regularly.

        2. I can practically see you tying yourself up in knots Seb, trying to justify Colin’s lack of leadership qualities, and refusing to come to grips with the fact that your boy Kap just isn’t a leader of men. However, denial doesn’t change reality.

          Joe Montana was a shy guy when it came to the media. And he wasn’t very boisterous in terms of his leadership. While he was a little shy around the media, his personality was was outgoing, when it came to building relationships. He has a very warm personality, and he related very well to his fellow teammates. Joe developed many personal friendships with the locker room. His leadership qualities came natural, so he never felt the need to force it.

          Colin simply isn’t a natural leader. He has an introverted personality, and doesn’t seem to place any importance on developing relationships within the locker room. He has a few close friends, and other than that, he keeps to himself. He actually used his headphones as a way to avoid interacting with his teammates around the 49ers facility. At least that was the impression he gave his fellow 49ers teammates. And it’s hurt his standing on the team.

          Blaine Gabbert is the opposite. Yes he’s outgoing, but more importantly, he makes the effort. Ever since he was named the starter, he has gone out of his way to reach out to all of his teammates, and forge the relationships that form a bond, and lead to good team chemistry. And thanks to his efforts, Blaine has really become the unofficial leader of the team.

          1. 49, funny, I think Kaep led the Niners to a Super Bowl after 10 games. Is that the kind of leadership you are looking for? He also led them to within 5 yards of winning one and one pass from returning. You may deny this fact, but Kaep has a 4-2 road playoff record.

            Maybe you prefer a 5-28 QB that has never sniffed the playoffs.

      2. Joe was a quiet guy. He was smart enough to let Ronnie Lott give the fire and brimstone pre game speeches.

    1. Re-seb

      I have to agree with Grant 100 here. Met a dude last year playing golf who has become quite a good friend. Works for the team and is around the players 99% of the time. Basically confirmed exactly what Grant heard. He’s a loaner that didn’t interact with the team… headphones on all day and overall just not pleasant to be around or work with. Did say he sparked up a bit after getting benched like the weight was off his shoulders. Also says that the team LOVES Blaine and rallies around him. Example – last year when Gabbert got hurt and taken out of the game for concussion protocol the players in the huddle grumbled and moaned. When Blaine came was checked out and came back in everyone got pumped up and played their ass off for him. Fact? I dunno but source was right in the middle of it

      1. I am not defending the wearing of headphones. I hope Kaep realizes that he needs to do more interacting with his team mates. I think he was ostracized by direction of the FO. They did not let him stand on the side line before a game, several weeks after his surgery. Players followed the leaders.

        Still, the QB position is not won by a popularity contest. Blaine may be good, but Kaep has the intangibles. Gabbert may be a swell guy, but can he win games?

        Still throwing shade. Backhanded comment of a friend of a friend is just another leak that smears Kaep. No wonder he wants to leave such a toxic environment.

          1. Why? Because I am decrying the continual onslaught of leaks and smears?

            Kaep has been stabbed in the back so any times, he is looking like a pincushion.

            It is perfectly logical that other players are afraid that they will get the Kaep treatment if they try to be nice to him. The FO has established a pattern of vicious persecution, just look at AD. The FO has ostracized Kaep, and the blizzard of leaks just shows how low class they are.

            I bet many players are afraid they will be cut on the team bus, if they interact with Kaep.

            Now I hear that Jed asked to take his wife to a meal with TK, promised to pay for her, then stuck him with the bill. Jed may have gotten his jollies out of that, but will pay for that many times while TK skewers him in the press. Jed is a clueless wonder, and lets emotions rule his life, instead of thinking things through. Now, I do not like TK, but if Jed beats him with a stick like a dog, he should not expect TK to lick his hand.

            1. Seb,

              It is not “perfectly logical” that other players have been intimidated into not talking with CK. This idea indicates that you have a very rich imagination.

              1. What JY pulled on TK was either a huge dick move or he’s uber clueless.

                TK stated he thought JY didn’t really know what he was doing. I tend to think JY knew exactly what he was doing.

                TK also stated (too many times – I think the reporter doth protest too much) that dinner has no effect on his writing about the 49ers. Suuurrre it doesn’t, Tim.

              2. First, the entire story comes from TK and his ‘version’ of it. Second, TK buys ink by the barrel. He’s more then capable of gently and politely reminding York of their deal but instead of being an adult about it and assume that Jed had simply forgotten he decided to turn it into another opportunity to bash him.

                The mature thing when have been to take care of it in the moment but Kawakami is a childish brat and saw an opportunity to further push his anti-York rhetoric.

              3. Ex, I think TK writes drivel, but the class move would have been to let TK sweat, then Jed picks up the tab, with a generous tip. It was a business meal, and every penny could be written off, by either side.
                Jed did not pay, but he will pay for it in bad press for years. 3 grand is cheap if it buys good publicity. It would be magnanimous and classy to have let the billionaire pay, it would be the opposite if he stiffs TK.

                TK will get his pound of flesh from Jed.

              4. Ex, I must admit I have a very vivid imagination.

                In fact, I have a 4 player deal….

            2. Seb,

              You’re entire premise has no validity “The FO has established a pattern of vicious persecution, just look at AD.” This may be true but simply stating it is not proof, no matter how many times its repeated. Think about what you are saying, the FO wanted to smear their star quarterback, the man who took them to the super bowl (your words) and destroy him.

              Why? What conceivable, rational reason would the FO do this. Organizations can behave stupiditly (firing Harbaugh), and unprofessionally (leaks), but they don’t act irrationally?

              I know you want to protect Kap but realize that others may also want to win and have good intentions also.

        1. Not throwing shade at all. I just asked a question of someone who has been working within the organization since 2011. Kap is not a very well liked teammate on the team. Plain and simple. It is not a smear campaign. It is what it is.

  6. People tend to shut out or act out when losing occurs. When team wasn’t doing well, he got bulk of the blame. When team start siding with media and fans then there will be disconnect. Because a QB is made face of a franchise, he is automatically dubbed The Leader of the team. As Grant stated,he didn’t have to be a leader bc of others. Now they are gone bc of management, he is now looked as a leader. Gabbert wants it bc he has something to prove…top 10 pick labeled as a bust, means his career. Kaep doesn’t feel and shouldn’t feel that pressure bc he has proven he can lead A team to the SB. It takes a team, not one person to get to a SB.Harbaugh yrs there wasn’t talk so why the talk now?

  7. Being “one of the guys” wouldn’t make him stop skipping passes into the dirt, or throwing it as hard as he can when the guy is 7 yards away. Nor will it make him see the field better or anticipate pressure better. It also won’t make him better at not running right into the defender when the pocket begins to compress and he loses his composure.

    Being “one of the guys” just means he’ll get more text messages when the team eventually trades him.

    1. Not having a torn ligament in his thumb and having a torn labrum with help him not skip balls in the dirt. Not having one of the worse offensive lines in the league will make him better at not running into the defender when the pocket breaks down.

      1. Generally I’d say you are really in for a big disappointment but I’m sure when he’s eventually off the team and/or out of the league you’ll still be making excuses for him.

        1. I’ve watched Tim Rattay, Ken Dorsey, Shaun Hill, Jeff Garcia, Alex Smith, Troy Smith, Trent Dilfer, JT O’Sullivan and Kaepernick play QB for the 49ers. It’s not hard to be pro Kaepernick when you have watched those other QB’s

          1. :-}

            You left out some that were made out to be a hero in training camp and then didn’t make the 53.

              1. That’s the guy that a select few wanted to replace Alex Smith. They might have been the same ones who called Alex Alice without realizing what that indicated about them. ;-}

          2. “I’ve watched Tim Rattay, Ken Dorsey, Shaun Hill, Jeff Garcia, Alex Smith, Troy Smith, Trent Dilfer, JT O’Sullivan and Kaepernick play QB for the 49ers. It’s not hard to be pro Kaepernick when you have watched those other QB’s”

            I’ve suffered through the same list with ya. It’s because of the shared suffering that I’ve grown acute to what bad QB play looks like and Kaepernick is bad. He’s just as good and just as bad as any of the names on the list above which is why he needs to go.

      2. The thumb injury was legit can account for this last game. The shoulder injury, well this is typically played though and would have little impact on his throwing the football. Heck, Blaine Gabbert played through this injury in Jaxonville.
        The problem was Kaepernick was inaccurate from game 3 onward and struggled against everyone but NY who had one of the worst pass defenses I can recall.

  8. Kapernick will be playing in order to entice teams for a trade and when he’s on a hot streak he is the Niners most dangerous weapon. They have to see what Kelly can do with him.

  9. Tebow was a great interview and was popular with his team mates. Too bad that did not translate onto the field.

    Cook should have been the number one pick in the draft because Goff had a hard time defending his 1-11 season, and Cook had great interview skills.

    Patton was disliked, and even hated by some troops. He said stupid things and behaved poorly. However, Patton was also the general most feared by the Germans. They did not prepare for the Normandy invasion adequately because they concentrated on Patton, even though he sat on his hands in Dover.

    1. Your Kaepernick – General George Patton analogy has got to be one of the silliest analogies I have ever read. To equate playing quarterback on leading an army is absurd, and it’s these kind of nonsensical statements that give the impression you are trying a little too hard to impress us with your great breadth of knowledge!

      Besides, Patton may have said some very controversial (and racist) things, but his philosophy of leading from the front and his ability to inspire troops with vulgarity-ridden speeches, such as a famous address to the Third Army, attracted favor among his troops. While Allied leaders held sharply differing opinions on Patton, he was regarded highly by his opponents in the German High Command because his strong emphasis on rapid and aggressive offensive action proved incredibly effective.

      Patton may have been an ass, but he established himself as a very strong, vocal leader. And though it’s a very, very different thing, Colin has done nothing to establish his leadership.

      As a matter of fact, Colin could take to heart one of Patton’s most famous quotes:

      General Patton: “An Army is a team; it lives, sleeps, eats, an fights as a team. This individual heroic stuff is a lot of crap.”

      Or my famous quote: “You can stick your headphones where the sun don’t shine. There may be an ‘I’ in both your first and last name Colin, but there’s no ‘I’ in ‘team’!”

      1. Hmm, you disparage my use of General Patton, the make several references of him. Sounds like you are arguing against yourself.

  10. What happens after June 1st? Does this team go youth movement and release brooks, pears and bethae?

  11. I think some people are conflating shyness, which is a social anxiety, with introversion, which is a personalty trait. People who are shy have a difficult time meeting new people and/or initiating relationships. People who are introverts may be shy, but shyness is not a necessary aspect of introversion. An introvert is, broadly put, someone who is more inward focused and who can relax and be himself/herself best when alone or with a small group of well known individuals. Further, introverts process stress best when alone or when left alone by those around them. In such situations, an introvert does not want others around; a shy person who is not a true introvert may want others around but who is kept from having them around by a social anxiety. Additionally, an introvert who does not suffer from shyness can seem outgoing and gregarious in certain social situations, but will need time away from those social situations to “recharge”, or may even take breaks during such social situations in order to achieve a level of comfort.

    At one time, there was a common belief that great leaders were, by necessity, extroverts. Over the past couple of decades, many books and articles have been written showing that introverts can be great leaders (and that meany great leaders were actually introverts). However, their leadership style is often different from what has long been seen as the prototypical leader – for example, introverts tend to lead more by setting an example to follow than by giving orders.

    While introverts can be great leaders while not acting like a prototypical extroverted leader, there are pitfalls to be avoided for introverts in leadership positions, both in terms of efficacy and perception of efficacy. Introverted leaders may be more prone to take the responsibility of tasks on themselves rather than delegate to/rely on others. Also, introverted leaders may seem to withdraw under stress. Sometimes this is just temporary so that the introverted leader can relax and recharge, but sometimes it is a true withdrawal that results in a lack of leadership in times of stress. From the outside, all of these contribute to the perception of a lack of or failure of leadership.

    Personally, I live this. I am an introvert who must lead a staff and interface with high level officials, as well as present in front of audiences of judges and lawyers (and formerly college students, although they were, in most respects, a far easier audience). I have developed various strategies to make sure that I am an effective leader and that other perceive that I am an effective leader. I make myself delegate to/rely on my staff even when my first instinct is to do things myself. I structure my days in such a way that I have periods of time during which I can be alone for twenty minutes to an hour to recharge so that I can be present and engaged the rest of the day. And when a stressful decision must be made, I may take the time to ponder it alone, or even think about it away from work, if time allows, but I make sure my staff know what I am doing and then I discuss my decision with them once it is made.

    Kap may or may not be shy (I tend to think he is not, but he could also mask his anxiety well), but quite a bit of evidence, both directly from him and from the observations of others, points to him being an introvert. As such, he may never be just “one of the guys” in a culture that favors extroverted people, and trying to act like he is could be detrimental to his own ability to process and ameliorate stress. What would be better is if he could find a way to stay engaged with his peers while giving himself the time he needs to be alone to relax and process stress. He needs to balance his needs as an introvert with what he needs to do to lead a team.

    Unfortunately, Kap does not seem to employ effective strategies to balance his introversion and the leadership requirements of his position. He does not appear to rely on those around them when under stress, but instead puts more pressure on himself. He seems to withdraw without communicating to his teammates his need to be alone and without giving assurances that he will remain present with them once he has processed his stress. Sitting alone after a loss with his headphones on, for example, may be what he needs to do for himself to process the loss, but as a leader, he needs to also understand that he may not be able to separate himself for as long as he wants, or at the time he wants.

    1. Excellent post and I’ve often thought some form of meditation would be a useful tool for Kaepernick….

      1. Russell Wilson meditates regularly and possesses an awesome calmness in the most stressful moments. Kaepernick’s shyness translate in panic at those moments. I think meditation would be a great help for Kaep.

    2. Great post JPN. Your explanation gives us a better understanding of what Kap might be dealing with here.

      I agree that it is a good thing to have the QB be one of the guys, hang out together and form a bond, but I don’t think that is what constitutes leadership or leads to success on the field. People lead in different ways and it really comes down to instilling confidence in the people around you.

      When Kap took over from Smith, there was an immediate reaction to the fact Kap was vocal toward his teammates on the sideline where Smith was not. He was lauded for his leadership by Harbaugh and other players numerous times throughout that season and the next. The headphones angle has been blown out of proportion simply because he has a marketing deal with Beats and part of that deal entails him to wear them prominently in PC’s. Many players wear headphones before and after games. It’s only a big deal in this instance because of what I feel is the underlying problem.

      That problem is the team started losing. When you lose football games the natural response is to find reasons for it. The QB is always going to be at the forefront of criticism when a team struggles and that was the case here. Players start to point fingers, fans and media look for scapegoats and the QB winds up taking the brunt of that. That’s not to say Kap didn’t deserve criticism. He really struggled last year to the point it seemed he lost confidence in himself to execute even the most basic elements of playing QB, and was overthinking everything he did.

      The biggest issue I see with Kap is sensitivity. He seems to take everything said about him to heart instead of letting it go. This is a tough business to be in if you can’t ignore the outside noise and I don’t think Kap can at this point. He tries to use the criticism as motivation, but eventually it buries you. The only way I see Kap being able to over come this is if he can stop focusing on what is being said about him and go back to just playing the game and working his ass off. That’s when he had success and there were no questions about leadership. Playing well and winning games is the best form of leadership he can give them.

      1. Some very good points, Rocket. I especially like this comment:

        “The biggest issue I see with Kap is sensitivity. He seems to take everything said about him to heart instead of letting it go.”

        As introverted people tend to be more self-focused and introspective, they may internalize and even dwell on external criticism more than extroverts, This may seem counterintuitive since extroverts tend to draw energy from social settings and one would think they would be more sensitive to how others perceive them while introverts would not seem to care, as they prefer less social situations. However, this is frequently not the case. Extroverts are often much better at navigating social dynamics and can accept or ignore criticism much quicker and without dwelling on. This is because extroverts, unlike introverts, usually do not spend much time analyzing social interactions and trying to understand them because the extroverts understand those social interactions without needing to analyze them. Introverts, because they do need to analyze them, often take negative interactions more to heart.

        1. That’s interesting because as you mentioned it would see to be the other way around, but it definitely fits what we see from Kap in this case.

          What is your feeling about Kaepernick’s tendency to hold grudges or have a problem getting over being slighted JPN? Is that part and parcel with what you said above about tendencies of introverts? That seems to be the source of his desire to leave the team and in some ways may be fueling his refusal to meet his birth Mother.

          1. It may be, although I think more factors are likely involved as well. Being more introverted and introspective may exacerbate such feelings, as they may become more internalized, but probably anything beyond that is getting a bit too far into the psychoanalytic weeds.

            On the other hand, two of the groups mentioned by Brodie and me below as being largely comprised on introverts – actors and academics – both notoriously include many individuals who are thinned-skinned and hold grudges.

            1. Understood. I didn’t want to lead you too far into the psychoanalytical realm, but I was interested to see if those traits were common within Introverts as well. Thanks for the response.

              1. I appreciate both you an JPN making the effort to understand Colin as an individual person working in a field where none of that counts for much.

                I don’t think bringing in Colin’s birth mother contributes much to the discussion. It can also enable a false sense of understanding Colin the football player. More than likely, Colin’s problems with his birth mother may have developed between the time Colin was aware of her, and when he was suddenly worth a lot of money.

                Leaving race and/or Colin’s tattoos out of the problems facing Colin would also over simplify any attempt at understanding Colin.

                Thanks for writing in a much more worthwhile way than our local “click” guy.

    3. I agree, I meant introvert when I said ‘Shy.’
      You explained it better than I could, but you left out the part where Kap tries to compensate for his social awkwardness by doing things out of character like ‘Kaepernicking’ or his tweets.
      His complete immersion in workouts is his way of showing that he cares about the team and teammates.

    4. From what I understand, Kaepernick didn’t have these issues in college and was one of the guys at Nevada.

      1. I have heard both, Grant. But what I heard directly from a younger player was that while Kap was always having fun and always joking, only a few guys on the team really were his friends, and he was left alone when he wanted to be alone. An introvert can have fun and joke, especially in a comfortable situation, but will still need the time alone. However, in an uncomfortable situation, they will withdraw to protect that needed alone time. Or in other words, seeming to be “one of the guys” in a comfortable situation is much easier than doing the same in an uncomfortable one for someone who would prefer to process his/her stress alone.

        Also, it is worth noting that Coach Ault bore the stress for the team at Nevada. He was the unquestioned leader, and everyone else, including the QB, were foot soldiers. That is Ault’s way. It allows his players to be more relax and play looser, but it also leads to him being as much parent as coach.

          1. That was my thought as well, Grant.

            What is your take on Kelly in that respect? I think he sees the QB as more a foot soldier as well.

            1. Seems like it, but the quarterback has to be a good soldier, so to speak, like Gabbert. And the quarterback has to communicate even if he’s in introvert. He has to talk to the offensive line instead of being silent after a sack.

              1. If Montana ever had anything to say to his offensive line after a sack, I missed it.

          2. That is a great point concerning Ault being the face and leader of the team. Harbaugh was also like that as mentioned, and both likely provided a stability missing from the Tomsula led version last year. Chip seems to be all business and game plan oriented. I don’t think of him as a personable parent type figure toward his players, but then again maybe to some he is a little more amiable.

    5. JPN – I used to process MBTI tests for a group of career counselors. Their basic take… introverts recharge their batteries when they are alone. Extroverts recharge their batteries when they are around people.

      Interesting note: Actors tend to be introverts.

      1. Hey Bordie,

        I have used MBTI in judicial education. Interestingly, while lawyers tend to be extroverts by a wide margin, judges tend to be split fairly evenly between introverts and extroverts. Further, extroverts can experience problems with the social isolation judges experience whereas introverts usually handle it much better.

        Another group that tends to be introverts are academics.

    6. JPN – Sorry, I noted something on introverts/extroverts that you already mentioned in your initial comment. I must have missed it.

      I’m INTJ. (Naturally, I’m on a computer right now commenting in a blog. Ha!)

      Baalke seems like a classic introvert. There was an article about Baalke a few years back describing how in the middle of a tour at a school, he separated from the group to pull weeds outside. They suggested he was an extreme perfectionist (he may be). My take was Baalke’s an introvert, and he was simply recharging his batteries.

      Baalke got his manager job because he’s a nose to the grindstone detail guy. He’s promoted into a job that might be a temperament mismatch. This can be a good thing if he develops processes to deal with it. Temperament mismatches sometimes lead to innovation.

      I don’t know anything about Tom Gamble, but maybe he can be the guy that makes the Baalke-Coach-Owner dynamic work, like John McVay.

      1. Brodie,

        I mistyped your name above, for which I apologize.

        I test as an INTJ, although I think INTP may fit me a bit better.

        And agree on Baalke. He strikes me as someone who may be an introvert. If he is also a perfectionist (or OCD), that combination can be difficult to work with/for.

        1. Baalke definitely seems like he leans toward introversion and it’s been reported he’s a perfectionist as well as purportedly, hard to work with….

        2. No prob. I mistype my own nickname.

          Perfectionism + Introversion sounds deadly.

          Kelly seems introverted, though not as extreme as Baalke. I’m hoping a part of why Kelly might be unpopular is what I call “complicated sandbox” syndrome.

          – An introvert is installing a complex system. Every little detail is interwoven. In order to work at all, components of the system needs to be 90-100% complete. In his mind, his system is only 70% complete. Two years away from realizing true results.

          – At that same point in time, everyone else thinks his system is close to 100% complete. The immediate results reflects how well the system (and person that implemented it) works. The fact that he’s still trying to fix “the little stuff” makes everyone else think he’s a controlling Type A lunatic.

          Kelly’s offense is simple, but his implementation and preparation sounds extremely detailed. I wouldn’t be surprised if he thinks he’s never fully installed his system in the pros.

          1. This is why I like this site. Other Posters make you think. They provide new insights, and bring a depth of life experiences to make revelatory statements.

            Thank you, Grant for attracting interesting people to this site.

            My only interjective is to ask why an NFL QB would strive for the limelight when he is considered an introvert? Silent leaders are very rare.

          2. Brodie, that’s an interesting take on Kelly’s offense. You hear pundits saying its QB friendly system. The players seemed to pick it up quickly from their comments at OTA’s. Even the breakdowns of the concepts on Ninersnation seem to show it allows the QB to know where the open players should be. Wasn’t it the Jet’s DB’s that were saying they knew where the ball was going because of the formation?

            I guess I am not sure it’s any more complex than other NFL offenses. I know your point was Colin’s introversion and perfectionism in combination. I actually think this offense might allow Colin to feel more comfortable and confident. Let’s see.

              1. Seb thanks for the fact check, I couldn’t remember and was too lazy to look it up.

              2. The Cards DBs also said that they knew where the ball was going so they could jump the routes, but did not say they were tipped off just by looking at the formation.

        3. Two good reads on introverts. Quiet and The Introvert Advantage. Good post JPN.

          The US has a predisposition to elevate extroverts to leadership. There are other countries that the culture leans towards introverts. There are plenty of circumstances where introverts are better leaders than extroverts. Often in larger corporations or organizations the top leaders are introverts. In those types of positions the separation between them and the needs of the people allow them to be more objective and less incumbered by day to day concerns. They often delegate better and allow middle management to care for people’s day to day needs.

          Either way Colin has to learn to be himself and leverage his strengths and delegate where he’s weak.

          1. Started reading a book titled Quiet. The US had the same ratio of introverts as Europe before WW1, before the concept of personality and salesmanship from advertising took hold.

            1. Cool Brodie, they’re both good reads. We use them from time to time on boarding new staff who are introverts.

        4. Fantastic insight JPN. I always knew I was an introvert but I never knew all that it entailed. You described me to a T with a lot of your descriptions.

    7. Great points raised in this thread guys, and I think they get to the heart of the matter when it comes to Kaep.

      I believe the sensitivity issue combined with his introversion is a big one. I think he’d be fine (to a degree) handling outside criticism so long as he felt he had the team behind him. But he isn’t the type of person to naturally get the team to gravitate to him. It’s going to be tough for him to get the mutual trust going again at the 49ers, and because of that I don’t like his chances of turning things around as a 49er.

    8. @JPN A thoughtful, well written comment. It shows that true leadership has more to do with the psychological aspects of the game (self-confidence, self-control, empathy) than the physical traits or specific skills. A strong mentality can sometimes overcome physical limitations as is Steph Curry’s case. The competence between Kaep and Gabbert is about leadership. The one who can be more effective under stress (keeping calm and transmitting trust to his teammates), should be the starter.

      1. Steph Curry has no limitations. He’s either god or a new virtual CGI artifact. It’s not the three pointers from the moon that stand out to me. It’s the soft shots from a few feet, while surrounded by evil giants, that stand out to me. They call them layups, but I wouldn’t call them layups. I always used the backboard for my layups.

          1. No one cares about the basketball I knew, and for a long time the NBA focused on four guys who cleared out space for the STAR.

            Curry and everyone on the Warriors team play smarter than I ever thought possible and they do it at both ends of the floor.

    9. Very good post JP001. Very inciteful and accurate, IMO.

      I do think Colin is naturally introverted. That in itself doesn’t mean he can’t lead a team. However it does mean he needs to make a lot more effort to lead, and I just don’t see him doing that. And Blaine has supplanted Colin as the leader from the quarterback position. Which means that, if the quarterback competition is at all close, Blaine will likely get the nod, thanks to his superior leadership and standing among his teammates.

    10. I still ask what any of it has to do with how he performs on the field. You can be a raging a-hole in the locker room and sleep with all of your teammates wives and GF’s and kick their dog on the way out the door but if you go out and kill it on the field they(teammates) wont give a poop. Teammates just want to win games and get to the Superbowl and if you as a QB can lead them there they wont care one bit what your personality is like. However, when you’re overrated in the press and don’t live up to the hype on the practice and game field, teammates will start talking about what a schmuck you are.

      Take a guess which type of QB Kaepernick is seen as by his teammates. Did you hear about personality problems in 2012?

    11. Great post JPN but I think Kap is both Introverted and may be shy. Additionally, he may lack coping skills which make him seem prickly and difficult. Additionally, he turns setbacks inwardly as a self reflection and this can be magnified by our instant response culture, creating a really bad feedback loop for him.

  12. Who cares Grant? Nobody cares because it doesn’t matter if you beat your son or your girlfriend and throw her on a bed of rifles, it doesn’t matter if you were involved in a murder outside a strip club, because if you can help your team win your teammates will rally behind you.

    Staley on Bowman are the leaders of this team. They know what Kaepernick is capable of.

  13. Grant ..

    Your comparison of Joe to Colin is spot on ..
    Admittedly .. I’m a CK backer .. and am hoping
    Chipster can do something with Kaep’s talent ..but
    changing his temperament, and personality .. is
    more than a tall order ..

    Joe was the “class clown” of the locker room ..
    and was widely known as a practical jokester …

    It doesn’t matter whether Colin gets traded, or not ..
    At a certain point .. he’s gotta come to the conclusion
    that to have success, in the NFL … he’s
    the QB… and therefore … he must
    become the leader !

    good column, Grant !

    1. If Joe was the “class clown” of the locker room, Charles must have been the “dirty perv”….

      1. you talkin’ Charles Haley ? .. Razor ?

        I dunno about the “perv” part .. but ..
        I can tell you .. from meeting him ..
        I wondered about his temperament …

        Took my son to get his autograph, once ..
        and my son said to him ..

        ” .. It’s an honer to meet the
        Defensive Player of the Year”

        Haley responded …

        ” Sh*t ! .. If that happens .. the
        Niners will hafta pay me more money ! ..”

          1. Razor ..

            I didn’t think so… but ..

            sometimes I suffer from the dreaded C.R.S.

            1. I just happy he was able to turn his life around, and not become another NFL statistic….

  14. Joe Montana was a huge dickhead to Steve Young. Not sure many remember that side of Joe.

      1. yeah.. that was the story, back then .. but..
        it sure seemed that the famous Joe / Steve
        rift ..was over .. at the last (flag) football game
        at the ‘Stick

        1. Steve worked hard at respecting Joe publicly for years and years.

          Joe got over his anger with Walsh only when Bill was dying.

          None of that is unusual in people who are competing at such a high level. It’s just a problem if you want to deify Joe.

  15. Winning makes everybody acceptable and cordial in the locker room. I find it hard to believe that Joe Montana was a friend to every player on the 49ers.

    Now, having a nice outgoing and likable personality has it’s merits, but in pro sports winning trumps all else.

    Do you really think that Tom Brady is liked by every team member?
    there have been reports from former GB teammates of Brett Favre who said he was a complete @ss.

    If I recall, CK was wearing headphones when he played in his first two seasons. The only difference was that he won. There could have been teammates that didn’t think much of him in his first two years but the stories did not leave the locker room because winning overshadowed all else.

    Even if the sources (which I take with a grain of salt) are true, CK can win some of them back by simply winning.

    Winning has a way of making a team sing “We are the World” or something similar.

    1. Well .. AES ..

      fer sure … “winning”
      would put a smile back on ..my .. face

  16. I seem to recall seeing a picture of Kap playing ping pong with the Australian dude last summer. Does that not qualify as being one of the guys?

    1. Rollo,
      Maybe it doesn’t count if the Australian is not considered one of the “guys.”

  17. Kaep is just an ungrateful and selfish dude. His feelings were hurt when he was benched. He went from cover of madden to cover my face I dont want to be seen. He needs to grow up and face the facts.

    1. Slug,
      Or maybe CK should have just handed the football over to Tomsula like a pleasant team player with a huge smile on his face and said; “coach Tomsula, you are a great head coach with a long winning tradition, I would never question your decision in benching me, sir.”

      C’mon, this is pro football, when have you ever known of a player that willingly and meekly gives up his starting role? Was Joe Montana happy when Steve Young starting receiving snaps before Joe went to KC?

      Brett Favre was on record as saying his job was not to groom and teach a young Aaron Rogers.
      I compare a starting QB in the NFL to a high level CEO of a company. When the CEO loses his position it’s tantamount to a career death blow because of all the negative fallout that comes with it. Like an NFL QB losing his starting job, I will venture that the CEO will not leave the company a happy camper.

      “Ungrateful and selfish”? Yes, you are probably right. But than again, losing a starting QB position in the pros is not like losing a job at Walgreens.

    1. Kelly on O’Neil

      “outstanding teacher”, “has a learn-able defense”, “get after the QB”, “disrupt timing the pass”, “aggressive attacking style”

      Most of all “man coverage on the back end. That’s why we grabbed a couple corners in the draft.”

      Last month Bowman said the defense was “linebacker friendly.” Armstead described his drills as more straightforward, beat the man in front of you style compared to Mangini.

      Its going to be interesting to see what O’Neil trots out day one.

      1. Hope he learned from his Cleveland experience. Defenders were complaining that he had too many reads so there was a paralysis through over analysis. They also said that players were rotated in illogically, and sometimes ego prevailed over the good of the team. Some lower level players felt like they were not supported and discouraged at times. Some players felt they did not have well defined roles, or asked to do things they were not familiar with.

        Maybe Jim O’Neil also needs to work on his people skills.

  18. Kaepernick needs to put up or shut up with his play on the field. And wear the correct team helmet while doing so. Everything else is irrelevant unless it involves him turning into another Aldon Smith.

      1. More like rushing towards trouble off the field.

          1. In other words, I’m not worried about Kaepernick’s demeanor and such as long as he improves and stays out of trouble off the field.

  19. As someone stated earlier, the issue is #7 skipping passes into the dirt, not controlling the short passes, not a game manager, not seeing the whole field, a one read QB, not anticipating pressure, lack of pocket presence and composure……..

    bottomline #7 sucks….

  20. A simple question……which 49er receiver is #7 close with? = NONE

    the one receiver I thought he was close with was Crabtree but we were wrong about that.

    1. No. You were wrong about that. No one is or ever will be close with Crabtree.

  21. Introvert,extrovert, all very interesting stuff.
    In the context of a team sport non of that stuff matters. What matters is do you have the trust of your team mates.
    For those of you who have not had the opertunity to be involved in a team sport as an adult, you would be amazed what team mates say about call each other out side of field of play and you know what it does not matter. It is performance that matters and in the ultimate team sport ,football, where comunication is every thing, peak performance is not possible without comunication.
    When it “works” all the jerks,a**holes,introverts,etc are family. But when it dose not work and some one on the team is not doing their job and part of that job is to comunicate with your team mates…See yah!

    1. Hacksaw,
      Agree with your perspective. These guys are professionals and they ultimately want to be of a winning team. Everything else is only fluff when compared to the real goal.

      Imo, the only person that should be weary of losing the locker room is the head coach because their leadership or lack thereof affects the entire team.
      When it comes to a person potentially losing the locker room this season, my eyes will be on Kelly not Kaepernick or any player for that matter.

  22. Listened to Chip Kelly today. Did not hear him say that Kaep is acting like a loner. Chip said that Kaep is fully involved in the QB meetings and has impressed Chip as a very intelligent player.

    In fact, Chip says that Kaep has been ‘fantastic’ so far. I will take Chip’s word over some one who is saying a friend of a friend is leaking more smears.

    1. Seb, I am open to the possibility that Kaepernick can reverse his downward trend under Kelly, but I make the same old argument: From what I can observe, Gabbert is more accurate, has a faster release, and is more elusive in the pocket. Also, as far as “above the neck” issues are concerned, Gabbert takes pressure better, and, I suspect, processes faster and is more a student of the game. Once again, I only suspect the latter. Also what I suspect is that the players relate to Gabbert better, but again, I only suspect that. So let’s see what happens in TC and the preseason games.

      1. George, Chip Kelly was most impressed with Kaep’s intelligence, so he does have the cranial acumen above the neck.

        I will concede that Gabbert may beat out Kaep, but do not think it will be a fair competition. The FO will make sure that Gabbert gets every opportunity to shine, and will dwell on Kaep’s mistakes.

        I, too will just wait until they get on the field of play, and realize that all our speculation does not mean much. Chip is the key, and he will be the one who decides who starts, unless Baalke continues meddling with the roster.

          1. Like I have said before, if Gabbert is the Niner QB, I will root for him to succeed.

            I admit the play where he did not see Torrey does not look good, but the DB was reading Kaep’s eyes and cheated up to the line at the last second because he probably knew what play was going to be run.

            This reminds me of a poster on NN who showed the 2 pick sixes of the Cards game. He conveniently left out the beginning of the plays where Devey stood still and let the pass rusher get to Kaep before he even had his feet set. The DBs also mentioned after the game that they knew what play was going to be run, so they had a good opportunity to be able to jump the routes.

      2. All that’s great George until you see that he’s only faster to throw a check down 5 yds short of the 3rd down marker. Gabbert’s and illusion of a QB. Grant’s article on how Gabbet pads his stats with quick throws to the RB’s was very telling. Now Kaepernick needs to improve on all those things. I think the tablet time leak is misleading. What else does a back up QB have to do when they’re sitting on the bench? We haven’t seen any real validation other than an unsubstantiated rumor. No coach has questioned Kaep’s intelligence.

        1. Wilson, I concur. The tablet time could be interpreted in many ways. Maybe Gabbert turned on his tablet, set it down, and logged on hours without even looking at it.

          1. Seb that’s almost as bad as them leaking the time usage difference. While possible its highly unlikely. Gabbert is motivated and saw an opportunity to resurrect his career. You’re also correct in that there’s no proof that the rumors true or if BG was watching youtube or studying plays. There’s probably some truth to it but how much is accurate about BG’s studdy vs. CK’s. The motivation behind the leak is important too. Kelly’s statements seem to show that he’s a supporter of CK and BG and he wants to win.

            1. I agree. The whole study time issue should never have seen the light of day. It was proprietary info, and was leaked only to disparage Kaep.

              Thankfully, Chip is smart enough to want both Kaep and Gabbert, and Driskel is good insurance as a backup if one of them goes down.

        2. Wilson, I wasn’t referring to simple intelligence, and I don’t think that Gabbert is the be-all-and-end-all. I willingly admit he is not a play maker and that, unless we have a shut-down defense, we’ll never go far with him. If Gabbert overcame those worthless checkdowns, he’d make a huge leap. It requires quite a bit of physical courage, and from what I’ve read, he’s never had it, even in college.

          1. George Chip has done better with worse QB’s. He has the potential to help BG and CK. Both of them have different issues.

  23. To : Seb
    RE: Kap

    Interpreting the words of the Great Joe Montana Kap is quiet. Unfortunately for Kap, In the NFL the most critical part of a QB’s job is to be vocal.

    At least Tebow garnered draft picks for the Broncos. Kap can’t even do that.

    Via ESPN:

    After a big false start, the New York Jets pulled off a Tebow-like comeback Wednesday night, getting the quarterback who turned the Denver Broncos from an also-ran into a playoff team last season and became the NFL’s most talked-about player — for a fourth- and sixth-round draft pick.

    http://espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/story/_/id/7720305/new-york-jets-denver-broncos-complete-tim-tebow-trade-second-time

    1. TrollD, I know you are the Tebow jock sniffer, but he is out of the league.

      Bringing up a years old trade that showed Tebow being traded for a 7th round pick just makes your Kaep for Tebow trade even more ludicrous even with a million first round picks.

      Fortunately, there are good examples of quiet QBs succeeding. Unitas was a quiet guy, too. When asked why he was not more talkative, he replied- ‘Talk is cheap’.

  24. Jed, the York’s and Free Agency:

    Perhaps this was an omen of no Free Agent signings to come:

    Tim Kawakami tweeting about how he had a bet with Jed York regarding the new stadium. York said it would be done for the 2014 season, Kawakami thought it would not be done until 2015. They initially were going to bet lunch on it. It turned into dinner at French Laundry.

    According to TK, Jed asked if he could bring along his wife but said he’ll pay for her. TK was fine with that.

    It ended up being Jed, his wife, TK, Matt Barrows and Ann Killion. The latter two paid for themselves, and TK was going to be on the hook for himself and Jed. On the night of the dinner, when the bill came, Jed didn’t make a move to cover for his wife’s bill, leaving TK to pay for all three. It was approximately $600 per person with the small tip. TK ended up paying $2,100 in covering Jed and his wife.

    http://49ers.pressdemocrat.com/49ers-colin-kaepernick-can-succeed-one-guys/

    1. TrollD, both TK and Jed do not come out of this story smelling like a rose.
      A pox on both their houses.

      1. Yup, he really lit it up against Montana, Ark St.,North Texas and Rice.
        When he played against the SEC, he laid an egg.

        1. That’s not entirely true. In 2012 Driskel was the starter for a Florida team that finished the season in the Top 10, and one of his better games last season came against Mississippi St.

          1. I will concede he had a good game against Miss St, yet there was a reason he left Florida to go to La Tech.

            1. Of course. He broke his leg after a strong start to 2013, and when he tried to come back in 2014 he struggled and lost his spot.

              There’s a number of guys who have transferred for one reason or another. Shoot, Joe Flacco couldn’t beat out Tyler Palko at Pitt and had to transfer to Delaware. Now he has a SB ring.

              1. I reviewed the Miss St game, and Driskel started out well and threw for over 300 yards, but later in the game, he missed his receivers and ended with a pick. They also lost badly.

              2. Still barking up the wrong tree with the competition angle. Look at Derek Carr while at FSU as another example. I already have you Flacco. There’s also Tony Romo, Ben Roethisberger and the list goes on.

              3. Hmm, Flacco won because the refs gave him the game, Romo and Carr have never won it all, and Ben is not a paragon of virtue. I am not impressed.

                Driskel may succeed in the NFL, but if he is thrown to the wolves, he may end up like Gabbert. Brady is the exception. Usually, 6th round picks are picked in the 6th round for a reason.

              4. Of course there is. I’ll get back to my original point, saying he only played well against weak competition isn’t really true. Driskel QB’d Florida into the top 10 in 2012.

              5. AND Driskel played so poorly, he was benched by Florida in 2014.
                In the Miss St game in 2015, in the second half, his receivers were open, but he missed them. He also gift wrapped an interception that was returned for a pick six.

                You may consider Driskel as the next Steve Young, I consider him more likely like Vince Young.

              6. No, but he did start his career strong, then lose his job through poor play, regularly misses open receivers and doesn’t mind the ol’ pick 6. Seems odd you would denigrate one guy while laud the other.

              7. Well, we will see if Driskel can get to the SB after 10 starts. If he does that, I will praise him to the high heavens.

              8. Until then you’ll just continue to show your true colours by putting a 9ers player down. Yet fail to see the irony when you complain about other 49er fans doing the same to Kaep.

              9. Hmmm, saying that I do not think he will become the next Steve Young is not as bad as some who constantly rip Kaep for such things as his study habits, tattoos, girlfriends or just plain says he sucks.

              10. So, if I ripped Devey, you wanted me to praise him instead, because he was a Niner? I want to hear you defend Devey to me.
                I suppose you have glowing praise for the job Tomsula did, too.

              11. Not at all. I just think its hilarious you have the temerity to shout down any that say even the slightest negative thing about ‘apple of thine eye’ Kaepernick (or Hayne), yet have no qualms ripping many other players. Where is the consistency? Kaep was terrible last season, and not much better the year before. Yet its everyone else’s fault but his, because he got to the SB in just 10 starts, did you know? SMH.

              12. Methinks thou doth protest too much.

                Nowhere have I said that another civil poster cannot have an opinion. You may feel like I am trying to shout down another poster. but in reality, many posters have tried to shout me down. I have been assailed and challenged all the time. My football acumen, judgement, temperament and even sanity has been questioned in a tag team approach.

                I may defend Kaep, but usually it is against the most scurrilous screeds and smears. I do that because he cannot. Like with Hayne, I present a counter point, but I do not disparage the messenger unless he or she becomes personal and nasty towards me. Then I do it as a matter of defense.

                Nowhere have I attacked another (except for TrollD) because I will not accept their opinion. Usually I beg to differ to give another opinion, but I may disagree, but also can agree if what they say is in line with my opinion, or acknowledge they have an interesting, though different perspective.

                Also, if some poster can point out where I have been wrong, I will acknowledge that and correct myself. Some other posters on this site cannot bring themselves to do that.

                You seem hypersensitive to criticism, but I just let it roll off my back. This IS a blog site, so you should develop thick skin, because eventually some one will unleash a barrage. Please do not let me ‘shout you down’. Maybe my relentless counterpoints make you feel that way, but I try very hard to be polite and civil.

              13. Scooter, many many times, I have said that Kaep regressed. Of course, I blame the coaching and his injuries, but I have not declared his play has been stellar and anyone who thinks I am wrong is a buffoon.

                I have been dismayed at times, and even have written 10 ways he can improve, so I have been critical at times, too.

          2. Driskell wasn’t really all that good in 2012 either. Had some decent games but also some terrible ones including the bowl game against Louisville. He had the benefit of a great running game and one of the better defenses in the country too.

      2. I’d prefer grooming Driskel for a year before throwing him to the wolves….

    1. Razor,
      That’s a somewhat harsh ultimatum for CK7 if he can’t beat out Gabbert, but a good perspective none the less.

      1. Jed blew it. He may have saved a few pennies, but TK is going to get his pound of flesh.

      1. Kawakami. I listened to the podcast when it came out a couple weeks ago. You get a real interesting perspective of where Tim K is coming from and exactly how well he knows the Yorks.

        And if you’re a Dubs fan, it’s a great interview with Harrison Barnes.

        1. Grimey,

          It was a great interview of the Senator.

          Based on that interview, do you think TK is able to not have the French Laundry incident affect his coverage of the 49ers, as he so vigorously and repeatedly claimed?

          1. Given how Jeb fu-ked him, it would be hard for anyone to believe anything Jed says going forward. I’ve thought for a while that Jed was an incompetent as far as the football product was concerned; now I think he’s a malevolent fool in general and have less respect for ownership than ever before. So if TK interprets what Jed does or says going forward in that light, I think that’s responsible journalism. I think he’ll be fair to Kelly, though. He probably feels sorry for him, as do I. With a sh-t for an owner, little good is gonna happen. Going forward, we’ll continue to be bad to mediocre, with a good season every now and then, maybe even a few playoff appearances. I repeat my view that Jed’s design of the stadium was all for money and had no concern for creating a home field advantage. And that stadium is going to be around forever; even if the Yorks sell out, the new owner will be stuck with it. Think about it.

            1. As Matt Maiocco pointed out, there is a bonus available from unused cap funds every four years under the current agreement. If most of that $45M+ surplus goes into the York deep pocket next February it will put a very clear light on their ownership. Maiocco’s frankness about the reason for the surplus and the potential for it to be converted to family profit surprised me.

          2. Ex,

            As long as what Kawakami writes keeps being true, I see no reason to question his motives.

    1. Baalke likes to talk as if he has some proven record of his player development process actually working, when he’s trying to justify the Niners complete lack of participation in free agency or the re-signing of veteran players.

      “That’s why you don’t keep putting veteran players over the top of the other players,” Baalke said. “You draft for a reason. Young players have to develop. That’s how you develop the next group of core players for your team.”

      It’s so frustrating to hear him talk like this, after his last 4 drafts have been some of the worst in the NFL and he has entire draft classes that are no longer “developing”: anywhere in the league.

      Baalke has to go. He sucks!

      1. Baalke may be doing a perfect job from the point of view where the Yorks sit.

    2. Hmmm. They will not spend money just to spend.

      Maybe they should spend money to try and win.

      Instead of not spending and being content to lose.

    3. In regards to Baalke’s plan and how we’ve taken 14 CB’s over the past 2 drafts is great when the rest of the team isn’t a train wreck and you have the luxury of staying put to a specific plan. However that’s not where this team is, we don’t have the luxury of sticking to Baalke’s long term plan of having 8 pro bowl CB’s on the team.

      This is akin to spending all of your money and time installing solar panels on your house but at the same time your foundation has cracks, the pipes are leaking and your roof is about to collapse but come who cares as long as we’re prepared for the future electricity costs, right?

      1. Like Matt Maiocco wrote, it will be interesting to watch what happens in early 2017.

  25. Grant,
    No offense but this post is a bunch of crud. CK will win if he gets rid of the yips, if he can get out of his own head, if he once again can pull the trigger. He can win if the 49ers put the requisite talent around him now yes it will be better if he can take a leadership roll but a leader without talent himself or talent around him is Trent Dilfer a leader, a great guy leading a losing team. imho

    1. Coach, I like how you do not beg to differ, but kick Ol Grant in the teeth.

      I agree, this team may have improved with the draft, but how the coaches devise a winning scheme is an important factor to being able to maximize the talent around Kaep. Hopefully, Chip can do that. I am less optimistic about the coordinators.

  26. Grant

    This is the best article I’ve read in a long time, by anyone. And from it, you’ve generated a worthwhile discussion among us, so kudos to all here for contributing.

    I hope you find this story compelling enough to continue to pursue it through this lens you’ve crafted, both Kap’s possible personality challenges as well as the FO’s apparent distaste for him sticking around.

    There is a lot of energy now moving in Kap’s favor: Joe Montana is offering support by his willingness to be vocal about Colin (when’s the last time Montana spoke up about a 49ers QB issue), there is a growing public awareness (did you hear Kawakami’s HB podcast today?) about the absurdity of the Jed-Paraag-Trent power structure, and Coach Kelly wants to assess Kap fairly.

    I encourage you to keep developing this story.

  27. Just venturing a guess here, I think most of the offensive scheme will be of the 10 personal, with an occasional 11 personal (depending on the pass catching quality of the tight end) and a rare appearance of 00 personal.

    Using the 10 personal and spreading them out will end the 9 in the box. Now if we can have a receiver that commands double coverage that will leave six in the box. Add a QB that is a real threat to run will enable the offense to realize its potential to become magical.

    For those who use stats as a premise for their opinion it should be noted that Kelly’s scheme will improve the stats/performance of the starting QB. Myself I am not really enamored with Kaep or Gabbert and I am wishing that Driskel somehow outshines both of those QB’s and becomes the starter. Usually I am of the position to sit a QB for at least a year but in Kelly’s offense that will not be necessary.

    Anyhow I am stoked for this upcoming year and have high expectations for a winning season. It won’t surprise me at all if the Niners win the division or at the least, secure a playoff berth. The team is already better then last years and we have not even reached training camp.

    1. I think they should use the Flexbone;

      The fullback lines up behind the quarterback, and two wide receivers line up wide of the formation.

      The remaining two eligible players are running backs, who line up one on either side of the quarterback, just outside the tackles.

      This formation lends itself to the triple option and all kinds of variations,

      It’s probably the perfect offense for Slaperdick.

  28. Ruminating more about Chip Kelly’s interview, he says he has no idea who will be the starting QB. I wonder if the competition will be fair, considering the FO and their animus towards Kaep. Seems like the FO and their minions are still leaking and smearing Kaep, and Jed has allowed the leaker to publicly speak about schemes and the roster.

    Seeing how livid some fans were about letting Marathe be so involved in the team, they sent out Chip to do an interview. Chip and his coaches should have been the ones talking about the team, not the leaker. I must say that Chip did a good job, was funny, engaging and obviously has worked on his people skills. His comments also allowed Marathe and his panel discussion to be less visible and almost forgotten.

    Chip may not know who will be the QB, so maybe he should declare that they are so close in skillsets, both QBs will play. He should say that the competition will continue until there is a clear winner, even allowing both to play during the regular season.

    Chip should make it competitive. Let either Gabbert or Kaep start by flipping a coin. If Gabbert starts, he may lead the team until they have to punt. Then Kaep should lead until they have to punt. It would be a huge incentive to have them score, and it would reward success. If one continually scores, the other will have to sit.

    Sometimes, practice may not be the best was to determine the starters. Look at Devey. Obviously he practiced well, so they let him start, but once on the field during gametime, he devolved into a turnstile.

    I also think they should rotate in the O line, RBs and WRs, to give a change of pace and keep them fresh.

    They should also monitor their play and make adjustments and corrections, instead of continually playing the same players with poor results.

  29. NFL ‏@NFL 3m3 minutes ago
    Russell Wilson to Wisconsin grads: Don’t throw an INT in the Super Bowl http://on.nfl.com/1Ousqt3
    ——————
    Or, Don’t call a pass play on the 1 yard line when you have a pro-bowl running back.

    1. There’s a time and place to get cute, and that wasn’t one of them….

    2. Given the clock and TO situation (2nd down and one TO – incomplete pass clock stops, run on 3rd, TO, run on 4th), a pass play from the one yard line on second down wasn’t a bad call (it’s statistically safe to throw at the goal line).

      Wilson made a bad choice and a bad pass. It’s mostly on him.

    3. Given the clock and TO situation (2nd down and one TO – incomplete pass clock stops, run on 3rd, TO, run on 4th), a pass play from the one yard line on second down wasn’t a bad call (it’s statistically safe to throw at the goal line).

      IMO, Wilson made a bad choice and a bad pass. It’s mostly on him.

      1. Sure, but I would have called my best running plays for Lynch and at peace knowing I live or die by that decision….

      2. Sure, but I would have called my best running plays for Lynch and at peace knowing I live or die by that decision….

    1. Good move by Hayne. Not only will he be playing to his strength, but he will be playing for his country.
      Can’t ever blame the guy for pursuing a greater goal in life.

    2. I thought the only chance he would have to play would be as a returner. No room for him as a WR. Hardly any room for him as a RB. Could he have been our #2 back? Possible but a long shot IMO. Now they might look for a big RB to alternate with Hyde, unless they like Draughn or Harris for the role. Harris is short but over 200 lbs with sub 4.4 speed. I thought he’d be our change of pace guy. I don’t know what Rathman thinks about his pass protection.

  30. Frees up a spot the way I look at it- I would prefer to see if Davis or Taylor can develop in the backfield then get mediocre performance from Hayne w pressure from fans due to the intrigue factor. I like the prospect of Ellington in Kelly’s offense as well, or any other scat back in the passing game. Another thing to consider is if Simpson has anything left because Kelly runs a lot of 4-vertical.

  31. BASG’s take on Hayne a few minutes ago:

    “One positive is that the 49ers are willing to think unconventionally. We’ve seen this now with Hayne and Lawrence Okoye, which makes one wonder when they’ll sign a Japanese sumo wrestler to play nose tackle, or some roided-up Russian javelin specialist to compete with Blaine Gabbert after they release Colin Kaepernick. At least no one got hurt during their down under experiment — Hayne included — and if nothing else he provided a ready-made storyline during one of the most boring seasons in the history of the franchise.”

  32. Dear Jarryd,
    As a faithful Niner fan, I want to wish you well. Sounds like you are following your heart, and I know you will represent your country with pride, dignity and humility in the Olympics. It is a great honor to be asked, and I fully understand why you are doing this.

    Thank you for all the great moments you gave me, and all the other Niner fans who really did appreciate your talents. I wish you could come back to the Niners, but understand if you do not. I truly wished you could have worked with Chip Kelly, because, unlike the previous coaches, I think he is smart enough to have utilized your talents to their utmost potential.

    I wish to apologize to you for getting cut on the team bus. As a faithful Niner fan, I thought that it was a low class move. I am truly ashamed that this once high class organization had to become so penurious and mean, that they inflicted such an insult on a player who did not deserve it. When they had the punt returner call for fair catches even while behind, I was incensed that they could not appreciate your skills, and seemed content to lose. When they inserted cut couch potatoes to replace you, I thought they had lost their minds.

    Since the Olympics will be over in the summer, I hope you can get back to football. If the Niners cut you loose, I hope you can go to another team and show the league that you are a world class talent. Still, if you do come back to the Niners, I will welcome you back with open arms, and hope that next time you play, you will score a touchdown.

    1. Seb, you’re so Hayne. I bet you think this blog is about you, don’t you, don’t you? No Hayne, no gain…;>)

    2. …So here I am, with open arms, hoping you’ll see what your love means to me
      Open arms…

      1. Guess I get the gist of it, but its alright

        Sorry that you feel that way.

        The only thing there is to say

        Every silver lining’s got a touch of grey.

        I will get by, I will get by, I will get by, I will survive.

    3. Seb,
      I know that you have been carrying the Hayne banner since he was signed, but I’m a little confused at a couple of things in your farewell statement.
      1. What great moments did he actually provide?
      2. Why do you feel the need to apologize for the bus incident?

      Hayne looked good in preseason, but he also fumbled when given a chance to play in-season.
      And has the bus (getting cut on the bus) incident ever been corroborated?

          1. Seb,
            Only if it was an away game… One can’t be crushed to the turf in santa clara… that would require turf that would actually stay in place :)

      1. Hayne was the best return man and had good running statistics in the preseason games.
        On Hayne’s first punt return, Hayne had a tackler in his face, gave a hip move and made him fall down. Hayne also almost broke a run for a TD. On a run to the right against SD, he ran around a linebacker, and put a safety on his back.

        During the regular season, he had 17 attempts for 57 yards which translates to a 3.1 yard per carry. Before the last game, Davis, his replacement, had 24 yards after 25 carries. He also had 6 receptions and converted several third down plays. He had no fumbles while running or catching the ball.

        For the bus incident, most teams would have enough class to be able to avoid such ugliness. It is not just me, but many others consider that getting cut on the team bus is an insult to the player. A better organization would gotten in touch with Hayne ahead of time and cut him in a private setting instead of in front of the whole team. Since it was such a grievous insult, I as a Faithful Niner fan, felt like I had to apologize, because the FO sure the heck was not going to do it. Many fans also do not see the need to apologize, but there is at least one fan on this site that does, and did.

        Please Google- Hayne cut on bus.

        Granted, he did fumble 3 times. First, he should have been coached to let it bounce if he was not going to able to catch it without diving for it. Second, his own team mate ran into him. Third, he did not secure the ball, was stripped from behind, yet the Niners still retained possession, so no harm. If every player who dropped the ball was cut, there would be very few punt returners in the league.
        The coaches should have been a lot more patient with him, expected that he would fumble and shrug them off as learning experiences. Instead, they cut him on the team bus and had Ellington call for fair catches, even while behind. Since the Niners were a 5-11 team, Hayne would have not done any worse that who they put in. Hayne might have become the spark that ignited the team to a victory.

        1. This story of Hayne being cut on the team bus is highly overblown. It happens. Hayne understood it was a business decision. And he’s only got himself to blame for fumbling away his opportunity. However, if your going to cry about it, which Hayne didn’t, blame Tomsula. Nobody told Jimmy T he had to inform Hayne of his release while they were on the bus.

          However, he wasn’t the first NFL player to be told he was released, during a road trip, while on the bus, and he wont be the last. Getting released is the nature of the business, no matter where you are when it happens. And if you don’t want to get cut, don’t get beat out by another running back. I guarantee you Walter Payton was never cut on the team bus.

          The fact of the matter is, Hayne tried to do something that’s nearly impossible to do. I don’t care how great of an athlete you are, your chances to make an NFL roster at the age of 28, with no prior experience playing the sport, is 10,000 to 1 at best. Hayne never looked comfortable lining up in the backfield. He had the ability to make some guys miss in the open field, but that’s not enough to make an NFL roster. Only the best of the best can make a roster strictly as a punt returner, and Hayne wasn’t that good. If he had better skills as a running back he may have beaten the odds, but he was slow to react, and frankly looked sluggish as a runner, while his pass blocking was understandably suspect.

          The writing was on the wall after the team drafted Kelvin Taylor. Best of luck to you Jarryd Hayne. I think you made the right decision.

          1. Hayne is 6’2″ and weighs 222, and ran a 4.53 forty. He is bigger than all the other RBs except Hyde. With his size and speed, Hayne could be a force.

            Haynes’ ability to make the first tackler miss, catch the punt in traffic and receiving skills made him an intriguing prospect. His rugby accomplishments and accolades confirm his elite abilities.

            I was truly baffled by Paraag Marathe giving glowing praise to Hayne, since his analytics were the reason why they benched, then cut him. Now we find out that Fiji contacted him a couple weeks ago to join their Olympic squad.
            Marathe even brought up intangibles, which is the antithesis of analytics, in a desperate try to keep him.

          2. That said, despite his bowing out of the NFL after one season, I still have a world of respect for Jarryd Hayne. He may not be a world class football player, but he’s certainly a world class athlete, and a world class human being. It was a fun story to watch last season, and added a little drama to one of the worst coached seasons I have ever seen. I hope he makes the Olympic team!

        2. I was a big Hayne fan and am sorry to see him go. The preseason won’t be the same w/o him. And I really thought he could have been a lot more than he got the chance to show.
          However, I always thought the firing of Hayne on the bus was to provide the smallest window possible for another team to grab him thereby enabling the Niners to get him onto the practice squad. Just one fan’s opinion.

  33. I was just responding to the shout out Jarryd Hayne gave to the Niner faithful. I consider him a great player and a better person.

    Glad you all did not rag on him for quitting on the Niners.

  34. Lol @ Paraag Marathe.

    A blindingly perfect example of why nobody should listen to a single thing that guy says.

    1. Wrote about this a few days ago that Hayne would be cut. Here are my points rebutting Seb’s Hayne man crush:

      1. Seb of course fails to realize Hayne would have been cut. Kelly has no place on the roster for a special teams fumbler.

      2 Carlos Hyde is the starter.

      3,.Mike Davis beat him out last year. 4. Kelvin Taylor (FLA) ran a similar run option offense at the U. in which Hayne has no experience. As far as I know, businesses prefer experience. 5. Then of course, Dujuan Harris and Draughn round out our depth chart…No way Hayne ascends the completion, so the 49ers (Baalke) saved face with a bullsh-t story covering his draft and recent F/A failures.

  35. Hmm, Paraag is praising him, so the analytics guy starts talking about intangibles in a desperate move to try and keep him.

    Hayne takes one look at Paraag Marathe, and retires.

    1. Seb’s delusional storytelling, the art of a paranoid personality when signs of a sinking ship he designed is going down, or in this case, an athlete outclassed by major competition the Chipster will run in his new offense. Hayne is not a Kelly offensive guy.

      1. TrollD, when you start raving about paranoid personalities, You are really just describing yourself.

  36. Fans also noticed Hayne could not pick up the blitz, would miss assignments. Since fans noticed this, obviously coach Tomsula and Rathman did also. When Hayne succeeded in fumbling away the only job left to him (special teams), that’s what actually sealed his demise.

    1. TrollD, you may have selective amnesia, so I will point out that Geep declared that a cut couch potato had full command of the playbook after 3 days, then watched as that Hayne replacement whiffed on a block for a sack.

  37. May 15, 20169
    Jarryd Hayne retires from NFL after fumbling punts, selling plenty of jerseys

    By Bay Area Sports Guy

  38. While I loved having a fellow Aussie on the 49ers (and an ex-rugby league player to boot), and thought he had some talent if given time, it was always going to be tough to get very far in the NFL for Hayne starting a career in his late 20s. Surprised he even tried. Surprised he got this far. Happy he called it quits while he’s still young enough to go do what he’s best at.

    1. Why Baalke even had Hayne (the fumbler) on the roster is a sign of a weak GM.
      Wasting a roster space on a team in need of help at virtually every position his recent draft picks have failed–has left the 49ers roster depleted. This includes no marquis wide receivers, no tight ends that intimidate teams over the middle, a turn style offensive line, sub-par quarterbacks, etc., etc.

      Ownership has failed also. As Jed and his family ignore quality West Coast coaches as a slap in the face to anything “Uncle Eddy,” in favor of creating there own legacy, with an experimental offensive coach, as a fan, I wish them well. But as a person with feelings, the more documented stories I read about Jed making T. Kawakami pay for his and his wife’s meal; the Girl Scout Imbroglio; the leaks; analytics–the list continues, I have lost respect for the team.

      1. Also, sticking with a player so long as Hayne, all of Baalke’s ACL signings–a 3rd rounder this year, is a sign of a desperate GM.

      2. TrollD, from your past posts, you never had respect for this team. The first game last year, you were gleefully predicting a 0-52 Viking blowout.

        You and I may both think the FO is terrible, but I do it from the perspective that I want them to learn from their mistakes and become better people so the Niners can return to greatness. You on the other hand, just delight in their misery and stay unrelentingly negative. This schadenfreude just defines you.

      3. And continuing to troll a sports blog when nobody cares about what you post is the sign of a weak person!

        1. I’m speaking about you TrollD. Your unoriginal posts are a total bore. We get it, you hate the 49ers. So what? I hate the Raiders. Who cares? You wont see my name on a Raiders’ blog.

          Get a life TomD!

    2. It was worth a shot with Hayne. World class athlete who was willing to come in on the ground floor and try to work his way up. The Olympic opportunity was a big part of him moving on I’m sure, but there could have also been a realization that he was wasting his best remaining years as an athlete chasing something that may never materialize. The guy is a star in the rugby world and can make a lot of money over the next few years. Really cool dude, and I enjoyed learning about him last season.

      1. I still can’t really believe he left his rugby league career behind. I imagine he’ll resume it next year now.

        Of course what has happened at his old club may be part of the reason he decided to leave in the first place – if you think the 49ers FO is bad, you should google the Parramatta Eels. In fighting, no communication between the board, ongoing and deliberate breaking of salary cap rules – they’re a hot mess.

        1. Yeah that’s pretty bad. Do they still hold his rights when he returns Scooter?

          1. I believe so, but given their salary cap issues I think they would need to release him anyway.

    1. ….”Via the Sydney Morning Herald, former Australian Sports Anti-Doping Agency chief Richard Ings pointed out on Twitter that Hayne (and all Olympic athletes) must be in a WADA-compliant drug-testing pool for at least six months before the games. Ings specifically opined that Hayne has “no chance” of playing for Fiji in the Olympics.

      Maybe, then, this is simply Hayne’s way of bowing out gracefully from the NFL, knowing deep down that he simply was never going to cement a spot on San Francisco’s 53-man roster.”…

    1. I was excited about Flaherty and believe he’s an upgrade over Foerster. Same thing for Azzinaro….

  39. With the exception of the Manning brothers, how many SEC quarterbacks have gone on to become NFL starters?

    1. Hmm, so you are saying that Driskel, with his Florida playing years, will never make it as a starter? I thought you were touting him?

      1. Wasn’t touting anyone. Just think that saying Driskel only played well against weak competition isn’t a very well thought out argument given his success at Florida in 2012.

        1. Well, Driskel did light it up for 4000 yards, so he did very well against his 2015 opposition, but I will concede that that was not the sole reason he lasted until the 6th round.

          However, 13 other teams thought there were superior QBs, so Driskel does have flaws.

          1. “Driskel does have flaws.”

            No kidding. Please show me where I stated otherwise.

            And once again, he also played well in 2012 at Florida. Most only want to talk about the 2014 year though.

            1. Well, at least I did not say he sucks. I like Driskel, and mentioned him early in the draft period because of his 40 time.

              However, the more I studied the QBs, I saw that Hogan had good run production and played well in big games. I became a big Hogan booster, but Driskel does have potential. I think he fits into the Chip Kelly offense very well.

              Like Rocket or Razor said, Driskel will do well if he has a season to sit, study and get stronger.

            2. Bottom line: He lost the job at Florida and transferred to a lesser School. At the lesser school he led an offense that scored fewer points than it had the previous year with some guy no one has ever heard of. He was a 6th round pick for a reason.

              1. No very different situation between Flacco and Driskell. Flacco didn’t get a chance to play at Pitt, so he transferred. Driskell was handed the job from day one and wound up losing it over time. He transferred because Florida decided he wasn’t good enough and replaced him.

              2. “Florida decided he wasn’t good enough and replaced him.”

                Correct, but only after he broke his leg. Through 2012 and the beginning of 2013 they were quite content with him.

                Flacco couldn’t get on the field at Pitt, so he had to go to Delaware.

                In both cases the QB had to transfer to a lesser school to get on the field. Similar situation.

              3. Flacco didn’t get to play at all. He got red shirted his first year and then got in for mop up duty in one game the following season. It wasn’t a situation where he didn’t play well and get benched.. They just went with Palko instead who actually played really well.

                Driskell came in as one of the top QB recruits in the country, was given every chance to play, and in the end was benched. The broken leg didn’t help, but his play wasn’t that good either. As I mentioned in the earlier post, he had a great defense and running game carrying him and didn’t put up great numbers at any point during his time there. They ultimately replaced him because they felt they could do better; not because he broke his leg.

                Very different situations here.

              4. Driskel likely doesn’t lose his job if not for the broken leg. Then you have the come back in 2014 with a new OC and a HC on the hot seat and the situation is pretty difficult.

                Back to the main point of my original post on the subject, saying that he was only successful in 2015 because of the level of competition is a poor argument. There is a long list of guys who have been successful in the NFL after playing at the lower levels of D1 or 1AA.

                Will Driskel be successful? I don’t know. But his success or lack thereof will have very little to do with the level of competition from his college days.

              5. I’m not disputing that. I just didn’t agree with your Flacco comparison. I don’t think Driskell is anywhere near as good coming out of College as Flacco was.

              6. Not comparing Driskel to Flacco. I only used Flacco as an example of a guy who needed to go to a lower level school to get on the field. The QB position is one that I don’t think is affected as much by this as other positions.

      2. sec qb’s…
        Stafford, Newton, Cutler I believe were SEC qb’s… but in general I agree with your assessment of SEC qb’s.

    2. Bart Starr, YA Tittle, George Blanda, Mathew Stafford, Ryan Tannehill, Jay Cutler, Cam Newton, also.

      1. Tannehill was still in the Big12 in Tannehill’s last season. They didn’t move until th following year. So that would be Stafford, Cutler, Newton. Do we count Johnny Football in there too?

        1. Jack, I do concede that the SEC is under represented in the QB department.
          The SEC is a farm system for the NFL when it comes to other positions.

          Maybe you should cite all the SEC busts, like Jamarcus and Johnny, to better get your point across, because QBs who have done well in the SEC do not seem to make the transition to the NFL, for some reason. Like Tebow.

  40. Well there was the Manning Dad then there was Joe Willie and the Snake……Wait a minute were you talking about this century?

  41. Well the great Zack Mettenberger just got released by the Titans. I didn’t see this coming. Well I kind of did. I’m sure Coffee is scratching his head.

  42. I’ve been calling 345 Park Ave all morning trying to put in a waiver claim for Mettenberger but the lady keeps hanging up on me. WTF?

      1. Ha, nice recall. Closer then you realize though, my last name is Osborne. :)

    1. They won’t do it, but I’d bring in Mettenberger. He’s got as much or more to work with as Gabbert does.

      1. Denver should put in a claim. That would be a good spot for him as well.

        1. I think he is better than Mark Sanchez, but Trevor Siemian may be the dark horse, and TS is why they let BO leave.

      2. Doesn’t make sense to bring Mettenberger in. He doesn’t fit Chips style. Plus Kaepernick will be the starter. Gabbert is a good back up. Mettenberger is not even that.

    2. Is it just me, or does this seem like an odd time to be letting last year’s backup go? Why not let him compete for the job again this year, if you aren’t going to release him at the start of FA? My unfounded speculation is there could be some off field issues behind this move.

        1. Did he? Well, don’t colour me shocked if it gets revealed he has a pending 4 game suspension.

          1. He hasn’t been in the NFL substance abuse program and without any other incidents on record or anything that’s come out in the news I doubt he’s facing any suspensions.

            1. Que the twitter report of his imminent suspension because that’s just my luck.

      1. The much more likely explanation is that they no longer feel comfortable with his health history. If he had shown more when he was healthy then I would venture to guess they’d be willing to give him more time but inconsistent play matched with a poor health history was most likely his undoing.

        Unfortunately his upside at this point is Sam Bradford. He might still develop into a good pocket QB but one good hit and he’s out for 6-8 games.

  43. Real Football ‏@realfootballtv 20m20 minutes ago
    Brock #Osweiler- under 10 #NFL starts, $18M per year, and he never even met with the head coach. Nervous in #HOU…. http://goo.gl/UqneJT

    This will go down as one of the worst free agent signings of all time.

    1. Well if he refrains from throwing the ball like the DBs are the intended receivers, he may do OK. If BO just doesn’t make mistakes and let his defense win, the Texans may do well in a weak division.

      Still I agree with you. They way overpaid for essentially a novice.

  44. The Sanchize hurts his thumb in the weight room and has surgery.

    Yet another reason the Broncos should have traded for Kaepernick.

    1. Jack ..

      Not sure they had to cap room to afford him ..
      (Kaep was lookin’ for some Brock money)

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