Posted By: Marc - NJ49er (27/07/2008 2:15:14 PM)
Comment: Neener, I follow your thought process to a point. Salary. If you were to look at the available money (CAP) and realize that VD Alex and Jonas made'X Dollars' and Patrick Joe and 'Blank' made 'Y' dollars, it's who do you pay? I agree with Matt. Camp means show me something worth $9Mil......

Posted By: Neener (27/07/2008 9:20:54 AM)
Comment: I know no one will probably read this post since Matt's article is 2 days old, but I had to comment to Dirk2 and any other fans that think that just because Hill won a couple of games does not mean he is anywhere near the caliber of Alex Smith. I fully agree with Indiana Jim. Hill has not played a meaningful game of football. Alex was pushed too hard, too fast. And now, if you read today's article with the quote from Smith about his 'normal ego' I think he needs to heal his mind as well as his shoulder. Can we all please remember he had a level 3 separation. (x-rays proved that) I was surprised he returned at all last season. Smith is tough. He is smart. And he has the physical skills. Marz needs to pump up his ego, and get him to BELIEVE he can do it all.

Posted By: naweed (27/07/2008 2:00:53 AM)
Comment: matt, in regards to smith and hill; who do you think has more control in the huddle, and who does the offense/defense respond better to? any favortisim on any side?

Posted By: Razoreater (26/07/2008 5:10:45 PM)
Comment: I feel Alex should be given every confidence as "the" #1 man at QB and leader of this team. This stupid mindgame Nolan incorporates is detrimental to Smith. Revolving OC's, injury coupled with the weakest franchise in the NFL at the time of his drafting I believe are reasons to give Alex every snap with the 1st team and 90% of Martzs' undivided education in the development of Smith as our QB.

Posted By: Dirk 2 (26/07/2008 12:58:58 PM)
Comment: I might not be a football expert, but I am a die-hard 49er fan and what I DO know is that when Hill was on the field we won more than when he wasn't. That seems reason enough for me to remain the starter until he loses against "meaningful" NFL teams consistently.

Posted By: Indiana Jim (26/07/2008 9:55:53 AM)
Comment: Erik and Dirk 2 - if by "opportunity" and "field of battle" you mean: one half against a bad Vikings pass defense sitting on a 27-0 lead playing prevent throwing five yard passes and but one TD; playing the Bengals who have a horrid overall defense and gave up by that time, throwing same five yard passes; playing the Buccaneers who were letting their scrubs play because they were going to the playoffs.... then sure. I guess you might as well send him to the Pro Bowl, too. Shaun Hill has not played in any MEANINGFUL NFL action ever. And if you think inconsistent coaching and scrub receivers was ample opportunity for Smith, then you don't know the NFL too well.

Posted By: Indiana Jim (26/07/2008 9:48:48 AM)
Comment: Tim from Concord - you haven't been reading very well. He was asked on at least two occasions to give us the stats, so he's doing it.

Posted By: Dirk 2 (26/07/2008 8:44:14 AM)
Comment: I don't know why there's a QB controversy at all. In my opinion Hill won the starting job last year fair-and-square. He proved himself on the field of battle, something Smith (given 2 full seasons) hasn't been able to do.

Posted By: Jake (26/07/2008 8:26:33 AM)
Comment: Exactly mv49ers! If Hill was going to WIN this job Smith would and should have been cut in the offseason. This is Smith's YEAR, he is the #1 Guy and should start the season. Hill is the #2 Guy and should be ready in case Smith goes in the tank early and hopefully Nolan will PULL SMITH EARLIER THIS SEASON instead of the debacle he caused last season by not going to Hill earlier and messing around with DILFER! NAME SMITH THE STARTER NOW, KEEP HIM HEALTHY AND LET's SEE WHAT HE CAN DO!

Posted By: ShaneO (26/07/2008 8:24:02 AM)
Comment: mv49ers: thank u for the sanity check... i couldnt agree more. this might be an "open" competetion but lets be honest, they are not going to take the number one overall pick in his 4th year where he should blossom under a great cord. and bench him for a journeyman. this is insane! they are just using this competetion thing to try and bring out the best in smith.. i hope it does but as fans we can be honest with each other!

Posted By: mv49ers (26/07/2008 6:56:30 AM)
Comment: SMITH WILL WIN THE JOB, LET'S END THIS RIDICULOUS COMPETITION AND GIVE HIM HIS REPS!

Posted By: Big M (26/07/2008 12:53:43 AM)
Comment: Matt... thanks for the response on the last post. I see you corrected the stats, but I notice that you have tabulated the attempts and completiions of both 7-on-7 and 11-on-11, but only the TDs for 11-on-11. If you are indeed using the numbers from all of the sessions, then Hill should have one more INT, giving him 4 on the day. Otherwise, the completions and attempts should be different. I'm sure you had a long day. Thanks for your great work. You spoil us too much.

Posted By: NTQ (26/07/2008 12:00:12 AM)
Comment: Matt you said that Hill got picked off twice in back to back attemps by Goldson and R. Smith, than later by Grant and then you say in a later post in 7 on 7 drills that Hill was picked again, this time by Spencer. So shouldn't Hill have 4 picks? Sounds like Hill had the better day completion percentage wise, but Smith kept the ball out of the D's hands. also who would you say had the more difficult throws and more yardage? I'm pulling for Smith to be our starter.

Posted By: ChadW (25/07/2008 11:42:08 PM)
Comment: JJ and everyone else that wont give Hill a chance: Yes Hill only beat the Bengals and Bucs backups, but Hill has lost to defenses worse than that. Also take into consideration that the Bucs started the game with their first string D (which was one of the best defenses last season) and Hill played just fine against them. Saying that Hill shouldn't ever start because he was benched for so many years means nothing, Steve Young sat on the bench for years and look what he became. There have been a lot of "nobodys" that became "Somebodys" when given the chance. I think this battle is about even. Alex has more athletic ability and more arm strength, but Hill is more accurate and doesnt play scared like alex. Its too soon to say that Hill cant start though, we're yet to see Hill play bad, if he starts playing consistently bad then maybe it's time to give up on him, but right now the guy still has a lot of upside. I see this competition at about 50/50 right now. I am pulling for Hill though.

Posted By: JJ (25/07/2008 9:57:53 PM)
Comment: Everyone that thinks Hill has a chance is kidding themselves. Yes Hill won two starts last year. One was against the Bengals, the worst defense in the league. The other was against the Bucs, while they were playing all their scrubs and resting the starters for the playoffs. Both games were at home, and neither of the opposing teams had much film to gameplan against Hill. There is a reason Hill has been in the league for 5-6 years and has never been higher than 3rd on the depth chart. As soon as Hill has to play against a defense that is not dead last, or has to play on the road, or has to play against a team that actually game plans against him you'll realize that he is just a servicable backup. Hopefully Alex, with a healthy arm and a good coordinator will continue to progress, like he was under Turner.

Posted By: Erik (25/07/2008 9:41:33 PM)
Comment: Matt- Interesting comment that your "eyes confirm that Smith is still the leader". I second Derek's request for some elaboration. Smith has always looked better to everyone's eyes, which is why he was a #1 overall pick and Hill was lucky to ever take an NFL snap. But Hill's results have been better when given the opportunity, which is what of course matters. Did your eyes show you that Smith actually is achieving better results or that he just "looks" better (stronger arm, tighter spirals, better athlete, etc.), which he always will. Of course I realize this is day 1 of training camp so who cares but I think it's an important distinction as the battle continues. Thanks for the great work.

Posted By: Derek, memphis (25/07/2008 8:58:57 PM)
Comment: Hey matt, could you elaborate on what you mean by "my eyes confirm smith is still the leader despite today's stats" Did he control the offense better than hill?

Posted By: Cody Pickett (25/07/2008 8:18:01 PM)
Comment: Matt, you indicate there is a difference between "team sessions" and "teamwork" - What is the difference.

Response: No difference. I just used different words. It's 11-on-11. --Matt M.

Posted By: Tim from Concord (25/07/2008 8:08:26 PM)
Comment: Oh I forgot... Whats up with Cody Wallace always getting man handled? Didn't he get it handed to him at the Senior Bowl as well? Just proves my statement about the D vs the O. But Im going to completly contradict myself by saying thank the football gods or McNolan for Chilo Rachal! I think hes gonna be a beast. Kinda knew hed get the better of Balmer. Rachal might get the starting nod over Wragge. He's also real young and is bound to get stronger. He might give Wragge a challenge in the weight room too.

Posted By: Tim from Concord (25/07/2008 7:40:45 PM)
Comment: Indi Jim... Maiocco gave us the stats without asking. Whats with Staley bitching out about an infected bug bite on his foot? He's an NFL left tackle! What happened to being tough? Didn't Justin Smith play with a broken foot that is now funky lookin? Are the D guys just more tough than the O guys? Yeah I said it! You tell me?

Posted By: Matt (25/07/2008 7:20:10 PM)
Comment: Matt--I will second the 3 ints for Hill in the afternoon practice. And Matt, where were you sitting? Me and a friend were looking but didn't notice, we were on the sitting between the handicapped seating and the elevated lift that they use to video tape from, about the 50 yard line.

Posted By: Indiana Jim (25/07/2008 7:16:53 PM)
Comment: OH. GOOD. LORD. Bad enough people flouted Hill's stats in meaningless games at the end of the season, now we're really tracking stats in Training Camp? Really people, you ask too much of Maiocco.

Posted By: Steve Bono (25/07/2008 7:16:25 PM)
Comment: I just got back from training camp. I felt the QB's looked awful. Smith looked really bad but what do I know.

Posted By: Big M (25/07/2008 7:00:15 PM)
Comment: Matt, Bee-Rows had Hill tossing 3 picks in the afternoon practice, giving him 4 for the day. By your count, I believe Smith has just one. MB reported in his blog that Grant caught a third interception off of Hill in addition to the 2 you reported. Add that to the one from the morning session, that should give Hill 4. You have him credited with 2. It's okay, you're still my hero.

Response: When it comes to tabulated the stats for the day, I'm only referring to the 11-on-11 work. --Matt M.

Posted By: Rich, DE (25/07/2008 6:59:04 PM)
Comment: "the ball barely hit the ground"...that's good to hear for a change.

Posted By: Jon in Socal (25/07/2008 6:07:08 PM)
Comment: does active PUP- mean that they are out for a little bit of time, or the normal PUP where they are out for the year.

Posted By: prosolution (25/07/2008 6:06:58 PM)
Comment: second

Posted By: Neil From alameda (25/07/2008 6:01:04 PM)
Comment: First