Posted By: pbasil9er (01/09/2008 9:20:21 AM)
Comment: JTO didn't do anything wrong, he just got put into a bad situation. To me it's like he came the back door and beat out the home town favorite. I can't blame him for doing his best to win, anything else would be cheating. BUT I just can't get behind this guy, maybe in time? nolan on the other hand has lost all of his credibility, all in all I guess it doesn't matter but I don't believe a word the guy says! So as far as JTO cheating 'No' But did we as Fans get cheated Yes! If the seats are MT change will come. peace out

Posted By: DF49er (29/08/2008 4:14:58 PM)
Comment: Wooooow. After all that rambling. You still didn't answer my question. I give up Darren!! 49erGenius, Houston 9er or who ever you are.

Posted By: DF49er (29/08/2008 1:43:49 PM)
Comment: Yes Darren, it does seem pretty crappy (for Smith and Hill) that JT knew the system. But answer this. Say for instance, Smith gets traded to San Diego and wins a similar competition (because he's more familiar Norv's system) Smith is cheating.....Right?? Just give a straight answer. I will not except ... "That will never happen, so I can't answer that". Believe it or not I respect your opinion and I agree 100% that Nolan needs to go, but come on. JTO did not cheat. Show me where it says what he did is/was cheating. I searched high and low and couldn't find any such rule.

Posted By: NeB9eR (28/08/2008 4:58:03 PM)
Comment: J.T. O'Sullivan, Mike Nolan, Osama Bin Laden, John Sena, Bigfoot and Governor Schwarzenegger are in conspiracy to TAKE OVER THE WORLD, by purposely blacking out ALL 49ers games. Alex Smith you better call Batman and straighten this crap out.

Posted By: prospector (28/08/2008 3:52:12 PM)
Comment: Darren, How do you know if JTO got a fair chance with all of his previous teams? Was he getting equal snaps with the 1st stringers on those teams in training camp? Was he starting preseason games? If that is what you use as your criteria for "fair chance", then nothing about the NFL is ever fair. s it fair that Alex Smith was initally handed the 1st string job simply because he was the #1 pick, while a guy like JTO never even started preseason games until this year?

Posted By: prospector (28/08/2008 2:07:55 PM)
Comment: Wait a sec, Darren, I just read your last post in full, with the stuff about Warner being a cheat, Martz a cheat, and JTO a cheat, and how what has been don to Alex Smith. I stand corrected, there is no question: you are not full of it, you are delusional.

Posted By: prospector (28/08/2008 2:01:24 PM)
Comment: Darren, you don't want JTO to play the way Kurt Warner did for the Rams? You are full of it, or completely delusional. Give the guy a chance, it's not like Alex Smith has been setting the world on fire here. If JTO stumbles, Smith is there, and will have had more time to digest and master the play book. You don't take football too seriously, you take Alex Smith too seriously. As someone else mention, the guy has $40 million in the bank, he will be OK. Let the trained professional coaches sort the QB thing out, they have the best interest of the team at heart, and like most fans, you have no idea what you are talking about.

Posted By: Cadmus (28/08/2008 1:04:11 PM)
Comment: Darren -- "Fairness"...JT O'Sullivan didn't even get a snap the first ten days of training camp. "Fairness"...would anyone be this concerned about "fairness" if Alex received all the reps with the first team, and the other two QBs sat? "Fairness?" Is it fair to make 10 other starters run through a new offense with a QB who doesn't know the offense, while the guy who knows it sits on the sidelines? The length of your entry suggests you are passionate (good), and a bit too emotional (bad) about something as trivial as "fairness" for a 23 year old guy with $40 million in the bank for playing a game we all played for free in high school.

Posted By: Art Shell (28/08/2008 11:20:34 AM)
Comment: What makes Nolan better than me?

Posted By: Byron (28/08/2008 10:06:29 AM)
Comment: Matt, you said in an earlier response to a question that you didn't see the Yorks replacing both the HC and GM at the same time again. My question is, why wouldn't they consider it if Mike Holmgren is interested in becoming the next HC, but only if he can be the HC & GM? It's been speculated that he is leaving Seattle b/c they stripped him of the GM role. The Yorks gave a rookie HC, who was clearly not capable of handling the dual roles, control over personnel decisions, so why not Holmgren? For the record, I do not support the HC acting as the GM.

Posted By: Andrew from Rishikesh (28/08/2008 9:55:42 AM)
Comment: Hi Matt, It seems that coach Martz is getting a little testy or the juices are starting to flow. I wonder when Martz and Nolan will butt heads. This relationship reminds me of the 86 Bears where Buddy Ryan ran the defense and Ditka was the head coach. I don't think Nolan stacks up with Martz too well. Martz is a heavyweight and Nolan more of middleweight.

Posted By: Razoreater (28/08/2008 9:52:44 AM)
Comment: The fact Nolan is still the coach after winning 16 games in 3 seasons is quite literally ridiculous. We might as well be owned by Barnum and Bailey. Nolan says we have 3 quarterbacks, and feels the best group situation since he has been there. I say that's obama rhetoric for we have no quarterback.

Posted By: ninermaniac (28/08/2008 9:49:15 AM)
Comment: I think the best way to run this O in the season is to be time consuming (ball hog). Just sustain drives, let the D rest and they might score more than the O at times. Just got to pound the ball with the big guys and the playbook will open up. Special teams is a must at getting good field position, but cant give good field position either. It would be nice though if Rossum can DH it and take it to the house and visit a couple times a month. Im glad there is 4 pre games, i dont see how you can cut 30 players in just 20 days. Nolan should put an a flag pin too and become Mayor of SF too so they can get that stadium deal taken care of.

Posted By: Steve (28/08/2008 9:25:30 AM)
Comment: i think this "If you establish yourself as an incredible player within a quarter of a game, that's just the way it goes." was one of the funniest things I have ever read. Is Martz saying JTO played even half way decent in the first two games? It didn't seem like he established himself until the third game, and i don't think incredible player is a word to use here.

Posted By: VA Niner Fan (28/08/2008 8:16:10 AM)
Comment: Hey Matt! Truly enjoy your blog. Your "boy" B-rows was interviewed by our local radio station here in Va Beach. (Our radio host does a 32 teams in 32 days interviewing local sports writers/ radio personalities.) I guess it' s a good thing I missed it! Anyway, I just wanted to say for some of us Niner fans that we are in a win-win situation. If we win w/ Nolan, Martz, and JTO, great b/c as fans we want our team to win and make the playoffs. If we have a losing season, then all three are gone, and we get a coach who actually knows how to coach (hopefully Holmgren). Looking at our schedule, it looks like we will end up with a new coach next season. (My prediction is 7-9 and at best 8-8.) Anyway, keep up the great work!

Posted By: ShaneO (28/08/2008 7:54:50 AM)
Comment: Matt- just wondering you say Lelie gives the 49ers the speed/deep threat they dont have but does Jason Hill have blazing speed?? if so do we really need lelie?

Posted By: ancientniner (28/08/2008 7:18:09 AM)
Comment: Comments are good example why juvenile democracy seldom works. Get a couple bad apples writing dissertations and it becomes garbage. I'll just read Matt for next month or two before I read any more comments. Sad.

Posted By: prospector (28/08/2008 7:13:09 AM)
Comment: Real fan: So for Alex Smith, you are credit Mike McCarthy as on eof the best offensive coaches in the league, but overlook the "talent" that we had around Smith on offense, which was perhaps the worst in the history of the NFL. You overlook Smith's vast improvement under Turner in his first full year as a starter. And you count his time with Martz as with one of the best OC minds, although Smith never even started a preseason game, and had lextremely limited reps with the first team in TC. Then for JTO, talk about a ton of mediocre coaching and fail to mention the year he spent with the very same "very best offensive coach in the league", Martz. Way to look at things rationally. This is not "fair", it is what it is, JTO had the best shot at being game ready in a compllex offense becuase he was clearly starting with the advantage of having been familiar with that offense for 1 year. Tough luck for Smith, I am not crying for him. Maybe he will return as starter for this team maybe not, but I am a fan of the team more than of individual players. But this does not mean that JTO is "better" than Smith, or that the 49ers did not royally screw up his development with a series of blunders over the year, a development they committed to when they drafted a less experienced QB with a ton of potential at #1 overall.

Posted By: prospector (28/08/2008 7:02:05 AM)
Comment: "If you establish yourself as an incredible player within a quarter of a game"...are we still talking about JTO here, or someone else? As I've said before, I think are seeing both why Martz is heralded as a genius, and why he is without fail ultimately run out of town on a rail at each of his stops. Intelligence + arrogance= monumental lapses in judgment. I just hope this isn't one of them, although I am willing to give JTO the beefit of the doubt, since we don't exactly have the second coming of Montana sitting on the bench.

Posted By: RealFan49 (28/08/2008 6:40:10 AM)
Comment: As for poor Alex Smith, he's had 3 of the very best offensive coaches in the league and yet still hasn't shown himself well. I can only remember one quarter of decent play in all the time he's been on the team. Pampered JTO on the other hand has had 8 teams in 8 years (or something like that) and a ton of mediocre coaching. So why is JTO better right now?? Is it possible he's the better QB?

Posted By: RealFan49 (28/08/2008 6:35:19 AM)
Comment: Fantastic to see some positive comments at long last. I agree 100% that Nolan is to be taken at face value and to ignore the childish search for hidden meanings & office politics lead by Kawakami & the rest of the Mercury News staff. If you do you will see that Nolan always speaks truthfully. Perhaps more than any other NFL coach. Probably why he has no trouble attracting the very best coaches in the league. Does anyone really think Mike Singletary would stay working for a man who didn't show the highest levels of personal integrity????????? Go Niners!!

Posted By: drsgrosse (28/08/2008 4:56:20 AM)
Comment: Schumann's question was stupid and I'm glad Martz took him to task. The comeptition wasn't fair. Smith and Hill were given almost all the chances during the off season, the OTA's and the first week of camp. O' Sullivan was given almost no opportunity to win the job. Despite not being given a fair chance, JTO won the job. Schumann's question is also out of date: the decision was made a week ago. Move on. Finally, Schumann was attempting to impose some standard of "fairness" according to Schumann on Martz. It was a question designed to disrupt and had nothing to do with reporting. We will see about Nolan & Martz once the games begin. Nolan has irritated be as he has many others with his poor sideline management and his stubborn decisions such as sticking with Dilfer. However, he was on a good track before last year when he went through the anguish of having his dad slowly die and was betrayed by Norv Turner. He has corrected his handling of his QB's. Let's see how he does in the W column. Perhaps he and Martz will not do well, but one thing is for sure: they will do better than I would or Matt would or any of the other commenters on this blog would. And that is why they are NFL coaches and we are fans. And to all those who are so sure they know the Niners will fall on their faces this season I say this: it's a wonder that the NFL bothers to play the games at all -- why don't they just ask you who will win the Superbowl, have a big party and hand out the trophy.

Posted By: Jamie (28/08/2008 2:25:36 AM)
Comment: Matt, could you explain to us the difference between a high ankle sprain and a plain ankle sprain? I'm sure I could google it, but I thought other niner fans would like to know as well. Thanks

Posted By: Medford (28/08/2008 2:11:01 AM)
Comment: I get ur point Darren Ive been on Alex Smiths side from the start and I agree with u about the 4 different OC in 4 years and Nolan not liking him. But JTO has been better in camp this year. Nolan has to do what he has to do to win this year and he has not seen Alex throw the ball in the right spot. Just look at his face when the niners played the Bears he covered his eyes when Alex was missing his throws.

Posted By: Marc - NJ49er (28/08/2008 2:01:54 AM)
Comment: Look at the glass half full for a change. We've been in a suck-cycle for 5+ years. We're younger, better balanced and looking poised to have an excellent defense healthy and ready to contend. If we get even vanilla offensive production in the first half season we could conceivably play .500 football. Our biggest obstacle isn't JTO right now, it's the offense on the whole and the schedule. We can debate the what if's, but the games will played for the record soon enough, then we can critique the results. Let's enjoy the fact that NFL football is back and we're ready to play some Mike Martz offensive football, It's a damn sight better then last seasons' train wreck.

Posted By: Montana1 (28/08/2008 1:11:45 AM)
Comment: Sorry guys, but I have to step in and defend Nolan. Think about this team before he came in. I think the think that REALLY screwed us all and particularly Nolan and Smith was obviously Norv going to Dallas. Now look, we have the best receivers since TO, O-line, Willis, Staley, Justin Smith, Lawson, ....I could go on and on....Things are MUCH better than when Nolan first took over. Yes, he may have made a mistake on Alex but there were other circumstances and if he did, he would certainly not be the first. Damn, can we get some positivity going! Our team is putting up 400 yard games in preseason! Go Niners! This is the best time of the year and the best sport there is. Wait until Feb. and March when you're watching the Warriors w/o Ellis. You'll wish you appreciated this time. Enjoy it! Life is almost over, ya know? Best, Montana1

Posted By: Montana1 (28/08/2008 12:58:34 AM)
Comment: Darren, I understand, but give Mike Martz a chance. Give him half a season and see if it improves. Mike may be the best in the world at spotting/making QB's and the TRUTH about Nolan is that he's very, very simple. He actually says what he means. When he says Alex is still in the mix he means it because you never know what will happen. Remember that although we love Matt and friends that it's their job to take a few soundbites and READ into them in order to create content which often results in taking a phrase like "JTO's the best" to mean "Alex sucks." Nolan does not mean that but our boys in the press will make it look that way to sell their wares (which we love by the way!). Hang in there buddy. There is not a single aspect of this team that is not better than 2006 (7-9) aside from the QB question mark. There is hope. Best, Montana1 (pretty much all the time)

Posted By: Medford (27/08/2008 11:57:15 PM)
Comment: CBS puts Colts, Pats, on and belive me u will see enough Dallas on ESPN, and Sunday night football. Ur not the only one who is mad at Nolan and this team Darren I am to but JTO won the job plain and simple Alex looked bad his throws were off he always is putting his head down. He really needs to become a leader which he hasnt. Look at Matt Ryan from Atlanta he looks like a player he takes control of the huddle which Alex cant. If we have a bad year then bye bye Nolan. And no more Urban Myer QB's please!!!

Posted By: Barack Obama (27/08/2008 11:50:46 PM)
Comment: Sorry about that ESPN address just now and not using my real name earlier.

Posted By: Marc - NJ49er (27/08/2008 11:37:41 PM)
Comment: I get all the NFL Games played on Sundays by subscribing to DirecTV NFL Sunday Ticket, best thing ever invented for football fans Darren. When you've had enough bad 49ers football, take your pick of all the other games being offered that afternoon and tune in. We concur on many of your points, Nolan is in the final year of his deal, I predict a decision will be made to extend or relieve him of duties by the BYE Week. We'll see? The NFC West can be taken, JTO is getting the keys to the offense, we'll see how it goes. If Alex gets another opportunity to run the show he will have to be better prepared then he is right now. I felt he was slighted too, but we can't argue that he's behind JTO right now. Support the team, that's why we're here, Instant 49ers.

Posted By: Medford (27/08/2008 11:32:09 PM)
Comment: Wow Morgan is sure blowing his chance at being a starter. Whats his illness? If ur a professional u should be able to play through any illness.

Posted By: Vincent Kennedy McMahon (27/08/2008 11:24:47 PM)
Comment: JT O Sullivan needs to be cut. Alex Smith should be the starter. I was Barack Obama earlier.

Posted By: ska (27/08/2008 11:02:07 PM)
Comment: Wow SI - 27th worst backup! haha that is pretty crazy. Worse than Grossman? Worse than Walter? Worse than GB's rookie?

Posted By: ska (27/08/2008 10:55:54 PM)
Comment: Matt - please take a huge hint from the 49erswebzone!

Posted By: SI (27/08/2008 10:49:18 PM)
Comment: Sports Illustrated has ranked the 2nd-string QB's. Alex Smith is 27th!! Mind you, he isn't the 27th best QB. He's the 27th best backup!! http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/don_banks/08/26/backups/1.html Can you say "BUST" ?

Posted By: Mike in Sac (27/08/2008 10:35:10 PM)
Comment: Oh yeah, Darren....go buy a clue. I can't stand Nolan but calling for his head right now just looks stupid.

Posted By: Mike in Sac (27/08/2008 10:33:58 PM)
Comment: Thank god Martz finally spoke on the subject! Yep, life is not fair. Smith did not show well with ample time and JTO looked good. Let's play for real.

Posted By: Darren (27/08/2008 10:19:16 PM)
Comment: The Giants suck. The Dodgers are where its at! And Fire Nolan!

Posted By: Greg (27/08/2008 10:16:55 PM)
Comment: Did I see you on the jumbo screen at the giants game, or someone that looks like you?

Response: As a matter of fact, that was me. Great eye. --Matt M.

Posted By: Andrew G (27/08/2008 10:05:54 PM)
Comment: Good call on the Lincecum game Matt! w00t Pablo Sandoval!!! Also: glad to see B. Johnson is finally ready to go in a game. Am looking forward to it

Posted By: The Truth (27/08/2008 9:28:13 PM)
Comment: Schuman is such a tool. He kissed Martz ass after the press conference and had to tell him he was a fifth stringer journeyman. What a butt kissing joke.

Posted By: Blade71 (27/08/2008 9:28:10 PM)
Comment: matt, ive always liked alex, but did you see how the entire team responds to jt?I think that was the good choice, alex, nor shaun looked good against, 2nd 3rd stringers

Posted By: Ryan Leaf and Jim Drunkenmiller (27/08/2008 9:22:08 PM)
Comment: Shumann owned! (by Martz) Will somebody give Alex Smith our contact info, we'll be more than happy to help him through this tough time!

Posted By: Jon in SoCal (27/08/2008 9:19:58 PM)
Comment: Clayton showed some running ability against scrubs. Robinson is a better receiver and a core special teams demon

Posted By: Razoreater (27/08/2008 9:03:02 PM)
Comment: I feel a Clayton is better than a Robinson coming off knee surgery.

Posted By: Marc - NJ49er (27/08/2008 8:58:29 PM)
Comment: Hypothetical question of course Matt, but could you see an apportunity to trade Battle to a WR thin team (ie. Bengals)in the coming week? Given pending roster cuts, and plenty of post camp bodies hitting the street, Arnaz is a proven commodity and may have some value at this moment? I think we've got a couple of young guys worth keeping and,as we look forward, Arnaz might be worth a mid round pick right now.

Posted By: Jake (27/08/2008 8:19:18 PM)
Comment: If Nolan pay as close attention to his Gameday Coaching as he does his Gameday Wardrobe maybe he wouldn't be out of a job at seasons end. I'm sure the suit will work great at his next job interview though, too bad the resume will be totally inadequate!

Posted By: Barak Obama (27/08/2008 7:15:57 PM)
Comment: ALEX SMITH SUCKS! GO JTO!

Posted By: shobbrobb (27/08/2008 7:09:59 PM)
Comment: Still trying to figure out who has an above average offensive line.

Posted By: dcsham (27/08/2008 7:07:23 PM)
Comment: Cracks me up! Shumann, the ultimate teleprompter reader, thought he was a real reporter for a moment and then got his a** handed to him by Martz. Then, of course, he has to walk up to Martz and apologize, making sure he will be a good little boy from here on out. Matt, that's why we appreciate a true sports "reporter" like you. Keep digging and giving us the good stuff.

Posted By: No to Obama (27/08/2008 6:40:46 PM)
Comment: Doods and Doodett's (you know who you are) Mike Martz ROCKS!! There is nothing fair in life let alone a football feild. Shuey is no sissy, he must of said something that tweaked the MAD MAN.

Posted By: buzz (27/08/2008 6:21:50 PM)
Comment: Coach Martz' exchange with Shumann was telling-but who was the arrogant one?Coach Martz may not be warm and fuzzy but he's straight forward and l can respect that.. Schumann's sarcasm has always been rather transparent. Sounds like he met his match today!

Posted By: dcsham (27/08/2008 6:20:38 PM)
Comment: Have fun at ATT. I'll be watching in HD. Tell your agent you want your ESPN duties to be on west coast prime time so we can catch you out here, lol. By the way, family fued game this weekend for me in football...daughter is an HSU grad; son is at Sac St. I'll be in the middle, keeping quiet. I'll give you an update.

Posted By: RK in LA (27/08/2008 6:19:10 PM)
Comment: With an above average offensive line and some aggressive/creative play calling, our offense could be good. The QB won't have to carry the whole load. We have Gore, and should have receivers who can get open. With a decent offense, our defense will be way better than last year.

Posted By: pbasil9er (27/08/2008 6:04:25 PM)
Comment: of topic but, I just had to pass this along 'Bill Wash A Method For Planning A Game'! http://www.49ersparadise.com/cgi-bin/news/news.cgi?action=display&num=18593 I miss this Man so much, he gave me so much Joy I can't even see the key board, cry baby ! peace out !

Posted By: fryet (27/08/2008 5:18:26 PM)
Comment: I am curious how this works. You often have spots on TV/radio, yet your job is with a newspaper. What does your newspaper get out of allowing you to spend, presumably company time, talking to other media outlets? A little press for their newspaper? Reciproction when they want to interview others? Also, do you get any type of remuneration for the time you spend on tv/radio? Just curious on how this side of the newspaper business works.

Posted By: pbasil9er (27/08/2008 5:17:47 PM)
Comment: OL kicking butt, I doubt it, I'd love to see it But! I don't know what the changes are that would bring that about, we gave up 55 sacks last year most in the nfl. and now with martz I just don't see it. One thing though that has me confused. one place says the QB need a quick release in martz system, and then another said that the qb takes a lot of hits because martz system take so long to set up. I must be missing something. peace out !

Posted By: Marco from Stockton (27/08/2008 5:05:25 PM)
Comment: it all comes dowm from here to the won-loss record. It will be decided there, so let's quit arguing. 8-8 Nolan stays, anything lower he goes. We all know the Niners did not sell out season Tickets for the first time in over 28 years. The Niners will buy up the tixs early on for no blackouts, but later on it all depends on what they do on the field. York will sacrifce Nolan if attendance in down mid season. Al Davis said it best, "Just Win"

Posted By: papa (27/08/2008 4:36:31 PM)
Comment: I read where Frank Gore excitedly said " we have a new leader, man, we have a new captain on this ship". Why not throw the old one overboard ?

Posted By: Five_X_Champs (27/08/2008 4:34:50 PM)
Comment: i agree. some of you need to learn to enjoy/respect our right to free speech in this country. you don't like comment, then don't respond. go niners.

Posted By: Henry (27/08/2008 4:27:01 PM)
Comment: Hey Matt, Just curious to follow up with the Bucs' Douglas trade and compensatory picks in '09. The formula currently is mostly based on salary, as you mentioned. However, in the case of that player's release and/or trade, does that affect it as well? Should Smiley go on IR with the Fins, does that mean the 49ers may get a lesser compensatory pick, as he didn't play as much? thanks, Henry

Posted By: niner (27/08/2008 4:03:02 PM)
Comment: Hope Martz finds the OL BETTER, than the ol's he has seen before since most of his qb's get pounded pretty badly. With 2 OL coaches it has to be better, if for no other reason, we have the worst OL in the league for the last 3 years combined.

Posted By: LodiGrapePicker (27/08/2008 3:59:25 PM)
Comment: Didn't Nolan say repeatedly it was going to be (and was) a FAIR QB competition. Martz just flat out called Nolan a FOS liar. Sounds like their is going to be some friction among coaches this year.

Posted By: Will's Dad (27/08/2008 3:47:33 PM)
Comment: Sounds like Martz is even more arrogant than Nolan. JTO had 1 good quarter in the preseason and Martz is surprised that "he is this good". Glad he acknolwedged that the competition has not been fair. I wish the class that Singletary posseses would rub off on Martz and Nolan. Matt is Tollner equally impresses with JTO?

Posted By: Troll Alert (27/08/2008 3:47:24 PM)
Comment: Darren is a troll! See his same rants here at the bottom of the comment section: http://blogs.mercurynews.com/49ers/2008/08/25/while-nolan-quote-raises-eyebrows-stats-tell-a-simpler-tale/

Posted By: Rafael (27/08/2008 3:41:38 PM)
Comment: I'm so glad they finally named a starter. I felt afterwards I could quit worrying. Now the only thing that matters are the W's. Hopefully, the niners can get enough to make their fans smile. I think they'll have a great D with a much improved offense. As long as that Oline develops nicely. I have faith.

Posted By: Frank (27/08/2008 3:38:34 PM)
Comment: Matt, why do you let this Darren guy keep posting? He is either 13 or a troll - he just repeatedly says outrageous things, probably to start a row or get people riled up. And it wastes a lot of space while other poster's respond as if it a legitimate point. Other blogs have certain conduct guidelines, violation of which gets one's privilege to post revoked.

Posted By: Mike in Glendale (27/08/2008 3:37:37 PM)
Comment: Darren - Give it a rest, dude. For one thing, I'm living in LA right now, and there's no way in hell the Niners are moving here - their only option would be the Coliseum, which has already proven to be a nightmare for NFL teams and is even more outdated than Candlestick. And quit with the "Fire Nolan" schtick - the Niners are looking better than they have in a while. Be happy about it. I'm hoping O'Sullivan outperforms expectations, and that the Niners go better than 2-6 during that pre-bye stretch (since the second half of the season should be easier).

Posted By: Randy in Santa Rosa (27/08/2008 3:36:59 PM)
Comment: shobbrobb- I guess I'm not the only one that thinks this OL will maul/thump people this year ;-)

Posted By: Matt (27/08/2008 3:35:25 PM)
Comment: Darren--please! The niners are not moving to LA, get over it.

Posted By: Randy in Santa Rosa (27/08/2008 3:32:36 PM)
Comment: Darren- If the Niners go 12-4, would you still want to fire Nolan?

Posted By: Jon in SoCal (27/08/2008 3:30:48 PM)
Comment: Hmm, Nolan in the minority of the entire league the # of preseason games. Does Grant's play give him the nod over JMoore? It seems that Grant could make it to the PS, while Moore would be signed right away.

Posted By: Bill Bird (27/08/2008 3:25:11 PM)
Comment: Lincecum? LINCECUM!!!! You lucky dog you! I'd love to see a Lincecum start.

Posted By: Canadian Niner (27/08/2008 3:09:41 PM)
Comment: Hey Matt Great work as always. A little off topic but, I will be visiting San Francisco for the home opener, and I will also be catching the Giants game on Sat. (Sept 6) Im not familiar with the Giants pitching rotation, so I ask you... what are the chances I get to see Lincecum pitch?? You seem to be impressed by him! Thanks

Posted By: mike in MD (27/08/2008 3:02:40 PM)
Comment: Matt - the OLine had a lot of problems picking up the blitzes last season. 2 questions... 1)Are you seeing a variety of blitz packages being practiced & are they the 1st team Defense vs our 1st team Offense? 2)If so, how is our OLine & RB's doing in picking up the blitzes? Do you see any improvement?

Posted By: Niners fan (27/08/2008 2:53:37 PM)
Comment: Matt Barrows has more clarity on the Martz-JTO bit about him being "unusual": It's also clear that Martz has become very fond of his new quarterback: "What he's done so far is taken an opportunity and made the most of it. To say that I expected him to be this good -- I'd be lying to you."

Posted By: Berger (27/08/2008 2:49:35 PM)
Comment: I sure like hearing that about our O-line!

Posted By: Robert (27/08/2008 2:48:00 PM)
Comment: Wow, who would've thought our O-Line would be complimented in such a way. But since it's coming from a coach, I'll take it with a grian of salt. Let's see if they truly perform at a high level. I sure hope so.

Posted By: Cleveland Mike (27/08/2008 2:45:01 PM)
Comment: Matt-Reading between the lines it sounds as if the Mike and Mike discussion got a little tense. But why? Did Mike S. come to Smith's defense or what? Or am I making much ado about nothing? Sounded like Martz just teed off on the other Mike for whatever reason.

Posted By: ancientniner (27/08/2008 2:43:28 PM)
Comment: Matt What match-ups should we study Friday, assuming that SD plays their seconds vs. our seconds? Also, would you expect any Niners placed on the Taxi to be picked up?