SANTA CLARA – Donte Whitner spoke in the media tent Monday afternoon. Here’s what he said. Q: Does it put a strain on you when you’re working with a new free safety? WHITNER: It’s not really a strain, but I have to do most of the vocal stuff back there. When Dashon was here, he had his side of the football field and I had my side of the football…
Trent Baalke is having a monster year. On Friday, the 49ers extended his contract through the 2016 season, this coming a few weeks after he won the NFL’s Executive of the Year award. Almost every move he made in 2011 worked out. It was like he was on a heater at a craps table in Vegas and he was hitting ten the hard way over and over again. Here are…
SANTA CLARA – Yesterday on a conference call Jed York made clear the 49ers’ strategy for free agency. It is, in his words: “making sure that we resign our own guys.” They’ve accomplished that with quarterback Alex Smith, but they’ve failed elsewhere on the roster. Takeo Spikes agreed to a contract with the San Diego Chargers Tuesday, and David Baas agreed to terms with the New York Giants Wednesday morning….
Thanks for your generous responses to my earlier post. Our discussion of the top 49er storylines turned into a lengthy list of concerns. Adam, among other readers, pointed out the defensive backfield and the offensive line as two more areas of anxiety for the 49ers. Thank you, Adam. Let’s look at the team from the opposite angle now. Injuries aside, what are the Niners’ locks? Where are they strong? What…
The NFL lockout was lifted Monday. And confusion has reigned today.
Troy Smith completed 45 percent of his passes in his final four starts and finished the season with a completion percentage of 50.3. Of the 43 NFL quarterbacks who threw at least 100 passes, Smith ranked 42nd in completion percentage (Arizona rookie John Skelton was 43rd).
The 49ers have offered no public assurances that free-agent-to-be Takeo Spikes will be back in San Francisco in 2011, but the team captain and 13-year veteran has clearly made an impression on coach Jim Harbaugh.
In his latest mock draft, ESPN’s Todd McShay has San Francisco selecting LSU conerback Patrick Peterson, the winner of the Bednarik (top defensive player) and Thorpe (top defensive back) awards this past season.
In 2003, Spikes launched 51 Ways, Inc. with former NFL linebacker Carlos Emmons. Spikes and Emmons have lost family members to cancer and their foundation provides financial, spiritual and physical support to families of children with cancer and blood disorders.
Willis, obviously, can withstand pain. But he couldn’t do much when he received a concerned look after the results of an X-ray on his broken right hand came back after Sunday’s 25-17 loss to the Rams.
Spikes, who was sharing time with rookie NaVorro Bowman earlier this season, assumed a full-time role and shares the team-lead with three interceptions while posting the 10th 100-tackle season of his career.
Most of the 49ers are polite when fielding questions from the media. Keaton Kristick, happy to discuss wrestling moves once the tape recorder is turned off, might be the only one who could accurately be described as eager.
It’s easy to look at the broad-shouldered, barrel-chested and slim-waisted Hall-of-Fame middle linebacker and not see a legendary former player.
Late in the second quarter of the Niners’ 34-7 loss to San Diego on Thursday night, Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers spotted the mismatch — wide receiver Vincent Jackson on linebacker Takeo Spikes — and lofted a pass to Jackson for a much-too-easy 11-yard touchdown. After the game, Spikes didn’t reveal whether he was supposed to receive help on the play. Instead, he focused on Rivers, who made the play happen….
Given the circumstances, 49ers coach Mike Singletary said quarterback Alex Smith “handled himself about as well he could” in a 34-7 loss to the Chargers on Thursday night. Even so, Singletary said he considered benching Smith during the game. And today he reiterated what he said after the loss: He hasn’t made a decision on whether Alex Smith or Troy Smith will start at St. Louis on Dec. 26. Just…
Geez, I spent nearly 1,000 words trying to describe the 49ers’ performance and my non-writer, NFL-mad friend captured it perfectly in a concise in-game e-mail. His message: Puke. Evidently RB DeShawn Wynn wasn’t the only one with an upset tummy after the Niners’ 34-7 faceplant against San Diego:
Pregame notes leading up until kickoff: • ILBs Patrick Willis and Takeo Spikes, who were questionable with hand injuries, will play tonight. CSN Bay Area has reported that both Willis and Spikes have broken hands. UPDATE: A Niners spokesperson has confirmed that Willis had surgery Monday and had a pin inserted. Spikes did not have surgery. • 49ers inactives: David Carr (3rd QB), K Joe Nedney, CB Tramaine Brock, CB…
