If you aren’t familiar with Harry and Kitten Troutt, they are among the most extraordinary 49ers fans in the known universe. Harry, in fact, is in the fans’ wing of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. They have approximately 7 million items of memorabilia displayed in their Santa Rosa home, know just about everyone in Niners history on a first-name basis, and have a habit of showing up for every big event. Like the Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
The Troutts were in Canton this weekend to honor Jerry Rice. Here, reprinted by permission, is Kitten’s dispatch to me:
Practice stinks, so Singletary ends it
There’s no other way to say it. This morning’s practice was ugly. NFL teams go into training camp hoping for two things: 1) stay healthy, and 2) make incremental progress. The 49ers did neither today.
The offense had to re-huddle several times, there were a couple of false starts, the ball was on the ground more than at a typical golf tournament, and the coaches went hoarse chewing guys out. After a veritable day off (the 49ers had only a walk-through Sunday), the team simply came out scattershot.
Davis, Iupati looking like starters
It didn’t come with a press release or a proclamation. In fact, because no one with authority on the subject has addressed the media since Thursday, when head coach Mike Singletary spoke at Cal State Monterey Bay, it hasn’t even been officially confirmed.
But to the naked eye, it looks a lot like rookie offensive linemen Anthony Davis and Mike Iupati have joined the starters.
49ers’ stock report: players on the decline
Yes, if there are blue-chip stocks on the 49ers roster right now, others are clearly faltering. Here are some players who have not been treated well by Mike Singletary’s training camp thus far.
ILB Scott McKillop and OLB Ahmad Brooks: The 49ers have not announced a roster move on either player thus far. But McKillop is almost certainly lost for the season with a torn patellar tendon and ACL in his left knee. Brooks will be evaluated in two weeks to see if his kidney is bleeding; the team may make a decision on his season then. (ESPN’s Mike Sando presents a good medical analysis here.) Training camp always brings its unfortunate injuries. So far, McKillop and Brooks are the biggest victims.
49ers’ stock report: players on the rise
OK, the 49ers have been in training camp for a full week by now, and the only activity scheduled for today is a walk-through. All of which can mean only one thing: It’s time for a stock report. Here are the players whose stock seems to be on the rise. As you may expect, I’ll follow with a look at falling investments.
T Anthony Davis and G Mike Iupati: It’s not that the rookies are dominating opponents, either in one-on-one drills or in team period. But they moved into first-team roles this week, perhaps earlier than expected, and could be there to stay. Neither looks overmatched, either.
2-minute drill highlights 49ers’ p.m. practice
The 49ers were in shells rather than full pads this afternoon. But if that took an edge off the excitement, they supplemented with a 2-minute drill to end the final team period. Actually, it was a 1:58 drill, with real NFL officials enhancing the experience.
Beginning at their 20-yard line, Alex Smith and his first-team offense had to convert third- and fourth-down plays to stay alive. The former was a pass across the middle to Michael Crabtree on third-and-5, with OLB Parys Haralson closing on Smith; the latter was another connection with Crabtree on fourth-and-3. The first-down spot may have been generous.
On the next play, Smith found Josh Morgan crossing downfield and he took it for a 42-yard gain. There were 21.2 seconds left. After a brief consultation by the coaches, they decided it was close enough to award a phantom game-winning field goal.
Big back Dixon trying to learn little things
Jimmy Raye, the 49ers’ offensive philosopher-coordinator, was at the podium a few days ago when I asked him what he thought of Anthony Dixon, the rookie running back.
“I like him,” the long-time assistant said, breaking into a wide grin. “Though there are times I want to strangle him. He’s young, and you know how they say youth is wasted on the young. He’s young and he’s learning. He’s running over the quarterback and the lines. He’s just having fun, and he’s learning what to do.”
It isn’t hard to see where Raye is coming from.
Jarrett Brown gets his reps at QB
Jarrett Brown lives! The reps have been exceedingly rare for the undrafted rookie quarterback from West Virginia this training camp, unless you count throwing to receivers in 1-on-1 passing drills.
Before this morning, Brown had only a few appearances in team period through all of camp. But he finished up the final period today with 10 snaps, a veritable pass-a-thon for the fourth-string QB.
Brown, who as a senior became the first Mountaineer since Marc Bulger to pass for more than 2,000 yards, got off to a rough start. OLB Martail Burnett “sacked” him on the first play, and when Brown went ahead and threw the ball, NT Ricky Jean Francois batted it down.
Breaking down Jerry Rice’s greatness
I made a guest appearance on a radio show in Miami today to talk about Jerry Rice’s induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this weekend. The segment was short, so I’m going to foist all my well-rehearsed lines on you. Four things I’ll always remember about Jerry Rice:
THE JOY
I was a young editor/writer working for NFL Publishing sometime around 1990 when I first got to see Rice in person. It was at the Pro Bowl in Honolulu, where I had the plum assignment of interviewing several players for future GameDay magazine stories in between sips of daiquiri.
49ers scramble to replace LB McKillop
No offense to Scott McKillop, but he will never be mistaken for Patrick Willis, the 49ers’ perennial Pro Bowl linebacker.
That said, this is the NFL, where losing any contributor has a complicated domino effect on the lineup and the roster. When McKillop tore his left ACL and patellar tendon at practice Wednesday, and underwent surgery at Stanford Medical Center today, it created some holes – and some opportunities – within the 49ers.
49ers welcome the governor
Notes and observations from this morning’s practice in Santa Clara…
Every day of 49ers’ training camp seems to bring more twists and turns. Today’s version didn’t take place on a windswept ocean bluff, but there was a certain buzz generated by the half-dozen secret-service-looking guys in black suits to the side of the field.
Turns out Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was at 4949 Centennial Blvd. to address the Bay Area Council, a collection of local movers and shakers that happens to include 49ers president Jed York. The Guv and his entourage strode across the field after practice. No media access, so we couldn’t find out if he planned to out-bench-press Takeo Spikes.
McKillop’s knee isn’t 49ers’ only injury concern
The most serious injury sustained during the first five days of the 49ers’ training camp undoubtedly is the torn ACL and patellar tendon suffered by ILB Scott McKillop, a vital special-teams player who is likely to miss the entire 2010 season.
Also troubling, however, has been a rash of concussions.
There probably is no connection among the recent head injuries to LG David Baas, TE Delanie Walker and OLB Travis LaBoy. It’s always tempting to use such occurrences as evidence that a camp is too physical, but really, Mike Singletary’s practices aren’t much different than other coaches’. It’s likely just a string of bad luck, though it demonstrates the NFL’s changing approach to concussions.
Football by the Seaside
Training camp already getting a little tedious? Tired of the two-a-day routine? Blisters and sore hamstrings getting you down?
Mike Singletary took the “Animal House” approach: Road trip!
Looking for ways to break the monotony of camp, Singletary announced Wednesday that the team would be bugging out for a road practice. That night, he finally told their players where they were headed – the Monterey peninsula. More specifically, to the Cal State Monterey Bay soccer field, home of the Otters and formerly part of the Fort Ord military base.
Rachal is back — with a vengeance
Notes and observations from this morning’s practice in, believe it or not, Seaside…
• Chilo Rachal, who went face down in practice two days ago and was diagnosed with dehydration, was back in action today as the 49ers practiced on the marine-layered Cal State University Monterey Bay soccer field. (More on the ambience later.) In fact, Rachal seemed to come back with a vengeance. He was very physical today, putting DE Ray McDonald on the ground at one point. TE Nate Byham was back, too, by the way.
• Sitting out practice were C Eric Heitmann (stinger), LG David Baas (concussion), TE Delanie Walker (concussion), ILB Scott McKillop (knee) and G Chris Patrick (shoulder). Rookie Mike Iupati again stood in for Baas, while Tony Wragge replaced Heitmann. Rookie NaVorro Bowman got second-team reps in McKillop’s absence.
Dehydration knocks out Chilo Rachal
It looked bad. Chilo Rachal went face down during a 2-on-2 blocking drill and stayed there. He didn’t move a muscle while a team of trainers encircled him and the other linemen stood and watched with concern. The trainers eventually turned Rachal onto his back and removed his helmet. Finally, after eight or nine minutes, they sat him up. Soon after, he was on a motorized cart and head to the trainer’s room to the sound of applause from several-hundred assembled fans.
“Overheated. Dehydrated,” coach Mike Singletary explained afterward. “Just had to go in and get some IVs.”
Rare aerial show in Santa Clara
It was just one day of practice, and some of it didn’t even occur during 11-on-11 team periods. But the ball was flying here Tuesday morning, with the 49ers’ offense connecting on numerous deep passes.
Josh Morgan reeled in two long gainers from Alex Smith in the first passing drill of the day, which had receivers going against cornerbacks one-on-one; Michael Crabtree got one, too (from David Carr), as did Jason Hill (from the little-seen Jarrett Brown). And Hill was open for another but couldn’t quite reel in Nate Davis’ throw.
Brit Miller’s not a substitute teacher yet
Brit Miller comes from a working-class neighborhood in Decatur, Ill. Most of his adult relatives are either teachers, pipefitters or beauticians. Miller – sawed-off, beefy and often scruffy – looks a lot more like a pipefitter than a beautician. Turns out, teaching was the profession he thought he was heading for a year ago.
“I remember calling my dad and just, like, ‘Man, just get my room ready. I’m coming home,’ ” Miller recalled after today’s morning practice here in Santa Clara. “I called my uncle. I was gonna be a substitute teacher for him, because he’s a superintendent (of Macon County, Ill.). And I was making all these other plans to be elsewhere, just because football was just grinding and beating me down every day.”
Anthony Davis vs. Khalif Mitchell
Notes and observations from an eventful morning practice in Santa Clara…
• I’ve seen veterans get practices off during training camp. It happens just about everywhere, and it makes sense. But it surprised me to see three 49ers – ILB Takeo Spikes, S Michael Lewis and OLB Travis LaBoy – get breathers in consecutive practices, Monday p.m. and Tuesday a.m. A team official assured the media it was just “veteran courtesy,” but with this level of courtesy we may soon need to get our daily updates from Miss Manners.
Brit Miller continues to shine
Quick notes from today’s afternoon practice…
• News flash: FB Brit Miller is not perfect. The new face of the franchise dropped David Carr’s pass in the right flat during team period in the second half. Well, at least that allows the rest of the league to catch up a little.
After delivering the biggest hit of the morning session, Miller stood out during the nutcracker drill that began the p.m. practice (and delighted the several-thousand ticket holders in attendance) by getting both Keaton Kristick and NaVorro Bowman on the ground. And after duping the defense into thinking he was just a blocker, Miller sneaked behind Scott McKillop in 7-on-7 and caught Alex Smith’s long pass in stride.
Notes and observations from the morning practice
Notes and observations from this morning’s practice in Santa Clara. (Note: If you’re here for prurient nutcracker stuff, try this instead.)
• A three-hour practice to start off the padded activity this summer? This really is no place for the meek.
• Mike Singletary and offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye both stopped practice at various points to roar at their troops. The sticking point seemed to be tempo.
