Did holdout accomplish anything?

Agent Eugene Parker was nowhere to be seen today when his client Michael Crabtree was at the podium, forced to answer questions about his 72-day contract impasse that ended in the wee hours.   Niners general manager Scot McCloughan was then left to try to speculate on Parker’s strategy during the holdout that lasted into its 72nd day.

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Crabtree, 49ers ready to move forward

Michael Crabtree is signed and will be on the practice field this morning. He is also expected to take part – I’m told, reluctantly — in a press conference to announce his arrival.   The 49ers are expecting a two-week roster exemption, thus buying them some time before they are required to release a player to create a spot on the team’s 53-man roster.   It seems highly unlikely Crabtree…

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Crabtree signs up for 6 years

It’s a done deal. The 49ers have announced they have reached a six-year contract with rookie receiver Michael Crabtree, ending a contract impasse on its 72nd day. Crabtree was the No. 10 overall pick in the draft. He is expected to be on the practice field this morning. Let’s see if the guy can play a little football. More details to come after I wake up. The 49ers have a…

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Crabtree’s foot is just fine

Michael Crabtree erased any doubts I have about his speed, as he made an impressive exit from the hotel where negotiations are taking place today.   This presumable leaves 49ers chief negotiator Paraag Marathe and Crabtree’s agent, Eugene Parker, alone to hammer out the deal that could deliver him to Mike Singletary’s team.   Crabtree saw me and CSN’s Mindi Bach in the hotel where the meeting is taking place. He made a nice…

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49ers and Crabtree meet

The highly anticipated negotiating session involving the 49ers and Michael Crabtree is taking place today.   Team president Jed York, general manager Scot McCloughan and chief negotiator Paraag Marathe are representing the 49ers with Crabtree and his agent, Eugene Parker, on the other side of the table. The meeting is not taking place at the 49ers’ team headquarters in Santa Clara but at an undisclosed Bay Area location.   Hopefully,…

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Report: Crabtree meeting is set

As 49ers general manager Scot McCloughan left the building last night, he said he had yet to speak to anyone in Camp Crabtree. He said a meeting today was “possible” but that one had not yet been set up.   Even at 8:08 this morning, team president Jed York, when asked if there was a meeting involving the 49ers and Crabtree, answered “not that I know of.”   But Pro…

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McCloughan says no meeting has been scheduled

The whole 49ers-Michael Crabtree saga just took another bizarre twist.   The 49ers do not have a meeting set up with agent Eugene Parker, who is coming into town tonight. Furthermore, the sides did not speak today, 49ers GM Scot McCloughan said as he left the 49ers’ offices this evening.   “It’s all speculation,” McCloughan of the ESPN report that the sides are scheduled to talk about a contract for…

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Every-49er review of win over Rams

Before we get to the every-player review from the 49ers’ 35-0 victory over the Rams, we’re going to check in with a perspective from St. Louis.   I spoke with Jim Thomas, the Rams beat reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, to get his thoughts on the 49ers before he caught his red-eye flight back home. Not surprisingly, he was very impressed with the 49ers’ defense. He also wonders if…

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49ers not satisfied with 35-0 victory

The 49ers recorded their first shutout since the final game of the 2001 season. But there was not the feeling that the team was fully content with the accomplishment, a 35-0 victory, over the winless Rams.   The defense and special teams played very well, to be sure. The defense pitched the shutout and scored touchdowns on Patrick Willis’ interception return and Ray McDonald’s fumble return. Special teams came through…

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Re-opening the Favre-inflicted wound

Warning: If you don’t want to be reminded of the 49ers’ last-second loss to the Vikings, try to occupy yourself for a few hours until I post something new.   It’s time to turn the page on Brett Favre’s game-winning touchdown pass to Greg Lewis . . . just as soon as we try to figure out what happened on the play.

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Jason Hill caught in ‘numbers game’

Through the first 23 games of his NFL career, 49ers receiver Jason Hill – and San Francisco native — caught just one pass for 6 yards and was inactive 11 times.   All that changed in the second half of last season when Arnaz Battle’s foot injury gave him the opportunity to get significant playing time as the 49ers’ No. 3 receiver. Hill seemingly took advantage of the situation, catching…

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Raye: Defense will dictate if 49ers throw

Niners offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye said the 49ers are not going to change their offensive approach with Glen Coffee taking over for injured halfback Frank Gore.   He said if the 49ers end up throwing more to the wideouts on Sunday against the Rams, it’ll not be due to the fact that the 49ers have a rookie playing the bulk of the snaps at running back.

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Michael Robinson talks transition to RB

Niners special-teams captain Michael Robinson might see a more signficant role on offense Sunday against the St. Louis Rams, as he becomes the backup at halfback and fullback with Frank Gore out for a couple games. Robinson is the subject of today’s podcast as he discusses the changes he had to make with his eyes after moving from quarterback at Penn State to running back in the NFL.     *…

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