John Clayton's take on 49ers...

Originally posted by 49erfeeeever808:

Originally posted by BIGDOGG42:
49ers Taking Charge

I like it...a little National Recognition. We really beat the crap out of those dudes..check out the injuries..

• San Francisco (2-0) at Minnesota (2-0): Finally, a quality opponent for Brett Favre and the Vikings.

Originally posted by BETTERDAYZ9ERS:

Originally posted by billbird2111:
I don't know. I'm still not convinced yet. I think most long-time Niner fans probably feel the same way. They like what they see -- but they're not quite ready to commit just yet.

Don't get me wrong. This isn't a bash post on Shaun Hill. I can't believe some folks are still laying wood on the guy. Hill is far better than Alex Smith will ever be. He's not the best QB to suit up for the Niners -- but he's a far cry better than anything we've put behind center since Jeff Garcia left town.

I'm not quite ready to drink that Koolaid yet for a myriad of reasons. There's no doubt in my mind that this team is better. There's no doubt in my mind that this is probably the best Niner defense I've seen since we went out and signed a bunch of over-priced free agents to win our 5th Championship. There's no doubt in my mind that the offensive line is better -- and that Gore is the real deal.

I'm just not ready to go "there" just yet.

I have this nagging worry -- say what you will -- that the Minnesota Vikings are going to bring us right back to reality next weekend. This my friends, is going to be a telling game for us. IF -- and I'm not saying they will mind you -- but IF this team jumps up and slaps the Vikings silly? Then folks -- we've got something truly special going on here. A win over the Vikings means more than just a 3-0 record. It means we will have beaten the NFC's best -- on the road no less.

I'm just not ready to annoint this team yet. I'm not quite ready to believe. Confidence is a tricky thing. It takes a long time to get it. And I lost all of it during the down years. That cocky, arrogant fan attitude that I developed during the glory years was beaten from my soul with a baseball bat of six lost seasons.

So kids -- I guess what I'm saying here is -- I want to believe. I really do. But I just can't do it yet. Next weekend is a key game for us. I mean KEY. We win that game? We're for real. All doubts in my mind will have been erased.

But, if we lose, all bets are off. Singletary or no Singletary -- this is one heck of a crucial game. It's more than just one win. It's more than just one loss. It will validate whether we've returned from our long trip in Purgatory, or we've missed the trail home yet one more time.

Great post. But I think you will be saying this before every game.

You are -- of course -- correct. Good observation

But -- at least I'll know this team is finally going somewhere.

Despite what some have posted, I do believe that Minnesota has one of the better teams in the NFC this year.

Originally posted by billbird2111:

Originally posted by BETTERDAYZ9ERS:

Originally posted by billbird2111:
I don't know. I'm still not convinced yet. I think most long-time Niner fans probably feel the same way. They like what they see -- but they're not quite ready to commit just yet.

Don't get me wrong. This isn't a bash post on Shaun Hill. I can't believe some folks are still laying wood on the guy. Hill is far better than Alex Smith will ever be. He's not the best QB to suit up for the Niners -- but he's a far cry better than anything we've put behind center since Jeff Garcia left town.

I'm not quite ready to drink that Koolaid yet for a myriad of reasons. There's no doubt in my mind that this team is better. There's no doubt in my mind that this is probably the best Niner defense I've seen since we went out and signed a bunch of over-priced free agents to win our 5th Championship. There's no doubt in my mind that the offensive line is better -- and that Gore is the real deal.

I'm just not ready to go "there" just yet.

I have this nagging worry -- say what you will -- that the Minnesota Vikings are going to bring us right back to reality next weekend. This my friends, is going to be a telling game for us. IF -- and I'm not saying they will mind you -- but IF this team jumps up and slaps the Vikings silly? Then folks -- we've got something truly special going on here. A win over the Vikings means more than just a 3-0 record. It means we will have beaten the NFC's best -- on the road no less.

I'm just not ready to annoint this team yet. I'm not quite ready to believe. Confidence is a tricky thing. It takes a long time to get it. And I lost all of it during the down years. That cocky, arrogant fan attitude that I developed during the glory years was beaten from my soul with a baseball bat of six lost seasons.

So kids -- I guess what I'm saying here is -- I want to believe. I really do. But I just can't do it yet. Next weekend is a key game for us. I mean KEY. We win that game? We're for real. All doubts in my mind will have been erased.

But, if we lose, all bets are off. Singletary or no Singletary -- this is one heck of a crucial game. It's more than just one win. It's more than just one loss. It will validate whether we've returned from our long trip in Purgatory, or we've missed the trail home yet one more time.

Great post. But I think you will be saying this before every game.

You are -- of course -- correct. Good observation

But -- at least I'll know this team is finally going somewhere.

Despite what some have posted, I do believe that Minnesota has one of the better teams in the NFC this year.

I don't see it as black and white as that. We used to be a horrible road team. I think you can say that we've arrived by just hanging around in Minnesota against that team. If we lose by say, 20 points, then yes, I'd start thinking that maybe we aren't the team that we thought we were. If we lose a close game in OT, can you really say that we still aren't going anywhere? We got the Rams after them. Even if we lose, we'd still be 3-1 with 3 divisional wins and on top of the division.

Originally posted by B650:

Originally posted by billbird2111:

Originally posted by BETTERDAYZ9ERS:

Originally posted by billbird2111:
I don't know. I'm still not convinced yet. I think most long-time Niner fans probably feel the same way. They like what they see -- but they're not quite ready to commit just yet.

Don't get me wrong. This isn't a bash post on Shaun Hill. I can't believe some folks are still laying wood on the guy. Hill is far better than Alex Smith will ever be. He's not the best QB to suit up for the Niners -- but he's a far cry better than anything we've put behind center since Jeff Garcia left town.

I'm not quite ready to drink that Koolaid yet for a myriad of reasons. There's no doubt in my mind that this team is better. There's no doubt in my mind that this is probably the best Niner defense I've seen since we went out and signed a bunch of over-priced free agents to win our 5th Championship. There's no doubt in my mind that the offensive line is better -- and that Gore is the real deal.

I'm just not ready to go "there" just yet.

I have this nagging worry -- say what you will -- that the Minnesota Vikings are going to bring us right back to reality next weekend. This my friends, is going to be a telling game for us. IF -- and I'm not saying they will mind you -- but IF this team jumps up and slaps the Vikings silly? Then folks -- we've got something truly special going on here. A win over the Vikings means more than just a 3-0 record. It means we will have beaten the NFC's best -- on the road no less.

I'm just not ready to annoint this team yet. I'm not quite ready to believe. Confidence is a tricky thing. It takes a long time to get it. And I lost all of it during the down years. That cocky, arrogant fan attitude that I developed during the glory years was beaten from my soul with a baseball bat of six lost seasons.

So kids -- I guess what I'm saying here is -- I want to believe. I really do. But I just can't do it yet. Next weekend is a key game for us. I mean KEY. We win that game? We're for real. All doubts in my mind will have been erased.

But, if we lose, all bets are off. Singletary or no Singletary -- this is one heck of a crucial game. It's more than just one win. It's more than just one loss. It will validate whether we've returned from our long trip in Purgatory, or we've missed the trail home yet one more time.

Great post. But I think you will be saying this before every game.

You are -- of course -- correct. Good observation

But -- at least I'll know this team is finally going somewhere.

Despite what some have posted, I do believe that Minnesota has one of the better teams in the NFC this year.

I don't see it as black and white as that. We used to be a horrible road team. I think you can say that we've arrived by just hanging around in Minnesota against that team. If we lose by say, 20 points, then yes, I'd start thinking that maybe we aren't the team that we thought we were. If we lose a close game in OT, can you really say that we still aren't going anywhere? We got the Rams after them. Even if we lose, we'd still be 3-1 with 3 divisional wins and on top of the division.

Good point -- and you're right of course. But my point was this: I will know -- for sure mind you -- that this team is truly something special IF we take down the Vikings in their house.

Then -- I'll know. As of right now -- at this very moment -- I'm still not convinced.

Excited? Heck yes! Convinced? Not yet.

Originally posted by billbird2111:
I don't know. I'm still not convinced yet. I think most long-time Niner fans probably feel the same way. They like what they see -- but they're not quite ready to commit just yet.

Don't get me wrong. This isn't a bash post on Shaun Hill. I can't believe some folks are still laying wood on the guy. Hill is far better than Alex Smith will ever be. He's not the best QB to suit up for the Niners -- but he's a far cry better than anything we've put behind center since Jeff Garcia left town.

I'm not quite ready to drink that Koolaid yet for a myriad of reasons. There's no doubt in my mind that this team is better. There's no doubt in my mind that this is probably the best Niner defense I've seen since we went out and signed a bunch of over-priced free agents to win our 5th Championship. There's no doubt in my mind that the offensive line is better -- and that Gore is the real deal.

I'm just not ready to go "there" just yet.

I have this nagging worry -- say what you will -- that the Minnesota Vikings are going to bring us right back to reality next weekend. This my friends, is going to be a telling game for us. IF -- and I'm not saying they will mind you -- but IF this team jumps up and slaps the Vikings silly? Then folks -- we've got something truly special going on here. A win over the Vikings means more than just a 3-0 record. It means we will have beaten the NFC's best -- on the road no less.

I'm just not ready to annoint this team yet. I'm not quite ready to believe. Confidence is a tricky thing. It takes a long time to get it. And I lost all of it during the down years. That cocky, arrogant fan attitude that I developed during the glory years was beaten from my soul with a baseball bat of six lost seasons.

So kids -- I guess what I'm saying here is -- I want to believe. I really do. But I just can't do it yet. Next weekend is a key game for us. I mean KEY. We win that game? We're for real. All doubts in my mind will have been erased.

But, if we lose, all bets are off. Singletary or no Singletary -- this is one heck of a crucial game. It's more than just one win. It's more than just one loss. It will validate whether we've returned from our long trip in Purgatory, or we've missed the trail home yet one more time.

i tend to agree with you, except i'm a little more optimistic about it. I think how we play them will tell me more about the team than if we win or lose. I'm not quite ready to say we've arrived, but i like what i'm seeing so far. And if we continue to play smart football like they've been showing, then i think its a game we can win. What i'm trying to say is, if we can continue to impose our wills, force the tempo that we want, and not beat ourselves, against a quality opponent, i am happy. if we play them tough and still lose i'm ok with that. but like i said, if they play the way they have been i dont see how we can lose...