Originally posted by Ronnie49Lott:Originally posted by BHulman:Originally posted by Ronnie49Lott:Originally posted by mayo63:Originally posted by lamontb:Originally posted by mayo63:
It really is working out perfectly. Smith plays out 2010, the final year of his contract and we decide on the Qb situation in 2011, If Alex plays well he's back as the starter if not he moves on and we look for another Qb,(possibly Nate Davis) in 2011. It really is working out nicely.
Smith still being a question mark going into his 6th season isn't perfect at all.
4th season if you take out the 2 years he missed because of injury.
Joe won a SB after his first full season and third season overall with 24 starts. Alex has 38 starts. The year before Joe took over the Niners went 6-10. His first full season they went 16-3 including post season wins. The '81 starting lineup had 9 rookies and 1st year players.
They had a Hall of Fame coach who had had two previous seasons to implement the most innovative and productive offensive system of a generation. Also, he was brilliant in acquiring players and basically built a great defense that year through the draft (Lott, Wright, Williamson) and free-agency (Reynolds, Dean.) Even this group of players had bumps after their initial success; in 82 the Niners went 3-6 in the strike-shortened season.
I'm not arguing that Smith will ever be anything like Montana; there are only a handful who have ever played that can be compared. But I will argue that to compare Montana and that 81 team that had Walsh as the head coach and chief decision-maker regarding player personnel to what Smith has experienced during his tenure with the Niners is a bit of a stretch.
I am not saying Alex should be compared to Montana but some in here treat him like he is Joe's equal or close to it. Why is it that no one say anything negative about Alex when he hasn't done anything?
Plenty of people say negative things about Smith. Others feel he has gotten a really raw deal and still has potential. Some are rooting for Alex and some are hoping for his success because that would be the best possible scenerio for the organization. Others disagree arguing that it is time to cut losses. My personal opinion is that there is no better option for the Niners next year.
If, for whatever reason, it doesn't pan out than the Niners have to move on. Hopefully Davis is the player that many think he will be and will be ready if that happens. Maybe there will be better options in free-agency than there seems to be for next season. Or maybe 2011 is the time to draft a QB in the first again. But, regardless of any of our opinion's, Alex is going to be the starting QB at the beginning (barring injury) of next season. From what I have seen this season, I think that he will succeed and the Niners will be in the playoffs next year. Am I "bet-the-house" certain of that? No. Just hopeful.