Steve Young interview about Alex Smith | Page 2

Method · 2010-09-03T23:00:48-07:00

There's been a lot of misquotes about what Steve said about Alex. It's surprising, or maybe from reading Niner Talk during the offseason, not surprising at all, that what Steve said has been twisted to be a comment about Alex instead of about Matt Leinart. It's cool, I know how people on NT roll, they gotta get as many shots in about Alex as possible. I just hope the mods can keep this thread up because I feel Steve is being misrepresented in what he said. Here's the interview: http://www.knbr.com/portals/3/podcasts/razormrt/0902young.mp3 Skip to about 3 minutes remaining. (right click save as to the link if you wanna be able to listen in windows media player or winamp). So this quote that's going around, "Phil Barber of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says former 49ers quarterback Steve Young has harsh words for current starter Alex Smith. Young on KNBR radio: "I think Alex is a competent quarterback. I think Alex understands the game, and I'm telling you there's a reaction -- similar to Matt Leinart. He can't get out of third gear. He throws the nice ball, he can drop back. But when things get fast -- fast, fast -- you can tell, he just can't quite keep up. You really can't win jobs when you can't keep up." Is being misconstrued. Sorry to say (to the Alex haters).

Sep 3, 2010 at 11:38 PM

#16

Kilgore_Trout
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Posts: 2,150

Steve Young's arrogance is painful. His story isn't unlike Smith's thus far, so he shouldn't come from such a holier than thou perspective. And if you're not aware, that is how he has talked about Smith since his first year with the team. I don't know why he feels so frightened by Smith... Somehow in Steve Smith's mind, Alex Smith is a threat to him. At least that is how it seems to me whenever I hear how he speaks about Smith.

Sep 3, 2010 at 11:39 PM

#17

Method
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Posts: 9,752

Originally posted by Shaj:
Originally posted by WillistheWall:
Originally posted by Shaj:
Originally posted by Method:
You guys are still not listening to the interview.

Steve never said Smith is like Leinart, he brought up Leinart as an example of a slow-speed QB to help him demonstrate the difference of his earlier comment of high-gear QB story with Montana. He then said, "you can see Alex can get through 4th gear. This is the year that we'll see if Alex can shift into high gear," which shows that he already thinks Smith is much better then Leinart. Hopefully Smith can hit that high gear.

Honestly, I think you guys are hearing what you want to hear. This is anything but a glorifying set of commentary about Smith.

lol Directly in the show he says he looks like he has it. How is that hearing what we want to hear?

OK, I just listened to it. It does sound better the way he says it than how it was written. But he also makes it sound like "this is his year, the pressure is on, and he needs to move on from his past struggles". But you are right, the way he said it is better than what I read on paper.

That's something I totally agree with; this season definitely is Alex's final chance, but this thread isn't about that, it's about Steve Young being misquoted. Thankfully you heard the interview and was able to figure out how awfully that quote was written, lol

[ Edited by Method on Sep 3, 2010 at 11:39 PM ]

Sep 3, 2010 at 11:40 PM

#18

valrod33
Hall of Small
Posts: 138,115

Originally posted by Kilgore_Trout:
Steve Young's arrogance is painful. His story isn't unlike Smith's thus far, so he shouldn't come from such a holier than thou perspective. And if you're not aware, that is how he has talked about Smith since his first year with the team. I don't know why he feels so frightened by Smith... Somehow in Steve Smith's mind, Alex Smith is a threat to him. At least that is how it seems to me whenever I hear how he speaks about Smith.

What interview did you listen to?

Sep 3, 2010 at 11:44 PM

#19

Method
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Posts: 9,752

Originally posted by valrod33:
Originally posted by Kilgore_Trout:
Steve Young's arrogance is painful. His story isn't unlike Smith's thus far, so he shouldn't come from such a holier than thou perspective. And if you're not aware, that is how he has talked about Smith since his first year with the team. I don't know why he feels so frightened by Smith... Somehow in Steve Smith's mind, Alex Smith is a threat to him. At least that is how it seems to me whenever I hear how he speaks about Smith.

What interview did you listen to?

Didn't think anyone would go in that extreme, lol. I was ready for the "Steve Young said Alex suxors" posts, but not the "Steve Young feels threatened by Alex Smith." Wtf?

Sep 3, 2010 at 11:45 PM

#20

Sanfran_chrisco
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Posts: 33,906

Wow the one guy interviewing him or w/e to start off the interview sounds like an old f****t.

Sep 3, 2010 at 11:48 PM

#21

TheGoldStandard
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Posts: 7,697

Originally posted by Method:
Originally posted by valrod33:
Originally posted by Kilgore_Trout:
Steve Young's arrogance is painful. His story isn't unlike Smith's thus far, so he shouldn't come from such a holier than thou perspective. And if you're not aware, that is how he has talked about Smith since his first year with the team. I don't know why he feels so frightened by Smith... Somehow in Steve Smith's mind, Alex Smith is a threat to him. At least that is how it seems to me whenever I hear how he speaks about Smith.

What interview did you listen to?

Didn't think anyone would go in that extreme, lol. I was ready for the "Steve Young said Alex suxors" posts, but not the "Steve Young feels threatened by Alex Smith." Wtf?

Yeah! What's Steve Smith's beef with Alex anyway?

Sep 3, 2010 at 11:49 PM

#22

Kolohe
Hall of Fame
Posts: 66,784

Plain and simple, Smith is gonna continue to get remarks like these until he proves everyone wrong. All the talk in the world right now is not gonna make him better or worse, I don't care who praises him and who doubts him.

Sep 3, 2010 at 11:53 PM

#23

Shemp
Hall of Fame
Posts: 29,755

Originally posted by Kolohe:
Plain and simple, Smith is gonna continue to get remarks like these until he proves everyone wrong. All the talk in the world right now is not gonna make him better or worse, I don't care who praises him and who doubts him.

Sep 4, 2010 at 12:03 AM

#24

Sanfran_chrisco
Veteran
Posts: 33,906

Originally posted by Shaj:
Originally posted by Kolohe:
Plain and simple, Smith is gonna continue to get remarks like these until he proves everyone wrong. All the talk in the world right now is not gonna make him better or worse, I don't care who praises him and who doubts him.

Sep 4, 2010 at 12:04 AM

#25

Memphis9er
Veteran
Posts: 12,553

Originally posted by defenderDX:
Originally posted by Shaj:
Originally posted by Kolohe:
Plain and simple, Smith is gonna continue to get remarks like these until he proves everyone wrong. All the talk in the world right now is not gonna make him better or worse, I don't care who praises him and who doubts him.

Sep 4, 2010 at 12:33 AM

#26

D-NOTTE
Veteran
Posts: 2,478

True.... All I'll say is we can do much better @ QB..... That's the point I want to get through to the folks stuck on Smith..... Instead of all the excuses.. Now GO ALEX!

[ Edited by D-NOTTE on Sep 4, 2010 at 12:34 AM ]

Sep 4, 2010 at 12:35 AM

#27

Kilgore_Trout
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Posts: 2,150

Originally posted by Kolohe:
Plain and simple, Smith is gonna continue to get remarks like these until he proves everyone wrong. All the talk in the world right now is not gonna make him better or worse, I don't care who praises him and who doubts him.

Imagine being Alex Smith, and having to hear that about yourself from one of the great QBs of the franchise he is now playing for. Some will say he should man up and prove otherwise, and I think that is the mentality Smith probably takes, at least at this point in his career. But at the same time, Young should be helping Smith because that would be helpful to the 49ers, the franchise that made him the star he still benefits to this day from being.

Sep 4, 2010 at 12:38 AM

#28

SanDiego49er
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Posts: 52,210

Of course it's misconstrued. It fits their agenda better that way. It's what Alex haters do...

Sep 4, 2010 at 12:39 AM

#29

DonnieDarko
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Posts: 66,387

wow, phil barber totally f**ked that quote up.

someone should call him out on that one

Sep 4, 2010 at 2:57 AM

#30

Envy
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Posts: 2,382

Originally posted by Kilgore_Trout:
Originally posted by Kolohe:
Plain and simple, Smith is gonna continue to get remarks like these until he proves everyone wrong. All the talk in the world right now is not gonna make him better or worse, I don't care who praises him and who doubts him.

Imagine being Alex Smith, and having to hear that about yourself from one of the great QBs of the franchise he is now playing for. Some will say he should man up and prove otherwise, and I think that is the mentality Smith probably takes, at least at this point in his career. But at the same time, Young should be helping Smith because that would be helpful to the 49ers, the franchise that made him the star he still benefits to this day from being.

Hang on. I mean loyalty is appreciated but Steve Young was getting these same questions and more when he was playing. He had Joe to contend with. Who has Alex been in competition with during his tenure?

I'm not a major Alex fan but I don't get off in seeing him fail. If he improves then I'm happy for him. Although there is now no reason for him not too. He has frankly been given everything. No excuses. Steve didn't want to hear them when he was playing.