Which "Catch" is your favorite?

Originally posted by montana9er:

Originally posted by stillpans4gold:
Give it some time…



"Legendary" is defined by timelessness, which takes "time" to gain perspective and see it's place in history. The moments preceding the event often control how legendary it become…



"The Catch"



- A lot of people forget that there was still 51 seconds left in this game and Dallas was only down by 1 point.

- Had Dallas not fumbled and kicked a field goal… would the term "The Catch" ever been hatched. Certainly the photos, the excitment, the moment wouldn't have changed at all. But Dallas didn't score, and the Niners went on to win the SB. Cementing the moment in Lore.



"The Catch II"



I feel like this Catch has now had enough time to settle into its place in history. Maybe even the perspective of the Catch III has made it even clearer. In a way, this "Catch" marked a transition of power. I feel like the Catch II marked the last great Moment - the encore - of the greatest NFL dynasty in history. In less than five years, the Niners would slip into a long, depressing Dark Age…



"The Catch III"…………?



Many have pointed out that this Catch, like The Catch II, is tainted due to the fact that we didn't go on to win the SB and had a disappointing loss the next week. But years down the road have yet to be played out. Think about this…."IF" we go on to be a strong SB contender and WIN and SB in the next year or two, wouldn't it be appropriate to look at this moment as a defining realization that can be viewed as a magic spark of the "Renaissance" providing confidence and motivation that propels us into a new era?


Regardless of your favorite. You've got to love the 3rd and 3 on all 3 coincidence (or was it???).

As for my favorite.... I was (–2)-years-old in 1982, 12 in 1997. Nothing compares to the emotion and out of body experience of the Catch III, I cried… literally cried.

That was a f**king brilliant anaylsis

Seriously!

Originally posted by KowboyKiller:
I'd say out of all them, that the Catch II was the probably most difficult play. 25 yards out, Steve has to "catch" himself from falling down (see what I did thur?) then throw an absolute bullet perfectly in between 3 Packers right as Owens is drilled from all sides. Freaking crazy ass play.

Joe had a lot pressure and was rolling away from the target, not a easy play either, and Alex Smith had to make that play while being ALEX SMITH! LOL sorry, I love the kid, and all but I had to take the joke, as lame as it is...sorry, I will now raise my own warning level...

If 'The Catch 1' had happened a week earlier and we would have gotten beaten in NFCCG would The Catch even be a term? and by extension, would the later 2 be coined? I'm not voting, all 3 were amazing plays. Hope we don't need a nail-biter next year and just steam roll EVERYONE

The original catch signaled the end of the era of "also rans" and the beginning of the championship era. That places it above the others historically. Can't judge which was more difficult or well played, but it certainly doesn't get better than Montana to Clark.

Originally posted by GolittaCamper:

Originally posted by KowboyKiller:
I'd say out of all them, that the Catch II was the probably most difficult play. 25 yards out, Steve has to "catch" himself from falling down (see what I did thur?) then throw an absolute bullet perfectly in between 3 Packers right as Owens is drilled from all sides. Freaking crazy ass play.

Joe had a lot pressure and was rolling away from the target, not a easy play either, and Alex Smith had to make that play while being ALEX SMITH! LOL sorry, I love the kid, and all but I had to take the joke, as lame as it is...sorry, I will now raise my own warning level...

lol It is funny after all the crap he's taken (and continues to take) that he made a play which is comparable to some of the greatest moments in niner history.

Originally posted by KowboyKiller:
I'd say out of all them, that the Catch II was the probably most difficult play. 25 yards out, Steve has to "catch" himself from falling down (see what I did thur?) then throw an absolute bullet perfectly in between 3 Packers right as Owens is drilled from all sides. Freaking crazy ass play.

Im glad to see that Im not crazy, this play was the furthest out of the three, tougher throw, tougher catch=hardest to execute.

I was too young to witness the Catch. And too young for the second. The first one undoubtedly has the most meaning, and the most significance. It sent us to the Superbowl, not only that, ended the Cowboy era and thus began the 49er dynasty reign. As for the 3rd, it's the only one I witnessed live, so I have to claim that as my favorite.

Originally posted by GolittaCamper:
Joe had a lot pressure and was rolling away from the target, not a easy play either, and Alex Smith had to make that play while being ALEX SMITH! LOL sorry, I love the kid, and all but I had to take the joke, as lame as it is...sorry, I will now raise my own warning level...

ahhhhh low blow... lol

We can call the first one "The Catch", cause that what it is. We can call the second one "Young to Owens, you know the catch that almost got us to the Super Bowl" and the most recent one could be something like "Smith to Davis, you know the catch the almost got us to the Super Bowl".

See the if you name every great play take away from the importance, this effect is enhanced when YOU USE THE SAME DMAN NAME!

look I know we all want the last two great play-off plays to have more meaning, but the simply don't. I write this off to the "everyone gets pizza generation" and it's proclivity towards hyperbole.

Originally posted by dtg_9er:
The original catch signaled the end of the era of "also rans" and the beginning of the championship era. That places it above the others historically. Can't judge which was more difficult or well played, but it certainly doesn't get better than Montana to Clark.

To me difficulty is not even an issue, it is the importance of the play. It is nice that they were all dramatic, but "the catch" is picturesque, AND the single most important play in the entire history of the franchise, the other while amazing feats and clutch plays, are foot notes.

Originally posted by NinerPrideinNJ:
The Catch III.

If I was alive for "The Catch", I'd put that as number one. But being 26 years old, I was always partial to "The Catch II"...that is until Smith-to-Davis happened.

So the Catch III is my favorite play of all-time in Niners history. Three reasons:

1. It brought us out of a near decade of misery in spectacular fashion
2. It showed me something in Alex Smith that I never thought was there
3. I was at the game with my girlfriend

If I was older and had witnessed the glory of the 80's, this play (along with the catch II) wouldn't rank so high. But I wasn't, and I was only 9 years old when they won it all in '94, so I couldn't appreciate it as much (even though I was a Niners fan at that age).

I know we fell short in 2011, but the magic of that season coupled with our long overdue rise back to prominence will always make it one of my favorite seasons of all time. Hopefully they take that next step this year and bring the Lombardi back where it belongs!

This!

I voted for the Catch 3 just because I was at that game and it was just so great. I don't think i'll have a stadium experience like that ever again. I'd vote for the original catch if i was at that game or old enough to remember it, but i was way too young and didn't even see it live.

Originally posted by PA49ersfan:

Originally posted by GolittaCamper:
Trick question, there is only one "The Catch".

Agreed! It's the only one that also helped us go to the Super Bowl!

AND started the "cowboy aint sh**" era

It will always be Montana to Clark.