The Losing Makes This Super Bowl that Much More Special

It's been a year since we lost that heart-breaker to the Giants last year in the NFC Championship. It's been 10 years since we fired Steve Mariucci, effectively ending our last run. It's been 13 years since Eddie D left the team. It's been 18 years since our last Super Bowl.

It's been a tough decade or so, but I want to say that it's made me really appreciate what we have now as 49ers fans, and the journeys our team has gone through.

Remember when the Yorks were among the worst owners in football, being described as locking up the water-coolers to save money?
Remember 2-14?
Remember Dennis Erickson?
Remember all those hard-fought games with the Rams, Cardinals, and Seahawks that we just couldn't close out?
Remember when Mike Nolan called out Alex Smith, even though he was playing with a separated shoulder?
Remember Tim Rattay? and Ken Dorsey? and Cody Pickett? and J.T. O'Sullivan? and Trent Dilfer? and Troy Smith?
Remember Physical, with an F?
Remember when we booed Alex Smith, and chanted that we wanted Carr?
Remember when Vernon got sent to the locker room by Singletary?
Remember when Frank Gore cried after seeing some of his teammates having fun, after a loss?

I remember all those times, and I'm sure the team does too. Take a look at how our roster was built. A lot of these guys have been around throughout all those dark times. It's an amazing story to see that this team of perpetual losers are now going to be playing in a Super Bowl next week. I'm so excited to see it.

I love that the York family has turned it around, and ownership is considered a strength of this team now. We have a new stadium next year, and the staff and roster loves playing for the owners. I love that we went from Dennis Erickson, Mike Nolan, and Mike Singletary, to having THE best coaching staff in the NFL.

I love that we find ways to win, even when it looks like we're gonna lose. Remember Philadelphia last year? and Detroit? and the Saints? And this year... remember the Falcons?

Most importantly, I love how much this team plays together. Yeah, there's so much talk about how much the Ravens want to win it for Ray Lewis and Ed Reed. That's great. If it weren't our 49ers, I'd root for them too. The Ravens are a great and deserving team.

But I don't think people know how much the team wants to win it for the guy around them, not just two guys. Sure, Alex Smith isn't our starter anymore, but he got us a lot of those wins this season and has been the perfect teammate this year. Frank Gore has been our rock for the last 8 years. I was always afraid he'd waste away, with all the talent that he has, on a losing football team. Vernon Davis has come full-circle since being an immature young tight end, to being a leader on this football team. Almost all our guys have shared in the losing and have come this far. They simply don't want to let eachother down, and I think that's the best thing about watching this team.

I don't know what will happen next week, but I just want to say that I'm very proud of my team.

They erased that year long pain with this epic win. When we have epic wins earlier than the NFC championship we miss the superbowl. When it happens in the NFC championship we win it all. Fact!! See the catches 1 and 2 and 3 for proof.

So many great stories with this team...

Remember how Joe Staley had to defend the offensive line and say that "We don't suck!"... and now they're the best offensive line in football?
Remember how Anthony Dixon wasn't going to arymake the team, with Brandon Jacobs and Rock Cartwright in the mix? He's been a great short-yardage back this year.
Remember when they said Michael Crabtree was overrated, and wasn't cutting it? He's our first 1000+ yard receiver since T.O.
Remember when Isaac Sopoaga was this raw, project defensive tackle? He's an outstanding nose tackle in a very difficult scheme to run.
Remember when we wanted Ahmad Brooks in the supplemental, he went to the Bengals, and came here as a project player? Now he's second-team, All-Pro.
Remember when we signed Carlos Rogers and Donte Whitner, even though they were considered overrated? Both have been Pro Bowl calibur players for us since coming here.
Remember when Alex Boone was undrafted, came to the 49ers, but was cut on the last day of cuts? He came back and became the last missing piece in our offensive line.

Watching the 49ers come away with number 6, after the dark years ('99-'00 and'03-'10), will make this one sweet, if they don't win I won't have a warm and fuzzy feeling about this season. It is great for the 49ers to be where they are at, but none of us have ever experienced losing when the 49ers get to this moment, and I don't want to experience that now. I was born at the beginning of the Walsh years and lived through the Golden Age and the Dark Ages, sitting through each and every game throughout that time. It has been amazing to see the 49ers renaissance in the last two years, I'm glad I was here to see it, when they win this Super Bowl it will be a sweet feeling, but I won't put the cart before the horse and celebrate until it is the right time to do so,

Building on this...

Remember when Chris Weinke started a game for us?
Remember when our starting tackles were Jonas Jennings and Kwame Harris?
Remember when Roderick Green was cut every other week?
Remember all of those "dad-gum" loses and mishaps?
Remember when we were praying this guy http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3488564 would buy the 49ers from the Yorks?
Remember when we cried about not signing Adalius Thomas?
Remember when we thought Ashley Lelie would be a true #1 for us?

Originally posted by Byisgod:
Building on this...

Remember when Chris Weinke started a game for us?
Remember when our starting tackles were Jonas Jennings and Kwame Harris?
Remember when Roderick Green was cut every other week?
Remember all of those "dad-gum" loses and mishaps?
Remember when we were praying this guy http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3488564 would buy the 49ers from the Yorks?
Remember when we cried about not signing Adalius Thomas?
Remember when we thought Ashley Lelie would be a true #1 for us?

Oh boy, Adalius Thomas. He was THE free agent that I wanted the most through those dark years. I thought he could solve all our pass rushing woes lol.

Remember our preaseason wonders like Thomas Clayton and Kory Sheets?
Remember Brandon Lloyd and his 'rap career"?
Remember when we were signing guys to play DB off of the street?
Remember Nolan has a Plan?
Remember when we had to hope for moral victories? See Minnesota in 2009.
Remember when our defense was on pace to be the worse defense in the history of the NFL, points wise the first half of 2006?
Remember when our coaching staff was always coaching at the Senior Bowl?
Remember when our focus would totally be on the draft and free agency this time of year?

Remember that Owens trade drama?
Remember when we thought every year that "this would be the year" we turn things around?
Remember beating half decent opponents and hoping we'd move up in the Power Rankings?
Remember Alex Smith injuring his shoulder against the Seahawks?

Remember the NOT-So-Superbowl? 49ers vs Broncos in London ? lol

It doesn't...last year was special. This year we entered with full expectations of a championship. It's still gonna be sweet if we get it done, but last year was a really emotional season.

If our team wins the SB this year, it will be the most special SB win after the first one, IMO, because of the long, 18- year drought.
Go Niners!!!

Originally posted by Wubbie:
It's been a year since we lost that heart-breaker to the Giants last year in the NFC Championship. It's been 10 years since we fired Steve Mariucci, effectively ending our last run. It's been 13 years since Eddie D left the team. It's been 18 years since our last Super Bowl.

It's been a tough decade or so, but I want to say that it's made me really appreciate what we have now as 49ers fans, and the journeys our team has gone through.

Remember when the Yorks were among the worst owners in football, being described as locking up the water-coolers to save money?
Remember 2-14?
Remember Dennis Erickson?
Remember all those hard-fought games with the Rams, Cardinals, and Seahawks that we just couldn't close out?
Remember when Mike Nolan called out Alex Smith, even though he was playing with a separated shoulder?
Remember Tim Rattay? and Ken Dorsey? and Cody Pickett? and J.T. O'Sullivan? and Trent Dilfer? and Troy Smith?
Remember Physical, with an F?
Remember when we booed Alex Smith, and chanted that we wanted Carr?
Remember when Vernon got sent to the locker room by Singletary?
Remember when Frank Gore cried after seeing some of his teammates having fun, after a loss?

I remember all those times, and I'm sure the team does too. Take a look at how our roster was built. A lot of these guys have been around throughout all those dark times. It's an amazing story to see that this team of perpetual losers are now going to be playing in a Super Bowl next week. I'm so excited to see it.

I love that the York family has turned it around, and ownership is considered a strength of this team now. We have a new stadium next year, and the staff and roster loves playing for the owners. I love that we went from Dennis Erickson, Mike Nolan, and Mike Singletary, to having THE best coaching staff in the NFL.

I love that we find ways to win, even when it looks like we're gonna lose. Remember Philadelphia last year? and Detroit? and the Saints? And this year... remember the Falcons?

Most importantly, I love how much this team plays together. Yeah, there's so much talk about how much the Ravens want to win it for Ray Lewis and Ed Reed. That's great. If it weren't our 49ers, I'd root for them too. The Ravens are a great and deserving team.

But I don't think people know how much the team wants to win it for the guy around them, not just two guys. Sure, Alex Smith isn't our starter anymore, but he got us a lot of those wins this season and has been the perfect teammate this year. Frank Gore has been our rock for the last 8 years. I was always afraid he'd waste away, with all the talent that he has, on a losing football team. Vernon Davis has come full-circle since being an immature young tight end, to being a leader on this football team. Almost all our guys have shared in the losing and have come this far. They simply don't want to let eachother down, and I think that's the best thing about watching this team.

I don't know what will happen next week, but I just want to say that I'm very proud of my team.

Remember when Brandon Moore was the best Linebacker we had one year.

Remember when the 9yers never played in January…..that was rough!!

this goes out to all the loyal fans who watched every draft and discussed all the players through the dark years....the fans who saw the 49ers draft cam go nuts when andy dalton was picked and that left Kap on the board for us.

this goes out to the nut jobs who follow the team on that level