The 49ers are centered on the wrong player. | Page 4

sincalniner · 2010-10-29T21:48:31-07:00

Here's my view, if anyone cares... One of the biggest mistakes the 49ers have made in regards to Alex Smith is that they have not worked to build the team around him. I realize that this is counter intuitive to many of you, because we all know that Alex "sucks". But please bare with me for just a moment. Ok first off, the team is currently centered around Frank Gore. Now on the surface that seems like the correct thing to do because he is arguably the best player on the team. I argue that this is a mistake for two reasons; first I believe that Frank is such a dynamic player that it does not matter what system you put him in, he will get his yards and be successful simply because he is such a frigin BEAST. And second, building a team to highlights just one aspect of you best player AND to tell everyone that is exactly what you're doing, allows other teams the luxury of knowing, EVERYTIME, what they have to do and who they will have to stop in order to beat you. This to me is just stupid. In fact on Sundays I feel like I'm watching a jacked up remake of the the waterboy. I keep waiting for the camera to pan over to the other teams sideline to show the coaches all standing around a copy of "NFL coaching for dummies" laughing their butts off. Ok if you're still reading then you know why I think building he team around frank was a bad idea, and hopefully you can (at least in principal) agree with me. That established, the question becomes who then should become the focal point of the team? To me the obvious answer is that it should always be the quarterback. Especially if you've drafted that quarterback number one overall. If it is your desire to build a team that is centered on a strong running game and a dominant defense, then you draft that way and do not take a frigin' QUARTERBACK. And finally here's my two cents on Alex; one, I think a good number of us can agree that if he had been on a team with some offensive stability and with coaching that had maybe half a clue, that he would be a decent player. And two, I think that the reason there is so much hate for Alex (myself included) is NOT just because of his bad play. But rather it's because we've all seen what he CAN DO, and it is absolutely infuriating that he won't produce like that with any sort of consistency. Anyway back to my main point, I think team should be built around Alex and not Frank. Again this is NOT because I think Alex is great but because frank is. I write this with with the intent of a discussion on team identity and NOT another Alex talk. I'm sure that we can all agree that that ship is setting sail... Ah well, let's here your thoughts... Should this team be built around our "BELL COW" Sorry for any typos, typed this on my iPhone. Harbaugh in 2011!!!

The 49ers are centered on the wrong player.

«
‹
»
›
1 2 3 4

Oct 30, 2010 at 8:27 PM

#46

Shifty
Veteran
Posts: 23,429

Originally posted by OnTheClock:
Originally posted by Kalen49ers:
The team did build for the QB, things jsut didn't work out. Look back when we drafted Alex Smith.

We paid top dollar to get what appeared, at the time to be a franchise LT in Jonas Jennings.
In the 2005 draft, after Alex we took Baas (OL), Gore (RB) and then Snyder (OL). Basically you have Heitmann and Smiley on the team and you added 3 more players to the OL. Also you gave your QB an excellent RB to help him out.
Then the year after? We signed the best free agent WR in Antonio Bryant and drafted a beast of a TE in Vernon Davis, thus trying to give Smith more weapons. I believe we also signed Larry Allen here too.

The point is, we tried to build for Alex, he just wasn't good enough. Also we got Mike McCarthy as OC in 2005 (turns out he can call a heck of an offense) and then Norv Turner in 2006. Unlucky for us, both these guys get hired as HC's for other teams.

I think the plan that Nolan and Scotty had laid out was actually pretty good. Sign the best LT on the market, draft OL, RB and then sign best WR and draft TE.

I'm not sure I fully agree here. I think I'll agree it didn't work out, but more because the pieces didn't come together like we would have hoped.

Bryant got both injured and suspended. Baas couldn't crack the starting lineup. Our LT was constantly injured, Jennings was always hurt and never played a full season. Snyder was far from good then, and still isn't great now. We had Kwame "false start" Harris at RT. Larry Allen's play dipped dramatically after one year. All our OC's left year after year. Smiley left and then was on the trading block for the Dolphins because he wasn't good enough.

Yeah, it didn't pan out like we hoped, but I can't sit here and say "Alex just wasn't good enough" as the reason it didn't. We just can't say he caused all the problems listed above.

The plan was a good one, and I'm not fully blaming Alex. The plan was get Alex a good line, drafting OL early and signing the top free agents there, then sign the best WR and draft the best offensive weapon in Vernon. Guys didnt develop as we hoped, we lost good OC's and the free agents turned out to be busts (Bryant and Jennings).

Poor execution and bad luck and ultimately Alex not being good has led to this.

Oct 30, 2010 at 9:14 PM

#47

binary2nd
Member
Posts: 1,345

Originally posted by PlasmaHero:
Originally posted by lamontb:
Everybody agrees the problem is Smith isn't good enough to build around thus it's built around Gore. If he were a legit qb the offense would have been built around him.

Its that simple and yet people refuse to get it.

Listen, if your problem is ACCURACY, then it does not matter what system you're in, you're still going to struggle. If the spread was the best option for Smith, why didn't Norv Turner use it when he was here?

The truth is, Smith does not have one thing he does well at all. He never can hit a receiver in stride, he throws it to hard to receivers that are close, and when a play breaks down, 9 out of 10 times its OVER. Going to the spread would have sent his turnovers skyrocketing, you don't open up the offense more when a QB is struggling with basic throws.

First off, it's widely known that Norv was implementing more spread concepts at the end of the '06 season, it's all Dilfer talked about that entire offseason. Most who've followed the 9ers the last 5 years already know about this.

Secondly, your notion that they "knew" (as if Sing knows JACK about QBs) Smith couldn't work in an open Offense, thus sheltering him behind a decrepit power running Offense, is absolutely unfounded given what's happened in the last 4 weeks, total hogwash. Why would they even make the move? Why has Smith played noticably better, along with the rest of the Offense? Your support for Sing, along with your racial conspiracies, are smelling up the board.

[ Edited by binary2nd on Oct 30, 2010 at 9:15 PM ]

«
‹
»
›
1 2 3 4

Home

Forum

Niner Talk

The 49ers are centered on the wrong player.