Comparing Alex Smith to the Niner Greats

Another alex smith thread. Really? I don't think this one is bad like the majority of them but couldn't this have been posted in the 'official' alex smith thread?

I believe it is posible to change the thread title. The one stat I am most concerned about is number of SB wins. So, four more SB wins and Smith is equal to Montana!

Originally posted by KennyBoiiii:
The only stat that matters to me is the W's. F* the rest of the BS. Montana is the best cuz he won 4 Superbowls. Once Alex wins 4 SBs then u can compare him with Montana.

While I agree, If that's true then you shouldn't be one of the people who's complaining that Alex has only thrown 190 yds/game this year(which rockets down if you take out the 290 yd philly game). He's been winning and making smart decisions and that's truly all that matters.

Truth is even if he wins one superbowl(lets just worry about getting the first one first), people will never say he carried the offense like montana or Young used to. I'm also not sure if our defense or running game has ever been as strong as it is right now so we'll have to question whether or not he even has to be like those greats.

Originally posted by dtg_9er:

I believe it is posible to change the thread title. The one stat I am most concerned about is number of SB wins. So, four more SB wins and Smith is equal to Montana!

When he gets the next one then, he equals Young and overtakes Brodie?

Originally posted by mike:
While I agree, If that's true then you shouldn't be one of the people who's complaining that Alex has only thrown 190 yds/game this year(which rockets down if you take out the 290 yd philly game). He's been winning and making smart decisions and that's truly all that matters.

Truth is even if he wins one superbowl(lets just worry about getting the first one first), people will never say he carried the offense like montana or Young used to. I'm also not sure if our defense or running game has ever been as strong as it is right now so we'll have to question whether or not he even has to be like those greats.

well what Im saying is that if/once he wins a SB then u can start comparing the other stats. Its too early in the season to be comparing him to 49er greats... he has hardly done anything "great" for us.

Originally posted by overthemiddle:
Montana is what we use to gauge our QBs. Young was also very very good. I also got to remind the zone there was a third QB that played very well - John Brodie. Stats are fun to look at but its win and loses that count. Can Alex compete with Montana and Young I hardly think so but he can win for us and thats all it matters.

Funny you should mention John Brodie because that's exactly what I was thinking. I'm old enough to remember Brodie. He was taken with the 3rd overall pick in the 1957 draft out of Stanford. Niner fans hated him for years. He ended up playing 17 years and it wasn't until his 14th year in the league that he was named MVP and led the Niners to the NFC Championship game under Dick Nolan. Of course, you can't compare his statistics to the modern era players because the game was so different then - what I would call the pre-Walsh era. Brodie is remembered fondly now but, like Smith, he had some very difficult times. Alex has a long way to go. He was very young when he was drafted. He may end up having a very nice career.

Let's not

Originally posted by English:

Originally posted by dtg_9er:
I believe it is posible to change the thread title. The one stat I am most concerned about is number of SB wins. So, four more SB wins and Smith is equal to Montana!

When he gets the next one then, he equals Young and overtakes Brodie?

OK!

This thread shows that Alex has come a long way from his first year, when he was surrounded by ineptitude and was the worst QB in the league. He is still a long way from being on the level of Montana and Young, but he has exhibited growth over time, especially during his last 10-15 games. If he continues this pattern he could end up being very good. Small hands, no pocket presence, happy feet, stares down his receiver, weak arm, injury prone, folds in the clutch - not hearing much of that any more.

Again my point in making this is not to say Alex Smith is a god!!!! Future HOF here we come!!! Its just to look at his stats and say, you know what he still has a chance to make a very good career for himself. I mean if anything I've been an Alex Smith hater, I wanted Aaron Rodgers at the draft, was excited about JT O'Sullivan, said Troy Smith might be the answer, and going into the season was praying we'd find a way to get Andrew Luck.

But I support my team, and I think its a heck of a story Alex has started building for himself. The key is, can he continue his quality of play, and can he do it for multiple seasons.

This was purely a statistical analysis. I in no way could or would try to compare his intangibles, or his franchise importance to Steven and Joe or even to Brodie. It's just interesting to look at the numbers and what he would have to do, and say hey maybe he can be good.

Originally posted by KennyBoiiii:

Originally posted by mike:
While I agree, If that's true then you shouldn't be one of the people who's complaining that Alex has only thrown 190 yds/game this year(which rockets down if you take out the 290 yd philly game). He's been winning and making smart decisions and that's truly all that matters.

Truth is even if he wins one superbowl(lets just worry about getting the first one first), people will never say he carried the offense like montana or Young used to. I'm also not sure if our defense or running game has ever been as strong as it is right now so we'll have to question whether or not he even has to be like those greats.

well what Im saying is that if/once he wins a SB then u can start comparing the other stats. Its too early in the season to be comparing him to 49er greats... he has hardly done anything "great" for us.

True, all I'm saying is if wins are all that matters some of the complainers need to stfu about alex only throwing 190 yds/game lol, he's winning right now people should be happy about that.

But yes, SO FAR alex is 4-1, big deal. Montana was a career 114-74 and steve a career 94-49.

Originally posted by KennyBoiiii:
The only stat that matters to me is the W's. F* the rest of the BS. Montana is the best cuz he won 4 Superbowls. Once Alex wins 4 SBs then u can compare him with Montana.

there are some incentives that people seem to... forget... with Montana and his SB's. The biggest one is the fact that he is UNDEFEATED whenever he appears in a Super Bowl. Once Alex Smith wins AT LEAST 4 Super bowls and never loses a super bowl then i will consider comparing him with Joe Montana

the only stat i really care that smith matches atleast young is superbowl rings. i think alex is a good QB and if the harbaugh transformation is permanent he may pass one or both of them but hes gonna have to play his ass off consistently for 8 or 9 years i think. i hope he gets a ring or two or three on his chase of the greats but im not holding my breath for him to be better than montana or young. good luck tho alex and i hope you can do it if your a niner, if you go somewhere else i hope you throw us INTs all day when we play you lol

Call me when smith is still playing when he's 35. Seriously the NFL is brutal, even on good players and Smith doesn't exactly have a running start. It is silly to compare anyone to the greats until the numbers get actually close not statistically possible. Take Marvin Harrison for example. He was having some amazing years and everyone was all about how he would outproduce Rice.

Receptions Rice=1549 Marv=1042 diff=507
Yards Rice=22895 Marv=13944 diff=8951
TD Rice=197 Marv=123 diff=84

And Marvin was awesome. Alex is Alex. If he get's us a superbowl then he can get in line behind Steve Young. Until then let's compare him to Jeff Garcia.