Golden Nuggets: To keep Martz, or not to keep Martz... that is the question.

by James Brady on Dec 30, 2008 1:55 AM PST in 49ers Links

Hey guys, James here. You know: this whole Martz thing is really driving me crazy. Not because I'm adamantly demanding that he stay, nor even that I'm profusely positive that he be given the boot. Its simply because I don't know what I'd do. Its like I'm stressing on this decision as if it were mine to make, I'm afraid that if they send him off I'll rage saying we should keep him, and if we keep him I'll likely come up with a list of ten names that I'd rather have. I'm so on the fence with this call that I just want to sleep and hope that when I wake up the decision has been made so I can figure out how I feel about it, ya know? Anyway, this has been one of my more useless rants that give you no actual information but hey, that's what I'm good for. You get links from me, and in payment you must endure my sensless babbling as you're no doubt still doing as this sentence continues and doesn't seem to want to e-. Ok, I'm done. Enjoy your links.

EDIT: There was only one update worth reading, but its a doozy (how do you spell doozy?) concerning Martz.

This article believes Shaun Hill has earned the starting job, to which I agree. I'm sorry but as far as next season goes I don't think we should be looking at anything other than a young QB to develop. Shaun Hill deserves his chance. (SFGate.com)

This article looks at our free agents and who should be coming back. I'll start rallying for Keasey now. Other players I think should be back: TE Billy Bajema, KR Allen Rossum, CD Donald Strickland, ILB Takeo Spikes, and I'm on the fence about both HB DeShaun Foster and QB Alex Smith. (SFGate.com)

Still no news on Martz and his return or his firing/leaving/whatever. Some of the players seem to like him, though. Again I'm on the fence about Martz. (SFGate.com)

Samuel Lam thinks we'll be opening the next season on a Monday night against Arizona. (MVN.com)

Late season success brings hope. If Nolan were the head coach still, I'd laugh at this article. Late season success and Nolan go hand in hand, as did let-downs the next year. This time it feels different. (SacBee.com)

Matt Barrows makes an early draft prediction, saying the Niners will take WR Percy Harvin. (SacBee.com)

49ers are five steps from the playoffs. (MercuryNews.com)

Hey, we had a game two days ago, remember? Here's Team Issued with Shaun Hill on the Redskins. (49ers.com)

Frank Gore told Clinton Portis "I thought I had a good game on one leg, imagine if I was healthy – I would’ve killed y’all." Nice. (49ers.com)

The players are down, nobody wanted to go home in December. Lets hope they turn that feeling into something good next season. (49ers.com)

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Of course Hill won the starting job...

There is no one else outside of him (Martin, JTO, insert scrub here) that is any better.

by drummer on Dec 30, 2008 2:55 AM PST reply actions

Looking at Lynch's blog

Kevin Lynch at SFGate was discussing which free agents to keep or let go. Hill is clearly the keeper of the bunch, but if Martz is gone so is JTO. Maybe he’s gone anyway. And Martin isn’t likely to be around. He was just a Dilfer-like insurance policy this year. That means that Alex Smith’s odds of coming back are up.

I was listening to Steve Young on KNBR yesterday, and the whole idea of ego, taking a pay cut or moving on came up regarding Smith. For ex, when Garcia was on top here and told he’d have to take a pay cut his ego (and agent) wouldn’t allow it. Smith hasn’t been the starter here for almost two years. There are question marks about his health. Anywhere else he would be fighting for a roster spot on the bench. Here he’s got a chance to eventually become a starter again. So his ego shouldn’t be an issue. As far as money is concerned, he’s got 20-30 million in the bank (if he didn’t invest poorly) so the money shouldn’t be a problem. In short, if the Niners want to bring him back he’d fit in fine as a #2 quarterback with a draftee as #3.

by Bob In Beaverton on Dec 30, 2008 6:33 AM PST reply actions

My issue is running back

The numbers show Frank is slowing down production-wise. Granted, a lot of nagging injuries, but that’s what happens to running backs. Gore doesn’t outrun people. He runs through them. And he’s breaking fewer big gains.

Foster isn’t a speedster change of pace back. Robinson, while a terrific target in open space underneath, is not a true running back. He can’t ever seem to find a hole or run an open lane.

So my big question is: Who’s the next Niner running back? Maybe Clayton is the guy who can be substituted for Gore on some series. But maybe the coaches (ya think?) know something about Clayton that we don’t know.

My point here is that the Niners need to be looking at the running back spot, and it’ll either be Clayton’s move up to the roster next year or it’s time to draft another running back.

Running backs don’t last forever, and losing your top back can destroy a team’s offense. The Niners need to find the next running back now, even if Frank bounces back next year.

by Bob In Beaverton on Dec 30, 2008 6:41 AM PST reply actions

Michael Bush

Raiders want to convert Bush to a FB. Throw a 3rd/4th Rounder at the Raiders, they could use the draft picks, and split time between him and Gore. I don’t think Gore’s body can handle being an everydown back.

by methodrampage on Dec 30, 2008 8:03 AM PST up reply actions

Wait...

You like Michael Bush? I never would’ve guessed.

Check out The Examined Life. Or don't. Whatever.
"I been waitin' a long time for this! I been waitin' since the f**kin' amateurs!" --WILL "THE THRILL" CLARK

by Josh from Hollywood on Dec 30, 2008 1:18 PM PST up reply actions

Maybe I'm being too optomistic here...

but I really think the problem with Gore is not actually Gore. After the 2006 season his numbers have gone down, but due to outside forces I think.

We all know about the futility of the offense in 2007. I swear, they ran the same damn running play every time. Constantly up the middle behind a line that could create any lanes. Poor Frank was staring at a wall of his own linemen getting stood up at the line of scrimmage every time. That was just a bad year offensively and for him to still get 1,100 yards or what ever it was speaks volumes about him.

This year there more more, smaller, factors involved. We got rid of Norris and didn’t have a true FB all year. Keasey and M.Rob were servicable in that role, but no where near as good as Norris was. Martz’s offense was pass, pass, pass, run, pass, pass… for a good chunk of the season. Before the injury he had 10 games out of 13 where he had less than 20 rushing attempts and only once did he have over 25 attempts. That can’t happen. Especially since Gore seems to be the type of back who gets better as the game goes on. And lets not forget the struggles of the o-line this year as well. The RT spot was shaky at best until Snyder stepped in for a few games. And RG didn’t start to look good until Rachal got in there and started getting comfortable. So for a good chunk of the season the right side of the line was iffy. And Staley took some time getting used to the left side as well.

Now I’m not saying the team couldn’t use a 2nd RB to take some of the load off of Gore, and I am a huge proponent of seeing what Clayton can do, but at the same time as the whole offense improves, I see no reason why Gore wouldn’t be back to his 2006 self.

by Sebaz49 on Dec 30, 2008 9:39 AM PST up reply actions

I guess I got what I want?

Adam Schefter is reporting that the 49ers will NOT retain Mike Martz. (NFL.com)

by James Brady on Dec 30, 2008 10:30 AM PST reply actions

Next move will be huge

It’s not that I really wanted Martz to stay, like you I was on the fence for pretty much the same reasons, but if this is accurate and Martz is gone, they better have a couple of names floating around that are serious OC talent. This team can’t afford another Hostler year.

by Sebaz49 on Dec 30, 2008 10:57 AM PST up reply actions

We cant afford anything remotely resembling a Hostler year, honestly.

by James Brady on Dec 30, 2008 11:01 AM PST up reply actions

Sorry To Bring Politics Into It...

But for me personally, this year has been about closing my eyes, trusting the traditionally untrustworthy and just praying they’re not setting us all up for the biggest letdown in modern history.

I voted Obama where I’m typically conservative Republican, because he’s the hail mary to the end zone. I’d much prefer the gamewinning TD over a heartbreaking INT, but another 3rd and out would just gut me.

I feel the same way about Jed York and this Martz development- I’m trusting Jed York when he says this december ending will be our last, even though I really have no reason to. So when he cans Martz, I have a sense of cautious optimism, like whatever he saw or heard in conversations with MM led him to believe that he would not be the best fit in order to keep his own promise. I’m gonna ignore the gnawing feeling that we’re headed for another lackluster year, struggling to learn a new system with an all new coaching staff only to come back way too late in the season…

…and just Hope that this Change is exactly what we needed.

49er 'til I die! (if they don't kill me first)

by LA49er on Dec 30, 2008 11:48 AM PST up reply actions

politics

Not a problem. Strictly politics is not allowed, but when you’re able to tie it back to the 49ers like you just did, then it’s fine. I like the way you phrased it and my thoughts on the subject are probably somewhat similar to yours in both regards.

Niners Nation - The premier 49ers blog on the Internet!

by David Fucillo on Dec 30, 2008 12:10 PM PST up reply actions