Still Hoping I'm Wrong

Since 2005, I've been waiting for Alex Smith to prove me wrong about him.  I've never wanted to be wrong about something as much as I've hoped to be wrong about Smith.  And here we are, entering his fourth season, and I'm still hoping I'm wrong.

I think back to 2005.  We had the number 1 overall pick, and Matt Lienart had just finished a stellar Junior season at USC.  It was clear that he would be the first overall pick.  There was even talk that Pete Carroll might fill the coaching vacancy in San Fransisco.  But then Leinart decided to play one more year.  I remember being devastated.  It felt like we deserved him after suffering through such a horrible season.  With Leinart suddenly out of the picture, the 49ers became a massive question mark.  Who would be the pick?

It seemed that the 49ers were already intent on picking a quarterback, despite the fact that after Leinart there was a dramatic dropoff in QB talent, and the team had many other needs that could be also be filled.  I thought the team should have drafted Braylon Edwards, and waited another year to get a QB.  I wrote this on my old sports blog, sadly that site no longer exists.  Believe me or not, that was how I felt.  Instead, the team began trying to decide between Smith and Aaron Rodgers.  Neither seemed very appealing, but I decided I would prefer Rodgers.  So, of course, the Niners decided upon Smith.

For a few weeks after the draft, I was just pissed off.  But I've been wrong before, and I started reading articles about how he is such a good guy, and how he is a smart QB.  I decided that I really wanted nothing more than to be wrong about Alex Smith.  I'd rather be wrong and have the franchise be a success.

The rookie season wasn't easy for Alex, but it was his rookie season, so I didn't worry about it too much.  2006 brought Norv Turner, and suddenly Alex Smith was showing signs that maybe, just maybe, he could fill the expectations of being a number 1 pick.  This was never more clear than the game against Seattle (Thursday Night Football?  I think?), when Smith played brilliantly.  Things were moving in the right direction, just in time for the 3rd year, where people assume it becomes fair to evaluate draft decisions.

Well, Turner was gone, but optimism was overflowing from training camp.  We were a team on the rise, Smith was ready to step into his own, and there was a lot of talk of the playoffs.  Smith's season was marred by a shoulder injury.  To say that the team did not meet expectations would be quite the understatement.

Now we're here.  We're watching our number 1 pick battle for a starting spot against a few guys who have spent an awful lot of time on the bench for various NFL teams.  And Smith has yet to distance himself from what one might  expect to be mediocre competition.

I'm still not ready to give up on Alex Smith.  The injury came at a horrible time in his career, and I still remember those feelings of hope in 2006.  I'd like to see Smith get the starting job, because I think we still need to see more.  But at the same time, I'm still just hoping that I've been wrong about him.  I'm not sure how much longer I can wait.