Golden Nuggets: Happy New Year!

Ninjames is off the grid a bit this week so I'm handling the Nuggets today (and possibly tomorrow).  I hope everyone had a good time last night ringing in the New Year.  I'm writing this up the night before and I'll be heading out to a bar at a nearby casino to countdown to 2010.  We'll see how the night ends.  Although we're into a new year, we've got some unfinished business to deal with on Sunday when the 49ers face St. Louis.  In the meantime, enjoy some New Year's Day bowl action.  We've got 5 games with Drew K's first game thread coming later this morning (just a heads-up that it might possibly be midway through the first game).  Enjoy and Happy New Year!

Smith needs a little more (but not a lot more) Favre in his game, Raye says (Maiocco)

Baas, Brooks among players affected most by no labor agreemeent (Maiocco)

Isaac Bruce does not practice -- again (Maiocco)

You could call Smith the anti-Favre (Maiocco)

49ers notes: Smith, Hill share media cooperation award (Maiocco)

Bruce may play at St. Louis after all (Maiocco)

View a whole mess of links after the jump...

Singletary on KNRB (49ers.com)

Vernon Davis on KNBR (49ers.com)

Jennings on KNBR (49ers.com)

Lott on KNBR (49ers.com)

Singletary's Notebook: Dec. 30 (49ers.com)

Linebackers Spread Holiday Cheer (49ers.com)

Peralta Named Kelly-Moore Paints HS Coach of the Year (49ers.com)

Young on KNBR (49ers.com)

Week 17: Steven Jackson (49ers.com)

Three Up, Three Down (49ers.com)

Week 17: Steve Spagnuolo (49ers.com)

49ers Blog and Q&A: Rams coach not scouting Suh ... yet (Barrows)

49er Morgan offers his spot to veteran WR Bruce (Barrows)

49ers Blog and Q&A: WR to hear "Bruuuuuuuuce" one more time (Barrows)

49ers Blog and Q&A: Raye wants Smith to go rogue (Barrows)

49ers Blog and Q&A: Chick-fil-A Bowl will be Berry interesting (Barrows)

Niner Insider : Hall of Famer gets another shot (SFGate.com)

49ers, employees to eat well with new cafe (SFGate.com)

49ers' Bruce, longtime Ram, to play in St. Louis (SFGate.com)

San Francisco 49ers' Alex Smith, Shaun Hill share Garry Niver Award (SJ Mercury News)

Isaac Bruce to play Sunday in San Francisco 49ers' finale against old team in St. Louis (SJ Mercury News)

Chart on where Isaac Bruce ranks all-time among receivers (SJ Mercury News)

NFL draft order jumbled as 49ers head for final game | 49ers Hot Read (SJ Mercury News)

49ers defense on a takeaway spree (Yahoo! Sports)

49ers' Isaac Bruce retiring? (Yahoo! Sports)

Jackson, Rams hope to finish season on high note (Yahoo! Sports)

A last hurrah for Isaac Bruce? (ProFootballTalk.com)

Chat wrap: Discussing the big issues (Sando - ESPN.com)

Sounding off: NFC West on the airwaves (Sando - ESPN.com)

NFC West penalty watch: 14 and counting (Sando - ESPN.com)

Chat: Chat with Mike Sando (Sando - ESPN.com)

Players affected by uncapped year (Sando - ESPN.com)

NFC West: Injury situations that matter (Sando - ESPN.com)