Navigation: Jump to content areas:


Pro Quality. Fan Perspective.
Login-facebook
Around SBN: NFL Players Ready To Welcome Gay Teammate

Championship Weekend: Where's My Bottle of Scotch?

When I was a kid I had a problem controlling my anger especially when it came to sports. My room was literally filled with plaster marks from holes that needed to be covered. Since my dad was tired of constantly going to Home Depot he one day gave me a foam brick. The idea being I could throw that in anger but nothing would get broken.

In my first game with the foam brick something that was so important I can't even remember what it was anymore got me really angry and I threw my brick. I watched as it flew through the air and doinked harmlessly off the TV. So I went into my room and punched two holes in the wall instead of just one.

At times the 49ers offense reminded me of my old foam brick. Time after time they doinked harmlessly off the Giants defense and went 3-and-out. Yet in spite of that they were still in a position to win, and would have won if not for the fact they lost the turnover battle for the first time since,...well for the first time in a really long time. So long ago, I can't even remember how long ago it was. It was that long ago.

How could the 49ers who had 10 turnovers in 16 games have 2 in this one? How could the 49ers who had led the NFL in turnovers with 38 have zero in this one? What makes it worse is they easily could have had 2 interceptions but both were dropped when two 49er players going for the pick collided with each other. And there was another fumble that wasn't a fumble because of a quick whistle by the refs. Now that I'm thinking about it, I sure don't hear the Giants fans complaining any more after they almost went into cardiac arrest complaining last week about how the refs were trying to hand the game to the Packers after a non-fumble in that game.

More after the jump...

Star-divide

But no, I'm not going to blame the refs for this loss because that would be too cliche. I am, however, going to blame Roger Craig 2.0, Kyle Williams. In fairness to Craig, his fumble in the 1991 NFC Championship game against the Giants hurt a lot but at least he played a huge role in helping the 49ers to 3 Super Bowl victories before then. But Williams? What in the ever-loving name of everything holy and even things that are only somewhat holy were you thinking as you were standing over a punt you weren't going to field?

Now I feel bad for Williams. I really do. I'm sure no one is as upset as he is unless there's some guy who went in to an Applebees to shoot at a Giants fan that I haven't heard about yet. But even though I feel bad for him I'm also incredibly mad at him. Not so mad that I'd send him a death threat like some mentally unstable fans have done, but I am giving serious consideration to toilet papering his house. I may even let the air out of his tires. That will show him.

Unless the 49ers go on to win a Super Bowl or two in the coming years and Williams plays a big part in that, I will always remember him as the guy who almost single handedly cost the 49ers a return trip to the Super Bowl. But I'll still try to look on the bright side. At least I'm not a Bills fan. Wide right? Now that really had to hurt.

Ravens 20, Patriots 23

This game started with Steven Tyler singing a version of the National Anthem that was so bad he would have kicked himself off American Idol, and it ended with a kick that was so bad even Mike Vanderjagt was wondering how Billy Cundiff could miss that.

Both Joe Flacco and Tom Brady completed 22 of their 36 passes but Flacco threw for 306 yards and 2 touchdowns while Brady only threw for 239 yards and had 2 interceptions. Poor Flacco. As if it wasn't bad enough to be called out by his own team, he actually outplayed Brady but still lost.

"Well, I sucked pretty bad today, but our defense saved us," Brady said after the game. I can't believe Brady was the one who said that and not Flacco. Now I know for sure the world has been turned upside down. Brady is talking like Flacco, Flacco is playing like Brady, chip shot field goals are being missed, and the Patriots leading rusher Ben-Jarvis Green-Ellis is tired of receiving phone calls from people looking for a personal injury lawyer.

It's a tough pill to swallow for the Ravens who weren't given much of a chance in this game by most and were just a knocked out touchdown pass away from winning. "You know, we've got 53 guys, mighty men, as we like to call them -- and they fought, and we came up a little bit short, as 53," coach Harbaugh said. "You know, 53 win and 53 lose." Wait, which Harbaugh said this?

Now we get the rematch everyone in the sports world wanted, or at least everyone in the sports world that lives on the East coast, which for them amounts to the same thing. The Giants and Patriots will play a rematch of the 2007 Super Bowl and I'll be left hoping Tim Tebow is right and the world will come to an end soon so I don't have to watch one of these two teams hoist the Lombardi Trophy. I just need to keep reminding myself it could be worse. At least I'm not a Bills fan. At least I'm not a Bills fan. At least I'm not a Bills fan.

Comment 57 comments  |  0 recs  | 

Do you like this story?

Comments

Display:

I wish I had a foam brick. Cause I had to go to Wal-Mart today to replace the things I broke last night

- SF GIants Baseball 2011 = *sigh* Home of 6 World Series Titles
- SF 49ers Football 2011-2012 = ??? Home of the 5.5 Super Bowl Champs ( Aaron Rodgers should of been a Niner)
- WHO'S GOT IT BETTER THAN US???? NOOOOOOOOOOBODYY!!!!!!!!!!!!
- A fan of the Warriors and Lakers.

by ayeyoJERM on Jan 23, 2012 3:04 PM PST reply actions  

My trusty 49ers foam Bad Call brick has seen many seasons...

I actually never threw it last night. I didn’t like the non-fumble, but it just didn’t get me worked up. I was really just too anxious due to the bad/inconsistent play by our offense. Gave me a sinking feeling well before NY tied the game up…

by ColoradoNiner on Jan 23, 2012 3:57 PM PST up reply actions  

Tough day for the Harbaugh family

extrabaggs
"Just your typical Giants scoring rally: A faceburger on the basepaths, two errors from the second baseman and a bases-loaded balk."

by Badly Browned on Jan 23, 2012 3:08 PM PST reply actions  

Great post man!

That was a very enjoyable read. People need to stay away from Twitter, Facebook, texting when stuff like thus happens. Now that I think about it, if your mad, just stay away period. Come on fellow faithfuls look at how close we came on the first year with this team. The team tasted the playoffs and smelled the super bowl, oh yeah baby, we still hungry and we’re coming!

by BUDDED420 on Jan 23, 2012 3:25 PM PST via mobile reply actions  

Your bottle of Scotch?

I took it, man, and, it’s now half-empty. Sorry! But you can look at it as half-full.

by Mood_Indigo on Jan 23, 2012 3:32 PM PST reply actions  

Preston Riley

For all you youngsters, look up the 1972 NFC Championship Game. Niners leading by 12 with 2 min left. Add name above to your list,( and you could throw in Bruce Taylor as well)
F the Giants and the Cowgirls.

by TheCatch81 on Jan 23, 2012 3:43 PM PST via mobile reply actions  

Whoa…no kidding? That is a major collapse. I hadn’t heard of that one. Well…it happens.

Niners Nation on the Reservation

by kinglouie33 on Jan 23, 2012 4:29 PM PST up reply actions  

Ingrained into these old eyeballs

What hurt was the devil’s soul/brutally stupid Niner’s trading away a routine pro-bowl Taylor for a mid-round draft choice before ending that season allowing the Cowgirls to complete something like a thousand passes in a row to come back.
I was in Placerville at a large bar with 100 fans roaring in delight and three Cowgirl fans cowering in the corner. At the end everyone was standing there slack-jawed while the coven shrieked with joy.

by oldfoggy on Jan 23, 2012 5:01 PM PST up reply actions  

preston riley and bruce taylor '72

WISH I had been in a bar. Standing up on my seat at the Stick with visions of SB dancing in my head… and beating the HATED Cowboys after 2 consecutive playoff knockouts… and… and… 9 years til The Catch. Long 9 years.

by TheCatch81 on Jan 23, 2012 5:52 PM PST via mobile up reply actions  

Eases the pain from that kick in the junk!

Loved your article. I was at a friends house last night with my wife having a great time until I realized that our play calling sucked and instead of stepping on NY’s throat we were keeping it close. Then the knee ball and a fumbled punt return in OT!

I screamed like a 4 year old, left for home and once home jumped into bed pulled the covers over and held the fetal position while listening to the post game on my iPhone. My wife watched kardashians and I dug deeper into my depression almost hating her for watching that crap while I was focusing on the end of our football world. Then I woke up today and remembered its a football game, we were lucky with zero decent wideouts to be in position to go to the Super Bowl. We’ll be much better next year for certain and hopefully we’ll get another shot at the big dance. In the meantime I’m going to drink the last half of your scotch and re-read your awesomely funny article. Thanks for the smiles today!

by DeltaMike on Jan 23, 2012 3:50 PM PST via iPhone app reply actions   1 recs

Yeah, my wife couldn’t understand it, either. “Calm down! It’s just a game.”

Niners Nation on the Reservation

by kinglouie33 on Jan 23, 2012 4:29 PM PST up reply actions  

There were times this season when you could make the case that the team got lucky.

Yesterday you could make the case that they got unlucky. Both Harbaughs could. The fact is that we were 6-10 last year and our offense was no where near where it needed to be in one year with no off season. Flashes of brilliance only show potential and the Niners have plenty of that. Next year I think we’ll see more consistency and less “flukeyness”. Kyle was clearly scared and had no business even being back there. I’m pretty sure he did his best and that is all you can ask from anyone. Having Chilo having to come in didn’t help. Neither did Goldson taking out Tarrel. Nor the “play-to-lose” playcalling to end the first half. KW makes a convenient scapegoat but there is plenty of blame to go around. The team wasn’t ready. It’s as simple as that in the end. To me the Craig fumble hurt more as the expectations were higher and that ended our chance for a 3-peat. The Niners lost . Is that really the end of the world? Seriously?

"I pity the fool, and I will destroy any man who tries to take what I got!. You ready? Here come the PAIN."

by whatsURdeal on Jan 23, 2012 3:50 PM PST reply actions   2 recs

One thing that has been apparent this year is the unlucky nature with rules interpretation and enforcement against the Niners

For example, a call that cost them the Dallas game was Brooks “lining up offsides” (even though he wasn’t), and the very next play the Cowboys get a TD to end the half, but yesterday, near mid field on a third and 6, a Giants players basically is up to his shoulders offsides and they don’t call it….there are many things like this that seem to always go against them.

by sanfranfanmdk on Jan 23, 2012 4:01 PM PST up reply actions  

Agreed sanfranfanmdk...

And whatsURdeal, I know it is just a game, but us as fans get sooo emotionally involved with anything and everything 49ers that it becomes more than a game (well, at least for me it does). Is that bad? Is that good? I am sure it is a little of both. Yesterday’s game was a true sample size of our season: bad luck at times, spectacular defense with a sometimes spotty secondary, play calling that is brilliant at times then questionable at others, HORRIBLE 3rd down conversions, and some unfair penalties (forward progress, non-existent neutral zone as sanfranfanmdk mentioned). One other thing that didn’t go our way and was completely inconsistent with the way we play football is the turnover ratio and the special teams battle.

Let's giggity giggity Go 49ers!!!

by Kittles on Jan 23, 2012 4:36 PM PST up reply actions  

+ a lot.

Niners Nation on the Reservation

by kinglouie33 on Jan 23, 2012 4:31 PM PST up reply actions  

er

Kyle did single-handedly cost us the return trip to the SB; those 10 points off his 2 turnovers were the difference makers

by Doni S on Jan 23, 2012 3:51 PM PST reply actions  

There could have been OTHER difference makers that had us up by 30.

Thereby totally negating the 10. Was KW the only one playing? If Alex hadn’t overthrown him on the post, that would have been 7 right there. He had a return to midfield that the team could do nothing with.

"I pity the fool, and I will destroy any man who tries to take what I got!. You ready? Here come the PAIN."

by whatsURdeal on Jan 23, 2012 3:56 PM PST up reply actions  

You can spin it all you want, Kyle Williams lost this game. That doesn’t make the horrific things people have said about him on twitter okay, but Kyle Williams lost this game. You know it, I know, and Kyle Williams knows it. Hopefully he’s strong enough to deal with that – it would probably drive me out of my mind.

by sprdelfin on Jan 23, 2012 4:03 PM PST up reply actions  

I agree he didn't single handedly lose the game

However, by turning the ball over in Niner territory in sudden death overtime, he made a mistake virtually impossible to come back from.

extrabaggs
"Just your typical Giants scoring rally: A faceburger on the basepaths, two errors from the second baseman and a bases-loaded balk."

by Badly Browned on Jan 23, 2012 4:42 PM PST up reply actions  

SORRY KYLE BUT YES YOU JUST MADE HISTORY

last night I wanted you fired and banned from the red and gold , but today I just hate you . Things get better with time.. Beer please!!!!

by ninerpride on Jan 23, 2012 4:11 PM PST via mobile reply actions  

Throw Billy Cundiff From a Train

Anyone? Baltimore Beatdown anyone?

Roger Craig 2.0 = Twice the fumbles in Dexter Carter fashion.

by bignerd on Jan 23, 2012 4:16 PM PST reply actions  

i think Lee Evans should get more blame

he had the game winner in his grasp, but decided not to secure it and let a DB swat it outta his hands

by sanfranfanmdk on Jan 23, 2012 4:21 PM PST up reply actions  

Maybe

Still that kick came closer to hitting John Harbaugh on the sidelines than the uprights. Haven’t seen a shank like that since Vanderjagt.

by bignerd on Jan 23, 2012 4:25 PM PST up reply actions  

yeah it was pretty bad

i think they should have called a timeout, for some reason they were slow at getting lined up and looked rushed to snap the ball before the play clock went to zero

by sanfranfanmdk on Jan 23, 2012 4:29 PM PST up reply actions  

It all falls on Greg Roman's feet

I am certain we have more plays in he playbook. We have excellent plays. That’s not the problem. Th problem is play selectionin situaltional downs and distance. Too many 3rd and short shotguns. Too may shotgun running plays. It would have been nice too see our play calling progress through the playoffs, bu it’s the same ol dull style Jimmy Ray was doing. Give or take. The Venon Davis plays of late may have some peope happy, but truly our offense needs better play calling.

by STELF BOMBZ on Jan 23, 2012 4:44 PM PST reply actions  

No doubt

Roman not a lock for next year, I hope. He can grab a ring on the coaching carousel(Indy?), and let Geep take his spot. Same system, better game plan and play calling. Just saying…

by TheCatch81 on Jan 23, 2012 6:00 PM PST via mobile up reply actions  

good read

Hate throwing a curse storm in front of the kid but could not hold it back yesterday. Three year olds have photographic memory by the way. That tiny being can quote my outburst like reading a poem.

by Ador08 on Jan 23, 2012 4:50 PM PST via mobile reply actions  

5 years from now...

This game will not be remembered for Greg Roman’s play calling or Michael Crabtree not showing up. What will it be remembered for? Wait for it….. Kyle Williams.

I feel for the guy but he’s a professional football player. He ultimately cost us the game. You can argue back and forth on how the 49ers did not capitalize on their opportunites but the fact remains that he cost us the game. I could argue that with the 49ers defense playing the way they were the Giants were not going to march down and score at all when the score was 14-10. The game could have very well ended in that score.

We were actually lucky it was only 2 turnovers when it very easily could have been 4. With that inexplicable diving to catch a punt where he came up with it and the reverse that bounced off his hands being the other 2 that could have gone way wrong. It just seems as he was way over his head. How can you argue that directly causing 2 turnovers won’t lose you a game? How about 4? If he caused 4 would you change your tune? In a game with possession being critical even 1 turn over had a profound effect.

by AthleticsReign on Jan 23, 2012 4:59 PM PST reply actions  

You are completely correct, but some blame

has to be cast on the coaches. If you know this kid is bumbling around with the ball, drill it into his head to ALWAYS CALL A FAIR CATCH. They did it on one punt where he had about 20 yds of running room, and I was completely OK with that. Why they didn’t explicitly instruct him to do that for the rest of the game is beyond me!

by js82 on Jan 23, 2012 5:03 PM PST up reply actions  

Agreed. Either you fair catch it or you back away completely and let it bounce. Nothing else.

2011 World Cup Champions Team India

by Rishi on Jan 23, 2012 6:45 PM PST up reply actions  

Totally agree

This game goes down in history as the Kyle Williams game. I wish him a long and productive career so that he can remembered for other things as well.

Tony Romo could have been remembered as the QB who fumbled his team out of the playoffs in 2007. Thankfully he’s been able to rewrite his biography with a few solid years at QB. Here’s hoping Kyle can do the same.

by ninerspride on Jan 23, 2012 9:04 PM PST up reply actions  

he'd have to make THE CATCH IV to redeem himself

9er/chiefs fan from berlin – berlin is in germany – not a native speaker – mistakes may occur

by ezoo on Jan 24, 2012 6:20 PM PST up reply actions  

I hate to be a crybaby, but I gotta agree with Ayanbadejo's tweet:

“Truth being told I am not sure I’m going to watch the unSuper Bowl since the two best teams are sitting at home #ravens #49ers”

by js82 on Jan 23, 2012 5:01 PM PST reply actions  

Congratulations Big Blue

The best team won. We don’t have series in our sport so… What else is there to say? Good luck, your bloggers were mostly classy. I know a lot of NN thinks the Niners were better over all than the Giants (me too) but when it came time to show it we didn’t. Your QB was better than our QB. Receivers better. Special teams better. Can’t wait for another shot next year. Best of luck.

Looking to put San Fran*six-o* here some time soon!

by dartdart on Jan 23, 2012 6:19 PM PST up reply actions  

thanks mate. Again, you guys have one hell of a team.

We’ll see you guys twice next year for sure.

"We will not be denied." - Antrel Rolle

by BigBlueIntervention on Jan 23, 2012 6:32 PM PST up reply actions  

The best team won.

hmm…nope. the best team lost.

9er/chiefs fan from berlin – berlin is in germany – not a native speaker – mistakes may occur

by ezoo on Jan 23, 2012 6:57 PM PST up reply actions  

The best team yesterday.

Just the way it is. Bad calls are bad calls, but we only had one egregious call in that game. If we were better, far better, we would have wiped the floor with them. We’re not. Our offensive woes caught up with us. Our turn-over luck ran out. Our special teams weren’t. Yesterday they were better. This was a great year, we had a good run. We will need to be much better next year. The schedule is ridiculous. Giants are a good team. They are balanced.

Looking to put San Fran*six-o* here some time soon!

by dartdart on Jan 23, 2012 7:03 PM PST up reply actions  

Giants are a good team. They are balanced.

that’s right. Could even call them a very good team, like #2 in the league this year.

With the way our offense played the niners might have been less balanced in this game but still were the better team because our defensive unit simply controlled the game. By my definition that makes us the better team.
However the giants were luckier – by a huge margin. There were three critical situations late in the game – matters of millimeters and milliseconds – and all of them went their way. For those two fumbles on our side one could argue that we killed ourselves with stupidity, but still that doesn’t make the giants the better team. And the only fumble on their side was negated by hyperactive reffing. So thats how they won. And once again, this does not make them the better team. Only if you go by the logic, that the winning team is always the better team but that is not how I see it. Even with our inept offense we would have won, because our defense was that good.

9er/chiefs fan from berlin – berlin is in germany – not a native speaker – mistakes may occur

by ezoo on Jan 24, 2012 6:14 PM PST up reply actions  

I don't know why I'm still venting.

Maybe its self healing LOL. But can anyone honestly say that the Giants came out and won the game? I’m not talking about the final score. Who was their MVP? Did Eli drive the team down the field and secure the win? If you asked most knowledgable people that watched the game and gave them the choice of did the Giants win the game or did the Niners lose the game. They would pick the latter.

by AthleticsReign on Jan 23, 2012 5:30 PM PST reply actions  

Eli got shut down in the 4th quarter

The Pats and Giants were both the lesser teams. ESPN/NFL got their wish. Niners and Ravens gift-wrapped it for them and handed it to them on a silver platter.

by js82 on Jan 23, 2012 5:34 PM PST up reply actions   1 recs

I should clarify since that comment sounds whiny

Not saying anyone outside of the game had a hand in the outcome….the blame falls on SF and BAL…just sayin that overall, the 2 best teams lost the Conference Championships. And that is a god d*mn shame.

by js82 on Jan 23, 2012 5:36 PM PST up reply actions  

Did anybody else notice Harbaugh's fresh cut underneath his hat?

I think that probably had something to do with the outcome. Next time, Harbaugh, don’t get a fresh cut before the biggest game of the year.

Let's giggity giggity Go 49ers!!!

by Kittles on Jan 23, 2012 5:37 PM PST reply actions  

I agree

What an awful decision. FIre HairBaugh!

15-1 [One and done... *SIGH*]
Back on track to Super Bowl XLVII!
MattFlynn4StartingQB

by arodgb on Jan 23, 2012 6:18 PM PST up reply actions   1 recs

I couldn't sleep but for 2 hours last night...

and even then it was playing the same nightmare over and over – I had to get back on Niners Nation at 4am to just scan the postgame threads with y’all on here. It was a breath of fresh air reading what all of you were venting; even though I couldn’t put words down, you guys were saying exactly what I would have done in a better capacity. Watching a lot of my comrades celebrate choosing the Giants (bandwagoners – every one of them) while I sat alone felt like being the lone soldier kneeling on the battlefield looking skyward, with a sword through my gut, bleeding out, while the victors celebrated nearby in yells and fistpumps, and completely ignoring my sorry state.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’ll be ignoring the sports media outlets for a reason – Niners Nation is peace of mind with fellow 49ers diehards from around the globe, and it meant quite a bit more last night. But – this is a new beginning. I’m looking forward to the development of this new-found glory. Our Niners are returning to something special.

Oh yeah – a lot of Bills fans amongst are those bandwagoners…so they can suck it, and they’ll be doing so again after the Super Bowl – being a semi-fan doesn’t have so much prestige involved even with a win by the Giants. Enjoy the drought a bit longer.

Make it so.

by Ranger10 on Jan 23, 2012 6:42 PM PST reply actions  

SAME EXACT THING

Did not get to sleep til 3AM, just laying in bed, having half-dreams that the fumble was called right and we were going to the SB. Pathetic…

Looking to put San Fran*six-o* here some time soon!

by dartdart on Jan 23, 2012 6:59 PM PST up reply actions  

What really sucks is that I see KW playing a big role for us in the future!

Sure hope this epic fail of a game doesn’t get him down too much and only makes him more hungry to succeed! His speed is obvious, and the one catch he did make was pretty nasty (even though it didn’t count because of a penalty!). But let’s think about how much different this all would have been if Alex would’ve hit KW on that bomb down the middle of the field that he was wide open for!? Man! The world of sports is insane…could’ve possibly been a hero to now being the ZERO!

by 9erlifer on Jan 23, 2012 6:51 PM PST reply actions  

I like Kyle Williams the receiver but Kyle Williams the return man I will forever curse.

Unfortunately that’s how he’ll always be remembered in San Francisco. Whatever promise he showed was squandered by two boneheaded plays that cost us a berth in the Superbowl.

Whatever future role he will have on this team will always be tainted now, fair or not. People say he’ll learn from this and come back yet his personal history says otherwise. Apparently he did the same thing to his college team and here he was again repeating history. Some people do perserve and learn from their mistakes while others never do and are doomed to repeat it ala Kyle Williams…sigh.

by *WCG* on Jan 23, 2012 9:21 PM PST up reply actions  

you guys are too funny…boo hoo. LOL

Obey gravity....it's the law

by kevininpo on Jan 23, 2012 11:37 PM PST reply actions  

go away seatroll

9er/chiefs fan from berlin – berlin is in germany – not a native speaker – mistakes may occur

by ezoo on Jan 24, 2012 6:16 PM PST up reply actions  

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

Media Requests please email ninersnation@gmail.com

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recommended FanPosts

Small
Site Decorum: Remember, We Are ALL 49er Fans

Recent FanPosts

Small
Concussions...
Small
Is Harbaugh lying or does he mean what he says?
872_small
Where have you seen 49er players?
Download2_small
Can the 49'ers Maintain their Turnover Differential in 2012?
Sfak_small
Why are you a 49er fan?
6a00e5500c77218833011168f234b4970c_small
FOX: "How To Save The Sport"
Small
Old Spice Patrick Willis Football ProCamp
Dave_small
Call For Moderators
Steve_young_small
Game Day Food

+ New FanPost All FanPosts >


Head Ball Coach

Dave_small David Fucillo

Howtheyscoredcat_small howtheyscored

313483_2054510893373_1562580382_31984672_1965025_n_small James Brady

Coordinator

Pirates_small smileyman

Bowman_avi_sm_small Tre9er

Assistant Coach

Pixies_logo_small (Florida) Danny Tuccitto

Memento-lies_small urnext

Me_on_beach_small WesHanson

Dylan_cannes_small Dylan DeSimone

Officiating Crew

Jackalope_card_small wjackalope

These3words_small these3words

Joe_and_bill_small twolfe2

428030_10150598134996875_112852666874_9167376_1157036734_n_small mikeinsp