Well folks, the day we all have been waiting for has finally arrived! After months and months of mocks, 100 in 100, Tebow, Spiller, Clausen: we now can pencil in the final X on our Draft Day calendars. The site during these months has had a lot of great insight from the Front Page writers, as well the fans who have contributed in both Fanposts and comments. This has been an exciting offseason so far, and Draft Day washes away the disappointment of falling short of expectations from last season, while bringing in new hope and expectations going into camp, Pre-Season; and to where the money shot goes - the regular season ahead into hopefully a post season!
But wait! This Draft has something different than the past few drafts of recent years. The exit of Scot McCloughan over a month ago has added either more drama to Draft Day, or excitement. Hopefully, we will never, ever hear the word "trigger" when it comes to a 49er draft again, ever. One of the final key pieces of the former Nolan regime is not in the War Room anymore. It’s not that McCloughan was a major problem. It’s more like a fresh start for the 49ers with Trent Baalke. We could almost predict what McCloughan had in store on Draft Day as far as philosophy. Now the fun will be watching Baalke work this draft.
After the jump, some more thoughts on this monumental day, with even more reasons to get us fired up…
What can make this draft more interesting? I mean, the roster still has a few holes to fill, questions to answer, and certain players who will either break out or flame out. We all have our own ideas and opinions on who those players are, as well their respective positions. But guess what? It’s DRAFT DAY. All of our energy and ideas leading up to today is like all of us as fans contributing to a potential Oscar winning film. We all have worked the lights, camera, sound, built the sets, catered the divas, and packed the trucks until 4 am to move to another location. Today is the Premier of the culmination of all our work. We have our popcorn, beers, and are dressed in our Draft Day finest to shine on the Red Carpet. Now, all we can to is wait and see what the Studio has left on the cutting room floor.
What makes today even more suspenseful than a Hitchcock film: just what kind of draft will the 49ers have with the only leftover from the Nolan regime, Head Coach Mike Singletary? Will this draft reflect the idea of "Singletary Football", or will it reflect something more like Roger Corman? Well, scratch that thought. Singletary and Corman may have something in common. But, will the 49er Casting Department find another Robert DeNiro as Lead, or is the idea a hangover from the previous regime to supplement the cast with Indie, role type "Character" actors? Will the "Singletary Method" of coaching new talent be as effective as Lee Strasberg? Is Jed York our very own Cecil B. DeMille?
Now, I need a favor from all of you. I won’t be able to attend today’s premier. In fact, at the time when this post goes live, I will be away from my desk, and on the field. No, not on a Golf Course. I actually have to work away from my desk, and won’t be able to watch the Draft. What I want to see are the Numbers. As in number of posts and activity, and when I get home, I will see even better gross numbers than ‘Avatar' pulled in a weekend. Not just in this thread. This is a roll call thread, a pre-game thread if you will. Of course, I don’t even know why I’m asking. We all know we are Box Office Gold Rush. So let’s get up on our feet, and give ourselves a standing ovation, because you have earned it. If the conductor cues music over Ninjames' acceptance speech, I will shoot the piano player myself.
Roll credits, and be counted.