First-off, do not forget to go back and vote in the ongoing matchup in the NN NFL Tournament of Badness. I know I say that a lot, but we want to keep the vote totals up in this case, plus I find it crazy that, at the time of writing this, Joe Theismann is losing. The guy is literally one of the worst things ever, he should advance past cheerleaders getting less face time. Yeah, I'm rallying, because I can do that. I'm awesome that way. You guys not voting for Thiesmann means that he's losing, and since this is a Tournament of Badness, this means that Theismann is winning. Yuck. Unfortunately, I can't make news happen so there's not a ton of links to work with today, but we'll find a way to make due, I'd imagine. There are a couple links, including one I put together for SB Nation Bay Area, so let's get to that, chillldren!
There's been much ado about Michael Crabtree and Alex Smith, and namely their chemistry or lack thereof. That being said, it's essentially much ado about nothing, because Smith's not going to suffer from a lack of receiving targets in 2011. Crabtree could provide a dynamic, play-making presence, but it's not required for this offense. (SB Nation Bay Area)
Pasta Padre took some pictures of the player traits for the new Madden NFL 12 game. I'd imagine these traits aren't all finalized, and keep in mind that every player has a three star in confidence because it's supposed to go up or down over the course of a franchise. That being said, it's worth nothing that none of the four pictured 49ers (Alex Smith, Colin Kaepernick, Patrick Willis and Nate Clements) have a positive rating under "clutch." As I understand it though, these traits may not affect things much. Still worth noting. Ratings will be out in late July, probably. (PastaPadre.com/ Facebook.com)
Jim Harbaugh is of the opinion that a deal will get done in July in regards to the ongoing lockout. I don't share his optimism, but there are things lately that lead me to believe it will get done eventually, which is basically a breakthrough for me. Also, Harbaugh had more to say about Alex Smith, which is great because the NFL (unjustly) told him to stop. Take that, system! (CSNBayArea.com)
If you missed it yesterday, here's a player-by-player review of those that participated in Alex Smith's minicamp. Obviously, not much information can be gleaned from the workouts, but it's a good reference point. (SacBee.com)
One writer says that Colin Kaepernick is a questionable fit for Jim Harbaugh's west coast offense. The caveat to that statement is within itself: the fact that it's Harbaugh's WCO, and we don't know what that will look like yet. It says as much in the article, but it's a much bigger point than it seems to reflect. I think Kaepernick isn't the best fit for the offense, but I do believe he has the highest ceiling of all of the quarterbacks in this class, and was thus the best pick by the 49ers. You can adapt for a franchise quarterback. Having Frank Gore helps. (Yahoo.com)
49ers positional analysis: Tight end... yeah, there's nothing to worry about here. I even like Nate Byham's potential going forward. I touched up on Delanie Walker's usefulness above at the SB Nation Bay Area link. (Scout.com)
Is Dashon Goldson underrated? It depends on who you ask. I think he deserves to make this list since it's a rational list, and yes, the general perception of Goldson is incorrect and he is underrated. Among many 49ers fans, though, he's probably pretty overrated. (ESPN.com)
Yesterday on Niners Nation
Golden Nuggets: Quite The Leader, Indeed ... Allegedly | Ninjames
MLB Realignment: Should The NFL Consider Changes? | Fooch
Jim Harbaugh At Stanford: The Statistics | nocal81
49ers WR Coach Bobby Engram: A Model Of Consistency For 49ers Receivers? | Fooch
NN NFL Tournament of Badness Opening Round: Joe Theismann and Less Cheerleaders | Ninjames
Related Links from SB Nation Bay Area
49ers' Alex Smith Won't Suffer From Lack of Receiving Targets in 2011, With or Without Michael Crabtree
David Carr Insists 49ers Quarterback Position Is Up For Grabs
Being a Sheep
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