Another edition of the Golden Nuggets. I'm feeling un-witty today and, therefore, don't have much of a lead-in. The news is depressing. All Bountygate, all the time. I'm outraged, as well, but it's all that's being discussed, with good reason. I'll leave you with the links.
A good story about what led Jim Harbaugh to sign Randy Moss. In-depth description of the tumultuous WR's visit with the team. Moss felt wanted here and notes that Harbaugh came to pick him up from the airport himself. No limo, we're a working class team. Harbaugh had second chances in his career and felt that Moss deserved one. | Why Harbaugh has faith in Moss. (Fox Sports)
Donte Whitner thinks that the penalties in relation to the bounty scandal are not severe enough. Whitner also remembers the amount of safety blitzes the Saints sent after the 49ers in the preseason meeting between the two teams, claiming that was payback from coach Sean Payton. Whitner says that playing players according to their injuries is normal, for example the Niners jammed Hakeem Nicks at the line in their regular season encounter because he had a sore hamstring, thus removing him as a deep threat. Good interview. | Whitner speaks on the bounty scandal. (Fox Sports)
Matt Barrows tempers the anger in regards to the Gregg Williams audio that's been released. A well written, logical article playing the devil's advocate. He notes that the Saints players did not play exceptionally dirty football during our playoff encounter and reminds us that there were rumors of the Giants trying to test Kyle Williams' recently concussed head. | Matt Barrows gives an excellent take on the bounty scandal. (Barrows)
James has some thoughts on Carlos Rogers and his comments on Gregg the Bounty Hunter. Is Rogers just trying to help out his old coach? Rogers makes a good point that if they really wanted players hurt, it's easy to do. | Rogers defends Williams. (Bay Area SB Nation)
Don Banks proposes that Gregg Williams be made the 'face of change'. Not sure how well that will go down at Niners Nation (or with Ken Williams, that matter) but he makes a well reasoned argument and, if used properly, he could help eradicate this type of behavior. | Greg Williams as the 'face of change'. (SI.com)
This is the saddest part to me about the whole bountygate affair. The man who released the audio tapes, Sean Pamphilon, was doing a documentary about ex-Saints player and ALS sufferer Steve Gleason. He was on hand at the playoff game and this was supposed to show how close Gleason's ties to the team are and how much they look after him (which, by all accounts, they do). Now, because of Gleason, the Saints are in the worst trouble in League history. Unfortunate, really. | Gleason's reaction to audio recordings. (SI.com)
Brett Swain has been re-signed. With all the additions to the WR position it would appear to be a special teams move, more than anything. So say our friends at Bay Area SB Nation. | Swain re-signs. (Bay Area SB Nation)
The Brandon Jacobs signing is officially announced. We've known for a while that he's a 49er but now it is official. A one-year deal puts him in red and gold. | Jacobs signing officially announced. (SI.com)
Brandon Jacobs is happy to be a 49er and share the backfield with Frank Gore. Jacobs says he felt wanted by the Niners, who valued his leadership and performance at the highest levels. He also states that he was a lifelong Niner fan, despite growing up in Louisiana. He liked their uniforms as an 8 year-old. | Transcript of Brandon Jacobs' Friday conference call. (Mercury News)
Audio from Brandon Jacobs conference call. (CSN Bay Area)
Don't know if this is a repeat because it won't play for me. But 49ers.com has a one on one interview with Brandon Jacobs. Mr. Jacobs is quite popular this weekend. | Jacobs interview with 49ers.com. (49ers.com)
NO LOVE! A ranking of the QBs heading into the 2012 season. Alex Smith is ranked 25th. Yes, 25th. Jake Locker and Christian Ponder are ranked higher. I don't expect Alex to get a top ten ranking from the pundits but being in the bottom quarter of the list is pretty rough. Justification is that the Niners wouldn't have tried to get Peyton Manning if Smith was better. | Ranking the QBs. (NFL.com)
A commentary on the above mentioned list QB rankings. Discusses some of the more surprising elements of the list, such as, Aaron Rodgers not cracking the top 4. | Comments and criticism of NFL.com's QB rankings. (CSN Bay Area)
Here's an article on how free agency has affected the Super Bowl odds. The Denver Broncos and our own San Francisco 49ers were the two biggest risers. We've gone from 18/1 to 10/1. And that's from mostly re-signing our own players. | Updated Super Bowl odds after free agency. (Yahoo!)
Mike Sando passes on a Scouts Inc. insider piece on the NFC West's post free agency needs leading into the draft. Surprisingly they have WR ranked 6th on the list, much to Sando's dismay. Aside from guard, all other needs are depth needs. Basically, when we're arguing about which positions last roster spot is more important, we're in a good place. | Updated needs, post free agency. (Sando)
Eric Branch also tries to identify needs leading into the draft. He also notes how hard it will be for incoming draftees. Instead of battling for a starting job, their battling to make the roster this time around. Oh, quickly things have changed around here. | Draft: holes on the roster, odds against this years draft class. (Branch)
Mike Mayock's positional rankings at WR and TE. I thought I'd include this because every single draft in the entire mock-iverse (can I do that?) has us taking either Coby Fleener or one of the top WRs with the #30 pick. | Mayock ranks the WR and TE. (Bay Area SB Nation)
Here's a mock draft from 49erswebzone.com. As mentioned above, we're probably tipped to pick a WR or Coby Fleener....drum roll....and the winner is...Georgia Tech's WR Stephen Hill. A nice round of applause for a guy some people think might possibly be on our team. | 49erswebzones latest mock draft. (49erswebzone.com)
Another 49 in 49 instalment. This time it's USC DE Nick Perry who goes under the microscope. | 49 in 49: Nick Perry. (49ers.com)
Fan's have put their two cents in on a 2009 re-draft. A recap of the 2008 season followed by a recap of the ensuing offseason and the afore mentioned 2009 draft. I remember these days, and they were dark. Looking at who was available to be picked instead of who we ended up with and you are just thankful for the current leadership. Ricky Jean-Francois was a late gem. | 2008 season and following offseason encapsulated. (Bay Area Sports Guy)
I generally don't include signings of players for the other 31 teams unless it's someone off of the 49ers or an ex-Niner (a good one, not Kwame Harris) but thought people may want to know that the Seahawks have signed G Deuce Lutui. He had visited us earlier on in the FA period. I have to think that he wasn't really in our plans or our FO would have gotten the deal done after the visit. | Lutui signs with Seahawks. (Sando)
And that's it ladies and gentlemen. Lot's of links.
I do want to add one thing. Yesterday there was a comment on James' Nuggets that caused a bit of a stir. There really is no reason to slight the writers at the Niners Nation. We're all fans. If the comment was meant with the best intentions then there really is no problem. It was definitely critical, and that's not a bad thing. Constructive criticism is fine. If it was done out of spite, then that's another thing. I give the benefit of the doubt in this case as it's hard to read between the lines. But there is no need to be malicious. Thanks.
Being a Sheep
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