One thing I really enjoy doing is reading about how ya'll became a fan of the San Francisco 49ers. Yesterday, you spoke of your other teams, and I felt like I should list a couple of mine. My favorite sport is actually tennis, and my favorite player is Fernando Verdasco of Spain, ever since an Aussie Open matchup against Rafael Nadal a few years back. Then it's onto MMA, where I'm religious about Dan Henderson, George Sotiropoulos, Phil Davis and Edson Barboza. As far as the other sports are concerned, I'm pretty boring. Giants, Warriors, SaberCats and Stanford football. NCAA basketball though, that's a bit different. I'm a Boilermakers fan, and the only reason for that is it was the first basketball game I ever watched - with my grandpa, years ago. Weird, right? Anyway, now that I've babbled a lot about that kind of stuff, it's time to get to the links for the day. Enjoy, chilllldren.
I often wonder who the "real" Michael Crabtree is. I don't think there's anything there that we haven't already seen - we have a receiver who runs good routes and has good hands, who will make a play on the ball. I just think not everything has "clicked" for him yet. | 49ers hoping to see the real Michael Crabtree (Poole)
While it's obvious that Konrad Reuland is happy that Coby Fleener isn't coming to San Francisco to push him out of the roster bubble, I still think it's a little odd that he's talking about "stress" at the position this early into the process. To me that's an intense lack of confidence - not so much that he's thinking it, but that he's saying it. I guess it's good to see a player unfiltered, though. | TE Reuland relieved to avoid reunion with Fleener (Branch)
I think it's hilarious to see Kawakami suggest that Jim Harbaugh has a reality of his own, as though the coach is thinking anything other than "I need to hand these guys some BS today." It's not his own reality if he knows full-well what he's doing. At any rate, it's an interesting take on the situation involving Peyton Manning and Alex Smith, though I'm sure ya'll are sick of that by now. | Harbaugh's Peyton/Alex Re-Set: Is this a sign of something the 49ers didn't actually want to reveal? (Kawakami)
Dashon Goldson is a player I've learned to accept. I think the 49ers can do better, but he's reached a point where I can take the bad with the good and I'm glad he's on board. Ed Donatell isn't sweating his absence and neither am I - to me it just means more snaps for C.J. Spillman to grow. | Donatell not sweating Goldson's absence (Barrows)
Seriously doubt that Larry Grant will be with the 49ers in 2013 - the guy is going to go elsewhere so he can start. And start he will. I wish that the 49ers would give him a multi-year deal and lock up an insane inside linebacking group, but I also don't think it's good precedent to award backups multi-year deals, and of course, Grant wants to start. I sort of wish San Francisco drafted an inside guy somewhat high to be a backup so they can try and deal Grant at some point before the trade deadline. | Larry Grant "happy" to be here, but he ultimately wants to start (Branch)
Rooting hard for Eric Bakhtiari, and Barrows says it best when he says he has a puncher's chance. That's one of my favorite terms in combat sports. | Longshot Bakhtiari has puncher's chance of making 49ers roster (Barrows)
Milestone reached in Harbaugh's enriching friendship (Maiocco)
Preview: How the Niners match up against the Patriots (Cohn)
Is there anything to learn from Panthers-49ers dust up? (Lynch)
Tony Jerod-Eddie Gets His Kicks (49ers.com)
Vernon Davis Likes 49ers Makeup (49ers.com)
C.J. Spillman Eyes Bigger Role (49ers.com)
Being a Sheep
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