Happy Thursday, folks, and in case you didn’t remember, we have football tonight. In fact, we’ve got a potential barnburner between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Houston Texans. I see this as a matchup between two teams of roughly equal talent with very wide ranges of performance on a game-to-game basis. That is to say, these are two teams with the capability for stunning feats of either end of domination. Could be incredible, could be background noise.
Former 49ers QB Alex Smith, and former 49ers DC Pete Carroll, each found a way to take a jab at the organization that had formerly employed them. Smith divulged his personal viewpoint of his oft-memorialized-’round-these-parts career as a 49er during a taped interview with Graham Bensinger, in which he spoke candidly about his feelings regarding the 49ers organization, while also recounting such classics as “The time the crowd chanted about wanting Derek David Carr”, and “That time he just sort of never got his job back after a concussion”. I’m predicting a bull market on the word, “classy”, in the upcoming days.
Pete Carroll, an avid chewer of gum, made something of a stink about GM John Lynch’s prior visits to the Seahawks organization in an official capacity as an NFL on Fox commentator. He expressed displeasure that the current 49ers GM had been given an opportunity to pick Carroll’s brain, under the assumption that it would enhance Lynch’s ability to comment on the game from the booth. Depending on which writer you’re reading, the text of the comment can read in either a playful “that rascal!” manner, or a nuclear “Lynch broke ethical standards by performing a common, hands-on study on the philosophy of teams, but subsequently returned to the NFL with the fruits of the freedom of information generally reserved for broadcast veterans”, or something, manner. Probably nothing, but could end up such an entertaining media affair to watch unfold.
Finally, I’m trying to rearrange the format of the day’s reading. If it isn’t too much trouble, would you mind letting me know if it makes a difference, especially if you’re a mobile user? By switching the hyperlinks to the right, consolidating articles under one headline helps clean up clutter in the different sections, but could possibly make for more targets to accidentally press if you scroll with your right thumb. Thanks in advance.
On to the good stuff-
Big Ticket Items
Alex Smith talks dysfunction, 49ers organization | Lowder, Ninerswire | CSN Bay Area Staff
Coach Carroll’s consternation: commentating NFL analyst analyzed northern nemesis | Branch, SF Gate | Maiocco, CSN Bay Area | Barrows, Sac Bee | Wagoner, ESPN
Performance & Front Office
How the 2017 49ers defensive scheme resembles the 1995 49ers defensive scheme | Barrows, Sac Bee
Rookie Round-up | Barrows, Sac Bee
Wednesday Round-up | Inman, Mercury
Four 49ers who could conceivably lose their job soon | Lynch, SF Gate
Kyle Shanahan’s post-game evaluation process | Wagoner, ESPN
Roster & Injury
FS Jimmie Ward still limited, but increasing workload | Biderman, Ninerswire
Foster’s injury, practice squad shuffling, veteran LB visits | Pashelka, Mercury
49ers have 9th youngest roster, 3rd youngest defense | Biderman, Ninerswire
OT John Theus released | Barrows, Sac Bee
49ers work out 4 veteran DL | CSN Bay Area Staff
Team poaches Vikings PS LB Elijah Lee | Branch, SF Gate | Inman, Mercury | Biderman, Ninerswire | CSN Bay Area Staff
Elijah Lee: 2017 pre-draft official visit, pursued after cutdowns | Maiocco, CSN Bay Area
Miscellaneous
Heat problem at Levi’s receives some article space | Dowd, SF Gate
Dolphins WR Kenny Stills talks Colin Kaepernick, ready the rumor mill | Associated Press
Post-game Coaches’ pressers: Useless. | Fitzgerald, KNBR