Niner News Thread
- Thread starter Chree
- Start date
9ers re-signed restricted free agent LG David Baas to a one-year, $1.226 million contract.
The Niners' low tender offer suggests Baas isn't the long-term solution at left guard. He'll have to show improvement this year to garner consideration for a long-term deal. The 49ers remain in the market for upgrades, with draft prospect Mike Iupati a distinct possibility at No. 17 overall.
The Niners' low tender offer suggests Baas isn't the long-term solution at left guard. He'll have to show improvement this year to garner consideration for a long-term deal. The 49ers remain in the market for upgrades, with draft prospect Mike Iupati a distinct possibility at No. 17 overall.
http://blog.49ers.com/2010/04/14/free-agent-laboy-visits-49ers/
Free Agent LaBoy Visits*49ers
Travis LaBoy, a former standout athlete from nearby Marin Catholic High School, visited with 49ers officials on Wednesday for the second time this offseason. The 6-foot-3, 261-pound outside linebacker missed all of last season with torn tendons in his foot, but is now back to 100 percent.
LaBoy has been running full-speed for the past four months, gradually picking up his workout regiment along the way.
“Now I don’t really think about it that much,” he said while speaking with beat reporters at 49ers headquarters.
LaBoy has interest from several teams, but would like to stay close to home, with friends and family close by. LaBoy thought he could be selected by the 49ers in the 2004 NFL Draft, but the club elected to not select the pass-rusher out of the University of Hawaii.
Instead, he was selected 42nd*overall by the Tennessee Titans. Four seasons later, LaBoy signed with the Arizona Cardinals, where he was able to compete against his beloved childhood team.
“Not getting drafted by the Niners in ’04, I was mad. So when I played them I tried to really destroy them. I was kind of mad after the fact,” LaBoy admitted. “It wasn’t an issue of disrespect, I love the Niners. It was more of I was mad that they never brought me on board because it was my childhood team. But I’d love to be a part of it. The red and gold, that’s where it’s at.”
Free Agent LaBoy Visits*49ers
Travis LaBoy, a former standout athlete from nearby Marin Catholic High School, visited with 49ers officials on Wednesday for the second time this offseason. The 6-foot-3, 261-pound outside linebacker missed all of last season with torn tendons in his foot, but is now back to 100 percent.
LaBoy has been running full-speed for the past four months, gradually picking up his workout regiment along the way.
“Now I don’t really think about it that much,” he said while speaking with beat reporters at 49ers headquarters.
LaBoy has interest from several teams, but would like to stay close to home, with friends and family close by. LaBoy thought he could be selected by the 49ers in the 2004 NFL Draft, but the club elected to not select the pass-rusher out of the University of Hawaii.
Instead, he was selected 42nd*overall by the Tennessee Titans. Four seasons later, LaBoy signed with the Arizona Cardinals, where he was able to compete against his beloved childhood team.
“Not getting drafted by the Niners in ’04, I was mad. So when I played them I tried to really destroy them. I was kind of mad after the fact,” LaBoy admitted. “It wasn’t an issue of disrespect, I love the Niners. It was more of I was mad that they never brought me on board because it was my childhood team. But I’d love to be a part of it. The red and gold, that’s where it’s at.”
http://blog.pressdemocrat.com/49ers/2010/04/best-gerhart-not-expected-at-49ers-pro-day.html
The 49ers are holding their local pro day today. This is not a day for the top local players to show their stuff. Players such as running backs Toby Gehart (Stanford) or Jahvid Best (Cal) or defensive standouts Syd'Quan Thompson or Tyson Alualu (both from Cal) are not expected to attend, according to a variety of league sources.
*
This is the day that the 49ers get a close look at such players as Bobby Guillory. Who?
Guillory is from Vallejo. He went to school at Central Missouri, a university the 49ers mined several years ago for Delanie Walker. Guillory is under the radar screen of most draftniks. He's 5-foot-9, 180 pounds. He was not invited to the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis.
*
But*Guillory, as you can see, has some speed and skills that were used as a wide receiver and return specialist,*as well as the "Wild Mule" -- their version of the "Wildcat."*With a good showing today, perhaps the 49ers will give him a shot - either with a late-round draft pick or as an undrafted free agent.
*
There are expected to be more than 20 players show up today. The 49ers are not disclosing the list of attendees, so the entire list is not known.
*
But another player who will be trying to make a favorable impression is Verran Tucker, a wide receiver from Cal. He's 6-2, 200 pounds. He sustained a hamstring strain during the practice week at the East-West Shrine Game, and was not able to work out at the combine. He had 47 catches for 785 yards and four TDs, averaging 16.7 yards per catch and 37.4 receiving yards per game in 21 games at Cal after transferring from El Camino junior college.
The 49ers are holding their local pro day today. This is not a day for the top local players to show their stuff. Players such as running backs Toby Gehart (Stanford) or Jahvid Best (Cal) or defensive standouts Syd'Quan Thompson or Tyson Alualu (both from Cal) are not expected to attend, according to a variety of league sources.
*
This is the day that the 49ers get a close look at such players as Bobby Guillory. Who?
Guillory is from Vallejo. He went to school at Central Missouri, a university the 49ers mined several years ago for Delanie Walker. Guillory is under the radar screen of most draftniks. He's 5-foot-9, 180 pounds. He was not invited to the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis.
*
But*Guillory, as you can see, has some speed and skills that were used as a wide receiver and return specialist,*as well as the "Wild Mule" -- their version of the "Wildcat."*With a good showing today, perhaps the 49ers will give him a shot - either with a late-round draft pick or as an undrafted free agent.
*
There are expected to be more than 20 players show up today. The 49ers are not disclosing the list of attendees, so the entire list is not known.
*
But another player who will be trying to make a favorable impression is Verran Tucker, a wide receiver from Cal. He's 6-2, 200 pounds. He sustained a hamstring strain during the practice week at the East-West Shrine Game, and was not able to work out at the combine. He had 47 catches for 785 yards and four TDs, averaging 16.7 yards per catch and 37.4 receiving yards per game in 21 games at Cal after transferring from El Camino junior college.
1-on-1 with 49ers Quarterback Alex Smith
http://www.csnbayarea.com/04/14/10/...obile_landing.html?blockID=216444&feedID=2539
Outside of AT&T Park on Tuesday, a Comcast SportsNet "Say Hey Tuesday," Chronicle Live and Greg Papa welcomed 49ers quarterback Alex Smith to the set.
GREG PAPA: How are you Alex?
ALEX SMITH: I'm doing good. Thanks for having me.
GREG PAPA: Can you believe it was five years ago (that you were drafted No. 1 overall by the 49ers). Tell me about that whole time because you were just a kid. You weren't even 21 yet. ... What was that like?
ALEX SMITH: Very surreal, to say the least. Going through all the draft stuff, to go back to New York, to be in the Green Room, to be selected No. 1 overall, to get to come out here -- just completely surreal, very dreamlike. But that whole first year is kind of that way. But everything you get to do, to be involved with it, all the things that come with being the No. 1 pick, it seems like a blur, looking back.
GREG PAPA: You didn't play right away, your rookie year, but you got into nine games and made seven starts. But your second year you started every single game, you took every single snap, and I thought (offensive coordinator) Norv (Turner) and you had a nice vibe going. I thought you were really clicking well, your touchdown-to-interception ratio was 16-to-16. You hit on 58 percent of your throws, you threw for almost 2,900 yards, which is very good. Losing Norv -- Norv Turner, we're referring to your former offensive coordinator, now the head coach of the San Diego Chargers -- losing him after your second year, did that set you back? Had Norv stayed would you have made the same progress we saw in Year 2?
ALEX SMITH: I think Norv, but for that matter, if any of the coordinators those first few years would have stayed, I think it would have made a huge difference. Norv and I did have a great relationship. He was someone I think I really understood what he was trying to do. We got along really well. He communicated really well. And we had built a great foundation and I think it would have been great to be able to build on that and go to Year 2 but things work out in a funny way. It's kind of been a funny ride ever since but I'm looking forward to this year.
GREG PAPA: Well, you're kind of working with Norv again because (49ers offensive coordinator) Jimmy Raye is a Norv guy. How many times do you bring up Norv Turner when you're working with Jimmy?
ALEX SMITH: We talk about it a lot. Make jokes, tell stories, different things. Jimmy was his coordinator at Oakland for a few years, Very similar, very similar styles of coaching. Obviously the systems are very similar so there was a lot to refer back to, a lot of carry-over.
GREG PAPA: How much more comfortable are you coming into the second year with Jimmy Raye? This is the first time in your career that you've had the same offensive coordinator. I hear you're calling out the "hots" and telling (Joe) Staley who to block ...
ALEX SMITH: That's right.
GREG PAPA: ... so you have a handle on this offense right now like you never had before?
ALEX SMITH: Oh yeah, absolutely. Absolutely, no question. Last year at this time you're talking about huddle procedure, snap counts, cadence -- things like that. At this point, those are things you can gloss over and you can really get into the details of things, the details of our protections ... I think it's great to look back at last year, you can really analyze our season last year. What are things we did well, what are things we need to improve on? And you can look at those areas and really get into detail in those areas and how we're going to get better and what are some answers we're going to have this year to get better ... so, a completely different level. It's hard to even put it into words.
GREG PAPA: Obviously you're a very intelligent guy. You got your degree in three years from the University of Utah, a 3.74 (Grade Point Average) in economics ...
ALEX SMITH: Yeah, something like that (laughs), I don't remember.
GREG PAPA: At least that's what's on your transcript. So it takes a lot of mental work to be a quarterback in the NFL. Give our audience just a taste -- call a play. Say we're in the huddle right now and you have to call a play. It comes in, Jimmy calls it upstairs, down to the sideline, they call it in to you. So what is all the verbiage.
ALEX SMITH: You want to hear a play?
GREG PAPA: I want to hear a play. Gimme a whole play.
ALEX SMITH: I wasn't really ready for this (smiles). OK, we have Shop to Deuce Left Fox, Waggle Right ...
GREG PAPA: Deuce Left is Slot Left, is that right?
ALEX SMITH: Deuce is a formation, it's a 2-by-2.
GREG PAPA: Right.
ALEX SMITH: Shop to Deuce Left Fox -- Fox is a motion. Waggle Right is a protection. Seam 4, 79 Poster is a route concept.
GREG PAPA: And all your routes are based on digits, is it numbering, a passing tree kind of thing?
ALEX SMITH: Yeah, that's right, that's how we tell people what to do. Instead of using words, like in the West Coast (offense), we use numbers to tell receivers what routes to run.
GREG PAPA: So the first thing you set up is the protection?
ALEX SMITH: Shop would be the first thing, yeah, that's a shift. Deuce is the formation. Fox is the motion, Waggle is the protection, Seam 4, 79 Poster is the route concept.
GREG PAPA: Now what if you're up at the line and you see they're blitzing, they're overloading one side, they're coming off Staley's side -- he needs help, you gotta slide a back that way -- how do you check to change the protection at the line of scrimmage?
ALEX SMITH: Every play is different. We have some plays where it doesn't matter what the defense does and we can come up and run them and they're good versus everything. And we have a lot of plays, versus a specific look, or a specific pressure, a specific blitz that yeah, we gotta get out of it. I have to check to a three-step passing game, we gotta check to a run play, we gotta check to a different protection, things like that.
GREG PAPA: And do you have full capability at the line to check to anything you want?
ALEX SMITH: Yeah, and I think that's something this offseason that we're really getting to do a lot more of, I'm getting to do a lot more of, have a lot more input into that. Things I kind of want in my tool belt, so to speak, that when I'm out there during a game that I can go to when trouble arises, when there's a problem, things that I can go to, whether's it's changing the protection, getting to a completely different play, changing the routes, things like that.
GREG PAPA: I mentioned the numbers you had your second year in the league with Norv. But by far the best football you've played was last year, when you came in against Houston, then started 10 (games). And a lot was made* of you playing in the shotgun more, playing in the spread offense. ... Are you more comfortable in the shotgun and taking a deeper snap?
ALEX SMITH: I think I'll say this: There are definitely certain situations where I feel more comfortable in the shotgun. I think when you're in third-down situations and there are passing situations that the threat of the run is gone, I would prefer to be in the gun, yeah. I think I prefer to get back there, you're away from the line, you can things a little better, you have a fraction, a little bit more time away from the rush -- I prefer that. But on first and second down when you're trying to stay balanced I'd like to get under center.
GREG PAPA: You guys were trained to take the shotgun snap and you're not comfortable turning your back to the defense. Then when you turn around the defense is all different.
ALEX SMITH: I've talked to a lot of people about this. It's kind of a new day with so many college quarterbacks coming to the pros that have trained in spread offenses, they've trained in the shotgun, exactly like you're saying, so they don't really have the training in a pro-style system. They don't drop back, they don't sit in pockets similar to a pro-style offense, you don't play with fullbacks, you don't have tight ends, you play spread out with a bunch of receivers out there -- maybe one running back -- and you're used to seeing those looks. So that's where all the training comes in. And with an offense like that you're used to seeing different looks from defenses. All of a sudden to go to the NFL where you don't have any training, you don't have any background in that, there's obviously going to be a period of growth. And I think there's going to be that (situation) for a lot of these guys. I look at the young guys coming out this year, you know, most of them come from that type of system so it's a little different, I think, when you evaluate them. Coming into this league, not many of them play in a pro-style system, they don't have that training so it's hard to evaluate them if they're going to be in that (system).
GREG PAPA: Has Tim Tebow reached out to you at all? You had to make the same adjustment -- going from Urban Meyer's spread system to that of an NFL quarterback. Have you dealt with him at all?
ALEX SMITH: Yeah, I know Tim pretty well. ... I haven't talked to him recently. I had a lot more to do with him early on in his career at Florida -- obviously I'm still close with Urban Meyer and had been out there quite a few times and had worked out with Tim. I haven't spoken to him recently but Tim's got a good head on his shoulders, he's got a lot of people in his corner so I think he's doing OK.
GREG PAPA: He may go in the late first round, maybe early second round next Thursday. Lastly, before we let you go: The guy who drafted you in the NFL, Scott McCloughan is no longer with the Niners organization. I know you guys were close. He was a guy who always had your back. Was that personally difficult for you to see him leave the organization?
ALEX SMITH: It was difficult, I guess, just kind of how it happened. Obviously it was a little abrupt -- five weeks before the draft. In my opinion ... wasn't sure if there was any sign of it then all of a sudden for that to happen, yeah at first it's hard to handle. But I think the organization is in good hands. They had to do what they had to do and I think we have great leadership there. I think Trent Baalke is completely qualified for the position and running the show up there. And I think, you know, as we speak they are getting all the preparation work done. And I think that's half the battle. I think with all that done, come draft day it's pretty easy.
GREG PAPA: Yeah, you guys got two first-round draft picks coming up, so we're all anxious for that. That'll be coming up next Thursday, Friday and Saturday. But I want to hear about this coming Saturday and the Positive Coaching Alliance (National Sports Awards Dinner -- 5:30 p.m.). You're going to be in (Stanford's) Maples Pavilion this Saturday evening. What's going to go on there, Alex?
ALEX SMITH: I got a phone call from Steve Young a few weeks back asking me to help him out with this. It was something that I didn't know anything about at first but obviously I'm speaking there Saturday night and I now know quite a bit about it. Youth sports is something I believe a lot in. It's something I've participated in, youth sports, since I can remember. My father was a coach, my uncle is a football coach. This Positive Coaching Alliance is honoring good coaches and the power of youth sports, the power it plays in young people's lives. And not just winning, but character-building, the positive attributes, the life lessons that can come with youth sports.
GREG PAPA: When Steve Young calls ...you kind of have to say "all right, Hall of Famer."
ALEX SMITH: He's tough to turn down (smiles).
GREG PAPA: All you have to do is slip in at the end of the conversation: "Is Joe Montana going to be there?"
ALEX SMITH: Yeah, exactly.
GREG PAPA: Alex, we thank you so much for your time. Good luck to you. Tell Jimmy Raye we said hi.
ALEX SMITH: I will. Thank you.
http://www.csnbayarea.com/04/14/10/...obile_landing.html?blockID=216444&feedID=2539
Outside of AT&T Park on Tuesday, a Comcast SportsNet "Say Hey Tuesday," Chronicle Live and Greg Papa welcomed 49ers quarterback Alex Smith to the set.
GREG PAPA: How are you Alex?
ALEX SMITH: I'm doing good. Thanks for having me.
GREG PAPA: Can you believe it was five years ago (that you were drafted No. 1 overall by the 49ers). Tell me about that whole time because you were just a kid. You weren't even 21 yet. ... What was that like?
ALEX SMITH: Very surreal, to say the least. Going through all the draft stuff, to go back to New York, to be in the Green Room, to be selected No. 1 overall, to get to come out here -- just completely surreal, very dreamlike. But that whole first year is kind of that way. But everything you get to do, to be involved with it, all the things that come with being the No. 1 pick, it seems like a blur, looking back.
GREG PAPA: You didn't play right away, your rookie year, but you got into nine games and made seven starts. But your second year you started every single game, you took every single snap, and I thought (offensive coordinator) Norv (Turner) and you had a nice vibe going. I thought you were really clicking well, your touchdown-to-interception ratio was 16-to-16. You hit on 58 percent of your throws, you threw for almost 2,900 yards, which is very good. Losing Norv -- Norv Turner, we're referring to your former offensive coordinator, now the head coach of the San Diego Chargers -- losing him after your second year, did that set you back? Had Norv stayed would you have made the same progress we saw in Year 2?
ALEX SMITH: I think Norv, but for that matter, if any of the coordinators those first few years would have stayed, I think it would have made a huge difference. Norv and I did have a great relationship. He was someone I think I really understood what he was trying to do. We got along really well. He communicated really well. And we had built a great foundation and I think it would have been great to be able to build on that and go to Year 2 but things work out in a funny way. It's kind of been a funny ride ever since but I'm looking forward to this year.
GREG PAPA: Well, you're kind of working with Norv again because (49ers offensive coordinator) Jimmy Raye is a Norv guy. How many times do you bring up Norv Turner when you're working with Jimmy?
ALEX SMITH: We talk about it a lot. Make jokes, tell stories, different things. Jimmy was his coordinator at Oakland for a few years, Very similar, very similar styles of coaching. Obviously the systems are very similar so there was a lot to refer back to, a lot of carry-over.
GREG PAPA: How much more comfortable are you coming into the second year with Jimmy Raye? This is the first time in your career that you've had the same offensive coordinator. I hear you're calling out the "hots" and telling (Joe) Staley who to block ...
ALEX SMITH: That's right.
GREG PAPA: ... so you have a handle on this offense right now like you never had before?
ALEX SMITH: Oh yeah, absolutely. Absolutely, no question. Last year at this time you're talking about huddle procedure, snap counts, cadence -- things like that. At this point, those are things you can gloss over and you can really get into the details of things, the details of our protections ... I think it's great to look back at last year, you can really analyze our season last year. What are things we did well, what are things we need to improve on? And you can look at those areas and really get into detail in those areas and how we're going to get better and what are some answers we're going to have this year to get better ... so, a completely different level. It's hard to even put it into words.
GREG PAPA: Obviously you're a very intelligent guy. You got your degree in three years from the University of Utah, a 3.74 (Grade Point Average) in economics ...
ALEX SMITH: Yeah, something like that (laughs), I don't remember.
GREG PAPA: At least that's what's on your transcript. So it takes a lot of mental work to be a quarterback in the NFL. Give our audience just a taste -- call a play. Say we're in the huddle right now and you have to call a play. It comes in, Jimmy calls it upstairs, down to the sideline, they call it in to you. So what is all the verbiage.
ALEX SMITH: You want to hear a play?
GREG PAPA: I want to hear a play. Gimme a whole play.
ALEX SMITH: I wasn't really ready for this (smiles). OK, we have Shop to Deuce Left Fox, Waggle Right ...
GREG PAPA: Deuce Left is Slot Left, is that right?
ALEX SMITH: Deuce is a formation, it's a 2-by-2.
GREG PAPA: Right.
ALEX SMITH: Shop to Deuce Left Fox -- Fox is a motion. Waggle Right is a protection. Seam 4, 79 Poster is a route concept.
GREG PAPA: And all your routes are based on digits, is it numbering, a passing tree kind of thing?
ALEX SMITH: Yeah, that's right, that's how we tell people what to do. Instead of using words, like in the West Coast (offense), we use numbers to tell receivers what routes to run.
GREG PAPA: So the first thing you set up is the protection?
ALEX SMITH: Shop would be the first thing, yeah, that's a shift. Deuce is the formation. Fox is the motion, Waggle is the protection, Seam 4, 79 Poster is the route concept.
GREG PAPA: Now what if you're up at the line and you see they're blitzing, they're overloading one side, they're coming off Staley's side -- he needs help, you gotta slide a back that way -- how do you check to change the protection at the line of scrimmage?
ALEX SMITH: Every play is different. We have some plays where it doesn't matter what the defense does and we can come up and run them and they're good versus everything. And we have a lot of plays, versus a specific look, or a specific pressure, a specific blitz that yeah, we gotta get out of it. I have to check to a three-step passing game, we gotta check to a run play, we gotta check to a different protection, things like that.
GREG PAPA: And do you have full capability at the line to check to anything you want?
ALEX SMITH: Yeah, and I think that's something this offseason that we're really getting to do a lot more of, I'm getting to do a lot more of, have a lot more input into that. Things I kind of want in my tool belt, so to speak, that when I'm out there during a game that I can go to when trouble arises, when there's a problem, things that I can go to, whether's it's changing the protection, getting to a completely different play, changing the routes, things like that.
GREG PAPA: I mentioned the numbers you had your second year in the league with Norv. But by far the best football you've played was last year, when you came in against Houston, then started 10 (games). And a lot was made* of you playing in the shotgun more, playing in the spread offense. ... Are you more comfortable in the shotgun and taking a deeper snap?
ALEX SMITH: I think I'll say this: There are definitely certain situations where I feel more comfortable in the shotgun. I think when you're in third-down situations and there are passing situations that the threat of the run is gone, I would prefer to be in the gun, yeah. I think I prefer to get back there, you're away from the line, you can things a little better, you have a fraction, a little bit more time away from the rush -- I prefer that. But on first and second down when you're trying to stay balanced I'd like to get under center.
GREG PAPA: You guys were trained to take the shotgun snap and you're not comfortable turning your back to the defense. Then when you turn around the defense is all different.
ALEX SMITH: I've talked to a lot of people about this. It's kind of a new day with so many college quarterbacks coming to the pros that have trained in spread offenses, they've trained in the shotgun, exactly like you're saying, so they don't really have the training in a pro-style system. They don't drop back, they don't sit in pockets similar to a pro-style offense, you don't play with fullbacks, you don't have tight ends, you play spread out with a bunch of receivers out there -- maybe one running back -- and you're used to seeing those looks. So that's where all the training comes in. And with an offense like that you're used to seeing different looks from defenses. All of a sudden to go to the NFL where you don't have any training, you don't have any background in that, there's obviously going to be a period of growth. And I think there's going to be that (situation) for a lot of these guys. I look at the young guys coming out this year, you know, most of them come from that type of system so it's a little different, I think, when you evaluate them. Coming into this league, not many of them play in a pro-style system, they don't have that training so it's hard to evaluate them if they're going to be in that (system).
GREG PAPA: Has Tim Tebow reached out to you at all? You had to make the same adjustment -- going from Urban Meyer's spread system to that of an NFL quarterback. Have you dealt with him at all?
ALEX SMITH: Yeah, I know Tim pretty well. ... I haven't talked to him recently. I had a lot more to do with him early on in his career at Florida -- obviously I'm still close with Urban Meyer and had been out there quite a few times and had worked out with Tim. I haven't spoken to him recently but Tim's got a good head on his shoulders, he's got a lot of people in his corner so I think he's doing OK.
GREG PAPA: He may go in the late first round, maybe early second round next Thursday. Lastly, before we let you go: The guy who drafted you in the NFL, Scott McCloughan is no longer with the Niners organization. I know you guys were close. He was a guy who always had your back. Was that personally difficult for you to see him leave the organization?
ALEX SMITH: It was difficult, I guess, just kind of how it happened. Obviously it was a little abrupt -- five weeks before the draft. In my opinion ... wasn't sure if there was any sign of it then all of a sudden for that to happen, yeah at first it's hard to handle. But I think the organization is in good hands. They had to do what they had to do and I think we have great leadership there. I think Trent Baalke is completely qualified for the position and running the show up there. And I think, you know, as we speak they are getting all the preparation work done. And I think that's half the battle. I think with all that done, come draft day it's pretty easy.
GREG PAPA: Yeah, you guys got two first-round draft picks coming up, so we're all anxious for that. That'll be coming up next Thursday, Friday and Saturday. But I want to hear about this coming Saturday and the Positive Coaching Alliance (National Sports Awards Dinner -- 5:30 p.m.). You're going to be in (Stanford's) Maples Pavilion this Saturday evening. What's going to go on there, Alex?
ALEX SMITH: I got a phone call from Steve Young a few weeks back asking me to help him out with this. It was something that I didn't know anything about at first but obviously I'm speaking there Saturday night and I now know quite a bit about it. Youth sports is something I believe a lot in. It's something I've participated in, youth sports, since I can remember. My father was a coach, my uncle is a football coach. This Positive Coaching Alliance is honoring good coaches and the power of youth sports, the power it plays in young people's lives. And not just winning, but character-building, the positive attributes, the life lessons that can come with youth sports.
GREG PAPA: When Steve Young calls ...you kind of have to say "all right, Hall of Famer."
ALEX SMITH: He's tough to turn down (smiles).
GREG PAPA: All you have to do is slip in at the end of the conversation: "Is Joe Montana going to be there?"
ALEX SMITH: Yeah, exactly.
GREG PAPA: Alex, we thank you so much for your time. Good luck to you. Tell Jimmy Raye we said hi.
ALEX SMITH: I will. Thank you.
49ers Blog and Q&A
News, notes and reader questions about the San Francisco 49ers
• Ask Matt a 49ers question
April 15, 2010
Baalke open to taking a QB, Dez Bryant, etc., etc. ...
Acting GM Trent Baalke held a pre-draft press conference with the beatwriters today. It probably won't surprise you to hear this, but he held his cards veeeery close to the vest. Obviously general managers don't want to reveal too much in advance of the draft. Baalke, however, is in the unique position of running his first-ever draft and is ostensibly auditioning for the permanent job. He's also dealt with reporters exactly twice in his career. All of which is to say he is taking zero chances and is being as guarded as possible with the media.
In the past, for example, Scot McCloughan would reveal how many players had been given first-round grades. Baalke would not. "I'd rather not discuss that in terms of what number or how many guys we have above the line that are rated in the first round," he said.
Asked which positions were particularly strong this year, Baalke said: "I think it's a strong draft offensively and defensively. I'd rather not tell you what our belief is in terms of going into the draft and tip our hat in any way, shape or form. I'd tell you this: There's good football players on both sides of the ball at virtually every position that will make a team in the National Football League and be productive football players."
Baalke also was positive about every player he was asked about, including one, Oklahoma State receiver Dez Bryant, who reportedly has been taken off some other teams' draft boards. That is, he was careful not to tip his hand about any player.
On Bryant's speed: "You put on the film, the film says, yes. You take the stopwatch, the stopwatch says no. We believe in what the film tells us. ... We have no problem with Dez Bryant's character. None whatsoever."
On Fresno State RB Ryan Mathews. "We like Ryan. Obviously his production speaks for itself. ... He's performed at every level. We feel he's an awfully good back. We feel he's going to have a good pro career."
On Cal RB Jahvid Best: "Right now his medical history has no bearing on our decision on whether we're going to draft him or not."
On drafting a quarterback: "We're not going to rule out anything at this point. But I want to reiterate that Alex Smith is our quarterback. And we have total confidence to get the job done and we're looking forward to going into the season with him."
On whether Idaho guard Mike Iupati can play tackle: "We value Mike as a good football player and a good offensive lineman. Where he fits within the offensive line - whether it's tackle, whether it's guard - we're going to keep that opinion to ourselves at this point. But we think he's an awfully good football player."
Some other tidbits ....
On the offensive tackle class:
"I think you can realistically expect five to six offensive tackles to be gone in the first round. Now will that happen, I don't know. .... I think if you look at history, the better tackles always have gone in the draft. It's a need, it's a position that teams place a lot of value on in the National Football League, especially the left tackle position."
On whether the 49ers are seeking a fast running back:
"Basically my philosophy is this - you're trying to add good football players at every position. And if there's a player there that fits that - would we like to have him? Are we searching for that type of player? Not necessarily. If the value of the pick's there and he's the best player on the board, we'll certainly look in that direction."
On the new three-day format for the draft:
"I like the new format because it gives you the chance to reevaluate yourself not once but twice. In the past, you got through the first three rounds, you had a chance that evening or the next morning - depending on whether you were an east coast team or a west coast team - to kind of take another look, reevaluate exactly what you were going to do, position yourself to possibly move up or trade back. Now you get two opportunities to do that."
On nose tackles capable of playing in the 49ers system:
"It's a very solid draft for that position."
On what he wants to accomplish:
"When you're drafting in the first three rounds, you're hoping to get a starter. .... Now does that mean they're going to start Day 1? No. But when you're drafting a guy in rounds 1-3, you're hoping at some point within their career that they're going to develop into a starter and you're also hoping that in the 4-7 rounds you also hit on a couple of those guys, a guy like Dashon Goldson for instance."
On overall philosophy:
"My philosophy is just to be patient, to sit back and ... if you're prepared, you're able to do things. And I think we are prepared. As an organization, once again, we feel very good about where we're at."
-- Matt Barrows
Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/49ers/archives/2010/04/baalke-open-to.html#ixzz0lFIZpjWw
News, notes and reader questions about the San Francisco 49ers
• Ask Matt a 49ers question
April 15, 2010
Baalke open to taking a QB, Dez Bryant, etc., etc. ...
Acting GM Trent Baalke held a pre-draft press conference with the beatwriters today. It probably won't surprise you to hear this, but he held his cards veeeery close to the vest. Obviously general managers don't want to reveal too much in advance of the draft. Baalke, however, is in the unique position of running his first-ever draft and is ostensibly auditioning for the permanent job. He's also dealt with reporters exactly twice in his career. All of which is to say he is taking zero chances and is being as guarded as possible with the media.
In the past, for example, Scot McCloughan would reveal how many players had been given first-round grades. Baalke would not. "I'd rather not discuss that in terms of what number or how many guys we have above the line that are rated in the first round," he said.
Asked which positions were particularly strong this year, Baalke said: "I think it's a strong draft offensively and defensively. I'd rather not tell you what our belief is in terms of going into the draft and tip our hat in any way, shape or form. I'd tell you this: There's good football players on both sides of the ball at virtually every position that will make a team in the National Football League and be productive football players."
Baalke also was positive about every player he was asked about, including one, Oklahoma State receiver Dez Bryant, who reportedly has been taken off some other teams' draft boards. That is, he was careful not to tip his hand about any player.
On Bryant's speed: "You put on the film, the film says, yes. You take the stopwatch, the stopwatch says no. We believe in what the film tells us. ... We have no problem with Dez Bryant's character. None whatsoever."
On Fresno State RB Ryan Mathews. "We like Ryan. Obviously his production speaks for itself. ... He's performed at every level. We feel he's an awfully good back. We feel he's going to have a good pro career."
On Cal RB Jahvid Best: "Right now his medical history has no bearing on our decision on whether we're going to draft him or not."
On drafting a quarterback: "We're not going to rule out anything at this point. But I want to reiterate that Alex Smith is our quarterback. And we have total confidence to get the job done and we're looking forward to going into the season with him."
On whether Idaho guard Mike Iupati can play tackle: "We value Mike as a good football player and a good offensive lineman. Where he fits within the offensive line - whether it's tackle, whether it's guard - we're going to keep that opinion to ourselves at this point. But we think he's an awfully good football player."
Some other tidbits ....
On the offensive tackle class:
"I think you can realistically expect five to six offensive tackles to be gone in the first round. Now will that happen, I don't know. .... I think if you look at history, the better tackles always have gone in the draft. It's a need, it's a position that teams place a lot of value on in the National Football League, especially the left tackle position."
On whether the 49ers are seeking a fast running back:
"Basically my philosophy is this - you're trying to add good football players at every position. And if there's a player there that fits that - would we like to have him? Are we searching for that type of player? Not necessarily. If the value of the pick's there and he's the best player on the board, we'll certainly look in that direction."
On the new three-day format for the draft:
"I like the new format because it gives you the chance to reevaluate yourself not once but twice. In the past, you got through the first three rounds, you had a chance that evening or the next morning - depending on whether you were an east coast team or a west coast team - to kind of take another look, reevaluate exactly what you were going to do, position yourself to possibly move up or trade back. Now you get two opportunities to do that."
On nose tackles capable of playing in the 49ers system:
"It's a very solid draft for that position."
On what he wants to accomplish:
"When you're drafting in the first three rounds, you're hoping to get a starter. .... Now does that mean they're going to start Day 1? No. But when you're drafting a guy in rounds 1-3, you're hoping at some point within their career that they're going to develop into a starter and you're also hoping that in the 4-7 rounds you also hit on a couple of those guys, a guy like Dashon Goldson for instance."
On overall philosophy:
"My philosophy is just to be patient, to sit back and ... if you're prepared, you're able to do things. And I think we are prepared. As an organization, once again, we feel very good about where we're at."
-- Matt Barrows
Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/49ers/archives/2010/04/baalke-open-to.html#ixzz0lFIZpjWw
http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcwest/post/_/id/16957/ginn-solves-49ers-return-issues
The 49ers' acquisition of Ted Ginn Jr. from the Dolphins -- a possibility that seemed like a potentially good idea -- lets San Francisco enter the draft without looking for a return specialist.
This can be a good move for the 49ers.
The 49ers seemed more likely to take their chances on a return specialist in the draft. That was just my feel. Ginn's contract was one potential issue. But this deal makes sense from a personnel standpoint because Ginn has first-round talent. He simply didn't fit into the Dolphins' plans after Bill Parcells took over, and he was expendable once the team added Brandon Marshall.
Ginn gives the 49ers a talented complementary receiver -- perhaps in the No. 3 role -- and a p0tentially explosive returner. His acquisition also shows that the 49ers can make moves without a general manager. Scot McCloughan departed last month, leaving personnel director Trent Baalke in control. Adding Ginn stands as a proactive move. It's a sign the 49ers are operating as usual.
The 49ers haven't had a mercurial receiver with the ability to stretch the field. Ginn has his limitations, obviously, or the Dolphins would have kept him. He needs to become more consistent catching the ball. But he does instantly provide a speed element to the receiver position. The 49ers aren't counting on him to even be the second receiver, but Ginn adds another young player to the offense, and one fitting a profile that differs from what the team already has.
This is a make-or-break year for quarterback Alex Smith. Arming Smith with a diversified collection of weapons can only help him. Imagine if the 49ers added Clemson running back C.J. Spiller in the draft.
Note: Jay Glazer of Fox Sports tweeted news of the trade, reporting that the 49ers will send a 5th round pick to Miami. I have confirmed the trade through a league source.
The 49ers' acquisition of Ted Ginn Jr. from the Dolphins -- a possibility that seemed like a potentially good idea -- lets San Francisco enter the draft without looking for a return specialist.
This can be a good move for the 49ers.
The 49ers seemed more likely to take their chances on a return specialist in the draft. That was just my feel. Ginn's contract was one potential issue. But this deal makes sense from a personnel standpoint because Ginn has first-round talent. He simply didn't fit into the Dolphins' plans after Bill Parcells took over, and he was expendable once the team added Brandon Marshall.
Ginn gives the 49ers a talented complementary receiver -- perhaps in the No. 3 role -- and a p0tentially explosive returner. His acquisition also shows that the 49ers can make moves without a general manager. Scot McCloughan departed last month, leaving personnel director Trent Baalke in control. Adding Ginn stands as a proactive move. It's a sign the 49ers are operating as usual.
The 49ers haven't had a mercurial receiver with the ability to stretch the field. Ginn has his limitations, obviously, or the Dolphins would have kept him. He needs to become more consistent catching the ball. But he does instantly provide a speed element to the receiver position. The 49ers aren't counting on him to even be the second receiver, but Ginn adds another young player to the offense, and one fitting a profile that differs from what the team already has.
This is a make-or-break year for quarterback Alex Smith. Arming Smith with a diversified collection of weapons can only help him. Imagine if the 49ers added Clemson running back C.J. Spiller in the draft.
Note: Jay Glazer of Fox Sports tweeted news of the trade, reporting that the 49ers will send a 5th round pick to Miami. I have confirmed the trade through a league source.
