Niner News Thread

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Mar 12, 2010
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Former first round draft pick Kentwan Balmer is currently absent from his fourth straight practice, and this time it's not excused. The 49ers have informed Balmer of that, and according to a team spokesman, "We are following standard procedure for a player who has left camp." Translation: Balmer is being fined for his absence. The 49ers have not been in contact with Balmer today and don't know where he is.

Coach Mike Singletary spoke to Balmer on Monday after Balmer missed the afternoon practice that day. Singletary said later that Balmer was dealing with "personal issues" and that he would give the defensive end time to deal with them. "Kentwan's got to make up his mind in terms of how he's going to handle it," Singletary said. "... Sometimes things come up in life and you have to decide which is more important. That's where Kentwan is right now and until he makes that decision I'm going to give him the time to handle it. Because there's certainly a lot that's on his plate right now." Singletary refused to divulge what those "personal issues" are, but they are not believed to be related to the current NCAA investigation at the University of North Carolina that involve Balmer.

Singletary gave Balmer all of Tuesday to make that decision, but informed Balmer that he was expected back on Wednesday. Balmer has underachieved since the 49ers took him with the 29th overall pick in 2008, and he landed on IR with a shoulder injury late last season. He is currently behind starters Justin Smith and Isaac Sopoaga as well as backups Ray McDonald and Demetric Evans at the position. At this point, Balmer's spot on the team appears to be in serious jeopardy.
BYE BYE BALMER
 

Chree

Medicated
Dec 7, 2005
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we all knew balmer wasnt gon be shit when we picked him....

imagine right now... having crabtree and Desean as 1 and 2.... smh. fuck scot and the shithawks
 
Oct 23, 2009
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Yeah sometimes I think the whole best available over team need is a bunch of bullshit. Balmer probably crying back home after getting mooned by Sing for being a pussu....overgrown ass soft dude, smh.
 

PoLLo LoC831

NINER EMPIRE
Mar 20, 2005
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Crabtree injures neck in afternoon practice
http://blog.pressdemocrat.com/49ers/2010/08/crabtree-injures-neck-in-afternoon-practice.html
No idea yet of the severity of the injury, but the bearer of the pain makes it worth monitoring: WR Michael Crabtree went up for an Alex Smith duck during 7-on-7 this afternoon, and landed hard on his back. He stayed down for a minute, then spent much of practice consulting with a trainer on the sideline. The preliminary diagnosis: a neck strain.

Crabtree eventually headed to the training room for further observation.

It wasn't like Crab had been a big part of the 49ers' offense in recent practices. He got "veteran courtesy" - not bad for a guy with 11 career NFL games - Tuesday morning and again Wednesday morning. In between, he sat out a special-teams practice.

Coach Mike Singletary confirmed at midday that Crabtree was "sore." Now he's sorer. Expect an update tomorrow. By the way, the receiver dropped the first two passes that came his way in 7-on-7, though the first from Alex Smith was a wobbler.

More notes and observations from the 49ers' afternoon practice...

• I hesitate to write this, because I fear I'll have to patrol the Golden Gate Bridge to make sure Niners fans aren't lining up at the railing. But the passing offense struggled again this afternoon, with Smith right in the middle of it. His accuracy wasn't miles off, but he fluttered several throws on an admittedly windy field.

Other times Smith threw nice-looking spirals that were simply off-target, like a deep ball to TE Delanie Walker. Twice he seemed to be on different pages of the playbook than his target - once with WR Kyle Williams (seemed to be the rookie's mistake) and once with either Ted Ginn or Frank Gore, hard to say which. A couple times cornerbacks blitzed unimpeded off the edge and sacked Smith. And when he delivered, his receivers didn't always accept the gift; WR Josh Morgan and FB Brit Miller both dropped catchable balls. Smith went 6 for 12 in the final team session, assuming Morgan got his feet inside the end line on the final pass.

It just isn't safe to be on the sidelines lately. After hitting a cameraman Tuesday morning, Smith plugged a fan in the shoulder while overthrowing Morgan in the final team session.

• Busy day of roster moves. The 49ers waived ILB Scott McKillop injured, which could be a risky move. If no one claims McKillop, who tore his ACL and patellar tendon, he will revert to the Niners' injured reserve. That's what happened with OLB Martail Burnett (knee) today. Meanwhile, the team waived WR Scott Long and signed WR Bobby Guillory, who grew up in Vallejo and played at Central Missouri, to a two-year contract.

• WR Brandon Jones (hamstring) and OLB Travis LaBoy (concussion) remain down, though ILB NaVorro Bowman (shoulder) returned to practice. OLB Diyral Briggs was ill. DE Justin Smith, ILB Takeo Spikes and S Michael Lewis all got veteran courtesy.

• Does it seem like I keep saying this lately? WR Dominique Zeigler made the catch of the day, a falling grab in the end zone on a ball thrown by Nate Davis. Zeigler and Williams, who beat CB Tramaine Brock for a score, are really emerging.

• The offense had no answer for those corner blitzes. Will James had two and Tarell Brown one, all off the left side of the defense.

• Singletary previously blasted jazz standards to disorient the offense in team period. Today the music had a distinct 1970s soul sound. We may see the birth of hip-hop before the end of training camp.
....
 

PoLLo LoC831

NINER EMPIRE
Mar 20, 2005
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49ers Camp Report: Practice 18
http://www.csnbayarea.com/08/11/10/...landing_maiocco_v3&blockID=288479&feedID=5936

Wednesday, Aug. 11
Afternoon (practice No. 18)
Summary: The 49ers worked for a little less than two hours in shells. The 49ers' offense was not sharp, as the practice was held in a stiff breeze on the Santa Clara practice field. The team concluded practice with a two-minute drill. During that time, quarterback Alex Smith completed 5 of 12 passes for 40 yards. The practice ended with a 9-yard Smith-to-Josh Morgan pass in the back of the end zone. Morgan got only one foot inbounds, but everyone on the field chose to believe it was a practice-ending touchdown.

Offensive Play of the day: Receiver Dominique Zeigler continues to impress. He made an outstanding leaping catch of a David Carr pass in the back of the end zone against good coverage from rookie cornerback Tramaine Brock.

Defensive Play of the day: Safety Reggie Smith closed fast to break up a pass along the left sideline intended for Ted Ginn during the first 11-on-11 session of practice.

Scare of the day: It was a rough practice for Michael Crabtree, who dropped the first two passes thrown his way during 7-on-7. Then, that period of practice ended when Crabtree jumped for a high Smith pass, and landed hard. He sat out the remainder of practice with a neck strain.

Injury report: Linebacker Diyral Briggs (sick) sat out the practice. . . . Linebacker NaVorro Bowman (shoulder), out since Aug. 9; receiver Brandon Jones (hamstring), out since Aug. 7; linebacker Travis LaBoy (concussion), out since Aug. 5, did some running; linebacker Ahmad Brooks (lacerated kidney), out since Aug. 7, to be re-evaluated after two weeks; center Eric Heitmann (broken left fibula), out since Aug. 9, expected to miss 6 to 8 weeks.

Taking it easy: Safety Michael Lewis, linebacker Takeo Spikes and defensive end Justin Smith were rested.

Returning to work: Linebacker NaVorro Bowman, who has been out since Aug. 9 with a shoulder injury, took part in the practice.

Personnel report: The 49ers waived/injured linebacker Scott McKillop, who underwent season-ending knee surgery last week. If McKillop goes unclaimed, he will remain with the 49ers and spent the season on injured reserve. . . . The 49ers signed undrafted free agent receiver Bobby Guillory (Central Missouri State) and waived receiver Scott Long (Louisville). . . . The 49ers placed outside linebacker Martail Burnett on injured reserve after he cleared waivers.

Stock rising: Backup center Tony Wragge has been steady during his practice snaps with the second team. He has not experienced the problems with his shot-gun snaps that seem to plague David Baas, who is trying to make the conversion from guard after the injury to Heitmann.
Coaching moment: While his teammates were taking part in a mid-practice water break, rookie safety Taylor Mays spent time with assistant coach Johnnie Lynn going over aspects of the 49ers' defense.

Rookie report: Tight end Nate Byham caught a 5-yard touchdown from Smith against the coverage of safety Curtis Taylor. . . . Receiver Kyle Williams showed his quickness when he caught a Carr pass, took a sidestep, and made Bowman and Bruce Davis grasping at air.

Notable: There is no meeting set between defensive end Kentwan Balmer and coach Mike Singletary, said a 49ers spokesman. Balmer was an unexcused absence from practice Wednesday.

Next practice: The 49ers return to practice Thursday with two practices. They are scheduled to hit the field at 8:50 a.m. and 4 p.m.
 
Jul 25, 2007
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Michael Robinson was named the #2 RB. Dixon is having a hard time adjusting and learning the offense. Could the 49ers go after Brian Westbrook? Good change of pace and with him having limited carries, it can keep him healthy.