The All-Time Greatest San Francisco 49ers Offense

With preseason about two months away and major pro football news being of short supply, what better time than now to take a nostalgic look at some of the greatest to ever don the 49er Red and Gold?

Surely it’s not the first time this subject has been debated on B/R, nor will it be the last. But considering the amount of talent that has gone through San Francisco, the topic of greatest players in franchise history will probably always be debated.

This list only includes players who spent a good portion of their careers in San Francisco and could go into the Hall of Fame as 49ers. Larry Allen is probably the greatest offensive lineman to ever grace a 49er huddle, but he belongs to the Niners about as much as Roger Craig belongs to the Minnesota Vikings.

With that said, here’s a look at the lineup of arguably the greatest 49ers offensive players ever and their backups, some of whom were Pro Bowlers–and one is even in the Hall of Fame. Let the debating begin…

Breaking Down the Week By Week Schedule of the 2009 49ers

As OTAs wrap up and with preseason within the five-month horizon, the San Francisco 49ers could have as many question marks surrounding their team as any other club in the league.

Concerns about personnel and exactly who will comprise the starting lineups come Sept. 13th in Glendale, AZ, as well as whether or not the offseason coaching decisions will pan out, loom large for 49er fans.

Throughout the league, wins are the bottom line, with San Francisco being no different–especially in light of new team President Jed York’s expectation for a perennial playoff contender. The team has flirted with the .500 mark several times in the last few seasons, but climbing that mountain has proved to be a difficult task.

The good news for the 49ers is the finished last season on a high note, and their ability to carry the momentum they gained from the two-game winning streak that wrapped up the year will be crucial to 2009. With only 16 games on an NFL slate, starting slow out of the gates can kill a team’s playoff hopes.

Under new Head Coach Mike Singletary, the team learned how to win on the road, pulling out a  10-3 gut-check in Buffalo in Week 13 that was their first win in the Eastern time zone in seemingly ages, and scoring a Week 16 come-from-behind win in St. Louis.

The turning point for the 49ers was likely Week 14, when they held off the New York Jets at Candlestick Park at a time when the Jets and Brett Favre were all the craze in the NFL. That game not only showed Singletary could prepare his team for prime opposition, but also likely the beginning of the end for Eric Mangini and Favre in the Big Apple.

But along with the standard roster and coaching concerns, come scheduling challenges.

One of the most important factors in a team’s playoff chances is the schedule it is dealt by the NFL.

San Francisco has seven games against 2008 playoff teams; another ’09 opponent, Chicago, was 9-7 last year and missed out on the postseason on the last day of the regular season.

The team travels to the far East coast only once, a Dec. 20 meeting with Philadelphia. The remainder of their travel is mostly centered in the Mid-West and with their NFC West rivals.

Two prime-time games are slated–both at home–with a Thursday night game against Chicago on Nov. 14th and Arizona coming to town for a Monday Night tilt on Dec. 14th.

Following is a look at the entire regular season schedule, with a look at the important matchups and what the keys will be to a 49er victory. Obviously, a lot will happen between now and the regular season that could change the outlook of these matchups, but there are few roster moves remaining that could drastically alter the lines Las Vegas will put out for them.

 

WEEK 1: SEPTEMBER 13TH @ ARIZONA

The battle for NFC West supremacy starts right out of the gates, with San Francisco returning to the desert, where their luck hasn’t been good in recent seasons.

Despite their Super Bowl loss this past February, the Cardinals will be carrying a lot of momentum and swagger into the 2009 season. Assuming Anquan Boldin is still in town (all indications are that he will be), Kurt Warner and the gang will be looking to shred the NFC West through the air yet again.

The key matchup will be the 49ers corners, mainly Nate Clements, Tarrell Brown and Dre Bly trying to contain the play-making machine that is Larry Fitzgerald, Boldin and Steve Breaston.

The 49ers were two yards short of upsetting Arizona in the desert last year, so a win is definitely within the grasp of an improved 49ers unit. However, Ken Whisenhunt made dramatic strides with this team late in the year and the improvement is likely to continue.

Winnable game, but a loss is more likely.

 

WEEK 2: SEPTEMBER 20TH VS. SEATTLE

Whether Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck has returned to form will be a big factor in the San Francisco-Seattle series in 2009. If not, the 49ers will be in position to take two from the Seahawks.

Seattle still maintains a tough defense with a very solid linebacking corps, which includes rookie first-round pick Aaron Curry. The key matchup for this game will be the 49ers’ line against the Seattle pass-rush, which has wreaked all sorts of havoc on San Francisco in recent years, including the season ending hit of Alex Smith in 2007.

If the 49ers o-line can keep the quarterback on two feet and open holes to run through, San Francisco should be in control of this game.

But considering both teams traded home losses in ’08, anything can happen.

Very winnable game for San Francisco.

 

WEEK 3: SEPTEMBER 27TH @ MINNESOTA

The biggest question mark for the Vikings right now is at quarterback; unfortunately for the 49ers, they have the same question mark, and a less stellar defense than the Vikes.

Minnesota is parallel to San Francisco in many ways, however they tend to still outclass them in those similar areas. As good as Frank Gore is, Adrian Peterson was already being viewed as the best back in the league as a rookie, and Patrick Willis probably won’t be enough to stop him in Week 3.

Better chances would exist at Candlestick Park, but the 49ers would still be the underdog. In Minneapolis inside the dome, it’s probably too much to ask of the young squad.

Likely loss for San Francisco.

 

WEEK 4: OCTOBER 4TH VS. ST. LOUIS

Last year brought about a little deja vu for 49er fans, as they got back to dominating the Rams the way long-time fans are accustomed to. a new coaching hire and some solid drafting isn’t likely to change that anytime soon.

The matchup to watch in this game will be the 49ers’ linebackers against running back Steven Jackson. if they can slow him down, it will enable the pass rush, mainly Justin Smith, Parys Haralson and Manny Lawson, to try exploit Jason Smith, the rookie tackle the Rams drafted to replace Orlando Pace.

It will probably be too much to ask of the young Rams squad to stroll into San Francisco and steal a game from what should be an upstart 49er team.

Likely victory for San Francisco.

 

WEEK 5: OCTOBER 11TH VS. ATLANTA

Working in the 49ers favor will be the fact that their Week 5 game with the Falcons will be the second home game in a row; on paper, not much else works out in their favor.

With a very promising second-year man under center, one of the top backs in the league and Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez added to the already talented receiving corps, the Falcons have plenty of weapons at their disposal coming off their playoff season in 2008.

This will be the first true test for the 49er defense in terms of defending the pass; will they be able to contain the likes of Gonzalez and and Roddy White, or will Matt Ryan have a field day on the 49er secondary? Even if the pass is contained, they still have to worry about 2008 fantasy icon Michael Turner running wild.

If the 49ers can limit the potent Falcon offense, it will be an indication of great things to come. Unfortunately, it may be too much, too soon to ask the Niner defense.

Likely loss for the 49ers.

 

WEEK 6: OCTOBER 18TH, BYE

 

WEEK 7: OCTOBER 25TH AT HOUSTON

While Houston isn’t the most formidable team on the 49ers’ schedule, the bye week comes at the right time, as San Francisco will likely be coming off a tough game against Atlanta, and the time off to prepare for the Texans’ dangerous pass rush will come in handy.

Houston is similar to the 49ers in that they are a team that has been dancing near the .500 mark in recent seasons, and each year feel it’s their turn to contend for the playoffs.

They might have found their back of the future in former West Virginia star Steve Slaton, who posted 1282 yards last season as a rookie. But if they continue to get inconsistent play out of quarterback Matt Schaub, they could be spending another January at home.

The 49ers proved that they could win these type of road games last year, and barring a major setback, should be able to continue that trend in ’09.

If the 49ers can shut down all-world wide out Andre Johnson, or at least contain him, they should be able to keep Houston’s offense in check and control the ball on offense by way of Frank Gore. Look for the 49ers to double-cover Johnson and hammer the ball with Gore 30-plus times.

Very winnable road-game for San Francisco.

 

WEEK 8: NOVEMBER 1ST @ INDIANAPOLIS

This is where 49er fans start to find out if their team is a contender or pretender.

No matter what the team’s record is coming into Indy, expectations for the 49ers will be low in this game.

Difficulties containing Peyton Manning, stopping the rushing attack (which just added heralded rookie Donald Brown in the draft), and finding an answer to their pass rush will only be amplified trying to do it on the road.

This could be the first ugly loss of the year for San Francisco, and while moral victories don’t exist with Coach Singletary, playing the Colts tough will show the 49ers are no longer easy prey for the NFL’s elite.

Chalk this up as a loss.

 

WEEK 9: NOVEMBER 8TH VS. TENNESSEE

Despite returning home, it doesn’t get any easier in Week 9 as the Titans, the top-seeded AFC team in last year’s playoffs, come to town.

Marching into Candlestick with them will be the two-headed monster consisting of running backs LenDale White and Chris Johnson, with the latter carrying a chip on his shoulder after being snubbed for NFL Rookie of the Year honors in 2008.

This game will show how far Greg Manusky’s defensive unit has come. Stopping the Titan’s rushing attack will be nearly impossible, containing it could open the door for the Niners to steal this game at home.

The matchup here will be White and Johnson vs. Willis and Takeo Spikes. If they can slow down the Titan backs and the 49ers’ offense can avoid the three-and-out, San Francisco has a chance. Unfortunately, not a very large one.

Winnable game, but more likely a loss.

 

WEEK 10: THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12TH VS. CHICAGO

With the 49ers getting only four days rest before their Thursday night affair with the Bears, the outcome of this game could depend largely on their ability to come out of the Tennessee game healthy.

Considering the physical style of football the Titans play–which Singletary has made clear he plans to implement–San Francisco is likely to come into this game banged up.

As such, the 49ers depth will be tested in Week 10.

Will the back up running backs, lineman, and linebackers be able to pick up some slack? If so, San Francisco could pull this one out.

Chicago’s acquisition of quarterback Jay Cutler makes them better than last season on paper, but he proved in Denver that he could hurl the ball all over the field and still not get his team to the playoffs. In Chicago, his receivers only get worse.

Considering what the Bears gave up to acquire Cutler, it’s highly unlikely they will be dealing for a prized receiver any time soon.

The real concern for the 49ers will be Matt Forte, who emerged in 2008 as the first quality back the Bears had drafted since Neal Anderson. If Willis, Spike and company can shut Forte down, they should be able to keep Cutler in check.

This game could go either way, but if the 49ers can maintain their health in Week 9, they could win this game.

 

WEEK 11: NOVEMBER 22ND @ GREEN BAY

In San Francisco, you have a team theoretical on the upswing. In Green Bay, you have a team two years removed from an NFC Championship appearance that went 6-10 last year.

By Week 11, fans will have a much better idea on the direction either team is headed.

Like most of the league, San Francisco has never had much luck at Lambeau Field. Barring a continued regression on the part of the Packers, the 49ers’ luck probably won’t change in 2009.

They seem to match up well on paper, but the home field advantage at Lambeau can’t be understated. Only dominant teams come into Green Bay and take care of business, and the 49ers aren’t in that category yet.

The ten days off following the Thursday night game will help, as would a stellar performance by the 49er secondary against a stacked Packer receiver corps that includes Donald Driverand Greg Jennings.

But while it’s not completely out of the question, chances are the 49ers will pick up a loss in Week 11.

 

WEEK 12: NOVEMBER 29TH VS. JACKSONVILLE

Only two seasons ago, Jacksonville looked poised break through the upper ranks of the NFL.

Instead, they stumbled to a 5-11 record in 2008 and had to regroup in the offseason.

The key to this game rests squarely on Maurice Jones-Drew’s shoulders. Stop him, and the 49ers come out on top.

The Jags still don’t have a real threat at receiver, and David Garrard was rather mediocre last season. Fred Taylor is no longer there to share the load with Jones-Drew, leaving him as the lone proven playmaker on the Jags offense.

Bay Area native “MJD” will probably have some extra motivation on his side when he takes the field in San Francisco, but an improving 49ers’ defense should be able to stuff that motivation and force Garrard to beat them through the air, which won’t happen.

The trip west won’t help matters for Jacksonville either.

Likely victory for San Francisco.

 

WEEK 13: DECEMBER 6TH @ SEATTLE

Late in the season, this contest could have division title or wild-card ramifications, depending on the kind of improvement both teams have made.

As in their first meeting, San Francisco’s ability to keep the pass rush at bay will be an important factor, but even more critical will be the 49ers rushing attack.

The 49ers will need to rely heavily and Frank Gore to carry the load and keep the pressure off the quarterback and linemen in the notoriously loud and hostile Qwest Field. If San Francisco falls behind and has to throw the ball to stay in the game, chances are whoever is under center will be under duress and the line will chalk up plenty of false-start penalties.

Establish Gore early, and the 49ers could ride him to victory.

The outcome could go either way.

 

WEEK 14: MONDAY, DECEMBER 14TH VS. ARIZONA

If all is right in San Francisco, this game will be for the NFC West title.

A two-yard fullback dive in the final seconds of last year’s game at Arizona wound up being the difference between 8-8 and the playoffs and 7-9 and the 10th pick in the draft. Basically, these teams weren’t that far off in the regular season.

If San Francisco is improved like they should be, this should be their game for the taking.

They’ll need a complete game on defense, but what is going to win it for the 49ers will be error free football on offense–which as we all know also includes the coaches on the sidelines.

If the offense can produce and keep the Arizona passing attack off the field, it should be a coming out party for the 49ers in the national spotlight.

Winnable game for San Francisco.

 

WEEK 15: DECEMBER 20TH @ PHILADELPHIA

Regardless of whether San Francisco pulls it off in Week 14, hopes shouldn’t be high for 49er fans in Week 15.

Having to make their longest trip of the season, on a short week, against one of the top teams in the NFC adds up to a loss in this one.

San Francisco’s best chance will be to contain the Eagles’ running game and hope for an implosion from Donavan McNabb (not completely out of the question).

The 49ers don’t fare too well in Philly, and that won’t change in ’09.

Chalk up a loss in Week 15.

 

WEEK 16: DECEMBER 27TH VS. DETROIT

The NFL delivers a present in time for the holidays to the 49ers in Week 16, but not only keeping them at home but sending the first ever 0-16 team to face them.

Detroit can only get better than last year, which included a 31-13 embarrassment at Candlestick last season, but the rebuilding effort will take much longer than 15 games.

As long as San Francisco plays steady on both sides of the ball, and assuming they are chasing a playoff spot, they should handle the Lions with ease.

Probably the easiest game of the year for San Francisco.

 

WEEK 17: JANUARY 3RD AT ST. LOUIS

When Jed York spoke last year of no longer ending seasons in December, he probably wasn’t referring to a January 3rd regular season finale with the Rams.

But, with the 49ers likely to be a middle-of-the-pack NFC team clawing and scratching its way toward a playoff berth, this game could determine whether they play further into January.

If that is the case, the 49ers will want to avoid the same fate as the ’08 Bears team that saw its playoff hopes vanish in the final week of the season.

The 49ers should enter this game a favorite, but nothing is guaranteed, especially considering that the Rams squad that had them on the ropes in St. Louis last season is probably going to be improved.

This time around, the 49ers will need to focus on the Rams’ young receivers. Early in the season, second-year men Donnie Avery and Keenan Burton will still be developing.

Come January, they could pose a real threat inside the dome with Marc Bulger leading the charge.

If the 49ers can control the ball on offense and force the Rams to beat them with Steven Jackson, their defense should b able to secure a victory.

Probable win for the 49ers.

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With this overall assessment, the best-case scenario for the 49ers looks to be 10-6 and a playoff birth, but that is a stretch at this point, considering the likelihood for all NFL teams to lay an egg once or twice a year against lesser opponents. Along those same lines, a three-game swing in the win column may be too much to expect from the young squad.

The outlook seems good in San Francisco, however it’s not all feel-good stories and total optimism for the 49ers going into 2009.

The team is without a time-proven starter under center, and has a new offensive coordinator with baggage that includes a career 67-125 record. The defense still needs to establish a pass rush and shore up holes in the secondary.

While it may have appeared that the 49ers defense improved in the nine games under Singletary last season, it only managed to trim about 25 yards per game off the 339 yards per game it surrendered with Mike Nolan at the helm. Obviously, 315 yards allowed per game is still too steep.

The offense seemed to find a spark with Singletary as well, but it remains to be seen whether that was a result of his motivational reach spanning the entire team, or Mike Martz pulling out all the stops in his effort to land the head coaching job.

Optimism is contagious, especially amongst 49er fans, but it will probably take until mid-season before they know if a positive outlook has been validated.

San Francisco 49ers: Untapped Potential Awaits Jimmy Raye

While my phone stays quite active during the regular season, with back and forth texting banter between friends and I as the football games unfold, it’s a rare occurrence that a preseason game will elicit any kind of message other than “hope that guy enjoyed training camp.”

Of course, every now and then something special, something promising happens, that gives a fan reason to react.

Such was the case in the 2008 preseason, when my phone started blowing up with reactions to a 101-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the San Francisco-San Diego contest.

It wasn’t the first time any of us had seen a kickoff taken all the way to the house, but it was probably the first time we’d seen a backup tight end do it.

The star of those preseason heroics that evening was 49ers backup utility man Delanie Walker, a sixth-round draft pick in 2006 that has shown glimpses of immense potential that up to this point has gone mostly untapped.

The arrival this offseason of new 49ers offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye has been met with marked pessimism, mainly due to the lackluster records of the teams for whom he was previously in that position; however, several 49ers stand to see their production climb significantly in 2009 based on Raye’s strengths as an offensive coach.

Walker, one of the most versatile players on the team, could be among those who benefits the most from the new offense.

Raye has served in the coordinator capacity on a number of teams in the past, including the (then) Los Angeles Rams, Tampa Bay, Kansas City and Oakland. He offenses have been all over the map in regards to overall productivity, with several of his teams posting top-10 finishes in passing, and several others doing the same in rushing.

Never has an offense finished top 10 in both categories under Raye’s guidance—in fact they have been mostly dominant in one area and toward the bottom of the league in the other—which shows that Raye has the ability to excel in both the air and on the ground, but vexingly hasn’t been able to do so at the same time.

All indications are that either the running backs are in for a big year, or the quarterbacks and tight ends.

Why tight ends and not wide receivers?

The main reason is depth and experience, which the 49ers appear to have more of both at tight end.

Another indication of such is that former Kansas City tight end Tony Gonzalez, a future Hall of Famer, began his development into an elite tight end while playing under Raye with the Chiefs. At the same time, no wide receivers have really had dominant seasons playing for him, a list that includes Randy Moss and Henry Ellard.

Why might Walker see his breakout instead of Vernon Davis?

It’s no guarantee that Walker will play a bigger role in this year’s offense, especially since the talent pool has gotten deeper with the arrival of rookie Bear Pascoe, but Walker has made himself valuable at a variety of positions while Davis has shown his receiving skills are limited.

A former collegiate wide receiver, Walker was a four-star recruit coming of out Mt. San Antonio Junior College in 2003. He was recruited heavily by some of the Pac-10’s elite programs, including USC. Ultimately, he wound up at Central Missouri State after less-than stellar grades kept him out of a top school.

Upon being drafted, two big questions surrounded Walker’s arrival:

How good might he have been had he played at USC?

How hard will adapting to the NFL be after playing in Division II?

For his part, Walker did what a top recruit should do when forced to check down to a Division II program, posting 1347 yards on 113 receptions in 20 games for Central Missouri.

Since joining the 49ers, he has been one of the most dependable backups on the team. That he was able to notch 21 receptions as a second-stringer in the abysmal Jim Hostler offense of 2007 shows he could be counted on for a more prominent role in the future.

It’s almost a given that Davis, a former first-round pick the 49ers have a lot more invested in, will be the starting tight end this season. But it’s not out of reason that Walker won’t even need to capture the starting spot to make an impact.

With the 49ers poised to be a run-oriented team, two tight end formations could be featured much more in 2009 than three and four-wide receiver sets.

Along those lines, Walker’s past experience in the H-back role gives them more ways to take advantage of his speed and pass catching ability, not just from the line of scrimmage, but out of the backfield.

Davis’ inconsistent receiving skills have up to this point been offset by his tremendous blocking ability; with Walker in the mix, he can fill the receiving void while giving the 49ers another big body that serves as both a blocking and pass catching threat.

The way the 49ers are currently built, it looks as though the team would benefit most if Raye’s focus is on the passing game. With Frank Gore managing to hit the 1000-yard multiple times already and what looks to be an improved offensive line for 2009, it would probably take a severely inept coordinator to not get decent production on the ground this season.

With a solid rushing attack in place, an improved and focused passing game could finally give Raye the complete offense that has eluded him through most of his career.

He’ll have to start by identifying and utilizing all of the talent at his disposal, and Walker is capable of being his secret weapon.

Another Generation of Montanas Trying To Blaze Their Own Trail

Throughout the 1980’s, Joe Montana was possibly the most recognizable man in the NFL, if not all of sports. His calm demeanor and ability to perform under pressure, not to mention all the Super Bowl victories and MVP honors, made him the poster child of athletic accomplishment in America.

Those accomplishments as the most respected quarterback in football during his prime have given Montana legendary status in the sports world, giving his successors with the San Francisco 49ers one tough act to follow.

Imagine trying to carry that torch throughout life as his son.

Yesterday, San Jose Mercury News college sports beat writer Jon Wilner had a link in his blog to a brief ESPN.com story highlighting the performance of Nathan Montana, the youngest son of the four-time Super Bowl champion Joe and his wife Jennifer, at a recent training camp for high school football prospects.

Nathan is currently the signal-caller at Oaks Christian High School in Westlake Village, Calif., where a few of his teamates also have noteworthy fathers, including Trevor Gretzky (son of Wayne) and Trey Smith (son of movie star Will). In his junior season, the 6’1″, 185-pound Nathan threw for over 2500 yards while leading Oaks Christian to a California Interscholastic Federation sectional title.

ESPN.com’s review of the EA Sports Elite 11 Regional Camp at Berkeley, Calif. had Nathan as the top rated quarterback prospect in the camp, which included over 60 kids from as far away as Iowa and Virginia.

Noting that he is one of the most sought after high school quaterbacks in the country, ESPN.com offered this analysis:

“Montana has a great frame, was solid on his drops, had a quick release and was spinning it very well. He plays with a swagger and has excellent leadership skills…”

Sounds like a chip off the ol’ Joe Cool block.

College recruiting site Scout.com seems just as impressed as ESPN, already bestowing a four-star rating on Nathan before the end of his junior year in high school. 

“His arm strength is solid. He’s got good touch on his throws, and he managed the offense well. Throws a nice deep ball,” notes Scout.com Brandon Huffman, before adding the obvious. “Has good bloodlines too.”

Despite the rave reviews, Nathan seemed more focused on the portions of his game that need tweaking, rating his day in Berkeley as just “average.”

“I wasn’t as consistent as I wanted to be and my mechanics were messed up a little,” he told ESPN. “I threw some good balls but I’m usually a lot more accurate.”

Self-criticisms aside, Nathan has a notable list of suitors at the next level, and appears to be keeping his options open and not limited to a single geographic region. Scout lists Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Ohio State, Stanford, Washington, and dad’s alma mater, Notre Dame, as the schools currently under his consideration.

If he’s to willing to take additional weight on his shoulders by following in Joe’s footsteps at Notre Dame, Nathan will have familiar company there, as his older brother is a preferred walk-on with the Fighting Irish, also at the quarterback position.

Nick Montana didn’t see the kind of success Nathan has so far in high school, serving mainly in spot duty as the third-stringer at national powerhouse De La Salle High School in Concord, Calif. But he too benefited from not only the stellar bloodlines, but the tutelage of Steve Clarkson, a former San Jose State and CFL quaterback that has made his career coaching prospects as young as elementary-school age.

The Hall of Famer Montana has been noted on many occasions saying he wouldn’t push his sons to football, knowing the immense pressure there would be to live up to the name before even taking a snap. But now that they have taken to the gridiron, Joe is taking all the necessary steps to ensure their success by seeking the guidance of other quarterbacking gurus, rather than assuming his mentorship is all they will need.

Clarkson’s camps have produced nearly 20 NFL quaterbacks and numerous collegiates, including Matt Leinart, Ben Rothlisberger, and current Notre Dame passer Jimmy Clausen, who also attended Oaks Christian High School, and now Clarkson’s colaborating with Debartolo University, an amateur sports company founded by the prolific former 49ers owner.

In a day and age in which simply having natural talent and instinct won’t take you nearly as far as it did in the elder Montana’s day, it’s obvious that Joe, who is now serving on the coaching staff for Nathan’s high school team, is willing to give his sons ample opportunity to chase his old accomplishments.

Montana’s son is just one in a long list of legendary sports figures whose sons have tried to pursue dad’s craft, including NFL quaterbacking father-son tandem Bob and Brian Griese, and Michael Jordan’s son Marcus, who recently accepted a scholarship to play basketball at Central Florida.

And while Nathan looks to be well on the right track, it’s important to keep in mind that high school performances and high recruiting service grades are no guarantee that a kid will pan out at the collegiate level, much less find stardom at the NFL level.

Numerous five-star recruits have fizzled out of the collegiate rankings before exhausting their eligibility, while the recruiting services completely missed the mark on current NFL superstars such as 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis (rated two stars by Scout coming out of high school), or former collegiate All-Americans such as new 49er receiver Michael Crabtree (three stars coming out of high school).

But it doesn’t hurt to imagine a second coming of the man considered by many to be the greatest ever, especially for long-time 49er fans stuck in the stands wondering if there is a quarterback on its roster that is able to lead the team for an entire season.

 

Way Too Early NFC West Preview

In recent years, the West division of the National Football Conference has been revered in the sports world almost like estranged family–no one’s too fond of it, no one’s too impressed by it, and it certainly gets no respect.

But much like its baseball counterpart the NL West–also given hardly a shred of respect before or during the season–the NFC West division has managed to surprise doubters that think the worst football in the league is played there.

Three years ago Seattle surged through the entire conference en route to its first Super Bowl appearance, and last season Arizona defied the odds by following up its pedestrian 9-7 season with an unpredictably dominant run in the playoffs, falling only a shoe-string catch short of the Lombardi trophy.

In fact, the only team in the NFC West not to make a Super Bowl trip this decade is the one with by far the richest history, San Francisco, who could be poised for a breakout season.

So as the NFC West sets out for another year in which league-wide expectations will likely be mediocre, lets take a look at possibly the most underrated division in the league, in my predicted last to first order for the 2009 season.

 

ST. LOUIS RAMS

2008 Record: 2-14 

Predicted 2009 NFC West Finish: Fourth

New head coach Steve Spagnuolo, the defensive wiz that organized the strategy that kept New England’s offense in check in Super Bowl XLII when he was the Giants defensive coordinator, has signed on to be the head man in St. Louis after having been rumored for a number of vacancies the past two offseasons.

Hot new commodities on the coaching market have fizzled out plenty of times in the past, so the Rams will need more than a coaching change to improve on their abysmal seasons of the past two years.

They picked up some immediate help in the draft, OT Jason Smith of Baylor in the first round, and Ohio State’s All-American linebacker James Laurinaitis in the second, but rather than boosting the current lineup the rookies will be replacing departed veterans.

The drafting of Laurinaitis seems to have paved the way for the release of last years’ leading tackler Pina Tinoisamoa, a move that surprised many, and Smith has the unenviable task of trying to live up to the standard set by Orlando Pace over the last decade.

Perennial Pro Bowler Torry Holt is gone, having requested his release, and thereby leaving quarterback Marc Bulger as the final remnant of the “Greatest Show on Turf.”

Those pass-happy days appear to be long gone in St. Louis, with the team having purged itself of nearly its entire staff of wide outs, and second-year men Donnie Avery and Keenan Burton left as the main outside targets for the aging Bulger.

The only bona-fide superstar left on the roster is running back Steven Jackson, who will need St. Louis’ efforts to bolster the offensive line in the offseason (which included the signing of prized free-agent center Jason Brown)  to pay off in order to be productive.

Even if the offense is improved, St. Louis still has too many question marks on defense to make much of a rebound in 09. Spagnuolo probably needs another draft or two to be able to work his magic.

The Rams should definitely be better than two wins this season, but more than five could be a moral victory.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

2008 Record: 4-12

Predicted 2009 NFC West Finish: Second-place tie

Seattle may have been decimated by injuries in 2008, but a 4-12 finish last season was still a long way to fall considering the way the ruled the NFC West with four- straight division titles leading into ’08.

Losing the only coach to lead them to a Super Bowl, Mike Holmgren, doesn’t seem to bode well, though the 2008 offseason announcement of his pending retirement probably didn’t help matters that year.

Former Falcons coach Jim Mora Jr. takes over, and while he wasn’t wildly successful in Atlanta, he is familiar with the NFC West, having been defense coordinator in San Francisco earlier in the decade.

While the Seahawks aren’t likely to recapture the success they had in 2005 when they made the Super Bowl, they’re easily better than last year’s four-win debacle.

If Matt Hasselbeck can remain healthy–Seattle’s draft day pass on Mark Sanchez indicates they expect him to–the offense should be more potent, especially with the arrival of TJ Houshmandzadeh at wide out and fullback Justin Griffin paving the way for Julius Jones and TJ Duckett. Draft pick Max Unger could be an immediate starter on the offensive line.

Defensively, the linebacking crew could be one of the best in the league, despite the departure of Julius Petersen. First-round pick Aaron Curry was considered by many the top overall defensive prospect in the 2009 draft, and a threesome with re-signed Leroy Hill and Lofa Tatupu could wreak a lot of havoc on the NFC West this season.

Ken Lucas has also returned after his stint in Carolina, providing some size on the outside to matchup with the deep receiving talent in the West.

Depending on Hasselbeck’s health and the team’s ability to adapt to a new coach, Seattle could be anywhere from a sub-.500 team to 10-6 and contending for the playoffs, but chances are they will be neck-and-neck for second place in the division.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

2008 Record: 7-9

2009 Predicted NFC West Finish: Second-place tie

Much like Seattle, the 49ers enter 2009 with new leadership, only not just at head coach, but with new team President Jed York now running the day-to-day operations.

And while now-permanent Head Coach Mike Singletary seems to have a new vision and the right mindset to lead San Francisco over the hump they’ve been stuck at for the last few years, there are plenty of question marks.

The overall offense is the big mystery; Singletary and General Manager Scot McCloughin were meticulous in their search for Mike Martz’ replacement, only to be rebuffed by Scott Linehan (who signed with league doormat Detroit instead) and finally settling on a coordinator with a less-than-mediocre winning pecentage, Jimmy Raye.

Singletary contends Raye was hired because he shares his vision for physical football, while local speculation in the Bay Area leans toward Raye being the last option. While the offensive talent has improved, San Francisco may have taken a step back coaching-wise.

The saving grace in that situation is that Raye likes to pound the football, and will have one of the premier horses in the league, Frank Gore, to rely on.

The passing game got an upgrade in the draft when Michael Crabtree fell to San Francisco at the tenth spot, however the quarterback competition between Shaun Hill and Alex Smith could last into preseason–in other words, until someone loses the battle.

The 49ers will be overly-reliant on its defense to keep it in games in 2009, a trend of recent years. The unit should be more consistent now that defensive coordinator Greg Manusky can stick with the 3-4 scheme rather than alternating within former coach Mike Nolan’s hybrid flop.

Leading the Niner defense is Patrick Willis, the 2007 All-Pro rookie who appears ready to assume Ray Lewis’ torch as the top linebacker in the league. The team needs outside linebackers Parys Haralson and Manny Lawson to  provide the pass-rushing threat it expects out of them,  but a talent drop-off still remains in the secondary, especially with cornerback Walt Harris likely out for the year.

Considering the 49ers were one ill-advised two-yard fullback dive away from beating Arizona last year and going to the playoffs, there is reason for optimism in San Francisco. But with a mediocre coordinator taking over a raw offense, double-digit wins appears to be out of reach.

ARIZONA CARDINALS

2008 Record: 9-7

2009 Predicted NFC West Finish: First

While San Francisco may have been two yards away from stealing the NFC West from the Cardinals last season, Arizona was a shoe-string, toe-dragging catch away from winning the Super Bowl.

On the heels of one of the more entertaining Super Bowls in history, expectations are higher than ever in the desert, especially with quarterback Kurt Warner finding the spiritual guidance he needed to resign with the Cards for $23 million.

Questions regarding Pro Bowl wideout Anquan Boldin’s commitment to the team have rivaled Warner’s headlines during the offseason, but all indications are that Boldin won’t be moved in 2009, meaning Arizona will likely have the most dangerous passing game in the league this year.

Edgerrin James has been released, which won’t affect the team much with the drafting of Ohio State star Chris “Beanie” Wells, who is likely to share Arizona’s relatively light running load with Tim Hightower.

As long as Warner has Boldin paired with Larry Fitzgerald, who broke out as the NFL’s premier receiver in 2009, Arizona should be lighting up scoreboards throughout the season. Even if Boldin were to be traded, the Cardinals have quality backup behind him in Steve Breaston, and such a move would almost certainly net Arizona great talent and/or draft picks in return.

The defense won’t be as staunch as the offense is electric, but it continues to improve.

Bryant McFadden has been brought in from Pittsburgh opposite Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, one of the top rookie defenders in 2008, and the safeties remain solid in Antrell Rolle and Pro Bowler Adrian Wilson.

The pass rush should also be solid, but not spectacular behind Bertrand Berry and Chike Okeafor, hoever Darnell Dockett’s unrelenting demand for a trade could pose problems for the defensive unit.

Any potential problems for the defense won’t be a major concern in Arizona, as their defense will face far better competition in practice than it will within the division.

More than anything, what is likely to keep Arizona on top of the NFC West is shot-caller Ken Whisenhunt.

Coach Whisenhunt reminded the league in 2008 that he was a proven winner in his roles prior to being a head coach, and served notice that he plans on continuing his winning ways.

The Cards may have stumbled upon some luck on their way to the Super Bowl, but with a potential Hall of Famer under center and a rising head coach that came from a winning franchise, Arizona is poised to maintain and build on the success of ’08 and mount another playoff run.

None of the other teams in the NFC West appear to have the talent to contain Arizona’s passing game, and the Cardinals’ defense should be serviceable enough to contain the other offenses in the division, ensuring their grip on the division title for at least one more year.

See Ya Tony K, Don’t Let the Door Hit You on the Way Out

For football fans that prefer their game broadcasts managed by professionals that know their place and are void of arrogance, today is a day for rejoicing. Tony Kornheiser has stepped down from the Monday Night Football broadcast team, as his fear of flight has overcome his desire to ruin the game calls.

To the Kornheiser backers, I’ll get it out of the way up front—the man is a highly accomplished sports journalist.

Between the newspaper columns, radio shows, cable TV shows, and millions of dollars he has made by plastering his mug throughout ESPN programming over the years, Kornheiser is a true success story. Who am I to criticize him, right?

I’m a sports fan, that’s who.

A sports fan that prefers to leave the play-by-play to the professionals, the color commentary to the experts that have lived the sports they explain to us, and a fan that has no need for that third analyst spot that Kornheiser filled worse than Dennis Miller did years ago.

Monday Night Football had already taken a hit following the exit of Al Michaels from the broadcast crew in 2006, and the decision that same year to allow Kornheiser—a notoriously self-absorbed and pompous sports critic—to pollute the Monday Night telecasts eliminated MNF from the ranks of supposed “must-watch” programming.

A true shame, really, considering the other two thirds of the MNF team consist of the highly respectable Mike Tirico and Ron Jaworski, with the latter constantly having to battle Kornheiser for airtime when it came to color commentary.

Let’s face it, no matter how many years someone spends writing and talking about sports, they have no business trying to rival a former Pro Bowl quarterback like “Jaws” on a football broadcast; no more right than I would have trying to steal Emeril Lagasse’s thunder on a cooking show because I have eaten a lot of food in my day.

True sports fan just want to watch the game, have it called by a competent play-by-play guy, and explained by a credible color man; we don’t need to know about any underlying ironies or a correlation between a city’s landmarks and its team’s record.

We certainly don’t need a third voice in the booth that has an almost alarming obsession with Brett Favre (maybe the aviophobia excuse is just a ruse after all?).

If you think I am being harsh on Kornheiser, I am not alone. He’s consistently felt heat for his contribution (or lack of one) to the MNF broadcast since he first joined the crew, and despite the fact that he has made an entire career out of waging his own verbal onslaughts onto others, apparently he can’t take the heat so well himself.

When former Washington Post colleague Paul Farhia highlighted Kornheiser’s role as being third fiddle on the broadcast team and said he played a similar role that Miller had but “in a bad way,” Kornheiser lashed out at Farhia on The Dan Patrick Show, calling him a “two-bit weasel slug,” and claimed the Post had backstabbed him for having the nerve to levy criticism in his direction.

Kornheiser’s blatant and cocky sense of self-entitlement obviously has him believing it is ok to dish it out without taking it in return; fortunately this year’s travel schedule scared him off and has relieved viewers from having to put up with him on Monday nights.

It would have been addition by subtraction, however the news that the new third man in the booth will be former Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden has actually improved the broadcast by leaps and bounds.

Instead of having to simply “deal” with the unnecessary evil Kornheiser’s presence represented, now I can look forward to true insight from someone that actually has a clue—and with Gruden, we’ll get it in entertaining fashion.

So in that regard, I guess I owe ol’ Tony a bit of gratitude for stepping down.

Congrats buddy, you just made Monday Nights a whole lot better.

 

10 Former 49ers Worthy of 2nd Round HOF Inductions

In an apparent effort to display his appreciation for the past while leading the charge on a new beginning, San Francisco 49ers team president Jed York announced earlier this week the creation of the Eddie Debartolo Sr. 49ers Hall of Fame.

The initial round of inductees is already decided, consisting of former players and one coach who have either had their numbers retired by the team or been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

It’s a “who’s-who” list of 49er legends dating back to their pre-Super Bowl era. With the first wave of inductees settled, and a rich history that includes five Super Bowls championships, numerous NFC championship appearances and countless Pro Bowl participants, the 49ers aren’t short on alumni worthy of consideration down the line.

Following is a list, easily debatable considering the talent that has donned the Red and Gold, of former 49ers that should be at the list for the next round of inductees. Additions, subtractions or debate of course is encouraged.

The Greatest 49er Game You Likely Didn’t Attend

New Year’s Eve of 2005 doesn’t hold a lot of significance for me; another year closed out with a typical New Year’s fighting for a taxi, fighting traffic to get to a typical bar, and then fighting through a typical New Year’s Eve crowd of amateurs just to get a beer.

I was single back then, and ready to put the closing touches on a rather lackluster year for me. But what got me through the minutia of another New Year’s that didn’t live up to the hype was knowing where I was going to be the next day…Jan. 1, 2006.

Monster Park: A wet, sloppy affair that hardly resembled true NFL football being played out in a pillow fight for the ages, that in the week leading up to it came to be known as “The Reggie Bush Bowl.”

A laugher of a game being contested by two laughable teams at the time, both 2-13 going in, and it was quite possibly the best time I’ve ever had at Candlestick Point. I’m pretty certain that two teams as dreadful as the ’05 Niners and Texans had never met in a game that late in the season with so much riding on the outcome—the first pick in the coming draft.

Leading up to the game, I was pretty fired up to have found $50 tickets on Craigslist marked down at a measly $30 a pop. I didn’t feel so shrewd; however, when I picked them up and discovered the seller had acquired them through a contest with 49er flagship station KNBR at no cost of his own.

Nevertheless, I got my money’s worth and more.

Before I get into the “why,” I’ll need to set the stage with the “who,” because the crew I rolled with on that rainy New Year’s Day made the game just as memorable as then first-year Coach Mike Nolan’s squad.

While I was up at the crack of dawn that day, loading coolers and trying to rally the troops, not only did I have the excitement of a kid on Christmas morning, but I was met with the backlash of that same kid as he tries to drag his parents out of bed too soon.

Coming along with me were my roomates—my cousin Schnick and good friend Philthy Phil—along with Schnick’s best friend “All in on a Pair of Twos” Tony, who’s nickname obviously doesn’t relate to football but shouldn’t need any explanation.

These three were accompanied by their girlfriends, who normally could roll with the sports-frenzied crew impressively, but with this being New Year’s Day—a cold, gloomy one in which most folks probably weren’t bothering to crawl out of bed even for a bathroom break—through no fault of their own, they wound being dead weight for the fellas.

Fortunately for me, two of my most prized fellow fanatics met us at the ball park and rose to the occasion.

The first to meet us was my man Frank, easily the most passionate sports fan I know.

He knows all of his teams inside and out, and somehow backdoors his way into tickets to any event he wants. He actually attended four games during the Golden State Warriors’ “We Believe” Playoff campaign in 2007, without having season tickets or breaking the bank.

He also disappeared, dejected for a week after the 2002 World Series, and to this day probably doesn’t know exactly where he was.

Frank’s first passion is baseball and the San Francisco Giants; he once nearly got us kicked out of a bar for starting a random “Let’s Go Giants” chant that swept the place into a frenzy.

Another time, he DID get us kicked out of a casino in Lake Tahoe as we waited for a cab at 3am.

We were standing inside the lobby as a snowstorm blanketed the streets of South Lake when good ol’ Frank started hollering about how the Giants had signed Barry Zito, and we needed to get fired up…his aggressive pounding on the lobby windows got us tossed and walking in the blizzard back to our hotels.

Rest assured however, the Niners are a close second in his heart.

He’ll often call me at four in the morning and leave voicemails reminiscing about the 49ers of the 80s, naming off his favorite players in tandem with their numbers (“…what about Don Griffin, 29, or John Taylor, 82…”).

We all have that friend that takes sports fanhood to previously unseen heights, and I’ll put my guy against anyone’s.

Joining us as well was another solid sportsman, a friend of mine dating back to middle school named Ari.

He once dumped a girl over the phone after she had called him during the New York Mets-St. Louis Cardinals playoff series. She was naive enough to hop on her hometown Cardinals’ bandwagon and call the die hard Mets’ fan to rub it in when the Cards finally notched a win.

He ended the call with “…until you can name me THREE players on the Cardinals, I have no need to see or talk to you ever again.”

Ari also has his picture posted on a steakhouse wall in St. Louis, the result of him telling the waiter he was Mets’ third baseman David Wright, and the joke spinning seriously out of control.

Needless to say, I was in good company.

As we made our way farther up Highway 101 and closer to the stadium, it became apparent that the trend of San Francisco weather being a good 20 degrees below that of our home base in San Jose was in full force. Water from the bay was washing ashore and flooding the Candlestick parking lot like mini tidal waves.

Only the hardest of the hardcore faithful were turning out for this one.

The tailgate was up to par, and fortunately everyone we came with put in a solid effort for the pregame party.

The beers were ample, the bloody Marys were strong.

It didn’t quite measure up to the 100 beer debacle myself and six other lads held before a Niner-Redskin tilt in 2004 (please reserve judgement until you recall or imagine what it was like to have Dennis Erickson leading your pro team and Ken Dorsey under center), but rest assured the parking lot scavengers took a nice haul from our space that day.

Upon entering the stadium, it became almost embarrassingly clear that the scattered and scarce tailgates were indeed an indication of what the game’s attendance would be.

You would have thought we were at an indoor lacrosse game based off the amount of empty seats.

There was a mysterious buzz in the air that day amongst the 25,000 or so that turned out. Everyone was debating whether the 49ers should sell out and secure another No. 1 overall pick for the second consecutive year, or play like the proud franchise the Bay Area is accustomed to and force the Texans into the pick.

I was a little conflicted, as I couldn’t help but live the pipe dream of Reggie Bush bringing the same ridiculous heroics he displayed at USC to the dismal 49er offense.

Deep down though, I was there to see a freaking win.

We made it to our nosebleed seats, perched like Gargoyles overlooking the field as the rain pummeled us from above.

From those seats, in the last game of the year, we saw a first for the season (depressingly), and a career—Alex Smith throwing a touchdown pass.

You would have thought it was Montana to Clark in the back of the end zone that day based off the elation in the stands, and to be honest, when Smith’s pass went up there was probably more uncertainty in the crowd than with Montana’s playoff game-winner against the Cowboys so many years earlier.

And creating a bit of meaningless trivia was the man on the receiving end, none other than Brandon Lloyd, laying out for the circus catch because it was the only way he could ever haul in a pass in the first place.

It was a glorious moment, so much so that most fans there forgot how pathetic it was in the to begin with that it took Smith and the Niners until the final game of the season to net that elusive TD.

By halftime, much of the rain-saturated crowd was starting to clear out already, costing themselves witness to the most gutsy performance the Niners had put on in years.

I received a call from Frank, who had met up with his buddy in the lower reserve earlier in the game, letting me know it was open season on the best seats in the house. Ari and I sprang up and left the couples behind to the comfort of their blankets in the cheap seats.

It was during the second half that the 49ers made a breakthrough, not just for the game, but for the sake of ending the season on a high note.

While we sat behind Houston’s bench amongst an army of first-class hecklers, the Niner defense dug in and started playing as a complete unit. It was also during the second half that a future superstar began to make his statement.

I don’t have the stats handy for this game, and for all I know Frank Gore may not have had spectacular numbers that cold afternoon.

What is clear in my memory is that number 21 eased the concerns of everyone who doubted that Kevan Barlow was the future for San Francisco.

While we spent the entire second half standing on the rain-drenched seats hoping to avoid pneumonia, Gore finished off the season by staking his claim in the first string offense, and the way he ran the ball that second half went a long way to helping the defense keep the team in the game.

The ultimate star; however, was Mike Adams (whatever happened to THAT guy?) who picked off backup Tony Banks to set up Joe Nedney’s game-winning field goal with 3:52 left in the game.

As the final seconds ticked off, we spilled onto the field like a bunch of wide-eyed college freshman, having for just one afternoon forgotten how miserable that season, and several before it, had been for 49er fans, and celebrated with the players and fellow hardcore fans.

Both the thoughts and desire for the first-round pick that year were erased; all that was fresh on our minds was the reminder that the best Sundays are the ones that include a 49er victory.

As it turned out, it wasn’t even “The Reggie Bush Bowl” after all; with the top pick, Houston took defensive end Mario Williams, and despite the heat the team took for passing on the “sexy” pick in Bush, all indications are they made the right call.

What stood out for that game is that the players never quit.  Whether it was fresh on their minds or not, they had a rich tradition to live up to in San Francisco, and for at least one game they did just that.

It was also a moment Coach Nolan could be extremely proud of.

For all his missteps on the sidelines and beyond, 49er beat reporters have repeatedly said his players never stopped competing for him, and New Years Day of ’06 was the first prime example.

It was also a truly memorable example of how the most passion of 49er fans, the hardest of the hardcore, will never quit on the team that has provided them with so many incredible seasons and memories.

Uniforms Won’t Be the Only Throwback in ’09: The Return of Rathman

In an offseason that has been defined by changes throughout the organization, one that may have the most impact on the San Francisco 49ers in 2009 and beyond could be flying well under the radar of the younger or casual fan.

But for those who have bled 49er Red and Gold since Eddie Debartolo ran the show and his franchise was the class of the NFL, the return of former fullback Tom Rathman, a jack of all trades staple in Bill Walsh’s West Coast offense for eight seasons in San Francisco, is a reminder of what once was—and could be.

A third round draft pick out of his home state Nebraska, Rathman proved to be among the most versatile of the many stars of the 49ers from the mid-’80s through the early ’90s, back when it was hard for anyone, much less a primarily blocking back, to grab a piece of the 49er spotlight.

While fulfilling the normal duties of a standard NFL fullback, Rathman paved the way some of San Francisco’s top running backs ever, names like Ricky Watters and before him the legendary Roger Craig, and now the former number 44 looks to guide the way from the sidelines for the next great 49er back.

Its a source of excitement for Niner fans desperate for a return of the kind of offensive production Rathman helped create as a player, both rushing and receiving, like when he led all running backs in the NFL in receptions in the Super Bowl championship season of 1989.

And along with the reputation Rathman earned with each season and every down he smashed his way up and down the field for the 49ers, he’s also had marked success in the coaching ranks for multiple teams—including the 49ers in the past.

At each NFL stop Coach Rathman has made, he’s guided at least one rusher to the 1,000 yard mark, and that counts stints with some of the worst teams talent wise in the NFL over the last decade, including Oakland and Detroit.

While coaching across the bay the last few seasons, Rathman coached Justin Fargas to his first 1,000 yard season, and last year the Raiders ranked tenth league wide in rushing despite having one of the more inept overall offenses in recent memory.

Earlier this decade, former 49er backs Garrison Hearst and Charlie Garner broke out with Pro Bowl seasons under Rathman’s tutelage.

No doubt, Rathman’s first rate work ethic and devotion to the sport have carried over from his playing days to his current coaching duties, but the intangible he brings to the 49ers that might prove to be most valuable is his history as a flat out winner.

Coach Singletary’s booming mantra is plastered all over Bay Area billboards and echoing throughout local sports radio airways—”I want winners”—and he’s got one coaching the position Singletary and offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye plan to revolve the offense around.

With Jed York assuming control of the day-to-day operations and aspiring to recreate the model franchise his uncle Eddie built, bringing back a figure that represents the most successful period in 49er history could prove to essential to his vision.

Not only does Rathman command the kind of respect Singletary has based on his playing days, but he also sets the example to players of what a winner and a champion is.

Perhaps most importantly, Rathman can preside over a history class of sorts; reminding the new crop of 49ers of the history behind the five Super Bowl trophies on display at team headquarters, and filling them in on what it took to earn them.

Ultimately, with a Hall of Famer calling the shots on the sidelines and a Super Bowl champion coaching alongside him, this team won’t have to look far for that winning example.

Consistently Inconsistent: Potential QB Controversies Heading into ’09

Imagine that in your chosen field, there is only 32 open positions in the entire world.

Imagine that there could only be, say, 32 firemen.

Or 32 marine biologists…

Or 32 plumbers…

On second thought, we probably don’t want to imagine the kind of resulting catastrophe if there were only 32 plumbers in the entire world, but, if you can use your imagination nonetheless, you have an idea of the kind of odds a professional quarterback is facing.

It’s already an uphill battle just to make it far enough as a quarterback to draw the attention of the NFL, but once you’re there, only 32 starting jobs exist.

And that’s when the real pressure begins, because when the most competitive league in professional sports has a regular season consisting of just 16 games, there’s not a lot of time for growing pains, unless you have the patient luxury of being a multi-million dollar draft pick.

For the rest of the signal-callers, they’re often stuck at the end of a leash barely lasting a month into an NFL season.

While the sheer numbers make it a long shot to not just be a starting NFL quarterback, but also a successful one, there’s more factoring into the constant QB carousel in the NFL.

Back in the late 80s and early 90s, it seemed that the majority of NFL teams were pretty solid under center, when the likes of Montana, Esiason, Kelly, Sims, Everette, Marino, Elway, Moon, even Kosar and Hebert were slinging the ball on Sundays; and later followed by Young, Aikman, Favre, McNair and others.

That brand of stability is a thing of the past in the NFL, possibly a victim of the increase in teams, or possibly the result of college teams abandoning pro-style offenses and producing raw passers that rarely take snaps under center.

Regardless of the reason, there will once again be more than 32 starting quarterbacks this coming season, and injury will not be the sole cause. Some of the battles will start in summer camp and extend into the preseason; others will come to life well into the regular season.

Lets take a look at some current or potential QB battles—f not full-blown controversies—that fans will be treated (or subjected) to in 2009:

MIAMI

It’s hard not to sympathize with Chad Pennington.

He earns the starting job for the New York Jets and leads them to multiple playoff births, returns from a season-ending injury to win the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award, but can never shake the injury and arm-strength concerns.

He was unceremoniously dumped by the Jets when they chose to climb on the back of Brett Favre for the 2008 season.

Pennington responded by leading a Dolphin squad that won one game the previous year past the Jets and into the playoffs that season, but all indications are that Miami doesn’t covet him as their quarterback of the future.

Bill Parcells came in to clean house in 2008, and drafted his own Chad, former Michigan star Chad Henne. It’s only a matter of time before Henne takes over the offense, and if smokescreens have to be thrown up to justify Pennington’s removal, then so be it.

In the meantime, count on rookie Pat White to steal some reps out of the trendy Miami-based Wildcat formation.

CLEVELAND

Probably the most obvious quarterback controversy is coming out of Cleveland, but it could be the hardest to predict before the games start.

Default starter Derek Anderson should have locked this position up last season on the heels of his Pro Bowl performance in 2007; instead he was benched in favor of fan-favorite Brady Quinn, partially due to less than stellar play, partially due to fan outcry.

Whether the switch was warranted or not, Anderson took over for good in late November when Quinn suffered an injury, but could not manage double-digit touchdown passes on the season.

Quinn has been less than spectacular in his own right, but he’s a former first round pick, considered a more athletic talent than Anderson and also has the good fortune of being an Ohio product that grew up following the team and has a growing fan base in Cleveland.

New coach Eric Mangini isn’t tipping his hand as to who his starter will be, but with the team in need of so many upgrades, its likely that he will zero in on one quickly and use the odd man out as trade bait.

Prediction: Quinn will eventually assume the permanent reigns in Cleveland.

DENVER

If the way new Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels handles his personnel is any indication of how he’ll manage his head coaching duties, his greatest glory may have come as an offensive coordinator.

While the majority of NFL teams are desperately seeking a Pro Bowl-caliber QB, McDaniels landed a job where one of the only solidified positions was QB—and blew that up in no time.

In the aftermath of the Jay Cutler debacle that saw the Broncos’ franchise QB shipped off to Chicago, Denver is now mired in mediocrity with Kyle Orton and Chris Simms.

Orton has had more success in the league than Simms, proving more than servicable in Chicago and able to win when the talent around him is up to task.

Simms on the other hand has more physical talent and the pedigree that comes with the Simms name, which up to now hasn’t translated into a lot of wins.

No matter who McDaniels’ starter his heading into ’09, you can bet that there won’t be much slack thrown his way.

WASHINGTON

There really shouldn’t be much of a dispute in the Nation’s capital.

While incumbent Jason Campbell hasn’t been spectacular, he hasn’t been horrible either; his youth and natural talent indicate that he’s probably worth the investment owner Dan Snyder made in him a few short years ago.

Of course, Snyder expects to win now, and while he is more than willing to splurge on veterans that saw their best days when Tecmo Super Bowl was still the hottest video game on the market, he has no patience for a struggling third-year QB.

His reaction has been to test the waters on Cutler, then not-so-privately kick the tires on drafting rookie Mark Sanchez (apparently he’s willing to be patient with him?).

So while Campbell in all likelihood will start in DC, Snyder very publicly gave his starter a vote of no confidence.

And if Campbell can’t perform given the circumstances, good luck trying to recapture the 2007 magic of Todd Collins.

OAKLAND

This is the season that Al Davis proves once in for all that his “Just Win, Baby” mantra only goes as far as his bank account, because if wins were the bottom line right now, Jeff Garcia would be his starter.

Instead, his multi-MULTI-million dollar horse JaMarcus Russell will be back under center.

And it isn’t so much that Russell deserves the bust label already; to the contrary, there may have never been a QB who left college early AND was surrounded with the lack of talent Russell has been. Simply surviving should be the top priority for the young cannon-armed Raider.

Garcia on the other hand has been to multiple Pro Bowls and led multiple teams to the playoffs, and is a career overachiever. He should have never been run out of San Francisco, and should not have been dismissed in Tampa Bay.

He could jump start the Raiders out of the NFL gutter in Rich Gannon-style, if only Al would eat some pride and allow Russell to sit and learn.

Working in Garcia’s favor is that the Raider Nation is anything but patient, or quiet for that matter, and the moment they sense another double-digit loss season, its going to be hard for head coach Tom Cable to ignore their calls for Garcia.

MINNESOTA

Whether or not they actually plan on working together in ’09, Bret Favre and the Minnesota Vikings both seem more than willing use each other to steal the spotlight.

So while the media has taken the bait on yet another potential Favre off-season soap opera, newly-acquired Sage Rosenfells has to face the reality he may not have quite escaped the lonely confines of the bench just yet.

Even if Favre does finally retire to his tractor for the month of September, there’s still no public guarantee that Rosenfells will out-duel part-time starter Tavaris Jackson.

The wild card that no one seems to acknowledge in Minnesota is second-year quarterback John David Booty. He had a solid, if not spectacular career at USC, a school that produces NFL starters whether or not they ever even started in college.

Why he doesn’t at least get a chance in Minnesota, where the QB play has been downright awful at times, as baffling.

Regardless, even if Favre comes back, the prediction here is that the QB position will hold the Vikings back yet again from cracking the NFL’s upper-echelon.

SAN FRANCISCO

In a sports town that has collected Pro Bowl quarterbacks almost in tandem with Super Bowl trophies, fans are jonesing for a quality starter like John Daly does for a beer on the back-nine.

Perhaps 49er fans should count their lucky stars that they were treated to back-to-back Hall of Fame quarterbacks, whose own backups could have started for half the league, and accept mediocre play under center the way much of the NFL’s fans do.

But that’s not the 49er way.

And despite new coach Mike Singletary’s promise of physical, smashmouth football by way of the ground, Niner fans can’t help but harken back to the glory days with the arrival of sensational college receiver Michael Crabtree.

All they need is someone to get the ball to him.

Shaun Hill appears to be the front-runner, with a 7-3 record as a starter and a knack for winning games in the scrappiest of styles. Hill’s come-from-behind victories against St. Louis and Washington at the end of the year possibly won Singletary the head coaching position, but apparently didn’t cement a starting job for himself.

In his way is Alex Smith, teetering on first-round bust status, but coming into the ’09 season with a repaired shoulder and a new sense of opportunity under the new coaching regime.

Singletary has shown that he won’t hesitate to pull a starter he doesn’t believe in, so there’s a fair chance both will see time under center this season.

Of course, if that’s the case, chances are the 49ers won’t be in the midst of a playoff run.

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