Pardon My Bias

A funny thing happens when your team is rumored to be interested in an aging, injured, but intriguing and exciting superstar. Fans go nuts. Facebook posts about dynasties, quiet grumblings about messing up the locker room chemistry. Everything gets culminated into a social media and communication frenzy of opinions flying in every direction. All of a sudden, your place in the fan universe goes from behind in a nice quiet, off-season resort area, to right smack dab in the middle of an asteroid field where objects are constantly buzzing right past your ear, shouting opinions as they fly by.

Welcome to my world.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the chaos of the offseason–it gives me something to do all day. As a writer, it gives me so many things that I could write paragraphs and paragraphs on. Every person shouting their opinions from the top of their Facebook page adds fuel to the fire.

Peyton Manning is elite. If this whole neck thing is not an issue (which is not even close to 100% certain), he makes the Broncos infinitely better at the QB position. In fact, it could be argued that the Broncos made the single greatest QB upgrade that any team has ever made in one offseason.

Manning Mania came rolling like a supernova blast through my sports universe a few days ago and it caught me off-guard. The 49ers were rumored to be interested, when all along everyone had assumed Alex Smith was destined to be back in order to continue the almost storybook coach-player relationship that he shared with Jim Harbaugh. After getting through the initial “WTF is happening” period, my thoughts were as follows:

This is good. If we get Manning, he instantly makes our offense better and potentially allows the 49ers to be able to cover for injuries and bad luck through the season. Last year, we had one major injury the entire year and a lot of our players had career years–expecting that to happen again is foolish and Manning allows us to cover ourselves if everything does not go our away again. If he signs and gets hurt, we have a pretty good plan B in Kaepernick who has had one year to digest the offensive system. If he signs somewhere else, we bring back Alex Smith and we continue on our merry way.

Now that Manning has moved on and Smith is flirting with Miami, a few things have become apparent:

1) It is in the 49ers best interest to re-sign Alex Smith.

This upsets the people who were banking on Manning coming here in order to set up a dynasty. Fine, its OK to be disappointed that the 49ers didn’t get a possibly elite QB, but Alex Smith is pretty damn good alternative. If anyone doesn’t think so, their eyes have been blinded by the bright future they envisioned with Manning. If you rewind your thoughts to before Manning ever became a possibility, having Smith come back on a 3 year deal would have seemed like a good option. It still is, nothing has changed from a football perspective. Fine, Smith’s feelings may have been hurt. So what? It’s still in his best interests to sign here too because it gives him the opportunity to start on a winning team.

2) Alex Smith, if he re-signs, will need to get better as a QB in order for the 49ers to repeat their success

Forget about Moss and Manningham. They matter, but they won’t dictate whether or not the 49ers can even replicate what they did last year. If Smith re-signs, he will need to get better as a QB. His progression as a passer will have nothing to do with the new weapons he will have on offense, but it will have everything to do with his understanding of the offense and his confidence level. QB’s make their WR’s better, but WR’s have very little impact on their QB’s. Yes, Stafford’s numbers look better because he can throw it up to Calvin Johnson, but CJ has no effect on Stafford’s talent. Alex Smith will need to be a better decision maker and be able to handle pressure in the pocket better in order to succeed if he comes back. The Smith supporters have pointed to a lack of offensive continuity as a reason for his floundering performance and Smith will have a chance to prove them right.

Speaking of Smith supporters, I’ve talked to and heard about a few people who are happy Manning didn’t choose to sign with the 49ers. Open your eyes. Manning > Smith and it’s not close. Everyone can yap about preserving the atmosphere in the locker room and highlighting our team-first mentality, but everything, i mean everything, in sports is secondary to winning. Winning cures all woes and anyone who argues that bringing in Manning would hurt the 49ers chances to win in 2012 simply does not get it. It’s all warm and cozy to talk about camaraderie and building a team the right way through the draft, but the truth is that the ultimate goal is to win and taking the bold move is necessary sometimes. It’s not like Manning is T.O.–we are talking about a proven leader and all-time great at his position.

All of this is mute if Smith chooses to sign with Miami. Then you can question the 49ers tactics to flirt with Manning, but Smith would be in the wrong in that scenario. His best opportunity still lies in SF and if he leaves the 49ers due to a bruised ego, it’s his fault. However, if the Dolphins offer more money and the 49ers are unwilling to match, you couldn’t fault him. But if the 49ers make a competitive offer, it would be idiotic for Smith to leave based on the 49ers pursuit of Manning. Even Smith must realize Manning would be an upgrade at the position and free agency is defined by the players right to talk to other teams AND the teams right to talk to other players. Check your ego and your feelings at the door please, this is what we call an open market.

In the end, emotions are hard to keep out of sports conversations. We all have biases and viewpoints that differ from others and a consensus is almost never possible. The overall point in this conversation should be that 49er fans have reason to be both worried about repeating their success from last year and ecstatic that they finally have a coach and a GM they can uniformly trust. And if Alex Smith comes back, we can have the same old conversation about whether he’s good enough. And if he doesn’t we move on with a plan C.

Yes, it would have been easier to just sign Smith and stay away from Manning, but I don’t want to to be a fan of a team that ignores the chance of an obvious upgrade at the most important position in football just out of fear of stepping on people’s toes. You shouldn’t want to be a fan of that kind of team either.

Jaymin

Sports still has a little room for romanticism. Even if stories of scandals, trash talk and overzealous figures steal the bright lights of the front pages, you can find stories that would warm you up just as well as a campfire would on a cold night. Although these stories are sometimes too few and too far between, it’s hard not to get caught up in the moment when the triumph of the forgotten individual or downtrodden team catches your attention.

David Carr, Joey Harrington, Patrick Ramsey, Byron Leftwich, Kyle Boller, Rex Grossman, J.P. Losman, Jason Campbell, Vince Young, Matt Leinart, JaMarcus Russell, Brady Quinn. Since 2001, those quarterbacks have all been chosen in the first round of the NFL draft. And all of those QB’s on the list have vastly underachieved in their careers and, for the most part, have been relegated to bouncing around from team to team, trying to get a job that would at least let them wear a backwards baseball hat and hold a clipboard.

This last offseason, Alex Smith could have joined that group. It is no stretch to say that no one would have blamed him for doing so–in fact, his story is so analogous to that of an abused child that many would have argued that he needed the NFL equivalent of Child Protective Services to get him the hell out of San Francisco. Not that many 49ers fans would have minded. Then, along came Jim Harbaugh who played Robin Williams to Alex Smith’s Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting. He saw something in Smith that no one else either could see or wanted to see and, once Smith made it clear that he still wanted to make it work in San Francisco (for some reason), Harbaugh, in turn, made it clear that he wanted Smith back as well. And so began a relationship that defies the laws of logic, sense and modern-day NFL quarterbacking.

——

http://www.cbsnews.com/i/tim/2012/01/14/120114-Alex_Smith-AP120114156405_620x350.jpg

Perhaps it would be too easy to say that the 49ers victory over the Saints was poetic for all the right reasons. In the 49ers first home playoff game in almost a decade, Candlestick Park regained its former glory, as the sea of red in the stands watched familiarly as a quarterback willed the franchise to another signature playoff win. You could have sworn this game took place in the late 80′s or early 90′s. But in 2012, the story was different. It was Vernon Davis, an agile and fast tight-end, who led the team with 180 receiving yards. It was Donte Whitner, not Ronnie Lott, who set the tone on defense by delivering spine-tingling (and concussion-causing) blows to Saints ball-handlers. It was Aldon Smith doing Charles Haley impressions and Justin Smith, like a raging bull, aiming for the matador instead of the red veil. It was Alex Smith with two “game-winning” fourth quarter drives in his first playoff game.

Paragraphs can be written about how the 49ers have overcome every possible hurdle to be 14-3 so far this season and be one game away from the Superbowl, but those paragraphs would miss the point because this is not a story about beating the odds or defying expectations. This is a story about redemption. Not for the defense that could never get stops when it mattered most. Not for their coach who hated living the gigantic shadow that USC draped over the PAC-10. Not for their fans who have had to accept that the old days will never be transposed into the future. But for the quarterback who has every right to lift a giant middle finger to many, many people who watched him deliver one of the most unbelievable finishes in recent NFL memory.

Alex Smith, however, will never raise that middle-finger. Paradoxically, that is why he was much-maligned over his previous 6 years in San Francisco. Mike Singletary and Mike Nolan despised the fact that he seemed as meek and timid as they come. He was berated as being too shy and not capable of being a leader, so much so that his on-field play was a reproduction of the countless doubts and pressures that weighed on his mind. He was robotic, stiff and afraid. That’s precisely why it was so unimaginable that he should be the one on Saturday to help his team overcome the juggernaut Saints and win the game in a fashion in which no one expected the 49ers to win: in a shootout. It required bravado, fearlessness and belief from a quarterback that seemed to be running empty on all 3 categories. He made throws that were easy on the eyes and on the hands of his receivers. He flashed athleticism that everyone thought was gone with the wind, along with the rest of the traits that made him a contender for the #1 pick back in 2005.

Vernon Davis, who had the game of the his life, took time to compare Alex Smith to the kid who everyone used to pick on in grade school. Davis remarked that he could see Smith as the kid who everyone throw rocks at and spit on. Just like almost every other kid who gets shunned in such a way by his peers, Smith was never the type to fight back on the outside. In fact, Smith’s story is the true Revenge of the Nerds, he endured all the crap for six years and now he’s throwing that same crap in the faces of those who constantly tried to buried him in the past few years. That includes me. Several times I found myself wondering how in the world Smith could be fixable and I genuinely believed that he was more fit to be encased in a padded room than in an NFL pocket. I buried him once in 2009, then he came back to life. Then I buried him again last year and now he engineers one of the most masterful fourth quarter playoff performances of all-time. Hyperbole? Perhaps, but remember that, as previously stated, there is some room for romanticism left in sports.

This all is not to say that the story of this years 49ers is one to put a bow around. There are still chapters to be written in this book. But the first chapter is titled “Redemption’s Son” because Alex Smith is where this story started, even if it was seven years ago. And he still holds the pen.

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So the 2011 season for the San Diego Chargers has not fared well so far but I am a true fan and therefore have no choice but to have faith that things will turnaround. I put money on Philip Rivers to win the MVP this year (money well lost) and I’m sure many others wouldn’t have been surprised of this outcome before the season started. He still has the ability to be a top 5 quarterback in the NFL and I am sure that he can turn it around, whether it be this season or not. Although, I am a little worried about his clutch factor. There have been many games this season and last season in which he had the ball in his hands for the winning drive but came up short…but the guy has heart and I can’t bet against that. As a Chargers fan, I believe that this team will work its way out of this hole…I’m just hoping that they start digging themselves out this season. This though, is not what I am here to write about. It is no secret that I am not a huge fan of Norv Turner but today my beef lies with A.J. Smith and the Spanos family.

What exactly is a football team, or a sports team in general? It is a product, simple as that. You have an owner and management that strive to put out the best product possible in order to create the most profit. This is just like any other regular company, whether it be Coca-Cola, McDonald’s or a small business down the street. I work in social media marketing and therefore I do a lot of interacting with consumers and fans, and the end goal is to create conversation with your target audience and keep them happy. If your target consumers are not happy, well then good luck selling your product or service. Fair warning to Dean Spanos…your target consumers are not happy!

In 2006, we had a 14-2 team that couldn’t win a playoff game but sure as hell were going to get there. We then got rid of Marty Schottenheimer because he had a terrible playoff history (wasn’t a huge fan of the move but understood the decision). We then brought in Norv Turner (who had a terrible coaching history in general), and yes we have won a few playoff games but we are no better off than we were in 2006. Actually we are worse off. We allowed the Kansas City Chiefs to win the division last year (and did not make the playoffs) and this year we are on a 5-game losing streak. Like I said, I’m not here to bash on Norv Turner because I have already done that.

Time to stop smiling and get back to business.

The city of San Diego has been fighting to find a way to keep the Chargers here in San Diego while all these rumors swirl of them leaving to go off to Los Angeles. I can’t say whether our fans are fair weathered or not but I can tell you that it is extremely difficult being a fan of a team that is consistently inconsistent. We have plenty of injuries this season, and I understand that, but remember that they were saying the same thing about the Green Bay Packers last season. My issue is that home games are always very close to being blacked out, or are blacked out, but there is nothing being done to increase the quality of this team…of this product.  Besides the players that we resigned this offseason, our biggest acquisitions were Takeo Spikes and Bob Sanders. Both beastly at their position but not really something that could take this team over the top. I was hypnotized by these pick ups at first and was sure that our defense was going to be rock solid, as many others thought also. I lost perspective of how Sanders had been highly injury prone and how Spikes is up there in age  and how he has never made the playoffs. To be honest, what has been our biggest acquisition in the past 4-5 years? I can’t even think of one. Don’t get me wrong, we have some very solid players but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be looking for more.

A few weeks ago there was a lot of discussion on Twitter about how the Chargers should have tried trading for Asante Samuel. Oh yeah, I guess our management didn’t notice how shoddy our secondary was and how Cason and Gilchrist were getting torched. On top of that non-existent free agency activity, A.J. Smith has definitely lost his magical touch when it comes to drafting. Why was Steve Jobs revered? Why is Apple one of the greatest brands out there? They are all about innovation and staying on top of their field. In football this happens by drafting the right players and signing those that can make a huge impact. Things that the Chargers have lost sight of.

So now the Chargers are sitting at 4-6, two games behind the Oakland Raiders, one game behind the Tebow led Broncos, and struggling to sell tickets to their home games. All of this while us fans sit here wondering whether or not we will still have a team in the future. It is just good business to put out a product that people want and trust me, we want it. It doesn’t matter where the Chargers go, after a few years people are going to stop caring for a team that doesn’t live up the hype…a team that doesn’t make the changes needed to stay on top of its field. It is time that the Chargers owners and management take a real good look at what their target consumers want. It is time for them to do the research and develop a team that we can rally around and have faith in. It is time for them to stop being average and quit underachieving season after season. It is time for them to invest in a team that can live up to and go beyond expectations. It is time for them to give us iPods and stop trying to sell us Zunes.

This season in the NFL has been dubbed as “the year of the quarterback,” with QBs putting the ball in the air much more than before. Two quarterbacks, Tim Tebow and Cam Newton, have certainly made a ton of headlines. Both are outstanding characters and have brought a positive vibe and outlook to two markets that have seen their fair share of struggles in the past few seasons. This past year’s first overall pick Cam Newton has played exceptionally well for the Carolina Panthers and is the front-runner for the Rookie of the Year. Unfortunately for the Panthers, Newton’s great stats have not translated into wins this season, although his play has shown much promise for the future. Meanwhile in Denver, Tim Tebow has taken over the reins as starting quarterback and has won 4 out of 5 games. The Broncos reached for Tebow in the 2010 draft by trading up to take him with the 25th overall pick in the draft; a decision that was criticized by many experts and analysts. Although Tebow’s numbers have not been good for a starting QB in the NFL, he is winning games. Tebow throughout his career at Florida was known as a “winner,” and perhaps that is translating over into the NFL even though most thought it never would. So if you were the general manager of an NFL franchise and had both Newton and Tebow on the board, who would you draft?

photo courtesy of weallscheme.com

Cam Newton has had everyone’s attention this season from Week 1 with his unbelievable 422 yard, 2 TD game against the Cardinals, which unfortunately ended in a loss for the Panthers. Newton has thrown for 2605 yards, 11 TDs, rushed for 374 yards, and 7 rushing TDs. With that said, the Panthers have only won 2 games this season, but Newton has shown so much promise. When Peyton Manning started his career with the Indianapolis Colts, he had similar struggles that Newton is having. It’s clear what Peyton Manning then became — arguably the best QB in football. Newton certainly has the skills needed to be a successful QB in the NFL, and Panthers fans have a lot to look forward to in the near future. Newton is exactly the type of QB you would want to draft with the first overall pick in the draft. He without a doubt is a franchise QB for years to come for the Panthers.

photo courtesy of blog.al.com

Tim Tebow on the other hand has been the anti-quarterback to say the least. Tebow this year in his 5 starts has thrown for only 709 yards with only a 44.8% completion rate. One of his wins against the Kansas City Chiefs came with him only completing 2 out of 8 passes. Tebow has rushed for 388 yards with 3 rushing TDs. The Denver Broncos offense has looked unconventional at best. Credit goes to John Fox and his coaching squad for completely changing their offense midseason to cater to Tebow. The offense has a limited play book which revolves around wildcat plays for Tebow because he simply can’t throw the ball. Nonetheless the fact remains, the Broncos have won 4 games with Tebow as the starter. The guy simply knows how to win, and he has put the Broncos in the hunt for the AFC West.

So the question remains, who would you pick if both Tebow and Newton were both left on the board? For me the answer is easy–you have to go with Cam Newton. There have been a number of quarterbacks who play with an unconventional style such as Michael Vick and Vince Young (who ironically are on the same team now) that have never won anything. Tebow may be able to win a few games for the Broncos in the regular season against mediocre teams, but it will never transfer over into the playoffs where there are elite teams and elite defenses. Cam Newton needs  to develop the closer gene, but that will come with experience. He has the tools in place to be a great QB in the NFL. Newton’s style of play has translated to wins historically in the NFL. Winning regular season games is great, but winning in the playoffs and competing for championships is the ultimate goal of any NFL franchise (unless you are the Indianapolis Colts this year who are putting on a great ‘Suck for Luck’ campaign). So let the Tebow fans rejoice now, but this will not last. Cam Newton is a future star.

Courtesy of sportsgrindent.com

The Chicago Bears have slowly risen there way up to the top of the NFC and have finally gotten some attention. It is eerily similar to their run that they made to the NFC Championship game last year. Yeah, I know you forgot, it was the Bears that Aaron Rodgers crushed to get to the Super Bowl. This season looks like another promising one, but fans from the Windy City will certainly be hoping for a better finish this season. With strong defense, a fabulous run game, and a determined QB, the Bears may have the perfect concoction to make a charge into the playoffs again.

The biggest issue for the Bears has to be their division. The NFC North is the best division in football with three teams that could very well win the NFC. The Packers obviously being the defending champions, are the favorites to win the division with their 9-0 start. The Detroit Lions have surged this season finally tapping into some of the potential they had built up. The Lions are also 6-3 like the Bears, but it appears the Lions stock is slightly falling, while the Bears stock is certainly rising. The Lions lack the ability to run the ball and stop the run – two weaknesses that will hurt them tremendously in their run to make the playoffs.

Meanwhile, the Bears are getting some of the best performances from their stars. The three-headed defensive monster of Julius Peppers, Brian Urlacher, and Lance Briggs may be the most dangerous trio in the league (although Carlos Rogers, Justin Smith, and Patrick Willis from San Francisco are pretty damn good too). Devin Hester continues to be the most explosive return man the NFL has ever seen. Matt Forte has been the best running back in the league so far, even in Mike Martz’s high powered aerial offense (PAY THE MAN!). Jay Cutler has stepped into his roll as the leader of his team, highlighted by the clinic he put on Monday Night Football against the Eagles.

The Bears have what it takes to make it into the playoffs, and I believe they will surpass the Detroit Lions and secure on of the NFC Wildcard spots. Left on the schedule is the AFC West, which has been a struggling division to say the least, and most notably one more matchup with the Packers. It is not going to be an easy road for the Bears, but their confidence is at an all time high with wins against the Buccaneers, Eagles, and Lions over the last three weeks.

At the end of the day, defense and the running game always win December and January. The Bears have some of the best personnel at each of those positions. Jay Cutler has a chip on his shoulder, especially the way he went out last year in the NFC Championship game. His commitment was questioned, and he has come out shutting down all his critics. The stars may just line up for the Bears to make a deep run into the playoffs. This is a team that should not be slept on.

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