As I wrote the headline to this column, I mistyped and spelled “409ers.” It immediately reminded me of the old Beach Boys hit, “409,” one of the great car songs of the 1960s.The tune started out, “She’s real fine, my ... (Continue reading)
Perhaps overlooked in all the discussion of the San Francisco 49ers’ near-miss, quarterback Alex Smith’s resurgence and head coach Jim Harbaugh’s selection as Coach of the Year has been a singularly important item. Running back Frank Gore had a hell ... (Continue reading)
With the Super Bowl wrapped up, it’s time to riffle my deck of tarot cards and predict what the San Francisco 49ers will do next year—not as a team, but as individuals. My magic cards say that, as ... (Continue reading)
Tight end Vernon Davis of the San Francisco 49ers turned in a pretty good day’s work last Saturday against the New Orleans Saints: two touchdowns, 180 yards and seven catches, including two spectacular gains of over 40 yards. Not that ... (Continue reading)
San Francisco's bartenders will be busy on Saturday night. Let’s hope North Beach doesn’t get trashed the way it did following the 49ers’ first Super Bowl victory. But come the cocktail hour on Saturday, the City will be in ... (Continue reading)
As a reader of my last 49ers-Saints post commented, the New Orleans offense offers a sumptuous buffet called “Pick Your Poison.” Start with a heady serving of quarterback Drew Brees. Then around your plate, spoon in generous helpings of wide ... (Continue reading)
Dwight Clark and Everson Walls know a few things about home-field advantage. As recounted by Gary Myers in his vivid 2009 book, The Catch, 58 seconds remained in the NFC championship game on January 10, 1982. Chased by Dallas Cowboys ... (Continue reading)
Here’s a playoff nightmare for 49ers fans: Opponents get hip to the 49ers’ pass routes, the offensive line can’t hold on, and quarterback Alex Smith has to (a) run for cover, (b) throw the ball away or (c) take an ... (Continue reading)
As I write this on Friday, I’m indulging in something I can guarantee the 49ers are not doing—looking past the Seattle Seahawks. Because they’re the better team, the Niners will beat the Seahawks in Seattle on Saturday afternoon. And I’m ... (Continue reading)
Close is only good enough in horseshoes and hand grenades—and the San Francisco 49ers offense. That’s bad news for teams that think they’ve shut down the 49ers, only to watch Pro-Bowl placekicker David Akers jog onto the field. With 32 ... (Continue reading)