Then And Now

I believe that this year has gone by really fast. Because of all of my sports and school, I have been so busy, it hasn't even hit me that there is only three more weeks of school left. Being a freshman in high school is both a great thing, and a bad thing. I really enjoyed this year, even though I was considered the "fresh meat" of the high school. In terms of sports, my football years didn't really go as planned, but I learned a lot from it. This was the first year that a lot of my friends decided to play football, and because of that, it was really fun to travel with them and make memories in places nobody has ever heard of. I learned to deal with defeat by moving onto the next day with a positive attitude, knowing that I will succeed the next time I am out on the field. I also really learned that without friends, life is nothing. If it weren't for my guys picking me up after a tough loss, I wouldn't be able to stop thinking about what I did wrong, and just move on. Because I was a freshman, being on the football team was also a time where I could improve my ability to block out shit that people say to me. I learned really fast this year that being a freshman is the lowest of the low in terms of any high school sport. But, this made me realize that I should really try to make the incoming freshman feel welcomed.

Me during freshman year

I really believe that this school year has changed me as well. I used to think that getting straight A's was the only way I could make people proud of me. But I quickly realized that this isn't necessarily possible. I took some really hard classes this year, which unfortunately, stopped me form having that perfect 4.0. I learned that as long as you try your hardest, everyone will be proud of you. You need to stop thinking that perfect is actually perfect. To be honest, I am actually really happy that I didn't get a 4.0. I was able to release tons of stress that was just stuck inside of me. This blog was also a great way to release my stress. I learned to let my anger out in words, not with my fists.

Just Relax- Thanks to www.onwardstate,com for the pic

Most importantly, I learned to be a true teammate with my high school baseball team. With my high school team being very good, we had high expectations at the beginning of the season. We needed to practice our ass's off in order to get to where we wanted to be, and we did. We had practice every week day for over 6 months and right now are in the state playoffs. My coach, Lou Green, taught us how to play for each other and not care about our statistics, but only the outcome of the game. At the beginning of the season, I didn't know any upper class men on the team. Now, I am good friends with every person associated with the team. I would do anything to fight for a win with my team, and would die to win with my team. Overall, I am happy with the person I turned into, and I learned to be me.

49ers Complete Draft

The 2015 NFL Draft has officially ended. This years draft was full of crazy talent, with players that are bound to make an impact in the NFL. I believe that the 49ers drafted some great players that will make a big difference for the future 49er teams. They have shown to pick great players in the past, that being Aldon Smith, Colin Kaepernick, Alex Smith, Eric Reid, etc. With all of those players, you know that the 49ers will make intelligent picks in any draft, and in my opinion, very heavily in this years draft. I thought that everyone of the 49ers 2015 draft picks had great logic behind it, and were all players with appropriate backgrounds and positive teammates in their locker rooms. Here are my opinions on some of this years draft picks by the red and gold.

We all know by now that the 49ers selected Arik Armstead with their first pick in this years draft. The rest of their draft picks really got me excited. All of the players seemed like good guys that will make the football team better, and most importantly, seemed like they had a lot of talent that could be used on the 49ers team. With their second round pick, the 49ers selected strong safety, Jaquiski Tartt. This safety from Samford proved to be a force on the defensive side of the ball. He was known to be the biggest hitter on the team, and proved it in his senior season. At 6'1" and 225 pounds, Tartt is a big framed defensive back that is not scared to lay the boom on anybody on the offensive side of the ball. His highlights proved to me that he could cover the whole field, and would lay the wood on the ball carrier when they met up. I believe that the 49ers will try to convert him to a linebacker/safety hybrid defensive player. He will most likely be a special teams player for this years Niners team. The 49ers third round pick was Outside Linebacker, Eli Harold, from University of Virginia. Harold was a great pass rusher at Virginia and is most likely going to be a backup to Aaron Lynch. The 49ers then got tight end, Blake Bell, in the fourth round. A converted quarterback, Bell has great size and hands. In the fifth round, the Niners picked up running back, Mike Davis, from South Carolina. Davis will join the 49ers deep running back core. The rest of the 49ers picks consisted of another tight end, two offensive guards, a wide receiver, and a punter.

Tartt will be a great "Head Hunter" for the Niners- Thanks to www.NFL.com for the pic

Overall, I really do think that the 49ers had an extremely efficient draft this year. They fixed up most of the positions that needed depth help, and came away with some crazy talent. One thing that I would have really liked to see was the Niners select a cornerback. Even though they have players coming off the injured reserve, they still need another strong corner to help structure their secondary. But besides that, I am looking forward to seeing the rookies compete for positions, and help take this decorated franchise to another Super Bowl.

First Day of Draft- Check!

Finally! The first day of the draft is over and I can't keep my emotions in! I was looking forward to this day for so long, and now that it is finally gone, I am both happy and sad. I thought that it was a great draft, with so many young talents being selected in the first round. I want to first talk about some traditional things that I do each year during the draft. First of all, I always watch the draft with my dad and younger brother. No matter where I am, who I am with, or what I am doing, I will always be sitting next to the two of them before the first pick is made. I also will always have a good snack to accompany me through the torment of waiting for the Niners to pick. Next, I wait pick after pick until the Niners are on the clock. There is no other way to describe the NFL draft than the best three days of the whole year.

So with that out of the way, lets talk about the picks in the draft. With the first pick in the NFL draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers select, Jameis Winston, Florida State quarterback. I really don't think that it was a big surprise to see the 2013 Heisman Trophy taken first in the draft. Winston was a hell of a quarterback for the Seminoles while he played there. He made game winning plays, week after week, and proved to the nation that he was the best player in college football. I understand that he didn't have the best combine this year, but he showed that he could make the plays that he needed to make, and can lead a team anywhere. I mean, he won twenty four straight games as a starting quarterback, with most of those wins being come form behind. He pretty much showed that he can perform well at any level and lead any team to a potential championship. The second pick of the draft came from the Tennessee Titans, selecting Marcus Mariota with the second overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. There really isn't much to say about Mariota. I believe that he was the most electrifying player in college football for the three years he was at Oregon, and showed that he was also one of the most athletic in the country. He was a very efficient, dual threat quarterback with a gun for an arm. He showed that he was smart, throwing only four interceptions all of last year. He also threw forty two touchdown passes, while also running for fifteen. These stats are just the beginning to who Mariota is. He was highly respected by all of his teammates, and had the best attitude in the locker room according to his coaches. I think that with time, he will turn into an amazing quarterback in the NFL.

Will Marcus Mariota be efficient?- Thanks to www.http://cdn.fansided.com for the pic.

Based on the first two picks of the draft, I believe that all of the teams picked intelligent players that fit their schemes perfectly. The talent in this draft was crazy and all teams got at least one player capable of changing their team. The Niners ended up taking Arik Armstead form Oregon, which left me dying to see who they would take tomorrow. I am so excited for what is next, and guarantee that the second day of the draft will be just as good as the first!

49ers Draft Preview-Updated!

Right now, all that I can think about is the National Football League's draft that will be going on in a few days. To me, the NFL draft is one of my favorite events of the entire football year. You get to watch the best players in college get the opportunity to make a name for themselves in a league that is hard to strive in. From the number one pick down to the last pick, the anticipation of who will pick who is always sitting in the back of your mind. But when you see the reactions on players faces when their long time dream comes true, you truly feel for them and can't wait to see what they will be able to do in their professional football tenure. I truly believe that this years draft class is one of the best there has ever been. There is so much depth in every position group in this draft, and every team will be very happy with every player that they decide to select to play for their team. For the Niners, there are specific positions that need to be filled this year, and the draft is their best chances to get players that will perform for them in the future. Lets get into their many options in the 2015 NFL draft.

At this point, there are a few guys that I really think would perform well as the 49ers first round draft pick in this years draft. First, I believe that Arik Armstead is the top candidate for the 49ers to select. The defensive tackle out of the University of Oregon is a massive player that would be great to plug up gaps on the line, while also bringing significant pressure to the quarterback. At 6'8" and 290 pounds, Armstead definitely has the size and athleticism to be an NFL defensive tackle and playmaker for the 49ers. Although, he needs to be more aggressive off the ball. He tends to stay back on the snap and sometimes will get driven when the offensive lineman gets under his pads. Plus, his sack productivity was below par for a college player at his position, racking up only six sacks in his college career at Oregon. Despite the negatives, he is a hell of a player, and would be a great addition for the San Francisco 49ers.

Top prospect for the Niners?- Thanks to www.NFL.com for the pic

The second prospect I have been looking at is Marcus Peters out of the University of Washington. At 6'0" and 198 pounds, Peters has good size for the cornerback position and the speed to stay with the elites wide receivers in the NFL. He had a great career as a Washington Husky and has proven himself to be a top defensive prospect. One thing that I really like about him is the way that he defends the run. Most college cornerbacks are not good at tackling big running backs that take it to the outside. Peters was one of the most efficient tackling corners in the country last year and fits perfectly with the 49ers defensive scheme that is short on cornerbacks.

Those are my top candidates for the 49ers first round draft pick in this years NFL draft. Like I said, the talent in this draft outweighs most in the past. I will be writing another post on how I think others teams will fare in the draft as well. But until then, go Niners!

Draft Preview #1

So here it is, my first draft preview for the 2015 NFL draft coming up in late April. I have to say that the NFL draft is one of my favorite sports events. Teams in the league are giving these athletes the potential to be great players in the most prolific sports league in the world. I can't imagine what it would be like to get your name called by the NFL commissioner at the podium, and have you walk up to officially be named a player in the National Football League. So today I am going to talk about the top draft picks in the 2015 draft and what the teams need safe around the league. So lets get into it!

First of all, Lets talk about the 49ers draft options this year. So because of the free agent loses like Michael Crabtree and Stevie Johnson, The Niners are bound to pick a wide receiver early in the draft. There are some crazy receiver options in this years draft, which names include Amari Cooper, Kevin White, Devante Parker, etc. I think that the Niners have a very good chance of getting Devante Parker. Although it would be really nice to get the very physical, 6 foot 3 inch, 215 pound wide receiver that also has some blazing speed. Unfortunately, Kevin White is bound to be taken much earlier than the Niners will be able to pick. Another option that the 49ers can take would be to get a linebacker in the draft. Because of the recent word of Patrick Willis retiring, the Niners are really going to need another linebacker to be able to stop the run and cover in the passing game. Patrick Willis was an extremely versatile player that will be very hard to replace, but with Borland behind him, there is still potential to have another great linebacker by the side of Navarro Bowman.

Kevin White would be a great player for the 49ers- Pic from www.usatoday,com

A big question going on around the league, is who will be the number one draft pick? I believe that Jameis Winston is going to be the top pick in the draft. He is an amazing quarterback with great arm strength and the ability to roll out of the pocket. Although he ran just under a 5 flat 40 yard dash, he has the in game speed and quickness to compete at the next level. Plus, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in desperate need of a franchise quarterback that will take them to big places in the future. Another option would be for the Bucs to pick Leonard Williams. Williams is a giant in the gaps and has the quickness of a linebacker. His strength is unmatchable and he is a beast all over the field. His presence on the football field is one that all teams would like to have.

2015 Offseason Overview

So far, there has been a ton of stuff happen this offseason. Big signings my teams like the Dolphins and a bunch of trades between teams. I think that it has been very exciting to keep up with all that is happening. This has been the first year that I have really been into checking on ESPN and seeing what signings and trades have happened during the day. I usually don't care about the other teams in the league besides the 49ers, but I am learning to really love what all the teams are doing with their teams. You can really start to understand the strategy that other teams take with rebuilding their teams during the precious time of the offseason. Its also great watching the reactions by people in the country about what has happened with their teams. There are always the ones that are really happy and satisfied with what has happened, then there are the people that are fuming on camera. You feel like you are apart of the team because you know that the people talking are just like you, rooting for teams that they like, and hoping for the obliteration of the teams that they don't like. One more thing that really enjoy about the offseason, is reading about what teams are thinking of doing, strategy wise, for the upcoming season.

Secondly, I would like to talk about the upcoming Madden game. I understand that I may seem very geeky when I talk about Madden, But I think that it is one of the best game franchises that has every been developed. Since starting up in 1995, it has become amazing! It used to be 22 dots on the field all moving around, and the defensive dots would have to run into the dot with the ball. Now, the graphics are almost real life and the physics of the tackling and the other parts of the game are amazing. I mean, the game pretty much makes up new tackles every play, just like it happens on the field. The part that I love most about the Madden games is seeing the new players for all of the teams.  I always look forward to seeing the rookies play on the field, and the traded and signed players play for their new squads. Plus, just waiting for the game is great, too! The anticipation is just as good as holding the game in your hands, about to put it into your console. What I am looking forward to in this years Madden is the My player mode. I want the mode to have cut scenes like the NBA 2K15 game does. This would make you feel like you are a part of the league, and just make the game that much better. So lets see what it turns out to be.

Looking forward to Madden 16! Pic from www.forbes.com

Finally, I would like to have my viewers post a comment of what they think the best signing or trade in the offseason has been. I want to know what you guys think, and who you are looking forward to watching next year. I believe that the trade between the Seahawks has been the best trade to happen this offseason. Both teams got great players, while also gaining ground in this years draft with acquired Draft picks. Let me know what you think!

Thank You Everyone!

Hey guys, I just wanted to write a blog totally dedicated to you. I have to say that you, the people that are reading my blogs, are the reason that I keep writing. I have to say that it is nice just letting my thoughts about the sport I love, spill out of my mouth, But I would't want to share it with anyone if it wasn't for you. I get the motivation to write more every time I see another page view and want to keep making you guys happy. I started the blog to only write for the grade that I get in the class, but now, I really enjoy doing it. it is like I get to be able to share my thoughts with anyone who wants to deal with what I am saying. I will try to post a new post every week from now on, so that I can give you guys more regular updates. I apologize for the inconsistency that I have had the past month, But I have been really busy with sports and my other classes.

Thank You! - Pic from www.manliusfire.com

I also want to let you guys know that you should leave me comments on any of my posts, about anything you want related to my blog. If you feel that I am not doing a good job explaining a certain  aspect of the topic, just let me know and I will definitely fix it. Plus, if you think that I should talk more in depth about one of my topics, just do the same. One thing that I really want you guys to do, is comment other blogs like mine or articles concerning my blog. this would really help me learn more about the art of blogging and get me to interact with fellow people that are into blogging.



I also would like to talk about what else I can do to get you, the readers, more into my blog. Should I try to do shout outs for other blogs or social media? I want to make it so that you feel like you really are a part of my blog, and that I know individually who the people are that really like to follow my blog. This would make the blog feel much more personal for me, and hopefully for some of you who plan on following and keeping up to date with my blog. So overall, Thank you so much for what the viewers have done for me. You make it so that I really enjoy writing this stuff. I feel like I am helping you out with figuring out what is going in the NFL. So anyways, because the draft is coming up, I will be giving updates on what the draft is looking like and how teams are going at it so far. So thank you, and keep up to date with The Gold Gang.

It's Coming Up! - Pic from www.NFL.com

Seahawks Get a Boost

So, for this offseason, I have been really focusing on what the Niners have been trying to do, and haven't really though that our rival Seahawks were going to do much because of their cap space problems they have. But, They somehow just got one of the most talented offensive stars the league has seen for the in the past 5 years. His name is Jimmy Graham. The former New Orleans Saint just agreed to terms on a deal that will send the prolific tight end to the Seattle Seahawks, along with a fourth round draft pick. In exchange, the Saints will acquire center Max Unger and Seattle's 2015 first round draft pick. I believe that this was a great deal for both of the teams in this trade. Although the Saints lost their best offensive playmaker, they got a experienced center that will anchor their offensive line for the next few years. Plus, the team got another 2015 first round draft pick. This will allow them to have more flexibility during the draft, and potentially get another great player in the first round of the 2015 draft. On the Seahawks side, They just got a giant tight end, that has the hands and speed of wide receiver. Graham has had record breaking numbers the past to years, and has shown that he can make even the best defenders look silly, with his moves and strength. Graham will make the Seahawks offense much stronger, and will give the team many more options, since the big man will have the most attention on the field. Overall, both teams got the best of the deal and will be looking to upgrade even more this offseason.

Offensive power for the Seahawks? Pic from www.bleacherreport.com

More big news is the trade of Sam Bradford from the Rams for Nick Foles of the Eagles. This was a surprising trade to me, because Nick Foles has been a really solid quarterback for the Eagles the past 2 years. He had a record setting game with 7 touchdowns and a 19-2 touchdown to interceptions ratio in 2013. He has been a hell of a quarterback for a team that has really needed one. On the other hand, Sam Bradford is also a very productive quarterback. That being when he is healthy. He has torn his ACL twice, which makes me wonder why the Eagles gave up what they did to get him. He is always getting injured, with a couple of minor injuries, then a big one that ends up keeping him out for the whole year. But like I said, he is very productive when he is healthy. He has good arm strength and vision on the field, while also having the ability to roll out of the pocket and get positive yards on the scramble. So now to what I think. Personally, I would not have done this trade. The Eagles gave away a great player that has been very productive for them, for a quarterback that is injury prone and inconsistent at times. I guess that the Eagles might see a backup in Sam Bradford, that is they try to get another quarterback in the upcoming draft. But, that is really the only possibility I see. Sam Bradford has not proven to be a trusted quarterback in this league, and will need to do much more in order to gain some trust. So thats the news, two big trades, one I thought was iffy, and another great day of 2015 NFL offseason.

Around the League

For this blog, I am going to be covering all of the latest happenings throughout the league, with every team. The big news is the signing of Ndamukang Suh by the Miami Dolphins. The fins signed the big star defensive lineman to a 6 year 114 million dollar deal. With this signing, Detroit is loosing arguably their best defensive player and the anchor to their amazing defensive line. With Nick Fairley also a free agent, the lions are going to have to make some good signings in order to boost their D-line to where it was in the past. The Dolphins lost Paul Soliai in free agency and needed a defensive lineman that could control everyone up front. Suh has been a 4 time 1st team all-pro selection while also making 4 pro bowls during his career up to date. When talking about the money aspect of things, I think that the Dolphins payed him a little bit too much money. Even though Suh is one of the best defensive lineman in the league right now, 19 million dollars per year is a little bit too much for anybody on the defensive side of the ball. But, because the Dolphins had the money, I guess that they could do what they want with it, even though a chunk of it just went to one player.

Suh will be a big addition to the Fins defense- Pic from www.suh90.com

Lets also talk about the trade between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Buffalo Bills. This trade sent all-pro running back, Lesean Mccoy, to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for young and talented linebacker, Kiko Alonso. This trade was one of the most shocking in the past couple of years. It was very appalling to hear of this trade, because you never see the face of a franchise get traded for a player that has not necessarily proven himself in the league yet. I understand that the main reason for this trade was because of the cap space problems that the Eagles are facing. They didn't have much to work with before this trade, which freed up about 7 million dollars in cap room. This will allow the Eagles to sign another well known player to their roster, if they feel that it is needed. On the Bills side, I think that the decision to bring in Lesean Mccoy to their offense was a great one! they haven't had a prolific star on offense for a while, and they all of a sudden just got one of the best running backs to play in this game in the past few years. With C.J Spiller in the rotation as well, the bills will have a very deep core in the back field, and are going to need to use these tools in the right way in order to bring themselves to the top once again.

So in the first couple weeks of the offseason, there have been many signings and trades throughout the league that will be big in the upcoming season. I can't wait to see what else will happen in the next few weeks because there is definitely going to be some more big moves that will end up affecting the teams in this league in a big way. I will be posting more blogs about the rest of the league and will be up to date on the stuff that is going on around the league. 

The Good and The Bad

Good news or bad news first? Lets get to the good. Right now, there is lots trending throughout the 49ers organization. The recent news of Patrick Willis's retirement has most team executives in shock, while others are still trying to move forward in the business. I heard a rumor that the 49ers are the front runners to get the speedy receiver Torrey Smith, who is a former teammate of Anquan Boldin in Baltimore. These two receivers lit up the AFC when they were together, and now that Torrey Smith has more experience in the league, he is bound to be a big part of the Niners offense this upcoming year. With his crazy 4.43 40 yard dash time, Smith is most definitely going to be the deep threat that the niners have needed for the past few years. Since coming into the league in 2011, Smith has tallied 213 catches, adding up 3,591 receiving yards and 30 reception touchdowns. I believe that this will be a great pickup for the 49ers and will really open up the big play opportunities for their offense next year. With Michael Crabtree gone, Torrey Smith has a big spot to take. Will he be the next great wideout for the Niners? I am anticipating a lot from the former Raven and new San Francisco 49er.

Torrey Smith is the new addition for the 49ers- Pic from www.espn.com

The bad news is that 49ers great Justin Smith is said to be retiring. I would have to say that Justin Smith is the most hard working player I have ever watched play the game of football. standing six feet four inches and 285 pounds, Justin Smith was a menacing force both in and out of the tackles. He was said to be one of the strongest men in the NFL, and his opponents only say positive things about his work ethic. You can tell that he really has a passion for the game and loved to go and kick some ass on Sundays for the sixteen years that he played in the league. Since becoming a 49er in 2008, Smith has been one of my favorite players to watch. He was able to propel the team to victories, even when they could have laid down and gotten the s**t kicked out of them. He is the perfect example of a hard working person that was born to play football, and I have loved him for the time that he has spent working on my favorite team. You are legendary, Justin Smith.

Justin Smith is retiring from the NFL- Pic from www.mizzoumag.com

Right now, I have mixed emotions for my team. They have lost three of the best players to have play for the Niners this offseason, but maybe it is a new chapter. I loved Frank Gore, but it is now Carlos Hyde's time to be the face of the 49ers and the defense is going to have to step up after losing arguably the teams two best run stoppers on defense. I Am becoming very excited to see what this upcoming season is going to hold for the red and gold. Will they still be contenders in the NFC championship race, or will they fall into rebuilding mode? This will be an interesting season for the 49ers and one that I am ready to start. Kaepernick will have to pick it up next year and get back to his MVP caliber 2013 season. So in the mean time, lets focus on what the 2015 offseason has to bring us.

Patrick Willis Retirement?

I just found out that Patrick Willis, arguably the best defensive player to ever be on the San Francisco, is strongly considering retirement. I really don't know what to say to this. Willis has been my favorite player since I really started enjoying watching the 49ers play. In my eyes, I believe that he is the best linebacker to ever play the game of football in the NFL. He is known for his attacking speed and ability to smash runners, while also drop back in coverage. With all of these attributes, he has earned a pro bowl in seven of his eight professional years, and six total all-pro appearances. These statistics are considered to be some of the best for any linebacker to ever play the game. What I am really confused about is why he is retiring at the age he is at. After just turning 30 years old, he still has many productive years of football in front of him. He has shown in past seasons that he is still at a high level of play, and capable of destroying anyone that tries to challenge him anywhere on the field. Where are these thoughts coming from?

I believe that the main reason that he is considering retirement is because of the recent research found about the human brain and damage tom football. Patrick Willis is smart enough to realize that if he decides to keep playing the game of football, his chances of severely injuring his brain rise. Plus, with the hits that he enforces, he is bound to hurt himself. But, at the same time, he still has the chance to earn a hall of fame spot if he keeps performing at the level that he has before. I realize that the 49ers still have the talented Chris Borland to start next year if he decides to retire, but Patrick Willis has been the player that gives the 49ers their image and has led the team to where they have gone in past years. 

Patrick Willis- best linebacker of all-time- Pic from www.willis52.com

I really hope that Willis doesn't decide to retire. He has been the core of the 49ers amazing linebacker core for many years, and still has a lot in him. I understand that San Francisco has Chris Borland behind Willis, but We need the leadership and player that everyone loves. You have been the face of the franchise and we can't afford you leaving. Personally, you have always been my favorite football player and gave me the idea to try and play the linebacker position in the game football. You were th inspiration to have me start playing this game and I can't think of not seeing you on the field on Sundays with the San Francisco 49ers. But, I know one thing. If you really do decide to retire, you will most definitely be put into the NFL hall of fame and be considered one of the best linebackers to ever play the game of football. Who's got it better than us, nobody!

Offseason Begins!

I have to say that my two favorite parts of the football year would have to be split between the playoffs and the beginning to the end of the offseason. The offseason is the time for teams to get there crap together for the upcoming year, no matter how the past year went for them. I always like seeing the bottom feeder of the league come up with a big signing at the beginning of the year. This always gets me excited to see a special player on a different team, both in reality and on the big screen when I decide to play the new Madden game. This offseason, I am hoping that the niners make some smart decisions, both with resigning players and not signing ones that don't deserve a spot on the team. There are also some faces in the free agency market that the niners might be willing to get if they want to spend some big money.

First of all, lets talk about the question that many fans of the team have been asking all year. Is Frank Gore going to be resigned by the team? I would have to say that the niners would be stupid not to resign the guy. He is the leader in pretty much every rushing record for the San Francisco 49ers team and has helped them get to many places that they could not have gotten to without him. His style of running is an asset that the niners depend on to have a good offense, and he has experience with the team, and how to get his job done. I know that we have a potentially great second year running back behind him in Carlos Hyde, but this guy needs at least one more year of Frank Gore being his mentor in order to be a great player for the 49ers. I believe that Carlos Hyde will be the starting running back within the next two years, but he needs much more than size and speed to be great in this league. The team also wonders about the Chris Culliver free agency. Culliver has been a productive cornerback for the past 3 years for the 49ers. He was injured for about half the season this year, but when healthy, is a force that is hard to stop. The Eagles are looking at him right now, and are strongly considering signing him to a multi-year contract. I think that the 49ers need to focus on the offensive side of the ball right now. Culliver will be asking for lots of money, and frankly, the 49ers cannot afford his asked prices.

Frank Gore is a valuable asset to the team- Pic from www.sfgate.com

Overall, the Niners have a tough offseason ahead of them. They are going to need to sign some defensive backs for the upcoming future and try to resign the franchises leading rusher. They have a tight salary cap space, and will attempt to spend every cent that they can on personnel that will affect the team in a positive way in the future. I have faith in my Niners to do the right thing with their players, and am looking forward to what the upcoming offseason will bring to the Gold Gang and the rest of the league.

Season Finale

Even though I didn't think that this would be the ending to the 2014 NFL season for the 49ers, I am happy to say that I was proud of the way that the team played. With all of the turmoil of Jim Harbaugh going to the Browns at the beginning of the season, it was known that there would be tough obstacles to get past during the season and it would be a grind. But, I thought that the Niners had a very good season. They showed that they could play top notch defense with half of the time being backups, and could prevail out of games that they should have never won. But with all that said, there is still one game to go. This weeks matchup will face the 49ers team against the best defense in the NFL, Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals have always been a tough matchup for the San Francisco team. It seems that no matter the records of the teams, there is always going to be a hard fought game. Unlike the 49ers team, the Cardinals have been a consistent all around team this year. They come into the game with a 11-4 record that is tied for tops in the NFL. There defense has been impenetrable up front, even with star player, Darnell Dockett, out for the season with a lower body injury. This game had a lot of hype since the mid point of the year and I was excited to see it unfold.

Will Jim Harbaugh be done as the 49ers head coach?-Photo from www.bleacherreport.com. 

The game started with an 8 play 80 yard drive by the cardinals ending with a touchdown from Ryan Lindley to Michael Floyd, this being the first touchdown pass every thrown by Ryan Lindley. The 49ers came marching back with a deep 76 yard touchdown pass from Kaepernick to Boldin. The Cardinals scored a touchdown and a field goal, while the Niners scored two field goals to end the half with the Cardinals leading, 17-13. The second half was all about dominant defense. Both teams were held to 0 points late into the 3rd quarter, until Bruce Miller caught a touchdown pass from Kaepernick. The 4th quarter was the same, with 0 points being scored, and the Niners coming out on top to end their 4 game losing streak.

I thought that the Niners ended the year on a great note! They won the last game of the season, and were able to show the country that they could beat a tough playoff team, even with all of their depleting injuries. I personally, I am very excited to see what will happen this offseason. There is speculation that Jim Harbaugh is going to end his time in the Bay Area, and take the University of Michigan's head coaching offer for their football team. This would end up reuniting Harbaugh with his college, and give him the opportunity to become a legend at the university. But more importantly, Who will the 49ers get if he does leave for Michigan. Will they promote a current staff member to the coaching position, or search the league for a coach that is willing to fill in a big pair of shoes? I will continue to inform on the current situation the Red and Gold are dealing with. Go Niners!!!

Thanks for a great season!- Photo from www.sfgate.com

Playing For Pride

At this point in the season, I am just waiting for the last games to be played. I understand that the season is still going, but the Niners playoff hopes are over, and I want to see all of the offseason drama. I think that this weeks game against the Chargers will be fun to watch for everyone and will end up to be a good game. But most importantly, I am not going to have to cry over a Niners loss for another season. I would say that that is a big positive. Plus, I will be able to focus on all of the other teams for the offseason. I will be writing more about coach vacancies and news that is going around the league as a whole. So finally, lets get to the game.

This weeks game against the Chargers is the "Battle of the Golden Coast" for the two teams.  This rivalry has been alive since the two teams came into the league. In the past, the Niners have won more games than the Chargers in the game. But this year, San Diego was looking to demolish their bitter rivals. The 49ers had the opportunity to knock the Chargers out of the AFC playoffs with a win and would spoil another season for star quarterback, Phillip Rivers. The game started out great for the 49ers, with a 52 yard touchdown run for Frank Gore, to cap off a 4 play 78 yard drive to start the first quarter. The run gave the team momentum to get up to a 21-0 lead over the chargers halfway through the second quarter. The Chargers scored a late touchdown to end the half with a 28-7 49ers lead. The 49ers team looked like playoff contenders in the first half and you could feel that they wanted to end the Chargers season. But, the Bolts came back to get the win, after outscoring the 49ers, 31-7, in the second half alone to win the game 38-35.

Frank Gore ripped off an incredible 52 yard run- Photo from www.cincyjungle.com

I thought that this game really summed up the season for the 49ers. The team had great energy to start the game, and would die down in the second half. I mean, they didn't score a second half touchdown until week 4 in the season. This showed that they did not have good game preparation and game plans for when they would get down. Next game and more importantly, next year, the team will have to get more disciplined in the second half of games so that they can win the tight games that will determine if they do or do not make the playoffs. Next week, the niners will conclude their season with a game against the division leading, Arizona Cardinals. The two teams matched up in the third week of the season, ending in a thumping victory for the Cardinals. This years Cardinals team is tough-nosed and enjoys kicking their opponents ass. I think that the niners will end the season in a strong way, with a win against one of the leagues best teams.

Photo from www.pbs.com

Thanksgiving Rematch

At this point, I believe that the Niners are playing for pride and have nothing to lose. Amidst the talk of Jim Harbaugh not coming back for the head coaching job next year, I believe that outcome is certain: he will leave for the University of Michigan's coaching offer. With that said, the Niners will try to win their last few games for him and gain momentum into next season. I understand some of you may think that there is still hope for the playoffs, but that is very unlikely. With how the Seahawks are playing right now, they would have to historically tumble in order for the 49ers to take their playoff spot. So, like I said, the Niners are playing for the coach that has taken them where only few others have, and for the idea that they will have a great team next year. The team that stood in front of them this week, were the lovely Seattle Seahawks, who I would say is the perfect team for the Niners to play right now. They are both wanting to smack each other, with the Seahawks having the opportunity to officially knock the 49ers out of playoff contention. So, I think that this game will be hard fought, with lots of after-the-play confrontations, and big hits.

Jim Harbaugh may be gone next year- Thanks to www.sfgate.com for the picture

This week in Seattle was the perfect setting for a rivalry game. The skies were blue and Century Link Field was loud(like always). This game was looked at as a rematch of the Thanksgiving game, with opportunities for both teams. The Seahawks could end playoff contention for the 49ers team, and the 49ers could gain self pride and momentum into next season. The game started off with a slow offenses and tough defenses. The Seahawks pulled out a nice drive to end the first quarter with a field goal, and a score of 3-0. The second quarter was enlightening to 49ers fans, after the offense of the red and gold drove 85 yards to get a much needed Frank Gore touchdown. The halftime score was 7-3, in favor of the 49ers. The second half was all Seattle. The 49ers offense was trifled in the second half and could not get anything going. The Seahawks scored two more times to end the game with a 17-7 victory, and officially ended the 49ers hopes of making it to the 2014-2015 NFL playoffs.

The Niners defense needs to pick it up next week- Thanks to www.rotoback.com for the picture

I would have to say that I was not all that let down with the game played by the 49ers. They went into Seattle, where it is almost impossible to win as an away team, and played a solid game. The game could have been won by the 49ers, if their offense could have put anything together. I think that The defense played well, holding Marshawn Lynch to a slow first half, and a decent second half. Plus, this game was pretty much a preseason game. The team showed how they could match up to a good team, with most of their defensive starters injured. Lets Just move onto next week, and finish off the last two games in style, with our heads held high. Lets go Niners!

Battle Of The Bay

There are few boundaries between the 49ers fans in San Francisco and The Raiders fans in Oakland. There is the Bay Bridge of course, but what else. I would have to say that the most meaningful boundary between the two sides is the Battle of the Bay game between the 49ers and the Raiders. Because of the rare occurrence of these meetings, it is a necessity for both teams to get the victory, because of the many aspects of pride sitting on the outcome of the game fought between the two teams. I have only been able to experience two of these games in my lifetime, so whenever the game is on, I am always excited to experience the battle that will occur when the bay area teams take the field. To make it even more interesting this time around, the 49ers need the win to keep their playoff hopes in a good position. The Raiders are just the team that would die to deplete the Niners playoff hopes, and retain the title of kings of the Bay Area.

Battle Of The Bay- Thanks to www.Genius.com for the picture

Like I said, this game means a lot to a 49ers team that has gone through many injuries this year and is fighting to get into the playoffs as a wildcard team. But the Raiders are in the way of a successful season and are looking to spoil the Niners playoffs hope with a win. The 49ers came into the game with another injury, in that of their cornerback, Chris Culliver. With Culliver being a substantial part of the 49ers secondary, it was a big blow for the team. But, the Raiders also had their top receiver, James Jones, out with a lower-body injury. The game started with an interception by Brandian Ross of the Oakland Raiders, on a horrible pass by Kaepernick. It was more of the same for the struggling 49ers offense. Though the Niners scored a second quarter touchdown, the Halftime score was 10-10. This was not a good sign for the 7-5 Niners that were playing the 1-11 Raiders team that was not having a good year. The 49ers were shut down on offense in the second half, and gave up two touchdowns, to end the game with a 24-13 Raiders win.

Brandian Ross interception- Thanks to www.usatoday.com for the picture

I can't really say much on the positive side for the 49ers. They looked like the one win team in the game and pretty much ended their chance to get to the playoffs. I thought that Kaepernick's ability to lead his team in the past few weeks has been awful, and he will need to step up in the future if he wants to keep his spot in the depth chart. But, the defense still showed that they could perform at a decent level, even with five of their best defensive starters being injured. They continue to prevail through adversity and make me wonder what will happen when all of the starters are healthy.  On the Raiders side, stars emerged in quarterback Derek Carr and tight end Michael Rivera. The two seemed to be one and could not be stopped. Rivera had 7 receptions for 109 yards and 1 touchdown, while Carr had a very productive game with 254 passing yards and 3 touchdowns. Carr proved that he could shred up a top level NFL defense and rose his respect level within the organization. The Raiders showed that they could still compete with the top level teams in the league. By the way, they arguably won their most important game of the year against the 49ers.

No Turkey For The Red And Gold

The most anticipated game of the year for the Niners and their rival, Seattle Seahawks. San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks- Thanksgiving night at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. I had been looking forward to this game, even before the start of the season. Whenever the 49ers and Seahawks play, you are guaranteed an insanely physical game that will even get your adrenaline going. These games are made up of big hits, big plays, fights, and just old-fashioned football. These games bring back the game that my dad and grandparents used to watch, where there weren't penalties called for hitting players too "hard". These games represent how the game of football should be played.

This game has been on every players calendar since the beginning of the season. Said to be one of the biggest new rivalries sports, The Niners and Seahawks always put up great games against each other. Games that will make you bite down yours nails to stubs, and restrict your from going to the bathroom for at least four hours. I was looking forward to this game because of the niners bitter defeat to the Super Bowl champions, in last years NFC championship game. The game where Richard Sherman expressed his opinions in a very strong way, to the reporters on the sidelines. The game that I learned to despise the awful looking, dirty football team that the Seattle Seahawks truly are. So in other words, this game has been on my mind for a long, long, long time.

Richard Sherman post game interview that shocked the world. Thanks to http://minustwentytwo.com for the picture.

The game did not start like the Niners hoped it would. The Niners defense held the Seahawks to only a touchdown in the first quarter, while their offense could not get anything going. Frank Gore ran for only 7 yards in the first quarter and the offense was held to under 50 yards in that stretch. They were going to need to get something going. The halftime score was 13-0 in the Seahawks favor. The 49ers were not looking good on either side of the ball, in a game that had lots of importance. The second half was the same as the first. The Niners would get the ball, and not capitalize when they needed to. The final score to the game was 19-3, with the Niners looking like crap. They had 164 total yards of offense and Colin Kaepernick looked like a rattled rookie.

I think that the Niners seriously need to tune things up on the offensive side of the ball. The season is closing and this is the time where everything needs to be fine tuned to get into the playoffs, and the Niners do not look like contenders right now. Colin Kaepernick needs to step up and take control of the offense, or the team is going to tank really quickly. Kaepernick has shown that he has the talent to do amazing things, and he needs to gain his confidence back, so that he can perform like the unbelievable player that he truly is. Next week, the Niners will be playing the Oakland Raiders. This game is known as the "Battle Of The Bay". Even though the Raiders may not look good on paper this year, they sure as hell are going to show up to play in this game.

Battle Of The Bay- Thanks to Niners Nation for the Picture.

A Pummeling In Mile High

This weeks game was far from fun to watch. The Niners got torn part by the Peyton Manning led Broncos, With the legend only needing another three touchdowns to tower over all in the most touchdowns every thrown in a career. Because of this, you could tell the team had an extra chip on their shoulder to get the win for Manning. The crowd was going insane the whole game, and I even knew that it was going to be a very tough victory to pull out. Plus, the Niners looked like the only thing they would be doing, is using their energy to crawl off their asses after getting piled rived by the AFC's best team. Surely, that is all they did on Sunday night, and a lot of it.

Because I live in Park City, there are a lot of people in the town that live for the Broncos, including many of my friends from school. At first, I believed that the niners had a chance to go into Denver and knock off a great team, until I found out that Patrick Willis was out for the game. The team announced that he would be inactive due to a to toe injury that had been nagging at him for a few weeks. He is arguably the Niners best defensive player, leader, and teammate. So in other words this was a huge loss for the team. The game started rough, with the Broncos scoring two straight times and the Niners looking as flat as tap water. The 49ers scored a field goal at the beginning of the second quarter, then went into halftime losing 21-10. The second half was worse than the first. The inner gave up three third quarter touchdowns and pretty much took themselves out of the game with their crappy offense. The end score was 42-17, with Payton Manning throwing for 4 touchdowns, surpassing Brett Favre as the all-time leader in career touchdown passes thrown. 

Thanks to http://www.milehighreport.com for the picture

My reaction to the game was not pleasant. My whole family will usually always sit through the whole game, but this week was not the same. My dad and I both knew from the beginning of the game that it was not going to be pretty. He decided to go to bed during the third quarter, so he could sleep on his utter depression. As for me, I sat through the miserable game, even though I was wanting to punch through a brick wall at the same time. But, I knew the worst part had not come yet. I was going to have to deal with nearly all of my friends giving me crap for the "half-ass Niners" and praise the unbelievable Denver Broncos. But, thats what friends do. Luckily, we Niner fans are looking forward to the upcoming Thanksgiving game against our worst enemy, The Seattle Seahawks. Its going to be a hard-nosed, tough football game that I am definitely looking forward to. So until next time, Go Niners!

Lets get PUMPED!-Picture from http://www.ecloudtimes.com

First Home Win

On September 28, 2014, the San Francisco 49ers played the 3-0 Eagles and there second home game of the season. The eagles were known for their high powered offensive scheme and the ability of Nick Foles to create positive plays and the rushing ability of Lesean Mccoy. The 49ers come into the game after losing their last two games and starting off the season at a rough 1-2. The Niners team is going to have to play very well in pass defense and rush defense if they are going to win this game and end their losing streak.

The 49ers will need to stop Lesean Mccoy this week, Courtesy of ESPN

The 49ers came into the game with the #10 ranked total defense. For most team in the National Football League, this is a good stat, but it is not for the Niners. They are known to have a very gritty defense that will shut down a rushing game, while keeping the opponents score down too. The 49ers played a very poor first half on special teams, giving up 3 non-offense touchdowns in the first half. They gave up a blocked punt touchdown after punting from their own 1 yard line. They then gave up a interception for 53 yards and a touchdown, to put the score to 14-10. As the half came to a close, they gave up a 82 yard punt return touchdown to Darren Sproles to give the Eagles a 21-13 lead and momentum into the second half. The second half was a positive for the 49ers. The 49ers defense had shut down the Eagles offense the whole game and after scoring 16 unanswered points, the 49ers first home win had come down to the last drive of the game. The Niners were up 26-21 and just needed one goal line stop to win the game, and they did. The 49ers held the Eagles on 4 plays on their 3 yard line. The 49ers came out with the win, 26-21, and got momentum for the next weeks game against the Kansas City Chiefs, and the quarterback that first led their team to the NFC Championship, Alex Smith.

Perrish Cox is showing he is a big part of the 49er defense, courtesy of  Niners Nation

I believe that the San Francisco 49ers played very well this week. Their defense held the Eagles to 213 yards, which I think is freaking amazing! They showed that they are still a dominant defense even without some of their best players, including Navarro Bowman and Aldon Smith. I feel that they are going to carry this win into next week and defeat the Kansas City Chiefs. Their defense is getting healthy and I believe that they can beat any team in the league right now.

Bitter Divisional Loss

On september 21, 2014, the San Francisco 49ers traveled to Phoenix, Arizona to play their division rivals, the Arizona Cardinals. The 49ers are coming off of a very tough home loss, which was also the debut for the team in Levi's Stadium. The 49ers played a very good first half with offensive tempo and great defense. But they let the victory slip away with an undisciplined second half. They had 10 penalties for 116 yards and had 4 total offensive turnovers. With this game being a divisional contest, it is a must win.

The Niners came out in the with lots of energy. They gave up a 47 yard drive that capped off with a field goal for the Cardinals first drive. They came back with a 12 play 80 yard drive that was ended with a Michael Crabtree touchdown catch. The 49ers scored another touchdown in the 2nd quarter and went to half time with a 14-6 lead, looking dominate over the division rivals. The only problem was, they hadn't scored a second half point the 1st two games of the year. They kept this streak going. The Niners allowed an opening drive touchdown on a 24 yard pass from Drew Stanton to John Brown to start the 2nd half, and went downhill from there. They allowed another touchdown late in the 3rd quarter on another pass from Drew Stanton to John Brown, and a field goal to put the game away.

John Brown 3rd quarter TD, courtesy of Heavy

Based on the first 3 games of the season, the 49ers have showed that they cannot finish their games on a positive note. They allow too many 2nd half offensive bursts and cannot seem to put anything special together of their side of the offense. They are known for their rushing game but have not had very explosive rushing games this season, even with the edition of rookie running back, Carlos Hyde. The team needs to come together and figure out what wrong so they can fix it and get on track again. This team is too disciplined and talented to be playing at the level that they are. They need to get going is they want to have a good year.

Frank Gore, courtesy of Sacramento Bee

Next week, the 49ers will be playing the Philadelphia Eagles, who have started off at a perfect 3-0 start to the season. The Eagles team has a very good passing game, which the 49ers have had a hard time stopping to begin the season. The 49ers are going to have to step up on both sides of the ball, if they want to get their first victory at their new home and get their season going. Lets go gold gang!