Ooops. I'll bet my boss is not happy with me right now. For years and years, it's been The Press Democrat's style to refer to the preseason as "exhibition games."
The exhibition season is dreadfully boring and meaningless. The outcomes are decided, mostly, by players who will soon be unemployed.
It's a little different when there's a quarterback competition, though. Most folks with the 49ers envision Alex Smith as a better long-term option than Shaun Hill. But the onus is on Smith during the exhibition season to win the job from Hill.
In that sense, the first exhibition game, Aug. 14, at Candlestick against the Broncos will be significant.
Question: vote 4 PABLO!! As for the niners There has been a whole lot of hype among fans around this first preseason game vs Nolan's D in
Answer: OK, OK, I'll vote for Kung Fu Panda.
There has not been a lot of hype among the players and coaches . . . well, with the exception of former Broncos cornerback Dre' Bly, whom was released after Josh McDaniels was named coach.
"Oh, I'm looking forward to that," Bly said last month. "Normally, for first preseason games for me, there hasn't been many snaps, but however many snaps I get, I'm going to be licking my chops, because anytime you leave a former team, you look forward to competing."
As far as the Mike Nolan factor, I do not think it's a big deal at all. Well . . . here's one of those elements of the game that people will watch particularly close:
When the 49ers played the Packers early in the exhibition season last year, there was some talk around the league that the 49ers did more defensive game-planning than what's usually expected in one of those games. The conspiracy theorists reasoned that Nolan and the 49ers wanted to go to great lengths to ensure Rodgers did not come to Candlestick and have a good day as the Packers' starter.
Rodgers completed 9 of 16 passes for 58 yards and was sacked four times.
Were the 49ers guilty of such a practice? I do not know, but if I were in the same position . . . you better believe I would've been throwing the kitchen sink at Rodgers.
Whether it was true or not, you better believe the radar will be up on Aug. 14 to see what kind of defensive schemes the Broncos employ against Alex Smith and the 49ers.
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Even if it doesn't help him in the QB competition one bit, I hope #11 sticks it to Nolan's D.
I'm sure Nolan will employ his normal hybrid 4/3,3/4,4/6, 7/1/3, 2/9, 0/11 defense to it's fullest ability to stick it to the 9ers and make sure the passing game looks bad.
Preseason or not, it's finally football ;-) After the loooong offseason, it's definitely welcomed no matter who we play.
All suit and no brain.
This "meaningless" season opener exhibition game will be Nolan's Superbowl for the 2009 season.
Bottom line, Nolan was fired in mid season, which is about as humiliating as it gets for a head coach. He also knows Alex Smith will play half the time, so that's an extra motivation.
Also, if the 49ers Defense beats up Josh the offensive wunderkind McDaniels' offense, and Nolan's defense fails to administer similar treatment to the 49ers' offense, it's not going to reflect well on Nolan.
So for all those reasons, expect Nolan to come fully prepared with an extra strong vanilla-flavored hybrid Nickel/Dime/Penny 2-9 or whatever the heck defense he plays these days.
LOL @ 7/1/3, 0/11!
I don't know why, but I too have found this off season to be incredibly loooooong. I'm way more anxious for the pre sea...I mean "exhibition" season this year than I have ever been before. And if you're asking, yes, I feel slightly loserish. Is it September yet?!
No one will remember the first preseason game against Denver by halftime of the second game. Or, at least, no one should. Totally meaningless.
Sounds like my boss!
Hi Matt, Can't help but think of the story of Redskin owner Dan Snyder putting vanilla ice cream on Nolan's desk during his Washington days. The most memorable moment of his stay with the 49ers was his suit issue. He could never adjust on the fly. He "stayed the course" no matter what. And the move he should've made during half time would happen weeks later in a similar situation after the media had gone over it a dozen times. I think Sings' passion will fire this team beyond all expectations.
Matt,
Any word on when the public TC days will be announced?
I think one thing is for sure and that is the 49ers will be more physical than Broncos. I think we come out and blacken their eyes while our backups come in and play with heart and emotion to finish them off. In the end Coach Singletary shakes Def.Coordinator Nolans' hand thanking him as a respectful gesture of class.
NO injuries PLEASE, GOD!!!!
Nolan is absolutly terrible!!! the more he game plans the better we will look cuz he sucks. Lets hope he DOES gameplan. I got so SICK of his BS hybrid strange crazy D's i wanted to be puke! there were never players playing at their best postions, he was always tryin to move guys around(both positions and on the field), and it lead to ppl constantly being in the wrong spot. i HATED this guys schemes. nd he didnt even know how to play guys, he wasted manny Lawson, wouldnt give young guys a chance, kept Roman in after he went 2 years without a pick... just terrible. The proof is look how much better the D was when he was finally canned! they "dumbed down" the D let guys play in THIER spots and we looked like a real NFL D. This guy blows, if he keeps it Vanilla DEN might acctually have a chance!
ALSO.... he is the one that once said (although i know its been said before) that if you have two starters at one spot you really have two back ups... well if you have a hybrid 3-4/4-3 d that keeps changing you dont really have an idenity at all. and i know their are some teams that play 3-4 that may switch into a 4-3 from time to time but i assure you they are all true 3-4 teams.... none of this hybrid crap.. it just means you suck at both!!
God i hated this guys defenses!!!
Pound the Rock so far up the middle of their Defense that their Offense can't get on the field.
Sing likely won't air anything out in Game 1 anyway.
Here's where you impose your new attitude of playing Ball-Control Offense, running Nolan's Defense into the ground.
this is a set up for A.Smith to succeed....
I gotta agree with some of you who are looking forward to the 1st Pre-Season game more than ever before for 2 reasons. The first is obvious, I'm looking forward to the 49ers sticking it to NoWin-NoClue's defense in the 1st half. Secondly, it's been sooo looong since I've seen Alex play. I'm curious to see how comfortable he looks in Raye's offense.
I just want to watch kyle orton! This game is going to get dvr'd for sure. but in all seriousness, I just want to see the red and gold come back into season haha. As amazing as the giants are playing now, red and gold just look so much better than orange and black.
FB Brit Miller aquired from Panthers off waivers by the San Francisco Forty Niners.