A large part of my job is asking questions. Sometimes I ask good questions. However, there are times when I ask really stupid questions. I generally know it's stupid before my voice inflection changes to produce that final verbal punctuation.
I talked to 49ers fullback Moran Norris this week. Norris is a
After playing 11 games for the winless Lions, Norris re-signed with the 49ers this offseason. Here is the podcast of our conversation. And I'll admit to not exactly being at the top of my game as an interviewer:
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Speaking of bad questions . . .
This isn't meant to ridicule anyone - only to entertain. But through this blog, Twitter, Facebook and personal emails, I receive hundreds of questions a week. Some of them are very good. But, man, there are also some that are . . . well . . .
Q: Is there any news with the tampering charges against the Jets?
A: Oh, darn, I guess I forgot to report a couple weeks ago that the NFL made a decision. It totally slipped my mind.
This is very similar to the numerous questions I received of "Has Michael Crabtree signed yet?" In the case of the Crabtree questions, I think people were restless and trying to be funny.
And to answer the question: No. There is no news. But when there is, I'm sure you'll hear about it. (And when you do, please let me know.)
Q: Who do you think the 49ers will draft with their 2 first-round picks? Anyone they're looking at?
A: Have you consulted a calendar? It's October, for crying out loud. That means it's still two months away from knowing which picks the 49ers will own in the 2010 draft.
Right now, I'm thinking the 49ers are going to win the Super Bowl, and they're going to beat the Panthers in the NFC Championship game. Therefore, the 49ers will have the Nos. 30 and 32 picks in the first round. I have yet to do my mock draft to figure out the first 29 selections, so I'm sorry I can't help you.
Q: Do you think the Niners should start Smith against
A: Absolutely, yes. But by the time we know if Hill is going to have a bad game, it'll be too late for Smith to start.
Q: Will Crabtree be doing a 40 time?
A: Oh, sure. They're going to cut into his preparation time for a 40-yard dash - just to see if they still would have selected him No. 10 overall if they'd known that bit of information. But before he runs the 40, he's going to do the cone drill and see how many times he can bench press 225 pounds.
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This isn't necessarily a bad question, but I think it's something I'm going to be answering a lot. And I do have a strong opinion . . . .
Q: If the 49ers look to the draft for another quarterback, don't you think Tim Tebow would be a great fit to Singletary's attitude?
A: Personally, I think Tebow is the greatest college football player I've ever seen. If there were such thing as a college draft, I'd choose him No. 1 overall. A power-running quarterback with his size and athleticism is perfect for college football.
However, I can't envision any NFL team selecting him in the first two rounds as a quarterback. He simply does not throw the ball well enough. His throwing motion is long, his passes flutter and I've rarely seen him fit a pass into a tight spot. He's surrounded by extraordinary talent at
Tebow's best attribute as a college player simply does not translate to the NFL game. If he tried to put his head down and run up the middle like he does in college, he won't last long. Everything I've read and heard about him is that he's one heck of a kid. But that whole leadership thing only goes so far in the NFL.
Personally, I think his best bet in the NFL would be as a tight end or H-back. And I think he has a chance to be a really good player at the next level - just not as a quarterback.
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Matt, to be fair Mr. Tebow has worked on his throwing mechanics the last 2 years, are you saying that he does not have the ability to attain a level consistent with being an NFL passer?
Matt... this was good stuff. I've often wondered how often you must roll your eyes at some of the questions (myself included after having gone back and read some of my questions) that are asked on the blog, twitter, etc.
one bone to pick... I agree with you about the Tebow thing. except there is just something about him. yes his throwing motion is way too long. yes.. his "screw it, I'll go fullback" mentality will get him killed at the next level.. but his arm strength is fine.. and as I stated in an earlier post... I don't thing taking him in the 2nd round is that stupid. I can't think of college player that NFL personnel were so divide about? there are 4-5 head coaches (albeit Gruden shouldn't count since he's not employed) who are enamored by the kid... I prefer Locker overall...
but I remember this one site that had all the scouting reports on Joe Montana and to a "t" his "loopy" throwing motion was mentioned. ... I just don't trust scouts anymore about the QB position. quickness of thought is so much more important than quickness of arm. and say what you want about his slow delivery or his talent around him...but he has plenty of arm strength and I just somehow think he will find a way to play QB at the next level
"And to be a quarterback in the NFL, you have to be able to throw the ball exceptionally well."
Then how do you explain Shaun Hill?
oh... almost Forgot. I have no problem with Tebow going down as the best college player ever. Sanders, Walker, Flutie, Marcus Allen.. Charles Woodson. Hugh Green from Pitt was as dominant in college as any def player I have ever seen.. LT included. I saw them all. (I always thought Anthony Carter was the single best college WR I ever saw ...at least until crabtree)
but for pure talent... nothing will sway me from Bo Jackson
quite the zinger, JohnRC
did you really come up with that all by yourself?
exactly. everyone is always thinking that the qb has to be this proto-typical player that can throw rocket balls, stand at least 6' 3", and look like adonis. joe montana was this skinny kid with an average arm and a lot of scouts dogged him. the one thing i notice is that a successful qb is the smart one with good decision making, leadership, field of vision, stuff like that. i'm not saying shaun hill is joe montana because this is only his first season as a starting qb. he has a weak arm, but he has this dynamic about him that somehow gets him to win games. yeah, i really don't care if he has an arm like brett favre or john elway, but i care if he knows how to use what he have and find ways to get the victories. that's a football player that scouts ALWAYS get wrong.
One thing you fail to take into account about Montana is that he had a major advantage of learning under Walsh. Part of Walsh's legacy is he coached consecutive HOF QBs (Montana and Young) and I don't think it was just coincidence!
i don't like tebow as a QB savior as well.....or strafford (before his now smithian like shoulder) or anyone as a first round QB pick.....
i am thinking, hopefully, get mays with with panther's pick and trade down 9r's own pick for extra picks to address OL unless there is a can't miss pass rusher.
where are we at in the 2010 draft? 13th and 19th picks....any further discussion of pick placement is essentially futile untill a couple of months from now but this does look like the end game plus or minus 2 spots IMO
You forget to mention General Montana had balls of steel and could shoot lightning bolts out of his arse.
Sorry Matt, but Ollie Matson was the greatest college player ever. In this era, Vince Young was clearly better than Tebow. He beat a great USC team singlehandedly in perhaps the greatest performance ever by a college player.
Are these questions for real? This is hilarious.....
Tebow reminds me of Paul Hornung, an outstanding college QB who couldn't make it in the NFL at that position. Tebow has the running ability, size and athleticism to become a Hornung. Also, Matt, what's the difference between a pure passer and an impure passer? Maybe the term passer is adequate.
To be fair to you matt, doesn't sound like Moran Norris is a very good interview. I was interested in what he almost said about mike nolan... too bad he caught himself and bit his tounge.
Observer: I will agree with you that Young's performance may well have been the single greatest big game performance by a player, I have to disagree about the USC team he played. It was a great.. no legendary offense, but probably Carrol's worst defense since he arrived. the defense the year before was fantastic. and last year's defense probably could have taken 2-3 NFL teams (damn shame they didn't play Florida for the BCS- I would have paid to see that)
But Young's body of work for his college career is just not what Tebow's has been.
Matt,
Very funny stuff! And to add to some of these clueless posters who ask the dumbest questions specifically when they want your answers on personnel. Like "how did so&so do in practice today & do you think he has a chance to play in the game" As if you're part of the coaching staff & the decision process. Those kind of questions always slay me!
Love the replies to these questions Matt.
But...
"...And to be a quarterback in the NFL, you have to be able to throw the ball exceptionally well."
Apparently somebody did not get the memo. Cause Hill's passes make Tebow look like Dan Fouts.
Anyway keep up the great work.