Mark Long Beach

Nice response Dawg. I think that the big difference is in the amount of risk you're willing to take. You are willing to take a riskier position (with the potential for greater rewards) than the position that Marv took and seems to be taking with a lot of other decisions. Yes Nate was the number 1 free agent player THIS year, but the decision to cut him loose was basically made LAST year when Marv said we'd only tag Nate for 1 year, so that he could get into camp and learn our new system. Now we still had the opportunity during the season to work out a long term deal if Marv thought it was in the teams best interest. It would have been hard, and it would have been expensive, but it absolutely would have been possible. I think that Marv figured it was worth the potential to get a draft pick (there's absolutely NO guarantee we'd get a worth-while draft pick for Nate) to instead have a happy Nate, in camp on time, helping out the other corners. This also avoided a potential Lance Briggs type situation. Remember, this is the first year that Marv is taking over. There are only so many battles that you can fight at once. Learn to pick and choose your battles until you understand the situation. At the time we got a good (and contract) year out Nate for the cost of a possible draft pick in the future. That was Marv's gamble, where you wanted more than that. Every year is crucial in the NFL, and this was a time of transition with a new GM and a new Head Coach. Distractions for a new management team would be bad. We also got spoiled with getting a first round pick for the underachieving Peerless Price. There really aren't many deals for 1st round draft picks for players. In free agency teams don't want to pay big bucks AND big draft picks for players. That's why for even the best (and older) runningbacks lately have been low 2nd rounders along with the gadzillion dollars they earned.

The two teams are not identical. The Pats have had a lot of recent success. We have not. They are perceived by players to be one of the teams with the best chance to win the superbowl. That counts for a great deal. We've not been to the playoffs in (too) many years, and have had a revolving door of poor coaches. We can't act like the Patriots because we're not them. Why is it so hard for you to see that there are different ways to organize people into a successful group? It seems that your complaint seems that we're not ruthless enough, and we don't attempt to maximize value at every opportunity. Your so called "warm and fuzzy" actions get solid value on more than one front. Especially related to the fact that the football team is a team of 100+ people that have to be working in the same direction. We got a good, harmonious year of service from Nate. The new management team got an opportunity to see how good he was, and the opportunity to see if he was going to be worth the price it'd take to keep him. They obviously felt otherwise. This has to do with more than just talent. You seem to think that there is only one way to do this. I and many others on this board disagree. You really can be better off by not taking the so-called most optimal (ruthless) choice. See the psychological experiment called the "prisoners dilemma" where if everyone chooses the most self-serving choice everyone involved is worse off.

Eh. I'll miss him. He was a better player then I gave him credit for. Even though he didn't get the role that he wanted (2/3rd WR) he busted his butt when he did get on the field (primarily special teams) and I think he did a good job there. He was frequently the first guy down, and disrupted the return and often made the tackle as well. I'll miss him more than Willis.

Sept. 9 DENVER BRONCOS - LOSE Sept. 16 @ Pittsburgh Steelers - LOSE Sept. 23 @ New England Patriots - LOSE Sept. 30 NEW YORK JETS - WIN Oct. 8 DALLAS COWBOYS - WIN Oct. 21 BALTIMORE RAVENS - LOSE Oct. 28 @ New York Jets - WIN Nov. 4 CINCINNATI BENGALS - WIN Nov. 11 @ Miami Dolphins - WIN Nov. 18 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS - LOSE Nov. 25 @ Jacksonville Jaguars - LOSE Dec. 2 @ Washington Redskins - WIN Dec. 9 MIAMI DOLPHINS - WIN Dec. 16 @ Cleveland Browns - WIN Dec. 23 NEW YORK GIANTS - WIN Dec. 30 @ Philadelphia Eagles - WIN

I'd like to keep him as a decent backup and very good ST's player. But I can't argue with him trying to move up the totem pole. I was against signing him originally, because I thought him a poor #2 receiver, but as an emergency receiver and special teams player I've been impressed.

Cool!

Nice work!

I completely agree. Even with all of those off-the-field issues Animal has, there is just no way he slips into the 2nd day. His impact on the field is indisputable!

The two of them are part of a council of 6 players to advise the new commish on issues related to the players. Sort of an informal communications method compared to dealing directly with the players union. Nice. Go guys go. (note the type saying Takeo is lb for Cincy still!) http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2828525

I also think that a second RB is likely. We (the coaches) have seen what we've got. It ain't much, but they feel it's enough to not panic. Drafting 2 RB's would not panicking but rather I think it would be an honest attempt to improve the position via competition. If Shaud and fred can beat out a late rounder, then they should stay. If not, then we move on. Remember Lionel Gates from last year, he looked pretty good as a runner. But he had other issues (to say the least). You never know when you could get lucky and find a late rounder who can put it all together. We've seen what Shaud can do, and it aint much. I fear the same for Jackson. Adding a late round pick in addition to a higher draft pick into the mix just increases the likelyhood of us having a credible starter, or more likely a credible backup in case of injury or a starter that just isn't cutting it (a reasonable likelyhood). If Jackson steps up, all the better for us.

While I don't see it happening, I'd love it. The dude can run. I also don't believe that he's a cancer, I just believe that he's ...odd. Not just a pothead.... but odd. But even today, he's a better runningback than all of our current stable mashed together. I'd love to have wicky.

The Pats are smart enough that he'd never make it through camp. The Phins, however, heck they took Bennie "the turnstile" Anderson, they'll take anyone and let them play. Go Phins Go! Better yet, have them signthe restricted agreement and give us a 3rd for him! Naw, even they aren't THAT dumb.

The public meltdown of Leaf was pure gold entertainment. That's why he stands out in my mind. Even though the public "who's better " conversation of Peyton/Leaf was near identical to Bledsoe/Mirer. With Mirer sucking it up pretty badly too. Although he at least was able to stick in the league as a career backup, still not what you want out of the number 2 pick. While nobody could save Leaf as an NFL football player.

You also can get advantage is US fed contracts by setting up in a HUBzone, and by being a small business. (some contracts you need to be a "certified" small business) Section 8a is just one of several ways to get a small advantage in winning a gov't contract. I compete against 8a, hubzone and other small biz's and trust me it's much easier than competing against big companies. Where bribery and good old boys networks still influence the outcome. I have nothing against an 8a company. Did I even miss that they were going after gov't contracts? I didn't get that impression at all, although admittedly, I didn't read too closely.

So True, So True!

I agree. Although I really believe #2 more than #1. They are willing to stomach an RBBC because they know who we have will work hard and give it their all, even if they aren't the most talented. Clearly neither Marv nor DJ thought the same about McWillis. I think they are very pleased with ellison, and feel that Crowell is adequate at MLB. Here I think they could tolerate going into the season with what they have, but would prefer an upgrade...(or at least another good future starter as a backup) I wouldn't be suprised if we moved up to the top of the 2nd or back into the bottom of 1st round again.

Apparently he was healthy and started all 16 games for KC last season. Of course on their main page they have the Chiefs drafting a DT with their first pick... He wasn't great, but he was better than tiny tim (when he was healthy). linky: http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=188004

Anything 5th and beyond is just a hope and a prayer. Don't really care who we draft here. I'll take any position if it turns out the guy can actually play at the NFL level.

I wouldn't sqawk if we drafted another. But a 2nd day choice only please. Everett has done nothing, and doesn't look like he'll improve. Royal has been a pleasant surprise in that he's been average. Even looking pretty good at times. Which has been FAR better than what we've had in a while. I've heard a number of people talking good about Ceislak, but only Royal has looked worthy.

Nice Ending!

pick any one of about 10 Barry Sanders runs. That one's my pick. I loved watching the fear in the defensive player as they realized that they were 1 on 1 vs Barry and were going to lose.

He still gets his 8mil guaranteed. The only difference is potentially a combined larger signing bonus/guaranteed yearly salary. If the two aren't larger he's better off with the 8mil guaranteed. Granted, more and more of the truly top end contracts have more and more guaranteed. I'm unsure how the 'guaranteed' salary on multiyear contracts works with injuries though... Since 8mil in one year is larger than most NFL players will make in their careers, I still have no sympathy, and he is certainly NOT being disrespected. It is a small concession to the team owners to ONLY pay one of the largest salaries for that one player so that the majority of the rest of the players gain more freedom and more money.

Hmmm... no, must be before my time, or maybe my memory is going. He's under a reasonable contract. I'm not against reworking contracts, but I am after only 1 real season. My complaint is more with Rosen... for attacking early and loud with no leverage.

... you mean smoke crack, right? Some real lunacy in that article.

I agree that Gore looks like a top 5 RB. But, He's still only done it for one year. Not to mention he's still has THREE years left on his contract. I fail to see how reworking this contract benefits the 49ers in any way.