Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Smith torches himself, along with Nolan {49ers Quagmire}
San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 12/12/7 | Ray Ratto

Posted on 12/12/2007 7:50:05 AM PST by SmithL

Well, that's it for Mike Nolan. And while we're at it, that's almost surely it for Alex Smith, too - if not immediately, then after one more season, tops. And if Denise DeBartolo York is on the level about this new general manager thing, that might be it for Tortoise-Shell Johnny as football chief, too.

In other words, the Nolan-Smith blood feud, which has reached full boil, is going to blow up a franchise that already was chest-deep in rubble. The last three years will have been a waste, and they were designed because the three years before them were a waste, from the moment in the 2002 season when John York decided to get his feelings hurt over Steve Mariucci's ongoing job search. Now the 49ers will have to start from scratch again, making the next three years a waste.

Yes, it's the York Nine-Year Plan - guaranteed to get you a new nine-year plan.

It's hard to imagine a fragmentation grenade aimed quite so well as Smith's decision to go public with his long-held frustrations with Nolan. It will have worked so well that when all the collateral damage is compiled, every important figure in the organization very well might be gone, demoted or sent back to Youngstown, Ohio, for additional management training.

And all because Smith decided that now was the time to blow up Nolan, and the best way was to bare his frustrations, in a San Jose Mercury News story Tuesday. Smith's season was over, he sensed that Nolan was vulnerable, and gave the best shove he could.

Smith blamed Nolan for ruining his presence in the locker room, for wrecking his shoulder, for just plain kneecapping his career. And there's no putting those words back in your mouth once you've expelled them,...

(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...


TOPICS: Sports
KEYWORDS: 49ers; alexsmith; mikenolan; york
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-22 next last

1 posted on 12/12/2007 7:50:08 AM PST by SmithL
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: scott says

Blaming Smith or Nolan is irrelevant, because the destruction of this once-great team will continue for as long as the Yorks run the team.


2 posted on 12/12/2007 7:51:53 AM PST by SmithL (I don't do Barf Alerts, you're old enough to read and decide for yourself)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SmithL

Do we have professional football in the Bay Area, still? I had forgotten. ;)


3 posted on 12/12/2007 7:53:54 AM PST by Mr. Jeeves ("Wise men don't need to debate; men who need to debate are not wise." -- Tao Te Ching)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: mainepatsfan; scott says

HA HA! Pats get top 3 pick!!!

4 posted on 12/12/2007 7:55:00 AM PST by misterrob (13 down, 6 more til the Pats win the SB again.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mr. Jeeves

Have you seen De LaSalle play?


5 posted on 12/12/2007 7:57:59 AM PST by SmithL (I don't do Barf Alerts, you're old enough to read and decide for yourself)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: SmithL

Sorry this Quagmire is a Pats fan(thanks for the first round pick 49’ers)


6 posted on 12/12/2007 8:00:34 AM PST by GQuagmire (Giggety,Giggety,Giggety)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SmithL
Have you seen De LaSalle play?

What do you expect? They've got a Montana on BOTH their Varsity and JV squads.

7 posted on 12/12/2007 8:02:53 AM PST by ssaftler (Which Al is more deadly: Al Qaeda or Al Gore?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: GQuagmire

This 49er fan is also a Patriots fan. I have higher expectation for the Pats, again this year.


8 posted on 12/12/2007 8:03:14 AM PST by SmithL (I don't do Barf Alerts, you're old enough to read and decide for yourself)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: SmithL

It looked so promising for the Niners at the start of the season, too. Then, POOF!

As an NY Giant fan, I can say that football is more enjoyable when the Niners are good.

Giants/Niners was a great, evenly matched, rivalry.


9 posted on 12/12/2007 8:13:08 AM PST by Loyolas Mattman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: SmithL; 4everontheRight; ABG(anybody but Gore); Abbeville Conservative; admiralsn; akorahil; ...

NFL PING



FReepmail scott says to be added to, or to be taken off the NFL Ping list...


This is a fairly high volume ping list

10 posted on 12/12/2007 8:13:17 AM PST by scott says
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SmithL

It looked so promising for the Niners at the start of the season, too. Then, POOF!

As a NY Giant fan, I can say that football is more enjoyable when the Niners are good.

Giants/Niners was a great, evenly matched, rivalry.


11 posted on 12/12/2007 8:13:21 AM PST by Loyolas Mattman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Loyolas Mattman

San Francisco and POOF.....

You made a funny!


12 posted on 12/12/2007 8:17:50 AM PST by misterrob (13 down, 6 more til the Pats win the SB again.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: SmithL

My Bengals get to play them next. Perhaps this implosion will allow the Bengals to win in San Francisco for the first time since 1974....


13 posted on 12/12/2007 8:21:25 AM PST by Badeye (Free Willie!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mr. Jeeves
Do we have professional football in the Bay Area, still?

The Golden Bears.
14 posted on 12/12/2007 9:04:13 AM PST by BJClinton (How 'bout them Cowboys?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Loyolas Mattman

As a Big blue fan myself, I must concur. I’ll never forget when Lott went after Simms. Jim Burt went over to Simms on the sideline and told him he would take care of it. On the next series he blasted Montana so hard he literally flew off the TV screen.


15 posted on 12/12/2007 9:24:20 AM PST by MattinNJ (I'm pulling for Fred Thompson and Duncan Hunter-...but I'd vote for Rudy against Hillary)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: SmithL

The Niners have experienced what a lot of rebuilding teams do. Unsatisfactory high picks for a QB, and a coach who just doesn’t fit with the franchise. The Niners will be back. It will take a while, but the franchise is too good not rebound.


16 posted on 12/12/2007 9:27:19 AM PST by Nachum
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MattinNJ

Ah yes, the 86 Divisional Playoff - LT picks off the Montana “pass” and runs it back for a TD.

The 49-3 rout was on...


17 posted on 12/12/2007 9:42:25 AM PST by Loyolas Mattman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Loyolas Mattman

Ahhh, the good old days. LT, Simms, Carson, Banks, Burt.


18 posted on 12/12/2007 11:05:05 AM PST by MattinNJ (I'm pulling for Fred Thompson and Duncan Hunter-...but I'd vote for Rudy against Hillary)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: Loyolas Mattman

As a Cowboys fan myself and an ex Bay Area-an, I’ve rather enjoyed the 49ers cellar-dwelling ways as of late. However, I’m hoping when the 49ers finally get the wheels back on their bus and are rollin’, the Cowboys are still going strong, and we can get back to playing them.


19 posted on 12/12/2007 12:29:46 PM PST by Theresawithanh (FRED!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: SmithL; Mr. Jeeves
Have you seen De LaSalle play?

Oddly enough, I think I saw a bit of the replay on either FSN Bay Area or Comcast where De La Salle put a beat down on California High in the 4A Title game. De La Salle plays with more discipline than some college teams I've watched this year.

(Although the CIF should have picked Long Beach Poly to play them instead of Corona Centennial in the Div. I title game this year if you ask me).

20 posted on 12/12/2007 1:10:38 PM PST by GOP_Raider (Don't panic, folks. Rush Babies Will Save America.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-22 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson