Smith torches himself, along with Nolan {49ers Quagmire}

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 12/12/7 | Ray Ratto

[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,...

[GraniteStateConservative]

Carson Palmer versus the undrafted Shaun Hill. Cincy should just close up shop on the team if they lose.

[Badeye]

Same was said in game two against the Browns and some guy named Derek Anderson.....