Like many of you over the past 12 hours I have read "experts", bloggers & Ninerfaithfuls either rant or rave about the #61 pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, a one Mr. LaMichael James! This pick has been so controversial I have seen no middle ground amongst the masses. You either love it or hate it! I have tried to speak less about this pick & spew my objectivity on the matter. Instead wanted to reasearch more about the why the FO went with this pick.

During my reasearch on the interwebz, went to the 49ers official website and actually listened to what Jim Harbaugh had to say on the matter. Usually, us fans know he reveals little for fans and even less for reporters. But once in a while he gives you an "Aha momment" in his interviews. This was one of those moments and I strongly suggest for any faithful to go and watch it here. Most of the masses has compared this pick to a "COP back" ala. Darren Sproles to a Reggie Bush and many are looking it that way. Even I at first, looked at this pick like how Kansas City wanted to use Dexter McCluster but that hasn't panned out or a Danny Woodhead from NE. But as we all know Harbaugh has his own take, and fairly always against the grain. He says, and I paraphrase, "I SEE LAMICHAEL JAMES AS A RAY RICE TYPE OF RUNNINGBACK!!" Yes faithfuls, sit down and let that sink into your heads. I myself had a "What you talkin' bout Willis? moment...

My mind was so blown I had to go look at film & stats. What I found, Harbaugh got a "STRONG CASE". Their college football careers are so eerily similar it was as if I found enlightenment. Yes there are some differences such as the offensive schemes they both were in but the end product of both guys are too close to not even acknowledge!

Ray Rice college stats:

Rushing Attempts: 910 YDS: 4926 AVG: 5.4 TD: 49

Receiving REC: 37 YDS: 334 AVG: 9.0 TD: 1

LMJ college stats:

Rushing Attempts: 771 YDS: 5082 AVG: 6.6 TD: 53

Receiving REC: 51 YDS: 586 AVG: 11.5 TD: 4

Now obiviously the differences(Positive/Negatives) are:

1. Ray Rice is 18 pounds heavier than LMJ, but FO and LMJ already talked about adding more weight to his frame

2. Ray Rice had 139 more rushing touches in college but this also showes how efficient LMJ was compared to Rice in college.

3. Questions of durablity for LMJ. I'm saying to myself what durability? LMJ played last year with a brace on his arm and his numbers last year where arguably his best.

4. LMJ is a more accomplished pass-catcher than Rice coming out of college.

5. LMJ can't run in-between the tackles. Review the tapes. Yes he ran alot of jet-sweeps but alot of his damage were one cut and go runs up the middle!

6. Can't use him in goaline situtations. Oh, yes you can! We all know G-Ro/Harbs run sets out of shotgun closer to the goaline. How many TD's did LaMichael get from that same formation?.....Tons!!

7. Lastly, LMJ was also effective at punt returns last year avg. 10.69YDS.

Anyway, still not ready to say LMJ is Ray Rice but I can definitely see Harbaugh's case here. He might not be Rice but if he's a "combo-lite version" of Rice & Woodhead I'll take it. The best thing is he came on a team where he has time to develop. 49ers can & will use him sparingly this year so he can have time to mature and evolve into a special contributor!

Disclaimer: I write this as a person living on the east coast, North Jersey, for most of my life. And the atmosphere of this 49ers game vs the Giants leading up to and after this game.

While there are TONS of Ninerfaithfuls here on the east coast, I understand the territory that I live in but dealing with skeptics here on the east coast is mind numbing at times to say the least. If it isn’t about the Giants, Jets, Eagles, Cowboys, Patriots or "Tebowing" the rest of the NFL is almost an afterthought. It’s amazing because I kept telling my friends that are Giants/Eagles fans that this 49ers team is better than advertised at the beginning of the season. While I have seen a lot of predictions here on NN, I told them & thought to myself this is a 8-8/9-7 team. If you’re not a fan of the 49ers, overall mainstream consensus is they aren’t a truly talented team which isn’t the case. During the abysmal 10 years of watching this team play since ‘02, the 49ers have been stymied by a combination of lack of leadership at the top of the organization, horrible coaching and the players not playing up to their own potential.

As stated before, I saw this team as a 8-8, 9-7 team which I thought was good enough to win the NFCW Divison. This was a small but necessary step to bring back the proud history of this franchise. My friends of teams above was looking at me like I had two heads in claiming this could happen. So as the games were being played and the 49ers kept winning I kept reminding them of exactly my goal for this team IS obtainable. Still people looking at me doubting, to the point that prior to the Eagles game I made a bet to a Giants & Eagles fan of $100 each that my boys will go 9-7. You should have seen the laughter and snickering going on as the bet was been made.

"Oh 49ers have to play the entire NFCE and already lost to the Cowgirls. Blah, blah, blah."

I told them I remember the 49ers back in the day crushing the entire NFCE with Montana and Rice having MONSTER games at the old Medowlands Stadium as a kid. The only team I respect out of the teams named above with a history I respect is the Cowgirls and Giants unfortunately. Their retort,

"What happened to the 49ers last two times they played at Meadowlands? 49ers don’t have Montana, Young or Rice now."

Unfortuately, they were right because I had gone to both of those games with full-on 49er garb from head to toe on only to be kicked in the teeth with Dilfer in ‘07 & O’Sullivan in ‘08.

So now fast forward to yesterday, I agreed to meet my Giant buddy at a local bar, Shannon Rose, which is literally less than five minutes from the meadowlands (one hour on game days traffic go figure) for this game. Yes ladies & gentlemen, I was in the Lions Den with maybe one other 49er fan at this bar. This day I decided not to wear no 49er garb except the hat, had to change the luck for my boys. We both agreed, wanted a "good game" no blowouts. He was hesitant of Gore and our defense. Told him not to worry AleX has to pass this game in order for us to win, he was "comfortable" of me saying that since he doesn’t know about AleX, just Alex Smith. I told him they aren’t running with Jacobs, that Eli would have to hurt the 49ers in the passing game. This made him ever so more comfy and myself a little hesitant because this can happen. I also was hesitant of their defensive front on passing situations vs our O-line pass blocking. As the game started he himself as did other Giant fans noticed this game was going to be a dogfight and we both loved our chances. I because this what the 49ers have done ALL year so far except for Tampa, and he because Giants have a history of being in games such as these. As the "LETS GO GIANTS" chants were coming in with epic fervor because a. the eagles lost & b. they were winning at the end of the 3rd quarter my mettle as the 49ers were tested. Then low and behold out of a phone booth, AleX showed’em all what he was made out of to the point after the game my friend was asking me who’s this guy? It was great to see my 49ers silence an entire bar to the point that you can actually now here Joe Buck speak, which I personally couldn’t care for but it was a sight to see.

P.S. - Hats off to the 49ers special teams. This is were I think the 49ers had an advantage all game vs the Giants. I wonder what the teams avg. starting field position was compared to the Giants.