SB Nation User Blog: Poundtherock

A new look at Gores 80 yard "Scamper"

Poundtherock — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 02:29:44 -0000

A new look at Gores 80 yard "Scamper"

I don't think anyone expected this... oh gosh.

The BCS and draft choices?

Poundtherock — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 02:36:36 -0000

I'm getting quite tired of all the Brett Favre and "losing may help us" discussions and although there are many good points, I think it may be time to move on to something new.

So, I'd have to say many of us who are college football followers (which I am guessing is most of us) would say that we hate the BCS system and are fairly excited about the new development that the AP has ended its poll of the BCS schools. Which I am very thankful for! If you have not heard about this then see the link below:

AP Pulls Out Of BCS

I don't think this BCS monster will end anytime soon, given all the money that is in this system and the rankings effecting Las Vegas and what not. A shame to say the least!

But I'm here to hear discussion on how you think the BCS system effects where draft choices are picked. Some teams never are really in the spotlight, and some teams are in the spotlight too much. Does this effect draft slotting at all? The media seems to have a thing for glorifying games involving "ranked teams" although the value of this statement has little meaning anymore (if it every did).

In recent years, there seems to have been less effective scouting for each team in the league. I don't have specific citation for this information, but I think you would find many that agree with me.

I believe this to be one of the most learned and insightful blogs on the internet, and classy while doing it no doubt. I would love to hear what you have to say in this subject. Please specify why in your comments. Thank you Niners Nation!

And hey, lets just include another outraged writers story on the BCS just for fun!

Poll

Does the BCS system make it less likely for an NFL team to pick a college player based solely on his play?

Yes.

19 votes

No.

16 votes

35 votes | Poll has closed

Small notes on Tom

Poundtherock — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 20:27:11 -0000

Tom Brandstater the player is someone we all know about, and we have all been impressed with, but I'm here to tell you more about Tom the person. I don't consider myself the source of all Tom Brandstater knowledge or lore, but I do know Tom and his family a bit (partly because I must admit, Turlocks small size), and in the few days that I see him home in Turlock I've seen him at church and a few events.

Tom the person is a great guy. Smart as heck, tall as heck and very humble. He loves Turlock and has come to many Turlock High scrimmages (yes, scrimmages, not even games) to talk to the high school kids and stress the importance of school, and to work hard in football, he's a big inspiration to the kids. Tom also e-mails the school, talking to the kids, about this same subject.

One of these scrimmages I attended as a coach for a small football team in Turlock. His arrival unexpected, there were only a few people in the stands. But he came with his father and just stayed on the sidelines and awed all the kids, there were murmors of "Is that Tom?" amongst the kids. Certainly his presence upped the play of the kids, as the small team that I had played amazingly with the presence of an NFL caliber player.

As you would imagine, Mr. Brandstater is a hot sports subject, at least in the Turlock Journal (which is a very very small paper, where nothing happens, being that Turlock is a cow-town). His every game is reported on, even his first game which was much awaited for by his friends and family (he had lots of people at the game). Poor guy didn't even play, but I'm sure he was more sad that people came all the way into SF for nothing than his playing time.

His father is a character. I'm not really sure where Tom gets his height... since his father is normal height. But he has made some great athletes. Toms brother (I wont name him) was a great pitcher for Turlock High, and I'm not sure about Brandstater Senior, but he is a very passionate person and I see him working out at my gym quite a bit.

Just a few notes! Brandstater is a great guy and I'm glad he's has some great coaches behind him. Because at Fresno State he had some adversity, and he seemed to have a problem with having balls batted down, but now he's getting much better with this!

Hope you enjoyed this!

Its a video of Alex Smith last year. I just thought it interesting. I love how he talks about his...

Poundtherock — Wed, 27 May 2009 16:38:57 -0000

Its a video of Alex Smith last year. I just thought it interesting. I love how he talks about his wife. He seems like a great and normal guy, I've always liked Alex as a guy. Enjoy during this dead zone of links!

Lets Play Pattycake!

Poundtherock — Thu, 07 May 2009 20:13:00 -0000

"Owie! Seriously guys! Stop iiiiit"

I may sound like I'm ranting here, but I have watched, sadly, the decline of tough hard nosed football over the years as I'm sure you have, and I'm not happy. Football has not embraced the element that made it so popular in the US, the hard hitting, and the never say die attitude of football players of old. Instead it has turned into a sport of two teams playing patty cake, because the league tells them to, and if they don't comply they either get fined or suspended.

Why? Because they were PLAYING THE GAME.

Lets take the hit on Anquan Boldin last year for example.

(Video of hit)

Early last season as the Cards were playing the Jets, Boldin went out for a pass in the middle of the field near the endzone. Three Jets defenders were around him, and he caught the pass. Kerry Rhodes of the Jets, obviously trying to get him down before he went into the endzone, hit him in his back, in what the league calls a "legal hit". This hit threw Anquan forward into the waiting head of Eric Smith, who was attempting to hit him for the same purpose as Rhodes, to get him down, like your told to do in the NFL. The only crime of Eric was that he was going a little lower on Boldin than Rhodes had done, making for a head to head collision.

So, after all of this, who is to blame? Eric Smith was, because of the form tackle that he was attempting to lay on Anquan? Then they fine him $50,000 for it.

Why wasn't Kurt Warner to blame? He did, afterall, throw the ball to Boldin. Why havent they made a rule designating that QB's can only throw to receivers who are only covered by one defender? Of course this would be an absurd rule, but the point is that the blame can be certainly be passed around, and it seems to me to be quite unavoidable at times, if not most times.

Yes, there is the occasional player who is malicious, but those flagrant fouls can be easily picked out, who must we mull over these kinds of plays searching for premeditated murder?

Play football! We are losing our game, and our players know it!

Take the new "Hines Ward" rule. A rule to help protect defensive players?!

Click here.

And this older article of Troy Polamalu.

Click here.

Does anyone else share my anger at the NFL management? Football is not football without hitting!

(you guys know I'm a fan of polls, so here we go)

*EDIT* my bad on the Steeler-Jet thing

Poll

Do you think that all the rules about hitting are getting absurd/ out of hand?

Yes, very much so.

23 votes

Yes

16 votes

No

11 votes

50 votes | Poll has closed

Media effect on the draft?

Poundtherock — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 22:31:14 -0000

I've always wondered if the countless mock drafts, and the countless draft discussions really effect what the actual selections will be on draft day. If you were a GM, or a head coach, and you were bombarded with "should draft" and "need to draft" on all sides by the media which in some fans eyes, has a very big say, some might feel they have a better say in what a team needs. Would you side with the media as a head coach because after months of this talk, even you are swayed?

Or maybe you want to draft that player/position because the fans are behind it and your popularity is on the line as they might not be a player that produces right away?

I know there are going to be many discussions of Crabtree, and our later draft picks for a while to come, but I want to put at least some diversity on Niners Nation!

What is your say on this? Have you even ever thought about this?

Poll

Does the media effect where players are selected because of pure hype?

Yes

28 votes

No

10 votes

38 votes | Poll has closed

Madden Curse Broken?

Poundtherock — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 18:26:39 -0000

The Madden curse has been with us for at least 8 years, and has a storied history. Like the SI cover jinx, it has its supporters and detractors, but there are some interesting psychology behind this "phenomina."

For those of you who don't know what the Madden curse is, it has infamously led the player who is featured on the cover of the video game "Madden Football" to either injury or a lackluster season.

I don't subscribe to thinking curses are real outside of God, "curses" have an interesting effect on the mind. Maybe the mind makes a self fulfilling prophecy for the mind to follow, or perhaps the fact that these players are generally put on the cover after Extremely good seasons, regression to the mean plays a part in the next season.

Either way, I would like your position on this subject, which I find extremely interesting.

Also, the link below tells that the Madden curse may be a thing of the past, as they are going to feature multiple players on the 2010 Madden cover. What do you think of this?

New Madden cover could feature multiple stars

P.S. My apologies if this has been discussed quite profusely.

Poll

Do you think that the Madden Curse (whether literally a curse, or just mentally shakes the player) has some merit to it?

Yes, litterally a curse.

45 votes

Yes, but only because the player makes it come true.

17 votes

Yes, because of the regression towards the mean.

14 votes

No, it is just a superstition.

30 votes

106 votes | Poll has closed

Interesting...

Poundtherock — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 15:17:13 -0000

Just thought this was interesting. A post about Alex Smith before he was even drafted by the 49ers, A little different back then huh? (is it just me or does he even look stronger back then than he is now?)

I'm still an Alex Smith fan personally, the guy seems to be really down to earth and if you give him a coordinator for 2 years (lets hope with Jimmy Raye this year) then maybe he can put up the kind of numbers we all expected of him this late in his career with the Niners.

Although obviously Alex Smiths career has been disappointing, arnt you guys glad that the guy isnt a douche like Mr. Jay Cutler? I'm glad we're keeping him

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/draft05/news/story?id=2035706

Bryant Young Award?

Poundtherock — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 23:58:02 -0000

Bryant Young is an 8-time winner of the Len Eshmont Award, and he is the definition of team before self, and quiet leadership, much beloved by the fans, a steadfast and caring Christian, and undoubtably one of the most punishing defensive players ever to dawn the gold and red.

He WAS the Len Eshmont award for 8 years, and had the love and respect of everyone on and off the field. He was the heart and soul of the defense and the heart and soul of the team for many a year.

Understand though that Len Eshmont was part of the original 1946 Forty Niners, and died from infectious hepatitis in 1957.

What is your opinion of this?

Personally, I would rename it the Bryant Young award.

The Len Eshmont Award, the 49ers most prestigious annual honor, is an award given to the Niner who best exemplifies the "inspirational and courageous play" of Len Eshmont, a player from the original 1946 Forty Niners team.

Poll

Should the Len Eshmont award be renamed the Bryant Young award?

Yes

19 votes

No

29 votes

48 votes | Poll has closed