Everybody appreciates what Mike Singletary has done for this team. When he was announced as the interim coach in the middle of the season, fans were hopeful but most were looking at other coaching options that were available after the season was over. But instead of Singletary shrinking away like most interim coaches, he immediately grabbed the helm and set the 49ers off in the right direction.

In his first game he single handily changed everything the 49ers once were under Mike Nolan. He yanked J.T. O'Sullivan for Shaun Hill, made Martz do less of a seven step “suicide” drop and focus more on running, and told all those in the media what he expected of his 49ers and that he wouldn't except anything less. These actions plus those of putting Vernon Davis on notice and giving rookie Chilo Rachal the chance to start at guard, led the 49ers to winning five of their last seven games.

Both his player management and tough tenacity for the game have been nothing less then stellar, but there have been some pitfalls. His inexperience as a head coach is a tad worrisome, and the fact that he isn't an X's and O's kind of guy, causes concern that he will be too reliant on his offensive and defensive coordinators. Also his unorthodox motivational policies has led to some media scrutiny and speculation.

So you may be asking, why I am bringing this up now? Well lately their have been some upsurging, in the media especially, calling into question whether Singletary was the right decision for the job, or was he just a fan pleasing decision? Personally I believe he is both.

While it is true that there were a myriad of top flight NFL coaches available this off season, would that have really been the best route? Bill Cowher is a great coach, but I think if the 49ers were to try to get him, it would have been way too much. His systems are vastly different than the 49ers, and the year or two we would have wasted while he got “his guys” in, would have just slowed down the development of this potential riddled team.

Mike Shanahan would have been an interesting choice, but I think currently he is more of a shadow of his former self than that of a Hall of Fame coach. Over the last three years his record has been 24 and 24, he has let the Bronco's defense dip to the top 5 worst in the league, and his tenure concluded with a historic collapse with Denver becoming the first team since divisional play, to blow a three-game lead with three games left. The only way I would have approved of Shanahan coming to the 49ers, was if he came with Jay Cutler in tow.

A few other big names that were still out there was Marty Schottenheimer, Jason Garrett, and Pete Carrol, among others. But none of these guys bring to the table what Mike "Samurai" Singletary brings, and that is a pair of football sized brass nuts... and 10 pro-bowl appearances.

This team isn't in the need of rebuilding, and they aren't a team who has hit a wall of success (i.e. can't get past the first round of the playoffs), this team is a team with serious potential that needs a commander to help realize it. A commander who can lead his troops into battle each week and get the very best from them. That means executing, playing with passion all four quarters, and being physical with a capital “F”.

Singletary brings all of those things as well as the respect of every person who has ever met the man. He is one of those people who as soon as he walks into a room everybody becomes quiet. When he talked to a small group of us at training camp two years ago, his voice had such gravitas that every word he spoke you felt, and by the end you couldn't help but feel a bit inspired. When you look up the word “leader” in the dictionary, Mike Singletary picture isn't next to the definition, it is the definition.

The number one thing a coach should have is the confidence of every man on his team, and Singletary has that in spades. The 49ers may not be the best team or even a playoff team next year, but you can be damn sure that they will be a better team. I can not think of one instance where Mike “Samurai” Singletary has failed to accomplish something, so why should this time be any different?

Mike Singletary is one tough, scary dude, and it is only fitting that he wants his team to reflect that. Both Singletary and Mccloughan have stated that they want a big bruising back that can churn out the tough yards, and can get those crucial inches on a fourth down play. Unfortunately though this year's draft class is very shallow at running back, especially power running backs.

Their is a slim possibility that the 49ers could take a running back with the tenth pick overall, and most experts agree that it would be a reach, and the 49ers have higher priority positions to fill with that pick. So barring a trade, the next opportunity to take a running back will be with the 43rd overall pick. Could that pick be Shonn Greene?

While it is certainly possible that Greene could fall to third, or perhaps even the fourth, it still hasn't stopped him from being listed no lower than seventh (no higher than third) for the best running backs in this year's drafts class on almost all draft sites. At the combine he weighed in at 235 lbs, he stood at 5'11", ran a 4.63 - 40 yard dash, did 19 reps, and had a vertical of 37. At his Pro-Day he did improve his 40 time to 4.50 and he did 23 reps.

Greene has had the misfortune of being labeled as a one year wonder. In his first year at Iowa in 2005 in his very first game he rushed for 116 yards and one touchdown in a win against Ball State, but he saw little action the rest of the year. Sadly the following year he saw little action once again, despite his 6.4 yard rushing average for 205 yards, on just 32 attempts for the season. In 2007 he sat out the season to raise money for his tuition by going to community college and working at a furniture store.

Finally in 2008 he had his breakout season. Greene rushed for an amazing 1,850 yards, averaged 6.0 yards a carry, and had an incredible 20 touchdowns in 13 games of action.

While his competition for most of the year was pretty bad, he didn't dim when it came to playing against big name teams. Against former #3 Penn State's vaunted defense he rushed for 117 yards, had a 4.2 avg, and had two touchdowns, he also produced against two 9-4 teams finishing with 152 yards per game and an average of 5.8 yards a carry.

The Hawkeye junior rushed for over a hundred yards in every game last season (impressive at any level), he led Iowa to a very surprising 9-4 record, and he was the main reason they won the Outback Bowl.

Now that his college days are behind him, scouts are looking at him with a fine tooth comb. Here are two draft sites, MockingTheDraft.com and DraftCountdown.com, where they break down his strengths and weaknesses:

Strengths:

After Chris Wells of Ohio State, Greene is probably the most powerful running back in this class. Unlike a lot of backs in this year's class, he can get the tough yards and be relied on near the goal line. Shakes off poor tacklers. Real trouble if he gets in the open field to get up to top speed. Good lean. Possesses the lateral quickness to work outside the tackles. Solid blocker due to his strength.

Excellent size and bulk...Very physical runner...Powerful with a strong lower body...A load to bring down and breaks a lot of tackles...Patient with good vision and instincts...A terrific inside runner...Has nimble feet...Finishes runs and always falls forward...Gets stronger as the game progresses...Takes care of the ball...Doesn't have a lot of mileage on his tires...Great determination...Team player...Superb production.

Weaknesses:

Only average speed. Unless he gets into the open field, Greene has some trouble getting up to top speed. Sat out the 2007 season and will have to answer a lot of questions about it during the interview process. Weight has fluctuated. Mostly an unknown as a receiver. Only had 11 career receptions for 72 yards. Had just one outstanding season. Will be a 24-year-old rookie.

Does not have good speed, quickness or a burst...Will struggle to get outside and turn the corner...Won't run away from anyone...Not much of a threat as a receiver out of the backfield...Lacks great balance...A little stiff...Should be a better blocker than he is...Too indecisive...Has had some trouble with his weight and conditioning...Intelligence is an issue...Is older than most prospects...Durability?...A one-year wonder.

Both sites seem to be in agreement in both virtues, and while I do agree with their analysis I do have some comments. My friend is a Physics major and he broke down the video of Greene's 40 yard time, as well as Devin Moore's 4.40 and compared the two. He said that both topped out at close to 20mph, but that Moore reached his top speed about 6.5 yards earlier than Greene. What this means is that Greene is plenty fast, he just needs to work on his burst.

Another point of interest is the question of his durability. He has never had really any injury issues and he has played in all honestly only about one season out of the last four years, so the real concern is just about his age. He is 24 and I think him being more mature with a clean record out weighs one extra year.

Also most of his negatives, beside his speed, are easily correctable. With Singletary coaching you better believe he will be in excellent shape, and his blocking and indecisiveness will improve with more playing time. Also most running backs come into the league as exceptional receivers and I am sure Greene will improve, and even if he doesn't Gore is already plenty good at receiving for both of them.

One thing that makes me really angry is having a players intelligence questioned, especially when it's not a quarterback. I don't know how many people know this but our very own Frank Gore did not do very will in his Wonderlic Exam and he is dyslexic, but neither of those things have stopped him from having a productive career in the NFL.

I personally think that taking him in the second round may be a little high, just because of the talent in other positions that are available, but I think he will be a great pick with our third round pick. He has great upside, he is productive, and he is a team player who could definitely improve the Niners.

If you don't like swearing, I suggest you watch with the sound muted:

Frank Gore has been the one constant positive in a rather lack luster offense these past three years. He is the first running back in 49ers history to have three consecutive 1,000 yard seasons as well as to be the only offensive player remaining on the team to be named to a Pro-Bowl (2006). But even with all that, rumors have been circulating saying that Frank Gore is no longer the running back he used to be, and that it is time to start looking in a new direction.

Since his breakout season in 2006, Gore's stats have been slowly declining, and his injuries have increased. His yards per season have dropped from 06's 1,695 to this year's 1,036. His average yards per attempt is now 4.3 compared to 5.4 in 2006, and his touchdowns have fallen off slightly from eight to five, and to this year's six.

Surprisingly enough, his receiving stats have also fallen. His receptions per season has continued to fall by nine catches on average per season, finishing with 43 this season. Also accordingly, his receiving yards have fallen from 485 yards in '06 to 373 last season.

Despite these stats he has been continually picked as a top ten RB in fantasy football, even though he finishes in most stat categories in the middle of the pack among active running backs. Also, his prediction in '07 of having a 2,200 rushing yard record breaking season, along with many analysts and fans in '08 saying he was going to have close to a 1,000 yard rushing and a 1,000 yard receiving season, and in both seasons not coming close, leads me to say he was a little overrated in both occasions. And while these stats show signs of downside, their have obviously been many extenuating circumstances.

As I have already mentioned before Gore has had injuries. Whether it was a broken bone in his hand, multiple sprained ankles, or a few miscellaneous knee and leg injuries, he has always seemed to be hurt. But despite this onslaught of traumas he continues to play almost every week. In fact although he has been on the injury list almost every week, he has only missed a total of three games in the last three seasons, which has made him one of the most resilient and toughest backs in the league. This is definitely an underrated aspect of his game. Beyond his own health issues there has also been two huge issues outside of his control; the lack of a consistent QB and offense, and the yearly changing of offensive coordinators.

When Gore was under Norv Turner's influence in 2006, he flourished. He had his highest career rushing and receiving numbers and it was his only season to be selected to the Pro-Bowl. Some of the reasons why this happened was one part consistent QB play by Alex Smith, one part coordinating skills (especially in play action), one part improved offensive line play (didn't hurt to have Larry Allen), and one part the fresh and explosive legs of Frank Gore.

Unfortunately since then, the offensive coordinators have not exactly been run friendly. Jim Hostler could not game plan a game to save his life, and Mike Martz for the first part of the season was not too creative in the run game and he liked to leave Gore in to block a lot. These two coordinators combined with a carousel of quarterbacks, O-line injuries, the lack of fear of a deep threat, and an inconsistent passing game, has led Gore to anguish in eight and nine men defensive boxes the last two seasons. Gore through all of this was still able to produce, which is amazing, but one thing is leaving me from saying he is underrated... and that is because he has had some anomalies in his game.

While Gore did still produce throughout 2008, it wasn't an even production. Against opponents with a run defense in the top 15 he averaged only 42.5 yards a game (there was 6 games out of a possible 14) as well as only 1 touchdown. Compare that to his 92 yards a game average and 5 total touchdowns against teams with less than top 15 defenses, it is a little worrisome.

I know some say the lack of great stats was because of the passing game, but in the three games Shaun Hill was QB against top 15 defensive teams, he averaged a QB rating of 97.13 and averaged 278 passing yards per game. Not exactly incompetent play and Gore was still a non factor. Not to mention his longest run of the whole year was 41 yards that came in the first game against the Arizona Cardinals, and in total over the last two seasons he has only had 13 rushes over 20 yards, which doesn't even reach his 15 he had in 2006.

In the end I think Gore is a tough, strong runner who can push piles. He has a knack of getting 2 or 3 yards even when he looks like he will be tackled for a loss, and he is still a major factor in the passing game. But his lack of explosiveness these last few seasons, and his inability to create his own "holes" and "advantages" is stopping him from reclaiming his past glory. It may be just wear and tear, but it would not surprise me if the 49ers were able to grab another productive runner, one that could share carries with Gore while offering a different dynamic running style, that his stats would go up. Gore may never repeat the stats he had in 2006, but he is an integral part of this team who will be an offensive leader in the locker room for years to come.

Overall: Somewhere in Between

Hello Faithful, I am StrictlyFootball and I along with ProfessorBigelow are the new co-pilots for this jet known as NinersNation. After my drug and steroid tests came back negative (thanks Bigelow for the help) and had been given a clean bill of health, Fooch graciously, and under no influence, let me become an editor. I have been a member here at NN for a good year now and I have immersed myself in all things 49ers.

My past with the 49ers goes as far back as a car seat, and is as colorful as Adam Pacman Jones' rap sheet. When I was born the doctor didn't wrap me in a blanket; no instead my father draped me in red and gold and pinned the #16 to my back and handed me to my mother. There that jersey stood until that fateful day, April 22nd, 1993, the day Montana was traded. I of course being the mature five year old took it in stride... I tried flushing my jersey down the toilet.

While Steve Young continued the legacy of great QB play in San Francisco and even won a Super Bowl, I paid no heed. Then in 1997, I was given Madden 97. When I threw my first TD pass from Young to Rice the fire in me was rekindled. Birds sang, cats purred, and I loved my Niners again.

I continued to watch the 49ers through 2002 but once I reached the age of 14 the world started to change. I was rebelling against my parents, Eddie D was gone, and now there was this big mouthed WR calling my QB gay. I felt myself turning to the dark side, morphing into something, and an old man with thick bifocals dressed in a black jump suit started to speak to me. I tried to resist, but I was to weak and he was to strong. I had become a Raiders fan.

The next three years, which I call “The Dark Ages”, was one of such soul crushing animosity that I thought I would never make it out. But on December 4th 2005, an angel dressed in red and gold grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the blackness that had engrossed me. She took me to 49ers games, told me the tales of the glory days of the 49ers, and bought me a new Montana jersey. Since then I have been with the 49ers, and her, ever since.

Now that I have completely either bored you or made you queasy, I think it's about time I got to the meat and potatoes of it all. I believe Bigelow already accurately described what we'll be doing, so I'll be skipping that, and if you want to know more about me or my credentials then just take a gander at my profile.

What you can expect from me though, is to have an equal balance between serious news and a fan bias. My journalistic background makes me look at all aspects and stay with the facts, but that doesn't mean I won't make leaps here and there. I am a draft enthusiast and a believer in looking at all aspects of the game by not only looking at the players, but the guys who help shape, make, support, and run our team. Of course I also love to play the “What If?” game from time to time.

I will try to do the best that I can for this site, and hopefully leave you all with a better feeling than those towards T.O., or perhaps, dare I try, better than Dennis Erickson.

If anyone has any opinions or suggestions about what to write or what I have written about on this, or anything in the future, please feel free to comment or Email me.

It's 4:30 am, I can't go to sleep, and I have just finished watching the movie Field of Dreams. It's not the first time that I've seen it, but it is the first time it has ever hit home. I won't bother summarizing the movie because if you haven't seen it, than you can't truly understand and feel what is to follow. A major theme that runs through out the film is how baseball reaches past just being a game, but is a universal juxtaposition of our lives. In the film their is a climatic scene where Terence Mann's character (James Earl Jones) says to Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner):

"The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It's been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt, and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game, is a part of our past, Ray. It reminds us of all that once was good, and it could be again."

Baseball, Football and all sports are a testament to that: They have been a fore runner for both racial and gender equality, the first media source in America to report on John Lennon's murder was the familiar and comforting voice of Monday Night Football's Howard Cosell, and when USA beat Hitler's "master race" in the late 1930s and the USA hockey team beat Russia near the end of the cold war, both were momentous political statements. And through each of these events their have been men and women reporting on them, going past the superficial and digging into the truth. Unfortunately a good chunk of those writers will be gone soon.

Time Magazine early yesterday released a list of ten major newspapers that by the end of the year will most likely be closed for good. On that list was the San Francisco Chronicle. When I heard this it didn't phase me at first but it slowly ate at me. I realized that those newspaper clippings that I had collected over the years like Bonds breaking the home run record, The 49ers 5 super bowl wins (my father first started collecting those), The Battle of The Bay World Series, and of course the infamous September 11th front page, would no longer be continued. Sports just didn't have a historical context, it was also personal.

I remember fondly going into the Sunday editions reading about the upcoming 49ers game and talking to my dad about the 49ers chances. Through sports I connected to my father and grandfather. My grandfather was in the minor leagues when he was a young man and used to play catcher for the SF Seals. My father was a practice team body for AC Milan when he used to live in Italy. Both showed me pictures of team photos and newspaper clippings of their exploits. They showed me their highs and their lows.

Now for the next generation, what will I have to show them? A printed web page with comments posted by a guy named ToadLicker69? With this dying medium we are not only losing these talented writers, editors and don't forget photographers and illustrators, we are losing the next generation. Matt Maiocco and Matt Barrows, who I see multiple people reference, will soon be gone as well as thousands of potentially talented writers who instead of being journalists will focus on more "profitable" occupations. I myself was a second year collegiate journalist until my Journalism professor recommended I switch professions as she said, "It is a dead occupation."

Newspapers qualify and sort through the useless rubble that so many unqualified people spill out, and presents a cohesive literature that isn't just for today, but for the past and the future. Field of Dreams illustrated the importance of sports in life, and newspapers chronicled sports through our lives. It will be a sad day when I go to get the paper on Sunday morning and only see the cold concrete with the faint shadow impression of where decades of papers had been placed.

Just wanted to through out this idea. Even if we do re-sign Takeo Spikes, both him and Ulbrich aren't getting any younger and we need younger talent at the inside linebacking position. Manny Lawson has shown that he is not the pass rushing threat the 49ers wanted when they drafted him at the outside linebacking position, in fact when it is a "passing down" they take him out. But he has proven that he is great at covering and he is a sure tackler. So why not try him out at inside linebacker? The way things are going now, i just can't see the 49ers bringing Lawson back after next season. Also as we all have been saying the 49ers need a significant upgrade at outside linebacker which would mean Haralson and Lawson would probably split time if the 49ers acquire such a starter. I really like Lawson but I think he needs to either get angry and become a QB head hunter at the outside linebacker position, or find a new position. Heck, who knows, maybe he could play safety.

BTW, if Spikes does come back, and I hope he does, I think he should move to outside linebacker (if Lawson moves to ILB) a position he has played before and has excelled at.

FOOCH'S NOTE 1:25AM: Thanks to StrictlyFootball for getting this up as a FanPost.  I just got back from the first bar night of the semester and wanted to make sure this got up.  Florida Danny said is best here when he pointed to five major qualifications:

1) Run-oriented
2) History of NFL success
3) Has experience as an NFL play-caller (because of Singletary’s offensive inexperience)
4) Has experience in NFL game/clock management (because of Singletary’s HC inexperience)
5) Not leaving for an HC position after year 1

Of all the candidates, Scott Linehan is the only one to meet all five categories.  For those wondering what I mean, check out another Florida Danny comment.  The thing I like about Linehan is that he bring experience that Singletary lacks.  Coach Singletary is clearly "the man" but a guy like Linehan would be a nice little cushion for Singletary when it comes to offense.
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Matt Maiocco just posted on his blog that the 49ers offered Scott Linehan the position of Offensive Coordinator. Here's the link.

http://blog.pressdemocrat.com/49ers/2009/01/linehan-mulls-49ers-offer.html

The interesting part about this is, the 49ers have brought in two other QB coaches and they may insert their own QB coach than rather have Scott Linehan bring in his own. While they may ultimately not put in either of those two QB coaches, it will be interesting to see who Scott Linehan will bring in.

This is going to be breif and quick, and i just want to get this off my chest... STOP CALLING JOE FLACCO JOE COOL!!! That is Montana's nickname not Joe Flaccos'. Montana led his team to the playoffs almost every year and won 3 Superbowls. Joe Flacco has a long way to go before he is even in the same plateau as Montana. I like Flacco and I think he is a very good rookie QB, but he is not Montana. So to all the announcers and sport commentators who inhabit this planet, STOP CALLING JOE FLACCO JOE COOL!!!

Be creative and give him his own, ORIGINAL, nickname!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!