[Finally a winning streak!] SF 49ers news/2005 edition

On savait que dans la compétition entre le 1st pick à 50M$, Smith et l'ancien 7th rounder, Rattay, les dés étaient pipés mais alors là...

Citation :

Rattay facing the mother of all QB challenges

By Craig Massei, SFI editor
Date: Aug 1, 2005

Somebody has been brought in to take Tim Rattay’s job since the day he first earned his with the 49ers. The sixth-year veteran held them all off until, finally, last year he became the team’s starting QB with no real competition for the role. But now comes the mother of all challenges – trying to hold off No. 1 overall draft pick Alex Smith, a rookie about whom coach Mike Nolan already has said, “at some point, he’ll be the guy.” But Rattay has heard that kind of talk before and still prevailed.
(...)
And then, in a cryptic comment perhaps revealing Rattay’s true status, Nolan said, “I don’t want him getting hit out there, but I want him moving the ball down the field. That’s why you have backups.”

l'article entier ici

Nolan aurait au moins pu attendre la preseason, que Smith gagne sa place tout seul.

Le sleeper de la décennie. Moi, j'y crois... ou pas.

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Long shot hopes to give best shot

RECEIVER IS WORKING HARD TO FIND HIS NICHE

By Dennis Georgatos
Mercury News


The line of movable, wire-mesh lockers in the middle of the 49ers' locker room could be considered long-shot alley. P.J. Fleck jokingly refers to it as ``death row.''

The second-year wide receiver is back on the center row -- among the newcomers, free agents and low-round draft picks -- after giving receiver Johnnie Morton the polished, wooden locker originally assigned to him as a returning player.

``This guy's been in the league for 12 years and you're going to put him in one of those black lockers? Are you kidding me?'' Fleck said Wednesday. ``I was the lower one on the totem pole, so I volunteered'' to move.

Morton said Fleck made the change without saying a word to him. Morton learned of the switch from equipment manager Steve Urbaniak upon his arrival for training camp last week.

``A person's true class shows when no one's looking, and that was a class move by P.J.,'' Morton said. ``No one's done anything like that for me before.''

Said Fleck, ``Johnnie's done a lot more in this league than I can ever imagine doing. He definitely deserves it. I feel like I've got to earn it.''

That same type of outlook was exemplified by Fleck during Wednesday's padded practice. He made two nice catches in traffic on passes from Tim Rattay, hanging on to the ball after withering hits from safety Dwaine Carpenter and linebacker Saleem Rasheed.

``That's just a normal day for me,'' the 5-foot-10 Fleck said. ``I'm not that big, so when I get hit it looks a lot worse than it really is.''

He conceded he needed some ``maintenance'' after practice, standing near his locker as he applied electrical stimulation to ease shoulder soreness.

``If you're not on the field, you're not competing, so I want to make sure I'm out there every day,'' said Fleck, who won a spot on the practice squad last year as an undrafted free agent out of Northern Illinois. He was promoted to the active roster for the finale at New England, returning a punt and registering a special-teams tackle.

``P.J. is a competitive little guy and I'd like to see him help us in some capacity,'' Coach Mike Nolan said. ``He's still fighting for a spot, but you like everything about him.''

Fleck is among a half dozen players competing for the No. 4 or No. 5 wide-receiving role. Also in that group is last year's top draft pick, Rashaun Woods, who missed practice for a third day since suffering a groin strain.

Qu'il passe déjà les cuts de fin août et de début septembre, après on verra.

Même si l'article parle de la belle attitude de Fleck, moi je retiens surtout les dernières lignes balancées négligemment sur Rashaun Woods.

Son contrat durait 3 ou 4 ans ???

J'ai beau être matinal, j'ai mal.

Les deux grands absents de la saison dernière, avec Barlow (quoi? il était pas blessé?) devraient revenir en forme pour mener les troupes vers le chemin de la gloire, c'est à dire une saison à 4 victoires... au moins.

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Newberry on road back
Center prepares to put knee to test after surgery

Kevin Lynch, Chronicle Staff Writer
Thursday, August 4, 2005

Jeremy Newberry is poised to give his balky right knee a try. Newberry, who decided to forgo an extensive operation to build cartilage this offseason, is hoping a stop-gap arthroscopic procedure performed six weeks ago will allow his knee to hold up throughout the season.

The Pro Bowl center is working out with strength and conditioning coach Johnny Parker, and Newberry is aiming to start practice after the Aug. 13 exhibition opener against the Raiders.

>Suite de l'article<

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Teammates say Peterson is back in top form

Wednesday, August 3, 2005

(08-03) 19:01 PDT Santa Clara, Calif. (AP) -- Even though Julian Peterson says he's not completely recovered last season's torn Achilles' tendon, the rest of the San Francisco 49ers think he looks just fine.

The two-time Pro Bowl linebacker is quickly picking up San Francisco's new 3-4 defensive scheme and showing no negative effects from the injury that ended his season last October and kept him out of all the team's spring practices.

>Suite de l'article<

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Here, there and everywhere at 49ers training camp

By Craig Massei, SFI editor
Date: Aug 3, 2005

The starting quarterback position is not Alex Smith’s to lose, coach Mike Nolan said Wednesday, but it sure is beginning to look that way at 49ers training camp. Here’s a closer look at what’s going on here, there and everywhere after the Niners worked briskly through another session of two-a-day practices.

--- Five days of camp down. Five days of rookie Smith running with the first-team offense. Nolan says not to get used to it yet, but it’s starting to look very much like the rotation won’t change before the first stage of camp ends with Saturday’s big two-hour scrimmage.

--- Trade talk: With Smith progressing nicely, there are whispers that Tim Rattay could be on the trading block again when NFL teams begin finalizing their rosters and looking for veteran help around the start of September. If Rattay is dangled for the right price, that probably would leave the 49ers looking to bring in an older, established veteran quarterback as insurance behind Smith and Ken Dorsey.

--- Regarding that possibility, Nolan said, “If I had the opportunity and it was the right guy, I would certainly investigate it, but right now, I’ve looked at that hard from four months ago until now and nobody really gets me excited, especially getting to know the guys we have. If I didn’t like the guys we have, I would be searching harder, but I like the guys we have and nobody on the outside gets me excited, so I am not trying to get them in here. I am kind of where I’d like to be.”

--- But those sentiments could change in the next four weeks.

--- Kevan Barlow finally is getting some training camp momentum going after a slow start.

--- You can say the same for Ahmed Plummer, who’s looking like a starting cornerback again.

--- Not many pass rushers are going to get around Jonas Jennings on the left edge this season, which will be a pleasant change for the Niners and their quarterbacks.

--- Jennings missed Wednesday’s afternoon session to have a Magnetic Resonance Imaging exam on a finger he injured Tuesday, and somehow practice just wasn’t the same.

--- It’s notable that – with rookie Adam Snyder currently running as the starting right guard – rookie Patrick Estes took Jennings’ place at left tackle with the first-team offense. Estes, a tight end in college, has played the position all of, well, about two months.

--- It’s going to take Estes some time to play offensive tackle, but it looks as though he has the mobility and footwork to succeed. At 6-foot-7, he also has the height. He’ll need more than 280 pounds on that frame, though.

--- The 49ers’ first-unit offensive line could be much better than it was last year, but the backup depth could be as bad as it was last year.

--- Young Scott Peters, who ended last season on the 53-man roster but never played a snap in 2004, is showing a few signs that he might be able to help that depth at guard.

--- For that matter, keep an eye on Thomas Herrion, who ended his rookie season last year on the practice squad. He’s a load, and he seems able to hold his own at the point of attack.

--- David Baas and Jeremy Newberry stood together watching the afternoon session in shorts and jerseys. You can picture those two clearing out a lot of space – and solving a lot of San Francisco’s problems – standing together in the interior trenches this year. But that’s a hopeful look at what could be, but probably won’t be.

--- We’ll begin to find out if it could or won’t in about two weeks, when Newberry returns to practice after the preseason opener against the Raiders to see how his right knee responds to the daily grind.

--- If it can’t – and it didn’t this spring – Newberry will miss the season and have microfracture surgery to correct the problem sometime after the real games begin.

--- The Niners would rather have Baas in there, but the right side of Kwame Harris and Adam Snyder is starting to develop a rapport.

--- Harris continues to look determined – and able – to finally reach his potential this year.

--- Every practice, it seems, Frank Gore puts the severe injuries of college days farther and farther behind him.

--- Tight end. Fullback. H-back. Steve Bush can shake free into open space and catch the ball from either position.

--- Where, exactly, does Terry Jackson fit into this team this year? Someplace, to be sure.

--- Anthony Adams and Isaac Sopoaga, lining up side by side. That package would give the 49ers plenty of beef on the left side of their defensive line.

--- Another day, another chance to see Bryant Young tossing aside offensive linemen or charging around them like they weren’t there.

--- Tony Brown is looking better every day and seems to be earning himself a role in the defensive line rotation.

--- But that will be tough if the Niners keep only five of six defensive linemen, which they might.

--- Second-year receiver Rashaun Woods missed practice for the third consecutive day with a groin problem. No, he’s not on marked time with this team. Yet.

--- Arnaz Battle is the big, physical, athletic presence the 49ers need at flanker, but the question is if he has the speed and technique to get himself open on a consistent basis.

--- Brandon Moore and Saleem Rasheed, fighting the good fight for playing time at the team’s deepest and most talented position.

--- Rasheed is flying around, and staying healthy, but you start to wonder if that will matter this time around.

--- Rookie Billy Bajema might already be the 49ers’ best blocking tight end.

--- Safety Tony Parrish looks as happy as any defender in the new 3-4 system.

--- Is Brandon Lloyd beginning to develop some run-after-the-catch ability?

--- Cody Pickett: The forgotten man at quarterback.

--- The morning practice culminated with rookie Daven Holly intercepting a poorly-thrown Pickett pass to end a live, full-contract drive, a good example of why Pickett’s not a factor in the quarterback competition.

--- After Holly’s interception, the entire defensive squad joined him at midfield for a noisy, jubilant celebration to end the session on a lighter note.

--- The afternoon practice ended with Gore taking a snap from center and bolting through the middle of the defense and into the end zone. After a fleeting pause, all of Gore’s offensive teammates rushed to join him for a noisy, jubilant celebration to end the session – and a busy day of camp.

--- After all, turnabout is fair play.

Echanger Rattay? Je vois franchement pas l'intérêt, surtout si c'est pour se retrouver avec un Tony Banks, un Kordell ou autre Marc Brunell.

Double C a écrit:

Autant j'aime bien le gros logo ovale "SF" au milieu du terrain, autant je trouve le nouveau style d'écriture du "49ers" dans l'en-but à chier

Tu as une photo? J'ai cherché sur google mais rien trouvé

Je crois que le seul moyen pour les niners cette saison de gagner quelque match, c'est avec Rattay au poste de QB. Si Smith commence la saison starter, je crois que c'est une victoire assuré des rams. Par contre j'ai toujours eu peur de Rattay.

Hum effectivement c'est vraiment pas joli au fond de l'embut !!

"J'ai pu voir les trois dernières périodes de l'ouverture de la preseason des Niners face aux Raiders."

tu connais un moyen de voir les matchs de pre-saison ?

Double C a écrit:

minimoi a écrit:

"J'ai pu voir les trois dernières périodes de l'ouverture de la preseason des Niners face aux Raiders."

tu connais un moyen de voir les matchs de pre-saison ?

Ceux des Niners, oui.

bon cédric, arrête de tourner autour du pot :lol!: !! dis nous par quel moyen tu as pu voir ce match, veinard

hein? quelqu'un a parlé?

merci 2C

Heu est il possible que vous balanciez un match sur un serveur FTP?

Je commençais à douter des capacités mentales de Mike Nolan mais ça va mieux...

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Updated: Aug. 23, 2005, 4:27 PM ET
Smith No. 2 on depth chart behind starter Rattay

ESPN.com news services

San Francisco 49ers coach Mike Nolan announced Tuesday that Tim Rattay will be the Niners starting QB entering this season, ESPN's Pedro Gomez is reporting.

Alex Smith, drafted No. 1 overall by the 49ers in the 2005 NFL draft, is ranked second on the depth chart followed by Ken Dorsey.

Smith has struggled mightily this preseason, completing just 5 of 16 passes for 43 yards. He also has been sacked four times. Rattay, meanwhile, has completed 13 of 19 passes for 194 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions.

Voilà qui me fait plaisir.
Entre un QB "honnête" mais qui a un peu d'expérience et un jeune tout prometteur mais qui n'a pas fait un snap en NFL, la logique s'impose.

Citation :

Niners WR Fleck, DE Cooper headed for injured reserve

Associated Press
Posted on Tue, Aug. 23, 2005

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Receiver P.J. Fleck and defensive end Chris Cooper will be placed on the San Francisco 49ers' injured reserve list with season-ending shoulder injuries, coach Mike Nolan said Tuesday.

Fleck, an undrafted free agent, worked his way from the practice squad to a job as the No. 4 receiver late last season. But he hurt his left shoulder on the opening kickoff of the 49ers' first preseason game, and his rotator cuff was damaged when he landed on the shoulder while making a diving catch during practice Friday.

Fleck recently underwent surgery on his rotator cuff.

Cooper, expected to be a key reserve on the 49ers' defensive line, apparently hurt his right shoulder during practice last week. The fourth-year pro played for Dallas and Oakland before signing with San Francisco midway through last season.

Tight end Eric Johnson, the 49ers' leading receiver last season, will be out at least another week with plantar fasciitis. Cornerback Shawntae Spencer was back at practice with the 49ers on Tuesday after struggling with a hamstring injury, while center Jeremy Newberry could return next week from his knee injury - or he also could be ruled out for the season.

Ca s'annonce bien encore tout ça. Fait chier pour Fleck, j'aurais bien aimé voir le p'tit gars sur le terrain. Au moins, ça donne une nouvelle chance à Rashaun Woods .
Cooper faisait un bon backup dans la ligne défensive. C'était pas un luxe de l'avoir.
Quant à Johnson et Newberry, je fais dans mon froc en attendant leur retour... même si je ne me fais pas trop d'illusion pour le Centre ProBowler.
La saison va être longue... mais longue.

Petit bilan de fin de Training Camp

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The camp wrap

By Craig Massei, SFI editor
Date: Aug 24, 2005

It began 25 days ago with the resounding noise of hope, vigor and new direction and ended Wednesday with the subdued patter of a heart-broken team still trying to find itself and work through the aftermath of unexplained tragedy. The 49ers’ 2005 training camp was like no other the team ever has experienced, and here’s a look back at the highs, lows and turbulence that characterized the first summer session of the Mike Nolan era.

Defining moment: When 23-year-old offensive lineman Thomas Herrion slumped to the floor of the 49ers’ locker room in Denver late Saturday night, never to rise again, everything that happened before and after to the Niners this summer didn’t seem to have the same meaning or importance. The 49ers will go on and move forward, but they never will leave behind the memory of a life cut short – or the way Herrion died.

Best stiff upper lip: Through the shocking circumstances of Herrion’s passing, Nolan stayed true to character, always remaining strong and never wavering as the stoic figure everybody else in the organization could look toward for courage and support. Nolan already was weighed down by the multiple burdens facing a franchise attempting to climb from the NFL abyss, but he handled the new load tossed onto his shoulders with powerful dignity and sensitive authority.

The comeback kid: Nobody was giving Tim Rattay much of a chance entering camp to keep his shaky grip on No. 1 status at quarterback, particularly after Nolan snatched it away on the first day of camp to let top draft pick Alex Smith try it on for size. Rattay didn’t complain, he didn’t back-stab and he didn’t let any frustration or self-pity slip into his game. Instead, he stayed healthy, kept working and patiently waited for his chance to show everybody who the No. 1 QB on this team really is. When the opportunity came, Rattay delivered.
Si, moi!

Biggest disappointment: It has to be Smith, but more in a figurative and relative sense than because of anything he failed to do on the field. The 21-year-old rookie actually made some nice progress in his development this summer, but it was asking too much for him to become the next Peyton Manning as an immediate starter. The problem was, the team built him up as the Next Greatest Thing to lead the franchise forward, and there was only one direction for him to go when those expectations proved a bit premature.

Camp MVP: We’re thinking back day by day, and we’re not sure if we ever saw Brandon Lloyd drop a pass this summer. But we sure saw him grab some out of the sky and pick some off the ground before they could make contact with turf. What’s more, the guy just plain worked hard, kept focused on the task at hand and showed a new commitment to both the team and his craft. We can’t think of anybody who displayed more promise or understated determination while going out and consistently getting the job done.

Best catch: That goes to Lloyd, too, for his insanely spectacular, leaping, one-handed snatch of a hitch pass thrown about four feet over his head during the second preseason game at Denver. Not only did Lloyd have the hops to go up and get it, he also had the soft hand and sticky fingers to bring it down with only one appendage, which was the only way that catch was going to be made.

Worst comeback: Two-time Pro Bowl center Jeremy Newberry was hopeful he could make it back and play this year on a right knee that is lacking cartilage and endured yet another surgical procedure in May. But it didn’t look good during training camp, as the knee wouldn’t let him on the field, and his chances of playing in 2005 appear more remote than the 50-50 odds doctors gave him a few months ago.

Best rookie: Disappointing? Yes. A failure? Not even close. Judging by his skill level and potential, if Smith were playing any other position than the most difficult to master in the game, he would be ready to make an immediate impact this season. Once his recognition skills begin to click and he fits into the pace of the pro game, he still just might.

Sleeper Award: The name is Fred Amey. You’ll probably be seeing it somewhere on the 49ers roster this season. You might even see the flashy undrafted free-agent rookie from Sacramento State making himself a factor somewhere in the passing and/or kicking games.

Worst camp development: The inability of the Niners to get a consistent pass-rushing push from the 3-4 in their 3-4 defense. If it’s not coming from the three defensive linemen up front or the four linebackers behind them, then it won’t be coming at all, and the 49ers most definitely need it to come from somewhere.

Best new leader: In Jonas Jennings, the 49ers have a high-priced left tackle who knows that his job consists of more than just blocking for the quarterback and paving lanes for the running game. He grasped a leadership role the moment camp began, even strangling it at times, and there is nothing wrong with that considering the team’s considerable offensive void in that department before he arrived.

Worst disappearing act: Where oh where did you go, Rashaun Woods? We know there’s a talented receiver in there somewhere. But after two training camps in San Francisco, he still has yet to be seen. Sure, the guy has been hurt, but the only reason he didn’t become the forgotten man of camp is because everybody kept bringing up his name in anticipation the 49ers might cut their losses and release the unproductive 2004 first-rounder who made no impact this summer on an offensive unit just begging for him to do so.

Best competition: Anthony Adams and Isaac Sopoaga at noseguard. Their battle for playing time at the point of attack in the new defensive scheme accomplished at least one thing: It made both players better.

Worst injury: It wasn’t shaping up as a bad camp for injuries, until the very end when P.J. Fleck and Chris Cooper both came down with shoulder problems that will force each to miss the upcoming season. Fleck’s experience and scrappiness were going to help at receiver and, possibly, as a kick returner, and Cooper was a valuable third defensive end whose size and pass-rushing skills are going to be difficult to replace in the new defensive scheme, in general, and the line rotation, in particular.

Best motivational tools: When the 49ers emerge from their locker room for summer practice, they’re met by a huge, colorful tarp emblazoned with the words “WIN THE WEST” at the top. Below that bold statement are the helmets of San Francisco’s three NFC West rivals, with a red X slashed through each. When the Niners leave the practice field and return to their clubhouse, a tarp reads “FAITHFUL IS BELIEVING.” Painted below that slogan is a large mural of the team’s five Vince Lombardi trophies, the originals of which can be viewed on the opposite side of the building. If nothing else, that constantly reminded the 49ers this summer of what their targets are.