Good Times Abound At The Stick

On Saturday, I had a few pretty unique experiences out at Candlestick Park. First and foremost, I watched the Niners play a complete game – to be sure, against a pretty mediocre team (the Bengals), but a team with enough offensive firepower to beat anyone in the league not named the Patriots. The 49ers passed downfield, utilized a strong running game and had excellent return coverage and yardage. That’s all three facets of the game, and they did them ALL well.

I can’t remember the last time that happened. Shaun Hill looked like the quarterback Alex Smith was drafted to be (more on this in a bit), Frank Gore looked like...Frank Gore, and the defense played airtight football. Not a single turnover by the offense, no penalties worth remembering, only one idiotic coaching move by Mike Nolan, who went for it on 4th and 2 instead of kicking a field goal to earn a 10-point lead. When asked in the post-game why he did that, he basically said it was because he told his team he would do it and wanted to inspire them.

OK...sure.

But a win inspires everybody, and that dumb move (even had they made it, it was dumb) kept the game alive…had Chad Johnson held onto that pass by Carson Palmer, I hope Nolan wouldn’t have laughed off a moronic call like that.

In any case, the game was magnificent; the best the team has played in years. Or, at least since sometime last season – when Alex Smith showed a ton of promise. Remember those times? I surely do, which is why the recent tidal change against him rubs me the wrong way. To be sure, this season is wasted for him, and he never played well. But I’m not convinced it’s a manifestation of him working not only with his fourth Offensive Coordinator in four years, but a terrible one at that in Jim Hostler. Then, he got hurt, and was forced back into action earlier than he should have by a head coach who clearly doesn’t like Smith (even though he drafted him.) The way Mike Nolan seemingly pushed Smith back onto the field belies a “tough it out” mentality that is appropriate and needed in football, but when you are dealing with a KID, selling him out like that in front of the team is preposterous and amateurish. It seems like Mike Nolan and Alex Smith aren’t going to both return next year, though I’d like to see them each give it one more try – with a new GM, and some confidence in Smith. Will he be the next Montana, Young or even Garcia? Probably not…but he easily could be a solid career QB who can win games for you consistently, and that’s all the team needs.

All you need is something to go your way, something unexpected perhaps, but something positive.

Which is what also happened to me at the game. I had with me a seat cushion with a 49ers logo on it – an older version of the one featured to the left. I bought it a few years ago at a game for less than $10, and while it’s wholly unnecessary, it’s nice to not have to sit on the hard plastic seats at the Stick for three and a half hours. Because it was cold outside, I told Dorf that hot chocolates were on me…and while waiting in line, a guy next to us asked where I’d bought the cushion.

I told him I’d bought it at the Stick, but a few years ago.

“How much do you want for that right now? I”ll give you $50.00,” he said.

Without flinching, I said, “Done.”

And then, to my shock – he peeled a $50 off a huge roll of cash, handed it to me as I passed him the piece of junk seat cushion. I’m still not sure why he wanted it so much, but that all happened before kickoff, ensuring this would be a game I wouldn’t forget in a long time. (It also strikes me that at a 400% return in three years, it’s probably the best financial investment I’ve made in awhile!)

Good times.