Grant Cohn: Crabtree not a Diva

[MW49ers5]

Calvin, Johnson, and Fitz yes. With those guys you gotta realize they have elite ability to go up and come down with the ball. They are a chuckers dream.

Ahh-proved!

 

[Ray_Dogg]

Hell just look at Mega and Fitz last season. They put up digits with Hill and insert dog shit here at QB.

 

[clyde_carbon]

Say it ain't so, Joe!

I bring the truf and only the truf.

 

[Thepatty13]

Im sure the broken foot has hindered him. It just doesnt explain his lack of catching the ball the way i've seen him. I do know the foot thing will probably linger all year, which sucks for his growth.

I do agree with you on Calvin. Fitz him not sure just because last year we saw him in a sf like situation and he wasnt at a probowl level in my opinion. Good year just not great.

 

[Thepatty13]

But id give Fitz the benefit of the doubt because they can both make ugly look not.so ugly.

 

[Ray_Dogg]

Fitz had 90 for 1100 and 6 last year with QBs worse than Troy Smith. Just think about that for a second.

 

[Thepatty13]

I wasnt just looking at the QB situation. Cards when way more of a passing team than we were last year. I cant think of a more conservation and predictible team than us last year. I mean you never know but I wouldnt be suprised if fitz put up decent numbers here.

point being very few 'elite' wr could even survive here

 

[Flyingiguana]

crabtree just shows up enough to grab a paycheck. at this point i'd rather have jj slowkes. i hope he turns it around, but there always seems to be something with this guy. rashaun woods #2

 

[Crimsoncrew]

A lot of it has to do with attitude (perceived), and practice attendance. Another thing is how terrible Crabtree was at the beginning of last year where all the passes around him were being volleyball set to the defensive backs or dropped.

If Crabtree was able to practice consistently, or make big plays the blame would be shifted. And I don't really think that's true in the first place. Alex Smith already gets the blame for most everything, even the Crabtree interceptions/drops.

Agreed. A lot of it has to do with attitude. Say what you will about Smith, but he works his butt off and has put up with a lot of crap over the years. I believe that Crabtree puts in the work in his own way, but it's not visible and it often doesn't show up on the field. A great WR who is playing with a mediocre or bad QB should put in extra time to develop chemistry. They should show their QB that they will make plays if the ball comes there way. Instead, all too often, Crabtree has created big plays for the other team.

I argued last year, and still believe, that Crabtree got a worse rap than he deserved because of a VERY shaky first few games. After that, he played pretty well when given a chance. But when he doesn't play for three preseasons running, people (myself included) aren't willing to cut him any slack.

There is absolutely no doubt that Crabtree has been held back by the coaching and his QB, but he's got to step up himself first and foremost.

 

[sayheykid1]

Both Alex Smith and Michael Crabtree blow.

There you have it ladies and gentlemen.

Crabtree has a lot more potential than Smith IMO but I guess we'll see in four years...

 

[clyde_carbon]

Crabtree has a lot more potential than Smith IMO but I guess we'll see in four years...

I agree, but having more potential than Smith isn't saying much. He has the potential to be a good #2, but not a #1. I was saying this before he was drafted and I'm still saying it. Crabtree doesn't have a single physical attribute that instantly gives him an edge. When a WR isn't as talented as an Andre or Calvin Johnson, he better work his ass off, and I haven't seen that from Crab.

 

[wartyOne]

Im not making excuses for Crabtree, nor am I bashing Smith. I just think Crabtree has the potential there. Watching crabtree as a rookie I remember thinking 'this guy can catch'. I was just impressed how he used his hands to catch the ball. Then I see him dropping a few balls this past season, and im confused. I just know he has the skill but its not all coming together for him here in SF. All in all he probably needs a change of scenery. Then maybe he can reach that 85-1100-8 potential I see in him. Put him in N.O., GB, SD, etc and those numbers could be there.

On a side note though do any of you see an A Johnson, Calvin (might be the one that could), Nicks, Fitz, etc putting up probowl numbers if part of the 9ers the past 3 years?

Fitzgerald had worse QB's, a worse line, and played in a worse offense where he was the only threat last year. He caught 90 balls for 1137 yards.

Not giving a pass to Alex, who at times stunk up the joint for both teams, but part of why a receiver wouldn't have succeeded last year with us has a lot to do with Nolan's blueprint, and Singletary's incompetence. I haven't seen an offense so predictable and easy to game plan for since the last UNM game I watched.

 

[wartyOne]

I think he lost a lot of speed after he broke his foot.

And he doesn't get to play against cupcakes every week at this level like he did in the Big12.

 

[wartyOne]

Im sure the broken foot has hindered him. It just doesnt explain his lack of catching the ball the way i've seen him. I do know the foot thing will probably linger all year, which sucks for his growth.

I do agree with you on Calvin. Fitz him not sure just because last year we saw him in a sf like situation and he wasnt at a probowl level in my opinion. Good year just not great.

Fitzgerald finished 8th in the league in yards. Fifth in receptions. 14th in yards per game. For everybody with a comparable amount of receptions, he ranks quite high in YPC.

Name the QB's he had last year.

 

[Thepatty13]

Ok fitz had a good year, just not a reg fitz season..

D Anderson, Max Hall, Skelton.. All below avg.. Kind of like Smith.. But I think he was in an offense that was more open than ours was.. I felt than when we ran the shotgun/open offense last year crabtree excelled more.

 

[sayheykid1]

I agree, but having more potential than Smith isn't saying much. He has the potential to be a good #2, but not a #1. I was saying this before he was drafted and I'm still saying it. Crabtree doesn't have a single physical attribute that instantly gives him an edge. When a WR isn't as talented as an Andre or Calvin Johnson, he better work his ass off, and I haven't seen that from Crab.

I agree with this, work ethic can change though. Lets hope Harbaugh can get him to commit.

 

[sayheykid1]

Fitzgerald finished 8th in the league in yards. Fifth in receptions. 14th in yards per game. For everybody with a comparable amount of receptions, he ranks quite high in YPC.

Name the QB's he had last year.

Anderson is better than Smith but not very good. I don't know enough about the others to comment.

Fitzgerald is a bonafide stud and no matter how hard Crabtree worked he will never be as good as him.

 

[Thepatty13]

I never expected Crabtree to reach that level. Fitz is a once in a long time type of talent.

 

[MW49ers5]

Agreed. A lot of it has to do with attitude. Say what you will about Smith, but he works his butt off and has put up with a lot of crap over the years. I believe that Crabtree puts in the work in his own way, but it's not visible and it often doesn't show up on the field. A great WR who is playing with a mediocre or bad QB should put in extra time to develop chemistry. They should show their QB that they will make plays if the ball comes there way. Instead, all too often, Crabtree has created big plays for the other team.

I argued last year, and still believe, that Crabtree got a worse rap than he deserved because of a VERY shaky first few games. After that, he played pretty well when given a chance. But when he doesn't play for three preseasons running, people (myself included) aren't willing to cut him any slack.

There is absolutely no doubt that Crabtree has been held back by the coaching and his QB, but he's got to step up himself first and foremost.

The first paragraph is spot-on!

However, I think the statement in bold is intriguing. While I tend to agree with the syntax of the bolded statement, I think I may disagree with the implication of it. Theoretically, and to a point logically, we can assume there has been a mutual negative impact.

Your emphatically stated ("There is absolutely no doubt...") makes me think you feel Smith is more responsible for holding Crabtree back. Is that an accurate statement and if so, why?

 

[wartyOne]

Ok fitz had a good year, just not a reg fitz season..

D Anderson, Max Hall, Skelton.. All below avg.. Kind of like Smith.. But I think he was in an offense that was more open than ours was.. I felt than when we ran the shotgun/open offense last year crabtree excelled more.

Smith and Anderson are below average (well below average). Hall and Skelton are used car salesmen.