The First 10 games

[freaak]

There were a few losses last year that I feel the Niners should have won where the team seemed to give it away through being outcoached and/or unprepared that could have made a difference.

As the season progresses, it will be interesting to see how this coaching staff prepares the players and schemes for the opponent. How many wins can the Niners steal this season where last year they would have lost? That's what piques my interest.

 

[clyde_carbon]

Singletary, Erickson, Nolan. I believe I've heard all of them talk about how difficult it is to play back there because of the time difference. It has something to do with being a bad to mediocre team during those guys' tenures but when you keep hearing coaches and especially players say how difficult it is to for a west coast team to go back east and play an "early" game it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.
I guess what I'd like to see from Harbaugh is that never come out of his mouth and not to allow it to ever come out of a player's mouth and to flat out instill in them that he will accept no excuses for poor play on the east coast.

It IS difficult to play on the road - all the coaches talk about this. Can you link me to a Q&A or a press conference where any of the aforementioned coaches "accepted" this?

 

[freaak]

It IS difficult to play on the road - all the coaches talk about this. Can you link me to a Q&A or a press conference where any of the aforementioned coaches "accepted" this?

I'm not sure coaches talk about it as much as the media does. It's well documented out there (just google it). For example, 2008, PT/MT teams were 4-16 when playing in the ET.

 

[FourBeeDen]

Singletary, Erickson, Nolan. I believe I've heard all of them talk about how difficult it is to play back there because of the time difference. It has something to do with being a bad to mediocre team during those guys' tenures but when you keep hearing coaches and especially players say how difficult it is to for a west coast team to go back east and play an "early" game it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.
I guess what I'd like to see from Harbaugh is that never come out of his mouth and not to allow it to ever come out of a player's mouth and to flat out instill in them that he will accept no excuses for poor play on the east coast.

Just curious... Have you ever tried going to the east coast and feel the "jet lag" because of the time difference? Teams from the west coast have been complaining about the early start for decades and not only the 49ers. It's not a mentality problem its a physical problem... It's having to adjust your body clock to an earlier time zone...

 

[SY8goat]

Out "next 10 games"

DAL @ SF
SF @ CIN
SF @ PHI
TB @ SF
SF @ DET
bye
CLE @ SF
SF @ WAS
NYG @ SF
ARI @ SF

I would 3-4 teams have better overall talent than we do. But only the philly game i see where we just wont win since, IMO, it fits well against our weakness(speed) Unless we pull it off with the run game and physical play.

Is 9 wins going to happen? nah, i would say 6-3 over that stretch thus leaving us at 7-3 into wk 11.... very good IMO.

Best case scenario: 6-4

Worst case scenario: 4-6

 

[h0ckeysk83r]

Basically this week against Dallas will tell us a lot. Dallas may not be elite, but no doubt they have the offensive ability to put up lots of points. Winning this game could be huge for our confidence.

 

[clyde_carbon]

I'm not sure coaches talk about it as much as the media does. It's well documented out there (just google it). For example, 2008, PT/MT teams were 4-16 when playing in the ET.

I know that this exists, I'm wondering which of the 49ers coaches in the past have accepted this before even playing the games - as NN indicated.

 

[Mozart'sGhost]

I know that this exists, I'm wondering which of the 49ers coaches in the past have accepted this before even playing the games - as NN indicated.

You don't need to accept that you will lose before playing the game. I never said that; I said they accept that as an excuse for losing. But I have a feeling that you knew exactly what I meant.

 

[Mozart'sGhost]

Just curious... Have you ever tried going to the east coast and feel the "jet lag" because of the time difference? Teams from the west coast have been complaining about the early start for decades and not only the 49ers. It's not a mentality problem its a physical problem... It's having to adjust your body clock to an earlier time zone...

Many times. I use myself as an example. I am just as good a golfer at 10:00 Am as I am at 1:00 PM. I believe a football player should be just as good at 10:00 AM as he is at 1:00 PM. If the players say that "its tougher to win on the road" by all means, I accept that. But don't tell me you can't play football at 10:00 AM PST. That doesn't cut it.

 

[FourBeeDen]

Many times. I use myself as an example. I am just as good a golfer at 10:00 Am as I am at 1:00 PM. I believe a football player should be just as good at 10:00 AM as he is at 1:00 PM. If the players say that "its tougher to win on the road" by all means, I accept that. But don't tell me you can't play football at 10:00 AM PST. That doesn't cut it.

Different sport. Different physical requirements. Try a more physical sport were you have to crash your body againsts men that wieghs 300lbs + then tell me it's the same

 

[Mozart'sGhost]

You

 

[Mozart'sGhost]

Different sport. Different physical requirements. Try a more physical sport were you have to crash your body againsts men that wieghs 300lbs + then tell me it's the same

I can do anything, regardless of what it is, just as well at 10:00 AM as I can at 1:00 PM. Because that is what we are talking about, a three-hour difference.

 

[FourBeeDen]

I can do anything, regardless of what it is, just as well at 10:00 AM as I can at 1:00 PM. Because that is what we are talking about, a three-hour difference.

I am not arrogant enough to make sweeping commnets about things I have only a vague idea about. I based my statement on how my body felt going from the west coast to the east coast on a business trip and having to be metally alert...

With that said you must have played a lot of professinal football in your time. Those athletes that say how difficult it is must really be wimps. Imagine not being able to have the mental and physical accuteness to deal with a 3 hour game where there bodies need to be in their top physical condition to win. Heck they should watch you playing golf so they can see how to chase after the ball when it's sprinting pass you as you try to hit it with your club. Or they should watch you line up your putt as a 300lb line man gives you little or no time to properly read the breaks and try to take you down to the turf.

Yeah I guess those players could learn a lot from you

 

[EaseUrStorm]

The main disadvantage to traveling long distance to the East Coast vs somewhere else is the time lost to travel. 49ers travel the most so there is some disadvantage in lost time to prepare for games. Yes, the coaches can do some preparation on the plane, but you have to assume a fair amount of time is lost which could be used to implement team specific game plans.

Also players might not be able to get the best possible treatment when there hurt and traveling. This is incremental stuff, but it can play a role in close games. And it's a lot worse for teams with new systems compared to stable veteran teams that are all on the same page.

I definitely agree the biggest disadvantage far and away for playing on the road is crowd noise, regardless of how far you've traveled. But the crowd noise can emphasize some communication issues that could have been worked on instead of wasting time traveling.

 

[imac_21]

I can do anything, regardless of what it is, just as well at 10:00 AM as I can at 1:00 PM. Because that is what we are talking about, a three-hour difference.

Being that you are not a highly trained, professional athlete, I don't think you're a fair representation of what NFL players experience with the 3 hour change. Everything they do throughout the week contributes to being ready to play at a specific time. It isn't the same as having a tee time with a couple buddies.

 

[Mozart'sGhost]

I am not arrogant enough to make sweeping commnets about things I have only a vague idea about. I based my statement on how my body felt going from the west coast to the east coast on a business trip and having to be metally alert...

With that said you must have played a lot of professinal football in your time. Those athletes that say how difficult it is must really be wimps. Imagine not being able to have the mental and physical accuteness to deal with a 3 hour game where there bodies need to be in their top physical condition to win. Heck they should watch you playing golf so they can see how to chase after the ball when it's sprinting pass you as you try to hit it with your club. Or they should watch you line up your putt as a 300lb line man gives you little or no time to properly read the breaks and try to take you down to the turf.

Yeah I guess those players could learn a lot from you

I'm open to suggestion but you still haven't named one thing that you can do better at 1:00 than you can at 10:00. I think it has much more to do with playing on the road where mediocre teams struggle than it does with playing a game, at which they are the best in the world mind you, three hours earlier. But let's not hijack the thread. Somehow we got way off topic. I blame Clyde.

 

[Mozart'sGhost]

Being that you are not a highly trained, professional athlete, I don't think you're a fair representation of what NFL players experience with the 3 hour change. Everything they do throughout the week contributes to being ready to play at a specific time. It isn't the same as having a tee time with a couple buddies.

Shouldn't they have the same skill level at 10 that they have at 1 though? If everything they do is geared to play at a certain time, and yet they play more than half their games at other than that specific time shouldn't they change those habits or the way they prepare? Plus, if that was the case, then teams would struggle routinely at Sunday night games and I don't think that is the case

 

[Mozart'sGhost]

The main disadvantage to traveling long distance to the East Coast vs somewhere else is the time lost to travel. 49ers travel the most so there is some disadvantage in lost time to prepare for games. Yes, the coaches can do some preparation on the plane, but you have to assume a fair amount of time is lost which could be used to implement team specific game plans.

Also players might not be able to get the best possible treatment when there hurt and traveling. This is incremental stuff, but it can play a role in close games. And it's a lot worse for teams with new systems compared to stable veteran teams that are all on the same page.

I definitely agree the biggest disadvantage far and away for playing on the road is crowd noise, regardless of how far you've traveled. But the crowd noise can emphasize some communication issues that could have been worked on instead of wasting time traveling.

Now that is a logical argument. Well done.

 

[BallsOfFury]

It's been an excuse the 49ers have used for years and it drives me crazy. I think it is about time we had a coach who does not accept it.

Didn't seem to trouble Harbs or his team last year at the Orange Bowl.

 

[mem49er]

Didn't seem to trouble Harbs or his team last year at the Orange Bowl.

Now you can't compare a bowl game where you have weeks to prepare and probable a week or so to acclimate to the time zone to the discussion at hand.