Training Camp '12

[ChrisPozz]

Eric Branch:

Former Illinois coach Ron Zook said today #49ers WR A.J. Jenkins had a tendency to put too much pressure on himself early in his career. Zook thought Jenkins could be experiencing similar emotions as a pro. Jenkins had 21 catches after his first two college seasons: “He’s thinking right now, I’m sure,” Zook said. “It is so important for him to do well and there’s a lot of pressure on him. He’s just got to relax and go play. I talked to him so many times about that: ‘Just relax and go play.’ I’m sure if he drops the ball he puts a little pressure on himself. He’s putting more pressure on himself than what you guys (the media) are. Like I said, it’s important for him to be successful.”

 

[MHSL82]

Don't know where to put this, but this is a good interview in my opinion. Though it seems so long ago and some of it is repeating past interviews, this was the most complete answer on why and how he came back after 2010, the Manning stuff, and other more interesting stuff.

 

[MHSL82]

Poole: San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith under the most pressure to improve offense - San Jose Mercury News

 

[threelittleturds]

49ers.com | Training Camp Report: Aug. 4

Pretty good showing by the starting offense after the defense won the last few practices. 3 TD passes by Smith in the redzone... to Dobbs, Williams and Moss.

 

[MHSL82]

Kaep: Man, he's doing that weird thing again. Just pretend that we can't see him?
Alex: Yeah, no question, is it too late to pretend we're not here?
Kaep: Maybe we can tell him he's in the wrong place and he'll leave, because frankly, he's not doing either of us any good. You know, he's trying to take your spot, right?
Alex: Isn't that what your trying to do?
Kaep: Yeah, no question.
Alex: Stop stealing my phrases!
Kaep: Like I'm stealing your job next year?
Alex: Like I stole your mom last night?
Kaep: Really? A mom joke. Your peak really was in college, wasn't it?

I'll stop because it's not getting anywhere. I just thought the picture was funny.

 

[Bemular]

49ers.com | Training Camp Report: Aug. 4

Pretty good showing by the starting offense after the defense won the last few practices. 3 TD passes by Smith in the redzone... to Dobbs, Williams and Moss.

Dobbs, Williams & Moss - So nice!

 

[BINGO]

Crabtree still sitting out
10:20AM ET
Michael Crabtree | 49ers

Michael Crabtree's leg injury has had him out of action for a week now, but his head coach, Jim Harbaugh, is not concerned in the slightest.

Although Crabtree's status for San Francisco's first preseason game, scheduled for Friday, August 10, against the Minnesota Vikings, is up in the air, Crabtree missing training camp time seems to be an annual occurrence the team is used to. Crabtree sat out all of the 2011 preseason with a broken foot and that didn't stop him from having a team-high 72 receptions in 14 starts when he finally was able to take the field.

Even though the 49ers have new faces in camp in the form of Randy Moss, Mario Manningham and first-round draft pick A.J. Jenkins, the offense has looked stagnant thus far without its primary catalyst. Alex Smith told reporters that he was not worried and that things would turn around once Crabtree returned to action.

Given Crabtree's track record, we're inclined to agree.

- AJ Mass​

 

[clyde_carbon]

Bingo check the monsters thread.

 

[Bemular]

Crabtree still sitting out
10:20AM ET
Michael Crabtree | 49ers

Michael Crabtree's leg injury has had him out of action for a week now, but his head coach, Jim Harbaugh, is not concerned in the slightest.

Although Crabtree's status for San Francisco's first preseason game, scheduled for Friday, August 10, against the Minnesota Vikings, is up in the air, Crabtree missing training camp time seems to be an annual occurrence the team is used to. Crabtree sat out all of the 2011 preseason with a broken foot and that didn't stop him from having a team-high 72 receptions in 14 starts when he finally was able to take the field.

Even though the 49ers have new faces in camp in the form of Randy Moss, Mario Manningham and first-round draft pick A.J. Jenkins, the offense has looked stagnant thus far without its primary catalyst. Alex Smith told reporters that he was not worried and that things would turn around once Crabtree returned to action.

Given Crabtree's track record, we're inclined to agree.

- AJ Mass​

Effing hilarious!!! AJ Mass = Michael Crabtree

 

[clyde_carbon]

Effing hilarious!!! AJ Mass = Michael Crabtree

I was like uhhh...what?

 

[threelittleturds]

I'm going to piggy back this here since it is Training camp news... just not 49ers Training camp.

Greg Childs of Minnesota Vikings likely out for season - NFL.com

Poor bastard, injured both knees on one play and Wikipedia says he had a patellar tendon injury in college.

 

[mem49er]

Effing hilarious!!! AJ Mass = Michael Crabtree

I was like uhhh...what?

Ditto.

 

[MHSL82]

I'm going to piggy back this here since it is Training camp news... just not 49ers Training camp.

Greg Childs of Minnesota Vikings likely out for season - NFL.com

Poor bastard, injured both knees on one play and Wikipedia says he had a patellar tendon injury in college.

Shit, Three just found a loophole in our Training Camp thread! Hurry, we need to change the title! Since we are playing the Vikings this week, I guess it's ok to be put here - another loophole. We need to name this the "Training Camp Coverage for the Niners Players Only Thread".

 

[MHSL82]

The truth about San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith soon will be exposed

Great article IMO, some may disagree. The title is a bit misleading, but true if you think about it. If Smith balls out, that's the truth of who he is. The context of years past comes through and the truth of his value as a top pick is "exposed" so that all can see. Those claiming that it was the supporting cast that held him back would be more or less correct (and those who say he couldn't raise up his team would be correct, too). If he fails, the struggles that he contributed to the last seven years was who he was, and the potential claimed, legitimate reasons for the struggles, and excuses made for him are exposed. If he ends up neither succeeding or failing, then him as an average QB with no more or no less potential is exposed. To me, it's always a bit of grey, his circumstances contributed to his failure and his failure contributed to the team's failure and both spark the other's failure. But success, too, will be acheived together and that's what I am hoping for. Not for a bunch of Smith supporters saying I told you so.

 

[Bemular]

The truth about San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith soon will be exposed

It has become rather comical to see how far delusional Smith supporters are willing to go to save themselves from the embarrassment of being, well, a delusional Smith supporter.

Regardless, of what Smith does from now to the end of his career his so-called "truth" was "exposed" a long time ago. He should have never been drafted #1 overall

(Post not directed at you mhsl82 - unless, of course, you are a delusional Smith supporter)

 

[BINGO]

Bingo check the monsters thread.

I did Clyde.

Stephen Jackson and Chris Johnson.

 

[deep9er]

But if you paid attention in 2011, you already have an idea of what it looks like.

this sums it up for me too, for his individual play, his overall 'game managing' ability.

the Coaching staff and surrounding team is excellent, so he'll be uplifted a LITTLE from it. but not expecting him to step into the 'elite' level.

over the course of this season and hopefull;y play-offs, we should be able to tell if its more him....or more the team?

 

[threelittleturds]

But if you paid attention in 2011, you already have an idea of what it looks like.

this sums it up for me too, for his individual play, his overall 'game managing' ability.

the Coaching staff and surrounding team is excellent, so he'll be uplifted a LITTLE from it. but not expecting him to step into the 'elite' level.

over the course of this season and hopefull;y play-offs, we should be able to tell if its more him....or more the team?

Well, I think it has already been shown that Smith can only be lifted up by a good supporting cast instead of holding his own with average talent. I feel like he was extremely handicapped by Singletary's vision of offense, but all of the other years he has been pretty unspectacular except for 2009 when VD had his career year... being lifted by his teammates.

If the team is lucky enough to keep Moss, Manningham and VD healthy I think we'll see a really good statistical year from Smith.. at least 25 TDs. I also think he'll frustrate us by leaving at least 5 or 6 TDs on the field throughout the season when he overthrows Moss and Manningham when they get behind the secondary.

But yeah, I don't think Smith is ever going to be elite because he isn't consistently good... although it'll be really interesting to see if Harbaugh can build Smith up even more. That'd be crazy as hell if he went from bust under Nolan and Singletary to one of the better QBs in the league under Harbaugh... man, that'd turn Harbs into a freakin legend.

 

[MHSL82]

It has become rather comical to see how far delusional Smith supporters are willing to go to save themselves from the embarrassment of being, well, a delusional Smith supporter.

Regardless, of what Smith does from now to the end of his career his so-called "truth" was "exposed" a long time ago. He should have never been drafted #1 overall

(Post not directed at you mhsl82 - unless, of course, you are a delusional Smith supporter)

Nope, I'm just short of delusional. He is what he is. I just interpretted what the author said to mean that the what ifs, the excuses, the potential, etc. would be laid to rest.

Not that it isn't already a viable sample size, it's just that (except for the delusional ones) supporters/haters probably won't have much to say after this season if it doesn't go their way. "Normal" Alex supporters shouldn't have any excuses if Smith doesn't succeed (again, big stats aren't the only thing in success) and those who say he flat out sucks can't say that if he performs well this year. It doesn't mean he's great, either.

Fortunately, we on Sports SportsHoopla have fewer on both sides, if any, than the 49ers.com board. Have you seen that place? On the 49ers Board, we got people who say that Smith is elite already and proved it and we have people saying that getting new receivers meant that Smith was a concern, not the receivers. Both are concerns, IMO.

I think, if not for Aaron Rodgers, if Smith did get unimaginable numbers from here to his retirement, the draft class was weak enough for that year to be worth it. Knowing what we knew then and what we know now, that was a poor class, generally speaking. But in general, and with Rodgers - no, he should not be a Number 1 draft pick. If he pans out, you know I'm happy we got him, regardless of where he was picked. I think that makes me a hair short of delusional? Wait, don't answer that.

 

[Bemular]

Nope, I'm just short of delusional. He is what he is. I just interpretted what the author said to mean that the what ifs, the excuses, the potential, etc. would be laid to rest.

Not that it isn't already a viable sample size, it's just that (except for the delusional ones) supporters/haters probably won't have much to say after this season if it doesn't go their way. "Normal" Alex supporters shouldn't have any excuses if Smith doesn't succeed (again, big stats aren't the only thing in success) and those who say he flat out sucks can't say that if he performs well this year. It doesn't mean he's great, either.

We long ago moved from the "what ifs" with Alex and onto the "we'll sees". There is nothing to "put to rest", the argument about Alex Smith ended a long time ago.

Will any ascension into the ranks of the "elite" or even the "very good" suddenly convict those whom wanted him gone 1+ years ago as being wrong? Oh hell no. The only thing left to discover is if those who sheepishly hedged their criticism with some form of confidence are going to get lucky - not "right" - lucky.

At this point, excuses are the litmus test of those who are delusional Smith supporters as Alex has been for a long time evaluated on what he can and cannot do outside of ANY excuses.