Simple football solution: merge
I’ve got it. I’ve got the answer to how the Bay Area can have a
Super Bowl winner this year, or at least a playoff team that will
go deep into the NFL playoffs.
No, it’s not by firing Mike Nolan or Art Shell or by making some
sort of frenzied trade that would jeopardize either team’s future
draft situation.
Simple football solution: merge
I’ve got it. I’ve got the answer to how the Bay Area can have a Super Bowl winner this year, or at least a playoff team that will go deep into the NFL playoffs.
No, it’s not by firing Mike Nolan or Art Shell or by making some sort of frenzied trade that would jeopardize either team’s future draft situation.
No, the answer is to morph the Raiders into the 49ers, or vice versa. It’s that simple. Combine both franchises, cut the worst players in the group, and make one team for the whole Bay Area to enjoy.
I still haven’t come up with a name yet but I’m working on it. It’s hard to describe a swashbuckling gold miner with a peg leg and a sword leaning on a shovel. But that’s why I get the big bucks.
No, I’m not still on a sugar high from eating too much of my daughter’s Halloween candy but I have come up with the only possible solution to the problem because right now both franchises seem light years away from ever hoisting a Vince Lombardi trophy again.
So let’s just deal with our differences, understand that we are all from the same general area and root for one team that is made from both teams, because right now both teams are pathetic.
Obviously this column is really just a fun way to make light of the situation but sadly that is about the only thing that would work right now.
Sure Raider fans are riding a high right now thanks to their win over Pittsburgh on Sunday. Heck that’s two wins in a row, but those were wins over the Cardinals and a Steeler team that has struggled all year and played like a mere shadow of its Super Bowl winning self.
Combining the Raiders and the 49ers would be a match made in heaven. For starters, the Niners have no defense and the Raiders have no offense. Combine the two and we’re at least 11-5 and making a playoff run that could shock the NFL.
Just imagine it now.
Alex Smith is the QB – that is if he can prove to the new team that he can hang onto the football. He has the option of either handing the ball off to Frank Gore or Lamont Jordan. If he wants to pass, he can hook up with Randy Moss or Antonio Bryant. In third receiver sets Jerry Porter can get in there too, and maybe he’d be more happy playing for the Bay Area Bombers anyway. Hey, that sounds kind of catchy. Maybe that will be the name. At tight end, Vernon Davis would do nicely.
Smith would also perform better around a hardcore offensive line that would consist of Jonas Jennings, Larry Allen, Eric Heitmann and Barry Sims.
On defense this fantasy team could line up with Bryant Young, Derrick Burgess, Warren Sapp and Marques Douglas. Talk about reeking havoc on opposing quarterbacks.
I could go on about how Shane Lechler could punt and Sebastian Janikowski could handle field goal duties or how Michael Huff, Chris Carr, Walt Harris, Nnamdi Asomugha Jeff Ulbrich, Kirk Morrison and Derek Smith could all play together to form a playoff-caliber line-backing core and defensive secondary.
If this were the lineup I guarantee that the Bay Area Bombers would be able to find the end zone frequently on offense while holding a number of opposing offenses to quick three-and-out drives.
I know this is all wishful thinking. But wishes and dreams are all that we can hope for anymore in this once-proud football region that is home to eight, count them, eight Super Bowl titles.
