49ers should give thanks
It’s Thanksgiving weekend. The time of year when we eat turkey
sandwiches like they’re going out of style before making a mad rush
to the mall to begin Christmas shopping with family members that we
haven’t seen since, well, the last major holiday.
49ers should give thanks
It’s Thanksgiving weekend. The time of year when we eat turkey sandwiches like they’re going out of style before making a mad rush to the mall to begin Christmas shopping with family members that we haven’t seen since, well, the last major holiday.
It’s also the time of year when we ask questions like, “Should we get a real or fake tree?” “What about a flocked one?”
It’s also the time we begin to reflect back on the year and focus on the things about our life that we are most thankful for.
Can you just imagine what the conversation would have been like at 4949 Centennial Boulevard in Santa Clara – the headquarters of the San Francisco 49ers – yesterday had the Niners held a Thanksgiving meeting around a round table where team members, coaches and executives could address the things they are most thankful for about 2007.
I’d like to be a fly on the wall for that one.
John York would be the first to go. After all, he is the owner of the team.
“I’m thankful that I’m worth a bazillion dollars otherwise spending $150 million in the off season to make this a playoff-caliber team would have really smarted.
I’m also thankful that our horrifically poor play will now make the move to Santa Clara about 2 percent easier of a pill to swallow for the die-hard fans from San Francisco.
I’m thankful that our level of play has resulted in the opportunity to select some of the top collegiate players of each and every draft year in and year out to join the 49er family. The first player that comes to mind is Alex Smith.
I’m also thankful for Eddie DeBartolo’s riverboat gambling scandal nearly a decade ago, which ultimately allowed a person like me – someone with no athleticism or apparent football knowledge – to have control over this once great organization.”
Mike Nolan would go next:
“I’m thankful I still have a job.
I’m thankful that the Yorks don’t understand football.
I thankful for guys like Dennis Erickson.
I’m thankful that these owners look at reverse progress as progression.
I’m thankful for Alex Smith for he takes a lot of the heat off of me.
I’m thankful for the blacked-out telecasts that are soon to come because they will make my sound decisions to throw a 3-yard pass on a third-and-12 play less scrutinized.
I’m thankful for bye weeks.
I’m thankful for Andy Lee for he is our greatest threat.
I’m thankful for the suit and tie that I wear on the field for it will come in handy when I interview for my next coaching job.
I’m thankful for having January off this year.
I’m thankful for road games – it’s always more difficult to get booed by your own fans.
I’m thankful for the Miami Dolphins for taking the heat off of us.
I’m thankful for the New England Patriots for getting our first overall pick next year we’d probably just blow it anyway.”
Team leader and field general Alex Smith would be the last to give thanks:
“I’m thankful for my early season shoulder injury for it gives me an excuse for throwing endless weak, inaccurate and off-the-mark passes.
I’m thankful for my ability to rifle tight spirals with zip when I need to throw an out-of-bounds pass, which, by the way, I have perfected.
I’m thankful for Trent Dilfer for he has looked even worse than me on occasion.
I’m thankful for guaranteed money clauses in contracts.
I’m thankful that I’m only 23 and still have plenty of time to go back to school and learn another trade.
I’m thankful that no one on the defense has punched me yet for keeping them on the field for so long each game.
I’m thankful for my innate ability to fumble the ball every time I am hit for this great skill of mine has helped our defense to stay focused and in the game.”
