Results tagged “football”

Gavin Newsom, according to SF Examiner, has officially proclaimed Saturday as Burl A. Toler Sr. Day in San Francisco.

Here's the thing: I might have a slight emotional problem when it comes to watching football. One need only read my angry tweets on Sundays to realize this. Example: "Person who should die: Peyton Manning." (Really, Daisy? Really?) "Person I find whiny and annoying," maybe. "Person who failed to throw a TD pass for the first time since November of 2008," great.

In even more depressing 49ers news -- more on yesterday's loss later, as soon as we coax Daisy down from the ledge -- former Niners great, BALCO fibber, and snitch Dana Stubblefield has been hit with a restraining order by his former fiancee. Why? Because, according to his ex, he's not a well man.

It was only a few short weeks ago that, in a moment of complete naivety and optimism, I declared (using ALL CAPS, nonetheless) the Niners were going to the playoffs. First of all, let me be clear that neither "naive" nor “optimistic” are words that have ever been used to describe me; I blame my bizarre moment of positivity and hope based solely on the power the 49ers have over me. See,they turn me into a passionate, emotion-filled, fiercely loyal version of myself. They make me believe, even when I know better. They make me forgive, even when I’m known for holding grudges. They make me bi-polar, even when… well, okay, fine…. There is a slight chance I actually should be on some kind of medication other than the self-prescribed white wine/vodka love affair I’ve got going on.

After yesterday's (surprise) decision by a Napa Valley DA not to press charges against Raiders coach Tom Cable, the coach told the media, "I'm obviously very thankful that the authorities did the thoroughness that they did in terms of getting the facts and all that ... I never let it become a distraction because as I mentioned many times, I just had a lot of faith. I knew what happened." His assistant coach, Randy Hansen, if you recall, claimed that Cable choked and threatened to kill him. Hansen's claims were "not corroborated by the three assistant coaches in the room at the time" of the alleged attack.

       

The Atlanta Falcons destroyed the 49ers yesterday in a sobering 45-10 ass-whooping. And yes, when I say “sobering,” I mean it literally because despite my fervent attempt to drink away the agony, no amount of $8.50 beer could numb the pain that was watching my team completely self-implode. And believe me, I tried.

Ah, yes, this is what we like: people apologizing for football games. So scary and confusing and lacking climactic eleventh-hour numbers, they are. What are we talking about? Well, actually, it seems Sandy Barbour, Berkeley’s Director of Athletics, sent out a letter, dolling out a huge mea culpa for Saturday's big homecoming game against (the vile) USC. Crowd control was lacking, rendering the game an uncomfortable one for fans.

The Niners beat the Rams 35-0 yesterday, which makes us 3-1 and, unless we completely self-implode in the coming weeks, winners of the NFC West. Sure, winning the NFC West is like beating a quadriplegic at Twister, but still… WE’RE GOING TO THE PLAYOFFS!

Brittney Gilbert of Eye On Blogs brings our attention to this little gem: the Cal marching band knocking over an event staff guy at a recent football game. (Also, what's going on with both announcers' eyebrows? As lovely as they are, those enviously manicured brows belong no where near a football game.)

San Francisco 49ers runningback Frank Gore, left, and tackle Chilo Rachel, right, celebrate Gore's game-winning touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game on Sunday. Yay, American football sporting season!

Blame it on Newsom's chronic absence as the Mayor of San Francisco. Blame it on a chronically losing football team. Blame it on a chronically decrepit stadium. The SF 49ers might be on the move. But for reals this time. While Bay Area sports teams, like 8-year-olds, like to threaten to pack up their belongings and runaway, some sort of deal was finalized yesterday with regard to the 49ers moving to Santa Clara after the team and city officials "reached a deal on how to finance the building of a new stadium." According to AP, "the two sides agreed on a financing package for a proposed 68,500-seat stadium." Now all the move needs is a city council vote in June, some sort of green impact reports, and then a vote by Santa Claraians, which is expected to happen in March of 2010. Voters are most likely to pass the measure. Why? Because Santa Clara wants to be known for something besides....wait, what is Santa Clara known for? Nothing? Nothing at all? Exactly.

John Madden, the guy some of you know only from commercials or Frank Caliendo impressions, is actually a big-time sports announcer. Today, Madden callled it quits. The legendary Raiders coach-turned-football announcer explained his reason for quitting to NBC: "It’s time. I’m 73 years old. My 50th wedding anniversary is this fall. I have two great sons and their families and my five grandchildren are at an age now when they know when I’m home and, more importantly, when I’m not." See you on the golf course, John.

Here's the controversial Peta ad that was banned for some reason. The ad, which urges viewers to switch to a vegetarian lifestyle, shows a slinky tart getting randy with fresh veggies. It's not nearly as racy as we had assumed, hoped. She doesn't deep throat or insert a cucumber. Lame, Peta.

* Pittsburgh vs. Arizona (in Tampa)
Sunday, February 1, 2009. 3:00 PM, PST.
Super Bowl XLIII
Battle Of The Steelers

Oh, great. SF's semi-rival Arizona Cardinals against the five-ring-holding Stillrrs.

If Arizona wins, our once hysterically hapless divisional foe (now built into an actual team by former Steeler coaches) get a championship for the first time since 1947. If PIT wins, they pull ahead of the 49ers and Cowboys for most total Super Bowl wins. Who to root for in today's game, then? Fuhhhh. It's a Morton's Fork. It's a Kobayashi Maru. It's no fun. What's a Niner fan to do?

Root for the Steelers. Here's why.

This coming Sunday, a group of American football players called the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizona Cardinals will come together to have a sporting match entitled Superbowl XLIII. If you will allow SFist to jinx the odds this year, our money is on the team with the friendliest players who know that there is no "i" in "team."

Defensive end Kevin Fagan and his mighty mustache helped hold the line for George Seifert's boxer's-mentality 3-4 defensive scheme during the zenith of San Francisco's 1980s power.

Only a few games left of the NFL's 2008 season and as is customary, the Raiders are in full plummet. The last things that stand to be parsed out are which players are making enough of a name to picked up by other teams next year, which players are playing enough to be kept via Al's calculi for next season, and those that have given up all hope whatsoever.

"We're not close," said Oakland's best player, CB Nnamdi Asomugha, to the Merc after the last week's loss to San Diego, "and it's clear that we're not close. We don't play good football, we don't play sound football, and we have been undisciplined. We wonder why we don't get prime-time games, and this is why. We were on Monday night against Denver, we got blown out. Now, we came here and we got blown out. You just wonder how many people care and how many people are upset. You can't go out and play the way we played and expect to win or expect to do well."

Ouch.

Found by American Football Spectacular's vigilant Kansas City correspondent Kyle Vorak, this mesmerizing image is from last night's TB@CAR ESPN coverage.

People of Charlotte, we say to you: do not be unkind to Steve Young.

As you can see, he is still elusive after years of retirement (and those adorable truck ads that your Mom appreciates).

* San Francisco vs. Arizona
Monday, November 10, 2008. 5:30 PM, PST.
Week 10
The Battle For Change

Can you believe that a week ago it was still in-question whether the United States Of America would either embrace change or sink with the failed policies of the GOP regime?

What a difference a week makes.

Also attempting turnaround is 49er Head Coach Samurai Mike Singletary.

OK, it has been reported by the NFL Network that the 49ers may offer a position to Secretary Of State Condoleezza Rice

One high-ranking 49ers official said last week, “If she’s interested in talking to us, I’m interested in talking to her.” Rice has told friends as recently as last week she would love to become president of an NFL team.

After dutifully soaking-in the coverage of Samurai Mike Singletary's promotion to head coach, the unfortunate conclusion becomes: it doesn't matter who San Francisco's head coach is.

The single biggest problem hobbling the 49er brand is that the ownership is inept in overseeing the processes of running a football franchise.

Well, that sucked.

Now we've got all these rumors swirling that Head Coach Nolan II will be fired after this latest underwhelming showing.

American Football Spectacular's New York American Football Giants correspondent Joon Lee has some verrry specific opinions about Nolan and the state of the Niners...

While your editor is no picnic to look at, this here is some terrifying stuff. Check out the Gate's jarring shot of Oakland Raiders master and lord Al Davis. Shudder.

"Too vocal for his liking," Raiders owner Al Davis fired coach Lane Kiffin, 33, last night, just two days after the Raiders bit it hard to the Chargers (28-18). Also, word is that Davis won't pay Kiffin the "roughly $3.5 million left on his contract," which expired in the 2009-2010 season. Kiffin, if you sports fans recall, has been vocal about his disdain for Davis, prattling on to the press about his "lack of power in choosing his players and coaches." Kids! We don't know what's wrong with these kids today! (SFGate)

That's it.

QB Alex Smith was officially put on the injured reserve list today, effectively ending his time with the 49ers.

After losing his job in the preseason to UCD's-own J.T. O'Sullivan, something came loose in Smith's already-surgically-repaired throwing shoulder and now he's out for the year.

The rub is that the size of his contract precludes keeping him on the team next season.

Oh wow. This is amusing. Oakland police used used stun guns to break up several fights going on during Monday night's Radiers vs. Bronco game. Drunkenness, fighting, assault, and drug charges (drug charges?!) topped the list at Monday night's game. Raiders fans, in case you haven't heard, are (in)famous for their, um, excessive liveliness and enthusiasm. (CBS 5)

A "victim of extremely high expectations as the top overall pick in the 2005 draft," the quite dashing 49ers QB, Alex Smith, might not be returning next year. Why? Because he's expensive (six-year $49.5 million contract). And because the 49ers can't seem to win an American football match on a consistent basis, or whatever. Waiting in his shadow is J.T. O'Sullivan, the Eve Harrington to Smith's Margo Channing (oh, relax -- one of the real men will continue to cover football, baseball bat-wielding readers), will make "his first NFL start" this Sunday against the Cardinals. (SFGate)

Oakland Raiders Hall of Fame guard and union leader Gene Upshaw died last night at his Lake Tahoe home. He was 63. Having been diagnosed last Satuday with pancreatic cancer, the death comes as a surprise to fans, family, and friends. According to the Gate, his "illness, as well as his sudden death, stunned the sports world and caught even his closest friends by surprise. He had lost weight in recent months but continued to work at his usual breakneck pace." RIP, Upswhaw.

(By Joe Kukura)