(By Daisy Barringer)

Within seconds of the 49ers amazing 41-34 victory over the New England Patriots, my Twitter feed blew up. People were demanding apologies for the fact that I ever questioned Harbaughs’ decision to start Kaepernick over Alex Smith. Reprimanding me for saying I didn’t think the Niners could win in New England in December. Chastising me for doubting. According to many, a real fan never doubts.

Personally, I’m not willing to give up my critical thinking skills at the cost of being a Niners’ fan. Nor am I willing to apologize for saying what so many others were thinking. What I will do is gleefully admit I’ve never been happier to be wrong. That eating my words has never been tastier… like a yummy red velvet cupcake smothered in cream cheese frosting. Deeeelicious!

Does that mean I’m 100% sold on Kaepernick? No. Did he look great last night? For most of the game, yes. But, four fumbles and an interception are the exact type of mistakes that lose games. Luckily for the Niners, Kaepernick also came out and made some outstanding passes. And even when he did screw up, he didn’t let that affect his confidence. If anything, that amazing TD pass to Crabtree after the Patriots tied the game in the fourth happened too quickly and left too much time on the clock. Luckily, Brady couldn’t capitalize and the Patriots trailed the Niners for the rest of the game.

I guess what I’m trying to say is last night’s win helped me come to terms with the fact that Kaepernick is the starting quarterback for the 49ers and whether I think he deserves it or not, he’ll be the one who leads us into the playoffs. And I’m okay with that. Happy now, haters?

Seriously though: That game was great. Yes, the Niners blew a 31-3 lead when our defense allowed four consecutive Patriots touchdowns, but ultimately (thanks to LaMichael James and Crabtree), they were able to recover and win the game. Against the Patriots. Who hadn’t lost at home in December in twenty games. Who have the #1 ranked offense in the NFL. We struggled, yes, but ultimately we won. And I was so happy that at one point I stood on my chair, hands raised in victory.

And yes, standing on a chair in a public place might sound slightly obnoxious, but considering what else was happening in that bar, I was probably the most well-behaved person there. Take for example:

1. The twenty-something red-headed Patriots fan who screamed “Suck my dick!” at the Niners’ fans every time the Patriots scored. Who stood up in front of the big screen each time Brady marched his team down the field and flexed his non-existent muscles while spilling beer all over himself.

2. The Niners fan who crawled across a table on his hands and knees to get to his chair.

3. The screaming fights back and forth between fans of both teams that included more F-bombs than I’ve probably used in my entire life.

4. The overwhelming usage of the word “fag” directed at pretty much anyone and everyone.

5. The Patriots’ fan who belligerently tried to fight a Niners’ fan while screaming “How many Super Bowls do you have? ZERO! We have three!” Sadly, the best part of that story isn’t that the Pats’ fan apparently knows nothing about the 1980s, but rather that the guy he was trying to fight was his boss. Bet today was super fun at work!

When everyone filed out after the game, it looked as though a hurricane had struck the bar. Empty pitchers littered the floors. Chairs were knocked over. Bottles were turned over on their sides.

And perhaps their behavior was slightly contagious because despite the fact that I am a polite fan these days, as I walked out, I couldn’t help but turn to the girl who’d been screeching all night about how much she hated the Niners because she was a Seattle fan and say: “Go Niners. F*ck the Seahawks.”

At which point she threatened to throw her shoe at me.

Welcome to Tahoe City!

So yeah. The Niners did it. And almost every single player deserves credit. (EXCEPT YOU DAVID AKERS. YOU CAN SUCK IT.)

  • Frank Gore was a beast. 117 total yards and so much heart. (And who picked up Kap’s fumble and turned it into a TD.)
  • Michael Crabtree who with every game proves he is an elite NFL receiver.
  • Randy Moss with that amazing catch to put the Niners up 7-0 in the first quarter.
  • La Michael James with his 62-yard kickoff return.
  • The entire offensive line who only allowed one sack.
  • Donte Whitner’s forced fumble.
  • Aldon Smith’s interception (sadly, no sacks though).
  • And yes: Colin Kaepernick who threw for four touchdowns and ultimately proved he has what it takes and is not just the future, but also the present, for this 49ers’ team.

It was a fun game to watch. One with a lot of highs and lows, but also one that proved this team has what it takes to go into the playoffs and win. And that’s enough to put a smile on this girl’s face all week long.

Next up: Seattle in Seattle. It’s a big game. And yes, I’m nervous. But we’ll talk more about that on Friday. For now, let’s just enjoy the victory. And relish in the fact that not only did we beat Tom Brady, we got to watch him through a hissy fit like the little brat he is.

GO NINERS!