When 49ers' quarterback Alex Smith sat out with a concussion in 2012, it provided newbie Eve Harrington Colin Kaepernick the opportunity of a lifetime. Now that San Francisco is heading to the Super Bowl, Smith, while happy for the tattooed one, described his feelings about this year's Super Bowl to The Chronicle thusly:

"I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a little bittersweet," he said. "I want to be out there. Coming into the season, that was the goal. At the same time, it's a team sport. You go through so much together. If you can't be happy for them, then something's wrong with you.

[...]

"As quarterbacks we don't talk about our feelings," Smith said with a smile. "We talk about coverages, progressions. We talk football."

The Chronicle goes on to point out that a similar All About Eve happened to Smith back in 2003. To wit:

In 2003, Utah's starting quarterback Brett Elliott broke his wrist on the last play of the second game of the season. Smith took over as the starter and Elliott never played again, transferring the next season.

But do not fear that Colin and Alex have any (public) animosity toward each other. Perish the thought. The two were recently spotted together at a San Jose, Calif. nightclub partying together after Sunday's NFC Championship Game.