Sports News and Trade Rumors: Pro Sports Daily

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July 2

Sacramento Bee

"Pity the poor freshman tight end that walks into the Maryland weight room for first time. Looming above the rows of weight benches and stacks of iron plates are the names of the school's record holders, position by position, dating back to 1981. When it comes to Terrapin tight ends, nearly all of those records belong to Vernon Davis, and nearly all of them are out of reach. "He was one of the most gifted guys, if not the most gifted, we ever had here and he also had an incredible work ethic," said Maryland strength coach Dwight Galt, who watched Davis smash all of the records as a 217-pound freshman and then routinely break his own records every few months during the next three years. But ..."

49ers' Alex Smith discusses impact of friend's death

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June 30

San Jose Mercury News

"Alex Smith discusses friend's death in '08 Looking back on 2008, Alex Smith recently explained why his and the 49ers' on-field struggles were the least of his problems. In an interview with ESPN.com's Jeffri Chadiha, Smith opened up about the suicide last August of David Edwards, his best friend since they were freshmen in high school. "Calling David a best friend really doesn't do our relationship justice. He was more like an adopted brother to me. He was close to everyone in my family," Smith told Chadiha, adding that he harbored feelings of guilt because he didn't return a phone call the night before Edwards' death. Coach Mike Singletary explains that he put Smith and Shaun Hill on ..."

Young Jed York is growing into his role as face of 49ers

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June 28

San Jose Mercury News

columnist Ann Killion

"I'll admit it. I'm a skeptic. Especially when it comes to the York family. Ever since Eddie DeBartolo's sister Denise and her husband John assumed control of the 49ers, I've been watching their clumsy regime and organizational blunders, further distancing the team from its glory years. So when, a few years ago, I started hearing praise for their son Jed, the heir apparent, I wasn't biting. Some kid in his mid-20s was going to turn everything around? But I started paying attention. I saw Jed make a few missteps early on. But I've seen him grow into this new role as the public face of ownership. And this month, as Jed ran the gauntlet of media interviews after the Santa Clara City Council ..."

Alex Smith nearly has made up for lost time

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June 25

Sacramento Bee

"Alex Smith spent January, February and March asking himself the same question: "Is my arm ever going to feel the way it used to?" The answer, he can say with confidence today, is yes. The month of June very much belonged to Smith. No, he hasn't moved past Shaun Hill in the competition to be the 49ers' starting quarterback. But he has beaten out Alex Smith of June 2008. That's the figure that loomed largest in Smith's head. The Alex Smith of a year ago also was attempting to return from shoulder surgery. When Dr. James Andrews operated on him in December 2007, Andrews said he didn't know how - or why - Smith had played three games with the injured appendage. Smith's ligaments that connect ..."

Hill Still the Guy

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June 22

San Francisco Chronicle

"Back from vacation and we're obviously behind, nevertheless here's a look back on the offseason practives. Nothing is supposed to happen in OTA's, but this year, the 49ers off-season practices were significant. Particularly that one in May when wide receiver Dominique Zeigler tangled with veteran cornerback Walt Harris. The resulting torn anterior cruciate knee ligament for Harris will likely end his season maybe even his career (he turns 35 on Aug. 10th). It forced the 49ers to sign a Dre Bly, a cocky, gambling type of player who might be just what the 49ers need at right cornerback. It sets up possibly a more intriguing battle for the starter's role come training camp between Bly and ..."

Believe it or not, Smith should start

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June 19

San Francisco Examiner

columnist Glenn Dickey

"The good news for 49ers fans: Alex Smith is healthy again and throwing more sharply and with more confidence than he ever has in his troubled NFL career. Many Niners fans won't regard that as good news. They've castigated Smith with regularity and are convinced that Shaun Hill is the better choice at quarterback. But in truth, Smith has been fighting an uphill battle since he was taken as the first choice in the 2005 draft, coming to a bad team with a porous offensive line and inadequate receivers. Not surprisingly, he looked terrible. He made good progress in his second year, but then offensive coordinator Norv Turner took the coaching job with the San Diego Chargers. In his third season, ..."

49ers cook up a QB contest

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June 18

San Jose Mercury News

columnist Ann Killion

"On Tuesday, Mike Singletary dismissed his pupils for summer vacation. But not before handing out a gold star for the term to quarterback Alex Smith. Smith started the spring semester as one of the team's biggest question marks. He had never worked directly under Singletary and had plenty to prove. But he ended the final days of practice in a virtual dead heat with Shaun Hill for the starting quarterback job, which will be decided this summer in training camp. "The playing field is level now," Singletary said. And if that concerns you, you're not alone. Smith clearly has made great strides, rebounding from not only injury but also a crisis in confidence. He looks good in practice, seems ..."

49ers can win division

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June 17

Sacramento Bee

"Mike Singletary never misses an opportunity to remind his players that they are behind the NFL's elite teams. But to hear him talk Tuesday, the 49ers are within striking distance. "No doubt in my mind, none," Singletary said when asked if the 49ers could win their division and reach the playoffs for the first time since 2002. "I don't even blink at that." Those sanguine words came on the 49ers' final day of spring practices, which were typically intense and not always smooth but which left the demanding coach with a warm feeling. Among the reasons for optimism is Singletary has a legitimate quarterback battle on his hands. When the 49ers' first minicamp began in April, Singletary knew ..."

Singletary: 'No doubt in my mind' about 49ers being a playoff team

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June 17

Contra Costa Times

"After one last day of practice Tuesday, the 49ers get a break. The next time they hit the field will be at training camp July 30. That's when the season begins. Now, the question is: When will it end? Mike Singletary expressed confidence that the 49ers' final scene wouldn't come until the postseason. He said the team's recent organized team activities demonstrated that the pieces are in place for a playoff team. "No doubt in my mind. None," he said. "I don't even blink at that." The 49ers are coming off six consecutive losing seasons and have made the playoffs only twice since the start of the 1999 season. They went 7-9 a year ago, when not one of their victories came against teams that ..."

Silicon Valley meets Notre Dame in design shaping up for new 49ers stadium

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June 16

San Jose Mercury News

"It would bring more of the regular fans closer to the field, offer "party decks" to watch the game in an outdoor sports bar atmosphere, and feature field-level club seats where high-rollers could see players sprint past onto the turf. There would be a half-acre of solar panels, a "green roof" made of living plants, and office space for a Silicon Valley company that wants a high-visibility address. The technology could let fans order food or watch replays through their smart phones, and the open, "airy" construction would be unlike the retro brick ballparks and metallic domes that have dominated recent sports architecture. The new 49ers stadium in Santa Clara is still five years from ..."

49ers' kick specialists relieved to have longsnapper Jennings locked down

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June 16

San Jose Mercury News

"For two years, Brian Jennings wondered if he belonged — on the field, in the locker room, with the 49ers. "Every Tuesday, I thought I was going to get cut," the long-snapper said. Jennings survived the 2000 and 2001 seasons, made the Pro Bowl in 2004 and recently signed a five-year extension with the 49ers through 2014. His position, by nature, doesn't grab much attention. But news of Jennings' extension was like an early Christmas present for kicker Joe Nedney and punter Andy Lee. "He's one of those guys that you're not going to know he's gone until he's gone," Nedney said. "He does his job very efficiently and very well, so he goes unnoticed. The average fan is going to go, 'OK, they ..."

Norris goes back to where it began, gives back

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June 16

San Francisco Chronicle

"Mike Norris has his baseball cards ready, tucked into his wallet, ready to cut through the doubts. He won 22 games in 1980, but now he is dealing with kids born long after he threw his last major-league pitch, and he knows that they can see only a 54-year-old man supporting himself with two canes. " 'What's he know?' " Norris said, putting himself inside the heads of a dozen or so young boys on the field in front of him. " 'He's this crippled old (man). Why should I listen to him?' " So he relies on the cards, slightly faded pictures of himself as an Oakland Athletic, to get their attention. If they're willing to listen, he can explain that he is in a club called the Black Aces, the 13 ..."

Where Norris goes, Gore will follow

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June 16

San Francisco Chronicle

"Frank Gore wanted his fullback's attention. "Big Mo," he hollered across the 49ers' practice field Monday, as Moran Norris finished up some extracurricular drills by catching passes. Gore had been explaining his friendship with Norris to a reporter, and he wanted backup. "We're very close on and off the field," Gore said, waiting for Norris to arrive. "It goes beyond football," the fullback confirmed, a day before his 31st birthday. "He's like a little brother to me." Their reunion might be the feel-good story of the 49ers' offseason, bringing together a combination that helped Gore rush for more yards in 2006 than any other running back in team history. No one was terribly surprised that ..."

What Falcons' release means for Vick's football future

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June 12

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"The Falcons' expected release of Michael Vick puts him one small step closer to a return to the NFL. It doesn't necessarily mean, though, that he'll be suiting up this fall. While Vick is now free to negotiate a contract with all 32 teams in the NFL, he still must be reinstated by league commissioner Roger Goodell in order to play. Further, Vick must find a team willing to accept the risk of signing him and his accompanying baggage. Goodell indefinitely suspended Vick at the time of his federal dogfighting conviction. Goodell has said that he won't meet with him to consider reinstatement until after his sentence ends July 20. Teams are free to sign suspended players, but any team that ..."

49ers' Michael Crabtree bouncing back from injury

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June 12

San Jose Mercury News

"Michael Crabtree's training wheels are slowly coming off. The 49ers allowed the No. 10 draft pick to do more extensive running this week, and Coach Mike Singletary said Thursday that the wide receiver's surgically repaired left foot is on schedule to be ready for training camp July 30. "Everybody is excited about what they see," Singletary said. "He's got a little more bounce to him." Crabtree remains out of team drills and instead does closely monitored conditioning work on an adjacent field. Still, his hard runs this week represent a milestone because it means the 49ers are easing up on the restrictions. Singletary berated Crabtree for doing too much about a month ago, when the coach ..."

Lineman works to fulfill first-round promise

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June 12

San Francisco Chronicle

"A year out of the NFL gate, the 49ers' Kentwan Balmer has yet to start a game or get his first sack. He made a total of seven tackles as a rookie. Fairly or not, people expect more out of first-round draft picks, and nobody knows that better than the former North Carolina lineman who was the 29th player drafted last year. The only thing quick about his development was the speed with which some fans and analysts jumped to conclusions about the wisdom of that draft selection. It didn't help that one of the players the 49ers overlooked in taking both Balmer and second-round pick Chilo Rachal was Cal's speedy receiver and return threat DeSean Jackson. "When they tell you Kentwan Balmer and ..."

49ers QBs will still be dueling in camp

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June 12

San Francisco Chronicle

"With only a couple of practices left before the 49ers take six weeks off, it's impossible to tell who has the upper hand in the quarterback duel. Once again, the competition between Shaun Hill and Alex Smith will dominate training camp, tentatively scheduled to start July 30. It will be Hill's proven game presence against Smith's superior arm and athletic ability. Coach Mike Singletary agreed Thursday with general manager Scot McCloughan's assessment that Smith's passing has never been better. "At the same time," Singletary said, "nothing means anything until he's out there facing some live bullets. All of a sudden, all form and technique and everything else goes when you've got guys ..."

49ers receiver eager to begin second season

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June 11

San Jose Mercury News

"Josh Morgan can look back and laugh. Recalling his arrival as a rookie, he uses words like "wide-eyed" and "lost." To demonstrate, the 49ers wide receiver shuffles his feet until his body makes a full rotation. "I was like this,'' he said, "I was running in circles." The sixth-round draft pick eventually figured things out, and soon it was opposing cornerbacks left spinning. Morgan averaged 16 yards per catch, highest among rookies with more than one catch. Morgan also had three touchdown catches. Only one rookie wide receiver, Denver's Eddie Royal with five, had more. And now? Morgan is another year older and infinitely wiser. After practice Wednesday at the 49ers' organized team ..."

49ers allowed to take chances under new regime

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June 11

Sacramento Bee

columnist Matthew Barrows

"Speaking the other day about former Rams teammate Dre' Bly, 49ers wide receiver Isaac Bruce used a word seldom heard around team headquarters in recent years. "He's a gambler on the corner," Bruce said. " … The guy will definitely take chances, and the chances that he takes - he makes plays. He always made plays." Under former 49ers coach Mike Nolan, gambling was prohibited. Every NFL head coach wants his players to be extensions of the coaching staff. But it seemed Nolan wanted his players attached to strings that he controlled. It's a big reason he drafted Alex Smith in 2005. Before that draft, Nolan flew to Salt Lake City to give Smith one last workout. The quarterback not only threw ..."

Gore eager to try new approach

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June 11

San Francisco Chronicle

"Frank Gore's goal - "to be the best player on the field" - might be more attainable under Jimmy Raye's offense than it was under Mike Martz's. The 49ers' running back implied as much Wednesday after practice. "With Martz, we were more finesse, throw the ball deep, get outside," Gore said. "This is more running with my shoulders squared up, a lot of power, a lot of downhill plays." He's delighted to be reunited with his old running mate, fullback Moran Norris, who spent two years with the 49ers before moving to the Lions last year. "I love it," Gore said. "As a team, we're trying to be physical, and that's what he is.""

Hill vs. Smith: Niners' QB competition heats up

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June 11

San Francisco Chronicle

columnist Scott Ostler

"During a lull in the action at the 49ers' practice Tuesday, somebody tossed a football to Shaun Hill. The ball skidded off his fingers and fell to the grass. Will this flub count against Hill in his ongoing competition with Alex (The New Alex) Smith for the starting quarterback job? Is that moment of nonchalance by Hill good or bad, intangibles-wise? Where does Mike Singletary stand on nonchalance? Is this what they mean when they say Hill is not a good practice player? And the big question: Do we really have to endure 93 more days of suspense, assuming Singletary ponders his QB decision until the day before the season opener? This longtime observer, after watching Tuesday's practice like ..."

Time for QBs Russell, Smith to show their stuff

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June 10

San Jose Mercury News

columnist Tim Kawakami

"He's a recent NFL No. 1 overall pick, with all the accompanying fame and fortune, and he was announced as the quarterback to reclaim the franchise's lost glory. Since then, he has been hurt a time or two, sacked often, thrown wildly and lost a bunch of games and possibly the confidence of his teammates and ownership. He has another chance this season, maybe his last chance. He's not one guy, though. In the Bay Area, that's the intriguingly identical June portrait of two pivotal players. It's JaMarcus Russell, 2007 No. 1 pick by the Raiders and now prodded by the addition of Jeff Garcia and the implicit anticipation of Al Davis. And it's Alex Smith, 2005 No. 1 pick by the 49ers and now ..."

49ers' quarterbacks looking good in practice

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June 10

San Jose Mercury News

"One day after 49ers General Manager Scot McCloughan gave quarterback Alex Smith glowing reviews for his mini-camp performance, Shaun Hill worked the team's two-minute drill with mid-season precision. Hill completed passes to six receivers during one long drive in the organized team activity Tuesday, culminating the series with a 6-yard pass to Dominique Zeigler in the back of the end zone. "Today was just like every day — some good, some that needs to be corrected," Hill said. "But, for the most part, I feel like the whole offense is starting to get it, starting to click." Like McCloughan, Hill is impressed with Smith's progress but insists it doesn't bother him. "I like to see my ..."

49ers notebook: Hill follows up Smith with midseason form

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June 10

Contra Costa Times

"One day after general manager Scot McCloughan gave Alex Smith glowing reviews for his performance at the 49ers' organized team activities, Shaun Hill worked the team's two-minute drill Tuesday with midseason precision. He completed passes to six different receivers during one long drive in the organized team activity, culminating with a 6-yard pass to Dominique Zeigler in the back of the end zone. "Today was just like every day - some good, some that needs to be corrected," Hill said. "But for the most part, I feel like the whole offense is starting to get it, starting to click." Like McCloughan, Hill is impressed with Smith's progress but insists it doesn't bother him. "I like to see my ..."

Goldson ready to step up as starting safety

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June 9

San Francisco Chronicle

"You had to look hard at the 49ers' workout Monday to spot last year's starting secondary. Walt Harris is out for the season with a torn knee ligament. Nate Clements was out with a mild case of pneumonia, and Michael Lewis was watching from the sideline because of an abdominal strain. At free safety, in place of three-year incumbent Mark Roman, was third-year man Dashon Goldson. If any 49ers fans aren't familiar with him, they will be. The 2008 season was barely over when the new head coach, Mike Singletary, anointed him as the starter over Roman. When he gave Goldson the word, Singletary stressed, "You've got to step up." Goldson, 24, was happy to oblige. "I felt pretty good," he said of ..."

49ers' Manusky predicts only that defense should be better

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June 8

Contra Costa Times

"A day after linebacker Patrick Willis vowed the 49ers would no doubt have a defense in the "top five, if not No. 1,'' his defensive coordinator resisted the chance to echo that prediction. Greg Manusky had no desire to get caught up in rankings. He just wants a better pass rush, more turnovers and a unit that's stronger against the run. "Would I like to have a top five defense? Of course,'' Manusky said Sunday after the 49ers' final day of minicamp. "I think the 49ers organization and the fans would like that." Improving the pass rush has been on the 49ers' to-do list for several seasons, but without much progress. A year ago, they were in the middle of the NFL pack with 30. (The Super ..."

49ers Coach Singletary staying focused

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June 8

San Jose Mercury News

columnist Tim Kawakami

"Mike Singletary's office is large, bright and couldn't be anybody else's in the NFL or the world. Really, it's more like a proud father's den than your normal obsessive NFL film-and-playbook bunker. In the office of the 49ers coach, you see giant family pictures on the walls next to huge inspirational posters behind comfortable furniture and a line of weight and conditioning machines. It's Singletary's space — ordered, colorful, paternal, thoughtful and furiously disciplined, not necessarily in that order. Let's start with those machines. Mike, are you starting your own gym or something? "I don't like wasting time," Singletary said during a break in this past weekend's mini-camp. "I don't ..."

49ers defensive coordinator wants better pass rush, more turnovers

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June 8

San Jose Mercury News

"A day after linebacker Patrick Willis vowed that the 49ers would no doubt have a defense in the "top five, if not No. 1,'' his defensive coordinator resisted the chance to echo that prediction. Greg Manusky had no desire to get caught up in rankings. He just wants a better pass rush, more turnovers and a unit that's stronger against the run. "Would I like to have a top-five defense? Of course,'' Manusky said Sunday after the 49ers' final day of mini-camp. "I think the 49ers organization and the fans would like that." Improving the pass rush has been on the 49ers' to-do list for several seasons, but without much progress. A year ago, the 49ers were in the middle of the NFL pack with 30 ..."

Niners have become just a blip on Bay Area radar

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June 7

San Francisco Examiner

columnist Tim Liotta

"Let's ignore the fact that politicians voted for this deal at the kind of morning hour that professional athletes are usually getting into trouble. And that those politicians short-armed it when it came to digging into their pockets. Every detail says this Santa Clara stadium deal is just the latest example of how far the 49ers have fallen in the eyes of the Bay Area sports fan. First of all, the whole thing feels sleazy - kind of like the way the Bidwills have done business with the Cardinals, first in St. Louis, then in Arizona. It feels like no matter how loud the 49ers complain about their situation, this is the only reaction they can get for themselves. The way I see it, the 49ers ..."

Niners' Bruce thinking Super Bowl

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June 7

San Francisco Chronicle

"Isaac Bruce, a man of 1,000 catches but few words, is returning to pro football, and the 49ers, for what will be his 16th and possibly final season. His goals are simple. "Play in the playoffs again and win a Super Bowl," Bruce said Saturday after a minicamp practice. "I know the parity of the NFL. I was 4-12 one year and the next year I won a Super Bowl." It's true. Bruce and the St. Louis Rams were 4-12 in 1998 and in '99 they were 13-3 and on top of the world with a championship in Super Bowl XXXIV. Bruce's future in football beyond this season is uncertain, as he acknowledged in his typically phlegmatic fashion. This is the last year of his contract with the 49ers, one that will pay ..."

49ers' Willis in no hurry for extension

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June 7

San Jose Mercury News

"As much as Patrick Willis enjoys San Francisco, he is in no hurry to start talking contract extension. A few days after fellow 2007 first-rounder Joe Staley signed a deal through 2017, Willis said he will stick with the year-to-year approach. "I don't let my mind go that far down the road," Willis said Saturday, the second day of mini-camp. The two-time Pro Bowl linebacker said, to his knowledge, the 49ers have not approached his agent, Ben Dogra, about extending his current deal. Willis has three years remaining on the five-year, $16.655 million contract he signed as a rookie and sounds willing to let it play out. "I love California," he said. "I love the fans. The weather, you can't ..."

Niners have become just a blip on Bay Area radar

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June 6

San Francisco Examiner

columnist Tim Liotta

"Let's ignore the fact that politicians voted for this deal at the kind of morning hour that professional athletes are usually getting into trouble. And that those politicians short-armed it when it came to digging into their pockets. Every detail says this Santa Clara stadium deal is just the latest example of how far the 49ers have fallen in the eyes of the Bay Area sports fan. First of all, the whole thing feels sleazy - kind of like the way the Bidwills have done business with the Cardinals, first in St. Louis, then in Arizona. It feels like no matter how loud the 49ers complain about their situation, this is the only reaction they can get for themselves. The way I see it, the 49ers ..."

Singletary excited by stadium news

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June 6

San Francisco Chronicle

"While the team's performance on the field is his immediate concern, coach Mike Singletary is keenly interested in the 49ers' campaign for a stadium in Santa Clara. Who knows? If Singletary succeeds in building the 49ers into a winner and if a stadium in Santa Clara becomes a reality, maybe he'll still be coaching the team in 2014, the earliest year the team might be playing in new digs. "My main focus is always out here," said Singletary Friday on the first day of a weekend minicamp, meaning the practice field. "Jed (York) and I continue to talk. We need to communicate across the board and make sure we are on the same page. The stadium news is very exciting. ... It would be great to have a ..."

Niners work to lock up their core players

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June 6

San Francisco Chronicle

"After more than a few years of feckless football and fed-up fans, recent developments indicate the 49ers are moving in a positive direction. Then again, it's only June and players are running around in short pants with no pads. Everyone is 0-0 in June. But signing tackle Joe Staley to a six-year extension, to go with earlier contract extensions for center Eric Heitmann, outside linebacker Parys Haralson and running back Michael Robinson, sends a message to the rest of the team that hard work and production on the field will be rewarded. "That's the way the Niners want to do it: Draft well and take care of our own. And be right," general manager Scot McCloughan said Friday on the first day ..."

Comparing 49ers/Raiders practices

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June 6

Contra Costa Times

"AT THE RISK of jumping to conclusions, the 49ers look way closer to being a contender than the Raiders after visiting their practices this week. Here is what stands out from Friday's visit to 49ers minicamp and Wednesday's trip to the Raiders' offseason training activity: * * * 49ers observations * * * -- 49ers coach Mike Singletary is the best thing going, if not in the entire NFL, then at least when it comes to the Bay Area's two teams. When he wasn't demanding his players line up correctly for an end-of-practice sprint (he made them start over when some started prematurely), he was giving Frank Gore pointers afterward on blitz pick-up technique. His end-of-practice speeches should be a ..."

Reunited and it feels so good for 49ers' Gore and Norris

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June 6

Contra Costa Times

columnist Cam Inman

"RUNNING BACK Frank Gore and fullback Moran Norris comprise the 49ers' most important tandem for this coming season. Not quarterbacks Shaun Hill and Alex Smith. Not new wide receiver Michael Crabtree and whoever starts at quarterback. Not linebackers Patrick Willis and Manny Lawson. Not coach Mike Singletary and the microphone. Because Gore's hard-nosed running will embody the 49ers' tougher approach, he personally requested that Norris return from a one-year hiatus and serve as his lead blocker. "I love it," Gore said of his reunion with Norris, a nine-year veteran who spent last year with the winless Detroit Lions. "We came up together (with the 49ers in 2006-07). We were both on the ..."

Coaches waiting for the top QB to 'step up'

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June 6

San Jose Mercury News

"Friday marked the first day of 49ers mini-camp, which of course meant the first day Coach Mike Singletary could play down the status of the quarterback competition. Alex Smith trotted out with the first team at the beginning of 11-on-11 drills. This was a minor wrinkle. During recent practices, Shaun Hill had first crack with the starting unit. This was not a blockbuster development, Singletary stressed, noting that Hill and Smith split time with the first team during every practice. Rotating who goes first is just the 49ers' way of keeping things even. That system will continue until one player emerges. During the afternoon practice, Hill opened with the first team. "I think the coaches ..."

Will 49ers' Balmer catch up to expectations?

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June 6

San Jose Mercury News

columnist Ann Killon

"Here's a 49ers quiz: He was a first-round pick. He plays a difficult position. He has fallen far short of expectations. Some people are calling him a bust. Now he's just trying to win a job. And as he told me Friday: "My first impression in the NFL was not the impression I wanted." And his name is? Wrong. The answer is not Alex Smith. The 49ers have another top draft pick who hasn't remotely begun to pay off. Defensive lineman Kentwan Balmer was the first-round draft pick in 2008 — 29th overall out of North Carolina. He barely made it onto the field last season. And that's on a team without a discernible pass rush. It's not like Dwight Freeney was blocking Balmer's path to greatness. For ..."

The Niners are not going anywhere soon

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June 5

San Francisco Examiner

columnist Glenn Dickey

"No, the 49ers are not moving to Santa Clara soon. More likely, 10 years from now, we'll still be wondering when the Niners will get their stadium. Unlike my sportswriter colleagues, I've always been interested in the political issues surrounding sports, including stadium issues. In the past 30 years, I've talked to mayors, club executives, stadium designers and builders about stadium projects. For the 49ers' Santa Clara project, I had a meeting with Lisa Lang, who's heading up the project, and her colleagues at the 49ers facility. Subsequently, I've had a one-on-one meeting with Jed York and phone conversations with Lang. So, I can tell you that the approval of Santa Clara's participation ..."

The Niners are not going anywhere soon

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June 5

San Francisco Examiner

columnist Glenn Dickey

"No, the 49ers are not moving to Santa Clara soon. More likely, 10 years from now, we'll still be wondering when the Niners will get their stadium. Unlike my sportswriter colleagues, I've always been interested in the political issues surrounding sports, including stadium issues. In the past 30 years, I've talked to mayors, club executives, stadium designers and builders about stadium projects. For the 49ers' Santa Clara project, I had a meeting with Lisa Lang, who's heading up the project, and her colleagues at the 49ers facility. Subsequently, I've had a one-on-one meeting with Jed York and phone conversations with Lang. So, I can tell you that the approval of Santa Clara's participation ..."

49ers sign Staley to six-year contract extension

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June 5

San Jose Mercury News

"Joe Staley hung a no-vacancy sign at left tackle Thursday. The space is reserved through 2017. "That's my position," the 49ers lineman said. "Everybody else can compete for other spots on the line." Staley had just signed his name to a six-year contract extension. ESPN reported the deal as worth $42 million, with another $3 million available in incentives. The contract includes $18 million in guarantees. As the 28th pick in the 2007 draft, Staley promptly demonstrated the makings of a mainstay. He became the first 49ers rookie lineman to start every game since Cas Banaszek started 14 contests in 1968. Entering his third season, Staley has yet to miss a snap. "We know what he means to the ..."

Niners lock up left tackle for six years

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June 5

San Francisco Chronicle

"He's no average Joe, that's for sure. The 49ers on Thursday extended the contract of left tackle Joe Staley for six years, carrying him through the 2017 season and placing him in the top 10 of the league's best-paid players at the position, according to his agent. Whether Staley's average salary remains in the top 10 throughout the life of the contract is another matter. For now, the extension is worth $42 million, according to ESPN.com, with the player receiving $18 million in guarantees. Staley's deal averages out to $4.83 million per season for the next nine years. He'll average $7 million per season starting in 2012, after his original rookie contract expires after 2011. That's a hefty ..."

Niners commit to OT Staley, give him six-year extension through 2017

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June 4

NFL.com

"The San Francisco 49ers' starting quarterback situation remains unsettled, but whoever wins the job will have Joe Staley protecting his blind side for a long time. The 49ers agreed with Staley on a six-year contract extension Thursday. Financial terms of the deal, which runs through the 2017 season, weren't disclosed. Staley, the 28th overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, has started all 32 games in his career and hasn't missed an offensive snap. He took over the crucial left tackle spot for the 49ers last season after playing right tackle as a rookie. Staley said in a conference call with reporters that he didn't expect to receive a new contract this offseason, but the team approached him ..."

Santa Clara stadium? 49ers not just a San Francisco treat

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June 4

Sacramento Bee

"When the 49ers unveiled plans for a new stadium in July 2006, architects drew attention to the opening on the north side of the structure that was designed to showcase the San Francisco skyline in the distance. Four months later, when the team announced that it now wants to build the same stadium in Santa Clara, a smart alecky reporter - it wasn't me but I wish it had been - raised his hand and asked if the north-side opening would highlight Santa Clara's skyline. The joke, of course, is that Santa Clara has no skyline. In fact, there's not much to see at all in Santa Clara. While San Francisco has stately bridges, a sparkling bay, breathtaking hills and romantic fog, the Santa Clara ..."

Sharing stadium not such bad idea

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June 3

Oakland Tribune

columnist Monte Poole

"THE ONLY ABSOLUTE about a sports team seeking a new home is the presence of anger. There will be shouting and shrieking and maybe even wielded pitchforks. So we should understand any apparently deaf ear turned by the owner on the prowl - especially when prowling is necessary to assure franchise survival. Though neither the Raiders nor the 49ers will go broke without a new stadium, neither is positioned to stay with the rest of the NFL. Oakland's Coliseum and San Francisco's Candlestick Park are ornery old beasts whose greatest assets are that they already exist. Handed the 49ers by a father who lacked the stomach or aptitude to promote their growth, Jed York may have found a way out. Not ..."

Odds of 49ers staying in S.F. are slim to none

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June 3

San Francisco Examiner

columnist Art Spander

"So what do you think of the Santa Clara 49ers? The training facility is in Santa Clara. The presumptive new stadium will be in Santa Clara. Why then should they ever be called the San Francisco 49ers again? We nearly had the Fremont A's, who still think of themselves as the San Jose A's. They remain determined to pull a fast one on Oakland, which put a lot of money into the Coliseum, but is a city without cachet. For the moment, it's an NFL team going south - literally. San Francisco used to be the place where the action was. It had the bridges, the little cable cars and the Niners, the first major sports franchise in Northern California. It also, besides the Giants, had the Warriors. Yes, ..."

Santa Clara approves 49ers stadium plan

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June 3

San Francisco Examiner

"The San Francisco 49ers are one step closer to leaving The City, following a decision by the Santa Clara City Council to approve a preliminary plan for a $937 million stadium to house the football franchise. Before a packed assembly meeting that started on Tuesday night and dragged into the early morning hours, the council voted 5-2 in favor of the stadium in Santa Clara, which has long been the desired site of 49ers officials. By approving the stadium deal, Santa Clara officials moved the proposal on to the city's residents, who will vote on the deal in a spring 2010 election, according to deputy city manager Carol McCarthy. The council approval also moved along the environmental review ..."

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