RealClearSports: 49ers Bringing Back the Past

By Art Spander
For RealClearSports.com

SAN FRANCISCO — They're completing passes to offensive tackles and nose tackles. They're on a winning streak that's bringing back thoughts of the past while keeping alive dreams of the future. They're playing football in a devil-may-care style that the coach seems to value almost as victory. Almost.

These are not yet the San Francisco 49ers of Jerry Rice and Steve Young, but what they've accomplished this unimagined season of 2011 allows - no, demands: legitimate reference to the teams of Rice and Young, the last occasion things were this good.

Read the full story here.

© RealClearSports 2011

RealClearSports: Conspiracy Theory On Tebow Is Nonsense

By Art Spander
For RealClearSports.com

There's a new movie, "Anonymous,'' which is not about who's at quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts, but William Shakespeare.

Yes, that Shakespeare. No, not that Shakespeare, because the premise of the film is the person named Shakespeare had neither the skill nor worldliness to create the works of genius we know.

Yes, another film based on conspiracy theory...

Read the full story here.

© RealClearSports 2011

SF Examiner: No resting for San Francisco 49ers' reborn QB Alex Smith

By Art Spander
Special to The Examiner

Maybe they should rename it bye-bye week. NFL teams have been getting their break, and many subsequently have been breaking down. That sobering thought was presented Wednesday at Ninerville by Alex Smith, who along with his teammates is coming off a bye.

“I’ve seen the reports,” said Smith, the 49ers’ quarterback. “Teams coming off their bye week this season are 3-9.”

Read the full story here.

Copyright 2011 SF Newspaper Company

RealClearSports: Palmer Gets 'a Little Piece of the Action'

By Art Spander
For RealClearSports.com

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Carson Palmer called the week surrealistic, an appropriate word when one begins by getting on a plane in one city and ends by throwing three interceptions in another.

Maybe Palmer indeed will prove the quarterback savior the Oakland Raiders thought was so desperately needed they sent off a couple of first-round draft picks to wedge him loose from the Cincinnati Bengals and the inactivity he had imposed on himself.

Read the full story here.

© RealClearSports 2011

SF Examiner: 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh is doing it his way

By Art Spander
Special to The Examiner

Who cares about decorum? If the people running the 49ers — meaning Jed York — cared about decorum, protocol or manners, they might have hired someone who knew how to shake hands.

Instead, they hired someone who knows how to win football games. Shake that.

Read the full story here.

Copyright 2011 SF Newspaper Company