Alex Smith Not Getting His Fair Shake

Over the last few weeks it has appeared as though the 49ers are weighing more heavily on  J. T. O'Sullivan being the starting quarterback. O'Sullivan has been practicing and playing with the first team offense and Alex Smith has been practicing and playing with the second team offense.

That automatically gives O'Sullivan a notch over Smith. Today (Aug. 14) Coach Mike Nolan was asked if it was hard to coach Smith when he doesn't work with the first team. Nolan replied by saying, no not really, the personal is mixed a little bit, the structures the same, the attack is the same, the plays are the same.

This to me is a little bit absurd. Smith has not had a chance to work with the first team offense. How can you gauge a player by not working with the best players on the team? The second and third string running backs get to work with first team. It’s the same with every other position.

I have a few theories as to what is going on around Niners camp.

First the coaches are allowing the rest of the team to get better with O'Sullivan starting because he knows more of the offense and this will also allow time for Smith to learn the system. Then they will eventually go with Smith.

Second O'Sullivan is actually, really winning the job and it is his to lose. If the team actually thought Smith would or could lose the job why would they not draft a QB (maybe Colt Brennan) for the future?

Third, it is their intention to make it appear as though Smith may lose the job, and then he gets his opportunity to play with first team and shines, therefore, he wins the job and gets confidence and respect from teammates.

Fourth, Smith was never going to win the job because of his little confrontation with Nolan last year. That’s why he doesn't get to work with the first team.

I sure hope it is the First or Third theory. I could not imagine the Niners going with O'Sullivan. In O'Sullivan I see a few good plays but overall not what is going to cut it. If they were to go with O'Sullivan this has just set this great franchise back again.