San Francisco 49ers: Don't Believe the Hype, Top 5 Lockout-Induced Fabrications

If I see another blown-up story on the 49ers, I might just toss my Mac out the freaking window. 

There has been a plethora of poisoned articles recently published about the locked-out 49ers. Research them; if they were written in the last four months, they are mostly fathomed from rumors, a small quote or even nothing at all. The redundant ridiculousness is killing me. 

I know the lockout has left little option for reporters and pundits, but enough is enough. I want to point out the absurdity once and for all. No scratch that, I have to. 

Here are the top five, overhyped, lockout-induced fabrications in San Francisco.

Andrew Luck Teaching Colin Kaepernick the Playbook

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Andrew Luck never taught Colin Kaepernick the playbook. 

This is one of the worst ones (overhyped stories) because it flat-out did not happen. On top of that, it’s just a stupid premise. I could think of several dozen people that would be better suited to teach Colin Kaepernick the WCO then Andrew Luck.

"Yeah, that was blown way out of proportion," Kaepernick said.

The truth is, they had a quick conversation about Harbaugh, and that was that.

This one was conjured up and rumored by those Luck day dreamers out there. If there is one thing the media loves more than the incredible Alex Smith story, it's the college kid, Andrew Luck.

Stop it.

Harbaughs’ Love for Alex Smith

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Jim Harbaugh is a smart guy. Every statement he makes to the public regarding the 49ers is a carefully calculated decision. His kind words about Alex Smith should be taken for what they are worth. 

Going into the offseason and the looming lockout, Harbaugh and Baalke obviously thought-out their options. Thinking of a worse case scenario (i.e. extended lockout), it only made since to keep Alex Smith with the organization if possible.

There aren’t a lot of great alternatives out there. Who better to act as mentor and stopgap for Colin Kaepernick than Alex Smith?

The best way for Harbaugh to continue working on Smiths’ return (once Harbaughs’ “sales pitch” time ended) was to continue releasing flattering statements.

The NFL warned Harbaugh and the 49ers to stop releasing said statements, for just that reason. Which Harbuagh has half-way respected.

This is a recent comment, which was actually after Harbaughs' warning to stop talking about Alex Smith. 

"It’s well documented, on record, that we very much want Alex Smith to be a 49er next year," Harbaugh said. "He really is a 49er in my mind, and hopefully in his mind he is a 49er. We look forward to him competing for that starting quarterback position next year."

Look, crazy Alex Smith lovers, I am not saying Jim Harbaugh hates Alex Smith. I'm saying, don’t think for a minute that Jim Harbaugh wants to put his career in Alex Smiths hands long term. That is just not going to happen. 

Stop it.

Michael Crabtree vs Alex Smith

Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

Who is the quarterback-gate?

Michael Crabtree is a young wide receiver. He is now entering his third year. I see him maturing and developing into who we all thought he was when he was drafted. 

Crabtree has not been the ideal teammate so far, but he is not as bad as the media portrays him to be.

"Who's the quarterback?" Crabtree said, via the Sacramento Bee. 

Smith's name was mentioned.

"He's the quarterback? I'm just asking," Crabtree said.

I still do not know what is wrong with Crabtrees’ comments. I actually agree with them and so does Jim Harbaugh. I am not sure why the media won’t accept it. Here is what Harbaugh has said,

“(we are going to) get the best possible guys we can on the roster to go into training camp, to compete for the starting quarterback job. And it’s not a thing that’s anointed, in my opinion. It’s earned. It’s fairly simple in that regard.”

The media has named Alex Smith the starter despite what the head coach has said. I don’t understand that.

Alex Smith deserves no anointment. From Crabtree, or anyone else.

Stop it.

Camp Alex

Camp Alex. Another Alex Smith-loving phrase created by one of the local media.

Player Camp, 49er Camp or Lockout Camp, all would have been more appropriate.

Is Alex doing a good thing? Yes. This helps his team be a little more prepared for the real training camp that will take place eventually. However, it equally, if not more so, helps Alex Smith.

Alex is the one endanger of losing his job. As a quarterback he needs his team to perform well more than anyone. Every bit of practice helps his team which helps him.

Some how this has developed into another reason for the local guys to anoint Alex Smith as starter and revamped leader.

This camp is clearly not all about Alex Smith. Joe Staley was actually more excited to offer his comments about Colin Kaepernick this week. Notice the, "we're."

“We’re excited about him,” he said. “He’s a rookie coming in and he’s been telling everybody else what to do. He doesn’t have that deer-in-the-headlights mentality. I think he’s going to be a good quarterback.”

I don’t know about you guys, but If I was a head coach in the NFL (or college or high school), I wouldn’t pick my quarterback based on his ability to text his teammates the practice times.

Stop it.

Alex Smith’s Comeback

Last but not least, the greatest comeback in the history of the NFL is reportedly taking place in San Francisco. 

This overhyped story takes the cake.

I know California is the capital of medical marijuana, but the memory issues in the Bay Area are beyond explanation now.

Alex Smith has played horribly. Regardless of the excuses and besides a couple bright moments, Alex Smith has been awful for six years.

Let’s put this in perspective.

I am a Real Estate guy. If you asked me to sell your home, and I failed, not once, not twice, but six freaking times, would you ask me to return for a seventh?

No you would not. You wouldn’t even ask me back for a second time. 

Would it matter to you if I had a bunch of excuses? No. 

The bottom line is, you want your house sold. 

Well, the 49ers want to win games. And they want a quarterback that will help them do that. 

I will admit Alex is doing great as a fill-in coach. I would love for him to play five to seven more years on the 49ers as a backup.

I think he would be the top No. 2 in the league and very helpful for Colin Kaepernick, or whoever for that matter. But make no mistake, Alex Smith is not going to transform into Joe Montana or Steve Young or even Jeff Garcia. He is going to be Alex Smith.

So please, just stop it. 

This is Ryan The Broker, signing off for, "Wake Up San Francisco!"

 

Thanks for reading!

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