San Francisco 49ers: The Tides Are Shifting in the Bay

I was born in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1979. It was the same year that Edward DeBartolo, who had bought the San Francisco 49ers two years earlier, hired Bill Walsh (formerly the head coach of Stanford) to be head coach of the team.

It was also the same year those guys drafted a kid named Joe Montana from Notre Dame in the third round.

At the time, the 49ers organization had yet to win a Super Bowl, and no one had any idea that the 49ers were turning into one of the greatest dynasties in the history of sports. Over the next 20 years or so—the first 20 years of my life—my hometown team spoiled me with victories and competitiveness, winning five Super Bowls. 

One of my first memories was "The Catch." I remember my family cheering so loudly that it got my attention. I looked at the TV (the box kind connected to the antenna on the chimney) to see what the big deal was, and I remember watching the replay, and my family, in amazement. Something that got adults this excited, had to be good.

To me, and millions of other kids just like me, winning and greatness became the norm from that point forward. 

Since 2002, or maybe before that, I have watched this organization crumble and fall far short of our standard. Aside from players like Patrick Willis, Frank Gore and Vernon Davis, this organization has yet to see any glimpses of our previous greatness.

As a father of four children, I have created at least four new 49er fans. Unfortunately for them, they have not experienced any 49er greatness in their lifetime. I truly believe and hope that is about to change. 

It is now 2011, nine years later. General manager Trent Baalke and Jim Harbaugh (formerly the head coach of Stanford) have taken over the 49ers, and a kid name Colin Kaepernick from Turlock, Calif., was drafted in the second round.

It was announced today that we have signed a couple players who are important to our success this year, which is good. But what is more important, and what people need to realize, is that the dynasty that Bill Walsh created was not created through free agency. It was created from within, through the draft and good coaching.

This is the philosophy that Bill Walsh believed in, and it is the philosophy that Jim Harbaugh believes in.

For those of you who are impatient, I understand. But your impatience will not change the philosophy, and it will not change the outcome. 

All the pieces are coming together, and the feeling around the organization is vastly different from what we have seen over the last decade. The players seem confident, the coach seems competent and the organization is making the smart, long-term moves they need to make.

49ers faithful, you have been let down before. You have had high hopes before. But I am asking you to have faith one more time. We may not get there this year. In fact, we probably won’t. But Jim Harbaugh and Trent Baalke are doing the right things, I promise you.

In order to know where you are going, you have to know where you have been. As a student of 49er football, everything seems right. I haven’t been this hopeful since Steve Mariucci left. I was never a fan of the Alex Smith pick. But with Harbaugh and Kaepernick, I honestly have faith in where we are going and I am again, truly happy to be a 49er fan.

The tide is shifting in the Bay Area.

Thank you for reading. Please join me on Twitter  @ryanthebroker