2011 San Francisco 49ers: NFC West Division Championship Through a Fan's Lens

Over the last couple years I have had to make the transition from rabid San Francisco 49ers fan to objective observer of the game of football. The reason for this is because I made the decision to attempt to write  professionally and it has taken off to an extent.

More difficult than the long hours spent writing about anything and everything is the idea that I have to remain somewhat objective when writing about the 49ers. Of course some subjectivity may seep out in my writings, but this has been a difficult transition for me.

After all, I spent the previous 20 years of my life, the vast majority of it, rooting and cheering on the red and gold. See, I became a fan of the 49ers from the earliest stages of my adolescence, seven years old. I remember watching the 49ers' dominating victory over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXIV and five years later, their blowout of the San Diego Chargers. To me this team, this franchise, represented success in its utmost. They did everything right, and did it with class.

Then came the lean years. The days of Dennis Erickson, Mike Nolan and Mike Singletary . The days of us watching Ken Dorsey, Chris Weinke and Cody Pickett passing the ball to the likes of Arnaz Battle and Brandon Williams. These were hard times to be a fan of the 49ers. I am sure many of you can vouch for this.

Then I went from blogging for fun to seriously contemplating whether to choose writing as a quasi career. It was difficult to stay positive during the inter-meaning time. To watch Alex Smith struggle and both Mikes butcher the game plan and not attack them was harder than you could imagine.

Then came Jim Harbaugh and the new era. Although it was postponed to an extent due to the lockout, excitement was the phrase of the day around 49er land. I got a job writing here at Bleacher Report and was now able to write for a national audience. The importance of staying objective now was even more magnified due to this. I had maintained this objectivity throughout the season, my initial season here, up until now.

I can't do it right now and for this article alone I won't.

A few weeks ago I made the decision to go to Sunday's game against the St. Louis Rams. I didn't go as a writer. Instead, I went as a fan to cheer my team on to the NFC West Championship. There I sat with friends and family amongst a nation of red. In this I understood even better why I had become a 49ers fan in the first place. The sea of red, the crowd all filled with the excitement of winning something after nearly a decade of futility. This once proud franchise was back in full force.

The team was led by a cocky head coach, an improved quarterback and a take no prisoners defense. This wasn't our parents' 49ers and this crowd wasn't indicative of previous fandom. Instead, the crowd rose in support of the defense more than they did the offense. It was a spectacular visual sight to behold and gave me chills multiple times.

See, this was what it meant to be a 49er fan growing up. Sharing in the grandeur that is football by the gate, the rundown Stick was rocking like it had never before and my fandom came oozing out like a boy hitting puberty taking on Jennifer Lopez music videos.

As 49ers fans it was the end of 10 years of abysmal performances on the field and equally horrible personnel decisions. Remember Reggie McGrew, Rashaun Woods and Kentwan Balmer? They were replaced with the likes of NaVorro Bowman, Aldon Smith, Kyle Williams and Bruce Miller.

We can talk about Jim Harbaugh until we are blue in the face, but Trent Baalke deserves nearly as much credit. We are now watching an organization run how it should be: Jed York dealing with the business and stadium side while making a strong commitment to success, Baalke working on the personnel/draft aspects and Harbaugh working with all things concerning football. It seems they work together perfectly.

In writing this, I may receive some criticism from my readers that follow other teams, and that's okay. This article is directed at 49er fans that shared in my misery of the last 10 years and was on hand at the stick in mind, spirit and body to watch the 49ers clinch the NFC West on Sunday. It's been a long time coming.

And it isn't about to end anytime soon either. The 49ers are looking like a team that can dominate the NFC West for years to come and make a strong push at a sixth Super Bowl championship. It is a good time to be a San Francisco 49ers fan, so enjoy it. For me, the excitement is going to have to be somewhat muted as I continue on this path. But for you, it represents a time to hold your head up high and wear that red and gold jersey with pride.

Enjoy!