Why Donovan McNabb Should NOT Be A 49er

If you've been paying attention to the NFL lately (and if you have been, the NFL is pretty happy about that since it's months before camp even begins), you've heard the rumors -- the Philadelphia Eagles are shopping franchise QB Donovan McNabb. There are more than a few teams that could use a real upgrade at QB, though it's far from clear that McNabb would permit a trade to most of them. Others, like Seattle, have made moves to upgrade already - and others like St. Louis and Washington are likely to do similarly in this months draft.

An Eagle, not a 49er.

Both Bay Area NFL teams have, shall we say, issues at QB. Both Alex Smith and JaMarcus Russell are failed overall #1 picks, and Smith has to be happy that there's such an obvious worse case in Russell than him. While Smith has struggled, nobody cares less than Russell, and while folks debate the issue of whether Smith can still succeed, I'm not sure anyone thinks Russell has a chance left besides Al Davis.

The early rumors locally were related to Oakland, but I just can't see McNabb doing that to himself. Many folks have suggested that San Francisco is a much more logical destination -- Alex Smith has yet to prove himself, and the teams defense and improving offense have the organization poised to take the next step. It would be nigh impossible to believe it couldn't take a bigger step forward with McNabb behind center than Smith.

So, if that's the case, why are the 49ers openly saying they aren't interested? I can't say for sure ... but I'm on board with that.

I like McNabb - quite a bit, actually. He's still a top-ten QB in the league, and the Eagles must have truly been convinced that Kevin Kolb is ready (I'm not quite as sure, though clearly I'm not actually involved with the decision.)

Five and growing?

But here's the deal - McNabb isn't going to play for another five years. The 49ers should make the playoffs next year, but I wouldn't argue that even with a sizeable upgrade at QB that they're ready to challenge for the Super Bowl. The Vikings and Saints - let alone some others - are more than just one guy ahead of a team that last year avoided a losing record for the first time in a long, long time.  And if McNabb is going to take off in a year or two - both because of his age, injury risk and contract - then it just means the organization is going to be starting over in 2012 at QB, whether that's with Nate Davis or someone else.

They can make that decision after this season, for a lot cheaper. The team doesn't need to sell tickets, it needs to make decisions based on what will help them win more games and get the organization back to a long-term winning franchise. McNabb helps with the first part, but not the second.

I say pass.

Bob Huggins and Good Writing

Huggs, in all his glory.

I don't really know enough about college basketball to have a valid opinion on things like whether or not Bob Huggins is a good guy - or, as I'm inclined to believe, representative of the worst in college sports. Famously, his University of Cincinnati team sported a zero percent graduation rate. I'm not one who thinks that a coach has to get his kids through school - after all, he's giving them a scholarship so that they can take advantage of an education many otherwise wouldn't get - but zero is zero is zero. Plus, who says you need a comprehensive knowledge on something to have an opinion on it? Where would sports - or politics, for that matter - be if this were the case? So, I felt comfortable with my hasty assessment of Huggins.

Still, as much as I am inclined to NOT like Huggins, I absolutely love writer Joe Posnanski, who writes for Sports Illustrated and has an awesome blog. So when he posted a (typically) long post solely about "Huggs," I read it. And, like every piece of good writing, it made me question my beliefs on Huggins.

On the graduation rate, Posnanski writes this:

The zero graduation thing really chaps him — Huggins will insist that was a reflection of the flawed way the NCAA measures graduation rates, and he will quickly provide numerous statistics that show academic excellence among his players.

I'll buy it, I guess. I'm not crazy about the guy still ...but I love writers who challenge my thoughts and make me wonder whether I've gotten it right.

On the other hand, I still think John Calipari is a twit.

Redesign Time

The three column layout was displeasing to some - and some folks actually reported to me that they couldn't read it, so ... here's another go at it. I kind of like this, but would love to hear YOUR response.

Politics Today

From my view, this is how the healthcare bill went:

Republicans: This MUST be a bi-partisan bill!
Democrats: Totally agree - something this big must have support across the aisle.
Republicans: Here are some things we want in the bill!
Democrats: OK ... we'll take most of those. (Not all.) Here are some of the things we want in the bill!
Republicans: NO! Those are dangerously liberal, radical views! You are socialists!
Democrats: Actually, no ... these are taken from the Republican Healthcare Bill in 1993, mostly.
Republicans: Death Panels!
Democrats: Well ... we've given you some things, what are you willing to agree to?
Republicans: NOTHING! ObamaCare is evil. We refuse to vote yes on any bill you propose, even if it includes our suggestions.
Democrats: ...
Republicans: You are so ineffective. You're weak and useless.
Democrats: OK, well ...
Republicans: You're messed up, toothless!
Democrats:  Did ...did you just quote Public Enemy? Aren't you guys Republicans?
Republicans: DEATH PANELS!
Democrats: Well, check this out. We just realized that we have a majority in both houses of Congress. We don't actually NEED to include you guys if you refuse to participate.
Republicans: Wait ... what was that?
Democrats: I know! It's totally awesome and we sort of forgot about it. Turns out that it's simple math. Like, when you held the majority in Congress and passed tons of things we weren't crazy about? Yeah, that whole 60-vote majority thing that really didn't exist before Obama came into office? Yeah, screw that noise.
Republicans: Where's the frakkin bipartisanship? HOW CAN YOU DO THIS TO US? This is reckless and brazen and super uncool.
Democrats: Well, I think that --- 
Republicans: BABYKILLERS!
Democrats: OK, then...yeah, we're just going to go ahead without you guys.
Republicans: It shall be the end of the USA as we know it?
Democrats: Giving healthcare insurance to Americans is bad for the USA? 
Republicans: Socialists! Wait ... FASCISTS! PelosiCare! ObamaCare!
Democrats: OK, then ...

Blog Layout and Format

I've gotten some feedback that the newer layout here isn't working for everyone - I'm not the kind of guy who is building templates from scratch, so ones that I grab from sites probably have their limitations.

Still, I'd love to know if this is a concern for any of you out there --

• What works? 
• What doesn't? 
• Any great templates - that are specifically for Blogger - that you can recommend?

Thanks, y'all.

Resource Allocation

I am taking a flight this morning out of Oakland Airport ... There were all of two employees at the US Airways check-in (the golf clubs wont work as carryon, doncha know) ... Two folks to handle that traffic.

The first Starbucks I saw once I got through security? It had SIX people working there. And yes, I said first Starbucks because another one was just ten gates away.

No comment here, just an observation. Oh, and apparently my drivers license expired last October. Wheee!


-- I posted this from my iPhone, please excuse the mess.

Location:Unnamed Rd,Oakland,United States

The Costs Of Being Tired

As noted, yesterday I went to pick up my coffee - and drove off without it.

Today, I just printed up some notes for a meeting, then realized it wasn't set to print correctly, so I reprinted it - only to find out it was still wacked out. After a third effort, I had my meeting notes ready in a format I could both read and share.

And then, I realized that the notes were for a completely different meeting, that will take place NEXT week.

In related news, I'm looking forward to a brief vacation, beginning tomorrow.

Battle of the Beasties

I would be hard pressed to find anything so watchable as this, anytime soon. I dare say it's the greatest, nerdiest thing I've seen in a long, long time:



So say we all.

Coffee When You Need It

Most mornings, I stop on my way to work at Java Detour, a drive-thru coffee place that helps me stay alert on the road.

This morning, I rolled on through, paid my $2.00 and drove off. About five blocks later, I reached towards the cup holder to take a pull ... and realized I'd driven off without my coffee.

Yes, this is why I don't wait until I get to work to get my caffeine shot.

Friday Tunage: This Too Shall Pass

You've probably already seen this video, or at least a link to it. It's by OK Go, and it's a Rube Goldberg-esque series of events (or, if you think like me, sort of like the game Mousetrap) -- it's insanely cool, and though I think they actually make a cut at about the 2:30 mark, it's still very, very impressive.



What's interesting about OK Go is that they are very focused on their videos, not just for the sake of art but because they recognize that when you do something that stands out like this, it builds a new audience. This video has been passed around so much that inevitably many of the folks watching it had never previously even heard of the band.

This isn't the first time they've created a really fun, original video. Here is an earlier video called "Here It Goes Again" with the best use of treadmills and song that won't cause you to sweat.



Enjoy your Friday.

Wishful Thinking? Don't Care.

This may be simple wishful thinking by Tim Kawakami, but if he's close to right, this would be an almost perfect set of first round picks for the 49ers:

Florida cornerback Joe Haden and Oklahoma tackle Trent Williams are perfect fits for the 49ers’ blue-collar way of doing business.

Could I be wrong? Of course. Could things change? Yep.

But we have gotten to know these decision-makers pretty well over the years, and they both have had many high draft picks over the years.

...

What we know about McCloughan: He values game performance over combine measurements.

...

Haden, by most accounts, was the most physically dominant cornerback in college football last season. But he ran a 4.58 at the combine, slow for a premier cornerback.

That might knock Haden out of the top 10, where he was originally projected, and directly into McCloughan’s hands at 13.

The 49ers also desperately need a tackle. At 17, the 49ers probably will miss out on Oklahoma State’s Russell Okung, Rutgers’ Anthony Davis and Iowa’s Bryan Bulaga.

But Trent Williams will get nudged down because he isn’t a fit at left tackle, the more crucial side. Right tackle is fine for the 49ers, however, as long as he knocks aside defenders.

If the 49ers can get a #1 WR, #1 CB and a standout on the offensive line in consecutive drafts, then they WILL make the playoffs in 2010.