RAGAZZI, LA SAGA CONTINUA!!!
Dal blog di Maiocco:
Finally, Smith admits shoulder and forearm have been killing him
Quarterback Alex Smith finally said what everybody who has watched the 49ers the past three games already knew: His shoulder is greatly affecting his play. And not only that, but his forearm is bothering him, too.
While 49ers head coach Mike Nolan has said the reason for Smith's problems with inaccuracy is not tied to his shoulder, it is quite apparent that Smith has not thown with anywhere near the precision that is expect from an NFL quarterback.
Smith admitted that his shoulder AND his right forearm have been bothering him. Smith first experienced forearm problems during the bye week after he began throwing a lot after having his right arm in a sling for several days.
Smith will not take part in the team portion of practice today because of a forearm strain. While Nolan said he expects Smith to play Sunday, Smith did not make any commitment.
After all, the problems with Smith's shoulder and forearm have created two other potentially long-term problems for Smith: 1) His mechanics appear messed up as he tries to conpensate for the injury; and 2) With his poor play since he returned to the lineup, Smith's confidence has taken a major hit, as well.
Smith underwent an MRI examination on Tuesday, he said. Dr. James Andrews has been consulted on the injury.
Backup quarterback Trent Dilfer is scheduled to take the practice reps with the first-team offense today, and would be expected to start Sunday against the Rams if Smith is held out of action.
For weeks, Smith has insisted that his shoulder is fine, he said, because he thought it would get better. But it hasn't gotten better. The injuries have lingered, and Smith is taking a lot of heat around the country for being an absolute bust.
When people continue to insist that his shoulder is fine, the only reasonable deduction is that Smith must be a really bad quarterback with little hope for improvement. He finally came out and admitted his health issues.
Smith completed just 12 of 28 passes for 114 yards in a 24-0 loss to the Seahawks on Monday. His throwing arm has been wildly inaccurate in the three games since he returned from the shoulder separation he sustained Sept. 30 against the Seahawks.
"Monday night did not feel good, as far as throwing the ball," Smith said.
--Nolan was asked this morning about ESPN analyst and former NFL QB Ron Jaworski's observation that Smith locks his left knee, making a lot of his passes sail high.
"There are technical things we've seen ever since we drafted him, but so is the case with every quarterback and we continue to work though those things," Nolan said. "Is that the reason when he (Smith) is running to his right or left that some of those balls weren't thrown effecitively? No. He's talking about pocket passes. Some of his effectiveness the other night you can't put on Jaworski's expertise of locking the knee outside the pocket."
Nolan was asked if he agreed that sometimes Smith does lock his knee?
"Oh, yeah, he does, at times. (But) you can lock your knee and throw a good ball. I want to make that clear."
--It should be noted that Smith said it was his decision to continue to try to play with this injury. But it's also clear that he now is questioning whether he made the right decision to try to suck it up and play through the injury.
Dal Blog di Matt Barrows:
Trouble in 49erland
Asked yesterday about Alex Smith's health, Mike Nolan said what he's been saying for the last three weeks. "He's fine," Nolan said. Today, however, Smith said he was definitely not fine, revealing for the first time not only lingering problems with his right shoulder and forearm but a disconnect with the coaching staff as well.
Smith will sit out practice today to rest his forearm, which has been sore since the 49ers' bye week. Smith said he probably rushed back too fast from the shoulder injury and put too much pressure on the forearm, which had been in a sling for several days after the shoulder separation. Nolan said he expected Smith to practice tomorrow and to play Sunday against the Rams. Smith's take was a little different. He said he'll make some throws tomorrow and "see how it feels."
The bigger issue continues to be the shoulder itself. Smith said he is still dealing with pain and that the injury certainly has affected his throwing motion. It's also affected his mechanics, which, as many observers have noted, has been off kilter in recent weeks.
"I felt I was making progress," Smith said. "But definitely Monday night I did not feel good as far as throwing the ball. It was not comfortable at all."
And an even bigger issue than that is a sense from Smith that perhaps he rushed -- or was rushed -- back too soon following his Sept. 30 separation. Smith had four weeks off before returning for the Saints game on Oct. 28 and has not looked good since.
"It's really been hard because to continue to have it get reported that you're 100 percent, and that's not really the case," Smith said. "That's been frustrating as well."
Asked whether it would be better for him, and for the 49ers, if he sat out several weeks to give his arm and shoulder time to rest, Smith said it was hard to say.
"I continue to want to be here for this team," he said. " I think there's nothing worse than when things get tough (and you) bow out. I want to continue to be a part of this and get this turned around. So who knows."
We spoke to Smith minutes after speaking with Nolan, who was asked if he could commit to Smith being the long-term starter with the team. He said there's a possibility that every player on the team could be gone next year, including the quarterback. He also said he didn't feel bound to Smith even though Smith was his first-ever draft pick, going No. 1 overall in 2005.
"My responsibility to the organization is winning games," Nolan said.
Other notes:
Nolan said that he's spoken with John and Jed York in recent weeks. "They've been very supportive and it's (job security) not been a concern of mine," Nolan said.
Pare evidente da queste parole che Nolan abbia quasi completamente scaricato Alex Smith. Pare inoltre che Smith sia parecchio infastidito dal suo HC e che non ci sia più quel rispetto reciproco di prima. Se Smith non giocherà domenica è la dimostrazione che Nolan non ci sta capendo niente oltre a fare scelte per se stesso e non per la squadra.
STA RISCHIANDO LA CARRIERA DI QUESTO RAGAZZO!!!!! Psicologicamente (gli ha fatto perdere la fiducia di tutti dicendo che sta bene) e fisicamente (La spalla NON sta bene e rischia di aggravarsi e di non presentarsi perfettamente guarita l'anno prossimo).
Smith deve andare in injury reserve list. Punto e basta.
Ormai sappiamo da tempo che un qualsiasi allenatore che inizia a fare scelte per se stesso e non per la franchigia è andato. Ed è questo il tempo di Nolan.
Davvero di dubbio gusto che esprima quste parole su Smith dicendo che chiunque l'anno prossimo può andar via compreso il QB dopo essere andato dalla mamma (York) a prendere assicurazioni sul suo posto di lavoro.
NOLAN OSCENO - NOLAN VIA
Basta. Adesso basta davvero.
Da ora in poi io sarò per licenziare Nolan e i coordinatori.
Che restino i giocatori migliori ma che venga un nuovo HC e un nuovo OC. Mi va bene qualunque cosa si decida in merito alla difesa perchè credo che i giocatori ci siano, a parte qualche buco da riempire.
Perciò mi unisco al grido di Young8:
FIRE NOLAN