Confession time: long ago, I used to kinda sorta like the 49ers. They were way off in the exotic NFC West, they were exciting to watch, played a cerebral brand of football that appealed to me, and featured my favorite non-Seahawk of all-time: Jerry Rice. When the Seahawks would get eliminated from the playoffs, or from playoff contention, I would pull for the Niners.. I never bought any gear or claimed to be a "fan." That would have been treason. But particularly when they'd go up against Dallas in the playoffs, I'd openly root for SF.
They were also classy as hell. Back in the 80s-90s they were a squad of a few dozen Don Drapers... Business-like and smooth. It was an example I wanted the Seahawks to emulate.
And we did! by the early-mid 2000s, the Seahawks under Holmgren were the true heirs of that 49er legacy. We ran the same offense, and became the same ultra-classy, top-notch outfit they used to be. After realignment, the San Francisco organization started to crumble... On the field, you saw the record decline, and you saw classless behavior like T.O.'s sharpie incident at Seahawks Stadium in 2002. Off the field, they had horrible power struggles in the front office and made a string of terrible decisions... Christ, at one point they hired DENNIS ERICKSON as their head coach.
Once again, it falls upon the Seattle 53 to smite the upstart Niners. SF has wrapped their current roster in 80s-esque sorta-throwback unis, and they are even honoring former owner Eddie Debartolo before Sunday's game.... but they can't get that Championship mojo back, and we'll be sending the Niner faithful home forlorn and depressed for the 6th time in our last 8 trips to the Stick.
So despite my history of warm feelings for the Niners of old, I have nothing but scorn and contempt for their descendants now.
What do you think, sirs?
1 comment:
I'm right there with you. I grew up hearing my mother tell dreamy stories about the legend of Joe Montana, and my dad snickering at the brutality of Tom Rathman. They were the next closest team, and the Seahawks rarely crossed paths with them aside from the preseason. They were the antithesis of the wild, coke sniffing, arrogant Cowboys and it was pure celebration when they knocked them off, finally, in 1994.
However, this current incarnation of the 49ers makes me sick. I loathe their stupid front office moves and their complete inability to maintain any kind of stability in the organization. They are poor imitations if their past self. We are going to burn them at the stake.
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