Bee staff writer Matthew Barrows is at 49ers training camp in Santa Clara. Look for his blogs throughout the day at www.sacbee.com/ninersblog. Here are excerpts from Tuesday's blog:
Quarterback Alex Smith put the best possible face on an ugly situation – for him – during a group media session before the 49ers' practice. As expected, Smith was asked how he feels about not starting Thursday against Chicago and whether he has thought about starting the season on the bench.
"I'm not thinking about that now," Smith said. "When the time comes, I'll deal with it. (Sitting) is part of the game, too."
Asked whether he still considers himself in the running for the starting job, Smith said, "They haven't said otherwise, so absolutely."
Is that realistic? No. But what else can he say at this point?
• J.T. O'Sullivan isn't assuming anything, either.
"I'm just worried about this week," he said. "I'm really just trying to worry about the preparation for the game this week. It's a short week. We're kind of crunched for time, and we're just trying to get ready for Chicago."
These answers, of course, aren't all that revealing, and one sideline observer – OK, it was Matt Maiocco of the Santa Rosa Press Democrat – noted Tuesday it was as if we're in "Groundhog Day." But don't think coach Mike Nolan isn't interested in what his quarterbacks say. This lengthy competition is designed to see how his quarterbacks play on the field, sure, but also how they react to outside pressure.
Declaring O'Sullivan the Day One starter certainly would relieve some of the tension surrounding the team. Nolan, however, is interested to see how players react when the tension is high.
• Left guard Adam Snyder left practice today after injuring his ankle. Nolan said he didn't think Snyder would be able to play in Thursday's exhibition game in Chicago but that the ankle would be re-examined before he was ruled out.
• Now for your daily dose of "Your eyes are deceiving you." Nolan was asked whether Shaun Hill, who has run the scout team for the past two opponents, had fallen out of the running for the starting job. "There's been no decision made," he said. "All we're doing is keeping the same process we've been doing."
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