Here's a difference between the old coaching regime and the new one as the first training-camp practice approaches: Fighting is verboten. Mike Nolan not only tolerated practice-field fights, he kind of relished them. As Nolan said on multiple occassions, fighting means the combatants have passion, that they care about what's happening on the field. Mike Singletary, on the other hand, thinks it's a waste of time. "He does not like fighting," said tight end Vernon Davis. "If you fight, then he's going to run the whole team."
Davis, of course, has been the team's chief pugilist since he was drafted in 2006. During the 2007 training camp, there was nary a practice when Davis didn't get into at least a shoving match. His in-scrimmage donnybrook with Larry Allen was perhaps the highlight of the 2007 season. Asked if he would curtail his fighting this year, Davis said he would. But then again, "One thing I can't stop doing, one thing I just can't stop is being competitive," he said. "I'm going to try my best not to lose." Still, he said he agrees with the new coach's philosophy. "Coach Singletary -- I agree with him. I don't think we should be fighting. There's no time for that."
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Speaking of fighting ... July is supposed to be the true offseason for NFL players, the time to get away from football, spend time with your family and otherwise rest up before the dog days of training camp. Patrick Willis certainly got away from the gridiron .... by entering the octagon. Willis today spoke about the three weeks he spent in Las Vegas with mixed martial artists Jay Glazer and Randy Couture at Couture's gym. "When I say it was fun, it was 'tough' fun. It was rough." Willis said he wasn't treated as a tourist. He was up at 8 a.m. every morning for rigorous training and there were afternoon sessions as well.
Sounds like a nice warm up for a Singletary training camp. The players had a hint it would be rough, but today - veterans reported today - they got a true indication of just how rough. The word "brutal" was used by several players. For example, defensive end Justin Smith noted that the 49ers would be engaging in tackling drills. "I haven't done a tackling drill in the NFL," the eight-year veteran said with a smile. "He (Singletary) wants to get back to the basics. There's nothing more basic than tackling."
The training-camp schedule calls for padded two-a-day practices for the first 15 days and a few "Oklahoma drills" as well. Singletary, of course, built a hill, which he's dubbed "Pain," on one side of the practice facility that is part of the 49ers' conditioning routine. There was some nervousness among players in anticipation of the first practice Saturday. Others, however, also noted that Singletary is a former player who would know when to ease off.
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Oh, about Ricky Jean-Francois and his stomach ailment ... A source, and I am not making this up, told me RJF had been bitten by a spider. Now if it was a radioactive spider, we can expect, what, 75 sacks this season? I'm still awaiting confirmation from the team.
-- Matt Barrows
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