http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/49ers/ News, notes and reader questions about the San Francisco 49ers en-us mbarrows@sacbee.com 2008-05-07T12:59:41-08:00 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/49ers/archives/012404.html The start of training camp is tied to a team's first preseason game. So with the news that the 49ers' preseason opener in Oakland will be on Aug. 8 came the announcement that training camp kicks off Thursday, July 24.... 12404@http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/49ers/ 2008-05-07T12:59:41-08:00 http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/49ers/archives/012370.html Question: Hey Matt- For a team that didn't have any success rushing the passer last season, and their reluctance to draft a premier edge rusher in the draft (see: Groves, Quentin), do you think that's a sign the Niners are... 12370@http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/49ers/ 2008-05-06T12:26:06-08:00 http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/49ers/archives/012336.html 1. Alex Smith’s arm. I’m no quarterback expert and perhaps I’m missing some subtle difference between the Alex Smith from the spring 2007 and the post-shoulder-surgery version of Smith. But to me it looked as if Smith’s arm was back... 12336@http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/49ers/ 2008-05-05T11:17:46-08:00 http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/49ers/archives/012325.html Asked today to comment on the quarterback race between Alex Smith and Shaun Hill, Mike Nolan said only one thing was clear: “It’s a three-man race, not just a two-man.” That third man is J.T. O’Sullivan, who impressed Nolan during... 12325@http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/49ers/ 2008-05-04T12:20:25-08:00 http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/49ers/archives/012322.html A year ago, several 30-something veterans like Larry Allen, Bryant Young and Walt Harris had the privilege of sitting out the afternoon practice. It seems this year that option will be given to Isaac Bruce who sat out the today's... 12322@http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/49ers/ 2008-05-03T17:59:42-08:00 http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/49ers/archives/012320.html When the NFL decided to allow one defensive player per team to wear a radio receiver in his helmet a couple of months ago, the assumption was that linebacker Patrick Willis would wear it for the 49ers. It turns out,... 12320@http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/49ers/ 2008-05-03T10:48:13-08:00 http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/49ers/archives/012314.html Here are the storylines from the first practice of the 49ers' first minicamp: Alex is No. 1. Well, at least for the morning practice. Smith trotted out with the rest of the first-team offense and made every throw that was... 12314@http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/49ers/ 2008-05-02T13:30:11-08:00 http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/49ers/archives/012307.html A couple of notes before the 2008 49ers take the field for the first time: * Lewis Baker, one of the the undrafted free agents, played linebacker at Oklahoma but will play safety in the minicamp. Baker is listed as... 12307@http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/49ers/ 2008-05-02T10:32:59-08:00 http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/49ers/archives/012300.html The 49ers' undrafted free agents went through their physicals today and will be ready for tomorrow's minicamp, which begins at 10:30 a.m. Here is the list: LB Lewis Baker, Oklahoma G John Booker, San Jose State LB Lance Brandenburgh, Nebraska... 12300@http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/49ers/ 2008-05-01T19:04:06-08:00 http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/49ers/archives/012285.html By day he is a mild-mannered high school teacher named Jeff Matracia. After hours, he is MadDog49er, NFL draft junkie. MadDog, an ardent 49er fan, has a reputation for on-the-money draft predictions and this year is no exception. He predicted... 12285@http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/49ers/ 2008-05-01T10:58:27-08:00 http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/49ers/archives/012252.html With the seventh pick in the third round Sunday, the Chicago Bears selected a receiver, Earl Bennett, out of Vanderbilt. The selection is significant because that slot belonged to the 49ers before Commissioner Roger Goodell made San Francisco swap third... 12252@http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/49ers/ 2008-04-30T11:26:51-08:00 http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/49ers/archives/012220.html This weekend the 49ers had what I would describe as a three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust kind of draft. It was a solid, blue-collar, very Nolanesque haul. It was the Ford F-150 of drafts. From the moment Mike Nolan and Scot McCloughan arrived on... 12220@http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/49ers/ 2008-04-29T10:47:19-08:00 http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/49ers/archives/012183.html ***Update*** The 49ers also have a verbal agreement with UFA OL Brian de la Puente of Cal. Just spoke on a conference call with Kentwan Balmer, who seemed like he was on Cloud 9 (49?) after being drafted on Saturday.... 12183@http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/49ers/ 2008-04-28T10:18:07-08:00 http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/49ers/archives/012176.html The mad scramble to land undrafted free agents has begun, and the 49ers have hauled in a receiver, Cal's Robert Jordan, and a linebacker, the University of Nevada's Ezra Butler, according to agent Jeff Sperbeck. They also have a verbal... 12176@http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/49ers/ 2008-04-28T09:03:56-08:00 http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/49ers/archives/012162.html 5:37 p.m. Scot McCloughan just held his end-of-draft press conference. Perhaps the most interesting thing he said was how closely the 49ers' board matched that of the rest of the league. You might think that happens all the time. In... 12162@http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/49ers/ 2008-04-27T06:55:57-08:00