The 49ers and Raiders held joint practices in Napa, CA where the Silver and Black hold training camp. This was the first time S.F. and Oakland held a practice together since the early 1980’s. Both sides practiced in the morning in full pads and were in shells for the night practice. The cross Bay rivals got into a few scuffles showing how intense training camp can get. Niner’s FB Moran Norris took a shove from Raider’s LB Edgerton Hartwell which he did not agree with. A pushing match ensued with RB Frank Gore joining the action by taking off the helmet of Raider safety Jarrod Cooper which prompted both to grab each other by the neck. Players and emotions were calmed with no injuries as practiced continued. Another scuffle broke out at the night practice between TE Vernon Davis and Raider DE Kalimba Edwards. It is great to see the 49er players showing emotion and intensity in their first workout outside of the team. It shows it does not matter if it’s the first day of training camp or the last day of training camp, emotions need to be shown especially when practicing with another team.
The 49ers and Raiders square off this Friday, August 8 in Oakland for the start of their pre-season schedule. I will post a preview on Thursday on the ensuing match-up and what to look for.
Three-Way Competition:
If this were the 2008 Presidential Elections Coach Mike Nolan would be labeled a “flip flopper” as is the common adjective given to politicians who switch their stance on issues. Fortunately this is the start of the 2008 Pre-Season as Nolan and the 49er brass seem even further away from identifying the starting QB for the regular season. Last week Nolan basically said J.T. O’Sullivan was going to be handling the clipboard as third-string back up and not the starting unit. Now Nolan has “flip flopped” saying O’Sullivan has been in the mix all along. Nolan said, “I’m open to all three right now, and that’s where my mind-set is. As we’re all anxious to get to one, I am, and then again, I’m not. … I want to know if we do have to get to another, if we get to a second quarterback, or a third, something like that. This is not just trying to find out who’s one, this is also trying to find out who gives us a chance, our very best chance to win.”
We have heard this before and I agree with Nolan. However, O’Sullivan recent success at training camp and when taking reps with the first team can be attributed to him being a good QB who can start but it is more likely due to the fact that O’Sullivan spent a full-year in the Mike Martz system when the two were in Detroit last year. Alex Smith and Shaun Hill are still learning the offensive and anyone who has great ability at QB and has knowledge of the incoming new offense will look like the better candidate for the starting job.
Martz’s success of developing undrafted and late round QB’s into MVP’s and Pro-Bowlers is well known (see Kurt Wanter, Trent Green and Marc Bulger). O’Sullivan was chosen in the sixth round in 2002 by New Orleans and has been a journey man spending time with Green Bay, Chicago, Minnesota, New England, Carolina and Detroit. He also played in NFL Europe with the Frankfurt Galaxy. I do not think O’Sullivan will be the starting QB come the start of the regular season. Nolan, like presidential candidates, will continue to switch stances and decisions all to cover his butt in the end. We’ll see whom he flip flops to next week.
FanSided
