San Francisco 49ers: 2019 Q&A with 49ers Fangirl Tracy Sandler

Chris Wilson of Niner Noise sits down with 49ers Fangirl Tracy Sandler, founder of the Fangirl Sports Network, to discuss the San Francisco 49ers’ 2018 season, how the Niners can become playoff contenders in 2019 and more.

Tracy Sandler — known to most Niner fans as 49ers Fangirl — has been pretty busy since we last spoke to her at Niner Noise. In addition to bringing fans the latest San Francisco 49ers news, Tracy has also built her Fangirl Sports Network up to 32 NFL Fangirls and 15 NBA Fangirls.

Tracy also hosts the Fangirl Talk podcast and runs the must-see Fangirl Sports Network YouTube channel. I highly recommend her “5 Fun Facts” segment on YouTube. Where else can you learn that tight end George Kittle is a whiffle ball champ, wide receiver Dante Pettis cries during Disney movies and tackle Joe Staley used to be a top-notch cologne salesman?

But today, we’re mostly talking San Francisco 49ers football with Tracy, who has a wealth of knowledge and experience covering the team.

Let’s see what Tracy has to say about whether the 49ers are on the right track, and what the team needs to do this offseason in order to return to the playoffs in 2019:

CW: All Niner fans know you as “49ers Fangirl,” but not everyone knows that you founded and run an entire Fangirl Sports Network. Tell us a bit about FGSN and what made you decide to build a network of female sports experts.

"TS: Fangirl Sports Network is the first ever female-focused sports platform where fans get a knowledgeable, passionate, and humorous look at their favorite professional teams. We are creating a community around female sports fans with FGSN as the go-to network for female sports fans across all media outlets.I wanted to take the term “Fangirl,” which can sometimes have a negative connotation, and turn it into a positive term for the female fan who loves her team, is an expert on her team and also enjoys the lifestyle component of sports."

CW: Expectations were high for the 49ers entering 2018, but over the course of the season, we learned that San Francisco’s rebuild is still a work in progress. Despite the team’s final record, do you think the Niners are on the right track?

"TS: I absolutely do. As a rebuilding team, the 49ers were not a team with a ton of depth, especially once the injuries started piling up. Even with a healthy Jimmy Garoppolo and Jerick McKinnon, I felt that the 49ers were going to be an 8-8 or 9-7 team. There are key pieces that need to be added through the draft and free agency, but assuming they are and with a healthy Garoppolo and McKinnon, 2019 should look a lot different."

CW: You’ve covered the 49ers through a number of coaching and front-office changes. How are head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch different from their predecessors?

"TS: There is a level of transparency with John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan that is great. I don’t want to compare past to present, but 49er fans should feel confident in the leadership and knowledge from the team’s GM and head coach."

CW: What do the San Francisco 49ers need to do this offseason in order to become playoff contenders in 2019?

"TS: They need an edge rusher, badly, which I know is not breaking news. Presumably, they will find this at pick No. 2. Even if they trade back, this is a strong class of edge rushers. They also need to address the secondary, a group that had zero takeaways this season. That’s going to have to change. And they need to add a true No. 1 wide receiver."

CW: As a life-long fan, you’ve witnessed some heartbreaking losses and some amazing victories. What are your top-3 49er moments?

"TS: Super Bowl XXIX. Although I wasn’t there in person, it was amazing to see Steve Young win his Super Bowl.The Catch of course! I don’t remember it live because I was very young but it will always be one of the great 49er moments.Even though they lost both of these games, I was at Super Bowl XLVII and the NFC Championship Game the following year. They were heartbreaking losses but two of the greatest football games I’ve ever seen.And I’m adding a fourth. Covering the Monday Night game at Lambeau Field this past season was pretty incredible. As I stood on the field before the game, I was reminded how lucky I am to do what I do and have the experiences I’ve had."

Follow Tracy on Twitter @49ersfangirl, subscribe to the Fangirl Sports Network on YouTube and check out the Fangirl Talk podcast on iTunes or SoundCloud.