Not Yet Ready To Love Again

When the 49ers drafted Alex Smith with the number one pick in the 2005 draft instead of Braylon Edwards, I decided it would be best if the two of us went our separate ways. The break-up was long in coming, but I took the drafting of Alex Smith to mean the 49ers were not serious about winning football games any time soon and I did not want to waste my time with a team who would not even give the appearance of trying. Smith's abysmal play last year only served to give me more credence as to why I was right in dumping the 49ers. Not only drafting but playing Ken Dorsey certainly did not help the situation.

However, even though I broke up with the 49ers and had a one-night stand with the Cincinnati Bengals, I still held out hope that they would take the first reconciliatory step and show they were ready to give it another go. Since my latest pasttime has been to read too much into pre-season games, it is with cautious optimism that I say the play of Alex Smith tonight against the Chicago Bears showed me the 49ers may indeed be ready to rekindle our flame. Smith, tonight, played superbly even if it was only against a team who took out their first-string sooner in the first half than did the 49ers. Still, Smith had a 76.1% completion percentage and his passes were not just completions for completions' sake. Eleven of the sixteen connected throws were for first downs. His 6.5 yards per attempt could use some work, though. Yes, I know it is only the first game of pre-season and I doubt he will be able to match this level of success during the regular season, but like I said, this is my newest pasttime.

On another note, the 49ers ignored my draft demands yet again, making me think we still have our communication issues. I expressly told them to draft Reggie McNeal, Travis Wilson, and Brodie Croyle and they expressly refused to do so, allowing Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Kansas City to swoop in and whisk the players away.