For those of you that aren't aware Michael Brandt made a claim pre-season saying the 49ers were "fragile." Once SF lost at home to the Giants a few weeks ago Michael reminded Tyler Greenwood and I of that statement. Tyler and I have never been so sure and after the Thursday night win over Seattle I stated that the 49ers showed that they weren't fragile but had an opportunity to show otherwise trailing at half. An argument ensued, facebook was the forum, and Michael's brother told us to get a room. Of course, after SF's tie yesterday Michael brought up the "fragile" term again. Here is my closing statement on this "fragile" description of the 2012 49ers.
First of all I have to define "fragile." Michael's definition may be different but when I think fragile in sports I think of someone who is mentally weak. When the times get tough the person folds. On top of this mental weakness I think of someone allowing past results to question their self-confidence.
Coming into the season I can see how Kyle Williams a WR for SF would be fragile. He made a key turnover that probably cost SF a Superbowl trip last year. But to say the team was fragile I can't see that. If anything SF started this season with too much confidence. Many experts were picking them to be a superbowl contender and they themselves expected greatness. Their defense was considered one of the best as was their running game and special teams plus their young QB was showing signs of maturity. I do remember Michael bringing up the fact Alex Smith may be fragile since the Niners pursued Peyton Manning briefly. While I can see Michael's point I firmly believe Smith started this season with more confidence than ever before.
Now the season is over half over and the 49ers have been great, good, mediocre, and bad. Smith has been okay but not as good as last season which is a downer for some fans who expected him to continuing to rise. Fragile though? Maybe but not more than any other time in his career that's for sure. The 49ers rush D in particular has given up much more than what I expected. Are they fragile? Maybe but it's probably fans like me that are more fragile than they actually are. David Akers should've won the game yesterday but didn't and hasn't kicked nearly as well as last season. Fragile? I can see it but the guy is nearly 40 if not so and has been cut by his original franchise only to make the All-Pro team. Again I think its the fans that are probably fragile and doubt Akers is rattled.
But let's say the Niners are fragile at this point in the season. If that's true how many other teams are also fragile? I would say quite a few and I would say it changes from week to week or even quarter to quarter. Can the Steelers be fragile after Big Ben went down tonight? What about the Ravens without Ray Lewis? They looked great yesterday. But, as Michael may state, his term was not a game to game term but rather a long term label. So what about New England who has been the #1 seed in the AFC the last two years but failed to win the Superbowl? Are Brady and Belichick fragile? At the very least their defense has to be fragile considering all the heat they've taken over the last 2 years. You could make an argument. Those last 3 teams are some of the best the NFL has to offer. I could easily make a case that over half the NFL teams are fragile. Of course according to my definition.
Lastly I'd like to point out that in this heated argument Michael told Tyler to wait until season's end to determine whether his label was right or wrong. Which seems right I guess but by what standard are you judging them by Michael? What is the rubric you've set up for the 49ers fragility? I haven't asked and am hoping you will tell but my guess is without winning the Superbowl you will declare your label correct. If that's the case then it's a ridiculous standard. Yes, the 49ers have placed the Superbowl or nothing expectation on themselves, but so have 10-12 teams. Are those teams fragile if they don't win the Superbowl? Certainly the 49ers aren't the only team that "experts" picked to win the Superbowl at the beginning of the season. Did the odds makers in Vegas have SF at the top? I doubt it. I'd say the Packers were probably most people's favorite and if they don't win the Superbowl this season it would easy to label them fragile.
Overall do I think the 49ers are fragile? No I don't. When the tough times come, and they will come, I believe the 49ers will compete with their defense, running game, and special teams exactly how Jim Harbaugh wants it. Does that mean they'll win every game? No! Will they get blown out in the playoffs? Maybe. The '86 49ers were smoked in the playoffs, the '87 team choked in the postseason, and the result was back to back Superbowls the next two years. If winning a Superbowl is what it takes to shrug off the label "fragile," then there are a number of teams falling into the category over the history of the NFL. But I would rather simply say those teams weren't good enough and as I predicted at the beginning of the season on this blog site the 49ers will fall into that category.
JFAI
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