San Jose 49ers

It looks like the Bay Area's new team, The 49ers have found themselves a quarterback for the future. It is truly amazing how different the team is now with Jimmy Garoppolo at the helm. It''s as if he's been able to energize all the other players on the team to the extent that watching 49ers defeat the Jacksonville Jaguars, I wondered where the heck had they been all this time? Jimmy G's passing has opened up the running game for Hyde and Breida. The O line is suddenly impenetrable.The D, which was not that bad before the G game on board, has gone to a new level of efficiency and toughness. I've always understood how important a QB is to football, but it's hardly been more noticeable than this 49ers' transition from mediocrity to excellence. It called for some musing. (Sneaky insertion of blog lexicon)

At first, I thought to compare a QB's importance to his team to the roll of a pitcher in baseball. But, a pitcher's ability doesn't improve the hitting and fielding of the rest of his teammates. Of course, without great pitching, baseball teams don't win. Still, pitching is a group effort, unlike football where it's rare to have more than one great quarterback.

As dependent as basketball and hockey are on their super stars, success is more a matter of the fluid interaction of it's players, rather than one star's ability, no matter how great he or she is. Finally, I couldn't think of a team sport that was so dependent on one player as football is.

I had to go outside of sports to find equivalency. I thought first of principals in high schools. Having taught high school for 25 years after retiring from pro ball, I am witness to the positive top-down influence of a good principal on every aspect of the school, from teacher moral and enthusiasm, to student success, to school administration, to custodial help and school appearance, to parent/school relationships. One strong, intelligent, creative presence at the top makes all the difference.

Then I thought of the military. It's always been joked about that football and the military are analogous. (Listen to George Carlin's comedy routine on the difference between football and baseball. Hilarious.) Yes, I thought, a quarterback is like a field general in battle. General George Patton came to mind. Got to have strong,creative and skilled leadership at the helm. Marc Anthony, Napoleon, Crazy Horse, Mao, Omar Bradley.

And, before you ask, it was no mistake that I call the 49ers San Jose's team. The people of San Jose paid for their stadium, they deserve to have them. San Jose is a fine city and should not be snubbed. I say this as a City kid, who grew up with the 49ers. But fair is fair. And no, 49ers, the Warriors already have dibs on Golden State. 

The Warriors gave me my Christmas present by defeating the Cavs. Once Curry and ZaZa get back and the Dubs are whole, they'll be tough to beat. But  a little word of advise, the next time you play the Cavs, somebody, please know where Love is on the court. You can't give up those easy threes.

Insanity.   by Tom Meschery

Standing in the pocket,
unafraid even with the 260 pound
tackle foaming at the mouth,
charging into your peripheral vision
about to break every bone
in your body, send you into
NFL concussion protocol,
possibly start you on the road
to retirement and dementia
and an early agonizing death,
you calmly let the pass fly
take the hit and smile
as the ball sails safely 
into your reciever's hands.