| San Francisco 49ers tickets were once the premier | | | | many years. If one wanted to take a close look at |
| sports tickets in the country. The 49ers' run in the | | | | how Nolan was doing, he or she needed to dig much |
| 1980's and early 1990's is nearly unmatched in the | | | | deeper than the team's record. |
| history of the NFL. The team featured some of the | | | | New Quarterback |
| best and most recognizable players and coaches on | | | | Alex Smith came into the league in 2005 as the top |
| the planet, and for years, the team was the gold | | | | pick in the NFL draft. There simply is not any situation |
| standard by which every other NFL club was | | | | in football where a player can come into the league |
| measured. | | | | with higher expectations and more pressure, as every |
| Since then, however, the team has gone almost literally | | | | QB who is the top overall pick is expected to be a |
| from the "penthouse" to the "outhouse." The 49ers | | | | franchise savior. Looking at past results, some of |
| finally had years of salary cap issues catch up with | | | | these top picks succeed and others fail. |
| them, and they bottomed out completely in recent | | | | After the 2005 season was completed, the jury was |
| years. It was hard to imagine, when watching the team | | | | still way out on Smith. He threw only one touchdown |
| over the past couple of seasons, that this was the | | | | pass against 11 interceptions, but again, he had no talent |
| best team in football for so many years. Below we'll | | | | around him. So far in 2006, Smith has shown marked |
| look at how the rebuilding effort is coming along, and | | | | improvement. He's got a few more players around him, |
| attempt to answer whether the 49ers can realistically | | | | but it's hardly an all-star team. Regardless, Smith is |
| expect to return to their perch atop the NFL anytime | | | | having a much better season, is showing much more |
| soon. | | | | football-savvy on the field and has led the 49ers to |
| New Coach | | | | more wins in 2006 after 10 games than they had in all |
| Mike Nolan is currently in his second season with the | | | | of 2005. |
| 49ers, and his first season was a total washout. Nolan | | | | Overall Progress |
| had no talent to work with as the team attempted to | | | | It appears that the centerpieces are in place with a |
| right their salary cap situation, and he almost had to | | | | good coach and a talented young QB. Those are |
| play a rookie QB with no playmakers around him. As | | | | usually the most difficult pieces to find when building a |
| expected, the team finished with a dismal 4-12 record, | | | | team, so now that the 49ers are getting cap-healthy, |
| and San Francisco 49ers tickets were basically being | | | | it's time to start adding complimentary pieces that will |
| given away outside the stadium. | | | | push the team over the top. |
| However, Nolan did get to work on laying a cultural | | | | Overall, the 49ers are headed in the right direction. It's |
| foundation, and he jettisoned veterans who weren't | | | | going to take a few more seasons with good drafts |
| buying in to his plan. He took his lumps with his young | | | | and wise free agent additions, but if the team can |
| players as they gained experience, and he instilled a | | | | keep their momentum, San Francisco 49ers tickets will |
| discipline that had been missing in San Francisco for | | | | be "the" sports tickets to get once again. |