My thoughts are very simple on this matter. I am a die-hard 49ers fan. I have been since the early 80s, when I was a wee lad. Here's what I feel:

Alex Smith is an untalented, poor quarterback. He was a "system" QB in college, and his skill set was not translatable to the pro game. He was a disastrous first choice.

Mike Nolan was a sentimental choice to be the 49ers coach because of his father's history with the team. He was a good defensive coordinator with the Ravens (but had a little less success with the Jets and the Redskins), and a very good linebackers coach. Defense is his strength. However, it seems pretty evident now that being a head coach is not. He has had very little success turning this team around. Hell, even the defense is poor and they have some very good young talent on that team. He is also partly responsible for picking Alex Smith. He is also having a hard time getting his players to follow his ideas and truly seems inept to lead.

And here we have it...both of these losers pointing fingers at each other, and it seeming clear that the team isn't big enough for the both of them. Here's my solution: they should both go. Dump them both and try and move on. And owner John "In it for the Money" York can go too.

I am just so despondent at what has become of my beloved 49ers. Has there ever been such a precipitous fall from grace as this?

I understand how you feel. I'm a knicks fan.

That being said. I think Alex Smith could be a good (not great) QB in the pros if someone designed an offense around him that fit his strengths more. He was effective last year, and this year his stats are very similar to Vince "I Just Win" Youngs.

All I know about Mike Nolan is that he was run out of town when he coached the defense in Washington. I was really surprised that he was hired to coach the 9ers.

One would think if you were a Niners fan (like myself) you'd realize Smith hasn't had a good wr to throw to since he was drafted. His best option was Antonio Bryant and that was it. Before he hs discarded as a bust he actually needs a good wr to get the ball to. As for Nolan, I like him but I do agree he needs to go if not for the horrible record this season then for his complete mismanagement of Smith's injury, Smith's potential is questionable but regardless of that you don't march out your franchise qb with a bad shoulder.

I think if you change coaches you add even more instability to an already unstable franchise.

The 49ers have drafted so poorly, including Alex Smith, for the last decade that the coach is hindered by that alone. It looks like they hit a home run with Pat Willis this year and I'm sure Nolan being there had some influence in the pick. They have to overcome their poor personnel decisions like Rashaun Woods and Kwame Harris before they fire another coach.

I'm also going to reserve judgment on Vernon Davis until they have some resemblance of an offense in place. But for a player drafted 6th overall he hasn't been nearly as productive as you'd hope and even more concerning he can't stay healthy.

You keep Nolan, try to get Smith to restructure and go out and get a solid vet at QB. Give Smith one more year to develop as a pro QB and if he doesn't look to draft a QB in '09. The fact they don't have a pick this year is killer, and 49ers fans better hope Staley turns out to be a pro bowler.

The first big mistake for the 49ers was to let Norv Turner walk and pursue a head coaching job. He molded guys like Troy Aikman, Brad Johnson and Trent Green. Smith needed someone like him to get him over the hump to become a very good QB. Everybody knows that you need a good QB to be a very good team in the league. Guys like Vernon Davis, Darrell Jackson and Frank Gore are just not gonna produce if they don't have that leadership in the QB position.

Don't you dare try and call out my fanhood. I've probably been a fan of the Niners since you were in diapers.

That said, blaming Smith's problems on a lack of WRs is a copout. If you have watched the Niners games (like myself), you'd see that Alex looks lost out there, totally confused and overwhelmed. This is not a WR issue. This is an Alex issue.

That is the QB coach/Off. Coordinator issue.. Thank you God for Jason Garrett!!!!!!!

Lol, i feel bad for your team..even worse, popular belief said that they would be a good team this year. Some crock that was !

Give smith one more year to see what hes got, if not pick up somebody or draft em...

Im a big fan of firing coaches who dont win...There needs to be a scapegoat sometimes, and Nolans head needs to be put on the chopping block. Get a fresh start next year !

and probably go like 4-12 again lol

I've been a huuuuuuge Niners fan since childhood, and now is a painful time. The rest of this board should pity us.
That said, this is about 90% Nolan's fault. Smith's (lack of) talent has not one thing to do with this. He had a GRADE III SHOULDER SEPARATION. To even attempt to play quarterback with that injury should win him some kind of Golden Ballsack Trophy. Nolan did not want Smith to talk about it, flat out. It was especially bad once Smith developed tendonitis in the course of rehabbing it, as he was being pushed back too soon. The Niners just screwed the pooch on the whole deal, and that's not directly Nolan's fault, but it went down on his watch. That doesn't look good for a coach on the seat. Note this as well: Alex Smith has 100% accepted whatever blame was thrown his way. Everytime he and Nolan butt heads, Smith always, always, always takes the blame for it. Nolan has never even almost taken responsibility for an issue that is mostly his fault. I've always thought of Smith as a Drew Brees-type guy (also stunk for a good 3 years), but he is unquestionably a bad QB right now. That's irrelevant in this issue, though. He got hung out to dry by a guy with no business being a head coach..

Remember about two years ago when HOU fans were saying, "if only we could get an o-line to protect Carr." Turns out all a good o-line would do would be to give him more time to through a pick.

I'm not a fan of Smith's at all. Yeah he's been hurt, but it wasn't like he was lighting it up to start the year.

all this mess starts with York & Denise DeBartolo

the entire organization is a joke


if only Larry Ellison.........

I've hated Nolan and the 49ers ever since he refused to let Jerry Rice return to the team for one final year. This has been a great 9ers season in my eyes! I never understood how they could give a guy like Nolan that never won a single game in the NFL all that power. The Yorks deserve everything that they are getting. Now they are just holding out for the Stadium to cash in again on the team because Candlestick Park is probably the worst Stadium in all of pro sports.

While I don't think Smith will ever make a Pro Bowl, he is only 23. Best thing for him may be lashing out, get cut and get some real coaching.

Given the fact that I'm 32 and you're 30 your point is rendered invalid junior. Any rational person would realize that Smith was playing hurt for majority of this year and showed flashes of greatness last year. You are merely being one of those irrational fans who call for Smith's head but can't name a suitable replacement. The one year he had a speedy wr in Bryant and Norv Turner he showed significant progress. This season he was stuck with DJax and Lelie, and an O-line that somehow regressed tenfold. It's easy to blame Smith but he isn't the one calling the ultra-conservative plays.

That same lack of an o-line has resulted in Schaub being injured numerous times this season...

Maybe, but at least he was effective. Even Rosenfels has made Carr look more like an undrafted free agent rather than like a #1 pick. And I wasn't trying to start a conversation on HOU's O-Line. It was more about Carr and cutting bait on bad #1 picks. Look what Carr is doing in CAR with a completely different team. I actually believed in Smith after the completion of last year. After watching him to start the year, I don't have any confidence in him at all, and neither should SF imo.

BTW, I'm not a SF fan, but I do watch almost all of their games, as I'm a big fan of Gore.

they both suck in their own way, and both need to be gone.

The demise of that whole offense can be attributed to the o-line, plain and simple. Larry Allen and Kwame Harris were some what competent last year. But this is this year. Larry Allen is done. And Kwame Harris has gone back to being soft again. Good offensive teams have good lines, that has been the truth since this game was invented.

The thing is, other teams know how easy it is to beat the Niners and expose their weakness. Once you get a lead on us, it's over.

Exactly. I would be shocking if the 49ers are not in the top 3 in "percentage of passes dropped"- if that category exists.

In all fairness, Smith hasn't really been given a situation to suceed in and he's only like 23. Is he going to a championship-caliber QB? Probably not. So why keep him around? Nobody wanted that #1 pick that year.

Also, Mike Nolan is the creepest, most awkward, oblivious coach I've ever seen- and now you can add disloyal to the list. yikes.

I would clean house if I were the 49ers and consider giving Smith one more year.