"The Catch III" or "The Grab" as Vernon Davis called it will go down in 49ers lore. It also gave Alex Smith...
...his moment & put the 49ers one win away from the Super Bowl.
One of my all-time favorite announcers is WWE hall of famer Jim Ross. Good ‘ol J.R. always used to talk about a wrestler’s “moment” and it usually was an iconic event in one’s career. Over the weekend, a former number 1 overall pick who has been beaten and abused for 6 years finally had that moment that will forever define him.
Alex Smith’s career up to Saturday’s epic come from behind 36-32 thriller over the New Orleans Saints is a horror movie that you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy. He was drafted by a 49ers team in ’05 that had beaten the lowly Cardinals twice in ’04 for their only two wins. I know the ’08 Lions went 0-16, but that particular Niners team was so devoid of talent you could argue they were the worst single season team in NFL history. So Smith was, basically, walking into a glorified arena league type situation.
And by now you’ve heard the stories. He was publicly embarrassed by the suit wearing Mike Nolan, despite playing with a shoulder injury that required surgery in ’07. In Nolan’s delusional football mind, Smith was milking the injury as a cover for poor play. Idiotic, I know. And mind you, by that ’07 season, Smith was on his 3rd of 7 offensive coordinators, and was on his way to a career record of 19-31 from ’05-’10.
He was booed off of the ’Stick last season vs Philly pushing the Niners record to 0-5. The beleaguered Smith was being “coached” by the unconscionably awful Mike Singletary, who berated him on the sideline that night and almost pulled him. Oh, and the former Bear also called Smith “meek” while describing him. It was the low point and, seemingly, final nail in a bust of a pick’s career. He was all but gone from ‘Frisco, and how could you blame him for wanting to ditch a city that treated him like he killed their dogs. Too soon, Mike Vick?
Then it all changed once Jim Harbaugh rolled out of Stanford and shot to Santa Clara. The 13-3 record this season was met with skeptics who couldn’t wait to bust Smith’s balls and who used the term “game manager” about 14,927 times since September. But by the this point, nothing could bother the thick skinned QB. He had been through verbal bashings by narrow minded, in-over-their- head coaches & had a franchise and it’s fan base want his head at the 50 yard line of the ‘Stick.
Smith’s mental toughness and haunted past has help elevate his confidence and ability. “You think my team can’t win when I have to make plays in critical spots, I could care less.” Smith’s had an edge about him all year. Perhaps that’s in part to Harbaugh’s coaching and the coach of the year’s belief in him. Or, it might simply be because he’s become immune to pressure after all of the bullshit he’s gone through both on and off the field.
So career defining performance vs the Saints can’t be understated. In the game of the year & one of the greatest playoff games ever, he was it’s best player. Most guys who play the most difficult position in sports wouldn’t have the mental toughness & fortitude to lead two 4th quarter touchdown drives in the biggest game of their lives. But Smith did, and he is two wins away from authorizing one of the biggest turnarounds in the history of the game. Nobody saw this coming. Not one person (sans Harbaugh) thought the Niners could win big games because of the right arm (how about the beautiful 37 yard pass down the left sideline & the strike through a tiny window to Vernon Davis for the game winner?!) and legs (the 28 yard TD scamper aka The Run was one of the best calls/plays in league history) of Alex Smith. It was a preposterous thought even a few weeks ago, but here he is…In the NFC Championship Game.
The guy who wanted to leave San Francisco last December is re-writing his own legacy in spectacular fashion. Game manager my ass– Alex Smith is developing into a top flight quarterback. How many guys can out duel Drew Brees in a playoff shootout? Smith did just that in his “moment.” Somewhere, Jim Ross wishes he could have called this game. And with two more wins, one of the most unlikely stories in NFL history will have played out like a movie that not one studio in Hollywood would ever believe.
@Louie_Ruffolo8
