Can McKenzie make us a team like the 49ers?

[slvrandblkatack]

I respect what the man has on his reume and i am hopefull he returns us to glory. This season is painfull to say the least i work on Sundays so i record the games come home and watch closely like a scout or a coach on the edge of my recliner.

Often i resort to superstition if we are playing good which is rare i look around the room and will not move a thing if i get up and leave the room for some reason. Last week i even went into rally cap mode it was inside out backwards upside down then eventually spiked on the floor as if i'd just scored my first ever touchdown in the NFL.

My poor dog sleeps on my feet during the festivities and is awakened by screams and hands smacking the arms of the recliner. If he could talk i'm sure he would say something along the lines of you actually thought this one would be different they look bad every week you idiot! Then gently put his head back down on my foot and laugh himself back to sleep.


We made too many changes to be successfull along with injuries to key parts of what we do. As bad as everyone says Barnes is its amazing we ran the ball great with him back in the RT spot with a FB running the ball. We lose our kick returner and we lose field position and have not found anything close to what Ford brought to the table. We have our best coverage safety at CB now due to injury and that burns us once or twice a game with the help over the top being sorry from the FS position.

As i watch the performance of the team i feel like we can become a solid ball club in one offseason in a mold much like the 49ers.We can learn from the 49ers and draft two OLineman early which is rarely done and fill in holes during the rest of the draft.

We draft a RG and a RT and plug in Bergstrom for Carlisle or draft 2 OG's and roll with Barnes or Bergstrom at RT that fixes the oline. Draft a durable physical RB like Monte Ball and share the workload with McFadden that helps the run game. Then draft 2 DE/ OLB's like Aldon Smith that fixes the pass rush and helps the pass D. Get the badest NT/DT we can to clog up the middle and a stud MLB that has the skills of Willis or Bowman that fixes the run D. Then draft a CB and a FS that sures up the back end and we get a whole lot better in one off season.

[Raiders-SJ]

We tried for 7 years .. .its all about Harbaugh.
Damm good coach and Al has been trying for years to get him.

[rubiconraider]

We all wish ,right? lol

49er defense is outstanding and young. How can you not like that. I like that Seahawk defense also. Don't tell JBrodie I said that. lol

Our GM has a lot of work ahead of him. I hope he is up to the task.

[BlackWidow]

Look at the 2 players RM has brought in since being in control.


Burris and Wheeler.

Both have been star players, not the money hungry hacks that have been brought in in the past by Davis.

You have to realize this team is in shambles and RM has A LOT to do after this season.

You can't expect us to be a top performing team in one year, especially after the mess that has been made.

RM is going to clean house and we will no longer be the team where players come to retire and collect a paycheck. Look at KC, they're becoming that team now.

Thank GOD Mark Davis doesn't micromanage! See where that got us the last 10 years? Don't get me wrong, Al Davis did wonders for this team.......... in the 70s.

Have some faith and patience and we will get there eventually. I'm impressed with RM so far.

[chipurmunki]

why the bloody hell would reggie do that??? he came from the packers, a damn good organization... why would he use the 49ers as a model when his own background is completely awesome?

if you want to root for a team like 9ers, WORSHIP THE RED AND GOLD!!!


EDIT: excellent post bw. nailed it right on the head =D

[Maxfly]

When you say "like" the 9ers I'm assuming you mean a team that is fundementally sound ,executes every play ,has players who know exactly what their role is and is consistant in their work ethic on and off the field,I say Yes he can! That is what this organization has lacked for years,McKennzie will bring in young coachable players and proven veterans to lead this team back to respectibility..........I truly believe that!

[Shred003]

When you say "like" the 9ers I'm assuming you mean a team that is fundementally sound ,executes every play ,has players who know exactly what their role is and is consistant in their work ethic on and off the field,I say Yes he can! That is what this organization has lacked for years,McKennzie will bring in young coachable players and proven veterans to lead this team back to respectibility..........I truly believe that!

Yeah, that's sort of what I took from it.

The Steelers, Eagles, Colts, Patriots, Giants... those teams are 'templates' for how to succeed in the NFL.

Build something and stick to it!

You're never going to succeed going from a 43 defense to a 34; back to a 43 and back to a 34 again -- you're never going to succeed constantly changing systems, coaches, coordinators, philosophies, scouts, front office, etc...

In this case, Reggie and DA make decisions. DA wants a west-coast passing, zone-block running offense; he wants a 4-3 defense (I assume...?) - so that's what you've got. More importantly - that's what you're going to stick to.

Moving forward, it's imperative for Reggie to keep adding to the team based on THAT template. Smart teams don't draft players who don't fit what they're doing; smart teams draft players who will complement what's already on the roster.

In other words, players like Mike Mitchell and DHB need not apply in the future. Power-blocking players like Campbell and Barksdale need not apply - players like Begstrom and Veldheer, however, are preferable.

Slowly, over time, rosters take shape when the front office brings in players who 'fit' what the coach is trying to do. In 2-3 years, the Raiders will have that kind of roster, even if Dennis Allen isn't around to coach 'em.

Successful organizations make solid decisions to improve their roster. Will Reggie follow that sort of template and build something in Oakland? I think he will, but time will tell.

[Raiders1951]

Look at the 2 players RM has brought in since being in control.


Burris and Wheeler.

Both have been star players, not the money hungry hacks that have been brought in in the past by Davis.

You have to realize this team is in shambles and RM has A LOT to do after this season.

You can't expect us to be a top performing team in one year, especially after the mess that has been made.

RM is going to clean house and we will no longer be the team where players come to retire and collect a paycheck. Look at KC, they're becoming that team now.

Thank GOD Mark Davis doesn't micromanage! See where that got us the last 10 years? Don't get me wrong, Al Davis did wonders for this team.......... in the 70s.

Have some faith and patience and we will get there eventually. I'm impressed with RM so far.

Agree on all points. Too bad by the time RM gets the team rebuilt from the bottom up Carson will be getting up there in years. A real waste to have a good QB for the first time in 10 years, and a lousey team around him.

[HawaiiStyle]

^ wait a second ill give you wheeler. If your going to include burris who was scouted by the guys fired and then replaced with Reggies brother then you have to count our other draft picks who have contributed nothing. We are the only ones who use "star players" with these guys names btw.... i hope they pan out but lets not get crazy.

[HawaiiStyle]

I will agree however that we have a ton of work to do

[fishedz]

To answer the OP...yes

Here's the difference. The niners were run like a real team and drafted like one, even though they struggled to find a coach and identity on the field and in management. They invested in OL and defense. They made smart personnel moves and brought in the right coach.

Reggie and DA are dealing with a much different situation. One that invokes a decade of terrible personnel decisions and contracts. Putting players before coaches, salaries before discipline, and ego before winning. The product shows the reflection on the field and of the field. Rewarding people based on personal beliefs, not on production.


Yes, Reggie will get us there by 2015. You can give me plenty of examples of a team that turned it around in one year, but none of them were run into the ground for a decade. 20 million over the cap and your first pick is a compensatory pick in the third....and people want to blame RM and DA!?!?!?

I can't wait to get rid of all the scrubs, scholarships, quitters, morons, broke backs, and non believers. I'm not saying we will win a Super Bowl, that takes alot of luck. But we will be respectable again and I'm willing to wait after going through a decade of pure stupidity, and two others of broken promises and egotistical decisions.

[midwestlaker75]

He can, But it will not happen overnight. He's gonna need at least 2 more drafts before we can reach hat level.

[slvrandblkatack]

why the bloody hell would reggie do that??? he came from the packers, a damn good organization... why would he use the 49ers as a model when his own background is completely awesome?

if you want to root for a team like 9ers, WORSHIP THE RED AND GOLD!!!


EDIT: excellent post bw. nailed it right on the head =D

Just using an example of a team that drafted well and achieved the turn around fast I know where he came from but he wasn't the GM. Sure he learned and sat in rooms with a great franchise but he didn't call the shots. I'm a Raider fan didn't say I love the 9ers just respect what they have done to fix that team it was an example.

[slvrandblkatack]

He can, But it will not happen overnight. He's gonna need at least 2 more drafts before we can reach hat level.

My thoughts too just hope Reggie does well with the upcoming draft and free agency.

[slvrandblkatack]

When you say "like" the 9ers I'm assuming you mean a team that is fundementally sound ,executes every play ,has players who know exactly what their role is and is consistant in their work ethic on and off the field,I say Yes he can! That is what this organization has lacked for years,McKennzie will bring in young coachable players and proven veterans to lead this team back to respectibility..........I truly believe that!

Yep exactly what I was getting at and my hope is just that as a GM he drafts well and adds the right free agents and we turn it around as the 9ers have.