The San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers is a team that I rooted for since the day I moved from New Orleans to San Mateo. At that time not only was the 49ers one of the greatest teams that ever played the game, they had three consecutive NFL Championships to show for it. Joe Montana, Ronnie Lott, Jerrie Rice and others formed a formidable cast under the guidance of the legendary coach Bill Walsh. But at that time, I was just a first-grader who didn't even know the meaning of football. So when I started to watch and absorb the ecxitments of American Football, the team had changed into another version, a version led by the speedy Steve Young. This team, though not as dominant as the former, had a much more entertaining element than ever before. Steve Young, Ricky Watters led the running game into further heights, and Jerry Rice remained his old self. On defense, Deon Sanders dazzled everyone with his funky style and once rookie Bryant Young emerged as a inner force. Though the best days of the 49ers might have passed when Joe Montana injured his shoulder in the Super Bowl, the new 49ers were the team that caught my heart. But these past four years, after the departure of Young, Garcia, Rice, Owens and even B.Young, the 49ers only show glimpes of the glory they once had. With losing seasons becoming a tradition, I really hope that the Niners can turn it around. There is hope! I have faith in QB Smith, RB Gore, TE Davis, WR Jackson, CB Clements, MLB Willis, DB Lewis and the comeback of OLB Lawson. 2008 will be the first time in five years the 49ers make it to the playoffs, and they will also retake the throne of the NFC West. You'll See.