49ers defense looking forward to hitting ASmith

[Fat Elvis]

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/49ers-d...1426--nfl.html

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) -- Over all those years and thousands of practice snaps, the stingy San Francisco defense never got to put a hit on Alex Smith.

And this is a group known for its vicious blows, from sack man Aldon Smith at linebacker to pounding safety Donte Whitner.

So, no surprise Smith's former teammates on the opposite side of the ball will be salivating to finally chase down the quarterback when they face him and the Chiefs in a preseason game at Kansas City on Friday night.

''There's a first time for everything,'' linebacker NaVorro Bowman said, smiling. ''We never got a chance to hit him. This time we can. We're looking forward to it. I know Alex knows we're coming. It's football, man. He's on another team and we have to go out there and play our game.''

Cornerback Carlos Rogers plans to talk trash - because, he insists, Smith will certainly be expecting it from this group.

''He'll probably come after me because we were always talking junk during practices while he was here. I'm going to take a look at the film and see what we can come up with,'' Rogers said. ''It will be really fun. I'm pretty sure he's going to be talking junk. He's going to want to go at our defense because now he gets the opportunity. When he was here we didn't really go against the 1 offense unless it was training camp.''

Smith has begun anew in the AFC with the Chiefs after being traded in March. He lost his starting job with San Francisco in November to Colin Kaepernick.

Smith certainly sounds as if he will leave the personal ties out of it Friday - rather focusing on preparing his offense with a matchup against one of the NFL's top defenses in recent years.

''Regardless of the fact that I used to play there, they're a good defensive unit,'' he said ''They're a really good defensive unit, and they'll be a good test for us. I mean, they don't have many weaknesses on that side of the ball. It'll be a really good test for us.''

49ers defensive line coach Jim Tomsula insists the razzing by his defenders is all in good fun. Tomsula started Smith for the regular season finale in 2010 in Tomsula's lone game as interim head coach following the firing of Mike Singletary.

''They're throwing that out there. That's an inside joke to Alex,'' Tomsula said. ''They all just like him so much, they really do. It's a good banter, is what it is.''

Given Smith's long history with the 49ers, an up-and-down, eight-year tenure - filled with numerous promotions and demotions, not to mention injuries - after they selected him with the No. 1 draft pick out of Utah in 2005, he still has many supporters in his old locker room.

Running back Frank Gore is rooting for him, tight end Vernon Davis, too. And Kaepernick, of course.

They have spoken a couple of times during the offseason, though Kaepernick declined to elaborate.

''He did a lot for me, Alex was someone that really helped me pick up the playbook, understand what we were trying to get done and how we wanted to do it,'' Kaepernick said Wednesday. ''I wouldn't be as far along as I am right now without him. Personally, he's a great guy, he's a class act. I have nothing bad to say about him. He's always helped me, he's always put the team first.''

It was Smith who took it upon himself to lead San Francisco's players in workouts at nearby San Jose State during the 2011 NFL lockout that became known as ''Camp Alex,'' a step in his leadership that put the team in position to end a franchise-worst stretch of eight seasons without a playoff berth or winning record. After all those boos from his own fans during the struggles, he had made good at last.

For his example, and so many other things, coach Jim Harbaugh is grateful to this day. Even if he made the tough choice to go with Kaepernick for last season's stretch run. Smith largely thrived under the direction of Harbaugh, a 15-year NFL quarterback himself.

''It's personal with Alex. It probably is different in that way,'' Harbaugh said. ''Feel like there's a great friendship there and a lot of history. He's a unique person. A very good, in all ways, a good friend. No longer on our team. Not a trusted agent anymore.''

Come Friday, both sides will try to keep all the mixed emotions off the field. Though the history will clearly provide some preseason fuel.

''Now we'll get a chance to hit him,'' Rogers said. ''He had on the jersey and we couldn't touch the quarterback, so I'm pretty sure our D-line will be happy about that, too.''

Notes: A day after safeties C.J. Spillman and Michael Thomas fought during practice and Spillman sent to the locker room, Harbaugh said he has handled the altercation. ''I think that's something that has no place in practice or training camp,'' Harbaugh said. ''Not to go into what the policy is right now as it's happened. It's been addressed.'' He wouldn't say whether they would play against the Chiefs. ... Harbaugh has ''a list of eight or nine guys'' he said won't travel to Kansas City, though he wouldn't say who they are other than that LT Joe Staley is likely on there. Staley returned to practice after missing four days with an undisclosed injury.

[Kaepernick]

Originally Posted by Mac-NinersChiefs

There are no good or reasonable excuses for this behavior. Man up.

Are you a girl? No, seriously. Are you?

[Sandy Vagina]

Originally Posted by SNR

Go **** your family with AIDS

kthanxbye!

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Halfcan

Geno with 4 picks, a hurt foot, and getting slammed like a bitch by his coach. Just saying....

Did you say anything about Geno Smith when he was performing well in camp, or just wait until the first time he had a bad day (on a sprained ankle - that he refused to use as an excuse and was praised for not using as an excuse).

Just curious.

[Sandy Vagina]

Originally Posted by Kaepernick

Are you a girl? NO, seriously? Are you?

Sure.. why not? Let's just go with that, as if it matters.

[Imon Yourside]

Originally Posted by KC Tattoo

I support him too 100% as long as it leads us to playoff victories. Doesn't make me any more happy that he is who we got. I'm not happy at all who we got for quarterback. I support him to win games in the playoffs if we can't accomplish that then Alex Smith has been yet another wasted retread quarterback.

I really want us to win some games and not suck badly, If Smith goes down we have Daniel and Stanzi who just may be Matt Cassel all over again. I really despised the Paul Hackett swing pass offense but it is what it is...I'll give them a chance before throwing them under the bus. I hope Andy Reid is THAT good.

[Kaepernick]

Originally Posted by Lzen

Uh.....yeah. If Harbaugh is such a horrible game day coach, how did he get that team to the SB?

They never would have come back from the deep hole vs. Falcons if Harbaugh was such a bad game day coach. Or almost come back in the super bowl. Harbaugh seems to be pretty good at half-time adjustments.

[RealSNR]

"Waaaaaahhhh you guys are offensive and insulting!!! My vagina hurts! Waaahhh!"

"Be a man!"

Yeah, I'm pretty sure this douche is a woman

[Lzen]

Originally Posted by milkman

Wrong.

People ignore him because of his early history, and because of his drama.
He brings it on himself, because so much of his football opinion is driven by PFFF, but the reality is that he often does raise good questions.

Most of you just want to pass it off as troolling and bury your heads in the sand.

He does bring some good football observations. The problem is that those are mixed in with his Alex Smith hating agenda. He would rather see this team fail just to be right about Smith.

And yeah, after the whole Cassel disaster I can somewhat understand that point of view, I guess. I wasn't exactly excited about the trade for Smith. But I want to give this regime a chance. This is not the same organization as it was with Pioli. Give Smith a chance. If it doesn't work out we move on. And if he's good enough to get the team to the playoffs this year and/or next, at least that gives them experience in the playoffs. Maybe then he proves to be not good enough to get over the hump and they go find a better QB. Or maybe he finally does get over that hump.

[Kaepernick]

Originally Posted by milkman

Don't mistake a small glimmer of hope for optimism, Kaepernick.

I don't expect Alex Smith to raise his level of play, but that one small shard of hope is all that there is to cling to.

I am not going to childishly hope for injury.

OK, got ya. Thanks for clarifying.

Alex is going to turn the team mentality around. The best you can hope for is that your GM seeks and finds his elite QB prospect somewhere down the line. I realize there is no precedent for that with this franchise, so it is what it is.

[Halfcan]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Did you say anything about Geno Smith when he was performing well in camp, or just wait until the first time he had a bad day (on a sprained ankle - that he refused to use as an excuse and was praised for not using as an excuse).

Just curious.

Actually I hoped the chiefs would draft him until all his antics before the draft which dropped his stock. I don't care what Geno Pizza does now really-**** the Jets- just posted that for discussion to counter the constant Geno fan club on here. He is Not a Chief so people need to let it go-lol

I was a bit surprised that Ryan put his balls in a waffle iron like that over a "Practice". It was not even a game situation and it gets blown up. Clearly Ryan is postioning to start Dirty Sanchez and does not want to here a bunch of backlash from it.

[Halfcan]

Originally Posted by Kaepernick

OK, got ya. Thanks for clarifying.

Alex is going to turn the team mentality around. The best you can hope for is that your GM seeks and finds his elite QB prospect somewhere down the line. I realize there is no precedent for that with this franchise, so it is what it is.

Montana, Green, Dawson- ever hear of them?

[Imon Yourside]

Originally Posted by Halfcan

[/B]

Montana, Green, Dawson- ever hear of them?

Montana was not made here, although great. Green was good but not great and Dawson was...well around when most of us weren't.

[Kaepernick]

Originally Posted by Mac-NinersChiefs

Sure.. why not? Let's just go with that, as if it matters.

I can see a girl being offended is all. I'm not sure what kind of normal guy doesn't understand trash talk, insults, jeers and put downs among guys. I'm not into it unless I get extremely frustrated or I am baited into it, but I do understand the mentality of guys -- being one. If you were a girl, I could understand your confusion over this. As a guy, you are either a very weird guy or being disingenuous.

Either way, it is your problem not theirs -- so you are very wise to get off your soapbox and just let it go. Kudos. That was smart.

Snoopy never knows when to quit when he is behind. It is smart of you to quit when you are behind.

[Lzen]

Originally Posted by Carlota69

Well, I personally don't think anyone is a bad fan for having doubts, concerns or even negative thoughts about players, coaches, front office etc...

However, I think you're a bad fan if you are wishing serious, careeer ending injury on the only QB we have. I think you're a bad fan, or not a fan at all, if you wish career ending injury on any of our players. Some of the posts In this paticular thread are absolutely ****ing disgusting and those wishing a career ending injury on any member of this team, need to find another team to root for.

The Jets is a good choice, since they love to choke on the chocolate peni....

[Halfcan]

Originally Posted by KILLER_CLOWN

Montana was not made here, although great. Green was good but not great and Dawson was...well around when most of us weren't.

I guess by "propect" he means draft? All 3 of those guys were 50/50 on weather they would have success here. It is not like the Chiefs have Never had a good QB-lol