Niner Nirvana
Niner Nirvana
Okay, I must confess. I am still in the throes of football ecstasy.
I have been a San Francisco Forty Niners fan since I arrived in the SF Bay Area in 1969.
The Niners were pretty awful then, but since I love football and wanted to fall in love with a local team, not the NY teams I left in the rear view mirror, and since I would not, could not, ever be a fan of the Oakland Raiders, I chose the 49ers. It’s a love affair that has lasted longer than most people’s marriages.
Of course football fans everywhere know the history of the SF 49ers, the dynasty years with Joe Montana, Steve Young, Jerry Rice, Ronnie Lott, John Taylor, Roger Craig, Brent Jones, Dwight Clark and Tom Rathman. It’s no secret that Bill Walsh, Eddie DeBartolo and the 49ers ruled the NFL for a good long time.
But that run ended in 1994. Since then the 49ers have been unable to find the next great quarterback and the next great coach.
I became a season ticket holder in 1998 and have watched a lot of good and not so good 49er football.
I was at Candlestick when Steve Young connected with TO in their playoff game against the Packers. It was thrilling and emotional.
I was also there in 2002 when the Giants and Niners faced off in a memorable playoff game. The G-Men were kicking the Niners butt when Jeff Garcia led the Niners on a magical come from behind win. That was a moment I will never forget, the Stick was rocking and the fans went totally insane. I didn’t think I would ever experience that feeling again.
It has been a very long time since the Niners have played meaningful football in the postseason. They have been a revelation and a surprise. I expected them to win perhaps 9 games as they started to rebuild under Jim Harbaugh.
When Jim Harbaugh was hired in January 2010 I knew this would be a different season, I just never expected it to be this type of magical-golden-season.
On Saturday January 14, 2012, I felt confident in this team’s ability. I knew they could beat the high flying Saints.
I was certain that they and their coach would be highly motivated by the underdog tag they had been given. Underdogs at home in spite of their 13-3 record, in spite of their #2 seeding, in spite of winning on the road and coming from behind, in spite of having the best defense and special teams units in the NFL.
I knew they could win this game. But I thought it would be a ball control game. What I and 69,000 other fans witnessed on Saturday January 14, 2012, was the most amazing and emotional win I think I will ever see as a SF 49ers football fan.
To me, it was the rebirth of the San Francisco 49ers.
If anyone doubts the power of football when played at its most exciting and highest level then they did not watch this game, nor did they watch the other upset, the G-Men upsetting the #1 seeded Packers, at Lambeau.
I believe that the 49ers will win on Sunday in a close, tough, physical game. The 49ers will head back to the Super Bowl after so many years of frustration and disappointment.
And, the winner of this game, G-Men or Niners, will win the Super Bowl on February 5, 2012.
I will be there tomorrow to watch it happen.
As for the other game….Upset Pick Ravens.
Go Niners!
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A great and magical season. No regrets only hope and optimism for next year.
wish we could have done it
but hell of a season anyway.
Niner Shannon