http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/story/14252911p-15068937c.html
49ers notes: Smith can't wait to get a grip
Visiting teams will provide their own footballs this season.
By Matthew Barrows -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Monday, May 8, 2006
SANTA CLARA - Alex Smith turned 22 on Sunday, but his favorite gift may have come last month.
Team owners agreed to a rule change that NFL quarterbacks have wanted for years during the league meeting in Orlando. Previously, all of the footballs used in a game were supplied by the home team, and, naturally, were tailored to the home quarterback's liking. If the home quarterback preferred the ball nice and slick, the visiting quarterback would have to adjust.
No one suffered from this arrangement more than Smith last season - he had great difficulty maintaining his grip on the ball in lopsided road losses in Washington and Seattle. The new rule will allow teams to travel with a dozen of their own balls and to put them in play when their offense takes the field.
"The way it had been the last couple of years - it was just so particular depending on what the home quarterback liked," Smith said. "There was just such a big difference in the balls that they finally decided to do this. ... The problems I had with the ball had always been on the road."
Coach Mike Nolan said the visiting team must hand over their balls to the referees 15 minutes before the game to make sure each is properly inflated. Team equipment managers will use a wet towel to rub away the slick finish that Smith found so vexing last season.
"Believe me, the rest of the quarterbacks have the same problem, and they are all tired of dealing with it," Nolan said. "Because it's the only sport that doesn't rub down the balls."
Nolan also said that while Smith may be a year older, he still has some growing to do.
"I was looking at him yesterday, thinking 'You're 6-4, but damn you're scrawny,' " he joked. "He's put on five pounds since last year, but he could probably afford another 10."
Athletic support - Asked to compare last year's squad with the one he is assembling, Nolan said, "There's no question we're more athletic."
One of the players proving the upgrade? Former Penn State quarterback Michael Robinson, who looked natural playing running back and received a lot of repetitions over the weekend because of injuries to fellow rushers Kevan Barlow and Frank Gore.
"He handled himself very well," Nolan said. "It was evident because he was in on a lot of plays and did a lot of things. He played a little quarterback for us, a little running back. We split him out (wide). ... He did a wide variety of things for such short notice."
Et cetera - Nolan said that several players who did not participate in team drills during the minicamp - including Gore, Jonas Jennings, Eric Johnson and Tony Parrish - likely will be ready for the so-called organized team activities that begin at the end of the month.
• The 49ers are looking for someone to step into the role of No. 3 receiver behind Arnaz Battle and Antonio Bryant. The player with the early edge appears to be free-agent pick-up Bryan Gilmore, who lined up with the first-unit offense in three-receiver situations most of the weekend.
• One of the best catches Sunday was turned in by Sacramento State's Otis Amey, who dove to bring in a low pass from Smith near the goal line.
About the writer: The Bee's Matthew Barrows can be reached at mbarrows@sacbee.com.
49ers notes: Smith can't wait to get a grip
Visiting teams will provide their own footballs this season.
By Matthew Barrows -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Monday, May 8, 2006
SANTA CLARA - Alex Smith turned 22 on Sunday, but his favorite gift may have come last month.
Team owners agreed to a rule change that NFL quarterbacks have wanted for years during the league meeting in Orlando. Previously, all of the footballs used in a game were supplied by the home team, and, naturally, were tailored to the home quarterback's liking. If the home quarterback preferred the ball nice and slick, the visiting quarterback would have to adjust.
No one suffered from this arrangement more than Smith last season - he had great difficulty maintaining his grip on the ball in lopsided road losses in Washington and Seattle. The new rule will allow teams to travel with a dozen of their own balls and to put them in play when their offense takes the field.
"The way it had been the last couple of years - it was just so particular depending on what the home quarterback liked," Smith said. "There was just such a big difference in the balls that they finally decided to do this. ... The problems I had with the ball had always been on the road."
Coach Mike Nolan said the visiting team must hand over their balls to the referees 15 minutes before the game to make sure each is properly inflated. Team equipment managers will use a wet towel to rub away the slick finish that Smith found so vexing last season.
"Believe me, the rest of the quarterbacks have the same problem, and they are all tired of dealing with it," Nolan said. "Because it's the only sport that doesn't rub down the balls."
Nolan also said that while Smith may be a year older, he still has some growing to do.
"I was looking at him yesterday, thinking 'You're 6-4, but damn you're scrawny,' " he joked. "He's put on five pounds since last year, but he could probably afford another 10."
Athletic support - Asked to compare last year's squad with the one he is assembling, Nolan said, "There's no question we're more athletic."
One of the players proving the upgrade? Former Penn State quarterback Michael Robinson, who looked natural playing running back and received a lot of repetitions over the weekend because of injuries to fellow rushers Kevan Barlow and Frank Gore.
"He handled himself very well," Nolan said. "It was evident because he was in on a lot of plays and did a lot of things. He played a little quarterback for us, a little running back. We split him out (wide). ... He did a wide variety of things for such short notice."
Et cetera - Nolan said that several players who did not participate in team drills during the minicamp - including Gore, Jonas Jennings, Eric Johnson and Tony Parrish - likely will be ready for the so-called organized team activities that begin at the end of the month.
• The 49ers are looking for someone to step into the role of No. 3 receiver behind Arnaz Battle and Antonio Bryant. The player with the early edge appears to be free-agent pick-up Bryan Gilmore, who lined up with the first-unit offense in three-receiver situations most of the weekend.
• One of the best catches Sunday was turned in by Sacramento State's Otis Amey, who dove to bring in a low pass from Smith near the goal line.
About the writer: The Bee's Matthew Barrows can be reached at mbarrows@sacbee.com.
