Where Everybody Knows Simu Liu's Name

 

Just want to throw this out there: so Ted Danson and Woody Harrelson do this podcast on Team Coco called Where Everybody Knows Your Name. They recently had Simu Liu on as a guest, and I just listened to it, and it's a really really cool interview. Very fluid and not artificial-feeling at any point (until maybe the very end when they start talking about music), just like a conversation between three guys who are genuinely interested in each other and are genuinely enjoying each others' company. Which is my favourite kind of interview / podcast (see Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend, or Smartless).

The story of Simu's upbringing as the child of immigrants, in particular Chinese immigrants, was super poignant but ultimately uplifting, which again is my favourite kind of immigrant story.  The stuff about mental health, generational trauma, all that is also quite impactful. And of course the academia and professional career but with artist's dreams thing, ah you know. There's a story in there as well. But Chinese Canadian kid does good is the overarching theme, and if you're into any of that, maybe you'll enjoy this chat too.

https://youtu.be/UqmKus4gTgc?si=bP933VQ2USHt7Osn

The State of the Niners

Listen. The Chiefs game was bad, we could all see that. And it wasn't just the loss of Deebo three plays in, or the loss of Aiyuk (for the season!) half way through, or any of that. Brock played terribly, the INTs were just downright bad. Bad decisions, bad throws. He was trying to force stuff. The defense played terribly. Slow, poor positioning or ended up in poor positions, seemingly easily blocked, not covering. Even Fred looked slow last week. And speaking of, the Mahomes run - clearly Winters thought he was going to go out of bounds.

(And by the way, Mahomes & Chiefs: you can't have it both ways - you can't complain when people hit you and then do that shit. Or the next time you're running, don't complain when someone hits you inbounds. And I do wish Winters had just hit him. I wish it was Dre on that play, he would have laid him the F out. Then there would have been none of the showboating in the end zone when he ran over Mustapha (who I also believe was letting up because Mahomes had already crossed the goal line.) Anyway, I digress.)

The key to the rest of this season now lies squarely in the coaches hands. Specifically Shanahan, but also Sorensen. (Let's not even entertain the thought that anything good can or will happen on special teams.)

The key is to adapt. Adapt to win. Get wins however you can. Salvage the season, and save some F'ing face. People are calling for your head, Kyle. I don't believe you should be fired, but I damn sure hope you show us all that you can coach out of this hole. It's the last thing us true believers need to see out of you. (Well, that and a Lombardi.)

Andy Reid is doing it. John Harbaugh has done it. Mike Tomlin has done it. Those are three great coaches, three Superbowl winning coaches. Show us you belong in that echelon, Kyle!

You don't have CMC. That's not an excuse for red zone problems. You also didn't have CMC in 2019 or anytime before 2022. Ever. You don't have Aiyuk. On defense, you don't have Hargrave or Greenlaw. (I'm not convinced that not having Huf right now is worse than having the Huf that was just coming back a couple games ago.) Doesn't matter that you can't run what you wanted to with all those guys in there. Run something else with the personnel you have. Great coaches find the strengths of their players and their teams and run plays to those strengths. Extremely simplified I know, but that's what this team needs now. Not just The System, but tailoring to the pieces that are left.

The Niners can still win with Brock and Deebo and JJ and Kittle. Run the tandem of Mason in the middle and Guerendo to the outside. Kittle chips at right tackle, then leaks for 8-12 yards. A couple deep shots to Deebo or Cowing. (Please no more Ronnie Bell, for god's sake let's let that ship sail.) DISCIPLINE ON THE LINE!! That goes for both offense and defense. Stop taking penalties. Want the football.

Seriously, we're all tired of excuses and we're tired of losing stupid games that we should have won (that would be the Rams and Cards). We should be 5-2 and leading the west. But we're not. And all the whiny self-appointed pundits are being proved right.

Don't take this shit, Niners. Show everyone what a good team does in the face of adversity.