SF Examiner: Patriots' Tom Brady was almost a San Francisco 49er

By Art Spander
Special to The Examiner

INDIANAPOLIS — It could be better for Tom Brady. He could be playing for the 49ers, his team when he was a kid. Such a Niners fan.

“I’d run around the parking lot at Candlestick in my Joe Montana jersey or Steve Young jersey,” Brady said. “Throwing the ball. There were some great times.”

These aren’t bad times. On Sunday, for a fifth time...

Read the full story here.

Copyright 2012 SF Newspaper Company

SF Examiner: Niners' elevated expectations die hard

By Art Spander
Special to The Examiner

The man understands how the 49ers feel. The team for which he played 30 years ago also came within a game of the Super Bowl.

"We were one dropped pass away," he said.

The man, who needs to remain anonymous...

Read the full story here.

Copyright 2012 SF Newspaper Company

RealClearSports: For 49ers and Ravens, Timing Is All Wrong

By Art Spander
For RealClearSports.com

SAN FRANCISCO — Something was going to happen. Eli Manning made that observation. Something always does happen. Football, like life, is about timing.

Football, like life, also is about accountability.

Eli and Tom Brady are going to another Super Bowl, verification of their skills and, on pass patterns, their timing.

Read the full story here.

© RealClearSports 2012

Newsday (N.Y.): Giants 'D' outshone 49ers counterparts

By Art Spander
Special to Newsday

SAN FRANCISCO -- The 49ers fans kept chanting "defense,'' and they got defense. From the Giants.

That's the way a team gets to the Super Bowl, by giving the opponent very little. When it counted, that was what the Giants gave San Francisco, controlling the line of scrimmage, controlling the clock. And getting a turnover that turned the game.

Ultimately, that turned the Giants...

Read the full story here.

Copyright © 2012 Newsday. All rights reserved.

SF Examiner: Thrilling 49ers season comes to sad end

By Art Spander
Special to The Examiner

What can we say? What should we say?

Remember that Adlai Stevenson remark, that “it hurts too much to laugh, but I’m too old to cry”?

It’s hard to hold back the tears after this one. As hard as it was for star-crossed Kyle Williams to hold the football.

Read the full story here.

Copyright 2012 SF Newspaper Company