We've seen some slow but steady progress from Dixon, but he'll always be a backup on this team.. James and Hunter (if healthy) have tangible qualities and should play well in situational roles. Frank probably has a couple of years left as a thousand yard type rusher. The position isn't critical at the moment, but it might become so anytime quickly. We see how injuries can seriously wreck the best laid plans of coaches. And with Gore's age and history, one has to worry that he just might show some  more decline. So a smart organization like the Niners will address the position next month. Not being an avid college fan, I have no expertise about  the potential draftees, but have to trust in the judgment of the Niner brass. Just think forward about the direction the team wants to go in the next few seasons and find someone who will fit well into that mix.

The hype and buzz about the young ultra-mobile quarterbacks is to be expected. Last season really may have been a watershed year in terms of establishing a new paradigm at the position. But more realistically, I think you still have to fear the traditional  'classic style' qb. As Flacco, Ryan, PeytonManning and others showed last year, they still can dominate games and lead winning teams. But the two qbs of that ilk I have a hunch will have big seasons are Brees and Rodgers. The season before last they each were at the top of their games with teams many thought would win the Superbowl. Last year they had good numbers by most standards, but didn't have the same team success. I have a feeling that New Orleans especially will be dangerous. They have their coach back, carry a collective grudge about what happened and will be on a mission. And Rodgers still could easily rise to MVP type standards again if the pieces fall in place for his team.

There is so much parity in the league that it's ridiculous. The margins are really tight between lots of teams, and any given season can see really unexpected results based on even a small deviation in any number of variables. With Kaepernick, RG III and Wilson  entering their second seasons as starters you can't dismiss the possibility of the old sophmore jinx for any of them. Especially with defenses having time to study and devise different approaches. In some ways, the veteran established star quarterbacks could have the advantage because they've already proven themselves over many years. A fascinating season looms six months away.

On a completely different topic, I thought I'd throw something out that some may find amusing. I've rarely used You Tube at all, other than looking up some old movie clip or piece of music. I know for many it's a large source of entertainment and communication, but I've been mostly out of that loop. But I was following a link from a hockey auction that went to You Tube, and then once I was there I followed other links semi-randomly. I ended up at a strangely fascinating location. I had no idea there was a subculture of sports card collectors who make videos of themselves as they open packages of cards, all the while making impromptu stream-of-consciousness comments.

The guy that I randomly discovered has his own channel of dozens (maybe hundreds, I didn't count) of such videos. Maybe it's just me, but being a student of the social sciences, i became fascinated by the strange rituals, lingo, behavioral displays I saw. At first, it was amusing just watching this guy walk around his 'card room' pointing out his collection and commenting on cards and players. But then it became even more compulsive viewing. In subsequent videos this fellow talks about himself, his day to day affairs, his family, hobby pursuits and so on. These videos cover a number of years, and as things change in his life his videos become more curious. At least from some of the random ones I've looked at. He's a 41 year old cop from Connecticut with a bunch of kids. In 2011 he's all jovial and funny. Then somewhere in 2012 he's going through a rough divorce and becomes gloomy. I haven't checked the more recent videos. But it also must be tough and stressful being a cop, as he alludes to from time to time. As well, some of the stuff he and his grade two son joke about seem kind of creepy, or at least, crude and cynical. Anyways, an interesting slice of the sociological pie as it pertains to sports card collectors. 'Reality TV' in a strange format. In the link here the first half is a strange monologue then he gets into the card stuff later.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=c4xVFxEAULA&NR=1


By the way, I'm not a sports card collector myself, but dabble in very specialized and specific collecting pursuits. This kind of obsessive compulsive collecting is too intense for my tastes.