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Hill’s Passion for Classics

During the regular season 49ers wide receiver Jason Hill spends six out of seven days of the week heavily focused on football. In the NFL, players only get one day off each week during the season for personal time, and that typically comes every Tuesday.

While most, including Hill, usually see some part of the 49ers practice facility that day getting treatment, meeting with coaches or watching film, they try to get some “Me” time in too.

This season, Hill spent several Tuesdays at Troy’s Body and Paint in Tracy, CA, where his passion for classic cars grew with each visit. Troy’s specialized in restoration, repair and customization of cars of all years, makes and models – giving Hill everything he needed to recreate a classic automobile of his own.

“When I was a kid I got a race car that was an old Mustang, and ever since then, whenever I saw them I remembered that. I always wanted one but never could afford it. Finally I have the opportunity so I got one.”

During the season Hill bought a 1967 Mustang convertible that needed a lot of work to restore back to its original condition. But through a recommendation from a friend, Hill headed over to Troy’s to get his clunker restored into a classic in just 21 days.

“That is a five-star shop, I was lucky to find them,” Hill said. “I went up there every Tuesday to see the work they were doing and they turned it around real quick. I felt like they were only working on my car they did it so fast. It was a great experience.”

Once the car was finished, Hill was in awe of his new Mustang.

“It came out great, second to none. I showed some guys on the team, like Delanie (Walker) and some of the classic car people, and they loved it. There are a lot of people who I see around who tell me how much they love it.”

But it wasn’t an easy job.

Hill’s car needed a full remodel, including new flooring and new parts of the body of the car along with exterior parts. It needed to be repainted, sanded and polished. It also needed a new interior kit for the car, new carpet, new seat covers and new door panels. Troy’s staff even took apart the dash, and replaced all the mechanisms around the gages. Around the exterior they replaced all the chrome exterior including door handles and headlamps and put the wheels and tires on the car as well.

Troy’s staff left no detail unnoticed.

“We’ve done promotional cars before but Jason was the first football player we’ve ever done,” said shop owner Troy Gaskins. “We are huge 49ers fans but this was more of an emotional experience for us.

“When we met Jason, he’s such a humble person. The guys all got a chance to talk to him and I think just the experience of meeting him and being such big 49ers fans. He came all the way out into Tracy, especially for a guy who doesn’t have a lot of experience in restoring an old car; it really meant a lot that he chose us.

The opportunity for Gaskins and his employees was one they relished.

“The car was in pretty rough shape, normally it would take us a couple months but it was a challenge and something that was presented to us. We had a shop meeting and we decided this is something we wanted to do.”

Hill plans to keep his main focus on football but one day he may be the owner of many restored classic cars.

“Maybe one day I’ll own more. I wanted to see how this first one went, but it went well, so wouldn’t rule it out.”

This off-season, Hill plans to spend a lot of time with his Mustang and might even be found trying to learn a thing or two, if Troy has any influence.

“We’d love to have Jason, or anyone for that matter who is passionate about classic cars, come into our shop and learn more about it.”

Hill would like to thank Troy’s Body and Paint and their employees for their hard work and dedication to the project: Owner- Troy Gaskins, GM- Chris Jones, Front Office Assistant- Shannon Jones, Head Painter- Dario Hernandez, Preper- Robert Gonzales, Preper- Andrew Alexander, Bodyman/Fabricator- Steve Ambrose, Bodyman/Fabricator- Chris Fink, Detailer- Doug Beardsley.

Teammates, Coaches Reflect on Rice

Jerry Rice was the 14th member of the San Francisco 49ers to be named into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday. Prior to the announcement of his selection, several former teammates and coaches spoke to us about Rice’s legacy and what they remembered most about the franchise’s greatest wide receiver.

FORMER 49ERS HEAD COACH GEORGE SEIFERT

“I don’t think there’s an argument that he’s the best wide receiver to play the game, but he might also be one of the best overall football players to have played the game. The thing that made him most special was that he had the God-given abilities and he went beyond those abilities because of the way that he worked and his dedication to perfecting his game. There was often talk about being the best you can be. He probably carried that to the height of the statement. The way he interacted with the players and coaches – he was somebody that took to coaching and wanted to be the best. That’s one of the reasons – or, that’s the main reason – I think he’s the great player that he was.”

FORMER 49ERS OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR/QB COACH MIKE HOLMGREN

“Jerry was the most complete wide receiver ever to play the game.  Talent, combined with an incredible work ethic, allowed him to be the best at his position.”

FORMER 49ERS QUARTERBACK JOE MONTANA

“Jerry’s the best to ever play the position. His numbers will probably never be reached. I watch the league all the time and there’s no one who compares to his consistency, and the first thing is catching the football. He was just so good, and then John Taylor came along and made it hard for teams to double Jerry. And I can tell you, it’s impossible to cover Jerry Rice one on one. Jerry got to the post more than anyone in history. I know if I was coaching and I was playing against the 49ers, I would tell my safety to play deep and stay there, and don’t let Jerry Rice get behind you. If he does, you can just keep on running to the locker room. Somehow he always got behind the safety. I don’t know how he did it, but I was happy he did.”

FORMER 49ERS QUARTERBACK STEVE YOUNG

“Jerry was a supreme route runner. The way he moved was somehow predictable and he really made it easy for me to throw the football. He was just so consistent in his motion and movement that I always knew where he was going to be. We all know that he worked hard, but it wasn’t just that he worked hard. There are a lot of hard workers who just peter out. Jerry was a hard worker for 40 years. He outworked everyone. He outworked free agents and even the guys who all they had was work ethic, he outworked them. And he was a star. He rose to every occasion. The bigger the moment the better he played. The playoff games, the Super Bowls, the Monday Night games. If there was a record to break, he would do it that day with the lights shining. His specialty was precision and you can’t cover precision. And people questioned his speed. There were plenty of fast guys who would slow down when they put the helmet and pads on, Jerry got faster in uniform. He carried the equipment better than anyone who has ever played. On the street he might not be the fastest, but on the field he was faster than everybody.”

FORMER 49ERS GUARD RANDY CROSS

“I happen to think that he’s one of the Top 5 players to ever play the game, regardless of the position. Besides the obvious physical attributes he was born with, he had the rare combination and ability to press his God-given talents even further than he probably knew they could be pressed. He was always in just unbelievable shape. He learned from a guy like Roger Craig what it meant to have an offseason, what it meant to put those workouts together where you ran the trails in the morning and you lifted in the mid-day, and then you ran sprints at Stanford in the afternoons. He and Roger were doing stuff like that well before most everybody else got around to it.”

FORMER 49ERS OFFENSIVE TACKLE STEVE WALLACE

“Living back in Atlanta, there are a lot of great NFL players in this area. When guys out here talk about the greatest player ever, it only lasts about a minute. Everybody says Jerry Rice, hands down. Having played with great quarterbacks in Joe Montana and Steve Young, this guy is on planet Pluto. He’s beyond the Pro Bowl and Hall of Fame. He’s the only guy that dominated a position so far beyond anyone else.”

FORMER 49ERS FULLBACK TOM RATHMAN

“He was a true pro in all senses. He was very dedicated to his craft and was a great team player. Obviously, we all know what he did as far as the numbers and everything. I think that all speaks for itself.”

FORMER 49ERS SAFETY RONNIE LOTT

“Jerry was so explosive off the line and had the ability to always finish plays like no one else before or after. One thing he had was an insatiable appetite to get an edge and be the best.”

FORMER 49ERS GUARD RAY BROWN

“Jerry was a perfectionist. He really wanted the football. I guess all receivers do. At the end of the day, he gave you the results. I think I’ve been real fortunate to play with some great players that are in this organization, like Steve Young and those guys who are in the Hall of Fame. You would just think, Steve is in there, so the guy he’s throwing a lot of balls to, he merits Hall of Fame consideration. I wish all those guys get in, especially ex-Niners.”

Bonus Footage: Smith’s ‘Conversation’

At the end of January, 49ers quarterback Alex Smith sat down with Comcast SportsNet’s Minidi Bach for an exclusive interview. But there’s more footage to be seen. As of last week, Comcast released bonus video clips that were cut in the editing process.

You can see all the bonus footage by clicking here.

Smith will also appear on the British Broadcasting Corporation’s Super Bowl 44 coverage breaking down the matchup between the Colts and Saints.

Jean Francois Visits Little Haiti

Miami, site of Super Bowl 44 and last week’s Pro Bowl is also home to the largest proportion of Haitians living in the United States.

Like their homeland, the Haitian community in South Florida was greatly impacted by the earthquake in Haiti. The Little Haiti community in Miami was especially affected; many lost family members and friends in the disaster. Now, families in Little Haiti are taking in orphans and others who were injured in the earthquake.

To help support the Little Haiti community, NFL players including 49ers defensive tackle Ricky Jean Francois visited with community members this past Wednesday at the Sant La Haitian Neighborhood Center in Miami. The NFL also presented the Center with a donation to those families most in need.

The players spent time with students speaking of their experiences on and off the football field. In addition the players toured the Center to get an update of how South Florida’s community has been impacted by the earthquake and how they’re responding to it.

The issue was especially important to Jean Francois, who is of Haitian decent.

Jean Francois had never visited his father’s homeland, but had a trip planned before the devastation hit Haiti.

“I want to give back to my people because my whole dad’s side of the family is over there. I’ve never had a chance to see them and finally when I had planned to go see them the disaster happened.

“I want to give all the support I can to make sure people continue to support Haiti with whatever they can, whether its food, money, or any support possible. We need to continue to give to help the country get better.”

Click here to help donate to the Red Cross’ Haitian Relief Fund.

Brown Ready to ‘Impact’ 49ers O-Line

After 20 seasons as a guard in the NFL and three seasons of coaching in the pro game, former 49ers offensive lineman Ray Brown has returned to the 49ers as the team’s assistant offensive line coach. 

Brown played for the 49ers from 1996-2001 and made his only Pro Bowl in his final season in San Francisco. Brown’s only All-Pro season also happened in 2001.Brown spoke with the Bay Area media in a conference call and sounded excited to be back with the 49ers organization.

On why coming back to the 49ers was attractive:

“Just what happened in Buffalo, I was looking for an opportunity because the staff got let go. I have the bug. I love the game. I enjoy being around it in this capacity. On a very personal level, I’ve got some things in this building that are going to make me fit here because I played here and there are people who have touched my life in this building. I feel good about making this decision.”

On what he hopes to accomplish as an assistant offensive line coach:

“I want to teach. I want to help guys get better because I think I have something to offer in that capacity from just having played the game. I’ve always been a film guy and a pencil and note taker-type player. So, I can share that. I really do feel like I can impact this team in a positive way. I’m very appreciative of [head coach] Mike Singletary and [offensive line coach] Mike Solari to let me come over and be a part of this staff.”

On whether he was a coach-on-the-field in Washington when he was playing at age 43:

“I think you may be in the right neighborhood with that one. I think once you become, probably, a seven-to-10 year guy, you pretty much know a lot about what teams are doing offensively. For me, it’s all about sharing what people shared with me because I know that allowed me the opportunity to stay as long as I did. I just only try to reciprocate that, share things and pass off things that I’ve heard and things that I’ve learned. Really, that’s who I am. I’m very grateful for the coaches and teachers that I had prior to getting in this profession.”

On what he thinks about the 49ers offensive line group:

“I’m still getting a look at it, trying to get a finger on what guys can and can’t do. So, I’m really in the observation stage. I’m kind of in the hole a little bit, watching the film. We’re also going over the offensive playbook. So, I’ve got a look at guys, but it hasn’t been a real in-depth look, and we’re starting to watch cut-ups. So, the further I go, or, the further I’m along being on the job, the more familiar I’ll be with the players.”

On his recollection of offensive line Coach Mike Solari and his feelings about him when he was a player:

“He was a tight ends assistant and o-line coach when I was here for a year. One thing I remember about Mike is he believes hard work, and he believed in technique and footwork. And, for a guy like myself who played a long time, those types of things really kept me in the league, being able to play low, being powerful, being assignment correct – those types of things. I’ve learned quite a bit from Mike because you get to see more when you’re upstairs in the meetings with him. Just from my experience having played for him when he was coach here, I know he is a good man, and that has proved itself even while I’ve been on the staff.”

On how long he has been in Santa Clara:

“Monday morning I started. Today’s Thursday. I’m still here and I’m loving it.”

On whether he had known head coach Mike Singletary prior to coming here:

“Other than playing against him, not much. I remember doing a pro athletes outreach group that he and his wife give gave a testimony. I knew him in that way but not on a personal level where it’s name-to-name basis. I guess you know NFL players, but I would probably know him more as an opponent. Just through the process, the interview process, getting to know him, his leadership style – it’s very attractive. As an ex-player, he got me excited. I know I want to be a part of this thing that he’s got going on, and he sells a good message. I think more than anything, he lives a great message, and I’m excited to be a part of that.”

On how many times he faced Singletary as a player:

“I think my first football game we played against the Bears. It became a big brawl. That’s the one thing I do remember about it. Cardinals and Bears in 1986.”

On whether he traded any punches with Singletary:

“Not me. At that time, I’m not going to leave the sideline and lose that big, rookie, 8th-round signing bonus. I had some sense about myself then.”

On whether becoming a head coach or athletic director down the line is a goal for him:

“I want to grow in this game. I think as a player, my career sort of took a while to get off. But, once you get in, you start learning more. I just want to grow. Eventually, I would like to be an offensive line coach. I like the personnel side of it. I like a whole lot of aspects of the game, wherever those opportunities lead me. I feel like if I’m in the building, I’ll do the job. Your talents and your skills will be recognized. Obviously, it comes out in winning and losing. I know I want to help this team win football games and eventually win championships.”

On whether he will have any input on whether the team will draft an offensive lineman:

“I think I will just be along just like other staff. Whatever input that coaches have, you’ll be limited to that. That’s not really my area of expertise right now. I’m just really here right now to learn the playbook and learn our players. I’ll be a part of that draft evaluation of prospects. That’s pretty much where I’ll be limited to contributing in who we’re going to pick.”

On whether there are still a lot of the tenets that former 49ers offensive line coach Bobb McKittrick taught that are still applicable to today’s game:

“I think very much so – being smart, being tough, being physical, knowing what to do, knowing your assignments. All of those things are going to apply to modern-day football. It’s never going to change. It’s going to be about leverage. It’s going to be about being physical. It’s going to be about being a good man. I think that has a lot to do with whether you’re successful or not. We’ve got some good people in this organization. We’ve got some young players that need some grooming and growing. We’ve got some great teachers on staff. I think those combinations will lead us to being a much better football team this season.”

On his memories of McKittrick:

“Very much a thing of respect. He gave me a lot of confidence because I came in as a big guy who – I wasn’t used to the cutting and used to the sweeps and those kinds of things. Bobb told me some things on  a real personal level that gave me confidence. Knowing that and having won a couple of awards that represent his name and who he’s about, you better believe that’s going to make me want to do this job even more on a personal level and it’s going to make me want to also do it for the organization because I had six great years here, not only for myself, but also for my family. I still have friends in this area. I just wish I would have kept my house.”

On his matchups with former 49ers and Cowboys DE Charles Haley’s and his Hall of Fame prospects:

“You’d be nervous whenever you had Charles Haley on your schedule. I think he’s had a wonderful career. I think it does merit Hall of Fame consideration. He will have my vote because I know that from experience. I really hope he gets in. Charles was one of those strange guys in the league. He’s kind of testy sometimes, but I got to know him as a teammate, got to know him as a coach when he coached in Detroit. It was real refreshing to see what kind of guy he was away from the game field. I think what he’s done on the football field is what it’s going to be based on, and I think he’s had a Hall of Fame career.”

On what it was like to be a teammate of Jerry Rice’s:

“Jerry was a perfectionist. He really wanted the football. I guess all receivers do. At the end of the day, he gave you the results. I think I’ve been real fortunate to play with some great players that are in this organization, like Steve Young and those guys who are in the Hall of Fame. You would just think, Steve is in there, so the guy he’s throwing a lot of balls to, he merits Hall of Fame consideration. I wish all those guys get in, especially ex-Niners.”

Pro Bowl Ratings Up 40 Percent

With a new format that bumped the game up one week before the Super Bowl, the 2010 Pro Bowl was an instant-success in American households. According to the ratings released Monday morning, 12.3 million fans tuned in to watch the Pro Bowl on its new date.

Furthermore, it was the most-watched All-Star game in cable TV history, with 40 percent more viewers tuning into ESPN’s telecast than last year’s game which happened after the Super Bowl.

It was the most viewers for a Pro Bowl since 2000, when 13.2 million viewers watched the game on NBC.

The game also had 70,697 fans in attendance, the most for a Pro Bowl since 1959.

49ers Represented on NFL’s All-Decade Team

The NFL’s recently released ninth All-Decade Team has two former 49ers among the 53 players selected.

Interestingly enough, both players selected were commonly known by their initials, “T.O” and “L.A.”

Wide receiver Terrell Owens (1996-2003), and guard Larry Allen (2006-2007), were the only players with ties to the 49ers to make the list of the NFL’s best players of the 2000s.

Owens scored 71 of his 144 career touchdowns with the 49ers. During his time with the 49ers in the 2000s, Owens posted 13, 16, 13 and nine touchdowns from 2000-2003. Last season, Owens caught 55 passes for 829 yards and five touchdowns in his first season with the Buffalo Bills.

Allen started in 27 games in two seasons with the 49ers after playing 12 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. He also appeared in the 2006 Pro Bowl as a member of the 49ers, capping a streak of 11 consecutive Pro Bowl selections. Allen retired from football after the 2007 season.

Every 10 years, the NFL’s All-Decade teams are selected by members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee.  The team is comprised of two quarterbacks, four running backs, one fullback, four wide receivers, two tight ends, four offensive tackles, four guards, two centers, four defensive tackles, four defensive ends, six linebackers, four cornerbacks, four safeties, two kickers, two punters, two kick returners, two punt returners and two head coaches.

NFL’s All-Decade Team 2000s

Quarterbacks: Tom Brady, Peyton Manning

Running Backs: Shaun Alexander, Jamal Lewis, Edgerrin James, LaDainian Tomlinson

Wide Receivers: Marvin Harrison, Torry Holt, Randy Moss, Terrell Owens (1996-2003)

Tight Ends: Antonio Gates, Tony Gonzalez

Fullback: Lorenzo Neal

Offensive Tackles: Walter Jones, Jonathan Ogden, Orlando Pace, William Roaf

Offensive Guards: Larry Allen (2006-2007), Alan Faneca, Steve Hutchinson, Will Shields

Centers: Olin Kreutz, Kevin Mawae

Defensive Ends: Dwight Freeney, Julius Peppers, Michael Strahan, Jason Taylor

Defensive Tackles: La’Roi Glover, Warren Sapp, Richard Seymour, Kevin Williams

Linebackers: Derrick Brooks, Ray Lewis, Joey Porter, Zach Thomas, Brian Urlacher, DeMarcus Ware

Cornerbacks: Ronde Barber, Champ Bailey, Ty Law, Charles Woodson

Safeties: Brian Dawkins, Troy Polamalu, Ed Reed, Darren Sharper

Punters: Shane Lechler, Brian Moorman

Kickers: David Akers, Adam Vinatieri

Punt Returners: Dante Hall, Devin Hester

Kick Returners: Joshua Cribbs, Dante Hall

Head Coaches: Bill Belichick, Tony Dungy

Do you agree or disagree with the selection committe’s final 53-man roster for the 2000s? Explain your reasoning in the comments section below.