From: GC.JAB@forsythe.stanford.edu (Tony Bechtold)
Subject: Re: Joe (Toast?) Montana
Organization: Stanford University, California, USA
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1992 20:17:40 GMT

In article <55980@olivea.atc.olivetti.com>,
rsmith@strobe.ATC.Olivetti.Com (Russ Smith) writes:

>In article <1992Sep3.170029.18538@morrow.stanford.edu> GC.JAB@forsythe.stanford.edu (Tony Bechtold) writes:
>>I think that they should have thoroughly evaluated Joe's elbow
>>before Seifert named a starter. I would have had Joe throw a
>>simulated game, given his arm a decent workout with some long
>>yardage passes in there. Then perform an MRI. If any inflammation is
>>detected, then assume that Joe's arm is NOT going to hold up and
>>then name Young the starter. Instead Seifert jumped the gun like

>So you're obviously a doctor who is much more familiar with Joe's elbow
>than the 49er's doctors correct? Come on, if you for one minute believe
>the 49ers haven't "thoroughly evaluated Joe's elbow", you 're sadly mistaken.
>Joe is on IR because they don't want to unceremoniously dump him, and
>they're hoping he'll be healthy enough to keep around as a emergency
>insurance policy, and because Joe won't quit.

You are right, I am far from being a doctor. But I do read
everything possible pertaining to the health of Montana. After
reading on how the swelling has steadily gone down, and Joe saying
that his elbow feels fine is enough information for me make the
accusation that Seifert jumped the gun in naming the starter. I mean
come on, Joe was scheduled to play in the Seattle game, perfect
opportunity to evaluate his elbow. Joe should have at least played
an entire half, done an MRI to see the effect the excessive throwing
had on the tissue. Then Seifert should have named a starter.
If Joe's elbow is going to hold up, then the three or so weeks he
took off should have been enough for it to heal up. Any longer
period of time to heal would indicate an injury that is really far
worse then Joe or any of us thought.
It is my guess that the main reason why they put Joe on the IR is
because they did not want to lose Musgrave. They most likely would
have lost Musgrave, or any other player they let go if Joe had been
kept on the active roster.
My point is, the whole mess could have been pretty much cleared up
if Seifert wouldn't have been so quick to name a starter, before
even giving Montana the opportunity to evaluate his arm. Right now,
nobody knows if he is healed or not. And we won't know for another
5 weeks.  Being on the IR means be able to do have NO playing time
with the team. Not even practice time.

>If they thought Joe could throw a simulated game(is there even such a
>thing in football?), they would have done it already. They're limiting
>his activity for a reason, and its not based on guesswork.

I doubt there is a simulated game in football. After I posted that,
it dawned on me that I was talking baseball. But I'm sure there is
something close to it. Regardless, you get my point I'm sure.
They limited his activity for fear of finding out that he really is
ok. By finding this out, they would have had to give up Musgrave.
Musgrave is most likely the future QB of the 49ers. They need to
start developing a young QB. I'm not sure on how old Bono is, but I
doubt he is under 30. Young is 30 I believe, and Joe is an old
geezer by football standards.

>Young deserves to start at this point, if he fails, and Montana is able
>to prove on IR that he's able to play, then he should be given the chance
>to compete with Bono.

I think that Young deserves to start at this point too. But I don't
think that they gave Joe a fair shake. Maybe they did! Who am I to
really say.  Although we all know that things are going to get
awfully messy in 5 weeks.

                                                   Tony
                                                GO 49ERS!!!