From: reiher@ficus.cs.ucla.edu (Peter Reiher)
Subject: Re: Montana throwing again...ho hum
Organization: UCLA Computer Science Department
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 92 17:22:09 GMT

In article <1992Nov11.043554.13054@cis.ohio-state.edu> martens@python.cis.ohio-state.edu (Jeff Martens) writes:
>In article <15424@auspex-gw.auspex.com> ben@auspex.com writes:
>>
>>I want to see Montana Back but not this year . The last thing I wan't to see
>>is another quarterback controversy in SF/Bay Area they are doing great right
>>now with Steve Young why change it .
>
>If I were a 49er fan, I'd view Montana as insurance.  Young is
>indeed playing well, and there are those that think highly of
>Bono--certainly Bono looked good last year.
>
>But, one QB's not enough.  Sometimes, 2 QBs isn't enough.  The
>season is long, and for a team going to the playoffs longer yet.
>Suppose Young or Bono gets hurt.  The 49ers have to either bring
>in another QB (as a Packer fan, my prediction is Blair Kiel or
>Anthony Dilweg) or activate Montana.  

The 49er's still have Musgrave hanging around in some kind of status,
don't they?  In a real pinch, he'd be more likely to be called up
than Kiel or Dilweg, since he's been with the 49er's for several years.
As I remember it, he looks about as good as a quarterback in that position
could be expected to look.

>My bet is Montana never plays another regular season down, or that
>if he does, he's just a shadow of his former self.  

If I had to bet, I'd bet that way.  But I've never felt comfortable
betting against Montana.  It's worth remembering that he never was a
quarterback who relied on tremendous physical skills, so an injury
that somewhat diminishes them may cause him less harm than it would
to an athlete who did really largely on the physical, rather than the
mental.

I'd say this season is pretty clear.  Barring injury or some incredible
slump, Young is the starter for the year.  They might or might not
activate Montana to serve as backup, depending on his injury's progress.
It's next year that the hard decisions come.  I think Montana's statement
about wanting to play is directed towards next year.  Assuming he does
come back healthy, and shows no sign of his injury slowing him down,
what do the 49er's do, then?  Start him in place of one of the top rated
quarterbacks in the league?  Trade one of the best quarterbacks ever,
when he still seems to have some playing value?  (Bound to be an unpopular
decision with the fans, too.)  Try to convince Montana to wait around on
the bench, when clearly, if his time hasn't run out, it's running?  The
sentimental choice is hang on to Joe, no matter what, but the pragmatic
choice is hang on to Young.  Of course, if it turns out that Montana
clearly can't play any more, there's no hard decision, but what if it
looks like he can?

I'll bet Al Davis is really kicking himself up and down the aisles of
the Coliseum now for not trading for Young in the off-season.  What the
49er's wanted was hardly crippling, and, in retrospect, not even unreasonable.
Given his recent experience, you'd think Davis would be eager to grab
almost anything the 49er's left lying around unattended.

-- 
		Peter Reiher
		reiher@wells.cs.ucla.edu