Sounding Off 2007: Part 2

San Francisco 49ers

Drafting Patrick Willis and Joe Staley: One is the leader of the NFL in tackles and is a defensive workhorse every single game. The other won a starting job and ousted Kwame Harris from his and is one of the lone bright spots on the offensive line. If there was a draft do-over, I'd take these same two guys.

The "sexy" pick: After witnessing a two game surge, including a win over the Broncos to knock them out of the playoffs, to bring the 49ers' record to 7-9, many sportswriters chose the Niners as the playoff darkhorse. It was logical to think that way: Alex Smith's improvement, the wide array of offensive weapons, including new players such as Ashley Lelie and Darrell Jackson, and a strengthened defense with Nate Clements. Hell, one writer had the 49ers going to the SuperBowl.

Alex Smith: Two ugly wins, a separated shoulder, and a well-chronicled clash with Mike Nolan. 2007 was not good to Smith.

Mike Nolan: The hiring of Jim Hostler, questionable in-game decisions, and constant criticizing by the media. 2007 was not good to Nolan, either.

The emergence of Shaun Hill: For two and a half games, Niners fans saw a glimmer of what might have been. Hill, the third-string QB with not one pass in the NFL, led the team to a brief two-game winning streak. He connected with his receivers (even Darrell Jackson), showed great poise, field vision, and mobility out of the pocket (even against Tampa Bay), and threw passes reminiscent of the glory days of the West Coast offense. Though two games is in unbelievably small sample size, Nolan has already stated that Hill is a candidate for the starting spot next season.

San Jose Sharks

Failure to make it past the 2nd round. Again: After beating the Nashville Predators 4-1, the Sharks went on to face the Detroit Red Wings, one of the few teams with the ability to outplay the Sharks consistently. The Sharks took a 2-1 lead, only to allow a gametying goal in Game 4 and then lose in overtime. The Sharks dropped the next two in a row, falling out of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Sharks win the 2008 Stanley Cup: Joe Thornton also wins the Conn Smith Trophy. Wait, what? This is only a simulation? Somebody obviously forgot to tell Los Tiburones in the beginning of the season, when they mailed it in almost every other game.

One number one: The Sharks traded Vesa Toskala and Mark Bell to the Toronto Maple for a 1st, 2nd, and 4th round draft picks, which eventually netted them Logan Couture, and 18 year old center.

Schizophrenia: Home- 6-9-3. Road- 16-3-2. 'Nuff said.