Balmer felt he deserved a bigger role last season.
by cashless on Aug 17, 2010 10:10 PM PDT
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PrintLiving between Sacramento and San Francisco, I've seen different angles while watching the Kentwan Balmer situation unfold. A couple weeks ago I was listening to the radio, and heard a Balmer interview about his role last season. He was asked if he thought he should have played more, and he seemed pretty frustrated as he answered the question, but his answer was that he was definitely ready, and to look at the tape of him in preseason, it speaks for itself.
As his motivations have been questioned on both sides of the trade, I've been wanting to bring this up, but could not find anything about it in the explosion of news following his absence, and then trade to the Seahawks. Well, I finally found it.
But he said he is ready to make an impact. In fact, Balmer indicated that he has been ready for a while.
Asked if he was ready for a bigger role before getting hurt last season, Balmer smiled wide and began to stall. He asked to hear the question again and again, then pleaded with teammate Ricky Jean Francois to help him craft a diplomatic response.
Balmer would start to answer, then change his mind and start over. "You can't ask me stuff like that. My blood pressure goes up," he cracked.
Finally, he offered this:
"Honestly. Honestly. I have to be truthful. I just felt like "... God! I felt like I was ready. I mean, I felt like I had a good preseason. But it isn't up to me who gets an opportunity, you know what I'm saying? I felt like I was ready, but obviously that wasn't the case. You turn on the preseason film, and you make your own judgment."
This seems to be just about the exact quote I heard, but there was obvious frustration in his voice, and without calling out his coaches by name, he pretty much still called them out.
Now, the whole NCAA investigation thing looks like a mess, and the Ellison vicodin investigation also looks like a mess, but his actual beef with SF seems to be their keeping him off the field, when he felt he had worked hard enough and was ready to play. I have no insight on whether he was polished enough to play, just this on his attitude about the whole thing.
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If the guy wants to play
then it’s all good with me. He just has to earn his reps.
Field Gulls: my anti-PFT.
It appears that he thought he was ready, and Singletary (and coaches) thought he didn't.
And something in the communication broke down. I think that Balmer has a lot of fault, if he had expectations than he probably should have been in the coaches ears. It’s possible that the communication of the coaches with him was not good, or simply that he needed more than the average person. No idea whether the Seahawks style will be clearer to Balmer, or whether he’s just difficult. I do think it’s worth the risk.
He didn't want to play with the 49ers
Went home and pouted.
Logic merely enables one to be wrong with authority
Interesting stuff!
I like that he’s hungry, I just hope that he’s patient and realizes that coming in so late that he’s gonna have to just try and contribute where he can this year, and lay a foundation to come in and compete for a starting job next year.
by Mind of no mind on Aug 18, 2010 1:17 AM PDT reply actions
I'm glad that he's hungry. But he couldn't push for a bigger role...
…at the 49ers’ weakest position. Just odd, I guess.
And then God created Saturn... and he liked it, so he put a ring on it.
Twitter me and what not.
That literally doesn't change anything about my post.
Other than that I meant to type “I was”
And then God created Saturn... and he liked it, so he put a ring on it.
Twitter me and what not.
Indeed it doesn't
and the whole thing probably says more about the accuracy of Balmer’s self-evaluation than it does about the SF coaching staff. Personally, I think a sixth-rounder was a fair price for Balmer, which should tell you how low I think the odds are that he contributes anything meaningful here either; but hey, every once in a while, a guy like this grows up and puts it all together, so it’s worth the shot.
by The Ancient Mariner on Aug 18, 2010 6:47 AM PDT up reply actions
It's definitely possible.
He was a serious reach where he was picked, but he was still top-end of the draft-worthy. You’re looking at 50/50 right now. (my behind hurts something fierce from having to pull that figure from it)
And then God created Saturn... and he liked it, so he put a ring on it.
Twitter me and what not.
I can feel the pain.
Lo-Jack was not as good of a prospect physically, not even close, and yet we still are feeling the pain from the trade today, knowing that in the Lions system he’ll probably have a decent chance of reaching his potential in 3 years.
Why 3 years?
Both of these guys need to decide to play every down in practice and the game. Neither will succeed until that happens.
Maybe because that will be his age 27 season?
Just guessing here.
Bird Law in this country isn't governed by reason.
by Tyler Jorgensen on Aug 20, 2010 9:54 AM PDT up reply actions
It's not like that decision is going to suddenly make him a skilled and polished player.
That’s the first step. Then those reps will start making an impact on his abilities, and he’ll start improving. He needs some improvement, not just in ethic, but ability.
I think I'm agreeing with you
but all the ability in the world won’t matter if they don’t decide to play every down. Neither are probably true first round talent, but they have talent that they just aren’t taking advantage of.
You're more optimistic than I am
I’m not sure I’d even give us 40/60; but hey, it’s a sixth-round pick. Our sixth-rounder this year was Anthony McCoy — as John said, the TE version of Balmer. Sooo . . . same diff, really.
by The Ancient Mariner on Aug 19, 2010 9:07 AM PDT up reply actions
Well, that small typo was enough for me to bring that point up.
I think you should realize that we are hoping he figures it out in the next 2-3 years, not instantly. His first two years with the 49ers could have been his junior and senior year in college physically and mentally, so he still has growth years left.
well this could mean one of two things
Either the coaches didn’t like Balmer personally or they felt he wasn’t good enough for a bigger role.
But if you never play the guy, he’ll never get the chance to show he’s good enough to play more.
He wasn't good enough
He was behind Issac Sopoaga, Ray McDonald, and eventually RJF (Ricky Jean was a 7th round pick and passed him this offseasn I believe).
He just wasn’t better than any of those players.
What we've got here is a failure to communicate.
"I'm just like you, but 10 times better"
by SportsChicken on Aug 18, 2010 12:24 PM PDT up reply actions
Hopefully he hasn't finished learning how to play football.
Cause then it’ll suck to have such a crappy player on the team, while the rest are working on becoming better football players.
A little perspective from the 49ers viewpoint ...
1. I can assure you that coaches’ likes or dislikes had NOTHING to do with it — both Singletary and Manusky (DC) only care about RESULTS. There are other players on the team who are tough to live with but produce; they’re still on the squad.
2. Balmer was a first round draft choice who, after two full years (season and off-season program) could never work his way up beyond the third team; there are even free agents on the team who play MUCH better. So, if he thought that he was really ready, why didn’t he move up. Simple, he didn’t produce! He WAS given opportunities but never did a thing — in 2+ years he had maybe <20 tackles and zero sacks. The 49ers signed a free agent last week to replace Balmer; in his first pre-season game he had a sack (on his first play) and 3 tackles. He probably won’t make the squad, but he has already been more productive than Balmer. B stands for Balmer and Bust!
3. Obviously Balmer should have never been drafted by the first place. We can thank Scot McCloughan for that one.
by 49erFanSince1950 on Aug 19, 2010 5:55 PM PDT up reply actions
How convenient.
The two bad things are no longer on your team!
hmmm, well hopefully it was worth the chance
Maybe he’ll get his butt in gear now.
by B.B.Finnegan on Aug 20, 2010 10:32 AM PDT up reply actions
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