Ben Sobieski

Easy to Use as Google - Google-Ized Dashboards Changing the face of the living dashboard – Click here to find out how your organization can Google-Ize your dashboard. Success Story - San Francisco Forty Niners (49ers) - The San Francisco 49ers upgrade ...  

San Francisco 49ers Position BattlesSportsBlog.com (blog)Second-round pick RB LaMichael James is an explosive runner, though the Niners don't know his primary role yet. Kendall Hunter looks like the frontrunner once training camp opens. Brandon Jacobs makes most sense as a short-yardage and goal-line back.  

The San Francisco 49ers have been collecting talent through free agency and the draft in an attempt to plug in the final pieces to solidify a championship team. The 49ers are already loaded with talent, and in a shortened league year in 2011, they still proved they were worthy of the NFC title game. With any improvement, San Francisco will be fielding a Super Bowl-caliber team in 2012. But before any trophies can be handed out, the Niners...  

Amid the anger/frustration/resignation that San Franciscans might be feeling about the Niners leaving for Santa Clara, I offer one small bit of solace. “We are the San Francisco 49ers,” said team CEO Jed York, “and we will always be the San Francisco 49ers.” You hear that? It won’t be the Santa Clara 49ers or the San Francisco 49ers of Santa Clara. York’s assurance about the San Francisco name is not merely a semantic exercise. York knows...  

The 2002 Niners order of offensive firepower is Terrell Owens, Tai Streets, J.J. Stokes and Cedric Wilson for wide receiver; Garrison Hearst, Kevan Barlow and Jeff Garcia (bear with me; merely for his rushing statistics and comparison's sake) for running ...  

As we proceed with the offseason team activities (OTAs, otherwise known as “let the coach see that you’re in shape” time), it’s safe to say that the San Francisco 49ers are going to capture a lot of attention as a serious Super Bowl contender. Well, they should be. Among the six NFC playoff teams last year, no defense matched that of the Niners. And if the Niners were able to manufacture one ...  

May 17, 2012 - There's a period of time after the 2012 NFL Draft but before training camps open for ... we're going to have some in-depth analysis of the San Francisco 49ers roster and many of the position battles going on.  

Owusu comes to San Francisco as an undrafted free agent out of Stanford, where he played under 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh. Owusu is regarded as someone with a wealth of potential, and might have been drafted high in the draft, if not for some ...  

Arguably the strength of the San Francisco 49ers is their ferocious 3-4 linebacking corps, and at the nucleus, two All-Pros. The Niners have the best defense in football, largely because of the outstanding front seven. Behind the defensive line ...  

The 49ers entered the draft with just three outside linebackers on the ... drills on the first day of training camp last year and was lost for the season. San Francisco 49ers – NFL, get the latest news about the niners\' schedule, scores ...  

Interesting stats re: The 49ers, Raiders and SeahawksSanta Rosa Press DemocratLast season it was a fact of life that the Niners had a great defense and the Raiders had an atrocious one. The Niners ranked fourth in yards allowed and second in points allowed. Exemplary. The Raiders ranked 29 th in yards allowed and 29 th in points ...  

It's still early in the league year but there's one thing we know about the 49ers: they're going to have a competitive roster. San Francisco made it a point to address the offense this offseason, but by retaining last years defense and adding bits and pieces here and there, they look to be more competitive in 2012. One of the most appealing and exciting camp battles to look forward to is at the cornerback position. While Carlos...  

Now that things have slowed to a crawl in the NFL, the time has come to vote again on an all-time team for the San Francisco 49ers. This will be the third time we've voted on the team. Most positions will probably not see a ton of change, but as Niners Nation has grown in recent years it only seemed fair to give new folks a chance to vote. We voted once in 2008 and again in 2009. It's been three years so it's time once again. I thought we...  

it could even conjure memories of Young-Rice-Watters. All this puts plenty of pressure on Alex Smith. But if he’s able to make it all work, 2012 could be downright super. San Francisco 49ers – NFL, get the latest news about the niners ...  

Jim Harbaugh got the boys back together this past week ... San Francisco 49ers – NFL, get the latest news about the niners\' schedule, scores, results, roster, injuries, team and the new stadium at SFGate.com.  

As we continue with our season recap here at Niners Nation, we take a look at Week 2 where the San Francisco 49ers hosted the Dallas Cowboys. On Tuesday, I broke down the 49ers Week 1 contest against the Seahawks. Entering the second week, the 49ers were without wide receiver Michael Crabtree. Chilo Rachal, Moran Norris and Madieu Williams were still starting at the time as well. In the following piece, we will breakdown the game...  

The San Francisco 49ers released a list of 17 undrafted free agents they added after the draft, which means it is time to figure out our next great Player X Was Our Future. The 49ers roster is fairly loaded, leaving few spots open for undrafted free agents. The team added seven draft picks before the 17 UDFAs, and there arguments to be made that not all seven of the draft picks will make the roster. One player that some think has a better shot...  

The 49ers will have all but two starters returning from last year's near-Super Bowl squad, with wide receiver Josh Morgan and right guard Adam Snyder the lone significant defections. The additions of ex-Giant Mario Manningham and the unretired Randy Moss should offset Morgan's loss. leaving an interior lineman that can offer Snyder's versatility as the most prominent deficiency on the roster. Building some depth on the defensive line will also...  

We are officially into draft week as the 2012 NFL Draft is only a few days away. Starting Thursday evening, the San Francisco 49ers and the rest of the NFL will look to take one more step forward in preparation for the 2012 season. Some teams will be looking to re-build the core of their team, while others will often be adding more complementary players. While these players can be incredibly important over the course of a 16-game season, for...  

The San Francisco 49ers welcomed one of their free agent pickups to camp today as Randy Moss reported for duty. Although workouts began a couple weeks ago, the plan was always to have Moss report on April 30 while he wrapped up some personal stuff in West Virginia. When the 49ers added Moss to the roster last month, the idea was that he would help bring a vertical threat and some more speed to the offense. The 49ers have added...  

This week in 49ers media, Brandon Jacobs had some words to share about playing with San Francisco as the Niners workouts and football school is underway. Jacobs spoke with TV49 and Scott Kegley about how the workouts were going thus far and how ...  

SANTA CLARA -- Trent Baalke never felt pressured to load up on rookies or sacrifice depth to make one, splashy pick.With a talented roster expected to challenge for the Super Bowl, the San Francisco 49ers general manager instead built depth and created future flexibility on  

The San Francisco 49ers added seven players in the 2012 NFL Draft and have begun filling in their remaining available roster spots with undrafted free agents. Teams will cut down to 53 players by the end of training camp, but in the meantime they are allowed to carry 90 players into camp. Following their seven picks, the 49ers roster currently stands at 71 players. Much like the rest of the NFL, the team has quickly jumped into the undrafted...  

Niner NoiseSan Francisco 49ers: Crabtree's Final AuditionNiner NoiseThe Niners acquired wide receivers Randy Moss and Mario Manningham; they also drafted wide receiver AJ Jenkins in the first round and running back LaMichael James in the second round. All four players should boost an offense that struggled at times to ...Randy Moss Update: Former Patriot Receiver Showing 'No Rust'Pats PulpitShould we buy the offseason hype with Moss?National...  

No team surprised NFL fans more in terms of success during the 2011 season than the San Francisco 49ers . Despite having a new coach who had limited contact with his team due to the lockout, the 49ers—coming off a 6-10 record in 2010—had the potential to win more games and perhaps, the experts said, compete for the NFC West title. The fact that they came within a botched punt from making a Super ...  

The San Francisco 49ers are coming off an outstanding 2011 season, which saw them go 13-3. They came within a couple of botched punts of playing in the Super Bowl. As we now look towards the 2012 season, the 49ers will need continued improvement to meet their goal of the Super Bowl. Head coach Jim Harbaugh has sought competition at each position and has stocked his roster to a point where the competition for jobs will be intense. The schedule...  

The Niners are a team that favors the run first to set up the pass, and Jenkins seems to work well within that framework. That's why Greg Cosell of NFL.com really likes the pick of Illinois wide receiver A.J. Jenkins to match up with the type of ...  

In the 2012 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers drafted wide receiver A.J. Jenkins in the first round from the University of Illinois. There were strong indications that the Niners would select a receiver in round one but who it would be was a ...  

A.J. Jenkins: San Francisco won't give him more than he can ... At this point, my projections at receiver for the final roster read: Moss, Crabtree, Manningham, Williams, Ginn Jr., Jenkins and Owusu. It's going to be extremely competitive ...  

The 49ers will have twelve players competing for a roster spot. This was exactly what Trent Baalke envisioned after the 49ers fell in the NFC Championship game against the Giants. That game was infamous for a lot of reasons and one of them was the lack of ...  

The San Francisco 49ers have made huge strides this offseason to make their Super Bowl chances much better. The 2012 NFL draft was just another piece of the puzzle for San Francisco to improve. The draft can sometimes be even bigger than free agency, and luckily for the 49ers, the team already had a stacked roster going into the draft. San Francisco made some surprising picks, and these three players can make immediate impacts in 2012. Many of...  

The San Francisco 49ers  surprised many in the two players they took in the first two days of the 2012 NFL draft. To wit:  here’s Mel Kiper ’s reaction to the Niners first-round selection. That's the thing about mock drafts: Everyone’s an expert and they are all right because nothing has been proven on the field. Therefore they're all meaningless. Trent Baalke , the general manager of the 49ers ...  

"I really think now things have stabilized," said John McVay, who helped shape the 49ers' roster during their storied run to five Super Bowl titles. What do Baalke and Harbaugh have in store for their encore in the draft room? The answer: Optimism ...  

CFN Analysis: How’s that Michael Crabtree pick working out? The former sure-thing star prospect has been okay, not great, and the Niners need more firepower. There were inklings that Jenkins was rising up draft boards in a hurry, and now Alex Smith has ...  

The San Francisco 49ers were one of the most surprising teams in the NFL last season, coming a few bad bounces away from going to the Super Bowl. In 2012, the 49ers won't be sneaking up on anybody like they did in 2011. Teams around the NFL know what the ...  

49ers coach Jim Harbaugh engineered a prolific turnaround during his first year on the job. He took a 6-10 team and turned it into a 13-game winner, stopped short of Super Bowl XLVI only by three points in the NFC Championship game. After one year under Harbaugh, the Niners have gone from a team with…  

The San Francisco 49ers have filled out a lot of their pressing needs in free agency and have a pretty full complement of players. If there's anything that needs to be upgraded, the Niners could possibly use an offensive line talent on the ...  

The San Francisco 49ers shocked everyone by selecting Illinois wide receiver A.J. Jenkins with the 30th overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. If this selection is any indication of things to come, it will be impossible to predict what the Niners will do on Day 2.However, there are still some glaring needs that the team must shore up. There are also luxury selections that a team of the 49ers' caliber can afford to make.Let's explore the team's...  

Apr 26, 2012 - With the 30th pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers have selected A.J. Jenkins, a wide receiver from the Illinois Fighting Illini. The Niners were definitely in need of a wide receiver and it is unclear just how ...  

Wes Bunting of the National Football Post releases his latest NFL mock draft, and the Niners do take a receiver with their first round pick, one Stephen Hill of Georgia Tech. Bunting explains his reasoning. Hill is going to need to become a more ...  

After a season of nearly making it to the Superbowl, the Niners have very few needs. Right guard is one of them, and Kevin Zeiter and Amini Silotulu would be in consideration at this pick. I'm not too big on Zeiter, although he might be the most ...  

The San Francisco 49ers have a serious training camp battle brewing at the wide receiver position. Moss showed up for the team's first on-field coaching sessions and was blown away by the speed and intensity of the pace set by head coach Jim Harbaugh.  

San Francisco ChronicleCall it 49ers' Graduation-GateSanta Rosa Press DemocratHe is participating in the Niners rookie camp, instead. It was surprising to see him here Thursday and Friday after he had told the media on Draft Day how much graduation means to him. When Friday practice ended, coach Jim Harbaugh walked off the field ...Niners get six draft picks under contractNBCSports.com1st Round Pick A.J. Jenkins Out Of Shape, According To...  

SB Nation2012 NFL Draft Results: A Look At Where All 49ers Draftees Fit In San ...SB NationBy James Brady - Editor We take a quick look at the San Francisco 49ers' 2012 NFL Draft haul and project what they're likely to do and who's in danger of losing their job because of 'em. For more on their picks, check out our stream from the draft, ...2012 NFL Draft: 49ers Upgrade Offense With First Three SelectionsNiners NationSan Francisco 49ers 2012...  

Niner NoiseSan Francisco 49ers: My Favorite Game From the 2011 SeasonNiner NoiseWe had two teams that had not been contenders for many years and now all of a sudden the Lions were 5-0 and the Niners were 4-1. The game had so much appeal that it became the nationally televised game on FOX in the mourning time slot.  

“I think he slid a little bit (due to injury).” Looney played against Stanford, in 2009 and ’10, when Jim Harbaugh was the Cardinal coach. San Francisco 49ers – NFL, get the latest news about the niners\' schedule, scores ...  

Chris Owusu might have found some rosters that would be easier for an undrafted rookie free agent to crack, but he chose to sign with the San Francisco 49ers. Owusu has a relationship with coach Jim Harbaugh from his time at Stanford and believes he will ...  

The newest 49ers: Wake Forest guard Joe Looney (fourth round), Notre Dame outside linebacker ... a position where the 49ers successfully gambled last season by keeping only a trio: Ahmad Brooks, Aldon Smith and Parys Haralson.  

When the San Francisco 49ers signed veteran Randy Moss to a one-year deal, there were questions as to whether or not the 49ers are taking a huge risk. Are they getting the Moss that fizzled out in Oakland or the Moss that set records in New England?  

The San Francisco 49ers won't look the same in 2012. After years of handing the rock to Frank Gore-- and, often, only Frank Gore -- they now house a versatile stable of backs. Comcast SportsNet Bay Area charted every play from last season to ...  

According to a www.49ers.com report, the world famous San Francisco 49ers cheerleaders will be holding auditions for the 2012 roster on March 27 at Stanford University's Maple Pavillion. "Join the world famous San Francisco 49ers Cheerleaders and have the opportunity of a...  

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) The San Francisco 49ers have selected Notre Dame outside linebacker Darius Fleming in the fifth round of the NFL draft. He will likely land primarily in a special teams role if he hopes to make the final roster.  

Alex Smith gets defensive when he's asked about his meager passing numbers. And when Alex Smith gets defensive, he apparently likes to take unsolicited shots at other quarterbacks who went with the No. 1 pick. This week, the San Francisco 49ers QB was asked about his passing yards, which averaged under 200 yards during the Niners run to the NFC championship game. "I could absolutely care less on yards per game," Smith  told reporters...  

USA TODAYThe Reasons Smith Can Improve in 2012NBC Bay AreaIf 2011 was Offense 101 for Smith and the Niners, expect 2012 to be an upper-division course. Expect to see more diversification. For the first time in his seven-year NFL career, Smith will have both his head coach and offensive coordinator back for a ...Reports: Alex Smith re-ups with San Francisco 49ersSportingNews.comAlex Smith appears to be 49ers' guyChicago Sun-TimesTim Tebow Trade...  

Vote For MeESPNThe Niners went sort of sneakily all-in with the acquisitions of wide receivers Randy Moss and Mario Manningham, and letting QB "one-play-away" Alex Smith go talk with Miami, all in the hopes of getting Peyton Manning. The Denver Broncos, of course, ...and more »  

The Star-Ledger - NJ.comMario looking to be a "game changer" in SFESPN (blog)Manningham said he was close to signing with the Rams prior to joining the Niners. He visited with both teams and chose San Francisco. The Giants were not going to spend a lot to keep Manningham with Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz higher on the depth ...San Francisco 49ers Addressing Their Needs: Fan's TakeYahoo! SportsManningham: Possibility of playing with Peyton wasn...  

While it would be a gigantic stretch to compare them with the Packers, dare we say the Niners all of the sudden have an embarrassment of riches on offense?  

Deuce Lutui took hold of the starting right guard job for the Arizona Cardinals in his rookie year of 2006, but...