Tickets Here . . . Get Your Niners’ Tickets HERE!

Okay Niners fans . . . I’ve got 2008 single game tickets for sale for a very good friend of mine that can’t use them this season . . . Gone, already from the season ticket package, are NE, Philadelphia & Seattle . . . but the other seven games remain available as I type this note:  Green Bay, San Diego, Arizona, Detroit, St. Louis, the Jets (with Brett Favre) & Washington . . . and they’re going on a “first requested, first served” basis . . .

Cost you ask?  Just FACE VALUE . . . two GREAT SEATS & a Parking Pass will cost just $225 per game . . . the tickets are priced at $98 each, the parking is worth $25+ . . . and “shipping and/or delivery” is included!

Now, that my Forty Niners friends, is what’s called a GREAT DEAL!  And, if you’re interested . . . email me ASAP at JayDub@ix.netcom.com and I’ll pass along the “sellers” information and your “secret password!”

– JayDub

Football Talent Runs in The Cross Family . . .

Like father, like son - football talent seems to run in the Cross family . . . Brendan Cross, the 6-2, 195-pound son of former Forty-Niners’ All-Pro offensive lineman Randy Cross (and his wife Patrice), has just accepted a football scholarship to Wake Forest . . . the highly recruited senior-to-be at Chattahoochee High School in Alpharetta, GA (a suburb of Atlanta), Brendan picked the Demon Deacons over Air Force, Vanderbilt, South Florida, Bowling Green and Ohio University, among other schools . . . The strong/quick quarterback runs a 4.6 40 and last year, as a junior, he passed for 1,043 yards and nine TDs, completing nearly 70 percent of his passes, while also rushing for 400 yards in helping his Cougar teammates reach the Class AAAA playoffs . . .

And the best part is, Randy heard about Brendan accepting the scholarship while working his national radio show, when the younger Cross’ HS coached called the show and asked Randy what he would say if Wake Forest offered and Brendan accepted . . . knowing that’s exactly what just happened a few minutes earlier . . . and when Randy realized what was happening, he was thrilled!

 

Congratulations to Brendan, Mom AND Dad . . .

 

– JayDub

The Honors Just Keep Coming for Fred Dean . . .

Monday, August 11th will be “Fred Dean Day” in Ruston, LA, in honor of the Hall of Famer AND former Forty-Niner All-Pro Defensive Lineman . . . The festivities will start at 6 PM, at the city’s Civic Center . . . and will be emceed by former All-Pro Quarterback Bert Jones (who, by the way, is a friend of mine from his LSU playing days, back when I  was the Tigers’ assisant sports information director in the early 1970’s) . . . Besides Jones and other dignitaries, coaches from Dean’s “past” will be on hand to honor Number 74, along with Ruston Mayor Dan Hollingsworth and Louisiana Lt. Governor Mitch Landrieu.

And, from all of us here at “Hooked on the Niners,” we again say:  “CONGRATULATIONS Ole Fred — you so deserve all these accolades that are finally coming your way!” 

– JayDub

Helmet Radios Not Just For QB’s Anymore . . .

Those of you that follow pro football closely may already know this, but for those “casual” fans — did you know that helmet radios are not just for quarterbacks anymore? 

I had my first NFL Instant Replay conference call this afternoon and among the few new rule changes (such as no “force out” rule any more), we discussed the fact that one primary player on the defensive side of the ball will be allowed to wear a radio speaker device in his helmet this year, just as the quarterback on the offensive side has done for the past several seasons.  Actually, a “primary” player AND a “back up” player will be fitted for the radios, but ONLY one of those “special helmets” will be allowed on the field at the one time . . . and which ever one it is, his helmet (just like the QB’s helmets with radios in them) will be marked with a sticker (probably a green dot sticker), signifying the special devise is “on board!”  That way, the defensive coaches can communicate with the defense, just as the offensive coaches have been able to do with the quarterback.  And just like the QB’s radio, the defensive player’s radio will “shut off” at 15 seconds or the snap, which comes first. 

Pretty cool stuff, huh?

– JayDub

Niners “Lose” Another Family Member . . .

The Niners lost another member of their family this month when Harry Roy Gilbert passed away July 14th, in San Francisco, at age 92 (actually, 92 1/2) . . . You may not know his name, but you’d certainly recognize his face if we showed you a photo . . . “Roy,” who worked for the 49ers in various positions for 32 seasons, joined the team way back in 1958 and didn’t retire until 1990, at age 76!  His favorite team assignment was the annual NFL draft when he’d work the phones back in New York — usually at the side of Norb Hecker and/or Paul Salata — but the reason his face would be familiar to so many football fans throughout the world, especially Niner fans, was his “work” as Bill Walsh’s ”Get Back Guy” on the sidelines of every 49ers’ game, both home AND away, in the late 1970’s & through most of the 80’s . . . As the team’s ”Get Back Guy,” Roy’s job was to keep the players and coaches IN the bench area and BACK from the playing field . . . find an old Niners video or even a snap shot showing the Niners’ sidelines or just about any team celebration following a victory — and sure enough you’ll see Roy proudly there, front and center!

Like others from the 49ers’ family that have gone before him (i.e. Norb and Bill), Roy Gilbert will be missed!

– JayDub

Trent Dilfer News & Rumors . . .

You’ve probably heard the news about recently retired Niners’ QB Trent Dilfer being added to ESPN’s staff as a studio analyst, right?  Well I think that’s great and I’m sure he’ll do an oustanding job at that!

But have you heard the news about him injuring his achilles?  That was THE rumor I heard while attending a fund-raising golf tournament, recently, in Hanford, CA . . . 

In real life (when not writing for this web site, appearing on the “Hooked on the Niners” TV Show or working one of my NFL assignments as an Instant Replay Communicator), I make a living helping organizations raise funds (i.e. I supply sports & entertainment memorabilia to charities as auction items for their fund-raising events) . . . and I was in the central valley recently working with the Joshua Barba Memorial Golf Tournament at King’s Country Club when I heard that rumor about Trent . . . seems he was injured playing hoops . . . so, GET WELL SOON Trent & Best Wishes on your new ESPN assignment!

– JayDub

KT is now a VP . . . with the Niners

Did you happen to see the note in the news recently that the SF 49ers have promoted Keena Turner to vice president of football affairs?

A link to the Niners glory days, KT is so deserving of this new post that I wonder why it hadn’t happend sooner . . . director of the team’s alumni coordinators until his recent promotion, Keena played linebacker for SF for 11 seasons (1980-1990) and has been part of the 49ers preseason television broadcast team for the past 13 seasons. 

In his new role, according to vice president of strategic planning Jed York, KT “will be in charge of all programs related to player well-being & success – including counseling, faith-based programs and player-development programs.”  He will also serve as an adviser to the coaching staff and head the club’s alumni program.

Drafted out of Purdue, Turner helped lead the 49ers to four Super Bowl wins as a player and since his retirement in 1990, has represented the team at public events and assisted in player development. 

This move may not draw much attention league-wide, but it may very well rank right up there as one of San Francisco’s BEST “off-season” moves in many years!

I for one applaud the Yorks for seeing his worth and the Niners for naming KT a VP . . . I also send along my best wishes to a great Forty-Niner!

– JayDub

No Huddle Politics for Sam Wyche?

Hey, did you see where former SF 49ers assistant coach Sam Wyche was successful in his move from the world of football to the world of politics?

Wyche, who coached quarterbacks under the late Bill Walsh for the Niners from 1979 through ‘82, captured the Republican nomination for a Pickens County (S.C.) council seat recently, defeating incumbent Ben Trotter. 

A former college football coaching success, Sam also did very well as an NFL head coach, including leading the Cincinnati Bengals to Super Bowl XXIII against San Francisco, following the 1988 Season, in Miami!  Can you believe that was 20 years ago?  Jeez!

Anyone, wouldn’t it be fun to see the looks on the faces of those other council members as Sam introduces his “No Huddle Politics” to what used to be loooooooooong, booooooring council meetings?

Way to go Sam, we wish you well . . . !!!!!

– JayDub

 

 

Dave Parks, College Hall of Famer . . .

Dave Parks, who played for the SF 49ers back in the 60’s (1964-67), is headed to the College Football Hall of Fame next year . . . There, he’ll join other recent (current decade) Niner selections:  Jerry Rice (Mississippi Valley State, inducted in 2006), Charle Young (USC, 2004), Ronnie Lott (USC, 2002), Brent Jones (Santa Clara, 2002) and Steve Young (BYU, 2001) . . . Parks, the first player chosen by SF (out of Texas Tech) in the 1964 draft, will be honored with other 2009 inductees at the National Football Foundation banquet in New York in December and then formally inducted in the Hall next summer in South Bend, IN.

– JayDub

John Paye Back Coaching Girls Hoops At Menlo School

After coaching girls basketball at Notre Dame-Belmont the past two years, former SF 49ers QB John Paye is back at his HS alma mater (Menlo School).  Back to where he coached the Knights to three state titles (1989 to 1991) in seven seasons in his previous tenure there.  He is a member of the Menlo School Sports Hall of Fame, the San Mateo County Sports Hall of Fame and the Stanford University Sports Hall of Fame. 

– JayDub