49ers Box Office Bomb
(KPIX 5 COMMENTARY) – If this were a movie, the director would be yelling "that's a wrap on Kap!"
It would be a really bad "B" movie, too. You know, the ones with really bad actors and wannabe directors?
Colin Kaepernick's role as the lead actor ended with an afternoon news conference when his director, Jim Tomsula, pulled the curtain down on the "Kap show" by not publicly backing his quarterback for the first time this season.
A few hours later, a report from the Bay Area Sports Guy website broke the news that Blaine Gabbert was replacing Kaepernick as the starting quarterback. This is sort of like Anthony Perkins replacing Roddy McDowall on the small screen.
The 49ers sold the script so well to their fans at the beginning of the season. The hero, Tomsula, replacing the villain, Jim Harbaugh. Despite losing other box office draws in Justin Smith and Patrick Willis, the 49ers assured fans a can't miss blockbuster featuring "the screen pass," with new supporting actor Reggie Bush.
But after a successful sneak preview against Minnesota, the stage lights went dark. The offensive line was exposed as bunch of B-listers. The offense sank to dead last in the NFL, scoring just 13.6 points per game. The defense, which had lost Godzilla star Aldon Smith to the Raiders, couldn't rush the passer and couldn't stop the pass, giving up 26 points per game, ranking 30th in the NFL.
Vernon Davis was black-listed and shipped off to Denver. The coaching staff was panned by critics and the general manager accused of horribly bad casting for the film. Think Water World.
Nearing the end of the movie, we're left with Kaepernick, Kaepernicking on the bench. A seemingly sad ending to his San Francisco career just three years removed from the Super Bowl. Did NFL defenses catch up to him? Was he simply not a pocket quarterback? Did he lose the locker room? It's a real tear-jerker.
Will director Jim Tomsula survive? Will casting director Trent Baalke? There are so many questions that this film reeks of a sequel. Producer Jed York has no comment.
If you'll excuse me, I have to review another movie. "Bedtime for Bonzo" starts in five minutes.
See you at the Movies. Or not.
