Franchise QBs

Sitting in Candlestick Park Friday night, I noticed that the San Francisco 49ers are honoring their past. Always a great thing in my opinion. Around the rim of the stadium were the names of some of the 49ers' greats. One big one was missing. I could find Y.A Tittle, John Brodie, Joe Montana and Steve Young. Three of those four are honored in Canton. One came before them all and should be listed at the top of the stadium next to the rest. I was once at Candlestick in the mid '90s for a 49ers game against the Dallas Cowboys. It was a nice time for that terrific rivalry. I was well fueled and feeling a little punchy so I decided to take an informal poll. I started asking any who would listen. "Who was the greatest left-handed quarterback in 49ers history?" I knew that everyone would say Young but I was looking for another. I finally found my answer from a couple of older 49ers fans. Frankie Albert. After starring at Stanford, Frankie Albert was the first quarterback to lead the 49ers. Coached the team too. He was terrific. He was a magician with the football. Perhaps the best play action quarterback of all time. He led the 49ers to contention as the All America Football Conference closed. Largely due to the leadership and play of Albert, the 49ers were competitive enough and strong enough to join the NFL. To be honest, Steve Young was better but Albert really was great. My father regularly brought his fond memories of those early 49ers days to life for me. The absence of Albert from the top of Candlestick is an absolute mystery. He should be honored soon.

Every team is looking for that franchise quarterback. I hope, and all Vikings fans hope, that Christian Ponder is that type of quarterback. It's pretty much mandatory that a team has one if they are to have any hope in today's NFL. Ponder has the tools. Too often it's proven that it takes more than having the tools to be great at playing quarterback in the NFL. It takes having something that is so hard to find. The San Francisco 49ers have had little trouble finding it for most of the history. They are either exceptionally good at finding it or exceptionally lucky. A few frantic years in the '70s and about all of the last decade are the only times in which they have been missing that special football player under center. From Frankie Albert to Y.A. Tittle to John Brodie to Joe Montana to Steve Young, the 49ers experienced nearly 40 years of seamless quarterbacking excellence. A run never seen by any other team. Just incredible. I hope that Christian Ponder is the start of a similar run for the Minnesota Vikings. That would be pretty sweet.