Sports What Ifs.

[NyQuil]

This was closer than people think happened you see in 2005 Alex Smith was gonna be involved in a Eli Manning draft day trade where he was gonna get drafted number 1 by the 49ers but later on he was gonna be traded to either the Buccaneers or Browns for their 1st round picks in Braylon Edwards or Carnell “Cadillac” Williams.

That said the Buccaneers were more likely to pull off something like this. What if that Alex Smith really happened to Alex Smith in 05?

How would that change a team who had won a Super Bowl a few years before and still had a elite defense despite no John Lynch or Warren Sapp and still made it to the playoffs OTL in 2005 do with Alex Smith as the franchise signal caller? And what about the 49ers with Williams?

 

[FickleCrossroad]

Even co-opting the name Thunderbirds would be an improvement.

Thunderbirds is a name just begging to move to Oklahoma.

 

[Nivek]

And meanwhile, their division rival the Dolphins have turned Tunsil into the gift that keeps on giving of picks.

No one could foresaw BOB.

This was closer than people think happened you see in 2005 Alex Smith was gonna be involved in a Eli Manning draft day trade where he was gonna get drafted number 1 by the 49ers but later on he was gonna be traded to either the Buccaneers or Browns for their 1st round picks in Braylon Edwards or Carnell “Cadillac” Williams.

That said the Buccaneers were more likely to pull off something like this. What if that Alex Smith really happened to Alex Smith in 05?

How would that change a team who had won a Super Bowl a few years before and still had a elite defense despite no John Lynch or Warren Sapp and still made it to the playoffs OTL in 2005 do with Alex Smith as the franchise signal caller? And what about the 49ers with Williams?

Smith might get a better start, even when Jon bailout he might be more competitive since day one, meanwhile 49ers might have a shot for Matt Ryan far early now.

Thunderbirds is a name just begging to move to Oklahoma.

I liked Kraken was always the right name. we need supersonics again(who could have keep the supersonics in Seattle? Balmer? someone else?)

 

[Calcaterra]

This was closer than people think happened you see in 2005 Alex Smith was gonna be involved in a Eli Manning draft day trade where he was gonna get drafted number 1 by the 49ers but later on he was gonna be traded to either the Buccaneers or Browns for their 1st round picks in Braylon Edwards or Carnell “Cadillac” Williams.

That said the Buccaneers were more likely to pull off something like this. What if that Alex Smith really happened to Alex Smith in 05?

How would that change a team who had won a Super Bowl a few years before and still had a elite defense despite no John Lynch or Warren Sapp and still made it to the playoffs OTL in 2005 do with Alex Smith as the franchise signal caller? And what about the 49ers with Williams?

That’ll definitely be interesting. I can’t quite say whether or not they’d even get to the NFC Championship (if you remember, the team crashed in around 2007, meaning that when Smith was actually becoming better, the team would be getting worse). Gruden is a little overrated by his current salary, but he may be able to work some magic.

 

[NyQuil]

That’ll definitely be interesting. I can’t quite say whether or not they’d even get to the NFC Championship (if you remember, the team crashed in around 2007, meaning that when Smith was actually becoming better, the team would be getting worse). Gruden is a little overrated by his current salary, but he may be able to work some magic.

Maybe the 49ers end up with USC’s Matt Leinhart in the 06 Draft?

 

[AltSptHst]

This was closer than people think happened you see in 2005 Alex Smith was gonna be involved in a Eli Manning draft day trade where he was gonna get drafted number 1 by the 49ers but later on he was gonna be traded to either the Buccaneers or Browns for their 1st round picks in Braylon Edwards or Carnell “Cadillac” Williams.

That said the Buccaneers were more likely to pull off something like this. What if that Alex Smith really happened to Alex Smith in 05?

How would that change a team who had won a Super Bowl a few years before and still had a elite defense despite no John Lynch or Warren Sapp and still made it to the playoffs OTL in 2005 do with Alex Smith as the franchise signal caller? And what about the 49ers with Williams?

Walter Football talked back then about how Cleveland and Tampa Bay were high on Smith, so this makes sense.

Here, I will deal with the Cleveland side of things. Smith would have gone to a QB room that included Trent Dilfer (also, the Charlie Frye pick is butterflied away). That year, Trent started most of the games, but Frye started five. I guess that Smith starts those ones that Frye did (Browns went 6-10).

The next year, Trent Dilfer went to SF in OTL to mentor Smith, but in this world, he stays for one more year and probably gets most of the starts before they turn it over to Smith for good late in the year. They went 4-12 in OTL, but maybe they go 6-10 with Smith instead of Frye playing. They probably don't sign Derek Anderson that year with Smith and Dilfer there, either.

Then, in 07, the Browns are picking ninth instead of third, and I think they take Darrelle Revis (they took Eric Wright in Round 2 in OTL) in round 1 and WR Sidney Rice in Round 2. With Jamal Lewis, Sidney Rice, Jurevicius, and a more mobile QB in Alex Smith (along with Revis Island alongside the underrated Leigh Bodden at CB), I can see the Browns beating the Steelers en route to 12 wins and a North title before losing to the Colts in the playoffs. Whether that sets them up for long term success, however, is not too clear considering that these are the Browns.

 

[Calcaterra]

Maybe the 49ers end up with USC’s Matt Leinhart in the 06 Draft?

That will definitely allow them easier access to a better QB in the future...

 

[Nivek]

That will definitely allow them easier access to a better QB in the future...

Depends when they're drafting, they could take vince young and he could be mediocre enough move the timetable(kaepernic or dalton earlier?) or some other pick(cousins, Tannehill,etc). I still put call they might choose Matt Ryan in 07, or they would take Smoking Jay Cutler in 06, Or they took Leinart, saving card the bullet(and we taking smoking jay instead)

s, however, is not too clear considering that these are the Brow

This is pre Jimmy Haslam, might even butterfly him away, if anything smith guaranteed mediocrity, the 8-8 to 9-7 one and some playoff sneaks till alex call quits(or injure his leg...as OTL)

 

[PGSBHurricane]

I've always wondered what the college football landscape would look like today if the minimum attendance requirement to be 1-A during the 1978 1-A/1-AA split was 20,000 instead of 15,000? Probably a supersized FCS today but I'm not too sure.

 

[Nivek]

I've always wondered what the college football landscape would look like today if the minimum attendance requirement to be 1-A during the 1978 1-A/1-AA split was 20,000 instead of 15,000? Probably a supersized FCS today but I'm not too sure.

Depends, some FBS would build bigger stadium and build hype to remain in FBS, no one cares for FCS

 

[PGSBHurricane]

Depends, some FBS would build bigger stadium and build hype to remain in FBS, no one cares for FCS

I know the Mid-American Conference appealed the decision to drop the conference to FCS OTL as they were actively trying to meet the 15,000 minimum for the majority of the conference. I think they accept their fate if the capacity is 20,000. The Sun Belt probably doesn't form FBS football and may not even sponsor football. The American and Mountain West Conferences are probably junior partners to the P5 ITTL. CUSA is the real question mark.

 

[Unknown]

WI the University of Texas and Texas A & M, seeing the writing on the wall, decide to leave the Southwestern Conference after SMU gets the death penalty for the SEC?

 

[AnonymousSauce]

I know the Mid-American Conference appealed the decision to drop the conference to FCS OTL as they were actively trying to meet the 15,000 minimum for the majority of the conference. I think they accept their fate if the capacity is 20,000. The Sun Belt probably doesn't form FBS football and may not even sponsor football. The American and Mountain West Conferences are probably junior partners to the P5 ITTL. CUSA is the real question mark.

Conference USA might not even exist ITTL, you might have an entirely different denouement to the Metro Conference's existence or a continued Metro Conference with or without sponsored football

 

[TheMatthew25]

WI the University of Texas and Texas A & M, seeing the writing on the wall, decide to leave the Southwestern Conference after SMU gets the death penalty for the SEC?

Given that the SWC teams weren't happy being in the conference I can see that. Though Texas and Texas A&M would have a hard time joining the SEC? Correct me if I'm wrong in that. I been on and off on reading and researching about the Southwestern Conference and there a lot to unpack.

Conference USA might not even exist ITTL, you might have an entirely different denouement to the Metro Conference's existence or a continued Metro Conference with or without sponsored football

I agree. C-USA only formed due to the Metro and Great Midwest Conferences merge to form it. Let's say, if Texas and Texas A&M leave the SWC (due to SMU death penalty), they could convince the other schools in the Metro, or some like Cincinnati, Virginia Tech, and maybe South Carolina to help the Metro sponsor Division I-A Football. Metro was a Major conference in the NCAA so they should be able to join bowl games. Don't know which ones though.

Over time, they can get teams who, while part of other conferences, to join the Metro for Football.

I'm not very knowledgeable about college football or the NCAA (compared to the pro game), but that would make a good what if timeline. Though correct me if I miss something.

 

[Calcaterra]

Depends when they're drafting, they could take vince young and he could be mediocre enough move the timetable(kaepernic or dalton earlier?) or some other pick(cousins, Tannehill,etc). I still put call they might choose Matt Ryan in 07, or they would take Smoking Jay Cutler in 06, Or they took Leinart, saving card the bullet(and we taking smoking jay instead)

My point was that Leinart would be so bad as to secure them a great place to draft his successor. If they're smart, they go after Matt Ryan, as you've said. He could secure long-term success, particularly when the younger Harbaugh comes along.

 

[AnonymousSauce]

I agree. C-USA only formed due to the Metro and Great Midwest Conferences merge to form it. Let's say, if Texas and Texas A&M leave the SWC (due to SMU death penalty), they could convince the other schools in the Metro, or some like Cincinnati, Virginia Tech, and maybe South Carolina to help the Metro sponsor Division I-A Football. Metro was a Major conference in the NCAA so they should be able to join bowl games. Don't know which ones though.

Over time, they can get teams who, while part of other conferences, to join the Metro for Football.

I'm not very knowledgeable about college football or the NCAA (compared to the pro game), but that would make a good what if timeline. Though correct me if I miss something.

A Metro that sponsors football would in many ways fill the niche that the original Big East did IOTL, so I imagine that they would take the bowls that it was in IOTL.

 

[TheMatthew25]

A Metro that sponsors football would in many ways fill the niche that the original Big East did IOTL, so I imagine that they would take the bowls that it was in IOTL.

I actually love the idea of Metro sponsoring football more and more. Hm...

That actually gives me an idea for later.

 

[AltSptHst]

In 1990, the Cowboys wanted Baylor OLB/DE James Francis really bad, and were ready to move up for him:

They had a trade worked out with KC (the 21st and 26th pick were going to go to KC, and Dallas was going to get the 13th and 40th picks). However, the Bengals took Francis at 12, and that killed the deal.

If the Bengals took another edge rusher (like Lathon or Turnbull), Emmitt Smith probably falls past the 17th pick (the Steelers would have had it in this world since Dallas wouldn't have traded with them after trading up) because the Steelers took Tim Worley the year before.

Where would have Smith ended up? At 19, the Packers took Darrell Thompson, who was rated higher than Emmitt by a lot of people (I was looking at the Sporting News' draft ratings online back then, and they were comparing Thompson to Eric Dickerson). Then, after Atlanta probably takes Broussard, the Chiefs would have been picking at 21. They had Word & Okoye, and they probably take West Virginia WR Reggie Rembert.

The next three picks (Eagles, Rams, and Giants) remain the same. The Giants drafted a RB in Hampton, which is more their type. So, at the end of Round 1, Emmitt Smith is still on the board. And, that brings me to the big question: What if the 49ers took him?

 

[Nivek]

The next three picks (Eagles, Rams, and Giants) remain the same. The Giants drafted a RB in Hampton, which is more their type. So, at the end of Round 1, Emmitt Smith is still on the board. And, that brings me to the big question: What if the 49ers took him?

I think packers would take him, Darell thompson seems was always plan B, Cardinals as we drafted a RB that year too(could trade up and avoid the waste of picks 1991 was anyway)

 

[AltSptHst]

I think packers would take him, Darell thompson seems was always plan B, Cardinals as we drafted a RB that year too(could trade up and avoid the waste of picks 1991 was anyway)

I am looking at the April 16, 1990 edition of the Sporting News, and in their running back ratings for the draft, Thompson was second. Then, Emmitt Smith was rated third.

Thompson's strengths were that he has the talent of an Eric Dickerson, and the willingness to be a team player. So, it's possible that they still take him. Also, John Hadley (associate editor of The Sporting News) had Darrell Thompson rated as the best player in the draft (with Smith rated 17th).