Win Or Go Home / Klay Day
Today is as huge of a Bay Area sports day as I can remember. The two most recent sports days I can remember were Giants versus Dodgers game 5 and Super Bowl LIV 49ers versus Chiefs, and, obviously, each of these days left me weeping and depressed. Here’s hoping today turns out to be better. Here is a running diary of my day as a couch potato (and feel free to comment below)…
[01.09.22 || 1:27 pm] Niners kickoff knowing that Jimmy G is our starting QB. Interesting to see how much of a short leash he has today. The biggest loss of the day is easily Trent Williams being declared OUT. We gotta get off to a fast start. The defense has to set the tone! DE-FENSE!!!
[01.09.22 || 1:32 pm] Okay, not a good start. Two opportunities to get off the field and two huge 3rd down conversions by OBJ and Cooper Kupp. Definitely not a good sign. The defense needs to make a play and force a turnover. At the very least, force a stop and a FG attempt.
[01.09.22 || 1:36 pm] An underrated inactive for today’s game is the loss of K’Waun Williams. He is steady as a slot corner. Another huge 3rd down in the red zone… Rams timeout.
[01.09.22 || 1:38 pm] Huuuuuuuuuge sack on 3rd down! Rams FG is good. 3-0 Rams. Not the best start, but the defense bent but didn’t break. I’ll take it.
[01.09.22 || 1:32 pm] It will be interesting to see what kind of start Jimmy G has. My money is a lot of misdirection plays and getting some easy throws to build his confidence in his throwing thumb.
[01.09.22 || 1:43 pm] Huuuuge 3rd down conversion to Sherfield. By the way, Saints up 7-0 ugh. C’mon Falcons!
[01.09.22 || 1:44 pm] Big time hit on Deebo? It barely fazed him…smh. I can’t stand Joe Buck and Troy Aikman.
[01.09.22 || 1:48 pm] Niners fail to convert a 3rd down. Not the best punt and the Rams have decent field position. Update: Falcons get a FG. Saints lead now trimmed to 7-3.
[01.09.22 || 1:52 pm] Quick 1st quarter. 3-0 Rams.
[01.09.22 || 1:57 pm] The NFL is so soft now.
[01.09.22 || 2:00 pm] Rams going for it on 4th down. Rams timeout.
[01.09.22 || 2:02 pm] Dammit. Good call. Niners are in trouble. 10-0 Rams.
[01.09.22 || 2:03 pm] Silver lining. Saints miss a FG. Falcons ball.
[01.09.22 || 2:08 pm] NIGHTMARE BEGINNING. This is quickly getting depressing. Niners special teams not stepping up either.
[01.09.22 || 2:10 pm] Another small silver lining. Falcons add a FG and trim the Saints lead to 7-6.
[01.09.22 || 2:12 pm] … (17-0 Rams)
[01.09.22 || 2:18 pm] Get Jimmy G off the field. WTF?!
[01.09.22 || 2:26 pm] Falcons not helping at all. Sigh. 14-6 Saints. Niners season on the brink.
[01.09.22 || 2:28 pm] Huge sack by Bosa! Need any type of positive momentum at this point.
[01.09.22 || 2:36 pm] Needed that FG to end the first half. Mr. Swiss Army Knife, Juice, with the hold on the successful FG at the end of the half! 17-3 Rams.
[01.09.22 || 2:44 pm] Saints up 17-6. All I need is a miracle…
[01.09.22 || 2:52 pm] Huge 3rd down conversion because it is truly a win-or-go-home situation with the Saints up now 24-6. F’n Falcons are absolutely no help.
[01.09.22 || 2:54 pm] Touchdown DEEEEEEEEEEEEBOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! LET’S FUCKING GO!!!!! Rams lead trimmed to 17-10.
[01.09.22 || 2:59 pm] Need a turnover or a 3-and-out here Let’s go DEFENSE!!!!!!!
[01.09.22 || 3:01 pm] Pressure Stafford and he folds. HUGE 3-AND-OUT!!! Momentum is definitely on the Niners side. Let’s tie this thing up!
[01.09.22 || 3:06 pm] Deebo stays bullying the Rams. They can’t handle his physicality!
[01.09.22 || 3:09 pm] The Niners are dominating the line of scrimmage here in the 2nd half! HELL YEAH!!!
[01.09.22 || 3:11 pm] DEEBO CAN DO NO WRONG!!!!! Deebo TD pass to Jennings!!!! HOLY SHIT!!!!!! 17-17!!!
[01.09.22 || 3:15 pm] Stafford is SHOOKETH!!!
[01.09.22 || 3:17 pm] Stafford is SHOOKETH part 2!!!! Moseley with the pick!!!! LET’S FUCKING GOOOOOOOO!!!!
[01.09.22 || 3:20 pm] Mitchell has been running hard! Steal of the draft!
[01.09.22 || 3:21 pm] Huge drop by Aiyuk. Score tied at 17 after 3. 15 minutes left to keep the season alive! The defense needs to step up to make another huge play!
[01.09.22 || 3:28 pm] Huge 3rd down throw by Stafford to Jefferson. Definitely brings some momentum back on the Rams side.
[01.09.22 || 3:30 pm] The Niners d-line has been pressuring Stafford! …and down goes Stafford! Welcome back, All-Pro Fred!
[01.09.22 || 3:32 pm] Niners ball in the 4th with a chance to take the lead. The Niners need to keep dominating the line of scrimmage and finish this comeback off! No mistakes, pleaseeeeeeeeeee!
[01.09.22 || 3:35 pm] I love how physical Mitchell runs! He’s also so decisive and hits the right hole every time [pause].
[01.09.22 || 3:36 pm] By the way, Saints lead trimmed to 24-13.
[01.09.22 || 3:38 pm] Almost a disaster, but no… It’s more DEEEEEEEEEEEBO!!!!!
[01.09.22 || 3:40 pm] Huge 3rd down conversion by Aiyuk. Let’s punch this in the endzone!
[01.09.22 || 3:43 pm] Fucking Jimmy G. That should’ve been at least 3 points. Bad fucking decision.
[01.09.22 || 3:45 pm] The Niners are in this game DESPITE Jimmy G. Every fucking game he throws 3-4 balls that should be picked off, and that last throw happened to be one. Trey szn can’t come soon enough.
[01.09.22 || 3:48 pm] Fuck, that was a dime by Stafford to Kupp over Ward.
[01.09.22 || 3:50 pm] Niners making dumb penalties at the wrong time. Story of the season. The Niners need to hold them to a FG attempt.
[01.09.22 || 3:53 pm] Goddammit! 24-17 Rams. The Niners season is down to 2:29. Touchdown or go home.
[01.09.22 || 3:57 pm] That sack might mean season over.
[01.09.22 || 4:02 pm] There’s a glimmer of hope. No timeouts and need a touchdown.
[01.09.22 || 4:06 pm] Holy shit! What is happening?
[01.09.22 || 4:08 pm] HOLY SHIT!!!!!! WHAT DID I JUST WATCH??? JENNINGS TOUCHDOWNNNNNNNNNNN!!! 24-24!!!!
[01.09.22 || 4:10 pm] Okay, I lied. Niners can tie and make the playoffs. First things first, get the stop here.
[01.09.22 || 4:12 pm] HUGE SACK BY ARMSTEAD!!!
[01.09.22 || 4:13 pm] End of regulation 24-24. I’ll take a tie at this point. Playoffs by any means necessary!
[01.09.22 || 4:14 pm] Niners win the toss. Let’s get the touchdown and make the playoffs without any doubts.
[01.09.22 || 4:19 pm] Deebo is a man-child!
[01.09.22 || 4:21 pm] Jennings picked a helluva day to have his best game as a pro! FIRST DOWNNNNNN!!!!
[01.09.22 || 4:25 pm] You can’t stop Jennings, you can only hope to contain him!
[01.09.22 || 4:29 pm] Niners get stopped on 3rd down. Gould is clutch to give the Niners their first lead of the game 27-24!
[01.09.22 || 4:30 pm] One final stop for the postseason. DE-FENSE!!!!!!!!!!
[01.09.22 || 4:33 pm] 3RD DOWNNNNNNN
[01.09.22 || 4:34 pm] Mannnn… hella ticky-tack DPI.
[01.09.22 || 4:36 pm] 2 minute warning on OT. 27-24 Niners. Rams at their own 38. Anything but a touchdown, Niner defense!
[01.09.22 || 4:38 pm] Ambry Thomas CALLED GAME!!!!!!!! Niners going to the playoffs!!!!!!! FUCK YEAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!
[01.09.22 || 4:41 pm] What a game to start my running sports diary! Yes, we’re doing this again next week. NINERS VERSUS COWBOYS! RIVALRY RENEWED. HOLY SHIT!!!!
[01.09.22 || 4:42 pm] This team showed a ton of heart! Let’s fuck up the Cowboys next week!
[01.09.22 || 4:43 pm] …and yes, we’re only halfway through this running sports diary. Up next: KLAY DAY!!!!!
[01.09.22 || 4:56 pm] Postgame thoughts: After the Niners got down 17-0, that huge 3rd down sack by Bosa and Armstead turned the momentum. The Niners dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides. Mad props to the offensive line without their all-world LT Trent Williams was HUGE! The d-line DOMINATED after that key 3rd down stop. For all the shit I gave Jimmy G, he showed a ton of heart especially on that last drive with less than 2 minutes and no timeouts left. Deebo is an ABSOLUTE MONSTER!!! He left it all on the field today and was the best player on the field…EASILY. Jauan Jennings stepped up big time with the game of his life! Jennings had clutch grabs! The DB’s have gotten so much better! I’m so happy for Ambry Thomas as he looked shaky being forced into action with how depleted our defensive backfield looked early in the season. He has turned into a legit starting corner and came up with the biggest play of his young career.
I am so proud of this team. I wrote this team off when they lost to a Murray-less and Hopkins-less Cardinals team. They showed absolutely no heart up until that point. After that game, they started playing smash-mouth Niners football. They started bullying teams starting with the Monday Night home game against the Rams. It’s only fitting that it took another major win against the Rams at an unofficial home game that propelled them into the playoffs. Last MVP, the NINER FAITHFUL!!!! The Niner Faithful showed up big-time at SoFi Stadium. It was Candlestick South (and yes, I know that the Niners play at Levi’s). The Niner Faithful brought back the ghosts of the Niners past all the way back from Candlestick Park. Four more wins! Up next: the hated Cowboys! On to the next one…
[01.09.22 || 5:06 pm] Totally spent after that Niners game. Need to rehydrate for all of the emotions of Klay’s return. Stay tuned…
[01.09.22 || 5:19 pm] WELCOME BACK, KLAY THOMPSON!!!!!!
[01.09.22 || 5:38 pm] Getting all the feels with the pre-game introductions of one, Klay Thompson!
[01.09.22 || 5:43 pm] Klay is still a bucket. Nothing has changed!
[01.09.22 || 5:49 pm] Not surprised that Klay has some rust on him. Plus, he’s got a ton of adrenaline pumping! Pretty good first stint back.
[01.09.22 || 5:51 pm] Dubs still struggling from the 3-point line.
[01.09.22 || 5:56 pm] Steph is on fire! LOOK OUT!
[01.09.22 || 5:58 pm] Bob and Buike are still wet blankets. Man, I can’t stand our announcers. It’s amazing how the local Warriors announcing crew is the exact polar opposite of the local Giants crew. Can’t we just have Jon Miller, Dave Flemming, Kruk and Kuip call Warriors games?
[01.09.22 || 6:03 pm] Dubs still struggling on offense. No one hit a 3 other than Steph (4 for 5). Still glad their #1 defense keeps them in games when their shots aren’t falling.
[01.09.22 || 6:13 pm] GPII has been a godsend! He’s such a ballhawk and gets a handful of deflections each game.
[01.09.22 || 6:25 pm] Klay is back in the game!
[01.09.22 || 6:27 pm] KLAY WITH A POSTER!!!! HOLY SHIT!!!!
[01.09.22 || 6:29 pm] KLAY WITH HIS FIRST THREEEEEEE… SPLASH!!! Just like old times!
[01.09.22 || 6:32 pm] BS call on Klay to close the half! Dubs up 51-46.
[01.09.22 || 6:48 pm] Klay with the smooth jumper to open the 2nd half. Tough shot too. Vintage Klay.
[01.09.22 || 6:52 pm] Klay is heating up! Man… I’ve missed this!
[01.09.22 || 6:58 pm] Fantastic stint of minutes for Klay in the 3rd. I anticipate Klay isn’t coming back in until the final minutes of the 4th.
[01.09.22 || 7:10 pm] Dubs having a vintage 3rd quarter. Coincidence with Klay back??
[01.09.22 || 7:19 pm] Okay, I was wrong. Makes sense that Kerr would have him get 4th quarter minutes that aren’t in high leverage situations just yet.
[01.09.22 || 7:25 pm] Dubs relaxed and a 24 point lead got trimmed to 13. Close this one out!!
[01.09.22 || 7:27 pm] Now 10. Y’all better not blow a 24 point lead on Klay Thompson night. WTF?!
[01.09.22 || 7:32 pm] Kevon Looney non-Klay player of the game for the Dubs?
[01.09.22 || 7:34 pm] Klay with a HUGE 3! And almost hit another one… DAMN.
[01.09.22 || 7:36 pm] A huge “WE WANT KLAY!” chant at Chase Center. And I can’t agree more…
[01.09.22 || 7:40 pm] Looney with the block that leads to the Poole dagger layup. Huge night for Loons!
[01.09.22 || 7:41 pm] Win #30 comes on Klay Thompson night! Man, it was good to see Klay back on the court again.
[01.09.22 || 7:59 pm] Post Klay Day thoughts: obviously, no one is trying to compare Klay to the GOAT, Michael Jordan. But this performance reminded me of MJ’s comeback in 1995 after a 2-year layoff when he played baseball. Klay probably had so much adrenaline pumping in the first quarter. I mean who could blame him… he hadn’t played an NBA game in 941 days. It looked like he didn’t have his legs on several of his jumpers. His three-point shot looked pretty good, especially his vintage catch-and-shoot picture-perfect jumper. He looked better than I thought he would on defense. These next 3 months as he ramps up towards the playoffs will be getting Klay ready for playoff basketball.
Although we haven’t seen playoff basketball since the 2019 Finals, it was nice to rebuild this team with some young talent. It’s so crazy now that we have Jordan Poole as our 6th man. GPII is a spark off the bench on the defensive end and gets buckets in transition. Even his 3-point shot looks much improved. Looney has been a dog! Loons played great defense as usual, but what made today special was he got 18 boards against a tall and athletic team like the Cavs. He was definitely a difference-maker. The Warriors shot horribly, but because this team plays championship-caliber defense, they were still able to win by 14 points. It’s scary hours for the rest of the NBA if they can continue to get healthy. This team is definitely the deepest in the league. Welcome back, Klay Thompson!
