Dear 49ers Kids Club Member, Winter 2012 Thanks to all the Gold members and their families who came out to 49ers Headquarters on Sunday, December 2nd to watch the 49ers take on the St. Louis Rams! Although the game didn t turn out the way we wanted, it was still a lively atmosphere! Last month we had the honor of hosting nine year old Ty from Oklahoma and his family through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Ty toured headquarters and I met him and assisted with his first press conference as an honorary 49ers player for the weekend! For more on the visit, check out page 9. The regular season is nearing an end and we need every Kid and Crib Club members help in cheering the team onwards to victory to help secure a playoff bid and win the NFC West title for the second season in a row! It s a close race to the finish and every little bit of cheering and wearing your favorite 49ers gear helps. The 15% off discount code to Shop49ers.com is still available through the end of the season for all members. Simply use the code: Kids15 or Crib15 at checkout to get the exclusive club savings! Hope to see you at Candlestick on December 30 th! Sincerely, Sourdough Sam 49ers Kids Club
Gold members of the 49ers Kids Club were invited to Santa Clara on Sunday for a viewing party to watch the 49ers take on the St. Louis Rams. Members enjoyed brunch with their fellow Gold Kids Club members and their families and cheered on the 49ers during the private showing of the game. The morning included a hearty breakfast, a raffle to win merchandise, music, trivia, and visits from members of the Gold Rush. At halftime prizes like a signed Frank Gore football and game tickets to the 49ers vs. Miami Dolphins game were given out to the best dressed kid, as well as the best dressed parent. The café was packed with fans decked from head to toe in red and gold, including face paint, jerseys, striped socks, and giant gold nuggets as headwear. Several 49ers Crib Club members were also in attendance, adorned in their club bibs and beanies. One of the newest members left 49ers Headquarters with a mini Alex Smith signed helmet; a perfect sized item for the smallest of fans. Kids Club member Kyle explained his experience at the training facility, I won a flag in the raffle. The food was really good and I got my face painted with the 49ers logo. We met the cheerleaders and it was cool to see the inside of the 49ers building! Although the game didn t turn out the way the 49ers Faithful hoped, it was a great atmosphere filled with fans of all ages closely rooting for San Francisco each play. It was great watching the game and seeing the kids have fun. It s a really nice facility and has a wonderful atmosphere and the contagious spirit of 49ers football. To walk into the lobby and see the rich history behind the team was one of the highlights of our experience, noted Mullissa Willette, mother of Kids Club member Ezekiel. The 49ers Kids Club presented by See s Candies is the Official Fan Club for 49ers Faithful ages 3 to 14 and the 49ers Crib Club is for ages 3 and under. For more information, visit 49ers.com/KidsClub or 49ers.com/CribClub or: Facebook.com/49ersKidsClub
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. Facing one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in the history of the National Football League in the biggest start of his young career San Francisco s own second-year signal-caller threw more touchdowns and had a better passer rating than Tom Brady did on Sunday night. Colin Kaepernick s fifth-career start wasn t normal by any means it was spectacular and provided a much-needed 41-34 road win over the AFC s current No. 2 seed, the New England Patriots. We knew we were going to have to put up points, said Kaepernick after improving to 4-1 as a starter and helping San Francisco clinch a playoff berth in consecutive seasons. Tom Brady and that offense are very potent. They can put up a lot of points so we knew we were going to match that today. So just how impressive was Kaepernick against the Patriots at their home stadium? Just ask fellow 2011 draft class member, Aldon Smith, the NFL s sack leader, currently tied with J.J. Watt at 19.5 on the year. I ve told everybody from the beginning Kaepernick s good, said Smith on a night where he didn t sack Tom Brady, but did record his first-career interception against the future Hall of Famer, the second of the night on the Patriots well-known passer. In Smith s mind, Kaepernick s four-touchdown outing on a national stage proved just how impressive the 49ers young quarterback can be against top-notch opposition. Right tackle Anthony Davis searched for the right phrasing to describe the magnitude of Kaepernick s fifth career start. He summed it up as such: He just beat Brady in his house, Davis said, pausing afterwards to let those words stand. As much as the young quarterback excelled on Sunday, he wasn t alone. The win over New England was a team-effort, one that ensured Jim Harbaugh would become the third coach in team history to win 10-plus games in first two seasons joining George Seifert and Steve Mariucci. San Francisco s collective effort, four turnovers on defense, countless deep passing plays leading to points, hard runs from Frank Gore (83 yards on 21 carries) and a 62-yard kickoff return when the game was tied at 31 by LaMichael James all contributed to the win.
The 49ers got up on the Patriots early, 17-3 at half, and added to their lead with two more third-quarter touchdowns to push the advantage to 28 points. Even when New England responded with a flurry of second half yards and points, Kaepernick remained cool, calm and collected. The leadership in the face adversity truly impressed his teammates. He s a great player, said Delanie Walker, who caught Kaepernick s second touchdown of the game, a 34-yard go route where he was left wide open down the visitor s sideline. He rose to the occasion and played a great game. You really can t tell it s his second year with the way he s commanding the offense. I praise him for that. Kaepernick s running has set him apart from most NFL quarterbacks in the early stages of his career, but on Sunday, velocity and accuracy reigned supreme. The quarterback now has 100-plus quarterback ratings in three of his five starts, including Sunday s 107.7 rating against New England. It feels great to get this win, help us move forward towards where we want to be for the playoffs, Kaepernick said. Postseason football will be here soon, but for now, Kaepernick can take pride in performing well in difficult circumstances against last season s defending AFC champions. It's a big stage to come out here and play tonight, the young 49ers signal-caller said, but at the same time you have to approach it like it's any other game and try to get this win so we could get where we want to be for the playoffs. Every single game we play from here on out will feel like a playoff game, said linebacker NaVorro Bowman, who recorded his first-career forced fumble to go with a team-high 11 tackles. We re looking forward to Seattle. Seattle has score 50 points or more in back-to-back weeks and don t plan on giving up the NFC division title without a fight. The 49ers, meanwhile, feel good about getting back to the postseason. To them, it speaks volumes about the program under Harbaugh. It shows how much work we ve put in and what type of guys we have on this team, Bowman added. We have a huge goal and that s to win the Super Bowl. We ve got to keep going.
When Ty, from Quapaw, Oklahoma, stepped on 49ers Headquarters in November he had no idea what was awaiting him behind the football facility doors. Accompanied by his father, and siblings Justice and Austin, the 9-year old football player was welcomed with a reserved parking space next to the 49ers players cars. The first stop for the Make-A-Wish guest was the football operations area of the 49ers front office. Ty signed his own special contract for the weekend, including terms like cheering loudly at Sunday s game, and wearing red and gold gear proudly. Ty then posed for photos with his new personalized 49ers jersey and then made his way downstairs to a short press conference and autograph session for his adoring fans. Ty stood at the official podium and stage where coaches and players regularly address the local media during the season. Attendees included Sourdough Sam, members of the Gold Rush cheerleading squad and front office staff. Next up was a private viewing of practice, a meet and greet with the players, and a chance for Ty to snag some autographs from his favorite NFL players. A late lunch was served to the family in the team café, and included some of Ty s favorite delicacies: chicken nuggets and chocolate cake. While enjoying the meal, Ty and guests got to chat about the day s events thus far while some players and coaches stopped by to say hello and welcome the family. Saturday was a day for Ty and his family to explore San Francisco, as it was their first visit to the city. On Sunday, the bunch came to Candlestick Park for the showdown against the St. Louis Rams. Ty visited the Alumni Tailgate Party and watched warm-ups along the sidelines during pregame. Ty then took to the field with team captains of the 49ers and Rams, NFL officials, and 49ers Community Relations representatives to watch as the ceremonial coin was flipped for the game. After kickoff, the family was then escorted to their seats to watch the game. Although the game didn t end in a win for the 49ers, it marked the first tie in the NFL for the past four seasons, and for the 49ers, the first since 1974. As one 49ers staffer remarked, The game ended in a tie for Ty! It was truly a remarkable weekend for a special guest, his family, and all who had the honor of interacting with Ty.
Ty spends time with some of the 49ers, left, and participates in a special autograph signing after an afternoon practice, below. Ty was the featured speaker in his own press conference at the training facility after he signed his contract for the weekend, below. Ty then signed autographs for 49ers Gold Rush and his adoring fans, bottom right.
Hometown: Tulare, CA Favorite 49ers player: Frank Gore Favorite way to Play60: Volleyball, soccer, softball, and playing football with my brothers. Been a 49ers Kids Club member since: 2007 What was your initial reaction when your parent/ guardian said you were selected to be a 49ers Kickoff Kid for a home 49ers game? I was so excited; I could not believe I was going to be on the same field as all the 49ers players. I was jumping up and down! Did the 49ers win? We played the Arizona Cardinals and yes we won! What was the experience like? AWESOME! It was the best thing that has ever happened to me. How did the stadium and field look from standing on the sidelines? Amazing! Everything was so big. Were you nervous/excited/amped? I was so so excited. I was so happy I was chosen to be the Kickoff Kid; I was also nervously hoping I wouldn t fall on the field. Did you meet any special people on the sidelines? If so, tell us more! I didn t meet any of the players because they were busy preparing for the game, but I met some of the 49ers staff and they were so nice! I took a photo with Niner Noise, the 49ers drum corps. That was so much fun! What was your favorite part about being a Kickoff Kid? Experiencing the thrill of actually being on the field and stadium of the best team ever! What are you looking forward to most this season? Hopefully being the Kickoff Kid again or the Coin Toss Kid. Anything else to add? We d love to hear more! I will never forget my experience; the best part was standing next to all these tall famous football players (especially Frank Gore) when they were on the sideline during the National Anthem. I just stood there looking up at all of them thinking I am the luckiest girl alive. Running on the field to get the tee was incredible too. Thank you for a life time experience. The 49ers Kids Club randomly selects two Gold members for each home game to be Kickoff Kids. A Kickoff Kid receives two complimentary tickets to the 49ers game and gets to be on the field to remove the kicker s tee after a kickoff! To be eligible, upgrade HERE to a Gold membership today!
The second season of NFL Rush Zone: Season of the Guardians is airing this fall on Nickelodeon. The animated show, featuring the voices of current and former NFL players from all 32 teams across the league. The co-produced show with the NFL airs regularly on Friday at 6:00 PM PT on Nicktoons with re-airings on Saturday morning on the NFL Network. The second installment of the Nicktoons series based on NFLRUSH ZONE, the NFL s online world for kids follows Ishmael and friends from his youth tackle football league on a journey to protect the league s 32 teams and the world from a plotting master villain. Season two begins with Ish and his family relocating to Canton, Ohio, home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He quickly learns new foes, Wild Card and his wingman, Drop Kick, are targeting the NFL teams Megacores the essence of each team, its fans and its community and the Core itself in an attempt to destroy the league and ultimately the world. A 60-second trailer of NFL Rush Zone: Season of the Guardians is available at NFLRUSH.com and online episodes will be featured on nicktoons.com and NFLRUSH.com after each television debut.
49ERS LAUNCH FAREWELLCANDLESTICK.COM New Microsite Where Fans Can Vote On The Greatest Candlestick Moments In preparation for next year s farewell season at Candlestick Park, 49ers Faithful are encouraged to help commemorate what will be a momentous season by participating in the Farewell to Candlestick campaign. During the months of November and December, fans can visit FarewellCandlestick.com to review video highlights of 25 nominated moments. Fans will then vote by creating their own personal Top 10 list which they will then submit to the 49ers and share on Facebook and Twitter. Voting will end December 21st. These memorable moments will be recognized throughout the 2013 season on season tickets and celebrated through various ways leading up to and on game day. The San Francisco 49ers and Candlestick Park have shared one of the truly special relationships between a team and its stadium in sports history, said San Francisco 49ers CEO Jed York. As our final season at this storied venue fast approaches, we plan to celebrate the moments in Candlestick history that have carved out a special place in each of our hearts. We invite our Faithful Fans to help us select and commemorate those truly spectacular memories. Behind the Numbers: Candlestick has hosted the most playoff games in NFL history with 26. 19 of those games were wins, a total that ranks 2 nd in the NFL in that span behind the Pittsburgh Steelers (20). The 49ers have won 198 regular season games at Candlestick. The 198 wins are the eighth most home wins in the NFL since 1971, the year the 49ers moved to Candlestick Park. The 49ers have won 39 of 54 primetime games at Candlestick, including 34 Monday Night Football games. The 49ers are 23-11 on Monday Night Football. Please follow all the latest 49ers news at www.49ers.com, on Twitter @49ers, on Facebook and vote for your favorite Candlestick moments at Farewell- Candlestick.com.