It's Best If 49ers Miss Out On Reggie Bush

By Tim Kawakami

Mercury News

Don't weep for the San Francisco 49ers now that they've nudged themselves behind several other teams in line to be granted NFL clemency by Reggie Bush.

Cry for the hype-meisters, if you want, because the Bush Bowl buildup for Sunday's finale against Houston has been nearly exterminated by the 49ers' surprise victory in St. Louis Rams over the weekend.

Pity the fans who dreamed of the 49ers landing Reggie Bush with the No. 1 draft pick, and who worry that the supersonic USC football tailback will launch the Texans to decency next season.

But trust me, the SF 49ers didn't need to deal with the Burning Bush Questions this spring:

.  Can a small running back save a bad football team without getting himself smashed up in the process?

My answer: It's difficult. My historical examples: Gale Sayers and Barry Sanders, twin jet-propelled Hall of Famers who dazzled the world but also won one playoff game between them.

.  Is it wise to dole out a combined $50 million in guaranteed money to Alex Smith and Bush while there are so many other weaknesses?

My answer: Probably not. Reggie Bush is going to be an instant star, but by the time Smith is any good, Bush will have a lot of mileage on his 200-pound body.

.  What would've happened if the 49ers got the top pick (or the No. 2 pick, should Matt Leinart end up No. 1) and if Mike Nolan and Scot McCloughan pushed for the smart thing by trading Bush's rights for a bunch of picks but John York and his minions got frantic to sell tickets and make themselves look good?

My answer: That could've gotten very ugly very quickly.

I can picture York eagerly naming a new Vice President for Reggie Administration, a VP for Reggie Ticket Sales, a VP for Reggie Publicity, a VP for Taking Credit for Reggie and a VP for Blaming Somebody Else If Reggie Gets Hurt Or Is Otherwise Not As Effective as Our Owner Was Told He'd Be.

And if Nolan and McCloughan convinced the York brigades that a trade had to be made, my goodness, those two hard-working guys would have to protect their backs every time Bush made so much as a two-second appearance on ``SportsCenter.''

Believe me, Nolan and McCloughan do not need the high-stakes scrutiny, even if it means dropping out of contention for the most exciting college player in 700 years.

The 49ers are better off now that they have only a marginal chance at earning the top pick (it would take a loss to Houston teamed with victories by every bad team, up to and including the Toronto Raptors, I believe).

Now, the 49ers have a shot at a rare and clear win-win-win scenario:

.  They played tough and unexpectedly snared a road victory against the god-awful St. Louis Rams on Saturday, which is good for their spirits and Smith's confidence and even better for Nolan's sanity.

.  They could finish 4-12 by crunching the Houston Texans football team on Sunday. That would send them into the off-season with a lot of work left, but with their most positive vibes in years.

The last time the 49ers won their last two regular-season games? That would be 1996, George Seifert's last season, when they finished 12-4 before losing to Green Bay in the second round of the NFC playoffs.

When's the last time they won their last two games, including playoffs? That'd be the 1994 team, whose final two games came in January 1995 -- victories over Dallas Cowboys in the NFC title game and San Diego in Super Bowl XXIX.

.  They can settle into draft position behind Houston , the New York Jets, Green Bay Packers and NFL Saints , and in the mix possibly with the Raiders and a few others.

There, the 49ers can comfortably select the best receiver, tackle or pass rusher left on the board, then keep choosing pass-catchers, pass rushers and offensive linemen until Paul Tagliabue turns out the lights at Draft Central.

The 2006 draft class is not spectacular, but it'll be OK if McCloughan and Nolan end up with a decent starting quarterback, two starting offensive linemen (Adam Snyder and David Baas), a starting tailback (Frank Gore) and acceptable backups (Derrick Johnson, Billy Bajema, Rasheed Marshall) from the 2005 draft.

Maybe the 2007 class will be better, and not as dependent on one player to sell the sizzle before there's a lot of substance in the franchise.

That might not sell tickets. That might not excite the VPs. But it's better for the 49ers, who ruined the Bush Bowl and should be very happy about it.

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