"The saddest thing in life is wasted talent," From zero to hero in a season, just one day at a time...

"The saddest thing in life is wasted talent... and the choices that you make, will shape your life forever." --Bronx Tale

In life, there are pickers and there are choosers.. there are winners and there are losers, but until you respect others as you want to be respected, than your nothing short of worthless, while that talent that you may of once had, (or still have) will be lost in recent memory not as a "has been," but a never was... --Joe Macho (Macho12)

The 2011 NFL season has been nothing short of what MOST say to be a miracle for the San Francisco 49ers, or is it? Nobody, and I mean nobody would have ever thought the 49ers would be playing in the 2012 NFC Championship game as a number 2 seed with home field advantage. This is probably the reason for Jim Harbaugh's locker room quote of: "Whose got it better than us!? NOOOOBODDYY!!" Even with this being said, people are still writing off the young talented team from California as lucky. However, with the downward spiral of the San Francisco 49ers since... Steve Young? Jerry Rice? Joe Montana? The 49ers would be lucky to say they've been an average football team since there last Super Bowl win and appearance against the San Diego Chargers 49-26 on January 29, 1995. With that said, how is it that the 49ers have had opportunities like two 1st round draft picks in 3 out of the last 6 NFL drafts? That's almost un-heard of and outrageous! This is considering every team usually gets one 1st round draft pick in the 1st round. The 49ers have gotten six 1st round draft picks in only 3 NFL drafts which were 2006, 2007, and 2010. One of those draft picks was tight end Vernon Davis, who has not lived up to the hype since being drafted in 2006, until now. Just prior to that in the 2005 NFL Draft was history in the making when the 49ers had the 1st pick of the 1st round, and went with quarterback Alex Smith. The 3rd time in Franchise History the 49ers had the 1st pick of the 1st round. The other times were in 1953, drafting tight end Harry Babcock, and in 1964 drafting wide receiver Dave Parks.

Are the stallion draft picks by the San Francisco 49ers just not stallion enough? Or are these athletes just "wasted talent?" Here is a brief list of the 49ers 1st Round Draft Picks since #1 overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, Alex Smith:

• 2005: 1st Overall Pick, 1st Round, QB Alex Smith: UTAH
• 2006: 6th Overall Pick, 1st Round, TE Vernon Davis: MARYLAND
• 2006: 22nd Overall Pick, 1st Round, LB Manny Lawson: NC-STATE
• 2007: 11th Overall Pick, 1st Round, LB Patrick Willis: MISSISSIPPI
• 2007: 28th Overall Pick, 1st Round, OT Joe Staley: CENTRAL MICHIGAN
• 2008: 29th Overall Pick, 1st Round, DT Kentwan Balmer: NORTH CAROLINA
• 2009: 10th Overall Pick, 1st Round, WR Michael Crabtree: TEXAS TECH
• 2010: 11th Overall Pick, 1st Round, OT Anthony Davis: RUTGERS
• 2010: 17th Overall Pick, 1st Round, G Mike Iupati: IDAHO
• 2011: 7th Overall Pick, 1st Round, LB/DE Aldon Smith: MISSOURI

ALEX SMITH: One day at a time...

Quarterback Alex Smith has been booed, doubted, asked to leave, and just flat out told, "Alex, your not good enough and just can't get the job done." This has been Alexander Douglas Smith's story since he started his first game after being drafted in 2005. Alex is young, only 27 years old (born May 7, 1984) and had very high hopes to be an excellent athlete in the NFL. Alex was born in Seattle, but grew up in California where he started his Junior andSenior season at quarterback to lead his team to a 25-1 record including two San Diego CIF Section Championships. While at Helix he played with Reggie Bush, andthe Irony is that bothof them were finalists for the 2004 Heisman Trophy. 1st time ever a high school had 2 finalists at the same ceremony. Alex was also his senior class President of the school while graduating with a 4.4 GPA and finishing a semester early before heading to Utah to take on his next step up the football ladder. At Utah Alex was a premier player andsimply "tore it up," throwing for 5, 203 yards, 47 touchdowns, with 1,072 rushing yards, and 15 touchdowns in 3 seasons. However, 2, 952 of those passing yards, and32 thrown touchdowns, along with631 rushing yards, with10 rushing touchdowns were set in his LAST SEASON ALONE in 2004. Alex had already earned a Bachelor's Degree in economics (3.74 GPA) in two years while starting his Master's Degree before leaving early for the NFL Draft. Alex went on to the NFL combine before being drafted with a 4.7 40 yard dash time and a 32 inch-vertical leap. Aaron Rodgerswas arguably the best Quarterback in that draft but Coach Nolan didn't think his attitude would last with him. After being drafted to a HUGE 49.5 million dollar contract over 6 years (including 24 million guaranteed) it's safe to say he hasn't been worth a penny of that money. However, the stallion has ripped off the "wasted talent" sign on his back and led his team to the NFC Championship game in hopes to reach a first ever Super Bowl for this team since 1994. Alex has had the most successful season while playing all 16 games (2nd time in his career, fighting injuries, andbeing benched) with a QB Rating of 90.7 for the 2011 season. He also threw for a career high 3, 144 yards on 445 attempts and 17 touchdowns passes (2nd to him throwing 18 in 2009), and ran for a career high 179 yards and2 touchdowns. It's also safe to say Alex has had enough with people pointing the finger, andwith help from Head Coach Jim Harbaugh, Alex has had his most successful season in his 7 year career by a LONG SHOT!

VERNON DAVIS: Been SCREAMING for a chance to be a bigger contribution to the team, and is doing so...

Tight end Vernon Davis has been nothing but a freak since his entrance to the Draft in 2006. Vernon Leonard Davis was born on January 31, 1984 and went to Dunbar High School as one of the top high school football recruits in the country. Vernon was the #4 and #3 rated tight end in the country by Rivals.com and ESPN. Also, was the rated as the seventh best player in the country to recruit while being amazing at track and field as well. He was the Gatorade player of the year in the District of Columbia andwas a high school All-American getting chosen to play in the U.S. Army All-American game. Vernon went on to play at the University of Maryland where he saw an opportunity to play all 13 games as a freshman. His sophomore season he started on a consistent basis, and by his junior season he was an All-American being arguably the the best H-Back (tight end, fullback, receiver type) in college football. Vernon was also a FREAK in the weight room setting school strengthrecords at Marylandwith: a bench press (465 pounds), power-clean (355 pounds), index (797 pounds) andsquat (685 pounds). Vernon finished his career with1,371 yards on 83 receptions which ended up being 16.5 yards per catch. Vernon had the best average EVER than any first round tight end andmore yards than the other big name tight ends drafted in the first round. Vernon went into the combine a stud, and left the combine a stallioned freak! He was close to 6'4 at 254 pounds andran a 4.3 second forty, had a 42 inch vertical leap, and benched 225 lbs. 33 times. (knowing football the way I do, that's insane to accomplish as a human being) Vernon ended up being the 6th overall pick in the 2006 NFL draft as the top tight end prospect in the NFL Draft. Vernon ended up being an up and down player for having a not successful season, to a pretty good one, to being asked to leave the field during a game by Head Coach Mike SIngletary. His attitude began to be an issue in the 2008 season, but in 2009 turned everything aroundwithleading the NFL's tight ends with 13 touchdown receptions; which was tied for the MOST EVER by a tight end. In 2010 he continued his straight walk down the "right" road with a good attitude anda HUGE contract extension of $37 million with $23 million guaranteed. That deal made Vernon Davis the highest paid tight end in the league. While Vernon Davis had the sign "wasted talent" on his back as well, he ripped it off andsaid, "that's enough." He answered the call again this season with 792 yards and 6 touchdowns to help lead his team into the playoffs. Vernon also got into the record books again by having 180 yards receiving which was recorded the most by a tight endin the playoffs against the Saints. He also had 2 touchdowns with one of them being the game winner to lead the San Francisco 49ers to the NFC Championship game.

WASTED TALENT? OR ARE THEY JUST GETTING STARTED?

The NFC Championship game is on the line and how perfect of an opportunity for these two athletes to finally say, "Hey, were here to play, to win, and bring 49er Nation back to promise." Alex and Vernon will both have signs on there back on Sunday against the Giants, but this time it will say, "You better stop me," rather than the "I'm wasted talent." So now the question is: Will the New York Giants stop Alex Smith and Vernon Davis to move onto Super Bowl XLVI? Or are we going to have the 49ers Scream again, "WHO DAT! WHO DAT gonna beat the 49ers," to go on and win their second post-season game since...Forever.

PREDICTION: NFC and AFC Champions

Giants 17 vs. 49ERS 20

RAVENS 27 vs. Patriots 24

*THE SUPER "HARBAUGH" BOWL IS IN THE WORKS ON FEBRUARY 5, 2012*

Sometimes history is better than just another legacy. Terrible Tom Brady and Soft Eli Manning are going home to watch history in the making, as Jim and John Harbaugh enter the Super Bowl in the ALL TIME brother fight in World War XLVI. Let's get it on...