Last chance for Alex Smith

<p>SANTA CLARA</p><p>This is it for Alex Smith — put up or shut up, do or die. He knows the drill. He didn’t play last year after re-injuring his shoulder and having surgery, and even now people wonder if he can play a full season. And if he can play a full season, can he play well? </p><p>He probably could have gone to another team for more money than the 49ers are paying him. But he stayed at a reduced salary, stayed even though he is competing for the starting quarterback job with his friend Shaun Hill, stayed even though some 49er Faithful consider him a bad draft pick — No. 1 overall in 2005 — consider him a bust.</p><p>His staying has something to do with expectations unrealized, with completing a job, with facing up to the hard facts of life. These are old-fashioned reasons, maybe even corny reasons, but they are praiseworthy and they are real.</p><p>The Niners just finished their rookie camp and Smith and Hill participated to get in work, to learn the new offensive system, and mostly they attended to start the competition right now. Both need to put up or shut up.</p><p>Before Saturday’s practice, I sat in a room with Smith. He is relentlessly polite, thoughtful and intelligent, and he tried to explain where he’s been and where he needs to go.</p><p>His voice was louder than it has been. In the past he had a soft, conciliatory voice and maybe that was no good. Quarterbacks can’t be soft or conciliatory in their work. They are demanding. He started with a long opening statement that evolved into an unburdening, a purging.</p><p>“I think I’m in a very different place mentally than where I was even last year,” he said. “Obviously, when you’re hurt in back-to-back years, you’re kind of searching. Before this I worried about things that were out of my control and let them affect me, affect my mind, affect my attitude, which in turn affected my play and performance. And I came to the conclusion — this is honest, I’m not BSing — I’ll control what I can control, which is especially my attitude and state of mind and work ethic. And the rest I’m going to let run off me.</p><p>“I got married this offseason. I’m really stable outside of football. With all the media stuff and what I went through with (Mike) Nolan and my injuries, I’ve reached a point if I let any of that get to me or if I think about it or dwell on it or get that in my head, it ends up having a negative effect on me. I’m not going to dwell on what people think of me.”</p><p>Here are some excerpts from my conversation with Smith:</p><p>Did you dwell on what people thought of you?</p><p>“Oh, absolutely, being the No. 1 pick. When I went to college and was under the radar, no one knows who you are. It’s very different when you come in as a 20-year-old draft pick turning 21 and playing right away. It’s different when everyone’s looking at you for the answer. Everyone’s looking at you: ‘When is it going to happen?’</p><p>“Stressing about that doesn’t help you. It was something I thought about, absolutely. I’m more focused at this point. I know what I’m after. I know what it looks like.”</p><p>What does it look like?</p><p>“For me, it’s not blowing what this is out of proportion. It’s playing quarterback. I’m going to come out here every day and work my ass off. I’m going to bust my ass and I’m going to know this position better than anyone else. I’m not going to sit here and dwell on completion percentage and QB rating. I can tell you so much gets made out of freaking QB rating in this league. It’s in your head. Like that freaking matters in the big picture.</p><p>“I’m here to try and put this team in a position to win and be accountable to my teammates. I haven’t been accountable in two years now.”</p><p>You’ll notice the passion in Smith’s voice and the borderline swear words. He almost never talks like this on the record. His face was red as he spoke. He seemed on the point of leaping out of his chair.</p><p>What are you trying to accomplish in minicamp?</p><p>“We’re competing right now. Shaun and I are competing every day. It’s very clear there are no days off and we’re going to be competing until a decision is made. You better be ready to go. This is a big deal. It’s not something to be taken lightly.”</p><p>Is it a good feeling to be competing?</p><p>“It’s good. It’s not comfortable. Competing is hard. It’s not something easily done when you do it at this level. We really go after each other. You want to be better and you want to win the job, and we both want it. It’s hard. We’re pushing each other. We’re both going at it.”</p><p>How good can you be?</p><p>“I’m trying to raise the bar, trying to raise my own personal bar and at the same time trying to help the 49er team raise the bar. I know the player I want to become. It definitely is in my head. It’s a motivator. I know I can play in this league right now. I know I can be a great player.”</p><p>You used the word “great.” Is that where your horizon is?</p><p>“Yes. Yes. No question. I think without a doubt. It’s something I firmly believe. It’s just a matter of time. I’m going to make it happen.”</p><p>For a complete, unedited transcript of Smith’s remarks, go to the Cohn Zohn at http://blog.pressdemocrat.com/cohn. You can reach Staff Columnist Lowell Cohn at 521-5486 or lowell.cohn@pressdemocrat.com.</p>