It's not really about the injury, it's about not being good at your job

 In re: sport and injuries

There is a school of thought that says you should not lose your position on the field if you lose time due to injury. I bring this up because Alex Smith has recently been replaced by Colin Kaepernick (sp?, and henceforth: CK) after the former went down with a concussion and the latter played well as his replacement.

Here's the thing: Alex Smith didn't lose his starting job because of his injury. He lost his starting job last year after the NFC Championship Game when he bounced one pass after another in the dirt against an eminently beatable Giants team. He couldn't drive the team to a first down or a score and added next to nothing to the pathetically anemic 49er offense. He only got another chance this year because Peyton F*cking Manning decided to sign with Denver. (Manning is one hit away from retirement so that was a bullet dodged.) Smith has been one hit away from the second string ever since CK started to get a handle on Harbaugh's system.

All this foaming at the mouth about what's 'right' or 'fair' misses the point. Harbaugh watched the NFC Championship Game and he knows as well as anyone that Smith won't take them to the promised land. It's possible that CK won't either, but why not give him a try? You already know what Smith is - or, more appropriately, isn't - capable of.

Special Bonus feedback: If you aren't watching NFL games with the sound off then you are missing out. They go more quickly and you can do your own analysis. Try it.