Saturday, February 25, 2006

Nolan: 'It's like winning the lottery'


SAN FRANCISCO -- It won't show up in the standings, but give the 49ers a "victory."

By virtue of identical 4-12 records and the same opponents' winning percentage (.539), the Raiders and 49ers tied for sixth and seventh in draft order. The tie was broken Friday with the coin flip, as San Francisco vice president of player personnel Scot McCloughan won with a call of "tails."

"This is huge," said an ecstatic Mike Nolan. "I mean, we're going to fucking stink next year, but now we'll stink a bit less."

The 49ers drafted first overall in last year's draft and took quarterback Young Alex Smith.

"It puts us one slot ahead of where we might have been and we can take a player we have our eye on," McCloughan told ESPN's Len Pasquarelli.

The 49ers are eyeing Virginia tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Ohio State linebacker A.J. Hawk, and Maryland tight end Vernon Davis.

Added Nolan: "And that player has gotta be D'Brick. C'mon, his fucking name is D'Brickashaw! I'm not letting the front office fuck up the draft again and pull an Alex Smith Part Two. I just won't have any of it."

San Francisco was in position to have the first overall pick in April's draft for the second straight year with two games to play, but then the 49ers won two in a row, sliding down to sixth.

"I look back on those two wins at the end of the season and I know we shot ourselves in the foot," said Nolan. But I've never won the lottery and now I know the feeling. Going from seventh to sixth is the closest thing to winning I've ever felt. I don't give a shit about those two wins now. This just feels incredible."

Norv Turner update: The 49ers have moved up to the sixth selection and Norv Turner will be right there to help blow the pick.

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