Welcome back to the forty Niners You've Got Mail Podcast sponsored by Man's Game. Okay, I usually say I'm pretty excited for the guests that we have on, but this week I am truly excited because I am joined by the owner and founder of Fan Girls Sports Network and she's also my personal friend, Miss Tracy Sandley. Tracy, Welcome to the You've Got Mail Podcast. It's been a long time coming. You should have been here all a very long time ago. Well, I am so excited to be here at any time, and it's gonna be so fun to talk for ninners with you, and as Kiana mentioned, we are personal friends, so that makes it even more fun. So I can't wait. It's gonna make this a lot of fun. But just a little bit of background, I was actually a guest on Tracy's Get My Job podcast, which will get some information on where everyone can find you at and listen to this podcast, which is really incredible. But it was only right that I had you on our You've Got Mail podcast. But as I'm talking about Get My Job, just give me a really brief synopsis of what is the Get my Job podcast and what does it entail? So get my Job podcast, I sit down every week with a prominent women in sports and talk about her journey, advice she has for other young women who want to work in sports, things she's learned along the way. And it's also a way to highlight that there are so many opportunities for women in the sports world, whether it be sideline reporting, whether it be a team reporter such as yourself, whether it be marketing social media. We had Sarah Taylor on, she's a sports psychologist, so you know, it's there's so many opportunities, and so it's been really fun to get to highlight those and to hear from the women who have been there and the encouragement they can give for those of us who are starting on our way. Absolutely, and there's so many roles, and it's so exciting just to to listen to this podcast and see just the different positions that women hold in sports that looking back, I just think about when I was a child and looking up, you know, what did I want to do? I never even thought that some of these ideas or these these opportunities were even possible. So it's so exciting to see you and your us and what you guys do every week. But Tracy, you've been covering the forty Niners since, so let's give those who are listening a little bit of a background on your history following the forty Niners and how that birth fan Girls Sports Network. So I had grown up a forty Niners fan, and fourteen, I decided for the fun of it. I was a sportswriter in college, and I had moved back to Los Angeles from washingtd C and had started in a company doing it was called a political and philanthropic advising firm, and I came into the company a kind of a weird time, so there wasn't that much for me to do, so I decided to start a blog just for the fun of it, called the Trials and Tribulations of My Love Hate Relationship with the San Francisco forty Niners, which was worthy and also, oddly enough, the website and I was I clearly wasn't in the marketing space at that point of thinking about it was like trials trip blog dot com. Like the word forty Niners weren't wasn't even in it, so you really didn't know what it was about. But people started to read my articles. I'm not saying a lot of people, a few people, and I was like, oh, this is kind of interesting. By the way, thank you. I think you know, it's probably really a really good title for a post. Maybe not, but I do have a mug. I have a mug with my logo on it and the whole thing. Um So, from there, forty Niners Fan Girl was born and I turned it into At that time, we did a lot of video and started a podcast and was writing about the team. So that was two thousand four teen was when I first started two thousand fifteen forty Niners Fan Girl, and then by two thousand sixteen we became fan Girls Sports Network. Um I added a Rams fan Girl, and then for a couple of years we had fan girls for every NFL and NBA team, and then we kind of changed the business model, but we cover the world of sports with content geared a little bit more towards female fans. Um I talked about to Get My Job podcast. We do a lot of what goes on off the field, what the players and athletes are doing in their communities, do a lot of memes highlighting women. So that is what we are doing at Fangirls Sports Network and it has been a lot of fun. It's been so much fun for myself to follow. Just really briefly, I would love just for everyone to know, how can they follow fangirls Sports Network and yourself? Well, Kiana, I'm so glad you asked that question. They can follow fangirl Sports Network on Instagram at fan Girl Sports Network and on Twitter at fan Girls Sports. You know, there's the whole character thing. But if you put fan Girl Sports Network in on Twitter, it pops up and you can follow me on Instagram at Tracy Sandler and on Twitter at forty Niners fan Girl. But if you go to at fan Girl Sports Network on Instagram, you can pretty much be led to any and all the things, very easiest one for everybody. It's like the central hub, right there is the central hub. It's the situation room exactly. So looking back covering the forty Niners, you've seen quite a few divisional rivalries between the forty Niners and the Cardinals, but this is a new look Cardinals team led by Kyler Murray and DeAndre hop was that the fording Ers were prepared for in Week sixteen. So let's get started. What do you see as the stop the top storyline? Heading into this matchup, Well, this one is not super you know, analysis driven, but how often do we see two home game two home teams in the same games. Are the road team in this game and the Cardinals are the home team. But this has been San Francisco's home for the last several weeks and will be again next weekend, So I do think there's something kind of interesting to that. In season that has seen so many oddities and things that we weren't expecting, I kind of feel like a little bit how often do you have to home teams playing in the same game. And then I would say another storyline that goes along with that is one of those teams could play spoiler to the other, and that of course would be uh, the forty Niners could play spoiler to the Arizona Cardinals, And that is always kind of in a division rivalry at the end of the season, when your playoff hopes are gone and you're towards the end, especially in the season like the four Divers have had. I kind of think that gives you a little extra juice, like no pun intended, but a little extra juice go into the game, like can you kind of spoil their shot? At the playoffs. It makes it an interesting and fun matchup, and it reminds me as much as you know, we try to rinse our memories of what happened. I believe it was that eighteen season where the forty Niners got that win, that home win. I think it was against the Jaguars and when they were on that that winning streak to finish out the season exactly exactly. So it's a little reminiscent of that and playing spoilers. So the forty Knighters have that opportunity this Saturday. But what do you make of this Cardinals team who at the beginning of the season started off pretty hot, but like Voice of the forty Niners Greg Papa he said, began leaking oil as of late, there might not be this red hot Cardinals team that we saw after Week one where everyone's like, okay, wait a minute, hold on, how dangerous do you think that this Cardinals team is heading into Week sixteen? First of all, I want to give great Popa the props on the leaking oil. I kind of like that, but I like that a lot. I think the thing with this Cardinals team is there one of those teams that you kind of don't want to play. Like if this was a situation where the forty nine, where the Cardinals could play spoiler, this is not a team you want to play because they can be very dangerous. I think coming into the season there was a lot of hype because you had a red hot Kyler Murray, they just had the DeAndre Hopkins trade. Things were starting to come together. And although I did feel like they were going to be a problem in the NFC West, I didn't feel like they were quite there, Like they were maybe one year away from really being there, which might be why they have somewhat as Greg Papa said Leaked Oil. That being said, this team really has something to play for, and Kyler Murray is dangerous and DeAndre Hopkins is dangerous. I mean you go back to the Hail Murray and it's like those kind of play when you have players on your team. We have a quarterback that can throw it like that in a receiver that can make that catch, you're a dangerous football team. You of course bring in the fact that they're starting to come together a little bit more on defense, and this is gonna be a tough game for San Francisco. It was a tough game in Week one in San Francisco is at full strength, So this is definitely going to be a difficult game for the forty Niners. I'm not saying it's not winnable, but it's gonna be difficult. This podcast is sponsored by Manscape, the official grooming partner of the forty Niners. Try Manscape and get twenty percent off and free shipping with code forty Niners at manscape dot com. That's forty Niners for twenty percent off at manscaped dot com. Yeah, definitely a challenge for the forty Niners and looking at some of those key players on offense, this is a much different matchup than that Week one game because the forty Niners are now without so many of their key players that were there, Nick Bosa, d Ford, a number of other players, and Jimmy Poppolo. How can going back to the defense, how can this fortins wounded defense continue to exceed expectations and try to stop a guy like Kyler Murray. Well, it's an interesting question because kind of going back to what I said before, at full strength, even last year when this defense was almost unstoppable, they've had a lot of trouble with mobile quarterbacks, and we saw it, you know, in week one. That being said, when we've talked to Robert Solo this week, and you know, some of the players on defense, they do have a little bit of the added benefit of a having played them in week one and be we're in week sixteen, so they've seen a lot of film and probably have seen most everything that Arizona is going to throw at them. It's gonna come down. I think to Kyler Murray, who rushed for nine one yards against this defense in Week one, and he's just he's very elusive. He has that Russell Wilson elusiveness. As much as it pains me to say it, but he can escape and scramble, and he not only can extend plays with his legs, but he can also make plays with his legs, and that is definitely very dank dangerous. Who I do think they may have a slightly better chance of containing is DeAndre Hopkins, who had fourteen receptions for a hundred and fifty one yards in that Week one game. That's an incredible performance that he's probably not going to repeat. And I think that's a place where the San Francisco secondary may have a little more success because now they've played him. You know, he was on the Texans before, so I don't know that anybody on this team had played DeAndre Hopkins, and there hadn't been any film going into Week one of him in this offense. Obviously there was plenty of film with him in Houston, but not in this offensive scheme. So I think they may have a little bit more success there. They're also gonna have to deal with Larry Fitzgerald. I mean it goes back to I said earlier, it's not going to be easy, but this defense, despite all of the injuries, has managed to keep the forty Niners in the game week after week. What they need is for the offense to give them a little bit of a boost and give them a little bit of help because it comes down to, you know, we saw this in defense play as well, but at a certain point, you're just gassed, Like when you're on the field that much, you're just gassed. So they're going to need the Foretgner's offense to give them a little bit of help there. Yeah, forty Niners defenses. Man, it's it's been that kind of like a roller coaster of the last couple of weeks. But a lot of what's transpired, especially looking at last week and those turnovers essentially in the red zone for the Dallas Cowboys, putting that pressure on your defense. So definitely looking at forty Niners offense needing to step up give their defense a little bit of a breather. But there's a number of storylines for the forty Niners heading into this game, and I'm going to start off with injuries. Richard Sherman, Javon Kinlaw, Jimmy Ward where he mosted are a few of the names that popped up on the injury report coming out of this past game. What do you see as the biggest blow for Sanford Cisco, especially looking down this stretch. You know, I'm gonna say Jimmy Ward. Yeah, I think Jimmy Ward has He's an unsung hero, so to speak of. He does his job and does it so well. And you know, Robert Salis said the stats aren't there because he's doing his job so well. And I think that's going to be the biggest thing for the forty Niners, you know, at least on defense. I think the raheem most or injury that's been you know, going on pretty much all year you know, these high angles frames are just impossible, and unfortunately, it looks like it's hard for them to really heal during the course of the season. I think obviously he's been a tremendous loss for San Francisco, But you know, the defensive front, I'm gonna say Jimmy Ward, um, And that's known disrespect to Richard Sherman, who's obviously an incredible cornerback, but they have been able to compensate for that throughout the season, and he has missed so much of the season, so obviously having him on the field, it's night n It's such a big difference because just his presence changes the way an offense prepare. But I would say I think Jimmy Ward for these next two games, Um, depending on how long he's out is the biggest concern. Yeah, Jimmy Ward suffered that concussion in the Week fifteen game against the Dallas Cowboys. Robert salis that this week they're still monitoring his status, but it could be a candidate that is not active on Sunday. But another loss for the forty Niners coming out of that game was quarterback Nick Mullins, who may have to undergo season ending surgery. The forty Niners likely probably saw the last Mollents this season. So looking at the quarterback position, I'm going to throw another storyline at you. What's the storyline looking at the forty Niners quarterback group where you have C. J. Bethard and then you have a guy that might be a little familiar with the Arizona Cardinals. Yes, so Josh Rosen. I thought this is like kind of cool yesterday, and it didn't seem to be made as big a deal of But I love myself a storyline. Okay, so there's that. But you know, you have Josh Rosen who's had a very strange NFL career. I think that's a fair way to put it. And he was the first round draft pick for the Cardinals in two thousand eighteen and never really had a chance. Oddly, he has three wins in the NFL. Two of those wins have come against the San Francisco forty Niners, so odd, it's very it's very odd. I mean, I guess you can both beat him and join him as a as a term that Richard Sherman proved the same thing, So I think that that's kind of, you know, an interesting wrinkle. He he will be familiar with Arizona. What's interesting about it too, kind of looking even beyond this game, is the forty Niners are going to have a battle for QB two next year, and you know, he's not here long and I don't know that we're ever going to see him on the field because you know, unless you know, something bad happens, it's going to be hard to throw a guy onto the field that's been there a minute, especially in this offense. But it does kind of add an interesting wrinkle into it. As you said, he's familiar with the car knowles. Um, So it's somewhat Uh, it's curious. I think that's the word I'm gonna use. I find the whole thing curious. It's pretty curious. Like we said, Uh, c J. Bether likely to get the start for the rest of the season. Um, but forty Niners did open the practice window for Jimmy Garoppolo, not saying that the forty will see him at some point this season. I'm sure that would be the goal, just at least get him out there at least for the season finale in week seventeen. But who knows, You never know, You never know. I believe Shannahan said he'd be pretty surprised exactly exactly. Okay, Well, as we were talking about the quarterback position, and this is the You Got Male podcast, so we've got to answer some fan questions. So I've got a question from David Ramirez for from more Marincy, Arizona. Hopefully he's not a Cardinals fan, trying to get some inside information out here. He wants to know with c J bethars starting, do you anticipate more throws down field or will Kyle stick to a more condensed playbook? How do you see the forty Niners utilizing a guy like CJ? And I think a lot of people their minds immediately go to that final play against the Cowboys that hail Mary Uh in the end zone. But exactly, yes, how do you uh first see the forty Niners utilizing him on Saturday? Well, I think we do see him making more throws downfield because we've also like seen him come in to make a throw, you know, downfield. There were there were It was a game a few weeks ago, and a part of that is I think that um mullins maybe had a little bit It wasn't the wind knocked out of him, but there was something going on. It's kind of all blending together now. But I think when you have an arm like that, I think there'll be more throws downfield. And also, there's not really a reason for a condensed playbook because CJ has been in this system now for several years, and he started he was a starker in the system for several games. So I don't think there's any reason to have a condensed playbook. And I would say, you do see him throw it downfield, And again I go back to what I said earlier about that QB two battle for next year, here's an opportunity to see what he can do and for him to show what he can do. So I imagine we're going to see some of those down field throws that for Nighters fans seemed to be craving week after week, the Twitter felling anything. They for Nits fans are craving this throws downfield, and the twitters tell me a lot. They are. They are angelous for it, they have been asking for it, and they got a little peek, a sneak peek of it last week. Could they see more this week? Potentially? But as we are on the topic of c J. Bethard. Let's go ahead and throw out some reasonable expectations. What are your expectations for c J Bethard and its first start of the season in San Francisco. What do you got? I would say a reasonable expectation is that he doesn't turn the ball over. You ron turnovers up earlier, and it has absolutely killed this forty Niners team. I mean, you've had Nick Mollins throwing an interception in six straight games, which I leave may have been an NFL record, and that's a somewhat that's a difficult honor. So I think I think that is what I would say is a reasonable expectation for c J Bethard because honestly, that's what's lost these games. So I think if the defense can play well and CJ can protect the football and you know, drive the offense down the field. I know this is expert analysis, but I think I think they have a really good chance. But that to me is a reasonable expectation, and it's kind of where we are. You know, the playoff picture is done for San Francisco for this season. They have dealt with injury after injury. They've had to move to another city. There has been all of the COVID stuff. So I think in these next two games, what you want to see is a more efficient, improved offense that can you know, get in the red zone, score and not turn the ball over. So I would say that is a reasonable expectation. And also, let's throw that ball down field, let's do it, let's say some on let's see some fun things down there. And then I think generally for uh CG, I think we had a we we had like a couple of delayed game penalties and stuff like, let's try to keep the penalties to a minimum, because that was a big issue in Week one as well. But so I would say that, I would say, c J leading a clean, efficient football game. Do not turn the ball over. To me, that's honestly the biggest thing. Don't turn the ball over. This podcast is sponsored by manscaped, the official grooming partner of the forty Niners. Try Manscaping off and free shipping with code forty niners at manscape dot com. That's code forty niners for twenty off at manscape dot com. Don't turn the ball over. That's what the forty nine. You just said it, But that's what they've been struggling these last few weeks. Forty one points off of turnovers between their last two contests. That's half half of NFL games don't even the scores don't even reach forty one point. So that's a that's a large amount of number of points that you're giving up to the opposition. So I'm sure that as every week has been, that's probably been a focal point for the forty niners heading into this game in Week sixteen. Okay, so let's I interrupt with one other nugget. Yeah, let's do it. When you said the forty one points off turnovers, it made me think there was a nugget I wanted to mention earlier, and I mentioned penalties. But in that Week one game, nine penalties for a hundred two yards. Looking at these last two games, forty one points off turnovers. These are things you know that the killer football team. And sometimes you have people in positions they weren't meant to start in that they weren't meant to have that much playing time in, and these things happen. But these are kind of just sloppy things that I think that this team can clean up if they want to have a chance to play a little spoiler to their buddies across the locker room. A clean football game leads to a good spoiler. Uh. Not everyone loves spoilers, but these are the cases that I think a lot of fans do enjoy a good spoiler alert right there. Okay, I like that. Let's look into some of the matchups. First Saturday, what is the matchup that you'll be most excited to watch? And I feel like I have an idea of what direction you're gonna go with this, and I have one of my own, but I'm gonna let you take it. What matchup are you looking forward to? Well, assuming we see him play, I always love the George Kittle Buddha Baker matchup. You have to very physical, very intense, really good football players of against each other, and I just I like that matchup. You know. I like that they're super physical on the field, but then off the field, it's like, you know, great game and way to go, you know, I do I like, but that is what I'm looking forward to, And that could just be because it would be real fun to see George Kittle back on the field. First San Francisco. Even if these you know last couple of games, don't they're not fighting for the playoffs, it would still be so much fun to see it. But that's kind of the one I'm looking forward to. You know, we saw a good matchup between them last year. This year, I know there was a little controversy around on it, but they were both happy with the matchup. So that that is what I'm looking forward to. And like I said, it could just be because I want to say, kid all I think I will. I want to say we speak for all forty fans. I think forty kniters fans want to see Kit'll probably not in this circumstance, which is perfect that you led me right to this, because I do want to talk about it. A lot of fans confused with the decision Shannah and why why if there are if the playoff chances are now officially done, that door has been closed. Why are you playing your star tight end? Kyle Shannahan spoke with the media this week and he gave a little bit of an explanation as to why his tight end will be placed on the field with two games to go and you're not really playing for much of anything. But he brought up being at this point of the year, and this goes for all thirty two teams in the league. There are many players who are a hundred percent healthy, And how can he look his players in the eye who aren't a hundred percent and have a guy sitting here on the sideline that is and not put him in the game. So what have you gathered without me just kind of telling a little bit of the story, But what have you gathered from Kyle Shanahan on his decision to play his star tighten despite being eliminated from the postseason. Well, I thought his answer was really good, um, and I actually wrote about it a little bit, not to do a shameless plug, but you guys can read about it if she has dot com, but I did. I did write about it a little bit yesterday, and I thought his answer was really interesting and gave a perspective that I think is fans we don't always think about. He's right at this point, no one on the team is a percent healthy. And he said a couple of times in his response that if there's any chance he could get hurt, you know, in terms of there was, they're not going to rush him back. That they're not doing. But if he's healthy, how can he look at everybody else on the team and say, you guys should go out and play, but we're going to protect George. And also George kittles that kind of player, like he doesn't you know, this is a guy who was supposed to be out eight weeks and he was like two and they were like, no, we're gonna it's not gonna be too But I think you know that's like, but that's you know, that's that's George Kittle. So I really respected that answer. And I think this is also why the players respect Shanahan so much, because they know he's got there, but not to give the whole that I got your back, but he does know that he's got their back. So how can you look at Fred Warner, how can you look at Brandon I you how can you look at Carrie Hyder? How can you look at all these guys and Jason Frett all these people and say, like, you know what, George is more important. So even though he's totally healthy, he's not going to play the next two games, but you guys go out there risk everything because he also saidden an answer and he's right. Every time a football player steps on the field, there are a play away from their entire career being over. So it's a very risky sports. So how can you say to all these other guys like, you guys risk it, but I'm not risking Kittle and you can't. I don't think you can do that and have the respect of your players in the way that Shannah Hand does have their respect. And I think this goes back to why in the early years that were really difficult with Lynch and Shanahan, everyone had bought in and everyone knew they were working towards a goal, and they understood the rebuild. In this year, with all the injuries and everything that's gone on, you know this this team doesn't give up, which is not always the norm. And I think if you were to look around the league at teams at this point and teams that could potentially be in the foregnance position or worse, there comes a point where it's like, okay, you know, you could see how people maybe aren't giving their all. This team doesn't do that. They have not lost this last several games because they've given up. They've lost his left several games because they've made mistakes. And I think the reason that the team is like that, and the reason they were successful last year and should be successful again next year is because they respect their coach and their coach respects them. So I do respect that decision to play Kittle should he be healthy enough to do so. Tracy, I don't think I could have asked for a better kind of recapt of what Kyle Shanahan said and what he meant, and and just how this locker room respects Kyle. I think that was perfectly said, and it makes it so much like it honestly does. It makes so much sense, especially just hearing you reiterate a little bit of what the head coach said, and then also just to add this to it. I remember, I believe it was maybe last season and Kyle Shanahan said that George Kittle reminds him of Richard Sherman in a sense where he has to keep him from himself. These are guys that want to be on the field. And it goes back to what you said, how George. They were saying it's going to be about eight weeks and George was like, Nope. To George, Kittle is a guy who if he is able to play, he is going to play. Even you know what, he could probably be hobbling, but he's still going to do everything he can to be on that field. And that just goes to show what kind of guy he is, what kind of teammate he is, what kind of competitor he is, and we've seen that a lot over the years. Um, that was well said, honestly, Tracy, that was perfectly said, because that's been the question. You should see the twitter mentions, why are we doing this? Why are we putting George out there? Let's just rest him? But you have a guy that's and and it has a lot to do with these guys in this locker room, in the fight of the guys in this locker room, I don't ever see them being a team that would give up. So, going back to our spoiler alert, it makes for a good Week sixteen divisional matchup against the Arizona Cardinals. Tracy Sandler from Fangirls Sports Network, This was a lot of fun. I really appreciate you stopping by and hanging out with us, and we've got to do something like this again. What do you say? Uh? Absolutely, anytime I can be available at a moment's notice to do a podcast with you. Or anything perfect. I love it. And then also you'll be able to catch Tracy Sandler on forty dot com. She will be joining us for this week's four Downs previewing the divisional matchup against the Arizona Cardinals in this dual home game for both teams. Thanks to our our neighbors are like a good neighbors. State Farm Stadium was there, so there we have it. Tracy appreciates you and I will talk to you soon and uh have a good game week. Well, thank you, Kiana, you do the same. I can't wait to do this again. Let's do it, oh Niners.

Welcome back to the forty Niners You've Got Mail Podcast sponsored by Man's Game. Okay, I usually say I'm pretty excited for the guests that we have on, but this week I am truly excited because I am joined by the owner and founder of Fan Girls Sports Network and she's also my personal friend, Miss Tracy Sandley. Tracy, Welcome to the You've Got Mail Podcast. It's been a long time coming. You should have been here all a very long time ago. Well, I am so excited to be here at any time, and it's gonna be so fun to talk for ninners with you, and as Kiana mentioned, we are personal friends, so that makes it even more fun. So I can't wait. It's gonna make this a lot of fun. But just a little bit of background, I was actually a guest on Tracy's Get My Job podcast, which will get some information on where everyone can find you at and listen to this podcast, which is really incredible. But it was only right that I had you on our You've Got Mail podcast. But as I'm talking about Get My Job, just give me a really brief synopsis of what is the Get my Job podcast and what does it entail? So get my Job podcast, I sit down every week with a prominent women in sports and talk about her journey, advice she has for other young women who want to work in sports, things she's learned along the way. And it's also a way to highlight that there are so many opportunities for women in the sports world, whether it be sideline reporting, whether it be a team reporter such as yourself, whether it be marketing social media. We had Sarah Taylor on, she's a sports psychologist, so you know, it's there's so many opportunities, and so it's been really fun to get to highlight those and to hear from the women who have been there and the encouragement they can give for those of us who are starting on our way. Absolutely, and there's so many roles, and it's so exciting just to to listen to this podcast and see just the different positions that women hold in sports that looking back, I just think about when I was a child and looking up, you know, what did I want to do? I never even thought that some of these ideas or these these opportunities were even possible. So it's so exciting to see you and your us and what you guys do every week. But Tracy, you've been covering the forty Niners since, so let's give those who are listening a little bit of a background on your history following the forty Niners and how that birth fan Girls Sports Network. So I had grown up a forty Niners fan, and fourteen, I decided for the fun of it. I was a sportswriter in college, and I had moved back to Los Angeles from washingtd C and had started in a company doing it was called a political and philanthropic advising firm, and I came into the company a kind of a weird time, so there wasn't that much for me to do, so I decided to start a blog just for the fun of it, called the Trials and Tribulations of My Love Hate Relationship with the San Francisco forty Niners, which was worthy and also, oddly enough, the website and I was I clearly wasn't in the marketing space at that point of thinking about it was like trials trip blog dot com. Like the word forty Niners weren't wasn't even in it, so you really didn't know what it was about. But people started to read my articles. I'm not saying a lot of people, a few people, and I was like, oh, this is kind of interesting. By the way, thank you. I think you know, it's probably really a really good title for a post. Maybe not, but I do have a mug. I have a mug with my logo on it and the whole thing. Um So, from there, forty Niners Fan Girl was born and I turned it into At that time, we did a lot of video and started a podcast and was writing about the team. So that was two thousand four teen was when I first started two thousand fifteen forty Niners Fan Girl, and then by two thousand sixteen we became fan Girls Sports Network. Um I added a Rams fan Girl, and then for a couple of years we had fan girls for every NFL and NBA team, and then we kind of changed the business model, but we cover the world of sports with content geared a little bit more towards female fans. Um I talked about to Get My Job podcast. We do a lot of what goes on off the field, what the players and athletes are doing in their communities, do a lot of memes highlighting women. So that is what we are doing at Fangirls Sports Network and it has been a lot of fun. It's been so much fun for myself to follow. Just really briefly, I would love just for everyone to know, how can they follow fangirls Sports Network and yourself? Well, Kiana, I'm so glad you asked that question. They can follow fangirl Sports Network on Instagram at fan Girl Sports Network and on Twitter at fan Girls Sports. You know, there's the whole character thing. But if you put fan Girl Sports Network in on Twitter, it pops up and you can follow me on Instagram at Tracy Sandler and on Twitter at forty Niners fan Girl. But if you go to at fan Girl Sports Network on Instagram, you can pretty much be led to any and all the things, very easiest one for everybody. It's like the central hub, right there is the central hub. It's the situation room exactly. So looking back covering the forty Niners, you've seen quite a few divisional rivalries between the forty Niners and the Cardinals, but this is a new look Cardinals team led by Kyler Murray and DeAndre hop was that the fording Ers were prepared for in Week sixteen. So let's get started. What do you see as the stop the top storyline? Heading into this matchup, Well, this one is not super you know, analysis driven, but how often do we see two home game two home teams in the same games. Are the road team in this game and the Cardinals are the home team. But this has been San Francisco's home for the last several weeks and will be again next weekend, So I do think there's something kind of interesting to that. In season that has seen so many oddities and things that we weren't expecting, I kind of feel like a little bit how often do you have to home teams playing in the same game. And then I would say another storyline that goes along with that is one of those teams could play spoiler to the other, and that of course would be uh, the forty Niners could play spoiler to the Arizona Cardinals, And that is always kind of in a division rivalry at the end of the season, when your playoff hopes are gone and you're towards the end, especially in the season like the four Divers have had. I kind of think that gives you a little extra juice, like no pun intended, but a little extra juice go into the game, like can you kind of spoil their shot? At the playoffs. It makes it an interesting and fun matchup, and it reminds me as much as you know, we try to rinse our memories of what happened. I believe it was that eighteen season where the forty Niners got that win, that home win. I think it was against the Jaguars and when they were on that that winning streak to finish out the season exactly exactly. So it's a little reminiscent of that and playing spoilers. So the forty Knighters have that opportunity this Saturday. But what do you make of this Cardinals team who at the beginning of the season started off pretty hot, but like Voice of the forty Niners Greg Papa he said, began leaking oil as of late, there might not be this red hot Cardinals team that we saw after Week one where everyone's like, okay, wait a minute, hold on, how dangerous do you think that this Cardinals team is heading into Week sixteen? First of all, I want to give great Popa the props on the leaking oil. I kind of like that, but I like that a lot. I think the thing with this Cardinals team is there one of those teams that you kind of don't want to play. Like if this was a situation where the forty nine, where the Cardinals could play spoiler, this is not a team you want to play because they can be very dangerous. I think coming into the season there was a lot of hype because you had a red hot Kyler Murray, they just had the DeAndre Hopkins trade. Things were starting to come together. And although I did feel like they were going to be a problem in the NFC West, I didn't feel like they were quite there, Like they were maybe one year away from really being there, which might be why they have somewhat as Greg Papa said Leaked Oil. That being said, this team really has something to play for, and Kyler Murray is dangerous and DeAndre Hopkins is dangerous. I mean you go back to the Hail Murray and it's like those kind of play when you have players on your team. We have a quarterback that can throw it like that in a receiver that can make that catch, you're a dangerous football team. You of course bring in the fact that they're starting to come together a little bit more on defense, and this is gonna be a tough game for San Francisco. It was a tough game in Week one in San Francisco is at full strength, So this is definitely going to be a difficult game for the forty Niners. I'm not saying it's not winnable, but it's gonna be difficult. This podcast is sponsored by Manscape, the official grooming partner of the forty Niners. Try Manscape and get twenty percent off and free shipping with code forty Niners at manscape dot com. That's forty Niners for twenty percent off at manscaped dot com. Yeah, definitely a challenge for the forty Niners and looking at some of those key players on offense, this is a much different matchup than that Week one game because the forty Niners are now without so many of their key players that were there, Nick Bosa, d Ford, a number of other players, and Jimmy Poppolo. How can going back to the defense, how can this fortins wounded defense continue to exceed expectations and try to stop a guy like Kyler Murray. Well, it's an interesting question because kind of going back to what I said before, at full strength, even last year when this defense was almost unstoppable, they've had a lot of trouble with mobile quarterbacks, and we saw it, you know, in week one. That being said, when we've talked to Robert Solo this week, and you know, some of the players on defense, they do have a little bit of the added benefit of a having played them in week one and be we're in week sixteen, so they've seen a lot of film and probably have seen most everything that Arizona is going to throw at them. It's gonna come down. I think to Kyler Murray, who rushed for nine one yards against this defense in Week one, and he's just he's very elusive. He has that Russell Wilson elusiveness. As much as it pains me to say it, but he can escape and scramble, and he not only can extend plays with his legs, but he can also make plays with his legs, and that is definitely very dank dangerous. Who I do think they may have a slightly better chance of containing is DeAndre Hopkins, who had fourteen receptions for a hundred and fifty one yards in that Week one game. That's an incredible performance that he's probably not going to repeat. And I think that's a place where the San Francisco secondary may have a little more success because now they've played him. You know, he was on the Texans before, so I don't know that anybody on this team had played DeAndre Hopkins, and there hadn't been any film going into Week one of him in this offense. Obviously there was plenty of film with him in Houston, but not in this offensive scheme. So I think they may have a little bit more success there. They're also gonna have to deal with Larry Fitzgerald. I mean it goes back to I said earlier, it's not going to be easy, but this defense, despite all of the injuries, has managed to keep the forty Niners in the game week after week. What they need is for the offense to give them a little bit of a boost and give them a little bit of help because it comes down to, you know, we saw this in defense play as well, but at a certain point, you're just gassed, Like when you're on the field that much, you're just gassed. So they're going to need the Foretgner's offense to give them a little bit of help there. Yeah, forty Niners defenses. Man, it's it's been that kind of like a roller coaster of the last couple of weeks. But a lot of what's transpired, especially looking at last week and those turnovers essentially in the red zone for the Dallas Cowboys, putting that pressure on your defense. So definitely looking at forty Niners offense needing to step up give their defense a little bit of a breather. But there's a number of storylines for the forty Niners heading into this game, and I'm going to start off with injuries. Richard Sherman, Javon Kinlaw, Jimmy Ward where he mosted are a few of the names that popped up on the injury report coming out of this past game. What do you see as the biggest blow for Sanford Cisco, especially looking down this stretch. You know, I'm gonna say Jimmy Ward. Yeah, I think Jimmy Ward has He's an unsung hero, so to speak of. He does his job and does it so well. And you know, Robert Salis said the stats aren't there because he's doing his job so well. And I think that's going to be the biggest thing for the forty Niners, you know, at least on defense. I think the raheem most or injury that's been you know, going on pretty much all year you know, these high angles frames are just impossible, and unfortunately, it looks like it's hard for them to really heal during the course of the season. I think obviously he's been a tremendous loss for San Francisco, But you know, the defensive front, I'm gonna say Jimmy Ward, um, And that's known disrespect to Richard Sherman, who's obviously an incredible cornerback, but they have been able to compensate for that throughout the season, and he has missed so much of the season, so obviously having him on the field, it's night n It's such a big difference because just his presence changes the way an offense prepare. But I would say I think Jimmy Ward for these next two games, Um, depending on how long he's out is the biggest concern. Yeah, Jimmy Ward suffered that concussion in the Week fifteen game against the Dallas Cowboys. Robert salis that this week they're still monitoring his status, but it could be a candidate that is not active on Sunday. But another loss for the forty Niners coming out of that game was quarterback Nick Mullins, who may have to undergo season ending surgery. The forty Niners likely probably saw the last Mollents this season. So looking at the quarterback position, I'm going to throw another storyline at you. What's the storyline looking at the forty Niners quarterback group where you have C. J. Bethard and then you have a guy that might be a little familiar with the Arizona Cardinals. Yes, so Josh Rosen. I thought this is like kind of cool yesterday, and it didn't seem to be made as big a deal of But I love myself a storyline. Okay, so there's that. But you know, you have Josh Rosen who's had a very strange NFL career. I think that's a fair way to put it. And he was the first round draft pick for the Cardinals in two thousand eighteen and never really had a chance. Oddly, he has three wins in the NFL. Two of those wins have come against the San Francisco forty Niners, so odd, it's very it's very odd. I mean, I guess you can both beat him and join him as a as a term that Richard Sherman proved the same thing, So I think that that's kind of, you know, an interesting wrinkle. He he will be familiar with Arizona. What's interesting about it too, kind of looking even beyond this game, is the forty Niners are going to have a battle for QB two next year, and you know, he's not here long and I don't know that we're ever going to see him on the field because you know, unless you know, something bad happens, it's going to be hard to throw a guy onto the field that's been there a minute, especially in this offense. But it does kind of add an interesting wrinkle into it. As you said, he's familiar with the car knowles. Um, So it's somewhat Uh, it's curious. I think that's the word I'm gonna use. I find the whole thing curious. It's pretty curious. Like we said, Uh, c J. Bether likely to get the start for the rest of the season. Um, but forty Niners did open the practice window for Jimmy Garoppolo, not saying that the forty will see him at some point this season. I'm sure that would be the goal, just at least get him out there at least for the season finale in week seventeen. But who knows, You never know, You never know. I believe Shannahan said he'd be pretty surprised exactly exactly. Okay, Well, as we were talking about the quarterback position, and this is the You Got Male podcast, so we've got to answer some fan questions. So I've got a question from David Ramirez for from more Marincy, Arizona. Hopefully he's not a Cardinals fan, trying to get some inside information out here. He wants to know with c J bethars starting, do you anticipate more throws down field or will Kyle stick to a more condensed playbook? How do you see the forty Niners utilizing a guy like CJ? And I think a lot of people their minds immediately go to that final play against the Cowboys that hail Mary Uh in the end zone. But exactly, yes, how do you uh first see the forty Niners utilizing him on Saturday? Well, I think we do see him making more throws downfield because we've also like seen him come in to make a throw, you know, downfield. There were there were It was a game a few weeks ago, and a part of that is I think that um mullins maybe had a little bit It wasn't the wind knocked out of him, but there was something going on. It's kind of all blending together now. But I think when you have an arm like that, I think there'll be more throws downfield. And also, there's not really a reason for a condensed playbook because CJ has been in this system now for several years, and he started he was a starker in the system for several games. So I don't think there's any reason to have a condensed playbook. And I would say, you do see him throw it downfield, And again I go back to what I said earlier about that QB two battle for next year, here's an opportunity to see what he can do and for him to show what he can do. So I imagine we're going to see some of those down field throws that for Nighters fans seemed to be craving week after week, the Twitter felling anything. They for Nits fans are craving this throws downfield, and the twitters tell me a lot. They are. They are angelous for it, they have been asking for it, and they got a little peek, a sneak peek of it last week. Could they see more this week? Potentially? But as we are on the topic of c J. Bethard. Let's go ahead and throw out some reasonable expectations. What are your expectations for c J Bethard and its first start of the season in San Francisco. What do you got? I would say a reasonable expectation is that he doesn't turn the ball over. You ron turnovers up earlier, and it has absolutely killed this forty Niners team. I mean, you've had Nick Mollins throwing an interception in six straight games, which I leave may have been an NFL record, and that's a somewhat that's a difficult honor. So I think I think that is what I would say is a reasonable expectation for c J Bethard because honestly, that's what's lost these games. So I think if the defense can play well and CJ can protect the football and you know, drive the offense down the field. I know this is expert analysis, but I think I think they have a really good chance. But that to me is a reasonable expectation, and it's kind of where we are. You know, the playoff picture is done for San Francisco for this season. They have dealt with injury after injury. They've had to move to another city. There has been all of the COVID stuff. So I think in these next two games, what you want to see is a more efficient, improved offense that can you know, get in the red zone, score and not turn the ball over. So I would say that is a reasonable expectation. And also, let's throw that ball down field, let's do it, let's say some on let's see some fun things down there. And then I think generally for uh CG, I think we had a we we had like a couple of delayed game penalties and stuff like, let's try to keep the penalties to a minimum, because that was a big issue in Week one as well. But so I would say that, I would say, c J leading a clean, efficient football game. Do not turn the ball over. To me, that's honestly the biggest thing. Don't turn the ball over. This podcast is sponsored by manscaped, the official grooming partner of the forty Niners. Try Manscaping off and free shipping with code forty niners at manscape dot com. That's code forty niners for twenty off at manscape dot com. Don't turn the ball over. That's what the forty nine. You just said it, But that's what they've been struggling these last few weeks. Forty one points off of turnovers between their last two contests. That's half half of NFL games don't even the scores don't even reach forty one point. So that's a that's a large amount of number of points that you're giving up to the opposition. So I'm sure that as every week has been, that's probably been a focal point for the forty niners heading into this game in Week sixteen. Okay, so let's I interrupt with one other nugget. Yeah, let's do it. When you said the forty one points off turnovers, it made me think there was a nugget I wanted to mention earlier, and I mentioned penalties. But in that Week one game, nine penalties for a hundred two yards. Looking at these last two games, forty one points off turnovers. These are things you know that the killer football team. And sometimes you have people in positions they weren't meant to start in that they weren't meant to have that much playing time in, and these things happen. But these are kind of just sloppy things that I think that this team can clean up if they want to have a chance to play a little spoiler to their buddies across the locker room. A clean football game leads to a good spoiler. Uh. Not everyone loves spoilers, but these are the cases that I think a lot of fans do enjoy a good spoiler alert right there. Okay, I like that. Let's look into some of the matchups. First Saturday, what is the matchup that you'll be most excited to watch? And I feel like I have an idea of what direction you're gonna go with this, and I have one of my own, but I'm gonna let you take it. What matchup are you looking forward to? Well, assuming we see him play, I always love the George Kittle Buddha Baker matchup. You have to very physical, very intense, really good football players of against each other, and I just I like that matchup. You know. I like that they're super physical on the field, but then off the field, it's like, you know, great game and way to go, you know, I do I like, but that is what I'm looking forward to, And that could just be because it would be real fun to see George Kittle back on the field. First San Francisco. Even if these you know last couple of games, don't they're not fighting for the playoffs, it would still be so much fun to see it. But that's kind of the one I'm looking forward to. You know, we saw a good matchup between them last year. This year, I know there was a little controversy around on it, but they were both happy with the matchup. So that that is what I'm looking forward to. And like I said, it could just be because I want to say, kid all I think I will. I want to say we speak for all forty fans. I think forty kniters fans want to see Kit'll probably not in this circumstance, which is perfect that you led me right to this, because I do want to talk about it. A lot of fans confused with the decision Shannah and why why if there are if the playoff chances are now officially done, that door has been closed. Why are you playing your star tight end? Kyle Shannahan spoke with the media this week and he gave a little bit of an explanation as to why his tight end will be placed on the field with two games to go and you're not really playing for much of anything. But he brought up being at this point of the year, and this goes for all thirty two teams in the league. There are many players who are a hundred percent healthy, And how can he look his players in the eye who aren't a hundred percent and have a guy sitting here on the sideline that is and not put him in the game. So what have you gathered without me just kind of telling a little bit of the story, But what have you gathered from Kyle Shanahan on his decision to play his star tighten despite being eliminated from the postseason. Well, I thought his answer was really good, um, and I actually wrote about it a little bit, not to do a shameless plug, but you guys can read about it if she has dot com, but I did. I did write about it a little bit yesterday, and I thought his answer was really interesting and gave a perspective that I think is fans we don't always think about. He's right at this point, no one on the team is a percent healthy. And he said a couple of times in his response that if there's any chance he could get hurt, you know, in terms of there was, they're not going to rush him back. That they're not doing. But if he's healthy, how can he look at everybody else on the team and say, you guys should go out and play, but we're going to protect George. And also George kittles that kind of player, like he doesn't you know, this is a guy who was supposed to be out eight weeks and he was like two and they were like, no, we're gonna it's not gonna be too But I think you know that's like, but that's you know, that's that's George Kittle. So I really respected that answer. And I think this is also why the players respect Shanahan so much, because they know he's got there, but not to give the whole that I got your back, but he does know that he's got their back. So how can you look at Fred Warner, how can you look at Brandon I you how can you look at Carrie Hyder? How can you look at all these guys and Jason Frett all these people and say, like, you know what, George is more important. So even though he's totally healthy, he's not going to play the next two games, but you guys go out there risk everything because he also saidden an answer and he's right. Every time a football player steps on the field, there are a play away from their entire career being over. So it's a very risky sports. So how can you say to all these other guys like, you guys risk it, but I'm not risking Kittle and you can't. I don't think you can do that and have the respect of your players in the way that Shannah Hand does have their respect. And I think this goes back to why in the early years that were really difficult with Lynch and Shanahan, everyone had bought in and everyone knew they were working towards a goal, and they understood the rebuild. In this year, with all the injuries and everything that's gone on, you know this this team doesn't give up, which is not always the norm. And I think if you were to look around the league at teams at this point and teams that could potentially be in the foregnance position or worse, there comes a point where it's like, okay, you know, you could see how people maybe aren't giving their all. This team doesn't do that. They have not lost this last several games because they've given up. They've lost his left several games because they've made mistakes. And I think the reason that the team is like that, and the reason they were successful last year and should be successful again next year is because they respect their coach and their coach respects them. So I do respect that decision to play Kittle should he be healthy enough to do so. Tracy, I don't think I could have asked for a better kind of recapt of what Kyle Shanahan said and what he meant, and and just how this locker room respects Kyle. I think that was perfectly said, and it makes it so much like it honestly does. It makes so much sense, especially just hearing you reiterate a little bit of what the head coach said, and then also just to add this to it. I remember, I believe it was maybe last season and Kyle Shanahan said that George Kittle reminds him of Richard Sherman in a sense where he has to keep him from himself. These are guys that want to be on the field. And it goes back to what you said, how George. They were saying it's going to be about eight weeks and George was like, Nope. To George, Kittle is a guy who if he is able to play, he is going to play. Even you know what, he could probably be hobbling, but he's still going to do everything he can to be on that field. And that just goes to show what kind of guy he is, what kind of teammate he is, what kind of competitor he is, and we've seen that a lot over the years. Um, that was well said, honestly, Tracy, that was perfectly said, because that's been the question. You should see the twitter mentions, why are we doing this? Why are we putting George out there? Let's just rest him? But you have a guy that's and and it has a lot to do with these guys in this locker room, in the fight of the guys in this locker room, I don't ever see them being a team that would give up. So, going back to our spoiler alert, it makes for a good Week sixteen divisional matchup against the Arizona Cardinals. Tracy Sandler from Fangirls Sports Network, This was a lot of fun. I really appreciate you stopping by and hanging out with us, and we've got to do something like this again. What do you say? Uh? Absolutely, anytime I can be available at a moment's notice to do a podcast with you. Or anything perfect. I love it. And then also you'll be able to catch Tracy Sandler on forty dot com. She will be joining us for this week's four Downs previewing the divisional matchup against the Arizona Cardinals in this dual home game for both teams. Thanks to our our neighbors are like a good neighbors. State Farm Stadium was there, so there we have it. Tracy appreciates you and I will talk to you soon and uh have a good game week. Well, thank you, Kiana, you do the same. I can't wait to do this again. Let's do it, oh Niners.