The BulleTin • Sunday, May 2, 2021 B3
NFL
With draft over, Niners now turn to preparing
rookie quarterback Trey Lance for the pros
BY JOSH DUBOW
AP Pro Football Writer
From the moment the San Francisco
49ers made the decision to trade two fu-
ture first-round picks to move up from
No. 12 to 3 in the NFL draft, the pressure
on the organization was immense.
General manager John Lynch and
coach Kyle Shanahan spent the next
month debating one of the most conse-
quential decisions in franchise history
before settling on taking North Dakota
State’s Trey Lance as the quarterback of
the future.
After spending the final two days of the
draft adding players to help Lance on of-
fense and address their defensive depth,
the Niners can finally catch their breath.
“I think I’m ready to go on vacation
and leave Kyle here to run the team,”
Lynch said Saturday. “That’s how I feel.”
The next big job will be getting Lance
prepared for the NFL after he threw only
318 passes in college at the FCS level, the
fewest college passes for any first-round
quarterback in the last 40 years, accord-
ing to ESPN.
Lance will report to rookie minicamp
in less than two weeks and then take part
in the full offseason program.
There isn’t an immediate rush for
Lance to play. The Niners are planning
to keep Jimmy Garoppolo and follow the
Kansas City model from 2017 when Pat-
rick Mahomes spent his rookie season
backing up Alex Smith.
Garoppolo appears to be on board with
the plan and reached out immediately to
welcome Lance to the team.
“Jimmy has taken a business approach,
but I think he’s excited for right now just
talking to him and he’s ready to come
here and get back to being healthy and
playing with our team,” Shanahan said. “If
we have them compete, I know he’s ready
to compete.”
Day 3 picks
The Niners spent the final day of the
draft adding more depth on the offensive
line, help in the secondary and a running
back.
San Francisco took Western Michigan
Sean Meagher/The Oregonian
Portland Timbers fans at Providence Park in Portland for a match
against Club América on Wednesday, the first of two meetings be-
tween the teams in the CONCACAF Champions League tournament.
Oregon pro sports franchises are struggling to understand the gover-
nor’s harsh attendance restrictions compared to those of other states.
Commentary
Tony Dejak/AP
North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance, right, holds a jersey with NFL Commissioner
Roger Goodell after being chosen by the San Francisco 49ers with the third pick in the first
round of the draft Thursday night in Cleveland.
guard Jaylon Moore with its first of three
fifth-round picks, adding a player with
experience blocking in a zone running
scheme.
The 49ers followed that up by taking
Oregon cornerback Deommodore Lenoir
and Southern California safety Talanoa
Hufanga.
Lenoir projects as a slot cornerback
who can also play outside if necessary,
while Hufanga is a box safety or line-
backer. Both will be counted on to con-
tribute on special teams.
Louisiana running back Elijah Mitchell
was taken in the sixth round.
Health report
After a 2020 season that was derailed
by injuries and a draft process with lim-
ited medical information, the Niners pri-
oritized players with clean bills of health.
Lynch said they focused more on in-
jury history and the only player they
picked with an extensive one was Hu-
fanga, who missed time in college with a
broken collarbone, concussion and shoul-
der sprain.
“You learn over time. We we make ad-
justments each and every year,” Lynch
said. ”But after you go through what we
went through last year, you take a harder
look. We didn’t overreact to it, but I think
we responded accordingly.”
Happy coach
Niners running backs coach Bobby
Turner spent the lead-up to the draft
feeling a bit ignored as Shanahan was
focused on the quarterback pick. But
Turner got a nice gift on the final two
days of the draft with the selections of
Ohio State running back Trey Sermon in
the third round and Mitchell in the sixth.
“Bobby’s been sensitive lately because I
haven’t talked to him as much he claims
in the last month,” Shanahan said. “Today
he forgave me for it. I told him I’ve been
working on some stuff and he didn’t be-
lieve that. We got him two running backs.
He was very happy.”
San Francisco also added two poten-
tial strong run blockers with guard Aaron
Banks in the second round and Moore in
the fifth.
cause that’s big bro to me, to see what’s
out there to see. Really I don’t know yet.
Continued from B1
Q: Did you see Brad Holmes’ reaction to
having you on the board?
A: A little bit. I was kind of tearing up
too and I looked down but I did see the
room kind of turned.
Q: How did you learn the game of foot-
ball?
A: My dad, he was head coach on the
island ever since I was young. He was
always a head coach. The moment I re-
membered anything I was always out
there with him whether it was helping
take out football bags for his practice or
set up the cones for conditioning for his
team there. My dad ultimately helped me
learn the basic knowledge of the game
and fundamentals.
Q: How much growth do you feel there is
in your game and in what areas?
A: To be honest, I haven’t even started
yet. That’s how I feel. I feel like there’s a lot
to grow, there’s a lot to be done and the
sky’s the limit and I’m ready to tap into
that potential and I’m ready to go to work
to fulfill that dream.
Q: Did the Lions give any indication
where you’ll play?
A: Wherever they put me I’m going
to play and I’m going to give it all 100%,
it don’t matter to me. To join a room
like this, this is a blessing. To be a young
dude and come into such a veteran group
with so many years it’s easier for me to
approach the game because I can go to
them and ask them for advice and soak
Derby
Continued from B1
Baffert punched his right
arm in the air after watch-
ing the finish on the video
board in the paddock. He was
swarmed by his wife, Jill, and
youngest son, Bode, with cele-
bratory hugs.
“I’m really, really surprised,”
the 68-year-old Hall of Fame
trainer said.
It wasn’t false modesty. Baf-
fert had been low-key about
his chances after two of his
best horses — Life Is Good and
Concert Tour — were derailed
along the Derby trail.
half-length back in third and
paid $5.20 to show.
Essential Quality, the 5-2 fa-
vorite trained by Cox, finished
fourth.
Baffert won back-to-back,
having tied Ben Jones with his
sixth victory last year when
the race was run in Septem-
ber without spectators because
of the coronavirus pandemic.
Velazquez became the first
jockey to win consecutive Der-
bies since Victor Espinoza in
2014-15. The 49-year-old rider
also completed the Kentucky
Oaks-Derby double for the
first time since Calvin Borel in
2009, having won the race for
fillies on Friday.
The Derby went off on a
sun-splashed day with at-
tendance of 51,838 — about
100,000 fewer than usual. Fans
were told to wear masks inside
the track, but plenty of them
did not.
O Besos was fifth, fol-
lowed by Midnight Bourbon,
Keepmeinmind, Helium and
Known Agenda. Highly Mo-
tivated finished 10th, ahead
of Sainthood, Like The King,
Bourbonic, Hidden Stash,
Brooklyn Strong, Super Stock,
Rock Your World (the 9-2 sec-
ond choice), Dynamic One
and Soup and Sandwich.
Continued from B1
Sewell
Q: Why do people say you’re a genera-
tional talent, what is it about your skills?
A: It’s my mindset. If I had to pick one
thing, my mindset. I’m coming each and
every day ready to run through the wall,
ready to do whatever it takes to accom-
plish my goals and the team goals. I’m
willing to do whatever it takes. I’m put-
ting everything on the line, my body and
everything else. I’m ready to sacrifice ev-
erything for my goals and my dreams.
The franchise presented a
detailed safety protocol that
was originally approved by
Gov. Brown and the Oregon
Health Authority. It allowed
for 10% attendance — 1,933
fans — in the nearly 20,000-
seat arena.
That exemption was re-
scinded last week amid a series
of county shutdowns that also
affected smaller businesses
such as restaurants and retail
stores.
That’s not leadership. It’s not
even common sense.
Team president Chris Mc-
Gowan said in a statement pro-
vided to The Oregonian/Ore-
gonLive:
“In consultation with infec-
tious disease experts and the
NBA, our team worked incred-
ibly hard to develop a meticu-
lously detailed plan that main-
tains the safety of our players,
staff and fans and meets or ex-
ceeds guidance from the state
and CDC. After months of dil-
igent work with the state and
OHA, we still don’t know more
now about our return to fans
than we did at the beginning
of the season. With our regu-
lar season ending on May 16,
we are the last team across all
U.S. professional sports leagues
without a clear path of return.”
Welcome to Oregon, folks.
Dead last in America.
Meanwhile, the Timbers
and Thorns professional soc-
cer franchises are bracing for a
rough week spent dealing with
our state officials. The fran-
chises offered a “no comment”
on the issue. They are currently
cleared to have 15% capacity at
the downtown outdoor Provi-
dence Park venue but the whis-
per is that approved exemption
is now in jeopardy as well.
The Timbers and Thorns
have played five combined
games this season with fans in
attendance. The events were
viewed as successful and safe.
The franchises were originally
approved for 25% capacity and
sold tickets accordingly. Then,
the maximum capacity was
rolled back to only 15% and
the teams had to scramble fig-
ure out how to make that work
with customers who had al-
ready purchased tickets.
They figured it out.
The soccer franchises are
now bracing for more drama
and planning a series of pre-
emptive contingency plans.
One includes dropping to 10%
capacity and closing down
food and beverage. Another
includes requiring fans to pres-
ent proof of vaccination before
they’re admitted to the out-
door stadium. But our state’s
two wildly successful profes-
sional soccer franchises are in a
scramble to avoid a nationally
televised embarrassment.
The Timbers vs. Sound-
ers rivalry game on May 9 is
scheduled for a national broad-
cast on ABC. One day before,
the Thorns could be playing in
the Challenge Cup champion-
ship game on CBS. Two won-
derful opportunities to show-
case the state of Oregon.
What will the national nar-
rative be?
I asked a sports executive
who has worked in profes-
sional sports for three-plus de-
cades what the optics on empty
stadiums would be. Keep in
mind, the rest of the country
is already following protocols
and safely allowing fans into
venues. The College Football
Playoff featured fans in the
stadiums. The NCAA basket-
ball tournament in Indianap-
olis had a limited number of
fans. Also, the entire country
watched the NFL draft the last
three days with fans allowed
inside a number of venues
across the country.
It’s uplifting stuff. At one
point of the first-round draft
broadcast on Thursday night,
the studio commentators even
broke from talking about the
draft prospects and teams to
say how inspiring it was to
see a limited number of fans
safely back inside the venues.
So what’s the story for Ore-
gon if those two games aren’t
attended? And what’s the nar-
rative when the NBA playoffs
start and Portland is the only
participant that doesn’t have
fans present at home games?
Said the longtime executive:
“The narrative nationally will
be that Oregon doesn’t have its
(expletive) together.”
What is it about our state
that consistently leaves it be-
hind the rest of the country?
I asked Gov. Brown’s spokes-
person, Charles Boyle, for a
comment on Friday morning.
“The capacity issue the gov-
ernor is focused on is making
sure Portland-area hospitals
and ICUs are not overwhelmed
so we can save lives,” Boyle
said. “I hope you will encour-
age your readers and listeners
to go and get vaccinated as
soon as possible, so we can put
the pandemic behind us.”
Boyle also said the governor
is getting her guidance from
the Oregon Health Authority.
At least the governor’s office
finally is allowing high school
runners to remove masks
when competing at six feet of
distance or more after Summit
High runner Maggie Williams
had a health scare during a
race on April 21.
But now I’m left with the
same question that our state’s
pro sports franchises are ask-
ing.
Who is in Gov. Brown’s ear?
That’s become the question
to ask. Because she’s no lon-
ger following Washington and
California. Both of those states
allow fans inside venues, no
problem. They also allow all
outdoor competition for kids,
maskless. She’s not following
any other state in our country.
She’s out there, alone now. And
it’s left our state dead last when
it comes to sports.
Q: Did you see or hear the quotes from
Dan Campbell about biting kneecaps and
being tough?
A: No I didn’t.
Eric Evans/Oregon Athletics, file
Former Oregon left tackle Penei Sewell
works out for NFL personnel in Eugene in
early April.
up as much knowledge as possible. Being
a sponge around those guys will help me
out tremendously.
Q: What is it about your game that’s go-
ing to fit the toughness and culture Detroit
is looking for?
A: It goes back to my mindset, ulti-
mately it’s a mindset. I’m bringing that
mindset, I’m joining that culture and I’m
joining the team with that same mindset.
They’re ready to run through anybody.
Come in each and every day putting on
the pads and ready to get under some-
body’s chin and make them feel uncom-
fortable. Coming in and joining him on
that, it’s cool.
Q: What will you do first when you get
to Detroit?
A: I don’t even know. I don’t know
much about Detroit but once I get out
there I’ll probably hit up Tyrell some be-
Medina Spirit isn’t the typ-
ical high-priced talent with a
fancy pedigree in Baffert’s Cali-
fornia barn.
“I cannot believe he won this
race,” the trainer said. “That lit-
tle horse, that was him, all guts.
He’s always shown that he’s
been an overachiever. His heart
is bigger than his body.”
Medina Spirit has never
finished worse than second
in six career starts and two of
his three losses came to Life Is
Good, who likely would have
been the Derby favorite had he
not been injured.
“He doesn’t know how much
he cost,” Baffert said, “but what
Q: What about playing for a head coach
that has that kind of fire makes you excited
about playing?
A: That’s the coach I love playing for
and it’s the kind of culture I kind of came
from that is at Oregon. I’m used to that
and I’m ready to put that again and be a
part of another team that preaches that
and implants that type of mindset into
the culture of everyday practices and
games and so on and so forth.
Q: How much do you love football?
A: It’s a way of life. It’s not just a game.
It’s something that I’ve always remem-
bered and if I told you if I have the first
memory of anything it’s the game of foot-
ball. I fell in love with it the moment that
happened. I’m willing to do whatever it
takes to keep playing this game of football.
Q: What does it mean to you?
A: It’s the world. Every time I think
about this moment I go back to the kid
that was on the island in that shack with
all my family. I have that same (mem-
ory) when we were all in the living room
sleeping on the floor in that shack and
now look at us, I’m in a position to really
change my family dynamic and also play
the level I wanted to play my whole life,
the NFL. To be a part of the NFL and De-
troit Lions organization, it’s nothing but a
dream come true.
“I cannot believe (Medina Spirit) won this race. That little
horse, that was him, all guts. He’s always shown that he’s
been an overachiever. His heart is bigger than his body.”
— Trainer Bob Baffert
a little racehorse.”
Medina Spirit led all the way
and ran 1¼ miles in 2:01.02.
Sent off at 12-1 odds, he paid
$26.20, $12 and $7.60.
Thundering down the
stretch, Medina Spirit was
pressed by Mandaloun on his
outside. Hot Rod Charlie was
coming fast outside of Man-
daloun, with Essential Quality
giving chase on the far outside.
“I kept waiting for all those
horses to pass him,” Baffert
said. “When he got to the
eighth pole, we said, ‘This guy
has got a shot.’”
Mandaloun — one of Lou-
isville trainer Brad Cox’s two
entries — finished second and
returned $23.00 and 13.40. Hot
Rod Charlie, partly owned by
five former Brown University
football players, was another