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The Gold Nuggett

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Alyn Beals
When the 49ers were formed in 1946, their roster was filled with locally known talent. While their's was a roster that would eventually...

David Hegler
Oct 19, 20234 min read


The Dawg Pound
Last Sunday, the NFL world was taken aback when the lowly Browns defeated the mighty 49ers. As the network cameras gazed upon Cleveland's...

David Hegler
Oct 17, 20232 min read


A Forgotten Rivalry and the Battles for Perfection
Most people might not know this, but the 49ers and the Browns had one of the sports bigger rivalries in the late 1940s. While those two...

David Hegler
Oct 15, 20233 min read


Buck Shaw
Throughout NFL history, there have been numerous coaches that have struggled mightily to become a champion. For some, they would never...

David Hegler
Oct 12, 20238 min read


Ken Norton Jr.
As a child, Ken Norton Jr. had watched his father beat Muhammad Ali. Inspired by the moment, young Ken knew what he wanted in life: to...

David Hegler
Oct 7, 20237 min read


The Oakland Raiders: the Candlestick Days
In their early years, the burgeoning city of Oakland didn't have a stadium for their professional football team. So the Raiders traveled...

David Hegler
Oct 5, 20233 min read


In Memoriam: Dick Butkus
If ever a man were recognized as the ultimate tragic hero in sports, Dick Butkus would have earned it handily. As a player, he stood out...

David Hegler
Oct 5, 20233 min read


Monte Clark
Oftentimes, a coach can be an excellent teacher coaching a specific position or unit, but falls flat on his face as a head coach. In...

David Hegler
Oct 4, 20236 min read


In Memoriam: Russ Francis
From very early in his life, Russ Francis had always been a maverick, often taking to the air to get away from life's struggles. On...

David Hegler
Oct 2, 20232 min read


Faces to the Number: the 49ers' Number
Jersey numbers hold a special place in the hearts of sports fans all over the world. When you think of the number 99, more often than...

David Hegler
Sep 30, 202310 min read


Inglewood, Through the Years
Last week, I went to my first 49ers game. As I walked the streets of Inglewood, I couldn't help but notice the discrepancies in the...

David Hegler
Sep 25, 20237 min read


Deion Sanders: The Candlestick Days
Often regarded as one of the most polarizing figures in NFL history, Deion Sanders truly possessed a unique blend of athletic grace and...

David Hegler
Sep 14, 20236 min read


Paul Brown's Massillon Dynasty
A little more than a year ago, I drove across the country looking for adventure and discovery. While in Ohio, I stumbled upon a ginormous...

David Hegler
Sep 9, 20236 min read


Homegrown Heroes: The Original Boston Patriots
It is a well-known fact that most expansion teams run on local flavors. Whether they come from the local high school or starred in the...

David Hegler
Aug 12, 20237 min read


The Boston Yanks
Through much of its first three decades of existence, the NFL saw 49 teams go under, never to be heard from again. Nary a fan has heard...

David Hegler
Aug 7, 20234 min read


Bill Walsh's College Protégés
Often regarded as one of the great quarterback whisperers of his time, two of Bill Walsh's quarterbacks are often forgotten. Ironically,...

David Hegler
Jul 27, 20238 min read


Eric Dickerson's 2,000 Yard Season
As the winds of change send the game of football to a more pass-oriented sport, some records are bound to be broken multiple times while...

David Hegler
Jul 11, 20234 min read


Roger Craig's Historic Season
It was Ring Night, a night where the San Francisco 49ers were celebrating all of their triumphs from the year before, highlighted by...

David Hegler
Jul 6, 20235 min read


The Holdouts: Al Harris and Todd Bell
As mind-boggling as it sounds, the 1985 Chicago Bears defense could have been even better. That year, two potential starters held out for...

David Hegler
May 23, 20233 min read


The Pride of Gary: The Karras Brothers
There is no more powerful link in the sport of football than that of brotherhood. The best teams often speak very highly of the subject...

David Hegler
May 21, 20234 min read
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