Hi, I'm Tara - and I'm so glad you're here!

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I'm a born & bred Northeastern Pennsylvania girl who's been a diehard San Francisco 49ers fan for over 30 years. In 1989, I was a shy, artistic, sports-averse girly girl who turned on her TV one day just as the camera zoomed in on Joe Montana. It was love at first sight. That day, I watched my first football game. The more I watched 49ers games, the more I fell in love with both the team and the game of pro football. 

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I define being one of the Niner Faithful as having "faith" in the 49ers, both as a team and as individual players, and cheering them on during both winning & losing seasons. It means being realistic about a player's performance, but also not judging a player's skills based on one bad game. It's knowing that while you may not love the Niners starting quarterback, if someone talks trash about him, you'll smack them in their mouth because that's your QB1.

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I started Heart of the Niners because football fandom & sports media has become overwhelmingly negative. Every loss means a losing season; every win, a Super Bowl-bound team. Every player is either one of the greats or should be cut immediately. Somewhere along the way, the beautiful game of football became nothing more than a bunch of numbers: stats, analytics, fantasy points, etc. Now, I love a good stat line as much as anyone, but football is about so much more. 

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I love the intelligence and creativity that goes into a game plan & the beauty of players executing that game plan. (I think there are fewer things more beautiful than a perfectly thrown spiral that lands right in the arms of a wide receiver running a slant route.) I'm also interested in the players, coaches, & staff & their off-the-field stories. I love knowing what makes a player tick and understanding the motivations behind a coach's decision. Because while numbers are important, they overlook what makes the game so compelling: the people involved.

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Heart of the Niners is a place to find game recaps & analysis from a slightly different perspective. You'll also get to know the 49ers players (both current & former), moments that defined the 49ers Dynasty, and examine what it mean to be a member of the Niner Faithful. If you're tired of seeing numbers in your sleep during football season or have had enough of the hate from so-called fans, then you've come to the right place.

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Whether you've been a Niners fan for decades or you're new to the red & gold, there's a place for you here. Welcome to my huddle!