Welcome , 49er fans, to Volume 4 of the Mike Nolan Experience. Yes, we're only 1/16th into the season, but what we saw Sunday looked exactly like the previous three 49er teams under Nolan: 1. A turnover machine at QB, 2. A defense backed against the wall but can't get off the field on third down, and 3. Another senseless challenge (A Nolan staple)...The 49ers had a great opportunity, a season opener at home against a team it swept in 2007, and couldn't have fared worse. The Cardinals turned five turnovers into only touchdown. They never will be confused for a great team, but against the 49ers, they appeared downright nasty in the second half. Regardless, it's just the same old song and dance in San Francisco. And it starts at the top. A case in point: Late in the half with the game tied 10-10 and the defense standing tall, the 49ers appeared to have earned one more chance at the ball in the final minute. But wait! Nolan wasted a timeout earlier in the half by challenging J.T.

The consensus, a few days after Tim Donaghy's megaton bomb exploded on the NBA, is thus: The officiating during Game 6 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals, was incompetent but not conspiracy-laced. Regardless of how this plays out, it's lame vindication for the Kings who knew they were jobbed since game's end. The result will not change. But how about a little transparency from the NBA? An investigation of the affair, from how officials are assigned to their performance on the court, couldn't hurt. If Commissioner David Stern just leaves it there--dismissing everything as "baseless"--solves nothing. By the way, RJ Bell of Pregame.com reports that NBA series are stretched to seven games 18 percent of the team. Since 2000, however, 26 percent of the series have stretched to the maximum.  Sorry, Mr. Stern. "Baseless" is no longer a defense. ...Had to laugh at Laker coach Phil Jackson as he explained his side of Game 6 earlier this week. His statement began with Game 5--great deflection, Zen Master--and how the Lakers received the bad end of an out-of-bounds call that led to Mike Bibby's game-winning 3-point basket. Jackson was wrong, possibly twice: The call in question, which happened in front of the Lakers' bench was 50-50. The ball could have been awarded to the Lakers, but it wasn't. Simply, it was a close call that went to the Kings, not exactly a common occurence in that series. Additionaly, Bibby's game-winner was an 18-footer from the right-side angle, not a 3. Beware of Zen Master's words. ...I'll leave you with one thought on the U.S. Open: Tiger Woods is taking a big risk by playing on a still-recovering knee. He obviously favored it Thursday, though his 73--taking into account the injury and his two-month absence--was fine. My point is that he's putting into play a more serious injury, something that could hamper him longterm. Yes, he's tempted by a U.S. Open on his home turf at Torrey Pines, one of his favorite tracks. I hope he's not doing himself more harm than good. I'll also guess he's not exactly pleased with that spectacular two-day pairing with Phil Mickelson and Adam Scott. Woods is a solo act, and he doesn't like sharing the stage. Check out his less-than-good record in the Ryder Cup. I think he'd rather wait until the weekend to mix it up with A-list types. 

The disgraced NBA official Tim Donaghy may be trying to reduce his prison sentence, but he's definitely driven the league front office into a mass conniption fit.  Everyone close to the league--media, coaches, players, diehard fans--has understood for a long time that Game 6 of the 2002 Western Conference semifinals between Sacramento and Los Angeles was suspiciously officiated. The Lakers shot 27 free throws in the fourth quarter to erase a Kings lead. The game-ending inbounds play, Kobe Bryant running over Mike Bibby while elbowing him in the face (with Bibby getting the foul) said it all. Kings coach Rick Adelman was near tears postgame, and he'd been through too much in the league to react so emotionally. I staffed all four Kings home games of that series, and I remember the media's unanimous verdict in the conversation before Game 7--that Game 6 was a deliberate attempt by the league to force a Game 7. The Nets, the Eastern Conference champion, was no match for either survivor in the West.

I don't care how many games the Giants win this season. If they win 75 games, it's a breakthrough. My point is that they're far more interesting than in recent seasons when their spirit was compromised by the brooding presence of Barry Bonds. I know what you're thinking: The Giants' idea of a big offensive night is four runs, they run the bases like dogs chasing their tails, and their defense often refuses to support their good pitching. Doesn't matter. The Giants are far more compelling now with an emerging leadoff man in Fred Lewis, a fleet infielder in Eugenio Velez, a gamer in Aaron Rowand, an improved bullpen and a rotation worth watching almost every night. Even the Barry Zito mess makes the Giants fascinating. Closer Brian Wilson is learning as he goes, much like the rest of his team. Wilson for sure paid for his education after his 18th straight fastball left the ballpark for a game-loser to Pat Burrell Friday night. Wilson also will be pushed for that job in the near future by young Merkin Valdez,  whose stuff is filthy.  At least the Bonds era is behind them. He brought much success to the organization, but the last few years were a franchise-wide disaster. It will take a while to recover. Until then, the go-go Giants should be a nice diversion. They play a lot of close games, and they're starting to show some fight. Answering Friday night's heartbreaker with a 10-inning win says something about them. Let's see how deep into the summer they carry this new I.D.

 Who says you can't beat a parking ticket at Cal? I just did, and it's a small personal victory, but I can't deny the nice feeling. On a Tuesday morning, you need a little positive reinforcement. Here goes: I was at Cal last Friday for the UCLA-Cal softball game for the column I did Sunday on the Golden Bears pitcher Marissa Drewrey from Oakdale. In 30 years of staffing events at Cal, I never have been cited--until Friday. I tried to feed a rumpled $5 bill into the machine until it got stuck (big mistake). A courteous student attendant sent for help, but I couldn't stick around because the game was ready to start. He asked me to point out my car to him and he said, "No problem. I'll know where you are. We'll take care of you," he said. Well, I never saw him again and, after I was finished with post-game interviews, found a citation at my car. Cal has a nice telephone-appeal system set up for campus parking violations, so I called this morning at the appointed time. Lo and behold,  the woman was very nice, checked the records and verified my story.

Could the Raiders and 49ers been any more predictable Saturday? We were told coach Mike Nolan no longer made all the 49er decisions, but apparently his influence still counts. He and the 49ers looked past the NFL's most anemic offense, one desperately in need for first-round attention, and instead drafted a defensive tackle (Kentwan Balmer). Earlier, Al Davis again underscored his craving for north-south speed and chose running back Darren McFadden. Both choices could have been three months ago. What I don't understand is how the Raiders can sink so much money into one position. They just paid RB Justin Fargas $12 million for three years ($6 million guaranteed) and then committed to McFadden, the No. 4 pick in the draft who will try to drain Al's last penny. It's an odd choice, given the fact LSU defensive lineman Glenn Dorsey, a guy the Raiders could have used with Warren Sapp gone, was there for the taking. Meanwhile, the 49ers passed on several better-than-good wide receivers--a major need--and fell back into Nolan's comfort zone. Yes, Balmer will free up the 49ers' prized linebacker Patrick Willis, and a run-stopper was sought after the retirement of Bryant Young. But two questions: 1. Has everyone forgotten how bad that offense was? and 2. Do they really trust the old bones of WR Isaac Bruce? At least they picked up OG Chilo Rachal from USC in the second round, but--once again--he falls into a familiar 49er pattern. Rachal's forte is run-blocking. Protecting Alex Smith may be an adventure, and this is a quarterback breaking in his fourth offensive coordinator in four years. He may be beyond saving, and it may not matter if he takes another season-long beating. It was another unspired day for the Bay Area teams, both which have earned their place at the bottom of the NFL.

How good was Ashley Walker today, you ask? Here are the numbers: 21 points on 8-of-14 shooting, 12 rebounds, 5-of-5 from the line, 6 assists and 3 steals. Before the game was 16 minutes old, Walker already had a double-double. She won the opening tap, scored three early baskets and fed Lauren Greif for a basket and a 14-2 Cal lead at the 15:40 mark. Simply, she performed like a second-team All-American (Sports Illustrated) should. And now she's responsible for something major at Cal--the Bears' first NCAA tournament victory in 15 years, 77-60 over a scrappy San Diego team. Walker and her teammates enjoyed a successful afternoon on the Farm, apart from a potentially costly knee injury to Rama N'diaye, the team's top-front-line sub. Diving for a loose ball at halfcourt near the scorers table midway in the second half, she twisted her knee and screamed in pain. Cal, already threadbare on the bench, couldn't afford to lose bodies with tournament-tested George Washington ready to test the Bears Monday night. Coach Joanne Boyle pulled Walker with 8 minutes left and Devanei Hampton at the 5-minute mark, clearly resting the tandem. Their minutes will be long and tough against GW.