Steve and Brent

Mention the names Steve and Brent some 15 years ago to 49ers' fans and no last names were needed. Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young and former Pro Bowl tight end Brent Jones kept the 49ers' legendary offense thrumming through the playoff years and during San Francisco's last Super Bowl-winning season in 1994.

The former training camp roommates remain tight friends and have even gone into business together. Their latest venture is an investment in Owater, a line of natural energy drinks without the sugar and high fructose corn syrup. For example, one product replaces electrolytes after exercise at a fraction of the calories of Gatorade.

Young and Jones did a series of radio spots for Owater at Sanford last week that will start to air this week.

Young looked like a guy who had been doing some serious ground battle with three young kids; he was unshaven and a little sleepy-eyed. He and his wife, Barbara, are expecting again.

Jones and his wife, Dana, have older kids that they're sending off to college. Both Young and Jones had opinions on the 49ers.

"How do you assess (them)?" Young asked. "Last year, they traded the number one pick because they thought they'd be 10-6 or 11-5 and they end up just the opposite. How do you make sense of it? One of the worst offenses in the history of the NFL last year."

Their frustration compounds because Young and Jones are still part of a group shopping for an NFL team to buy in the Western U.S. They've approached all three teams in California and received a uniform response.

"Buy season tickets," Young quipped.

They're not the only ones clamoring for an NFL franchise. San Jose SaberCats owner John Fry hungers to purchase a franchise in a major sport and so does Seagate co-founder Steve Luczo, who owns a five percent stake in the Boston Celtics.

"We just want to be in the mix," Jones said.

They'd also like to see the 49ers regain prominence, and Young anticipates the team rebuilding non-traditionally, with a stringent defense rather than creating an explosive and innovative offense. San Francisco's playoff teams, even dating back to the 1950's, were founded on the Million Dollar backfield and Red Hickey's shotgun alignment and later Bill Walsh's revolutionary West Coast scheme. Offensive brilliance overshadowed defense.

"Their best hope next year, I think, is to take the Baltimore Ravens' philosophy and just build a killer defense," Young said. "Go for it, and try to win those games 13-10. I don't know if you can go from one of the worst offenses in the NFL and try to spin out of it and be top 15. I don't know if anybody can do it. It would be great if they can, and I'm going to be cheering them on, but let's be honest. Let's keep (the opposition) under two touchdowns."

Jones added that they have an exciting player to build around.

"I don't know if I've been a bigger fan in watching (linebacker Patrick Willis) play," Jones said. "I do not take lightly praising a defensive player, especially on a team that under performs. He might have been the best defensive player in the league last year."

After dispensing their wisdom, Young and Jones clamored into a black SUV and hurtled off to Young's Palo Alto home where his pregnant wife and three youngsters were waiting.

Posted By: Kevin Lynch (Email) | May 27 2008 at 02:38 PM