Where Norris goes, Gore will follow

Frank Gore wanted his fullback's attention. "Big Mo," he hollered across the 49ers' practice field Monday, as Moran Norris finished up some extracurricular drills by catching passes. Gore had been explaining his friendship with Norris to a reporter, and he wanted backup.

"We're very close on and off the field," Gore said, waiting for Norris to arrive.

"It goes beyond football," the fullback confirmed, a day before his 31st birthday. "He's like a little brother to me."
Their reunion might be the feel-good story of the 49ers' offseason, bringing together a combination that helped Gore rush for more yards in 2006 than any other running back in team history.

No one was terribly surprised that they ended up apart at the end of the 2008 training camp, when the 49ers waived Norris to accommodate the creativity of then-offensive coordinator Mike Martz. No fan of fullbacks in general, Martz had little use for the big lug of a lead blocker. Once a meat-and-potatoes running game returned to the 49ers' menu, Norris came back on the roster. He signed a three-year deal, reportedly worth $5 million, in late February.

At the end of last season, when players had their exit interviews with the coaches, Gore said he brought up Norris' name during his talk with head coach Mike Singletary.

"I put a buzz in his ear," he said.

When the 49ers decided to contact Norris, general manager Scot McCloughan checked with Gore to let him know the team was interested. The feeling was mutual.

After a few weeks of unemployment, Norris had spent most of the 2008 season with the Detroit Lions, whose 0-16 season might have been miserable, "but it beats sitting at home watching the games on TV," Norris said.

Whenever he could, he watched the 49ers and tried to fight off frustration. Norris and Gore talked to each other every week. Five years apart in age, they had bonded early in the '06 season, when they both began the year as second-teamers and worked their way up. Pretty soon, they were driving to games together, sharing meals regularly and putting 1,695 yards on Gore's resume.

Their rapport, they say, allows them to read each other's movements in advance. Each knows instinctively how the other will react to a given situation.

When Gore reached the Pro Bowl in 2006, he took Norris as his guest. A 49ers scrapbook from the week in Hawaii shows the two buddies side by side, wearing orchid leis and flashing peace signs.

At least once a week, Gore said, he can count on a home-cooked meal, courtesy of Norris' wife, Tamara. Next week, the Morans will host their annual football camp, which functions as a fundraiser for their foundation, aimed at helping at-risk youth in their native Houston get through school.

Several 49ers have volunteered to attend and help coach the kids, including tight end Vernon Davis and wide receiver Arnaz Battle. Gore is a regular, faithfully following Norris' lead.



(sfchronicle.com)