Maiocco: Camp Alex film would benefit coaches

June 11, 2011MAIOCCO ARCHIVE49ERS PAGE49ERS VIDEOMatt MaioccoCSNBayArea.comThe San Jose State video department was on vacation, and the equipment was locked away.So Alex Smith thought -- and this is serious -- about asking his wife to videotape the on-field work this week during the four days of 49ers get-togethers, known here as "Camp Alex."Then, considering his wife had given birth to the couple's first child just a month earlier, Smith thought better of the idea and scratched that from his to-do list.If the lockout continues and there is a Camp Alex Part Deux, Smith said the practices will definitely be filmed so he can use the moving images as a teaching tool during the daily classroom sessions."Would you send a copy of the tape to the 49ers, too?" I asked him.Smith paused and wondered aloud if he could do that. I responded that he can do anything he wants as a player. There are no rules what players can and can't do during the owners-imposed lockout. Aside from players being physically locked out of team facilities, the restrictions impact only NFL employees.Of course, the coaches would be prohibited from responding to the players and sending along any input during the lockout. But there would be big benefits to the coaches if they had the opportunity to view the practices.If Smith shipped a copy of the practice film to coach Jim Harbaugh, all the offensive coaches could keep tabs on what the players are doing. It could help them formulate a more concise practice plan for when the lockout lifts. The coaches would know what the players are doing perfectly and what they need to emphasize and correct at the beginning of training camp.The 49ers did not want any part of this subject and declined comment. And an NFL spokesman has yet to respond to a question about the hypothetical situation of the 49ers' coaches being allowed to view the contents of a package that arrives in their in-boxes.