SD Sporting This blog goes "inside the locker room" with a former sportswriter who still has media access. All sports are covered, with San Diego the main market.

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Chargers better when bruised and battered?
2008-01-13 23:00:00
Billy Volek at quarterback? Michael Turner at running back? Andrew Pinnock at blocking back?It sounds like the end of an exhibition game for the Chargers ... not the beginning of a run for the AFC Championship.Who would have believed the Chargers would score their winning touchdown on a drive with much of their second string on the field in Sunday’s 28-24 upset of the Indianapolis Colts?Throw in a key catch on the winning drive by Legedu Naanee – and the fact tight end Antonio Gates was more than hobbled - and it makes the upset even more monumental.So, would the Chargers be better off with their second-string offense in the AFC Championship game Sunday, Jan. 20 at New England?Don’t even think about it.The win at Indy proved the Chargers have a superior offensive line from tackle to tackle with Marcus McNeill, Kris Dielman, Nick Hardwick, Mike Goff and Jeromey Clary.Their power blocking certainly proved to be a difference on the winning eight-play, 78-yard drive against the Colts ...

Can Chargers repeat road playoff history?
2008-01-11 01:50:00
Precedence says the Chargers have a good chance of beating the Indianapolis Colts on the road Sunday in the AFC Divisional playoffs.Thirteen seasons ago, the top-seeded Pittsburgh Steelers rested many of their regular players in the season finale but still barely lost to the Chargers, 37-34.Based on that game, the “experts” knew that the Steelers (with all hands on board) would crush the Chargers in Pittsburgh for the AFC Championship.Guess what? The Chargers won, 17-13, to advance to their only Super Bowl appearance.Fast forward to this season …The Colts were missing six regulars with injuries (and two more left the game hurt) when they barely lost to the Chargers in San Diego, 23-21, on Nov. 11.Now, Indianapolis is the same 8 1/2-point favorite that Pittsburgh was when it lost to the Chargers in January 1995.The Colts are expected to have starters Marvin Harrison and Anthony Gonzalez at wide receiver, tight end Dallas Clark, tackles Tony Ugoh and Ryan Diem and linebackers Tyjua ...
History  Repeat 

Chargers can dream on
2008-01-09 17:47:00
If the Chargers beat the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, consider their season a success.If not, consider it as big of a failure as last year … even though they won a playoff game for the first time in 13 years this time.Why?It’s simple.The Chargers are facing the Colts in the AFC Divisional playoffs, the same round in which they lost last season to New England, 24-21. (San Diego had a bye in the wild card round of last year’s playoffs for having the best regular season record in the AFC.)If coach Marty Schottenheimer ultimately took the fall for losing in the divisional round last year, then losing in the same round this year would be no less of a “failure.”The Chargers have not had a road game in the playoffs for 13 years. The last time they did so was when they won at Pittsburgh, 17-14, to advance to the 1995 Super Bowl.That journey seemed improbable … this one appears more on the side of impossible.In order to make this year’s Super Bowl, the Chargers would have to win ...

Chargers find there are catches to winning in playoffs
2008-01-07 18:07:00
The Tennessee Titans based their chances against the Chargers on stopping LaDainian Tomlinson and Antonio Gates in Sunday’s wild card playoff game.That they did … but win they didn’t.So why were the Chargers able to pull out a 17-6 victory for their first playoff win in 13 years?Because once it was obvious Tomlinson couldn’t run (21 carries, 42 yards, 1 touchdown) and Gates (sprained left big toe) was injured in the second quarter, the Titans lost their game plan.They had prepared so much for silencing Tomlinson and Gates that they forgot about San Diego wide receivers Chris Chambers and Vincent Jackson.Chambers had six receptions for 121 yards; Jackson made five receptions for 114 yards and the go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter.And once Jackson’s catch gave the Chargers a 10-6 lead, the game was over. It was obvious that Tennessee’s lame offense wasn’t going to score a touchdown if the game lasted until Friday."It's a relief, but at the same time, it's not like we' ...
Catches  Playoffs 

Chargers-Titans: Chargers-Oilers all over again?
2008-01-04 17:52:00
A Chargers rout may certainly appear to be the order of the day when they play the Tennessee Titans in the wild card round of the NFL playoffs Sunday.After all, Tennessee quarterback Vince Young is very hampered by an injury to his right quadriceps. Titans starting tight end Bo Scaife (lacerated liver) and top receiver Roydell Williams (fractured ankle) are both out.So that means the Titans don’t have a chance because they are minus so many offensive weapons … right?Not so fast. Not if Dec. 29, 1979 has anything to do with it.Back then, the Titans were known as the Houston Oilers. On that date, the Oilers faced the top-seeded Chargers in the playoffs without starting quarterback Dan Pastorini, running back Earl Campbell and receiver Kenny Burrough.The Chargers had Dan Fouts at quarterback, so the game was supposed to be a wipeout in San Diego’s favor.But it wasn’t. Fouts was intercepted five times, including four by rookie safety Vernon Perry, and the Oilers shocked the world w ...

A.J. Smith's new contract: Good! Bad!
2008-01-02 18:13:00
The good news is the bad news for the Chargers.The good news is that general manager A.J. Smith has been signed through 2014. And, yes, that’s the bad news.On the good side, Smith seems to have a great ability to secure great players.Trading Eli Manning on draft day 2004 for what turned out to be Philip Rivers, Shawne Merriman and Nate Kaeding was brilliant.Bringing in Keenan McCardell in the middle of the 2004 season and Chris Chambers the middle of this season were both strokes of brilliance. Taking a chance on Antonio Cromartie in the first round of the 2006 draft looks superb right now.Then there’s the personality.Smith has run off such mainstays as Drew Brees, Donnie Edwards and Marty Schottenheimer with his piranha personality.In the future, the Chargers can only hope Smith continues to make above average personality evaluations.But on the other hand, he may even be more likely to run quality people off with his lack of people skills now that he has the longest-term contract ...
Contract 

Chargers should remain silent
2007-12-28 18:43:00
Philip Rivers has received much criticism this week for running his mouth off, but what about Shawne Merriman?After the Chargers won a physical game at Tennessee three weeks ago, Merriman said in regard to the playoffs: "There were a bunch of cheap shots out there, but they can get some cheap shots on the sofa at home while they watch us."He was referring to the Titans sitting home watching the Chargers in the playoffs. What a mistake!If Tennessee wins Sunday night at Indianapolis (and the Titans are favored), then Tennessee will play the No. 3 seed in the first round of the AFC playoffs.The Chargers will be No. 3 unless they lose Sunday at Oakland and Pittsburgh wins at Baltimore. That combination is very unlikely to happen.Sure, the Chargers will be out to "get" Tennessee for the Titans’ apparent dirty play the first time the two teams met.But Merriman certainly would have been better served to wait until Tennessee was out of the playoffs before saying the Titans could sit home and ...

Holiday Bowl honors deserving athletes
2007-12-27 01:09:00
Two standout East County athletes were honored at the 30th annual Pacific Life Holiday Bowl kickoff luncheon Wednesday.Alex Arroyo of Grossmont High was awarded the Holiday Bowl Memorial Scholarship, founded in memory of R. Hastings Garland Jr., one of the bowl’s founders and its president in 1982.Lawrence Walker of Christian High earned the 2007 Kiwanis Most Inspirational Football Player Award in San Diego County.Arroyo has a cumulative GPA of 4.64, is editor of the campus magazine, a member of the Grossmont Interact Club, Varsity Academic League, Musical Activities Club, and Yearbook staff. He is also a varsity letter winner on the tennis and wrestling teams.Meanwhile, some of the University of Texas players at Wednesday’s luncheon expressed surprise at how rowdy San Diego Chargers’ fans had been Monday night when the Chargers defeated Denver, 23-3, at Qualcomm Stadium.They even went so far as to compare Charger fans to the loyal supporters who traditionally pack the stadium fo ...
Holiday  Honors 

Chargers shouldn't have to play Christmas Eve Night
2007-12-21 01:15:00
Shame on the NFL for planning a game Christmas Eve night in San Diego!Christmas Eve has replaced Christmas Day as the time many families and churches now get together for the holiday.Now you have people who have paid upwards of $100 per ticket who must choose on Christmas Eve among family, church or the Chargers-Denver Broncos game at Qualcomm Stadium.A 1971 Christmas Day playoff game between the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs went into two overtimes, reputedly causing many family divorces and quarrels in the process.This year, you have the NFL saying “tough beans” about those having to choose between football and families.The solution? How about if the Chargers-Broncos game kicked off at 1 p.m. so players, fans, stadium workers, media, etc. could all be home with their families for Christmas Eve night?Of course, the stupid 5 p.m. kickoff time is all about ESPN the NFL and the “national” television audience.In reality, how many people on the East Coast are going to watch ...
Christmas 

Poinsettia Bowl looks like a winner
2007-12-19 18:23:00
When the Holiday Bowl first came to be in 1978, many people wanted to name it the Poinsettia Bowl.Now that the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl is entering its third game, it looks like the bowl slot was well worth the wait.The Poinsettia Bowl match-up Thursday night between Navy (8-4) and Utah (8-4) is one of the better non-New Year’s Day bowl pairings.Or would you rather see Oklahoma State (6-6) vs. Indiana (7-5) in the Insight Bowl, or perhaps Alabama (6-6) vs. Colorado (6-6) in the Independence Bowl?Even the BCS games between USC (10-2) vs. Illinois (9-3) in the Rose Bowl and Virginia Tech (11-2) vs. Kansas (11-1) in the Orange Bowl aren’t all that appealing on a nationwide basis.Illinois has no business being in a major bowl, and Kansas didn’t even make it to the Big 12 championship game.Utah boasts one of the nation’s better runners in Darrell Mack of Utah, who rushed 50 times for 248 yards in leading Monte Vista High School to a San Diego Section CIF champio ...
Winner 

Chargers beating up patsies
2007-12-17 18:29:00
The Chargers have made a wonderful playoff run by putting together a four-game winning streak against teams that are a combined 2-23 down the stretch.OK, take away the four losses against the Chargers and those teams are a combined 2-19.Or didn’t you notice that:The Chargers started their winning streak against a Baltimore team that has lost eight straight (and allowed Miami to win its first game of the season Sunday.)The streak continued against Kansas City, which has lost seven straight.Then there was a win vs. Tennessee, which has lost four of six.And finally came Sunday’s 51-14 win against a Detroit team with six straight losses.Clearly, there are three echelons in the AFC. New England is at Level 1, with Indianapolis and Jacksonville at Level 2. The Chargers lead a Level 3, which also includes Pittsburgh and Cleveland.In their latest win, the Chargers had plenty to feel good about.LaDainian Tomlinson and Darren Sproles became the first players in team history to both rush for ...

Chargers should tame Lions
2007-12-14 18:54:00
Jamal Williams and Shawne Merriman are out with injuries.There goes the heart of the Chargers’ defense.Lorenzo Neal is out for the regular season, at least.There goes a heart of the offense.Philip Rivers is gimpy.That’s another important offensive component.That being said, the Chargers still have an excellent chance to clinch the AFC West when they host the Detroit Lions on Sunday.Look at it this way: The Lions are coming off a game they led the entire way until falling at the end to the powerful Dallas Cowboys.Sound familiar to what Baltimore did against the New England Patriots two weeks ago?Don’t forget, Baltimore came out completely flat last Sunday when it got beaten up by Indianapolis.You shouldn’t be surprised if Detroit suffers the same fate this week; even considering how banged up the Chargers appear to be.Prediction:Chargers 30, Lions 17 ...
Lions 

Chargers: Save antics for home field
2007-12-12 18:05:00
Shawne Merriman needs to save his “Lights Out” antics for Qualcomm Stadium.He incited the crowd last Sunday in Tennessee with his Lights Out dance each of the two times he recorded sacks.Then, when he injured Titans quarterback Vince Young on what was probably an unintentional hit, he incited the populace even more.If the Titans did indeed go out to injure Merriman (and they did), it was because they interpreted him as trying to shove it in their collective faces on their home field.Next time, Shawne, save the theatrics for the home crowd that will cheer you on.Speaking of antics, Tennessee’s LenDale White learned his lesson after scoring in the fourth quarter to put the Titans two touchdowns ahead. He first mimicked LaDainian Tomlinson, then Merriman.Gee, I wonder if his taunting spurred the Chargers on to 20 unanswered points on their way to a 23-17 overtime win.Lesson learned: Minimize the taunting and celebrations … and it will maximize your team’s chances of winning. ...

Chargers may gain AFC's No. 3 seed
2007-12-10 18:35:00
Could the Chargers suddenly be looking at a No. 3 seed in the AFC playoffs?Those chances increased Sunday when the Chargers beat Tennessee in overtime, 23-17; then Pittsburgh got clobbered by New England.The Chargers (8-5) are only one game behind Pittsburgh (9-4) for the third seed.Should the Chargers win out (and they should against Detroit, Denver and Oakland) … then Pittsburgh only needs to lose only one more AFC game for the Chargers to become No. 3.That Pittsburgh loss could happen as early as this Sunday, when the Steelers play host to an outstanding Jacksonville team.Since the Chargers and Pittsburgh don’t play each other this season, the next tiebreaker is their record within the AFC. Both are 7-3 now, but another Pittsburgh loss within the conference (such as to Jacksonville) would place the Steelers behind San Diego in the tiebreaker.The Chargers undoubtedly scored their biggest win of the season at Tennessee. Not only did they come back from a 14-point deficit in the fo ...

Are Chargers playoff worthy?
2007-12-06 23:58:00
Whether they deserve it or not, the Chargers are going to make the playoffs.They can greatly thank the Denver Broncos, who suddenly aren’t good enough to beat even the Bad News (Chicago) Bears … or Oakland Raiders, for that matter.If you want a true measure of how well the Chargers might fare in the playoffs, just wait till Sunday.They are being awaited by a Tennessee Titans team that could make or break their wild-card playoff hopes with this weekend’s result.The Titans have a big name at quarterback in Vince Young, but they are not a big play team.They are very capable, however, of grinding it out on you with one of the best offensive lines in the NFL.Here’s a fact to consider about the Titans: They are 7-2 when defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth is healthy; 0-3 when he’s not.Btw, Haynesworth is healthy this week.The Chargers have appeared healthy their last two games with wins over Baltimore and Kansas City. But that’s like bragging about beating the Little Sisters of ...
Worthy 

Qualcomm Stadium: Good for great college bowl games
2007-12-05 19:40:00
Qualcomm Stadium isn’t good enough for the Chargers.What is it good for?How about two of the best non-BCS football games this college postseason?The Pacific Life Holiday Bowl has a great match-up Dec. 27 with No. 12 Arizona State (10-2) vs. No. 17 Texas (9-3).ASU would have been in a BCS game had Hawaii not made a late comeback to beat Washington last Saturday.Texas was the national champion two years ago and is still considered among the top names in college football.As for the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl, the Navy (8-4) vs. Utah (8-4) contest Dec. 20 is as good as it gets before Christmas.Navy is always a great draw in a military town like San Diego, and it has a very formidable team.Utah, three years removed from a BCS game, scored a 44-6 victory this season over a UCLA team which was in the Rose Bowl hunt until last weekend.No matter what you say about Qualcomm Stadium, it’s still adequate enough for two of the top bowl games in America. ...
College  Games  Stadium 

Chargers looking like Chargers?
2007-12-03 17:42:00
The Chargers are starting to look like their old selves again.Consider that in Sunday’s 24-10 win at Kansas City:LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for 177 yards and two touchdowns.The defense recorded eight sacks; three by Shawne Merriman.Philip Rivers and the offense recorded only one turnover.That’s the good news. Now comes the big question:Can the Chargers beat the better teams in the NFL?Their last two wins have been against Baltimore and Kansas City, two teams with only four wins apiece.Come this Sunday, they travel to play a Tennessee team that is fighting for its playoff life.If the Chargers can win this week, perhaps they’re for real. If not, they are still nothing more than a pretender in the NFL. ...

Aztecs can't draw flies (or fans)
2007-11-30 18:23:00
A local radio station recently went out to a restaurant/bar in Little Italy with 200 tickets to give away to a San Diego State football game.It came back with 200 tickets.Another radio station has a program where it gives listeners “points” in an Internet contest for such things as typing in the Word of the Day.A $25 gift certificate to Jack in the Box or McDonald’s normally goes for 40,000-50,000 points. Four SDSU football tickets can usually be had for less than 1,000 points.Does anybody care about SDSU football?Apparently not, according to the radio station promotions and the number of empty seats at an Aztec home football game.Athletic director Jeff Schemmel would have you believe that his department – and especially the football program – is able to carry its own financial weight.If that’s so, then why does President Stephen Weber keep borrowing from a “one-time fund” to give millions to the athletic department?The Aztecs conclude their season Saturday at home agai ...
Aztecs  Fans  Flies 

Union-Tribune can't hide its 'business deal'
2007-11-28 18:00:00
What’s the big secret behind the “business deal” between the San Diego Union-Tribune and radio station XTRA Sports 1360 AM?The Union-Tribune has its sportswriters on a daily (Monday-Friday) show from 10 am-noon, but here’s what you won’t read about in the supposedly tell-all Union-Tribune:The newspaper is paying $1,000 an hour to have its sportswriters on The Sports Page with Josh Rosenberg. As part of the deal, the Union-Tribune is selling ads for the show.Also, the sportswriters on the show do not receive any compensation for their time. That’s sure to build morale in the already-deteriorating newspaper business.The next time you hear (or see) the Union-Tribune collectively beating its chest for thinking it blows the whistle on others, just ask why the paper doesn’t blow the whistle on itself.This “business deal” is an example of the U-T thinking it is above the rules it sets for others. ...
Business  Tribune  Union 

Chargers will clinch AFC West on Christmas Eve
2007-11-26 18:11:00
As poorly as they have played much of this season, the Chargers will clinch the AFC West by beating Denver on Christmas Eve.Neither team has an overly difficult schedule between now and then … but both are capable of losing to anybody.The Chargers (6-5) travel to Kansas City and Tennessee the next two weeks before hosting Detroit and Denver back-to-back.The Broncos (5-6) travel to Oakland, host Kansas City, then are at Houston prior to meeting the Chargers.When the Chargers and Broncos meet on Christmas Eve (Monday night) in San Diego, they will likely be tied or the Chargers will have a one-game lead.Since the Chargers already beat Denver earlier this year, they would own the tiebreaker over the Broncos with a second win.In Sunday’s 32-14 win over a hapless Baltimore Ravens’ team, at least the Chargers showed a little bit of their 2006 form.Philip Rivers didn’t turn the ball over, Antonio Gates caught two TD passes and LaDainian Tomlinson surpassed 10,000 career rushing yards. ...
Christmas 

Chargers doing OK in spite of selves
2007-11-23 18:23:00
At one time, the next four weeks looked very difficult on the Chargers’ schedule:Baltimore; at Kansas City; at Tennessee; Detroit.All of a sudden, the schedule does not look quite as imposing.Baltimore comes here Sunday on a four-game losing streak. Kansas City is out of running backs, among other things.Tennessee has lost two straight. Detroit is a 6-5 team in a tailspin.Of course, the biggest thing the Chargers have going against themselves is themselves.They are the NFL’s worst offense over the last four games. They have the second worst defense in that time span.Even so, they are 2-2 in their four games.So it looks like – even in spite of Norv Turner, A.J. Smith and Ted Cottrell – the Chargers may be well on their way to the playoffs.Weekend Predictions:Chargers 23, Ravens 14Texas Christian University 37, San Diego State 20 ...

Local college basketball worth watching
2007-11-20 18:40:00
College basketball isn’t going to be so bad in San Diego this season.San Diego State has its most balanced team in years. The University of San Diego is only going to get better under the great coaching of first-year mentor Bill Grier, a former assistant at West Coast Conference powerhouse Gonzaga.Both San Diego teams are young, which is another remedy for future improvement. The Aztecs have only one senior; USD has none.Lorrenzo Wade leads an SDSU team that is 5-0 and is 8-9 players deep in able contributors.The Toreros (2-2) do not have any seniors. Junior center Gyno Pomare has two straight double-double games against Nevada Las Vegas and SDSU.USD hosts the WCC postseason tournament each of the next two seasons. Don’t be surprised if the Toreros win that tournament by next year.Coach Steve Fisher has brought the Aztecs from horrible to mediocre during his tenure on Montezuma Mesa. His team is likely looking at another NIT-type season, which is about as high as Fisher appears cap ...
Basketball  College  College Basketball 

Chargers start pointing fingers
2007-11-19 04:22:00
So now the Chargers are starting to point fingers.Shawne Merriman and LaDainian Tomlinson are saying some guys on the team are interested in collecting paychecks; not winning.Such was the locker room tone after Sunday’s 24-17 loss at Jacksonville.Sure, they probably have a point with the finger-pointing.But if they want to get directly to the point, blame team management.A.J. Smith is the general manager whose sour personality caused the team to lose coach Marty Schottenheimer, who’s a better head coach on his worst day than Norv Turner is on his best day.Dean Spanos is the guy who twice in 10 years couldn’t solve a coach-general manager feud. Thanks to his ultimate decision to fire Schottenheimer, the Chargers’ have taken huge steps backwards.The sad part is that if Denver loses at home Monday night to Tennessee, the Chargers will be alone in first place in the AFC West.This dysfunctional team deserves much worse. ...
Fingers  Pointing 

Will Jaguars take bite out of Chargers?
2007-11-16 19:31:00
OK, so this much we know about the Chargers:Norv Turner is a horrible head coach.Philip Rivers can’t pass – or hold onto the football – any more.LaDainian Tomlinson has forgotten how to run.But there are the positives:Antonio Cromartie is a big-time playmaker.Darren Sproles has suddenly remembered how to run back kicks.The Chargers were good enough to beat the Indianapolis Colts’ junior varsity when they were missing seven injured starters.Now come the Jacksonville Jaguars.They may be a non-descript team, but all they do is win.With a 6-3 record, the Jaguars should be even more potent this week when quarterback David Garrard returns from three weeks on the injury list with a high-ankle sprain.Prediction:Jaguars 23, Chargers 20 ...

Poinsettia Bowl: Aztecs out, Utah in?
2007-11-14 18:17:00
Would you like to see San Diego State play in the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl this year?Keep dreaming.First of all, the Aztecs (4-5) would have to win two of their final three games to become bowl eligible.Where do you find two wins with games at Air Force (Nov. 17) and at home vs. Texas Christian University (Nov. 24) and Brigham Young (Dec. 1)?Even if the Aztecs finish 6-6, the Poinsettia Bowl would have to choose a Mountain West Conference team with seven wins over SDSU.The best that can be said for the Aztecs at this point is they’re on a two-game winning streak and have surpassed last year’s victory total of three.“We’re excited to play,” SDSU coach Chuck Long said. “We have an upbeat practice tempo going. Guys are really starting to gel and really enjoy being around each other. We've had a great time with this team all year.”But after nine years of the Mountain West Conference, they are still the conference’s only team never to appear in a bowl g ...
Aztecs  Utah 

Chargers' win is a kick
2007-11-12 08:52:00
Adam Vinatieri won two Super Bowls for New England with last-second field goals.He made a long field goal in a driving snow storm to beat Oakland in a memorable playoff game.But he couldn’t even make a 29-yard attempt with the game on the line Sunday night as the Chargers scored an improbable 23-21 win over Vinatieri and the Indianapolis Colts."I should make that kick every time," Vinatieri said. "There are no good excuses. I just missed it."There were no good excuses for the way the Chargers’ offense played, either. Quarterback Philip Rivers had arguably his worst game as a pro and the offense could muster only 50 yards in the second half after San Diego raced to a 23-0 lead by midway in the second quarter.But who would have thought that Peyton Manning would throw a career-high six interceptions, and Vinatieri would miss a 42-yard field goal attempt as the first half expired to match his second half futility?This game belonged to San Diego’s special teams and two special player ...

Chargers facing another lost weekend?
2007-11-09 23:31:00
You think the Chargers’ loss was bad enough last week at Minnesota?Just wait until the Indianapolis Colts come to town for Sunday night’s match-up on NBC-TV.Peyton Manning has spent a lot of time on his back in his last two games against the Chargers, but he’ll probably be spending much more time in the end zone this week.As if San Diego’s defense wasn’t horrible enough last Sunday, it will spend this week’s entire game without injured defensive end Luis Castillo and (most likely) cornerback Quentin Jammer.Ouch.Can you smell 400-plus yards for Manning?Offensively, the Chargers couldn’t run or pass against Minnesota (does that mean they didn’t do anything right?)Indianapolis? It has a better defense than the Vikings.Yes, these are the same Chargers who two years ago went into Indianapolis and spoiled the Colts’ bid for a perfect season when they were 13-0.But there was a major difference: Motivator Marty Schottenheimer coached them in 2005; motivation-less Norv Turner ...
Facing  Weekend 

USC-Texas rematch in Holiday Bowl?
2007-11-07 18:16:00
Two years ago, USC and Texas played for the college football national championship.How about a rematch this year in the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl?It won’t be the Trojans of Matt Leinart/Reggie Bush vs. the Longhorns of Vince Young.But it would still offer coaches Pete Carroll of USC and Mack Brown of Texas, leading two of the most heralded teams annually in college football.Let’s face it: The Holiday Bowl is only going to get USC on a down year for the Trojans. This may be the year.Texas was here in 2001 and 2003 for the Holiday Bowl, but the Longhorns would probably welcome a rematch of their title win over USC two years ago. (USC has never played in the game.)The Dec. 27 Holiday Bowl matches the Pac-10 runner-up against a third selection from the Big 12.The game could certainly match a pair of current Top 10 teams if Arizona State were to face Missouri. But let’s face it: Those teams don’t have the national appeal of USC and Texas.Kansas and Oklahoma are other possibilities ...
Holiday  Texas 

Charger apologists will have tough time apologizing
2007-11-05 07:00:00
Boy, isn’t A.J. Smith of the Chargers the best general manager in the NFL?Reminds you of John Wayne, doesn’t he?Boy, Norv Turner sure can coach; can’t he?You know, he’s going to be the next Bill Belichick and win three Super Bowls in four years with the Chargers.Pardon me for daydreaming and being among the apologists for the Chargers.We’ll leave that to the San Diego Union-Tribune, Joe Tutino of 1090 AM Radio and Tom Shanahan of voiceofsandiego.org. (Thank goodness for Coach John Kentera, who went on 1090 this past week and said he wasn’t impressed with the Chargers because they had not beaten anybody this year.)To put it more bluntly, they still haven’t. What an embarrassment Sunday’s 35-17 loss was to the Minnesota Vikings.Did you see that awesome Chargers’ rush defense? All they did was allow rookie Adrian Peterson to rush for an NFL record 296 yards (including 253 in the second half.)He only out-rushed LaDainian Tomlinson by 256 yards, meaning that perhaps he is ...
Time 

Chargers can't afford to look ahead
2007-11-02 17:18:00
Sometimes, a team gets a welcomed break in its schedule.For the Chargers, it has been consecutive games against Oakland, Houston and this Sunday at Minnesota.Do you think the Vikings have a chance of winning? Then name five other players on the team besides running back Adrian Peterson.Talk about a non-descript team.The Chargers better get out of Minnesota with a victory. Their next six games are against teams over .500 in Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Baltimore, Kansas City, Tennessee and Detroit.This week would be a great time for LaDainian Tomlinson and Antonio Gates to pile up the numbers offensively. It’s also a chance for Shawne Merriman to finally get some sacks and the secondary to further make an impact.With what’s ahead, the Chargers better not stumble this week.Prediction:Chargers 23, Vikings 10 ...
Afford  Ahead