A New Hope?

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I think for many San Diegans, the Super Bowl was the final nail in the coffin.  That’s when it hit them that they don’t have a football team anymore.  As bad as so many former Boltheads felt for Falcon fans, the common sentiment was that at least they’d still have a team to break their hearts next year.  I’m still a Charger fan, even though it’s different.  I’m sure it will continue to be more so when next season starts.  I really wish that the Chargers hadn’t moved, but I still maintain that keeping the city in limbo for another year or even two wasn’t going to be good for anybody.  Something had to give even if I thought that something would be The Organization committing finally to getting a stadium solution in San Diego.  I must admit that I was one of the few people NOT pulling for Atlanta yesterday.  Why?  It was pure jealousy.  I thought going in that the Falcons would win because of how well they were playing and that the Giants had proved twice that the Patriots can be taken down on the biggest stage.  If Pete Carroll hadn’t inexplicably decided to throw on the goal line, the narrative going into Super Sunday would have been even more different.

I just saw in my mind another fanbase finally getting their Trophy and me having to deal with the fact that I can’t really imagine it happening to us.  Fuck, I’m not even sure who “us” is anymore.  The Falcon team we came back to beat was nothing like the one that steamrolled into Sunday.  Criticism will be (fairly) directed towards Kyle Shanahan for not running in short yardage situations.  Yet, the Falcons ran on 4th against us in a spot that I didn’t even think they should have gone to begin with.

I actually didn’t even remember that New England ran that two-point conversion (albeit with Kevin Faulk) on 1/14/07.  I’ve blocked out so much from that day, yet I don’t blame the Patriots for our loss.  That 14-2 wasn’t poised, no matter how talented they were.  They melted down against a Patriot team that turned around and blew a lead at Indy the following week.  Schottenheimer tensed up in January and it showed.  I hated Norv but he was hired so that “situational football” would improve and it did.  Unfortunately,  Nate Kaeding was who he was and Dean Spanos had decided to extend Norv before the loss to the Jets.  That team melted down too, but they were never tough in the trenches and it got exposed as well.  I thought that LT would prove his playoff doubters wrong, but unfortunately he waited until he left San Diego for that.

Anyway, the Chargers are officially beginning their new era.  I feel very much as Philip Rivers says he does.  I keep censoring myself when it seems like I’m not disappointed (and a little disgusted) that the team left San Diego.  But since I’ve always lived here I’m not affected the same way and I’m not going to pretend otherwise.  I still have a team that can break my heart next season, which I’m sure they will.  New coach, defensive coordinator and even strength coach…will it matter?  They might be the same old Bolts but at least they’ll be new same old Bolts.

I know, I need higher standards.

Congrats to LaDainian and shame on the Hall for snubbing Don Coryell yet again.  If you’re still among the Legion Of The Lightning Bolt, give me a shout out.

JIC,

RLW

Yes, that’s the Dead at Elvis’ grave and yes it made me think of Spinal Tap.]]>