Almost 47 And In A Fucking Snowstorm

I know I said I’d be back before the Super Bowl. Sorry about that. I know everyone loves to root against the Pats, but the Eagles winning just reminds me how far the Chargers have to go. Had the Falcons held on last year or had the Vikings won it all, I’d probably feel the same way. Another long-suffering fan base finally gets their championship, but not ours. Believe me, I hold no love for New England, especially after losing in the playoffs to them with possibly our strongest teams. But it’s hard not to watch that game and see all that the Chargers are missing.

Darren Sproles got a ring and so did Patrick Robinson. Sproles was out for most of the year with two ghastly injuries suffered on the very same play and Robinson didn’t start. He did get some picks, including one against Minnesota, but it’s really not important how many ex-Chargers have rings. Rodney Harrison was running his mouth again about Dean Spanos, which actually makes me a little happy the Patriots lost. Look, I’m not defending Dean. But Harrison can gush over Robert Kraft all he wants, I don’t that’s why the Chargers haven’t won a ring. If you want to blame the coaches he’s hired after Bobby Ross, that’s one thing.

At least we can’t say that the Titans weren’t deserving of the final playoff spot. They won at KC, which was the one thing the Chargers could have done to make the playoffs. Even with the 0-4 start, and whatever you think was the cause of it (kicking, turnovers, clock management/coaching), they still could have won the West if they had beaten the Chiefs. And even with the awful loss at Jacksonville, you can’t really maintain that the Jaguars didn’t warrant a spot over us. They fucked up Pittsburgh and almost beat New England. The point is, the Chargers couldn’t make the playoffs in a league where 40 percent of the teams do.

I have no idea what they will or should do with the draft and free agency. At least I admit it, unlike every other person out there. I don’t think Tre Boston is worth what he is most likely seeking, but also thought that about Melvin Ingram a year ago.

The combine has now come and go and the Chargers haven’t tipped their hand. That’s a good thing, even as the rest of the NFL seems to be making moves. Are the Seahawks, realizing that their window has come and gone, having a fire sale? If so, I bet they wish they handed that ball off on the goalline now. With Gus Bradley back, there were rumblings of the Bolts going after Earl Thomas a while back. Now there is speculation about Richard Sherman. He’s from Compton, after all. Of course he is also coming off a season-ending injury. Then again, so is Jason Verrett once again. But Verrett was almost as effective as Mike Williams and he didn’t play a down. OK, I know I’m spiraling.

So Frank Reich got a ring with Philly and I’m not even sure what he does. He doesn’t call the plays. The Eagles got Michael Bennett today, which is scary. I was pretty disturbed to also read that Anthony Lynn thinks of Marvin Lewis as a mentor. God, no. If it wasn’t for Marvin Lewis, we might be looking at ten years without a playoff win. The Organization has spoken recently about finding a kicker that can grow with the team, but didn’t they say that about the guy who kicked a ball into a guy’s helmet in the finale? I know Jim Nantz said during the Bills/Jags Wild Card game that if we had kept Lambo we’d have made the playoffs. Someone needs to remind Nantz of that missed kick against Tampa Bay. As bad as Rose’s kick was against the Jets, the Tampa kick was the worst.

I’ve also read some stuff recently about Feeney moving to Center. The line definitely played better last season, even without Lamp. I don’t know how much Slausson has left, but he looked pretty shitty before getting hurt. Remember when we signed John Runyan in 2009? That’s gotta be one of the least effective signings in recent memory. At least he won in Congress.

As the title of this post suggests, it’s snowing again here on Long Island. Tomorrow is my 47th birthday and exactly six months since my father passed away. Besides family, friends, and music, the Chargers have actually been one of the things to take my mind off of that. I’ve got a lot to be thankful for even if I miss my dad every day.

So I picked up one these online. Not bad, right? Anyway, I am sure I won’t be gone that long. I know I’ve said that before, but the “business season” of the NFL is heating up. So, until next time.
JIC,
RLW