My Dad Is Optimistic About The Chargers

My Dad sent me the above, depressing photo yesterday in the aftermath of the Bolts' horrendous loss to the Rams, but his accompanying message rang optimistic:

I don't know Bo, but for some reason 2 & 4 doesn't bother me.

I'm choosing patience.

We still have Richwoods and Boise State.

Dad

With age - sometimes - comes wisdom. I'll give my Dad the benefit of the doubt here and join in his patient outlook on the Bolts' season. After all, the Raiders, Broncos, and Chiefs also crashed and burned yesterday.

The Bolts are only one game back in the division!

p.s. No, I don't know why my Dad likes Boise St. We have no connection to that university, or the state of Idaho, or any player or coach connected to the team, as far as I know. I think he just likes their team colors of blue and orange.

I Can't Watch The Chargers-Saints Game

Needless to say tonight's scintillating Chargers-Saints game is preempted in the New York market by the stultifying Jets-Redskins game.

Good thing booze exists.

Don Coryell ... One Of The Great Ones

This happened a few days ago, but I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the passing of one of the great football coaches of all time, Don Coryell.

Coryell's impact on the offensive game of professional football is well-documented.

All I'll add here is that when I first became cognizant of Charger football, Coryell was the coach and his high-powered offenses made it very easy to be a fan. What more could a 6-year old kid ask for than his favorite team scoring 35 points per game?

In fact, even after Philip leads to the Bolts to a few Super Bowl titles over the next few years, when I think Chargers, the first thing I'll think about are the blue-and-yellow clad Bolts teams of the early 80s, captained by Danny Fouts and led from the sidelines by the brilliant Don Coryell.

Way to get it dun, Don.

Drew Brees And The Chargers

It's no secret that I'm a Chargers fan first and a fan of any individual player a distant second. Philip Rivers is my current favorite Charger, but if he was released tomorrow I'd root like hell for whatever QB A.J. and Norv decide should wear the lightning bolt next season.

And that's not never gonna change as long as the Chargers play in San Diego.

The question could be asked, I suppose, which quarterback I'd prefer played for the Chargers. Or, to put it in specifics, would I rather it be Drew Brees or Philip Rivers quarterbacking the Bolts?

Though its not a reflection on either player, I go with Philip 100% of the time.

Drew Brees has developed into a great quarterback, but I don't wish that he was still a Charger. Brees had every opportunity to succeed in San Diego and started to fulfill his promise only after two subpar seasons that did little to convince the San Diego brass that he could develop into a top-tier QB.

For a refresher, here's the timeline of events:

April 2001: Brees drafted in second round;

2001 season: as rookie, Brees rides pine behind Doug Flutie and sees his first career action in week 8, nearly leading the Bolts to a comeback win over the Chefs, but then never sees the field the rest of the season as the Bolts go from 5-2 to finish 5-11 ... Mike Riley is then fired;

2002 season: Brees installed as starter under new coach Marty Schottenheimer ... team storms to a 6-1 start and is sitting at 8-4 after a December 1 overtime win over the Broncos ... team loses its final 4 games to finish 8-8 and miss the playoffs ... those losses include a blowout loss to the eventual Super Bowl runner-up Raiders (Drew played poorly) and a dagger loss to the Chiefs (Drew played well);

2003 season: a bad bad season on all Bolt fronts (except LT, of course, see this game, and this, and this) ... a tough early season schedule mires the Bolts at 0-4 and they never recover, finishing a dismal 4-12, with Brees completing only 57.6 percent of his passes and throwing 15 picks to only 11 touchdowns;

2003-04 offseason: faced with Brees' poor 2003 season, the Chargers trade for Philip Rivers ... Drew Brees begins ridiculous off-season training regimen (one wonders why he had not undergone such a regimen in previous off-seasons);

2004 season: after a Rivers holdout, Brees earns the starting job ... after a few dicey early season performances that result in losses to the Jets and Broncos, Brees starts to roll and the Bolts finish 12-4, with Drew completing 65.5% of his passes for 20 TDs to only 7 picks ... Brees also performs well in the dagger playoff loss to the Jets, going 23-33 for 279 yards and 2 TDs;

2005 season: an up and down season with outstanding highs and dagger lows that ends with Brees' shoulder getting crumpled in the finale against Denver, a game in which Drew probably should not have even played ... Brees last walks off the field as a Charger with his throwing arm lifted awkardly over his head;

2005-06 offseason: faced with uncertainty over Brees' throwing shoulder, and a ton of caysh already committed to Philip Rivers, the Bolts offer Drew an incentive-laden contract with little guaranteed money ... Drew signs for more cash with the Saints.

So that's pretty much it. Drew Brees was a Charger, and now he is not. The Chargers made a tough decision under tough circumstances, based on widely varying evidence of Drew Brees' potential as a starting QB. I'm glad it has worked out for Drew but there was no guarantee that it would. I don't fault the Chargers for going with Rivers then, now or going forward.

If Drew wins on Sunday in Miami that's great, but whether he does or not has nothing to do with, and is no reflection on, the San Diego Chargers.

Today The Chargers Play Football

Bolts - Jets for the right to face Indianapolis in the AFC Championship Game.

It happens today at the Q.

Folks, there is no one in the League I'd rather have quarterbacking the Bolts than Philip Rivers.

Let's get it dun, Philip.

Scouting The Jets - Bungles Game

Spent the late afternoon scouting the Jets - Bengals game at the Village Pourhouse on Amsterdam Avenue up near Columbia's campus (not the one pictured above, that's in the actual Village). Father D.P. McGillicutty, a notorious Jetsies fan, showed up and helped me house some angus beef sliders, hot wings and numerous Bud Louie's.

Based on the Jets 24-14 victory, I note the following in a potential Bolts-Jets matchup:

- the Jets defense is strong but Rivers could throw up and over their smaller corners to the likes of Antonio, Malcolm and Vincent;

- Shon Greene and Thomas Jones would be difficult to stop, assuming Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer continues his creative play calling (the counter-pitch to Greene that went for a touchdown in the first half was choice);

- Dustin Keller, the Jets TE, would likely be able to exploit the Bolts LB core and pick up some big gains underneath and on bootlegs, as he did today against the Bengals; and

- LT and Sproles would have some daylight to pick up yards in the ground game, in theory opening up Philip even more for some deep tosses to Vincenzo, Antonio and Malcolmo.

We'll know tomorrow after the Pats-Ravens game whether the Bolts will indeed play the Jets, or if there will be a Bolts-Pats rematch from the 2006 playoff debacle.

Oh my.