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.

Coryell Was Robbed

Don Coryell did not make the NFL Hall of Fame last Saturday.

In his place were voted in the likes of Russ Grimm, John Randle and Rickey Jackson.

Rickey Jackson? An above-average linebacker gets in over a coach who revolutionized the game of football and whose offensive innovations are the most widely-copied schemes in the current NFL?

Dubious.

Nothing against Rickey - who was like Shawne Merriman before Merriman got hurt - but this strikes me as a pick that piggybacked the fact the Saints made the Super Bowl. New Orleans was on everyone's mind and so they voted in an old-school Saint.

If the Bolts had made the Super Bowl, I bet Coryell makes it and Rickey is on the outside looking in.