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“This-That-Some of the Other”

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Lots of team…lots to talk about

PADRES…Give them credit, they are trying, traying hard in the free-agent market, these meetings, and likely offers to both Bryce Harper and Manny Machado. Maybe a 7-to-10 year contract does not make sense, but a short term deal would be a difference maker to the lineup, help weather whatever storms ahead with a young pitching staff, and give ownership a boost in credibility. But I get the sense the Padres are being used as a pawn in all this, and that Harper might wind up going back to Washington, and Machado wants to wait with hope the Yankees show up with a bid. Guess you never find out if you don’t roll the dice, take a shot in the dark. They did land Eric Hosmer, didn’t they?

CHARGERS…They always talk about the ‘window closing’ on good teams, it might be closing quicker on the Chargers. They’ve just released veteran DE-Corey Liuget, in a salary cap move. Top young WR-Tyrell Williams can leave as a free agent this spring. Veteran CB-Casey Hayward is coming off a sub-standard season. TE-Antonio Gates seems headed to retirement. Not many veterans left in what is becoming a younger and younger roster around QB-Philip Rivers. It’s weird, two winning seasons since the move to LA, and you don’t feel they have accomplished anything since leaving San Diego?

SAN DIEGO FLEET…A nice start to the season, even with the opening day loss in San Antonio. Chargers fans obviously are interested, gauged by the 5.8-TV rating in San Diego last Saturday. They are going with backup QB-Philip Nelson this weekend against Atlanta. It hasn’t been easy for the front office, the late start, virtually no marketing, limited facilities for the coaches, and the rain, the rain, the rain, trying to put together quality practices having to use 3-different fields. Still lots of work to be done.

AZTECS….Yes you can go home, at least return to where you did well. Brady Hoke comes back to Montezuma Mesa after helping turn the program around years ago. Hoke went to Michigan, and rebuilt the Wolverines, but then saw it all fall apart, getting fired. He went to Oregon, lasted one year as defensive coordinator. Went to Tennessee as a defensive line coach, but was swept out in a coaching change. Then on to the NFL Carolina Panthers, where he went one year and done as Ron Rivera cleaned his staff out. He will work for Rocky Long in what has become a special friendship. I am surprised Hoke did not go back to a head job in the Mid American Conference, where he did so well at Ball State, the stepping stone to the Aztecs job.

SAN DIEGO STATE….The basketball program is playing better marching thru the second half of the Mountain West season, but there’s a problem within. Star forward Jalen McDaniels, likely the Player of the Year in the Mountain West Conference, is not being allowed to talk tot he San Diego media, the aftermath of the voyeur lawsuits filed by two high school girls, whom he secretly videotaped having sex with friends, and then sent it viral to friends. Is he going to boycott the media if he wins player of the year? If he goes to the NBA, what do you think dealing with the media will be like? JD Wicker, Mike May and coach Brian Dutcher need to re-think this, for it stains their credibility.

USD…A nice season at the Jenny Craig Pavilion for coach Sam Scholl’s team…but maybe it comes to a crashing conclusion this week. BYU is here then Gonzaga and its (24-2) record rolls in. And of course the Toreros are probably not looking forward to the end of the era of Isaiah Pinier, Isaiah Wright and Ollin Carter. They all graduate after this season is complete.

GULLS…The nationwide hockey media, including those in Canada, believe Dallas Eakins will be he next head coach of the Ducks, after the firing of coach Randy Carlyle last Sunday. The Ducks, fighting to stay out of last place, are calling up virtually all the top young draft picks that have been in San Diego. Why not take Eakins, who has 300-career wins in the AHL, now, and let him put his system in and let him evaluate the Ducks roster the last 25-ghames of the schedule, to see what fits, doesn’t fit the way he does things?

SOCKERS….Here comes Landon Donovan, his brilliant career forever written in the history books of the US Wold Cup soccer team. He threw his support behind the Soccer City package, and seemed on a track to possibly a key front office job, till voters rejected the stadium proposal. I guess the only thing I don’t understand, if his desire is to still play. If the talent level is still there, why play in the MASL, the indoor league, when the MLS is still growing? And why not try to convince Greg Berhalter to let him return to the US World Cup program, either as a player or a coach as they transition to a much younger roster? Part of me hopes this Sockers signing isn’t a cheap publicity stunt for a semi pro league. Part of me wishes Donovan was doing more in his post playing career.

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