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“Chargers–The Nightmare Never Ends”

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They are coming off their bye week.

Things should be getting better, but at first glance, they are not.

Will they ever?

The Chargers are (1-4), the lone win could have been a loss on opening day to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Now because of the juggling of the schedule, they had a bye week.

Very badly banged up, I think the bye week fell into their lap at the right time, with virtually all their key defensive players  ailing …offensive lineman in and out of the lineup, and a group of skill guys banged up.

So much for wishing and hoping things would break their way.  No luck at all.

The last time they played, the loss against Tampa Bay and then the Saints, they finished the game with 8-to-9 starters out of the lineup with injuries.

The bye week did not solve much of the mess.

The only thing in their favor, the next segment of the schedule.

Woeful Jacksonville, with a 5-game losing streak comes to town.  They then get the chance to play the Miami Dolphins, breaking in rookie QB-Tua Tagovailoa.  Still to come, Denver, in a slow rebuild program.  And the lowly New York Jets, on track to go (0-16).

So the Bolts might be able to turn the corner, if they were healthy.  Don’t see it happening.

Yes they have the kid QB-Justin Herbert, who has been sparking while walking down the learning curve.

But now the bad news,  the hamstring injury to do-everything RB-Austin Ekeler is worse than feared, and he is a long ways away.  His replacement, young RB-Justin Jackson has a knee issue, his third different nagging injury since camp.

It’s been 9-days since WR-Keenan Allen injured his back.  He has done limited work in practice.  How is he going to hold up?  His running mate Mike Williams, makes plays, then gets hurt.

RT-Bryan Bulaga still has back issues and is limited, meaning he might miss his 3rd straight game, and if he plays, how long does he hold up?

RG-Trai Turner is not practicing, with on-going groin issues.  A likely third game in a row on the sidelines.

Now wide body NT-Linval Joseph is ailing with elbow problems, something that plagued him in Minnesota for years.

Joey Bosa has soldiered on with 3-different injury issues, the latest an ankle and a bicep which has limited him.

His running mate DE-Melvin Ingram just got off the IR, but no one knows if he will be on the active roster Sunday coming off the knee injury.

They have never replaced safety Derwin James, the lost CB-Chris Harris, and were already without LB-Drue Tranquill.

It’s ridiculous.  One year the offensive line is wiped out devastating then QB-Philip Rivers.  Another year they lose virtually all their RBs, leaving Rivers with his arm alone to try to win games.

Injured kickers, battered linebackers.

They just cannot find a solution to this ongoing crisis.

Coach Anthony Lynn is coming under fire.  He is (6-15) since the Chargers last playoff game.  The franchise is spiralling down like it did after Mike McCoy’s quick start.

Coaching takes you only so far.  Healthy players can take you farther.

Maybe the Bolts put a win string together against the garbage that is coming up on the schedule.  But I caution you, this is the same franchise that lost to an (0-13) Browns team four years ago, just before McCoy was blown out.

Part of me feels bad for good people still working for that team.  I think Herbert is a star in the making.

But part of me thinks back to what Dean Spanos did to the city of San Diego, and 55-years of loyal fan support in America’s Finest City, and feel like yelling “Sucks to be You”.

Chargers football, in LA, where the fans don’t care, and now the team is failing again.

“The Nightmare never ends”.

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“Aztecs Football–A Strange Season Starts”

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San Diego State is headed to its 8-game football season.

They open the year against UNLV, in their ‘home away from home’, playing in Carson because of the pandemic.

Brady Hoke returns to take over the head coaching job.  He brings with him two new coordinators in Jeff Hecklinski and Kurt Maddix.

SDSU returns a young veteran quarterback, 6-running backs, two tight ends, and a host of quality players on the back seven on defense.

Hoke replaces Rocky Long, who retired after going (65-31) with a host of bowl games appearances and wins over Power 5-schools.  Oddly Long, a month after retiring, decided to go back to his alma mater,New Mexico, not as head coach, but defensive coordinator.

Training camp is nearly complete.  The season awaits.  A year of uncertainty is still part of our lives.

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Brady Hoke comments:

Pleased where we are at, considering where we were this spring…./we are ready to play

New offense-need to clean things up with new coordinators
It’s not what we know, it’s what they know in formulating game plan for UNLV

We practice and compete hard here and bring our own energy to the game.

QB..Carson Baker had good camp-picked up nuances to offense..higly competititve..felt he was the leader to start us off.

Backup QB…Lucas Johnson-Georgia Tech will be the backup..we may have packages for him because he gives us something different running the ball…quarterback counter play…Baker gives us different things.

RB…Greg Bell…Chance Bell…Kaegun Williams…Jordan Byrd all do good things
Not ready to name a starting RB..we have alot of good options
We have 6-backs…alot of guys back there…all have pluses..our job to have right guy in the play at right time
Byrd on perimiter…Chase-Chance physical…Bell is an unknown to us-really good fall.

How Baker played in BYU game speaks volume about his readiness and composure…showed savvy and made great throws..

Offense did not score alot last year.  We have alot of confidence we will move the ball and score points

We are still in virtual meetings…but will are able to have face-to-face meetings.

Zoom is a fine way to learn but guys have done a nice job staying together…and now practicing what they learned.

We must do what we do well….run the ball…get after it defensively.

Delayed start is benefit for us…we had all the Zoom meetings…it’s still not teaching learning on the field and playing the game.  We have gone out and scrimmaged alot…alot of fundamentals for us.

We are always worried about accountability and making great decisions…staying in your bubbles…we have been very vigilant about all this…we hope to get thrtu this thing.

We won’t have any freshman starting this season…it is a talented class.  The one thing you know ‘got to be ready to play young guys’ if the virus breaks out.  We have given alot of reps to young guys.

Great leadership from Kyle Spalding and Zach Thomas have been special.

These 115 young me have been thru ups and downs….being paused…limited practices…this is not a normal senior year for lots of these kids…they have handled. it all.

We feel we are prepared.  What we have accomplished is amazing.  Adam Hall-strength coach-we have been lifting outside since March with different groups.  What he’s done to help these guys get ready.  Strength and medical staff have been spectacular.

Biggest challenge….UNLV..new coach….will be it Oregon’s offense or Stanford’s defense…with new Rebels staff..

There are some unknowns out there.  Marcus Arroyo came from Oregon..his coordiantor came from Baylor…we looked at alot of their films.  Can we stretch the perimiter…can we knock them off the ball.

From a defensive stand point, put a plan together.  It’s not what we know..it’s what they know.  We may be a bit more streamlined in our packages.

A couple of players have opted out, including Zedane Thomas-RB….we have been pretty clean…players had concerns….I could not imagine being 18-years of age and making that decision.

They have not named a quarterback, though Oblad likely we will be a starter….we cross the white lines, its football.  Hopefully our guys are ready to handle dual threat QBs, and pocket QBs.

New Mexico-Colorado State cancelled because of virus.  I am concerned about our team.  Be around our bubble of people.  Wear your mask all the time.  If one of your friends has been at a party, then it’s like you were at the party…must be safe.

Mountain West Conference may have schedule issues to deal with cancelled games and the Air Force situation….I have to worry about the Aztecs.

History of Aztecs…when I took over the first time…I met Chuck Long…told him he recruited good kids but team was not tough…The staff we hired did a great job setting us in the right direction and Rocky added to that.

This will be different for us.  We are stayig at Chargers hotel in Orange County that has all the experience of working with a team….food facilities.  We went up there October 10th and we prepared that trip like a road trip so we have stayed in that mode.

My coordinators will be up in the booth for the game.  I let Jeff-Kurt (coordinators) make the choice.

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Carson Baker-starting QB

Grew up in San Diego..family had season tickets..went to Helix…awesome lead hometown team.

Jeff Horton recruited me…wasn’t heavily recruited…

Coach Hoke told me ‘we expect alot of you’

Confidence…not arrogance…confidence I can make throws anywhere on the field…

Think I will be a distributor to our guys…be accuarate

QB room is a great group of guys-we all competed hard.

Getting start against BYU end of last season…live game reps helped alot…feel speed-contact.

Gotten alot of reps in practice-feel very confident…alot of time in the system to be comfortable

Will bring energy without any fans in Carson

We had so much time to meet on Zoom to perfect the offense…very comfortable  in all things we have to do.

Football is football…it’s 11-on-11… …with fans or no fans in stands.

Prediction…..Aztecs go (7-0) in the Conference.

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“World Series–Big Bats-Big Arms”

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It’s the big money Dodgers vs the small market Tampa Bay Rays.

1-franchise that would draw 4M in a regular season to historic Chavez Ravine.  The other lucky they draw 17,000 fans to Tropicana Field, an erector set of a poorly constructed domed stadium.

A Dodgers team that plays in the entertainment Capitol of the World, all things Hollywood against a Rays team that draws big TV ratings but virtually no fans because they don’t want to drive over the bridge from St-Petersburg to Tampa.

The Dodgers with the second highest payroll in baseball this season, at (108M) against a Rays team that cost (28.3M) this year on the field.

LA with all its heritage and royalty, dating back to Drysdale-Kourfax….Hershiser-Garvey-Cey-Lopes and La Sorda.

Tampa’s legacy is Joe Madden-since departed as manager, and a bunch of no names on the roster.

They start on Tuesday night in the Best of 7-Fall Classic.

It’s Tampa’s elite starting pitching, against the Dodgers elite bats.
It’s the LA starters against a group of unknowns wearing Rays colors.

There’s no doubt Tampa has frontline starters.

..Tyler Glasnow (7-2) with a 4.05-ERA and a 98mph fastball.
..Blake Snell (6-4) and a 3.24-ERA and a former Cy Young Award
..Charley Morton (3-0) with a 0.57-ERA in this postseason and a (7-2) career playoff mark.

The Dodgers scare you, because anyone can take you deep anytime.

..Corey Seager (.298-6HRs) and an amazing (.1142 OPS) mark this fall
..Mookie Betts (.311) with the bat and all those Gold Glove plays
..Cody Bellinger (.250) with home runs and big catches
..Joe Pederson (.375) when he plays
..Justin Turner…all time Dodgers RBI post season leader
..Max Muncie with power hitting swings.

Lost in the conversation about the 98-to-100mph Tampa Bay fastball arms is the fact the Dodgers batting order can wear you out.  In the postseason, LA is hitting (.256)…they lead baseball with 18-postseason homers…that’s a (.456) slugging percentage.  The new number says an (.812) OPS figure.  They have 58-walks.  They have 42-extra base hits in these 12-postseason games.

That’s a batting order the Rays will have to work thru for 9-innings every game.

Yes Tampa Bay took apart the big money Yankees to get to the Classic.  Yes the Dodgers went (43-17) in the regular season, swept Milwaukee, wiped out the Padres, and came from a (3-1) deficit to eliminate Atlanta.

The Dodgers have World Series proven leadership in the lineup and in the dugout.  The Rays have Manny Margot, Ji Man-Choi, Hunter Renfroe and a host of young players just glad to be there.

Shall be fun to see what the likes of Kershaw-Jansen and their kid pitchers do.

Color this World Series …Dodgers Blue……LA in five games.

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The Dodgers Way–To the World Series”

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It wasn’t easy, but they are going back there, there being the World Series.

In the new era of analytics, the Dodgers got timely hits from unexpected people, and cobbled together a bullpen dayi, to close out the Atlanta Braves, win the NLCS and earned the ticket to the World Series.

It was not easy, and it never seems easy for the Dodgers of Manager Dave Roberts.

Never easy either for GM-Andrew Friedman and all his analysts, who spend more time with charts and graphics than you can believe.

Unsung heroes everywhere.  Start with the MVP type outfielder.  Superstar Mookie Betts goes over the rightfield wall to pull back what looked like a home run ball in mid game.  His fourth big catch of the postseason.

The Dodgers left the bases loaded mid-game when it looked like they were ready to blow it open.

Hot young pitcher Dustin May was told he was going to get the ball at 1:30pm, but he was gone after struggling thru the first inning.  He looked like he had stage fright early, giving up a run.

Tony Gonsolin was asked to give them innings but he gave up runs and hits that put the Blue behind early.

But the Braves were dealing with same situation.  Starting pitcher Ian Anderson looked gassed and gave way early, as Atlanta faced the prospect of a bullpen day too.

Atlanta hurt itself, running into a double play when they had 2nd and 3rd and none out, only to get one guy thrown out at home plate in a rundown and the trailing running nailed at third.

Enter hero two in the game.  Keke Hernandez pinch hit home run tied the game in the 7th..

The third hero, who had won prior games with his bat and glove, changed everything.  Cody Bellinger polled a long home run in the 7th to get the lead.

Julio Urias came out of the bullpen and gave them quality innings in a long relief  outing.

All this entering the 9th and LA still had Kenley Jansen, Joe Kelly, Aaron Karolek and even Clayton Kershaw if they needed in the bullpen.

Urias retired 9-in a row coming out of the bullpen.  Atlanta’s big batting order got one base runner in the final 6-innings of the game.

Atlanta had not been to the World Series since 1999.  That streak continues.

The Dodgers haven’t won the World Series since 1988.  Now they get a chance facing Tampa Bay.

Flashback pictures of the series will also include that 11-run first inning against Atlanta.  The multiple days of second guessing of the manager’s use-misue of the bullpen too.  But in the end, look who’s playing in the Fall Classic.

They did it with big innings, big home runs, sparkling defensive plays, and a bullpen day in the most important game of the World Series.  They did it coming from a 3-1 deficit in roaring back to beat the Braves.

Going back for the 3rd time in four years.  A pretty good run.  Now we see if they can finally win a World Series ring and complete the mission..

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“NFL Teams–The Stats–Good & Bad”

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The NFL is marching towards the mid-way part of the season, a strange season in a strange year of our life.

A 2020 season beset by terrible injuries (Dak Prescott-Marlon Mack-Tyrod Taylor)…an emotional comeback (Alex Smith)l…new faces in new places (Tom Brady-Philip Rivers-Cam Newton) and already coaching firings (Bill O’Brien-Dan Quinn).

A look at some of the stats that tell stories about some of these NFL teams.

CHARGERS…Justin Herbert is the real-deal and he is the only one left standing in the wake of terrible injuries.  As of last Sunday night he was without 3-veteran starting offensive lineman, his top running back, his top receiver, both defensive ends, his top safety and cover corners.  Lucky for him, the easy part of the schedule is coming up next after the bye and a chance to maybe get back to the .500-mark.  What is there not to like about his stats (1,195P-11TD-3Int) and that includes TD bombs of 53-64-72-yards…and a 48%-conversion rate on 3rd down.  What hurts him, an offense averaging (390YPG) but a defense giving up (380YG) and all those blown leads this year.

RAIDERS…Derek Carr is playing mistake free football, just 1-pick this season.  His offense (399YPG) is making big chunk plays each weekend, led by WRs-Henry Rugg (29YPC)..Nelson Agholor (18Y)..Hunter Renfrow (14Y).  They need to continue to grow on defense.

CHIEFS…Lots of football to be played, and Patrick Mahomes and that offense will continue to scare you each Sunday, but his offensive line has issues and the defense is almost negating the greatness of the offense, giving up (382-YPG).  They could be alot less than (4-1)

COLTS…They have Philip Rivers and the #1-rated defense.  They also have his 5-interceptions as part of a (3-2) record.

TAMPA BAY…It is s different Tom Brady and the Bucs offense (1,210P) and 4-picks so far as they let it rip.  We don’t know how good they could have been but they have injuries in that WR-group.  But the defense is getting tougher and tougher.

SEATTLE…Bombs away with Russell Wilson.  Despite a horrid defense (471YPG) dead last in the league, Wilson is so dangerous (19TD-3Int) and his pass catchers, DK Metcalf (22YPC)..David Moore (17YPC) are killers.

GREEN BAY…Unbeaten and explosive, even with a siege of injuries at wide receiver.  Aaron Rodgers is triggering an offense (445YPG) and he is off on an MVP season (13TD-0Int-128-rating)

CLEVELAND…Everyone has been waiting for this to come together, and it seems to be happening now (386YPG).  Baker Mayfield is hitting passes everywhere, OJ Beckham (14YPC) and Jarvis Landry (13YPC) even with RB-Nick Chubb banged up.  Surprisingly, that defense is leaky (383YPG)

PATRIOTS…Life after Tom Brady is different, but New England is doing what needs to be done, controlling the ball running it (179YPG) and are ranked 8th in the league in offense, despite having just 5-passing TDs.  Jury is still out on true value of Cam Newton.

STEELERS…Ben Roethlisberger can beat you (10TD-1Int-70%) but so can that defense (20-sacks-7 takeaways).

ARIZONA…A year to grow up and they have with Kyler Murray at QB (395YPG)..but the defense is a struggle.

CAROLINA…Who could have imagined this?  No Cam Newton.  An injured Christian McCaffrey.  Now a 3-game win streak with journeyman Teddy Bridgewater at quarterback.

DALLAS…An awful start, now the devastating loss of QB-Dak Prescott, who led this team to (488YPG).  All that offset by a horrible start on defense (408YPG).  Veteran Andy Dalton will be asked to save the season.

CINCINNATI…Joe Burrow is playing his heart out, but not enough on the field around him.  But turnovers, hits and (22) quarterback sacks are piling up.

EAGLES….Injuries started this downward spiral and Carson Wentz cannot do this by himself (9-Intc)

WASHINGTON….A troubled offense (263YPG) cannot hold up because the defense (356YPG) is wrecking the season.  Which offensive stat bothers you the most (21-sacks..8-turnovers-78 QB rating).

49ers…Injuries started in camp continue into the season.  They’ve used 3-QBs in 5-weeks because of poor play and injuries.  Everything seems wrong, including (88QB rating..7-turnovers..18-sacks).

RAMS…Not getting alot of national pub yet, but look at the Aaron Donald-led defense (304YPG-20-sacks-6-takeaways).

JETS…Hard to say what will get Adam Gase fired as head coach, a pitiful offense, now without Sam Darnold-Le’Veon Bell or the defense (394YPG)

DETROIT…Matt Patricia made his bones with the Patriots as coordinator.  Not so good as head coach (405YPG) on defense.

GIANTS…Winless, just like the Jets, an offense with a young QB-Daniel Jones, an injured Saquon Barkley, and an offense that is anemic (282YPG).  You csnnot win with that.  The Jets-Giants could draft 1-2 this year.

The scoreboard does not lie at this point of the season.

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