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“Chargers-Year 1-How’d that Go?”

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There will be football played next weekend in the NFL, and it will involve an LA team…the Rams-not-the Chargers.

It was a strange Sunday to say the least as the season ended. The Chargers buried an underachieving Raiders club, but at the Stub Hub Center, you’d thought it was a Raiders win, by the way the fans carried on.

Give the Chargers credit, they went (9-7) playing 16-road games this year. That’s the end result of ticket brokers buying up ducats and selling them to out-of-town fans, and whatever Chargers fans were out there doing the same thing.

Home team advantage? Never ever for the Bolts.

But as Sunday wore on, you got the sense, the only people rooting for the Chargers were those families of players, those related to the Spanos family, and people who work in the building.

“Beat LA-Beat LA” bounced all over that stadium. “Defense-Defense” was another favorite chant. And a few times we heard “Spanos sucks.”

Of course there were boos too, so much so, that the club wouldn’t-couldn’t introduce Chargers players before the so called home game,

And Chargers icon LaDanian Tomlinson was booed at halftime as he tried to interview Dodgers-World Series manager Dave Roberts.

The Chargers defense tried to pose for a picture in the end zone after a big play, and were pelted with garbage.

There were tarps still on upper deck seats, and bunches of seats at the 40-and-50 yard line unused-maybe unsold.

How tough was it for the QB-who had to go to a silent count to get off snaps while playing at home…again.

The heroics of Philip Rivers, driving his team to 9-wins in the final 12-games, were lost by all the Silver and Black shouts. His (4,515Y) passing season seemingly ignored. The same for the nearly (1,600) all purpose yards of running back Melvin Gordon, the 102-catch campaign of Keenan Allen, and an improving Joey Bosa-Melvin Ingram led defense that got better as the year went on.

And then to drive home the point, the season long history of ugly crowd turnout, planes flying overhead lambasting the greedy owner for what he did to San Diego, and the woeful home market-record setting low TV ratings.

In retrospect, hard to believe, Dean Spanos turned his back on 55-plus years of San Diego loyalty, had to borrow 650M to pay territorial fees, then has to put up with all this abuse on a Sunday-by-Sunday home game event. Think of what the interest was on that loan so they could play and get booed in LA.

NFL sources say by playing in the much smaller stadium, the team took in 30-M less in revenue than they would have, had they stayed in San Diego.

The rich man, an outcast lots of places, is a prisoner in his own skybox, not wanting to be even shown on television. Must be some nice way to live a life.

In 34-years they’ve owned this team, they’ve been to the playoffs just 9-times. Rivers, a likely Hall of Fame nominee, has just 1-playoff win in the last 9-years of his career dating to January 2008.

And on Monday, the day after the season ended, you had to turn to Page 6 of the LA Times, the newspaper of record, to get the Chargers game stories.

And Times columnists Bill Plashke and Dylan Hernandez had lots to say about the team, the owner, the move to LA.

The quotes included:
“Borderline disaster”
“It is a Raiders town”
“Visitors own the home town”
“Chargers remain an outsider”

The Rams won their division and recaptured the hearts of fans from Hollywood to Orange County.

The Raiders showed up and delivered again the knowledge they are a national brand who draw fans everywhere.

The Chargers, an afterthought, still unwanted, in their new home.

So you tell me, how year one went? Not very well, and it may be a longtime before things ever get better.

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“College Football Playoffs–Wow-Pow”

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Georgia and Oklahoma had never met, ever, in college football, despite the greatness for decades of programs led by Bud Wilkinson and Vince Dooley and more.

No one will forget the first meeting ever, especially in the Rose Bowl. The Bulldogs won a heart-stopper over the Sooners.

Alabama and Clemson met in a rematch, many hoped would equal last year’s National Championship game., in the other playoff game.

The Sugar Bowl turned sour. The Crimson Tide defense rolled like a tidal wave over the Tigers.

Name it and you saw it in Pasadena.

Baker Mayfield throws for 200-yards in the first half and the Okies jump out to a huge lead. Georgia takes over in the 2nd half with its power run game and big boy defense, and changes everything.

And then 2-overtimes of slugfest football for each before Georgia won it on a wild “Wild-Dog” run play.

The mood swings were everywhere. Mayfield came out throwing to anyone-everyone. The Georgia defense look stun-gunned and could not react, couldn’t cover, couldn’t take it. ..as they fell behind by 17.

Then Georgia went to a 5-man front and called blitz packages, and unleashed its fierce power ball run game, featuring Nick Chubb and Sonny Michel.

When it was over, it was a (54-48) Bulldog win. Chubb and Michel combined for (326Y) rushing, bulldozing their way to victory.

The heroics of OU running back Rod Anderson (201Y) couldn’t save the Sooners, neither could Mayfield-the Heisman Trophy king..

It was a spectacular game, with 4-hours worth of offensive thrills.

The late game was more methodical, more sledgehammer, typical Nick Saban type football. I guess that sells in Tuscaloosa, where the steel industry and football are the topics of conversation.

Alabama turned two deflected passes into 2-touchdowns, scoring 14-points in 13-seconds to take the heart ouf of Clemson. Of the course the Tigers no longer have DeSean Watson-Wayne Gillman nor Mike Williams, all in the NFL, and had no hope of mounting a comeback..

Poor Kelly Bryant, their young quarterback could not handle all the things the Bama defense did. Hits, pressures, sacks, mad scrambles. When they were done, Bryant had (124Y) passing on an 18-for-36 night of beatdown.

The championship game will be a war of attrition. Big boy Georgia offense, run the ball, against the heavy hammer Alabama defense. It will be all Southeast Conference football.

They would have met in the SEC title game, if Bama had not fallen at the hand of cross state enemy Auburn in the Iron Bowl..

But for 8-hours, it was something. What Georgia did in the fireworks filled early game. What Alabama authored all night long.

Wow-Pow, that’s what New Year’s Day football was.

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“Hello 2018-Goodbye 2017”

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A look back at the top sports stories…in San Diego…

(San Diego)

..Chargers to LA…Leaving 56-years of loyalty behind, the Spanos Family became the Modell-Irsay model by refusing to negotiate with the city and taking their NFL team to Los Angeles. The hurt in losing a team was superseded by the anger of fans, who burned their Chargers memorabilia infront of the team’s Mission Valley facility the night the move was announced.

..Rashaad Penny-Aztecs..A once in a lifetime player, setting rushing, all purpose yardage and kick-punt return records, though getting snubbed for the Heisman Trophy ceremony and the Doak Walker awards.

..Dick Enberg…A man for all seasons, his passing stunned our community and the nation on Christmas week. His broadcast career spanned all the great events. If it was important, Breakfast at Wimbledon, NFL, Super Bowl, World Series, Rams-Angels-UCLA-Padres-he was there to televise it……’Oh My’ has joined ‘Oh Doctor’ (Jerry Coleman) in heaven.

..Aztecs-Steve Fisher…Walking off into retirement-legendary basketball coach-whose next stop should be the Hall of Fame.

..Breeders Cup…A fabulous horse racing weekend at Delmar, though the summer disappointment of Arrogate’s failure to run well here is part of the story.

..Soccer City-vs-SDSU…The dueling stadium proposals will now go to the November ballot to see what becomes of Qualcomm Stadium, who builds, who pays for it, what the land value might be, and how it impacts the San Diego State campus or our chances of getting another NFL team.

..Meb Keflezighi…Our distance running icon ran his final marathons, concluding a brilliant career that included Olympic medals, and wins in the Boston and New York Marathons.

..Hall of Champions…It’s closing at Balboa Park was a sad moment in our history, pioneered and championed by the late Bob Britbard…some of its richness transferred to Petco Park.

..Padres Spending Spree..A new blueprint, the expenditure of 101M and the signing of 91-draft picks and International Free Agents, as the rebuilding of the franchise gets underway, a team that has not seen a playoff game in over a decade.

..Fred Miller…He was here for a decade as the AD at San Diego State, but his impact was forever…the game plans for Viejas Arena….the arrival of the Marshall Faulk-Aztecs era..the upgrading of athletic facilities on campus.

..Mike Dee…The sudden removal-exit-dismissa of the Padres President and CEO without explanation, though the rumors of his demise and the reasons, will not go away.

..Aztecs Football…A quick (6-0) start led us to hope of a Fiesta Bowl bid as the team to represent the Group of 5-in postseason play, but devastating home losses to Boise State and Fresno State on back-to-back weekends snuffed out that idea…A (10-3) season with a highly respected coach in Rocky Long (64-29) who deserves the utmost in respect…

..USD Football..The little engine that could, won 10-games and for the second year in a row went to the 1-AA playoffs and beat a team that gave out scholarships, Northern Arizona. Superb job by Coach Dale Lindsey.

..Gulls Hockey..San Diego is a big city, and hockey pucks and palm trees are part of its landscapes. The Gulls finished 2nd in attendance in the 30-team American Hockey League, and by NHL playoff time, 9-Gulls players were with the Anaheim Ducks for the postseason.

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“Holiday Bowl-Hell of a Beating”

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It was not what I expected, surely not what the Holiday Bowl execs had hoped for.

More than 47,000-showed up at the Stadium for the 40th Anniversary game, as Michigan State mashed Washington State.

Lots of thoughts about this one.

BIG 10-BIG BOY FOOTBALL…The Spartans slug people on offense, smash people on defense. They pummeled the Cougars, with QB-Brian Lewerke combining for (286-APY). He broke the WSU spirit by making scrambling plays all night long. When not him, RB-LJ Scott powered for (110Y) rushing. And on defense, they took away the run game and made the Cougars throw short and underneath most of the night.

THE FUTURE…It’s bright in East Lansing. The QB, the running back, two wide receivers, 3-OL and 5-defensive lineman all come back next season, and the D-line stood out as freshmen and sophomores. A total of 12-keyu starters were underclassmen. Some coaching job by Mark D’Antonio taking a (3-9) team and flipping it to (10-3) and doing real damage in the Big 10. Look out next year.

PALOUISE POOR…Very disappointing showing by the Cougars. Without record setting QB-Luke Falk, recovering from a wrist operation right after the Apple Cup, young QB-Tyler Hilinski threw a lot, hit some plays, but his youth showed a lot. Add in the loss of the WSU top two receivers, one suspended, one who quit, and it resulted in the loss of 130-receptions because of the discipline issues on Mike Leach’s team. He was also without LB-Hercules Mata’afa, who sat out the first half after a targeting supsension.

THE FUTURE…Leach just signed a contract extension, that after the top two athletic administrators quit to take jobs elsewhere. The free spirited coach won’t be leaving, but don’t look for the Holiday Bowl to invite them back after a second lousy showing in a row year here.

BETTER DAYS COMING…As sullen as Holiday Bowl officials were with the outcome, they cracked a smile when they talked about a game they will put on next October, Navy-vs-Notre Dame. They’ve already sold 37,000 tickets for that game at the Stadium.

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX….I posed the question, but was told it could not be done, too rich for the blood of the San Diego Bowl Association. Was it possible to stage an Army-Navy game here in the future, in a strong military town. The inherent costs, including traveling all the Cadets and Midshipmen, too steep for the budget.

BEST PART OF ALL…THE halftime light display-marching band-fireworks display might have been the best ever the Holiday Bowl has put on. That and the pre-game tailgate parties everywhere around the parking lot, brought back flashback memories of Chargers home games from years gone. Lots of green (Michigan State) and tons of maroon-gray (Washington State). It was a good party if not a good game.

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“Holiday Bowl-A Jewel of a Game”

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This has always been special…dating back to the first couple of years it was staged.

I remember sitting around the Christmas Tree, while it snowed volumes on Lang Island, seeing the first ever Holiday Bowl, played in the sunshine, with the palm trees, in San Diego.

And as the cold weather howled those first couple of years back East, I was fascinated by the great shootout games.

Yes it may have been BYU almost every year, but who could ever forget the excitement that a Steve Young, a Jim McMahon, a Ty Detmer or Robbie Bosco could bring with the Cougars passing attack.

Equally explosive was the one year wonder of an offense we saw in the SMU ‘Pony Express’ offense, paced by Eric Dickerson and Craig James.

Big names have always dotted the Holiday Bowl headlines.

Barry Sanders and Oklahoma State back in the day.

The Joe Paterno led Penn State Nittany Lions and his RB-Blair Thomas.

Iowa’s explosive offense in outgunning San Diego State.

All things in Ohio State history and their RB-Tim Spencer.

Texas A&M when it was an anchor of the old Big 12.

Michigan and Bo Schembechler.

Oregon QB-Joey Harrington.

Even USC and UCLA came here.

And now tonight, the sledgehammer Michigan State Spartans against the high octane Washington State Cougars, in what should be a doozy of a war.

The matchups and conference affiliations have changed, but the one certainty is good weather, lots of offense, and a nationwide TV viewership that gets a ‘Chamber of Commerce Postcard’ day selling all the things that are great about San Diego.

The Holiday Bowl, a crown jewel of an event on the San Diego sports landscape.

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