“49ers and QB-Gone Off the Deep End”

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The San Francisco 49ers thought they had it all, a perfect fit, a creative coach, and a dynamic quarterback.

Guess they were wrong.

Chip Kelly inherited a mess, and hasn’t made it any better. The 49ers entr play this weekend with a (1-11) record, half a roster, and a half-baked quarterback.

Kelly has a horrible team. What he is doing with his schemes, worked at Oregon, but haven’t worked in Philadelphia, and definitely don’t work in San Francisco.

Once upon a time, Colin Kaeperneck was viewed as something special. Not so any more, not on the field, nor now, off it either.

Kaeperneck got benched Sunday after going (1-5) passing for 4-yards and took 5-sacks. The last time I saw those numbers was when Ryan Leaf melted down in the rain in a Chargers-Chiefs game years ago, something like (1-15) for 4-yards and 3-turnovers.

The quarterback continues to play poorly on a really bad team, and continues to open his mouth.

Did he take a QB-hit on Pearl Harbor Day, when the Head of the Pacific Fleet, in a speech at the Arizona Memorial, honored the last of the living survivors, and those entombed by saying “You can bet the men and women we honor here today, who died on this fateful morning 75-years ago, never took a knee or failed to stand for the National Anthem.”

This is the same Kaeperneck who raised a huge issue in August about racial oppression, in the aftermath of “Black Lives Matter”, by sitting then kneeling, refusing to stand for the Anthem.

And the same Kaeperneck who ripped Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, saying you can’t make Ameirca great, because “America has never been great for blacks”.

The 49ers quarterback showed up at workouts wearing socks with a picture of a pig in a police hat.

And a week ago, he wore a tee shirt with the image of Fidel Castro, and pronounced how Castro did great things in Cuba, health and education. Guess he cut class at Nevada-Reno when they taught about the Bay of Pigs, political persecution, and murders.

Oh he has a right to say what he thinks, for it is a free country. But this oppressive country, protected by pigs, and saved by those who died in wars, has given him the freedom to say stupid things, play football, and make (11.6M) this year as a quarterback.

Wish he’d play better. Wish he’d shut up.

“Padres Pitching-You Have to Be Kidding Me?”

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Love the Winter Baseball Meetings. I had a great time covering them two years ago here in San Diego.

The chance to take part in all these big press conferences, when the free agent signings and big trades are announced.

And fun to sit in on the roundtable discussions with each of the managers to hear them talk about their teams, and to talk baseball philosophy.

And then there was Andy Green’s sitdown in the manager’s sessions yesterday just outside Washington, DC.

He did an admirable job in a horrible situation, the dealing away of players, the injuries to his pitching staff, and the rag-tag rotation he had to send out there. He probably learned alot as a first year manager.

And as the Padres conclude the winter meetings, having done nothing yet, to fix a young roster and a woeful starting rotation, you have to feel bad for Green.

Oh he’s the good solider, but what he said last night at the winter meetings made your head spin.

Luis Perdomo, the young Rule 5-draft pick, got progressively better as the year went on. He did finish with a (9-10) record, but a very high (5.71-ERA). And he is positioned right now to be their number one starter. The kid showed great heart, solid stuff, and battled, but I cannot get away from the fact he allowed 233-baserunners in 146-innings.

From then on, Green has to select a rotation out of rejects.

Christian Friederich, or so the manager says, will be his number two starter. What?

Friederich was (5-12) with a (4.80-ERA). His career record is (10-28). And by the way, he won only one of his final 16-starts from mid June on.

And the 2nd year manager then proceeded to trot out names like Paul Clemens, a journeyman’s journeyman, and Jarred Cosart, found wanting by 3-other teams, who is still in San Diego’s plans.

Clemens was (4-5) with a 4.27-ERA, prone to walks and home runs.

Cosart was (0-6) with a 6.00-ERA and is coming off surgery.

Cesar Vargas, a young off season acquisition, had a good outing or two, but was (0-3) with a typical San Diego 5.03-ERA.

Think about this. That 5-man rotation went (17-33) and registered a bloated (5.10) earned run average.

Oh still out there are Tyson Ross, coming off the compressed nerve surgery in the shoulder, who might be back in May or June, if they re-sign him.

Clayton Richard resurrected his mechanics, and gave them a (3-2) record with a 2.01-end of season ERA, but we’re talking about an aging pitcher with shoulder issues.

And of course, Edwin Jackson, who was unemployed half the season, before San Diego called. Yes he flirted with a no-hitter, and a good start or two, but he was typical Edwin Jackson, you know, walks, bombs and a (5.75) ERA.

I guess there’s always hope that a kid will arrive out of the farm system. And they do like youngster Danelson Lamet, who went (12-10) at three different levels. And Walker Lockett was (10-9) with a 2.96-ERA pitching through AA-AAA. One is 22, the other 24, and who knows if they are ready.

You can be excited about the international signings, and I know ownership is. They have to, they let GM-AJ Preller write checks totaling 89M in salaries and bonuses to sign 66-draft picks and international players. But realize these guys are 3-to-5 years away. Just because you are from Cuba does not mean you are the next star on the horizon. Ask the Dodgers about their failure rate with kids coming off the island.

And there is an opening day to be played at Petco Park, and a 2017-18 season before some of these young arms arrive.

Yes there is still a January and February to try and acquire pitching, but not many quality arms are left, and Preller does not have many prospects to use as bargaining chips to make deals.

I don’t know how the Padres avoid losing 100-game with this group on the mound. You may like Hunter Renfroe and some of the other everyday players, but they can’t score 6-runs a game, especially if this is your pitching staff. Will the Padres threaten the all time worst record ever in baseball, the back in the day (40-120). For Marv Throneberry’s sake, I hope not.

Maybe, the Padres should try this marketing plan, ‘Buy a season ticket, get to make a start in the rotation”

You have to be kidding me about this rotation?

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“LA Chargers?”

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It goes on and on.

The Stadium Game with the Chargers.

Now the USA Today Report that the Chargers have opened talks on potential lease agreements, touse the LA Coliseum beginning in 2017 for home games, while the Hollywood Park NFL Stadium construction goes on.

It never ends, the scheming of owner Dean Spanos, who hides under the umbrella of ‘protecting our rights’ to move to a new stadium.

It does not seem to dawn on Dean Spanos, that he is behind the curve on the potential move to Los Angeles. The Rams own the market, financially, emotionally and physically.

The Chargers would be the second NFL team in LA. They’d probably be the 3rd football team in popularity there, behind USC and the Rams.

Heck, they might be the 10th most popular team in LA, fighting the LA Galaxy soccer franchise and the NHL-LA Kings in terms of fan backing.

All this comes on the heels of Chargers talks about the Stub-Hub Center. Yes, that makes sense, moving your team into a soccer stadium that seats 35,000 in Carson, not LA, Carson.

Of course as Spanos tries to preserve his options, he doesn’t seem to be intent on doing much to try and jump-start, restart anything in SanDiego.

He must be under the delusion the Mayor’s office will come up with a plan to give him a new stadium for free.

This saga never-ever ends. All these attempts to get a new stadium built in San Diego on someone else’s dime.

This theory he is beloved here. Maybe his team is, and that is now even questionable.

They’re failing on the field, another non playoff season. Failing at the gate, headed for their worst attendance since 2000, you do remember (1-15)?

And as everyone talks about the Cleveland Browns going (0-16) this year, Dean Spanos appears to be going (0-15) in all his stadium ideas dating back to the early part of the decade.

Los Angeles Chargers? He seems to want it. Even if no one up there wants him nor his franchise.

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“Tuesday Morning Thoughts”

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Chargers….You are lucky you don’t have to sit through a Monday press briefing with coach Mike McCoy. It drones on and on, filled with tired cliches, making reference to OTA’s, and game plans and playing four quarters. Out of 22-questions asked coming out of the Sunday loss to Tampa, only four questions had any qualitative value of content for the media, information or an opinion on a certain topic. The rest was gibberish, useless, and a waste of time. For someone so smart in the creative aspect of game plans, Xs and Os and communicating with his players, he is worthless to deal with. And he’s not winning. His team has lost 22-of-32 games dating back to mid December 2014. They have lost 26-games by a touchdown or less in his four years here. They are (1-11) vs AFC West teams dating back to the end of the 2014 season. Just wait and see if the ownership steps up and gives him a contract extension. But what would you expect from Team Spanos, which has just 9-winning seasons in 32-years of ownership. McCoy, sadly, a cross between a bland Norv Turner and a condescending Kevin Gilbride.

Jahleel Addae…Shall be interested to see if the NFL hands down more discipline for the brutal hit to the knee he laid on Bucs wide receiver Cecil Short, probably a career ending injury. A dislocated kneecap, 3-torn ligaments. Addae is such a punishing tackler, with the reputation as a head hunter. He’s been fined three times. The next one will be worth 48,000 probably. But he was on top of Shorts on the crossing route so quickly, I don’t think he could avoid a head on collission. But the receiver was defenseless, it was a blow to the knee, and then there is Addae’s past reputation.

Travis Benjamin…Are we to nominate him as this year’s recipient of the Jared Gaither-Derek Cox-Jacoby Jones award…most money given to a free agent for little return. He’s already played himself off the punt return unit, now the big TD drop of a key pass. He has made a bunch of big plays, but he’s also disappeared on this team too.

Rocky Long….Rallied his Aztecs emotionally, got them ready physically, and designed things schematically to counteract all the things tht Josh Allen and Wyoming did two weeks ago. End result, Mountain West Championship title and Las Vegas Bowl berth.

DJ Pumphrey…Disappointed he did not get invited to the Heisman Trophy ceremonies, but guys from big time programs closed the season with a flourish and he got left behind. But so did Washington Huskies QB-Jake Browning and Texas running back D’Ontra Foreman, who were also bypassed from the ceremonies. Still does not take away from a brilliant four years up on the Mesa.

Heisman Trophy Ballot….My ballot went in Monday at the deadline. I cannot tell you, per the rules, whom I voted for, but I will tell you one familiar name was filled in on one of the lines, based on this season and a full body of work. Not homering for anyone, just honest about the topic on the table.
Steve Fisher…Oh please, give it a break. The print media in town is making it seem as if the roof has caved in on the Aztecs basketball program, based on the loss to Loyola of Chicago. Lots of new pieces to fit together, and the season is not over just 6-games into the schedule. Anybody want to bet how good they will be playing by the time the Mountain West schedule starts? Anybody want to bet how good they will be come tournament time?

AJ Preller…This will be some interesting week at the Winter Baseball Meetings. I don’t recall anyone ever, going to the December meetings, with 7-open slots on the 40-man roster. Stunning is the fact they have just 16M committed to payroll. Do you know the Padres have 29-of-33 making the minimum salary on that payroll? Do you know they cut another 26M off the payroll by dealing away Derek Norris and the all the non-tenders? Do you know they will be paying 36M to guys named Upton-Kemp-Shields on the roster? The big question, how are they going to get any pitching in here to compliment Luis Perdomo? Second question, will any free agents want to sign here, knowing what the roster is? Third question, could this Padres team beat the all time loss record of 120-set by Casey Stengel’s New York Mets?

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“Just Asking Questions-Chargers”

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Another lead for the Chargers…turns into another loss….the 6th blown lead in the fourth quarter that results in another loss.

For the uniformed, or those living on Mars-Saturn-Pluto…the Chargers are now (5-7) and out of the AFC-playoff race again.

Philips Rivers couldn’t do it by himself. Melvin Gordon put on a dynamic first half of effort. The Joey Bosa-Melvin Ingram pass rush tandem is fun.

But then again, it is a four quarter game. And the Chargers don’t have much help on the back seven in pass coverage.

And Jameis Winston is really something special.

Then Tampa Bay coach Dirk Koetter out schemed Mike McCoy.

And the Chargers mismanaged their timeouts again.

And they tried a long field goal (54Y) rather than put Winston and his battered wide receiver corps on a long field, exposing him to that Bolt pass rush.

It sure sounded like a Tampa Bay home game, lots of fans wearing Pewter and Orange.

And it turned out bad, as it seems to all the time for Mike McCoy.

So as the sun comes up today everywhere in San Diego, except at the Fortress, these are the numbers consider in the chilly morning temperatures.

McCoy’s teams have lost 22-of-32 dating back to December 2014.

They’ve lost 8-of their last 11-at home.

They are (17-26) in one touchdown games under McCoy.

Sure doesn’t seem he can make them win does it?

So the questions of the day?

For Dean Spanos, with all these planted rumors swirling around the country, are you moving to Los Angeles?

For John Spanos, who runs the football side, how much longer can you allow this head coach to stay on the job?

What more do the fans have to see? What more do you have to see? To see this isn’t working out.

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