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“This-That-The Other”

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Time to move around the NFL roadmap, five weeks into the season.

CHARGERS…Yes they are (3-2)…but the trend has continued from last year. They don’t do well against teams with winning records. They are (0-2) this year against the good teams, losing to the Rams-Chiefs, who are a combined (10-0) so far. Last year, the Chargers were just (3-7) vs winning record teams last year, so there is still something to prove.

RIVERS ROLLS…King Philip leads the AFC in passing, and is second in the NFL in passing. Who leads the league, the guy across the street, the Rams Jared Goff. Rivers has a 116-rating, just behind the amazing 119-rating held by Goff.

GOODBYE BOLTS…They won’t be home for five weeks, and won’t play here again till November 18th. Next weekends game will be hard, in Cleveland against a vastly improved Browns team, with a very aggressive defense. They then go to London to meet Tennessee, have bye week, then two more road games, at Oakland-Seattle. November 18 is a long ways away.

DANDY DUO…This has been impressive, the combo RB-group of Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler, catch and run. Gordon has become an ultimate power back, a slasher with explosiveness. Stunning too, his ability to be so dangerous out of the backfield catching passes. Keeler has become a rugged change of pace guy, has the extra gear when he gets outside, has the toughness inside, and catches the ball too.

MIKE IS RIGHT…Last year’s first round pick Mike Williams is a tough matchup physically, runs precise routes, wins jump balls, and is really hard to cover to in the tightness of the end zone. A star in the making, but would like to see him used more. Target him more than 3-passes a game.

TY THE GUY….Not sure when that will happen for Tyrell Williams. yes there are some big catches for big yards, but there are drops, penalties too. Thought as third year guy, he would step to the next level, but he stumbled going up the step.

BANGED UP….No Russell Okung, no Joe Barksdale, no problem last week, but that was against the worst defense in the world, the woeful Raiders. This weekend, Browns Defensive Coordinator Greg Williams will have Cleveland’s defense, led my Myles Garrett, cranked up. If they have to play the kids upfront, Rivers could be knocked down a lot.

DEFENSE…So far, so good with the young players. Everyone is raving about the big rookie safety Derwin James, big-physical-fast and a bright light. It has not been a good start for Casey Hayward, coming off a good year. the other corner Travon Williams has been picked on a lot, and given up plays. Ochenna Nwosu had a good preseason camp, but hasn’t made much of an impact. Unsung DE-Issac Rochelle has grown as a player, and now that Corey Liuget is back, could be a force on the either side. Looking for rookie LB-Kyzier White to get back on the field

KICKER CRISIS….it’s not just in LA, all these kicking problems, it’s everywhere, as witnessed by Packers star kicker Mason Crosby missing 5-kicks on Sunday. But for 2-plus million they are paying Caleb Sturgis, he’s missed 7-kicks already this year. This keeps up, they will have to swallow the money, and go find someone else.

KICKOFF KING…3-impressive returns in two weeks Desmond King should solidify his hold on the punt return team. Still waiting for these speed guys to become a force on kickoff returns. Not yet.

BRADLEY’S BOYS….Defensive Coordinator Gus Bradley has not had his full lineup yet, so we don’t know hoe dangerous they can become. They are fast, and they have shown blitz ability. But now ahead, a ton of road games. They’re going to need a better pass rush, and who knows when Joey Bosa might be available. Because they had to give up a home game to go play in London, the Chargers have only 4-home games left on the schedule, and it’s just early October.

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“Aztecs in Drivers Seat-Cannot Slip Up”

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San Diego State comes off a huge emotional, important win, at Boise State, and should be at the top of the world.

But in college athletics, with young kids, one week does not translate into the next week in terms of quality of play.

Add in SDSU still has to go play at Fresno State and at pass happy-improving Nevada-Reno. So nothing is guaranteed.

This week, Friday night, promises challenges. short work week, weird offense-Air Force wishbone.

Rocky Long’s quotes

..Short work week-getting ready for wishbone offense
..Air Force has confidence..ran Navy out of the ball park
..Very difficult week for us to defend their Triple Option
..Triple offense gives Air Force two extra blockers
..High pressured blitz package-straight man coverage-they hassle you on offense-radical defense

..Our formula is to keep the ball-run the clock-that defense makes it tough
..Their offense wants to keep the ball
..Worried did not have lot of success against triple option
..Air Force has decided to throw more-so run offense is not as dominant
..They want to keep it 40-minutes a game

..Do we blitz them and risk giving up big yardage plays
..Not confident-completely different running game than we ever see
..Our scout team cannot duplicate speed of their offense
..We need to get turnovers out of this game Friday

..Confidence level of our team should be high-but this is not same situation
. It is so hard to get ready for triple option offense-especially way they run it
..Be careful we don’t get knocked on our asses by their blockers
..Triple option gives you lots of advantages-fans don’t want to see it though
..It’s hard to recruit players to triple option offense-no one runs it

..Air Force players go to academy to do something different in life
..Their kids have lots of big things in store for them
..Last week-out offensive guys had tough time dealing with noise-snap count
..Friday night game-don’t know if Air Force has fans in a Navy town

..I wish Friday night was hi school night
..Ky Tezino-LB-we put a lot of stock in how they look in practice..-he has grown
..Tezino got to play because of injuries-really plays well–practices now-really good
..Tezino is doing things at great speed-good linebackers have skill
..Tezino is a good blitzes-a downhill fast guy

..Ryan Agnew is getting better every week-extends plays
..Our defensive backs will have to play like linebackers this week
..Air Force coaches-advantages and disadvantages.
..Big issue-don’t have as much time with players as we do..stricter schedule
..They have 2-plus hour window to do football meetings and practices
..We all have 72-hours a week to work with players-but their hours more compressed.
..They get players who want to go to the academies-know what to do with life.
..They have players with different attitude in life-they are on a mission
..They get mature-driven-young men

..USA Today-called you most ‘value coach’ in America-that’s nice
..Coaching at levels like Alabama are different
..Problems are different…stress level different…but pressures are same here-there

..New sod at SDCCU-hope it is not slick.

..I have such respect for the kids who go to the academies.

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“Alex Spanos-What History Should Write”

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The modern day owner of the San Diego Chargers has died.

Alex Spanos, a self made billionaire, passed away at age 95, after a decade long battle with dementia. His passing comes just months after his wife Faye, passed away too.

His life was the ‘American Dream’, building an apartment construction business from absolute ground zero after World War II.

His philanthropic achievements, notably in Stockton, and then in San Diego were many, including what he did for the University of Pacific, what he did here at UCSD, and what he did with various foundations. The San Joaquin Valley will never forget his benevolence. San Diego will never forget what happened to their 55-years of loyalty.

As owner of the Chargers, he struggled in a very different world.

His 74M purchase of the team from Gene Klien, is now valued at 2B with the team situated in Los Angeles.

Alex Spanos, successful entrepreneur, struggled owning an NFL franchise. He did not know what he was buying, aside from the name of aging quarterback Dan Fouts.

He had no patience, no idea of football infrastructure, and struggled mightily. He hired, he fired, and he had little success.

But credit needs to be given, for he listened to other NFL people, and must be credited for the hiring of longtime Redskins GM-Bobby Beathard.

That hire changed the fortune of the team, for Beathard then hired Bobby Ross, and the rest is history. Make the playoffs, winning seasons, going to the Super Bowl.

Spanos used his business contacts and fellow NFL owners, to net the city its first Super Bowl also, one of three times the game has been hosted here.

But for that limited success, there were lots of missteps, then failures.

He was close friends to once powerful Raiders owner Al Davis, and 49ers legendary owner Eddie DeBartolo-Junior, oddly, both polar opposites in how they conducted business and treated people. Alex never learned anything from DeBartolo, and took a lot of Davis’ style.

Spanos was ruthless as a businessman. It became all about the profits.

His treatment of employees of the NFL club was legendary. Days would come in their offices at Jack Murphy Stadium, when he would walk down the hallways, and doors of all employees would be shut, not wanting to be victims of his screaming sessions, especially after losses, and they lost alot.

Former employees called him ‘a-hole’ and never forgave him for his treatment of his own people like ‘pieces of —-‘.dv

The story of then head coach Dan Henning throwing him out of the coaches office, when the owner came in to berate the staff after another loss in a myriad of 6-10 seasons.

The senior Spanos was at war constantly with the city over an aging stadium. He got renovations and a new practice facility, but within three years wanted a new stadium and a ticket guarantee.

The mayor that era, Dick Murphy, referred to him as a ‘welfare queen’ for all his demands.

For the Spanos family, it became all about the greed, once they made it to the Super Bowl that one time.

Across the other side of the stadium, he had intense dislike of the baseball franchise, the Kroc family ownership, known for its charitable work in the community.

Facing a decaying stadium, the new Padres ownership, John Moores and Larry Lucchino, met with Spanos, to tell him the baseball team was going to build downtown, inviting the Chargers owner to join them in planning the rebirth of the downtown quarters.

Spanos threw them out of the office and said he’d build his stadium, his way. It never got done, and the team eventually moved.

Alex stepped aside in the mid 90s, turning the franchise over to son Dean. The team promptly failed, forcing Alex to insert himself back into the decision making process.

Alex was the one who hired Marty Schottenheimer, and eventually John Butler and AJ Smith, who built a team that had a strong 5-year run.

But Alex’s failings, pale in comparison to what his son has allowed to happen on his watch.

Dean never solved the war between Bobby Beathard and Bobby Ross. The coach left, the team faltered, then the GM was fired too.

Dean never solved the disputes involving then GM-AJ Smith and Schottenheimer. The coach was removed, the GM then fired later as the franchise faltered again.

There would be no solution, no Alex sightings, to bail out his son in the 2000s. Failing health put the father on the sidelines. The son never got a stadium built, was condescending towards city-county officials who had a plan to finance a new stadium.

Like father-like son, Dean became Alex in his ruthless style, in terms of deal making, or relationships, Dean moved the team to LA, and the name Spanos will forever be held in a reverence of hate and greed.

Alex Spanos always wanted to preach the word loyalty, and what it meant to him. The loyalty though only extended to his family, and no one else. I dare you to find any former employees who will have a ‘true’ kind word to say about the senior Spanos.

Sadly, after doing so much initially in San Diego, and having done so much for a troubled city like Stockton, the Spanos name seems to bescorned in every conversation.

What does history write?

His business successes were spectacular. His personal relationships, an utter failure.

Credit him for rallying the franchise twice with his hires. Condemn him for what he allowed the franchise to become once handed over to his son.

The best picture I ever saw was Alex hugging Dean and Beathard, the night they beat the Steelers in the AFC title game to go to the Super Bowl.

The saddest picture I saw was fans burning their Chargers gear infront of the team headquarters, the night the team announced they were moving to Los Angeles.

The Spanos’ were responsible for both those nights.

Sadness today for a patriarch to pass.

Sadness also for what could have been with the Spanos ownership of the Chargers, but instead what it turned into in San Diego. Instead of being revered in our community, the family name is reviled.

There’s sadness too, in telling the truth, but sometimes it needs to be told.

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“Drew Brees-The Best”

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The right guy, the right place, the right time and the right reason.

Drew Brees now owns the NFL record for passing yardage, blowing by Peyton Manning’s career record of 71,940-yards, just like his receiver blew by the cornerback enroute to the 62-yard TV catch against the Redskins, that broke the record.

Brees, the ex-Charger, the undersized quarterback out of Purdue, the injured signal caller hardly anyone wanted, is headed to the Pro FootballHall of Fame for all types of reasons.

We all know the story from the San Diego perspective. Drafted as a stop gap measure during the really bad years in the post Ryan Leaf seasons.

Replacing the journeyman Doug Flutie, learning on the job under the early Marty Schottenheimer years

Then the decision to draft Philip Rivers, and the never ending question as to what the Chargers should do.

Trade him at midseason of his free agent year, or let him play it out. Get something at midseason, or let him go and get nothing.

Then the last game of a lost season, a bad snap in the end zone, a sack, and he, competing as he always did, diving with one arm trying to prevent a TD. He suffers a severe should injury, dislocation, labrum, rotator cuff.

All this as he is about to become a free agent.

The Chargers let him walk, only Miami and New Orleans showed interest. The Dolphins backed out, the Saints gave him a 1-year make good deal.

And we know the rest of the history. Linked with a mad scientist as his new head coach, Sean Payton, here came the success.

4,000-yard seasons, playoff berths, 5,000-yard seasons, passing records, and a Super Bowl.

But the Drew Brees storyline is not just about what happens on the field, but what happened in the community.

New Orleans, ravaged by Hurricane Katrina, needed a heart and a soul. It needed a face, a leader, it needed identity.

Our memory will never let us forget the sights. Bodies floating in the water. Stranded people on top of house roofs, pleading for help. The Kingdome becoming a safe haven, over-run by the homeless and flood victims.

Death, destruction, devastation, it had nothing. And then we found the Mayor was indicted for corrupt actions as the city was trying get up off its feet.

Enter the quarterback, to lead his adopted hometown, just like he would lead his new NFL team.

Drew Brees stepped up to become all that was needed, heart-soul-face and smile.. He started 3-foundations in that city, months after the water receded. He was everywhere, doing everything from a charity perspective.

The city was reborn, as was the franchise. From the dark days of the Archie Manning era, Brees became the beacon of greatness.

Our lasting memory of the Saints turnaround, Brees holding his young child, on the podium during the Super Bowl trophy presentation, trophy in one hand, the kid in the other, being buried by gold and black confetti.

Last night as they celebrated with him, he ran to the sidelines, to embrace his kids and wife, and was heard shouting ‘I love you guys’. He ran to Payton, hugging him, with the same message, ‘I love you coach’.

And the NFL should express the same sentiment this day towards the Saints quarterback.

Drew Brees, the right guy, the right time, the right place, not just for the Saints, but for the city of New Orleans too.

Great player, greater person.

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“Black Eye on the Blue Carpet for Red & Black”

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“Rocky-Ball”…..it was vintage Rocky Long football for San Diego State, an important early season win at Boise State.

Run the ball, punch you in the mouth defense, and an impressive SDSU (19-13) win on the Blue Carpet. This against a Boise State team that was (109-7) at home since 2000, and two of those losses have come from Long and his Aztecs.

This was all about the bye week and intense preparation, pulling pages out of the back of the playbook, no one had seen all year, especially panic-struck Broncos QB-Brett Rypien.

Blitzes, they came from everywhere. LB blitzes, safety blitzes, zone blitzes dropping lineman and sending backers. You could see the look in Rapine’s eyes, where’s it coming from, where my receivers, when am In going to get hit? It was like the Aztecs were playing CFL rules, with 12-on the field.

Rypien was confused by what he saw at the line of scrimmage. Rypien couldn’t find open receivers against complex coverages. Rypien held the ball, he got hit, he got knocked out of rhythm, he was pulled twice from the game, he threw into double and triple coverage.

And the Aztecs did this against a team averaging (538Y) per game, and a quarterback who had a (12-0) touchdown to interception ratio.

Boise coach Brian Harsin never saw this coming, and couldn’t adjust. Boise never went to slant passes, hot receivers, or crossing patterns, when the blitzes kept coming. His quarterback fell apart, but this is as much on the coaching staff as anyone.

There’s all kind of stats you can look at in this most impressive win. The Jordan Byrd 72-yard TD run on the jet sweep, never used all year. The 7-hits on the Broncos QBs and the four sacks. The 3-takeaways.

How about this one? In 16-possession, Boise’s high octane offense, had 1-long scoring drive, in 16-possessions. Equally impressive, a (6-for-19) day for Boise on 3rd down, All this from a Broncos team that was averaging 42-points a game, and 48-percent on third down conversions.

State won despite 7-penalites on its offensive lineman, and doing this with a backup quarterback, running back, fullback, and an injured top defensive lineman. They survived 4-sacks on their own QB-Ryan Agnew, and 7-times he was pressured out of the pocket.

In the tradition of the history of ‘Linebackers R-Us’…here came young inside LB-Kyalvo Tezino, who was here-there-everywhere, and treated Rypien like a rag doll with so many hits.

Long spent last week telling me he was concerned about Boise’s formations, 1-back, no backs, pistol, spread, five wide and the groups they used in those packages. No problem because he was going to spend the bye week devising defensive packages Boise couldn’t handle.

Old school football. Run it, hit them, confuse the quarterback, run downhill,and hit and hit and hit.

What a team win, more importantly, what a game plan by that coaching staff.

It was ‘Big Boy Football’ at its best. A big win too in a place no one hardly wins.

It was vintage Rocky-Ball.

The Red & Black giving a black eye to the Broncos on the blue carpet.

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