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“CHARGERS IN SAN DIEGO”
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Look who is in town for a day or two?
The Chargers, holding a short two days of workouts at USD.

Snuck into town Monday night with little fanfare.  Like they snuck out of town in 2017 late at night moving to Los Angeles.

Things I saw, things I heard from my network of people following the Bolts.

HISTORY…Hard to believe it has been so many years since they moved.  There are still Chargers fans, few and far between in San Diego, that have tickets to go see the team.  It is surprising there are fans here who blame the city for not keeping the Chargers, when it was the City-County-CSAG group that put the financing together that Dean Spanos refused to come to the table to negotiate with.  The NFL-TV ratings used to be 30-shares for Chargers games; now they are 15-to-18 shares in San Diego, and many of that may be ‘hate-watchers’ hoping they lose.

WHY NOW..Not sure I understand taking two days out of early contact drills to move your entire workout camp to USD.  They did not promote it at all.  Maybe they feared fans showing up with signs to blast ownership after all these years.

WHY USD…You could say homecoming for Jim Harbaugh, who coached at USD, using success in 1AA football as a jumping off point for an illustrious college-NFL coaching career.  But the former Bolts-Colts QB did not have any impact on the college football community.  As good as USD was in the Josh Johnson-Jim Harbaugh era, no one came to see their games.  There was no big time accomplishment in postseason football.

WHY NOT SNAPDRAGON…If the Chargers wanted to use this as a marketing tool to reignite NFL interest here, why not open the workouts to everyone, make it a Fan Festival at SDSU’s Snapdragon Stadium, and open it to everyone.  The Bolts say military day on Tuesday, with Wednesday for Season Ticket holders for the LA Chargers.  So you limit fans’ entry there.  Could have been a unique marketing tool, but that family isn’t smart enough to realize that.

TEAM SPANOS..Doubted Dean Spanos would show up and get booed.  Can you say persona-non-grata in his adopted home town.  Like I have always maintained, he could have been revered forever in San Diego if he helped build a new stadium to keep the Chargers here.  Instead he moved and forever will be reviled.  Oh by he way, despite the hopes for the franchise because of the head coach and the quarterback, the Spanos’ have had 15-winning seasons in 43-years of ownership.  As I also say, the ‘Scoreboard’ does not lie.

SONS OF SPANOS…This let’s hold workouts in San Diego probably came out of the office of AG Spanos (thanks dad for the job), who is President of Business Operations.  He was also the architect of the new Gold on Gold and Blue on Blue uniforms they will wear sometime this season.  Of course social media is ablaze asking questions is it really gold, or mustard, or banana yellow jerseys?  AG was the one who created the first LA-Charger Bolt Logo, that looked like something from a kindergarten art class, that was removed from the website a week after they moved.   The other son, John (thanks Dad for the job too) hasn’t talked to the media since the 63-point blood letting loss to the Raiders a couple of years ago.  Guess I wouldn’t want to be blamed for all things bad.

THE WORKOUT…For all the potential of what could have been, the freeze frame picture I got showed just 49-fans in the stands on the pressbox home side of the stadium when workouts began.  By the end of the workouts, there might have been 1000-fans around the stadium, and maybe 100 or so wearing jerseys, hats, carrying footballs or pennants for a few of the players, including Justin Herbert to sign, a nice gesture by the QB and some of his OL.  The fans wore (55) Seau, (85) Gates, (21) Tomlinson and (17) Rivers jerseys including some powder blue (10) Herbert jerseys.  None of the players wearing the Lightning Bolt ever played for the San Diego Chargers.

ON THIS DAY..The bigger story was the video put out announcing Philip Rivers official retirement as a San Diego Charger, a video shot in his home in Alabama.  A near 5-minute thank you, capped off when his entire offensive line, led by close friend Nick Hardwick walked into the house.  He had tears in his eyes, choked up in the throat, and a universal hug for a good quarterback and a  greater person.  That whole group will likely be in Canton next weekend for the Antonio Gates induction in the Hall of Fame. Just remember, these guys are San Diego Chargers.

TRAINING CAMP…Tuesday brought back memories of the Chargers training camp, on the edge of the UCSD-campus, with the Pacific breeze as much part of practice as passes, punts and big plays.  Lots of fans.  In the best NFL camp climate I have ever been in (I remember the Steelers in steamy-hot-Latrobe-Pennsylvania).  And then came new GM-John Butler and his hench-man AJ Smith-who pulled it out of San Diego.  When last seen, the practices were at Cal State-Dominguez Hills, so the team could bond, in the heat-humidity and the smell of nearby oil refineries.  It nearly led to a player’s revolt.

IN SUMMARY…Everyone who was part of the San Diego Chargers legacy, even in its final years, are gone from the organization with the exception of anyone last named Spanos.  Nepotism is great if you are on the receiving end of it. It’s two days of NFL football back here with little meaning, still alot of resentment, and no future for America’s Finest City to ever get a team again.  That’s the legacy of Team Spanos, who once describe themselves as the 1st Family of Football.  That in itself is an insult to the legacy of the Rooneys, the Maras, the Krafts, even the disliked Jerry Jones.  They took our team and its 55-years of loyal support.  They cannot take our favorite memories.    I hope Justin Herbert goes (17-0) and Dean Spanos goes (0-17).  And virtually no one here will ever forget, nor ever forgive the Spanos family.
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Hacksaw’s Monday Bonus Podcast
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“TRADE DEADLINE IS COMING”
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We are 10-days out from the July 31st trade deadline.

And we have a pennant race in the NL-West, because the Dodgers once big 9-game lead is now down to 3-and-a half games.

It’s because the Dodgers are battered by injuries.
It’s because the Padres are getting stellar pitching and playing bad teams.

But over the next 10-days the world in the NL-West can change.

Money is no object at Dodgers Stadium, despite the fact they have a (383M) payroll and a tax payroll that is up to (408M) this year.  The Dodgers have already run up a (151M) luxury tax bill due at the end of the season.

The Padres are at a top limit of (211M) payroll and will have at least a (5M) tax payment due in October.

The bigger story is there seems no limit to the creative ability of Dodgers President Andrew Friedman to make deals at the deadline to strengthen the team.

The real story seems to be Padres ownership, whether it is the Seidler family, or President Eric Greupner have told decision maker AJ Preller he cannot add salary unless they delete salary.

So the Dodgers could creatively move someone off the big league roster, maybe P-Dustin May in a significant deal to get a closer or a 3rd baseman.

Or the Dodgers could turn around and deal young pitching like Bobby Miller or Emmett Sheehan in a package.  Beyond that the Dodgers are loaded with young outfielders like Josua DePaula, Zahir Hope or other AA-prospects to go get what they want-need.

What they want is Cleveland closer Emmanuel Clase or possibly Cardinals 3rd baseman Nolan Arenado.

By the Padres standpoint, there seems nothing at AAA-El Paso that could be used to make a deal of consequence.  There is pitching at AA and strong numbers of arms at Class A.

But the payroll issue is an issue.  If the mandate to Preller is move salary if you want to take on salary, then that means an established big leaguer must go.  Does that mean Robert Suarez, Dylan Cease of Jake Cronenworth exit.  Those are all 10M-contracts and that would allow the GM to take on a contract of equal value.

But you are creating a hole on your roster to fill another hole on your roster.  Are you better off patching and filling that way?

And you are also in danger of damaging some unique chemistry that has formed in the Padres bullpen or in that lineup.

Ten days and counting and the rumor mill says both teams will do something.  Shall be interesting to see who makes a deal, who blinks first, who gives up what, or who panics.

The trade deadline is coming fast and there will be changes on both rosters by the morning of August 1st.

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Hacksaw’s Monday Bonus Podcast..1:30pm
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“A SUPERSTAR SHOWING-IRELAND”
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Hey mate, wasn’t that something to see?

That long-tall Texan, taking on the Royal Portrush Course, taking on the field, taking on the pressure, taking on the bad weather in winning the British Open on Sunday.

Scottie Scheffler’s conquest was amazing in the 153rd Open, this played on the seaside coast on the Northern tip of Ireland.  it was a win over a 156-man field that fell apart.

It was beating rain-wind-fog…the deep rough…the fairway swales…the pot bunkers…the tilted greens.  It was heat-humidity, then bone chilling cold.  It was a 20-mile wind off the sea impacting tee shots, and moving balls as you putted on some of the greens.

It was disaster waiting to happen that he conquered.

It was also the week when he told the media ‘golf does not define me’.  He went on ‘you win-you enjoy it for a couple of hours, and get back to your life’s work-family’

Scheffler has become the PGA’s quiet superstar.

Not the flair, the passion, the women, the sales pitch of Tiger Woods.
Not the fan’s man who used to be Phil Mickelson.
Not the Rory McIlroy grind it out style

He is about purpose, refinement of his game, and mental stability.

Think about this stat.  After a slow start on Thursday, Scheffler went the final 61-holes in 1-bogey and 1-double bogey.  At one point on Sunday, he had a 7-stroke lead over the field, the course, the weatherman, and he just marched on.  He played 32-straight holes without a bogey in the freaking British Open

Hard to say if getting this Claret Jug means more to him than say getting the Green Jacket at the Masters.

But the posed picture-coming off the 18th hole, the adoration of those European golf fans pouring out their cheers, was a picture for a lifetime.  That is his priority in life

Scheffler, his wife, his newborn baby, the Claret Jug and a smile.  A picture to put up on the fireplace.

A really different type of superstar.  Everyone in Ireland saw it first hand.

Hey mate, a really different guy.
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Hacksaw’s Thursday Podcast
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“SHOOTING HOOPS AND COMMENTS”
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Here-there-everywhere in basketball.

AZTECS…Great story about SDSU star Miles Byrd confirming he is a Type 1-Diabetic and has been dealing with the disease since he was 8-years old.  Byrd is on insulin, and is now becoming a spokesman for youths diagnosed with the same by virtue of his NIL-sponsorship deals.  Gifted young man, dealing with more than basketball in life.

WNBA..Caitlin Clark is so good, so tough, so spirited and so determined to handle all the adversity thrown infront of her by fellow players, officials, and an unrelenting media.  She is the WNBA face-ego-intelligence.

CLIPPERS..Becoming the best team in LA after their two week spending spree that brought them Brad Beal (Suns)…Brook Lopez (Bucks)..and John Collins (Utah).  Pretty good ad-ons to a lineup that already has Kawhi Leonard-James Harden and Ivica Zubak.

LAKERS..So you have Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves.  You add Deandre Ayton, his talent and baggage history.  And that is all you really have in terms of established NBA talent.  You really think it is enough?

SUNS..So owner Matt Ishbia came in, bought the team, fired head coaches, made a GM change.  Traded for Kevin Durant, giving up four first round picks.  Gave a mega contract to Brad Beal after a big trade with Washington.  So they lose a ton of games, fire another coach, trade away Durant, have to eat (99M) of Beal’s contract in a buyout, and do not have any future number one picks.  How’s ownership feel these days?

PORTLAND..That was quite a surprise, Damian Lillard returns home to the Blazers on a 3-year deal after his short tenure in Milwaukee, but he won’t play next year, rehabbing from his ruptured Achilles.  A popular player in Portland-we will see how much he has left after his big buyout by the Bucks.  Yes you can go home.

NBA SUMMER LEAGUE…So much excitement to see all the top picks in the Las Vegas Summer League and then virtually all of them got hurt.  Dallas shutdown Cooper Flagg after two games.  San Antonio, fearing injury, has cancelled out the rest of Dylan Harper’s games.  Utah’s Ace Bailey got hurt early as did the 76ers VJ Edgecomb.  All that is left is Bronny James-Lakers.  Sorry, not watching that.
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Hacksaw’s Thursday Podcast..1:30pm
You Tube-Lee Hacksaw Hamilton
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“A BASEBALL NIGHT TO REMEMBER”
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That has to be one for the record books as far as excitement goes.
That has to be a snapshot in your memory book scrapbook for action.
That has to be a historical night.

Pick any or all of the items on your Bingo card, and it was an All Star game to remember.

Kyle Schwarber’s 3-home runs, the last hitting almost off his knee, as the NL came back to win in a mini-home run derby to decid the 6-6 tie, to give the NL the win.

The winning pitcher was the Dodgers coach Dino Ebel, who became the batting practice pitcher in the 10th inning swing off.

Quite a display by Brent Rooker, of the homeless Oakland-Sacramento A’s, who hit 2-homers for the AL to get them the early lead.

There was Paul Skenes throwing gas in a 1-2-3 first inning.
There was Detroit ace Tarik Skubal getting banged around in his inning.

There was the standing ovation, first to Freddie Freeman, coming home to Atlanta and then to the career of Clayton Kershaw.

There was the first inning matchup that had Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge both getting big swings in that opening inning.

There were great throws by Eugenio Saurez, the game saving smash stop by 1st man 1st baseman Matt Olson.

There was Brewers rookie Jacob Misiorowicz throwing 9-pitches..8-of them fastballs clocked at 100 to 102mph.

There were the legendary in game home runs that brought oohs and ahhs from the crowd.

The pitchers-catchers were mic’d up, and the conversation was cool.

How about the simultaneous two manager interview with managers Aaron Boone and Dave Roberts.

And of course the night before HR-Derby was pretty electric, with all things Cal Raleigh did from the right side and left side of the batters box.

The ‘Stand Up to Cancer’ salute is always moving, more so when Ken Rosenthal of Fox held up his sign with the name ‘Scott Miller’, the just deceased baseball writer who lived here in Carlsbad.

And the memorial salute to the legacy of Hammerin Hank  Aaron-breaking the Babe Ruth home run record.

It may have been old hat for Tatis and Machado to be in the game.  it was surely a rush for Jason  Adam, Robert Suarez and Adrian Morejon to be there.

You only wish that when we went to the mini HR-Derby in the 10th, we could have had a 3-man lineup of say Aaron Judge-Vlad Guerrero-Cal Raleigh, lined up against m Shohei Ohtani-Pete Alonso and Kyle Schwarber.

But it was one for the ages.  Maybe not equal to Ted Williams game winning home run in 1941, or Reggie Jackson hitting one onto the roof at Tigers Stadium, or Pete Rose running over Ray Fosse, but what Schwarber did with his swing on 1-knee was a Hollywood as you could get.

And a Gold Star to Fox for its creative coverage of a game that had so many storylines they let play out before our eyes, with unique technology where the cameras captured the moment rather than the play by play team preaching to us about the moment.

A baseball night to remember from a sport that has so much history on its side.
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