Golden Era in San Diego

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A golden era is passing us by in San Diego.
 
A city, with a tremendous tradition of high school football players, is saying goodbye to the last of one of a kind, the long-serving high school football coach.
 
In a city that gave us high school legend wide receiver Charley Powell, Hall of Fame running back Marcus Allen, the linebacker icon Junior Seau, the great safety John Lynch, and name after name of great talent, sometimes lost in the shuffle are the great coaches who developed those players.
 
The last of his era is stepping aside with the retirement of Oceanside Pirates coach John Carroll, retiring after a star studded career that included two state titles, 13-best San Diego section titles, and those yearly runs deep into the playoffs.
 
Carroll leaves Oceanside for health reasons, after a (248-75-6) career record, second best ever in San Diego high school history, in an era that spanned from 1989-thru this years (14-1) season.
 
A blood clot from a fall during practice, injuries from a sideline collision prior to that, he could no longer soldier on physically, even though he would in spirit.
 
Accomplishment and longevity are the most impressive things about the coaching ranks in the history of the game here.
 
Herb Meyer won 339-games in a brilliant career that spanned Oceanside onto El Camino.  Bennie Edens enormous run covering 4-decades at Point Loma, netted him 239-wins.  John Shacklett, at an ever-changing Morse High School, complotted 4-decades on that sidelines, bringing 229-wins to those fans.
 
We may never see that again.  The pressures of coaching, the hours it takes, the goals to move into administration, the struggle for funding, takes a toll.It forever changes the role of the leadership of young players today.
 
In the Hall of Champions at Balboa Park, there are salutes to the great teams of San Diego, the Chargers, the Padres, the Aztecs.  There are displays for athletes from all walks of life.  
 
Now we should erect a true Coaches Corner for the era we have just come thru, Carroll to Meyer, Edens to Shacklett, men who led, influenced, and won, from 1955 thru 2014.
 
Gold Stars for a golden era of high school football coaching we will likely never-ever see again.

Chargers Report Card (9-7) Season

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Team..(C)…Ravaged by injuries-Very little offense-Back seven defense dinged up-Lost punter too…Went (2-6) vs playoff teams…(4-7) vs teams with .500 record or better…for every surprise win there was bad loss…Getting injured players back healthy helps..but do they have any real playmakers to help Rivers win games.
QB..(A)…Rivers spectacular season till December when injuries overwhelmed team…Back-Rib injuries from 36-sacks-114-hits.
RB..(D)…Branden Oliver was surprise free agent of season-can run-block…Ryan Mathews-Danny Woodhead injuries-devastating.
WR.(C)…League learned how to defend Keenan Allen-did well-got hurt..Malcom Floyd-Eddie Royal good seasons-not dominant-future Donnie Inman.
TE..(B)….Antonio Gates gave them a strong half a season but wore down..not much from anyone else.
OL..(D)….They’re all gone..Retirements of Hardwick-Clary end the spectacular quality run..Fluker struggled..Dunlap was average at best..Overhaul coming.
DL..(C)….Liuget played a ton-and-hard-but not difference maker-no one else did much
LB..(C)….Johnson very trustworthy..Butler-hurt-disappointing..Te’o not playmaker..Attaochu-one good game..Ingram 2-good games..Future ahead of them.
CB..(C)….Verrett may be star in making but must get healthy..Wright regressed..Flowers not what he once was..maybe Stevie Williams breaks thru in ’15.
S….(B)….Weddle very trustworthy..Thought Gilchrist grew with different roles..Addae big hitter but not much in coverage.
ST..(C)….Novak faltered down the stretch after 2-great years..Tough injury to Scifres…KR-PR-no real threats aside from occasional run by Royal.
Coach..(B)..McCoy did good job holding team together in face of ridiculous number key injuries…needs be more aggressive.
Coordinators..(C)..Reich struggled in critical play calls-part of it due to injuries…Pagano got defense to play tougher second half of season.
General Manager..(B). Tom Telesco-.Draft picks nicked up by injuries..Oliver great find in free agency..Inman may turn out to be steal from CFL..OL a priority-…Decision to run off Louis Vazquez-OG two years ago still haunting team as well as Derrick Cox-Richard Marshall signings…Trade up for Te’o has not really paid off ..Will have 25-to-30M cap space-should do something bigger in free agency and look more to Canada.
Owner..(C)..Dean Spanos’ franchise on brink of mediocrity…(43-39) last five years…Team has 1-playoff win in 6-years with a Future Hall of Famer at quarterback..Organization ran off too many good players..waited too long to make front office-coaching changes..has allowed window to close around Rivers…Stadium crisis worsening..Hopeful involvement with JMI will solve issue within a year…Spanos legacy-1 Super Bowl win..then mismanaged Beathard-Ross relationship…mishandled Schottenheimer-Smith relationship..Legacy will be written by what he does as his part to get NFL stadium built for franchise his family wants to retain..

Quotes from January 6th Padres Press Conference

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Highlights from the Padres blockbuster press conference introducing Justin Upton-Derek Norris-Will Myers-Will Middlebrooks.

Ron Fowler-Lead Owner

…This is like David fighting Goliath-we knew who we were-and that was not satisfactory-we had to make changes.
…AJ gave us a blueprint-let’s redefine who we are and how we get players.
…He changed the mindset of our organization-that we can acquire 16M players and we can compete.
…When he got Matt Kemp-we knew it was a start-but not enough-he wanted more and more became available.
…I gave the last front office group what they wanted moneywise-they did not spend it correctly-that is why we changed leaders.

AJ Preller-GM

…I wanted to build a core of players in their 20s-whom we could control contract-wise-it was important.
…I wanted to land some players who have been in the post season and in pennant races-Kemp-Upton have been.
…I wanted a legitimate power hitter-Upton is a Silver Slugger.
…Derek Norris is a 25Y-All Star, a value bat, a good glove, a leader, a grinder.
…I have wanted access to Will Middlebrooks for a long time-since the college draft-he is a buy low guy with HR power.
…Wil Myers has been a top prospect since Day 1-with Kansas City and Tampa Bay.
…Getting Brandon Mauer and Shaun Kelly strengthens our bullpen-these are power pitchers.
…I am not looking to turn over this roster every year-these are core players we brought in.
…I wanted to give this manager and team a chance to win-these bats allow that to happen
…Getting Matt Kemp was the first domino-it changed how other organizations viewed us.
…There is not much difference in our payroll now than the team that finished up the season.
…To see the excitement in this town as we made these deals is great-we have a chance to be very competitive.

Bud Black-Manager

…I like the look in their eyes-their excitement to be here-how they feel about the lineup around them.
…Look how we pitched last year-look at how these guys hit-we match up position-by-position with everyone in our division now.
…AJ told me from the start-we need balance-players for today but talent we control for tomorrow-24-25-27-29-30 year olds are here.
…My dialogue with AJ started in August-he knew what he inherited-he saw it first hand
…He had a plan in place for one deal to follow another-Kemp was first-then things fell together-deal by deal.
…It was painful to move all those young prospects in the farm system-but we got proven All Stars.
…We knew from day one Matt Kemp could be ours-but then AJ kept talking and creating other deals.
…To see these trades line up the way they did, and then happen, that front office worked very hard to make it fit together.
…To watch this happen-to see what he have on paper on the roster, wow.

Justin Upton-OF

…When the Padres got Matt Kemp-they got talent.
…When I was traded to San Diego-I thought the GM was a madman-getting all these players.
…I have hit 10HRs at Petco-you hit a HR at Petco-it is a ‘real HR’.
…I have given no thoughts on my contract-I am preparing to play in 2015-the rest takes care of itself.
…As every deal came down-I said this is going to be a much better team.
…Facing the Padres in a 3-game series-you knew you would have 20-very tough at bats against that pitching.
…I like Petco Park-I can hit at Petco Park.

Derek Norris-C

…I am looking to being a NL-catcher-only 8-batters to deal with-no DH.
…The NL-they run-they put the ball in play-it will be a learning curve for me about NL style.
…This is a privilege to be here-and to see what this franchise has done in player acquisitions.
…Team chemistry-we had it in Oakland-we will develop leadership here.

Wil Myers-OF

…I have never been hurt, so missing much of last year was tough.
…I played alot of CF-in minors-I can do that in San Diego.
…I look forward to seeing this entire roster-lots of proven veterans with some young players.

Will Middlebrooks-3B

…With all the moves they made in Boston, I knew I was leaving-that’s baseball.
…I got 150-at bats-played at 75% health-you cannot have a good season with all that around you.

Bad & Sad

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It was so tough to watch, this NFL playoff game in the rain in Charlotte over the weekend.  A sloppy weather day, and an even sloppier NFC playoff game.
 
Here was the sub-500-Carolina Panthers (7-8-1), the division winners in the rag-tag NFC-South, getting a home game over the Arizona Cardinals, who were (11-5), who finished second in a rather tough NFC-West.
 
Here was a battered Arizona team, with an ailing super star receiver, no running game, a shaky offensive line, and a defense that had lost two of its stars for the entire season, having to lineup against Cam Newton, the Panthers go-get-em pass rush, and play before a howling mob of fans.
 
And there was Ryan Lindley, the record setting quarterback at San Diego State, forced onto the field, because the Cardinals two veteran quarterbacks were gone for the year with injuries, knee injuries to established star Carson Palmer, and then a knee injury and infection to his veteran journeyman backup Drew Stanton.
 
Lindley, who has been in the league three seasons, has hardly played at all.  He was the choice, because rookie quarterback Logan Thomas of Virginia Tech, had practiced so poorly earlier in the week, Cardinals coach Bruce Arians had to pick his poison.  Who goes to the wolves, Lindley, with limited experience, or Thomas, with absolutely none?.
 
We remember Lindley as a special kid at San Diego State; stayed at home, turned down big offers elsewhere, rewrote the record book, graduated, and is a devout Christian.  So many positives.  That’s why this weekend of negatives was so painful to watch.
 
Strong, tall in the pocket, a cannon for an arm, his college career was indeed special.  Some 9,537-yards passing, 67-TD passes, a ton of 300-yard games, a special 528-passing night vs Utah, and a 6-TD game against Colorado State.  He replaced record-setting Kevin O’Connell, whose NFL career was up and down for a five year run, before he retired.
 
But this was hard, despite spending 2-plus years in the Arizona system, and 10-weeks this year with the Chargers developmental squad, Lindley was thrown into the fire.  
 
The end result was a record-setting day of futility for the Cardinals, an all time NFL low 78-yards in offense, breaking a 1958-Cleveland Browns record, of 86-yards against the all powerful New York Giants from the Sam Huff era.
 
Lindley was sacked, chased, flushed, pressured.  Two interceptions, a fumble, four sacks and some wild errant throws, missing open receivers, then forcing balls,  trying to make a play.  Arizona’s defense died because the offense got nothing done. 
 
Once upon a time, the NFL had a spring development league, NFL-Europe.  You may remember names like the Scottish Claymores, London Monarchs, Barcelona Dragons and the likes.  Part of the NFL plan in the eight year run the league had, was to market the game in Europe, sell jerseys, let the fans feel the NFL experience.  Another part of the plan was to develop younger players.
 
The most notable grads of NFL Europe were Kurt Warner and Jon Kitna, one a Hall of Fame quarterback, the other spent 16-years in the NFL.  You wish NFL Europe was still there for the likes of a Ryan Lindley.  Oddly, both were big and strong, guys from smaller programs, and devout Christians, much like Lindley, with a playbook in one hand, and a bible in the other.
 
He is mentally tough, physically tough, but you hope he will not be emotionally scarred by all this.  It’s doubtful the Cardinals will bring him back, after having cut him once, and then  being forced to play him.
 
His career numbers in Arizona are alarming, 10-games, 3-TDs-13-interceptions-3 fumbles lost and 22-quarterback sacks.
 
Maybe someone brings him to camp and works with him.  A spring in London or Berlin might have helped.  A stint in Canada may be in the offing.  Rumblings are he is such a good athlete and good guy, maybe he becomes a tight end or a safety.
 
For one day this past weekend, we wanted to root for the local guy to make good.  It didn’t happen, but that doesn’t mean Ryan Lindley is all things bad.  His faith, and his athleticism will help him thru this tough week, with the hope there is another day, in another city, and maybe at another position.

NFL Playoffs – No Place To Be If You Are Hurt

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The NFL playoffs.  You better be a ‘hot team’ and you better not be ‘a hurt team’.  
 
And so, the first weekend of the NFL postseason are over, and the two tenants of postseason play were never so true.
 
The Dallas Cowboys remain hot, and they are moving on to play Green Bay.  Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Arizona all were hurt, and they will be staying home.
 
There’s nothing as final as getting knocked out of the playoffs, especially a week after you experienced something so exciting as finally getting to the postseason.  Sunday night was sudden and cruel for those whose season ended badly.
 
Tony Romo’s team has had an exceptionally explosive season, surviving traumatic injuries at the start of the season, but finding players to not just fill-in, but to stand out.  That coupled with the fact the Cowboys quarterback, heavy duty running back, DeMarco Murray, and superstar receiver, Dez Bryant, stayed on the field all year.  The big three in Big D-took care of the Detroit Lions in a cliff-hanger of a game.
 
Pittsburgh was indeed on a roll, winning critical games down the stretch, but the loss of star young running back Le’Veon Bell, to a hyper-extended knee, in the season finale win over the Bengals, doomed them.  Unable to play on Saturday, Baltimore teed off on QB-Ben Roethlisberger, didn’t have to defend the run, did a strong job taking away the pass, and ended the Steelers season.  The one star quarterback could not do the job himself, despite a heroic (334Y) passing day.  Sacks and turnovers doomed the Steelers.
 
Cincinnati, which has not done well in the post season, did not do well this weekend either, not when you lose your top wide receiver, your top tight end, and then 2-starting linebackers.  In this case, QB-Andy Dalton had no one left around him, and could not rally the Bengals, not with star WR-AJ Green deemed out with a concussion, and TE-Jermaine Gresham out with a leg injury.  Then Cincinnati, which had already lost Vontaze Burfect, their star linebacker a month ago, lost two more defensive starters during the game, Ray Maualuga and CB-Dre Kirkpatrick. End of the season Bengals, in Indianapolis, the Colts move on..
 
Arizona never had a chance, setting an all time NFL record of just 78-yards in offense, with 3rd string QB-Ryan Lindley taking a pounding at the hands of the Carolina Panthers.  The Cardinals broke a record for ineptness set in 1958 by the Cleveland Browns, and the poor play by Lindley, complicated by the loss of his top running back late in the season, and the loss of two top defensive players for the entire season, was the end of the Arizona hopes of playing in the Super Bowl in front of their home town fans.
 
Take nothing away from how hard Detroit played, or how close they came to beating the Romo-led Cowboys.  Understand, Carolina’s defense beat up lots of teams, just not Lindley and Arizona.  Know that Baltimore got better the second half of the season and Joe Flacco is always Cool Joe in postseason, where he has 7-road playoff victories.
 
But if there had not been the big injury to the Steelers, the loss the firepower guys in Cincinnati, and the demise of everything in Arizona, maybe the outcomes would have been different.
 
You’ve got to be hot heading into postseason.  But you have to be healthy, especially on wildcard weekend.