i think the one thing in common among all readers of this blog is the san diego chargers. so it's what i've got to address first.
the chargers never deserved to be champions.
we showed it in november, and the steelers reminded us of it today. as talented as we are in the majority of NFL positions, we're not up to snuff where snuff is needed most: pass rush on defense and blocking on the offensive line.
so, before reading all the media reaction and debating this over the next 8 months, here are my priorities in the offseason.
DO'S
- DO re-sign shawne merriman to a long-term contract. he's expensive, he's got off the field distractions, but he's essential. and any lack of "fire" that norv doesn't bring to this team, lights out seemed to take care of last year. i get hyphy just seeing him fire up his teammates in sweats and a beanie on the sideline this year.
- DO overhaul pieces of this defense. igor is i-gone when he's needed. the secondary has shown flashes of decency, but as a whole they can't communicate, can't tackle, and just flat out can't keep up sometimes.
- DO whatever it takes to keep both sproles and LT. i'm too lazy to look up the salary figures on this, but LT is less than 2 seasons away from retirement most likely, and would probably hang it up if we won it all next year anyway.
- DO something, anything really, about the O-Line. i'm not an expert on technique and blocking schemes, but something about seeing opposing players in our backfield every other play tells me we can't win a championship this way.
DON'Ts
- DON'T trade LT. i have no statistical or financial reasoning to back this up, just an emotional appeal that this guy carried san diego football when no one else could or wanted to. if we can't win a super bowl, at least we can keep this guy's legacy in tact. san diego needs another tony gwynn legacy, not another junior seau.
- DON'T fire norv turner. his regular seasons have been lackluster, and the players have looked uninspired at times, but that miracle comeback against Kansas City showed me that he never lost this team. who wouldn't want to give up when you're down by all those points to a terrible team on the brink of playoff elimination? but they fought back, and i see this team being permanently better because of it.
that's all i can think of for now. the season had mostly down moments, but ooowwweee there were some good ones. definitely a disappointment overall, but hey, this is san diego. championships don't exactly grow on trees around here.
in other news this weekend, i attended one of my former co-worker's apartment parties. this is significant because the party was a milestone of firsts. first party i attended with co-workers that was not a work function. first party where the people throwing it weren't my closest friends or cousins or somehow associated with them. first party where it was mostly Caucasian. first party in the South Bay, far from the scene i've become accustomed to in West LA.
it was a jungle, but somehow i survived without looking pathetically antisocial for too long. thankfully, i actually knew most people there and my roomate gordon joined (he works in the same industry and knows the same folks too), so it wasn't as bad as i thought. as for the next time i try this....chances are slim like 112.
also, happy 2 years and 5 months to me and my lovely girlfriend! we celebrated/drowned our sorrows over the game with AYCE sushi at midori sushi, and now i can't look at anything that resembles a fish without throwing up a little in my mouth cause i ate so much.
well pack my fudge, that was a long one. i'll end it wishing that everyone holds their heads up high at work and try not to let the chargers defeat ruin the week. at least we can all concentrate on the basketball season. go bruins! hang in there, clippers! and let's go pac rim updogs!
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