At this point, it's not even about whether Norv Turner gets fired.  But this "will they/won't they" soap opera is pathetic.  First it was "No playoffs, no Norv."  Then it was about whether they won their last 5 games.  Then it was "Detroit will decide his fate."  I would have rooted against winning at Oakland if I thought for one second that Norv might return.  How fucking sad is that?  I can't even get the small consolation of us bouncing the Traitors out without worrying that it would come back to haunt us.  The best thing I read today on Twitter was that the Chargers played 4 teams all year that ended up over .500.  They went 1-3 against them.  If they needed yesterday's game to get into the playoffs, they would have lost.  That's the mentality under Norv Turner.  But at this point, it's Dean Spanos I am most angry about.  Is there any accountability with this team.  Albert Brooks, as Dick Ripley in Out of Sight, is the photo to your left.  That's funny.  Deano is not.  When you are the head of an organization, you need to inspire confidence and be decisive.  It isn't even about the effect that Norv does or does not have on this team.  It hasn't worked and the only thing these 5 years have produced are excuses, a fired defensive coordinator and special teams coach.  Each year there is a new excuse.  Fuck you, Dean Spanos for making me no longer feel like a Chargers win is a good thing.

Bye bye, Jordan Todman.  We hardly knew you.  We literally hardly knew you since Norval never found a reason or way to use you.  Once Kevin Acee went on NFL Network in the middle of the season to try to explain what was wrong with Philip Rivers and mentioned the departure of Darren Sproles, the "Rivers misses Sproles" rationale began to appear everywhere.  Is that a testament to Acee's insight and influence or the fact that our favorite football team plays under a fucked up ownership and tight-lipped GM?  It's a unusual dynamic, to say the least.  Dean Spanos remembers when the Chargers were irrelevant to San Diego and apparently credits AJ Smith for most of the improvement from'04-'09.  But Deano seems not to understand that once the fans start paying attention it means more than just dollars.  It means they aren't just going to accept stupidity and excuses.  If the team's beat writer is the only place that their frustrations can possibility go if they want to see it get to the top, that's where people are going to vent.  But it's not a healthy arrangement, that's for sure.

I know that you know my stance on remakes and reboots, FAITHFUL READER.  But I did watch The Rise Of The Planet Apes recently.  It was average and unnecessary, but it did make this creation from the 2007's "Norv Turner Photoshop Contest" on the Chargers Message Board seem oddly relevant.  More than anything, I was angry on Sunday that Dean Spanos put me in a position that I actually felt like this season needed to be sacrificed for the future of the San Diego Chargers.  As many people commented after the Sunday Night game against Baltimore, I felt as if a win against Detroit would have left me with a "now what?" feeling.

 

I’ve seen enough I don’t want to see any more.

I can’t believe I’m referencing one of my least favorite Springsteen songs.  I know I swore to only talk about tomorrow’s game, but I almost threw up when I read Kevin Acee’s latest column about Dean Spanos reconsidering Norv’s fate based on what happens in Detroit.  I would never root for the Bolts to lose, but how can I feel good about them winning if it keeps Norv with us.  It’s a matter of public record that I never wanted Norv, but I also admitted that I didn’t see any way he would be fired by ownership.  But I saw a Norvless future for 2012, and it looked bright and glorious.  It’s ironic that I refer to the Spanoses as ownership since they don’t appear to take ownership of anything.  Dean saw the crowd during the win Sunday Night and thought that Norv was the reason?  Maybe they were cheering because it took until mid-December to beat a quality team and turn in a complete performance.  Did you ever think THAT was partly Norv’s doing, Deano?

I blame the Spanoses for making me feel like a win tomorrow might not be a good thing for the future.  If Denver and the Jets win and the Chargers defy our expectations and don’t pack it in, does Norv get to stay?  If so, how can that be good?  I guess if you believe that after 5 seasons he is the coach who can get this team over the hump it is.  But what evidence have you seen that he is that guy?

I know that the Spanoses only really talk to the Union-Tribune, which is why people project their rage onto Acee.  However, I believe they also use him as a back channel to leak stuff in order to gauge people’s reactions.  People won’t take this lying down and will burn their season ticket applications if they need to hear that hoarse mush-mouthed voice try to explain how another game got away next season.  That’s why I mentioned the “Fire Millen” movement.  Those guys got the Ford family to listen and they are even more clueless and stubborn then our owners.  I used to joke that if I wasn’t a Chargers fan, I would have become a Lions fan during their Danielson and Sims period.  I’d be a huge Chris Spielman fan and would still wear his jersey.  But once they got wise after their 0-16 season, they became an upcoming group that clearly was too forward-thinking for my tastes or experience.

no comments

Yeah, that's me at age 10.  My parents had gotten me some stuff when they went through San Diego.  It was 1981, the season of the "Missing Rings" Chargers but I have the look of a much more experienced Bolthead.  I'm sure you read this column by Kevin Acee today since a few of you have commented on it.  I was so irate after reading it that I reached out to my grade school chum Eric Stangel of Late Show fame.  Eric and I watched the 1980 AFC Championship game together and cried when we lost to Oakland.  Of course, we had also seen a high school production of Joseph And The Technicolor Dream Coat that day, so we were already sad.  Justin is now co-writers with Eric on the Letterman show.

Ross- I tried sending this to you last night. It wouldn't go thru. I took that as a sign that even the universe was rejecting that article as an idea. Bottom line- good teams don't lose winnable games. Norv Turner loses winnable games. How much of Norv turner's tenure has been spent playing "catch up football?" If the team is as talented as everyone says they are, then the fault goes to the coach.

Eric

At least Eric Stangel is keeping the home fires burning.  I can't believe I need to write this, but I am fucking livid.  Kevin Acee has been "floating" the notion that Dean Spanos might reconsider Norv's status if the Chargers get to 8-7 by beating Detroit.  That's all it takes?  We went from Super Bowl or Bust (at least getting there) to Norv must make the playoffs to stay to he just needs to get to close to the playoffs.  This is pathetic.  Dean Spanos clearly does not have the ability to make a tough decision that will give this team a chance to be better than "good." It's not a tough decision because Norv might actually be a good head coach.  It's just tough because he apparently is a nice guy and Spanos likes him.  If you want to own a team and have people support it by purchasing your "product," you need to make tough BUSINESS decisions.

I guess I should be happy that Dean is at least focusing on how the Chargers play, rather than the other AFC teams.  But the fact that they are playing well now should just illuminate how badly they played during the first 11 games.  Let's remember how they looked when they were 4-1.  You know I am not taking Rivers off the hook.  Shit, I actually thought he should have been benched this year.  That's how bad he was and how much it was single handedly hurting the team.  I don't think Norv had the balls to do that, by the way.  Suddenly, it's as if Charger fans can only side with Norv or Marty.  Guess what, they both suck.  You don't need to have only two options.  This is America.  It's only because Spanos hired 2 guys no one else wanted as head coaches that we have had to deal with these two.  I am sure Rivers likes Norv.  But then he should have found a way to limit his turnovers during those first 11 games.  He might like Norv, but he needs a coach that will drive him better.  His dad and best man is a coach.  I am sure he'd never say a bad word about Norv.  But we need a change.  Dean Spanos clearly is too afraid to do that or Kevin Acee is not the prophet he claims to be.  Tim Sullivan wrote a while back that Spanos must dare to be great.  I think he doesn't have the sack to be great. 

I know all about the injuries.  We had them last year, too.  AJ needs to go too.  I don't want to hear Spanos talk about how bad we were before AJ.  I know, Deano.  I was there.  But he's used up his collateral.  He is also the reason we hired Norv and why he is still here.  After we went 8-8 and won the West, we were all so euphoric that we forgot why we got to 4-8.  You don't want to put that on Norv either?  Yes, I know that Merriman was out for the entire year.  But when do you hold your coach responsible for your team's success or lack thereof.  Jim Irsay is going to can Jim Caldwell and that guy got to a Super Bowl.  Dean Spanos is apparently more wishy washy than Dan Henning and Mike Riley put together.  Other teams are firing their coaches because they expect more.  How many guys have we missed out on while we are stuck with this guy?  It's Spanos is afraid we might not do better with someone else?  How about risking that we might get over the hump? 

I signed this petition today and urge others to do the same.  On the U-T boards, I found two interesting posts today.  SDSports22 writes

And if you fans accept missing the playoffs two years in a row in this bad division and some meaningless wins (assuming they don't get in) are all it takes to satisfy you, than you are no better than Spanos.  My official viewpoint, is if this team doesn't have success in the playoffs (yes, I won't accept just squeaking in), than changes need to be made.

Here fucking here.  San Diego Scrubs also wrote that it has become an atmosphere amongst Boltheads that you aren't a real fan if you won't accept underacheiving and slow starts.  You don't think we have underacheived?  The talent level has deteriorated?  How many times did we see this team fuck itself when it mattered.  You don't think that might have to do with coaching?

I know I have not come out this strongly against Norv before.  Some of that was knowing that it wouldn't matter what I thought or said.  But 2011 has shown me that the fans, especially the ones who fund the team, have a real say.  I won't root for a loss, ever.  I have really enjoyed these last 3 games.  But even my wife was afraid when I told her about Sunday's game that we'd get "stuck with Norv."  One of my Tweeps pointed out that we should have fired when when we were 4-7, so there was no chance for him to "weasel his way back in."  Don't let yourself be fooled.  No matter what happens from here on in, don't let this guy back so we can continue to fail when it matters.  As I said yesterday, if they won the Super Bowl I wouldn't care who coached the team next year.  But this team trying to dig itself out of a hole it created for itself, both during games and the season as a hole, has to end.  I don't need to remind you of my dedication to the Chargers.  It's the bane of my existence.  However, it's time to make a decisive move that should have been made a while back.  The goal today should be the same as it was in September.  This team needs to make the playoff and a serious Super Bowl run that doesn't end by its own stupidity.  Just to remind you, all those late season runs haven't mean shit come January.  If you look here, you'll see that we at least top one list.  Lastly, I thought I'd pass on CBS Rapid Reports' Dan McLellan's take from yesterday.  You can listen to it here. I agree that something is wrong in the big picture, obviously.  I also agree that even with the fumbles, Norv needs to stick to the running game on Sunday.  The "chuck and suck" offense can't carry this team alone.

I will write an actual game preview on Friday.  However, I needed to vent now.  Thanks for reading and Happy Hannukah.

RLW

In the event you want to brave the stadium on Sunday,

Average price for this game $116.52 -- down 18% this week and well below the $132 average price for Chargers home games.

Thanks to “Pick Your Price” from TiqIQ fans can make an offer of around $75 each for “3-star” tickets and save over 10% off the retail price + No service or shipping fees.  Offer ends Friday @ Noon ET.

Just click here for more info.

Yours In Justice,

RLW

no comments

“The past is behind us, the end hasn’t happened yet.  All that matters is now.”  That line comes from this season’s penultimate episode of Boardwalk Empire. I thought of that as I sat down to watch last week’s game.  For a while, those words seemed to serve me well.  I’d be lying if I wasn’t happy to see us crushing the Bills, the Packers beating Oakland and the Bears winning in Denver.  Believe me, I wouldn’t allow myself to think that any of those outcomes were a done deal.  But once the Chargers had (even for them) sewn up their game, I bounced back and forth between the last 10 minutes and the Denver game.  I didn’t watch too many plays, for fear of disappointment.  However, I saw both of Marion Barber’s miscues.  As I wrote on Twitter, the only surprise was that he wasn’t wearing a Chargers uniform when they occurred.  For a while on Sunday, did it feel like that December 2008 string when the Bills beat Denver after we’d won in Tampa?  Sure, and the disappointment that followed when it suddenly didn’t was equally powerful.  However, that December 2008 sequence is what has led us to the mess we’re in right now.  Had we not made the playoffs, Norv might have been canned right then.  I say "might have" because Dean Spanos stated publicly (as he obviously has not this year) that Turner would return.  I would never root against the Bolts, although I’ve learned that my wants have nothing to do with their record.  However, the realization that not making the playoffs would serve a higher purpose took the sting out of Sunday’s turn of events.

no comments

That line comes from the NBC series The Playboy Club, which only lasted three episodes.  But it truly sums up the Chargers’ situation at this point.  Jacksonville sucks and has a ton of injuries, but it sure was nice to see the Bolts play a complete game for the first time all season.  After that positivity faded, did a part of me feel regretful that it was such a remote possibility that this season would be extended beyond January 1?  Sure, it’s the nature of being a fan.  When everyone is looking towards the postseason, it sucks to feel left out.  But the Bolts have brought this upon themselves.  If the Denver game was the loss that really sealed this team’s fate, it’s sadly appropriate.  That was the game that should tell everyone why Norv needs to go.  I don’t care how afraid he was of Rivers getting sacked.  You don’t let the clock run out in regulation when you have a chance to win and you don’t back into a 50 plus-yard field goal.

The suggestion that if somehow the Chargers made it in that he would keep his job is ridiculous.  I know it most likely won’t happen, but that’s not the point.  Sure, the Chargers would need to beat Baltimore, Detroit and Oakland in succession.  But them making it in would now rely on not one, but two, teams collapsing.  How does that reflect favorably on Norv?  The fans have had enough.  It’s too late to convince us that we could EVER win a Super Bowl with Norv Turner.  People have accused San Diego’s fans and media of not being critical and demanding enough.  That's why I am proud of the way people are standing up for themselves.  As I saw on one of the U-T board posts, how can AJ Smith preach his bottom line “Charger one year at a time” shit and continue to fail as a General Manager?  That doesn’t mean that he hasn’t drafted talent.  But he hired Norv and has staked his reputation on guys like Davis and English.  I don’t doubt that some of his picks would do better on another team, but that just shows that the coach he hired doesn’t do a good enough job of maximizing the talent he’s got.

Yeah, I’m referencing Van Hagar.  It's nothing compared to the band with Diamond Dave, buttThey have their place--sort of like Survivor.  I won’t discuss Monday’s game, although I will end of watching.  Do I think that the Chargers could pull out a miracle and make the playoffs?  I don’t think it matters at this point.  When the Chargers were 4-8 in 2008, I wondered aloud whether I even wanted that team to extend their season.  They were not playing like it.  As it turned out, making the playoffs turned out to be a curse rather than a blessing.  When the Chargers lost to the Broncos on Monday Night football in 2009, I wondered aloud (meaning on this site) whether they were underachieving or just not that talented.  Nick Hardwick had been injured and Jamal Williams had played his last game in San Diego.

As you recall, FAITHFUL READER, the Bolts had actually played their best game to date on that night.  But Antonio Gates had already feared that with Denver being 6-0, the Bolts could go into a tailspin.  The Chargers pushed, but Denver pushed back and Tony Scheffler taunted the Bolts en route to a victory.  With his appearance in the booth, fans salivated over Jon Gruden, who had said some wonderful things about Philip Rivers.  I think they forgot that he says positive things about every quarterback.

Well, you know what happened next.  During the bye week (and a late night of partying before their next game in Arrowhead), we stewed over the decline of the Chargers.  During the 11-game win streak that followed, we never really found out if the team was good or not.  They pulled out a win in New Jersey, surged and then played prevent against Philly, won at Dallas and kicked a late (gasp) field goal to beat Cincy.  But despite a nice LT run against the Eagles on the Sunday he announced he was going to have a baby and some clock killing runs at Dallas, the ground game was still very weak.  Guys like Dobbins, Siler and Burnett played better than expected and Philip Rivers played out of his mind.  But by the half of their first playoff game, it was obvious that the Chargers had returned to the stupidity of their ’04 and ’06 postseason ways.  Those who have such romanticized view of Marty Schottenheimer should remember that he coached those first two teams.  14-2 should be remembered more as 14-3, as Colby Underwood put it.  The lack of poise under pressure and good decision making was a hallmark of many of Marty’s teams come playoff time.

That first year under Norv, I remember thinking a lot about the team from the year before.  I really could see during the games against Tennessee and Indianapolis that the 2006 team was not built to win it all.  Talented?  Sure.  The “most talented?”  Again, that qualifier is used because the Chargers never even went to the Super Bowl.  Why didn’t that happen?  Due to their own physical breakdowns.  That is now the responsibility of two coaches.

This shitty economy has proven one thing.  The consumer may be struggling more than ever but they do have power over those from which they buy goods and services.  We can still tell those that want our business that we won’t buy a shitty product.  AJ’s “act” worked fine when we were winning with his acquisitions, draft picks and coaches.  Now, it’s a reason to give him even less slack.  You can’t act like Bill Belichick without even reaching a Super Bowl.  Bernie Wilson and Jay Paris were both on the radio this week saying that they never thought that Charger fans would rise up as they have.  I, for one, couldn’t be prouder.  Wilson said that he thought the laid-back fan base was just a bunch of lemmings that wanted to party and would buy season tickets no matter what.  He now knows otherwise.

It’s no secret that the most recent playoff loss changed something in me.  Sure, I’m older and now have 2 kids.  But it was also the result of the sad knowledge that the Chargers hadn’t learned their lesson.  They weren’t going to even give themselves the chance to get to the Super Bowl.  In true ironic fashion, the one team that seemed ready to was too banged up to get past a previously undefeated opponent.  But the past only matters right now because it appears that it is all we have.  The one thing we can all agree on is that the AJ/Norv combo has got to go.  We can sit and analyze their demeanor, decisions and history at another date.  We'll have all offseason for that.

I don't  know exactly what the relationship is between coaching and the team's performance.  I do know that you can say all the right things (see Schottenheimer, Marty), but if the team doesn't do it you can't be considered a good coach.  You can be a genius and still a shitty teacher if the students don't learn.  Sure, I didn't want Norv Turner.  But that was as much due to his Milquetoast persona as his lack of success as a head coach.  Rich Kotite was considered a good coach for how much he got out of his players in Philly.  We know what happened after he came to the Jets.  Andy Reid, Jeff Fisher, Bill Cowher and Jon Gruden have their critics.  In most cases, those guys had combustible situations at quarterback.  Chucky just had Keyshawn.  I always loved Bobby Ross because it was clear he gave a shit.  He also never shirked the responsibility for a loss.  Many Marty lovers forget that he was just quick to put the blame on someone else as AJ is.  Again, I only bring up Marty because so many people are mentioning that Norv Turner inherited a 14-2 team that Schottenheimer "built."  Honestly, AJ and John Butler deserve credit for that.  May he rest in peace, but Butler was a stubborn guy as well.  His ego was also called into question on more than a few occassions.  Was he always thinking about the team first?  We weren't always so sure.  I posted on Twitter "wonder why no NFL team wanted Marty after he was fired?" and got a response of "you're exactly right."  That never happens in life.  Speaking of Twitter, I am sure you've seen Shaun Phillips' crusade to alienate every Charger fan alive.  Justice Godfather Daniel Chang, who sent me this screenshot, reminded me that Phillips used to date the ugliest Kardashian before Lemar Odom.  Again, results are what I care the most about for this team.  But when you aren't getting results, you aren't helping yourself when you do stuff like this.  The same goes for AJ himself or his nemesis Vincent Jackson.  Rivers has been as stand up as they come, but he's been dogshit on the field.  It's a credit to his heart that he might be playing through an injury, but it hasn't helped us one bit.  You can decide for yourself how many games he's lost for the Chargers this year.  I am referring to games beyond the fumble in Kansas City.

I hate seeing this team lose each week, but I would hate more the same sense of complacency from the top dooming us for years to come.  Does Dean Spanos have the balls to BOLT UP and give AJ the ax?  I think he does because The Legion is calling for his head.  We're not getting closer to a Lombardi, quite the opposite actually.  We can sit here and look at Brees, Sproles, LT or Cro and how their skill sets were used elsewhere.  No, I am not suggesting that we should have kept those last two.  But it seemed like they were used far more intelligently by their next GM and coach.  As for Brees, he clearly went to a perfect situation in New Orleans.  This is looking at it now, obviouisly.  The offense that Sean Payton built around him is very similar to the spread he ran at Purdue.  I still believe that if we had kept him that another team would have won a ring with Philip Rivers.  As I said last week, I will do my best not to obsess which former Chargers are playing for a title this year.  We need to be more concerned with the fact that no current ones are.  As for Sproles, he is also in an offense that appears to better utilize him.  I have no doubt that Payton is also a much better motivator than anyone we've had since Bobby Ross.  Before I go, let's also not forget that the Spanos' firing of Bobby Ross isn't alone what left the Chargers in an almost 10-year playoff drought.  The late Chris Mims showing up to clean out his locker in a top hat and tails after our loss to the Colts was only the tip of the iceberg.  Old-school coaches don't have an indefinite window to produce results.  The message falls on deaf ears after a while.  Bobby Ross, the man whom I told personally was the best coach we've ever had, wasn't able to turn around the Lions or Scarlet Knights subsequently.  Why did I think the original Boss Ross was the best we've ever had?  He got us the closest a World Championship, obviously.

You can hear this week's XX1090 clips here.  If they won't stream for you, just right click and save.  You can hear the mp3s that way.  Enjoy your football-free Sunday.  Try not to let the Bolts ruin it when they aren't even playing.  Don't worry, FAITHFUL READER, I won't ever be able not to be a Charger fan.  Just as you can be a patriotic American and question its government, you can be a Bolthead and hate what they are doing.  My daughter Sarah asked me why I was watching last week if I disiked the team so much.  They really haven't played a complete game all year, but I couldn't explain that to a five-year old girl.  "I'm a Charger fan," I told her.

What did you expect?  I couldn't very well show her this site, could I.  In closing, I would like to dedicate this week's JIC to my beautiful wife, who turns 37 tomorrow.  She told me today that she found a bunch of my Charger ski hats in the closet today.  "Would you like me to poop in them," she asked?  That's one of the many reasons I love her.  Thanks for putting up with all my football and non-football related shit, sweetie.

Do they even know what Bolting Up even means?

RLW

PS  I can't believe Novak missed 2 kicks after I put him in my "Rainbow Connection" parody.

Don't ask me why Playboy Playmate Sara Jean Underwood is holding a Chargers helmet, let alone an Air Coryell era one.  But I thought it would counteract this kiddie-themed song parody for our pathetic football team.

Why are there so many pickoffs and fumbles?

and how can it all be Norv?

That point's irrelevant, guy is a loser

That much we already know.

"Mathews won't pan out," some choose to believe it

I don't know how Philip comes back.

Someday we'll find it, the Norval Correction.

The offense, the defense and me.

Special teams under a spell, we know that it's probably coaching

Tackling's important, especially in big spots.

Turnovers are pivotal too.

Tight ends get old, particularly when injured

Clary sucks, we know it too.

Move to LA, some choose to forsee it

I've always lived here back East.

Someday we'll find it, the Norval Correction

A Gruden, Nick Novak and me.

GMs are powerful, especially a Spanos

But that's at least one year away.

Pass rush's invisible unless the game's out of reach

Corners can't turn for the ball.

Guys can't stay healthy and some choose to supress it.

John Hastings was my favorite strength coach.

That's cause he looked like the Cobra Kai sensei

I hate that remakes are lame

All of us stuck with this team. 

I know that it's probably tragic.

Someday we'll find it, the Norval Correction.

Not Chucky, his brother and me.

RLW LI, NY 11/26/11