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Serious Business: 2/9 Chargers Links

Opening 2011 Super Bowl Odds
San Diego Chargers 8/1

McNabb to Denver? - Bill Williamson - ESPN
ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio reports that Denver is one of three teams that have had multiple conversations with the Eagles about the availability of quarterback Donovan McNabb. The other two teams are Buffalo and Cleveland.

Former Aztec La’Roi Glover on the Super Bowl
From Miami, former Aztec and New Orleans Saints Defensive Tackle La’Roi Glover talked about this weekends Super Bowl with 619 Sports.

Super Bowl: Debating QB Legacies
So Drew Brees won his first Super Bowl.  Why do San Diegans insist on revisiting the Brees-Rivers debate from years ago?  Craig and Chris talk about Brees, Philip Rivers, and Peyton Manning, and how the legacy of each great QB changes (or doesn’t) based on the Saints’ winning the Super Bowl.

Chargers Super Bowl Luck: First Eli, Now Brees - SB Nation
So, that’s two quarterbacks that the Chargers had in their grasps that they let slide away. How did those two quarterbacks do?

After living like a vagabond most of his life, Shawne Merriman has finally settled down - ESPN The Magazine
The walls were bubbling. Anyone familiar with the general characteristics of walls can attest that they are not supposed to bubble. Even 4-year-old Shawne Merriman knew that much. Plus, it was so hot that his skin began prickling. And there were all those grown-ups yelling, "Fire!"

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Why Did the Chargers Let Drew Brees Go?

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) holds his son Baylen after the NFL Super Bowl XLIV football game against the Indianapolis Colts in Miami, Sunday, Feb. 7, 2010. The Saints won 31-17. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

More photos » Eric Gay - AP

1 day ago: New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) holds his son Baylen after the NFL Super Bowl XLIV football game against the Indianapolis Colts in Miami, Sunday, Feb. 7, 2010. The Saints won 31-17. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

I am shocked at the number of people that have contacted me asking how the Chargers could've let Drew Brees go.  It was not a bad decision.  It was not a dumb decision.  While the most staunch Drew Brees fans will say that the Chargers shouldn't have drafted Philip Rivers when they did (I humbly disagree), those same fans will agree that the team made the right move in letting Drew Brees go to New Orleans after the 2005 season.  I'm going to explain why.

I have told this story so many times that you would think I was doing Brees' biography at this point.  However, there are a few people that somehow have managed to not hear it and I feel like it's my duty to let them know that the Chargers did not make some catastrophic mistake by letting Drew go.

Continue reading this post »

132 comments  |  6 recs |

Taking a Look at A.J. Smith's Past Charger Drafts

San Diego Chargers' first-round draft pick Larry English, second from right,  holds up his new jersey as, from left to right, general manager A.J. Smith, president-CEO Dean Spanos and head coach Norv Turner look on during a news conference Sunday, April 26, 2009, in San Diego. English, a linebacker, is from Northern Illinois. (AP Photo/Jack Smith)

More photos » Jack Smith - AP

9 months ago: San Diego Chargers' first-round draft pick Larry English, second from right, holds up his new jersey as, from left to right, general manager A.J. Smith, president-CEO Dean Spanos and head coach Norv Turner look on during a news conference Sunday, April 26, 2009, in San Diego. English, a linebacker, is from Northern Illinois. (AP Photo/Jack Smith)

So, the football season is officially over.  Now is the time when the thoughts of every red-blooded football fan turn to the upcoming draft.  Sure, we'll have free agency before then, but every quality team in the NFL gets the majority of its players, the backbone of its team, through the draft.  A lot of the reactionary fans tend to either blindly claim that A.J. Smith is either the biggest genius or the biggest idiot they have ever seen assemble an NFL football team.  The only way to really be objective about this is to take a look at past drafts.  AJ admitted last year at this time that he had to do better, so let's take a look back as see how he has done.

Keep in mind that you typically need three years to evaluate a draft.  By the third year, a player can be accurately evaluated as to their NFL potential.  For some players it comes earlier, but typically we need to give a player three years.  I've looked at every player we've drafted since 2001, plus any draft slots we traded away and what we got for them.  I've also included Undrafted Free Agents (UDFA) who we picked up after the draft and made an impact (either here or elsewhere in the league).

Each player is objectively measured on a scale from "made team" to MVP.  A full time starter is any player who earned a starting spot and held on to it.  Guys who started a long time yet were just injury replacements will not be categorized as full time starters (like Mooch this year), but guys who knocked someone out of their starting position and held onto it will be categorized as full time starters (like Ellison this year).  Anyone who was either selected to the pro bowl or made it there as an injury replacement gets marked as a pro bowler (If David Garrard continues to go to the pro bowl I will need to rethink this).  A player name formatted with strike-through is no longer on the team.

So, let's get to it!

Continue reading this post »

50 comments  |  3 recs |

Congratulations to the New Orleans Saints, specifically Drew Brees, Sean Payton, Lynell Hamilton and Reggie Bush (who all have San Diego ties), and to the city of New Orleans.

Who Dat.

Comments and congratulations below.

1 day ago Chargershorse_tiny John (obviousman) 32 comments 0 recs

Open Thread: Super Bowl

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) rallies teammates in a huddle before taking on the Atlanta Falcons in an NFL football game in Atlanta, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2009. (AP Photo/John Amis)

More photos » John Amis - AP

about 1 month ago: New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) rallies teammates in a huddle before taking on the Atlanta Falcons in an NFL football game in Atlanta, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2009. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Something new and different for the Super Bowl open thread.  Instead of doing it here, amongst a handful of Chargers fans, we're going to be doing it over at SBNation among thousands of other football fans.  I'll be over there commenting on games, commercials and the haltime show (along with anything else that comes up).  I hope you guys will join us.

Saints-Colts: Super Bowl XLIV Open Thread

0 comments  |  0 recs

Serious Business: 2/7 Chargers Links

 

Hall of Fame passes over Don Coryell - SignOnSanDiego.com
Coryell, 85, was for the first time among the 15 finalists considered by the selection committee on the Saturday prior to the Super Bowl.

Tailgating gets boot in stadium plan - SignOnSanDiego.com
It’s not something team officials are touting as they try to drum up support for a downtown stadium, but the loss of tailgating could arguably be the biggest change facing fans if the Chargers move across town.

No movement on NFL labor talks - ESPN
NFL owners have met for several hours to discuss the labor situation, although it appears they are no closer to reaching an agreement with the players' union for a new collective bargaining agreement.

A look at those who didn't make the cut - AFC West Blog - ESPN
Why: This was a very stacked class. Ultimately, getting a coach in who never went to the Super Bowl was too difficult of a task.

Stampede Blue has a beer with Peter King: Part II - Stampede Blue
A fantastic interview with Peter King that involves the phrase "F**k! You should have credentials!" when he hears of how SB Nation blogs differ from other sports blogs.

6 comments  |  0 recs |

"To be honest with you," Durkin told me, "I don't think LT's performance has dropped off that much. When I train him, his strength, speed and power is still there. What I see is a change in organization. The commitment to run is no longer what it used to be."

Tomlinson's Trainer Says He Hasn't Lost A Step

Keep in mind that this is somebody who gets paid by Tomlinson as long as LT in the NFL.

2 days ago Chargershorse_tiny John (obviousman) 20 comments 0 recs

Serious Business: 2/6 Chargers Links

Playoff perseverance - SignOnSanDiego.com
In his final team meeting nearly three weeks ago, the day after the Chargers were stunned in the playoffs by the New York Jets, head coach Norv Turner reminded his players who it was that knocked the Indianapolis Colts from the previous two postseasons.

Coryell’s big imprint ingrained in football - SignOnSanDiego.com
Just let me say at the top that Don Coryell is, in my mind, the most important football coach since Paul Brown. Because he isn’t going to go away.

For Tomlinson, all that's left is the goodbye - SignOnSanDiego.com
LaDainian Tomlinson has taken his bows and taken his lumps. Now it is time for him to take his leave.

Points for Carney as mentor - SignOnSanDiego.com
To hear the Saints now, he is currently serving in an even more important role — as a kicking consultant helping second-year kicker Garrett Hartley in every facet of his game.

LT Says He’s Leaving The Chargers
Craig and Chris agree that the time has come for the Chargers and L.T. to part ways, but in their latest podcast, the 619 Sports guys wonder if the split could have been handled better, and if Tomlinson is taking enough responsibility for his reduced production:

12 comments  |  0 recs |

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