Enough tickets have been sold to lift the local television blackout for the Chargers’ preseason matchup against the Green Bay Packers on Thursday, Aug. 9. The game will be televised live nationally on ESPN and locally in San Diego on KFMB-TV, Ch. 8. Kickoff is 5:00 pm PT. Mike Tirico and Jon Gruden will call the game from the booth and Lisa Salters will report from the field.

The California state medical board is trying to revoke or suspend the license of the San Diego Chargers head team doctor, citing evidence he committed acts of gross negligence in his care of three patients in 2007 and 2010.

The new medical board complaint comes less than two months after the board reprimanded Chao for failing to disclose a 2007 drunken-driving conviction on state forms as required. He is challenging that ruling in San Diego Superior Court.

The new complaint requests a hearing on Chao's license to practice medicine and the revocation or suspension of that license. Such cases sometime take a year or more to adjudicate.

Kevin Acee of the Union-Tribune San Diego believes Chargers undrafted rookie LT Mike Harris has already earned a roster spot.

Camp just started, but Harris is already working with the first-team offense in Jared Gaither's (back) absence. Harris measured 6-foot-5, 309 and ran a 5.46 forty at UCLA's March Pro Day. He may be San Diego's 2012 swing tackle.

Despite just one week of the regular season included in the list, the NFL owns the top 12 most-watched shows of 2012 (so far).

In western New York, the process of applying pressure has commenced, with an editorial in the Buffalo News explaining that the Bills organization "owes it to supporters to do everything it reasonably can to implement this new program."

The News argues in part that the taxpayers who funded the stadium — and who partially will finance the renovations — deserve the ability to watch the games at home.

Whether the NFL intended this outcome or not, look for more and more media in towns with teams that struggle to fill their stadiums to call upon the local football franchises to ensure that the new floor for ticket sales translates into televised contests.

If a team lowers the bar for blackouts, the number is fixed for the season. Whenever the team clears the mark, it will be required to share more ticket revenue than usual with other teams in the league. It’s that part of the new rules that the Chargers believe would be too high a price to pay, said A.G. Spanos, the team’s executive vice president and chief executive officer.

More time in the pocket means more time for the pass rush to diminish space and minimize that comfortable cradle. Rivers does not flinch in the face of pressure. Even when it’s present, he still steps into his throws and delivers the ball with accuracy and velocity. And he has been doing this since 2006, his first year as a starter.

Thomas would finish the year with a solid +5.8 overall grade, actually outplaying incumbent Garay in run defense (+6.2 to Garay’s +1.5) with 10 running stops on 166 plays. He also occupied double teams and clogged running lanes on a number of occasions without making the tackle himself. Along the way, he began to shed the ‘no threat to the QB’ label, registering four sacks, three QB hits (including hits on Tom Brady and Carson Palmer that don’t show up on the stat sheet because of unrelated penalties) and 13 pressures.

The implication is that I was unwilling to go along with the program. Quite the opposite is true. I maintain a Twitter account with more than 5,000 followers. I have made it a point to respond to virtually every reader e-mail I receive. When the paper had a weekly deal with a local TV station, I would drive the 25 miles from my home — often on a day off — for an appearance for which I was not paid. I have never refused or even resisted an assignment or a request from the paper; whether that entails speaking at pre-dawn breakfast meetings, appearing on local, regional and national radio, appearing at schools or representing the paper at the Del Mar Fair and the U-T’s aging expo. The suggestion that I was reluctant to embrace the new technology is preposterous. If I am not allowed to ask pointed questions regarding practicality without severe consequences — this while the paper employs a broadcaster as repeatedly offensive as is Scott Kaplan — I don’t even know how to respond.

"Coach Turner's coached a lot of great backs,'' Mathews told me the other day. "He's told me I remind him of Ricky Williams, which is the kind of back I would like to be. In college [Fresno State] I was a workhorse back. I believe I can do that here. My training has really improved, and I've set high standards for myself. I shouldn't come off the field at all this year.''

That would mean Mathews, who has had 72 catches combined in his first two years, could have that many this season alone. If he plays on most third downs, particularly with Philip Rivers needing to throw hot because he could be under duress early if the new-look line struggles, Mathews could approach 400 touches.