Bill Barnwell from Football Outsiders should be by in about a half-hour to start answering your questions in the comments section below.  Go ahead and start posting your questions down there so he doesn't have to wait for them to roll in.

Oh, and please be nice to Mr. Barnwell.  He's our guest.

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For part 2 of BFTB's interview series with Ogemdi Nwagbuo, we take a look back at his playing days at Michigan State and even get some more info on that "Working at the airport car rental counter" story we've heard so many times.  Also, knowing that OG is a die-hard NBA fan, I couldn't pass up the chance to get his opinion on a couple of this season's hottest NBA topics.

Give us a quick update on your recovery.  Are you doing anything but resting the ankle right now?

Yeah, just going through the recovery process right now.

I'm sure you watched some football this weekend.  How do you think the Chargers match up with the Jets?  Do you think Shonn Greene/Thomas Jones will cause problems?

I think it's gonna be be a good matchup. The Jets have a great running game and they definitely want to run the ball.  It's gonna be a matchup of a physical offense versus a physical SD defense.

I saw Demetrius Byrd on Twitter saying that he didn't think Darrelle Revis could shut down Vincent Jackson next week.  What do you think?

That's is a matchup of two of the best players at their position in the NFL, so you never know what's gonna happen.

Are you planning on going to the game?  If not, do you have any big plans for Sunday?

Yes, I'm going to be there.

We've heard your story through the voice of commentators several times, but I'm interested to hear it from you.  How long did you work at the airport?  Did you have the job because you didn't think you would make the team?  Do you miss the job?

I was working there for about 6 months. I just kept working there because there is a lot of free time in the offseason. It was a cool job because you get to meet a lot of different people.

What's your best memory from playing at Michigan State?

I had a great time at MSU. There are so many to choose from, but I would probably say just hanging out with my teammates at Cherry Lane Apts.  Or coming back to beat Penn State my senior year.

Why do you think you went undrafted?

I dont know why i was undrafted.  The whole draft is an unpredictable process, so you never really know what's gonna happen.

Vaughn Martin is somebody that intrigues a lot of Chargers fans because even less is known about him as is known about you.  When we look at him we see a guy with big size, big strength and good speed.  Do you think he's a future starter?

He is a definitely an explosive athlete and I think he is gonna be a very good player.  Strangely enough, I actually hosted him on his recruiting trip at Michigan State.

A lot has been made of Stephen Cooper being the "Quarterback of the defense".  Supposedly, he's the one that calls the plays and makes sure everybody is lined up properly before the play starts.  Explain to us, from a Nose Tackle's perspective, what Coop does and how valuable he is out there.

In most defenses the middle linebacker is the QB of the defense.  He gets everybody lined up and basically lets you know what's going on out there. Coop is a great player and a great leader.

Are the Cavs better or worse than they were last season?  Has LeBron finally reached his ceiling?

I think they are better because of all the players they added, they have better athletes at the wing position and better defenders, but we wont know until the playoffs come. I think Shaq will play a bigger role on their team in the playoffs.

Will Kevin Durant ever win a championship in Oklahoma City?

I think he is a great scorer and they have good young talent around him like Jeff Green, Westbrook and Harden, but they have to get better and get more experience.  Also, they would have a tough road to a championship in the Western Conference. Young talent doesn't always mean success, you can just look at the Clippers a few years ago with Lamar Odom, Darius Miles, Quentin Richardson, Elton Brand and Corey Maggette.

Is it time for Tim Duncan to retire?  It looks to me that the Spurs need to rebuild.

Tim Duncan is still a great player and he can always take over a game.  The Spurs have a lot of talent, but the connference as a whole is very deep so I don't know about their championship chances.

Do you think this Celtics team is as good as the 07 team that won the title, or is their record inflated by the lack of competition in the east?

I think Rasheed Wallace makes them a better team because of his versatiity, but they have to be healthy to be reach their full potential and I don't know if that will happen.

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You guys ready for something fun?  Ogemdi Nwagbuo has agreed to do a series of interviews with BFTB, discussing his life, the Chargers, rehab, whatever.  Why?  Because he likes BFTB, reads it himself, and (as I mentioned before) the dude is bored.  He also has aspirations of being a SportsCenter anchor after his playing career is over (according to his Twitter), so it would probably help if you knew who he was and how funny of a guy he is.

By the way, for those old folks who can't root for a player unless they know he's a decent person with respect for his elders.....OG seems to start and end every conversation with me by calling me "sir" (perhaps he knows I'm 11 months his senior?).  He does it so naturally that you can tell he does it with everybody.  I'm sure his parents must be proud.

Below you'll find our first series of questions and answers.  If you have a question for Ogemdi, feel free to put it in the comments and I'll do my best to include it the next time we do one of these (probably in a couple of weeks).  Also, don't forget to stop by OG's Twitter and follow him.

Give us a little history on your name.  What is the proper pronunciation and where does it come from?  Should fans call you Ogemdi?  Og?  O-G?

It's pronounced oh-gem-dee new wah bo.  It's a Nigerian name.  Both of my parents were born here, but everybody calls me OG even my mom.

What's it like playing in front of your hometown fans?  Were you a Chargers fan growing up?

It was great playing in front of my hometown fans.  I definitely enjoyed it because I love being back out here in San Diego. Last time I played out here was when I was at Southwestern College.  I wasn't a Chargers fan, my favorite team was actually the Patriots. but the Chargers were my second favorite.

When did you know that you had made the team?

Found out the day the final cuts were made.  I was nervous because there are always a lot of talented players that dont make teams, so I just had to leave it in God's hands and everything worked out.

How much did you learn by being forced into the starting Nose Tackle position?

I learned a lot this year being out there in game action. The NFL is a lot faster than college so the best way to get better is to get out there and get experience if the opportunity presents itself. I definitely feel like I got better from the experience I gained, but it also showed me that I have a lot of work to do to be a better player.

In your early games, there were frequent shots of you on the sidelines taking pointers from Jamal Williams.  How big of a help was he to you this year?

Jamal certainly helped me out a lot because he has seen everything there is at the nose tackle position and he is  Pro Bowl player.  I asked him a lot of questions. but all the d-linemen were a big help: Luis, Jacques, Ryon, Ian, Boone and Travis.  I tried to learn something from all of them.

All I ever saw as a reason for you being placed on Injured Reserve was "Ankle Injury".  Which ankle is it and what type of injury was it?

It was a high ankle injury, on my left ankle.

Was this your first time getting surgery for a football injury?

No, I actually broke my hand against Wisconsin up there at Michigan State, but this was the first time I've had to miss any games.

Where are you in the recovery process now, and has the team or your doctor given you any indication of when you'll be back to 100%?

I'm still in a cast, but I'll be back to 100 percent by next season.  I don't have any specific dates, just got take it day by day and keep working out and get stronger. I am definitely looking forward to the challenge and I'm going to come back better than ever.

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On Thursday, I had a chance to interview Kellen Winslow.  Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1995, he is without a doubt one of the greatest players to ever play in San Diego.  Depending on who you're talking to, he's the best or 2nd best TE the Chargers have ever had.  Besides that info, and seeing a handful of highlights, I didn't know too much about Mr. Winslow.  For instance, did you know he's the Athletic Director of Central State University in Ohio?  Me neither. 

The best thing I found out about Kellen during our 15 minutes conversation is that he's got a tremendous sense of humor.  It may not come across in the text below, but most of these answers were said while he was chuckling.  He couldn't have been nicer or easier to interview.  Now, onto the Q&A......

What are your feelings heading into this week's Broncos/Chargers game?

If I remember the Broncos....they were one of the luckiest teams we ever played against, besides the Raiders.  if ever the ball was on the ground it seemed to bounce their way.  And not just a bounce and then they fall on it, it would bounce right up to them so that they could run with the ball.  It could be that they were that good at getting turnovers, I don't know.  But every time i think about a game against the Broncos I think about the ball bouncing their way.

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How anxious are you to get started?
I'm very anxious.  To be away from the game as long as I was....that anxiousness is just building up. 

Are you looking forward to playing under Coach Rivera and in his scheme?
Yeah.  I'm just happy to be back, but especially in a system where we like to attack.  That's kindof the theme of our team and our defense this year. 

Do you have any specific goals in mind for yourself this year or just team goals?
It's all team goals.  I know how I'm going to do as an individual, but the goals I set this year are more related to the team's success.

I've been talking with Chargers fans all day on Twitter and somebody told me to ask you if your TwitterBerry has gone "lights out".
(laughs) My TwitterBerry is definitely "lights out" right now.  It sends when it wants to and then other times it doesn't work.  Then it works, then it doesn't work.  These last two days is like the longest time I've not Tweeted. 

You gotta get an iPhone.
I don't know, man.  I don't know if it's the phone or what, but it's like....whew, I gotta get something done.

What's your favorite tattoo that you have and why?
My "Lights Out" tattoo, because that's what I got my name from and that's part of me. 

Do you have any thoughts about Bolts From The Blue?  Any tips you want to send our way?  Whenever you have something to say, don't hesitate to e-mail me directly.

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How does the pass-rush feel this year as opposed to last year?  Does it feel better?
It always feels better when you have two guys like Merriman and English in there, being added into the mix.  And the secondary looks that much better as well.  I would say it's looking good so far, but the real test will be once the games start.

Are you looking forward to handling a little bit more pass-coverage this year?
(laughs) No.  Why would I ever look forward to covering?  I'm a pass-rusher and that's what I do best and the team's going to continue to let me do that.  That's what I do, pass rush.

I only ask because you're very skilled at coverage.
Thank you very much.

You're a Philly native, right?
Yes sir.

Best Cheesesteak: Geno's, Jim's or Pat's?
Uhhh....Jim's.  Actually, to be honest, it's Ishkabibble's which is right across the street from Jim's.  After Ishkabibble's I would have to say Jim's, out of those three.

Ishkabibble's?
Yup.  It's right across the street from Jim's, caddy-corner from Jim's, and it's this small spot and it's amazing.

It's better than Jim's?
I think so. 

Alright, I'm from Philly so I'm going to have to check that out.
There's a spot here that's as good as at home.

Where?
It's on the 78 off of Rancho Sante Fe.  It's called Philly Frank's and it's amazing.  AMAZING.  I'm talking about really good.  They're from Philly, and they ship everything out.  They have water ice....actually, the water ice is just okay, but the cheesesteaks and chicken cheesesteaks are great.

I know that you haven't had a lot of time to practice with Larry English, but I had heard that Coach Rivera was working on a new formation where English and Merriman would be coming off the edge and you were going to be roaming around, trying to get in wherever there was a weakness.  Have you had any time to work on that formation?  Do you think it's going to be a big part of the defense?
I don't know.  We're looking at some type of three-headed monster, kindof like back when we had me, Shawne and (Steve) Foley.  We're looking for that same type of attitude and that same type of intensity.  Whether all three of us are on the field, one of us is on the field, or two of us, I'm pretty sure we're going to be productive and we're going to be successful.  Opposing teams should beware because we're gonna get a one-on-one and there's going to be a mismatch somewhere.

Do you have any thoughts about Bolts From The Blue?  Any tips you want to send our way?  Whenever you have something to say, don't hesitate to e-mail me directly.

How do you feel?
I feel great.  I feel healthy, ready to rock

How do you think Training Camp is going?  Any better than usual?
It's good.  Intensity's up.  Guys are focused.  There's a good drive.  Even when the soreness kicks in, guys are working hard.

Have you noticed anyone hitting that Training Camp wall yet?
You work through the wall.  There will be a couple of walls.

What's your favorite tattoo and why?
I like them both, I can't pick a favorite.  My favorite is yet to come.

What's your favorite going to be?
I don't know.

Do you have anything else?  Or is it just the arms?
It's just the arms.  My wife said "Either you're done or I'm done."  So I had to choose.

What do you think is different about your approach now as opposed to a year or two ago?  Do you think your technique has gotten better?  Sharper?  Have you picked up something new from anyone else that you think has benefited you?
I'm always looking around the league trying to find subtle techniques.  I look at Olin Kreutz, and Kevin Mawae is always pulling out new tricks.  I think I steal techniques just like you would at any other job.  I'm definitely improving.  It's all about understanding of the game and what works and what doesn't work and just refining.  A lot of it is muscle-memory, just getting the muscles to fire the same way they have been.

Do you have one guy that you idolized in high school and college, a Center, and said "I want to be him"?
I didn't play until my second year of college and I wasn't a Center until my last year. 

What did you play before that?
I was a Guard for one year before moving to Center, but I walked-on so I didn't have a lot of offensive line play.  But coming into the league, I always watched film on Kevin Mawae.  He was right in his prime then and he's a smaller guy, quick, plays with good leverage and keeps guys off balance.  So I picked up good tricks from him.

Do you have any thoughts about Bolts From The Blue?  Any tips you want to send our way?  Whenever you have something to say, don't hesitate to e-mail me directly.

First, a story.  Brian, who many of you know as DaBolts, is a writer here at BFTB and was the "Head Writer" until I took over.  I only took over because he no longer had the time to do it.  It had nothing to do with talent, because the man is far better than me at everything he's done here at this blog/community.  He's also a gentleman and a scholar.

So, being gentlemanly, Brian asked if it would be okay if he could contact the Football Outsiders guys about getting a free book (he would then review it here and they'd get some marketing out of it).  I told him it'd be fine.  As much as I've always admired what their website puts out and what they can get their crazy computers to predict for Pro Football Prospectus, I've never been able to understand all of it.  It's a subculture of a subculture.  Brian, however, gets it.  There's the scholarly part of our departed-leader-turned-BFTB-columnist.

Apparently, his idea was one that FO guys liked.  Actually, LOVED.  Next thing I knew, I was getting e-mails from SB Nation saying that the FO guys were going to be sending a copy of their book to ever SB Nation NFL blog and answering team-specific questions.  Hot damn! 

So after reading the section about the Chargers....I still don't really get it.  Well, I mean, I get it.  They're predicting the Chargers to be good.  Great, actually.  Their computers think that the Chargers are going to be better than the 16-0 Patriots.  I'll take that.  Their computers predict 12.5 wins for the Chargers and give them an 87% chance of winning 11 or more games.

Their computers also are under the assumption that healthy players stay healthy (I believe), and everybody knows that San Diego has the league's most talented team when healthy.  With Merriman back and Tomlinson, Gates and Cromartie staying injury-free, I have a hard time saying that the Chargers won't find great success.  Anyways, the Football Outsiders Almanac does a fantastic job of predicting (their track record is unbelievable), but makes sure they back up everything with reasoning and past examples.  If you're into football stats at all, it's a must-buy.

The questions were written up by Brian, since he had less of a chance of embarrassing himself around the super-human brains of Football Outsiders.  The answers are written by Aaron Schatz, the Editor-In-Chief of Football Outsiders and the person responsible for writing the essay in the San Diego Chargers section of this year's FOA.

1.  In the section on the Chargers I was surprised you didn't take note of the rather dramatic difference between the first and second half performance.  The DVOA for both the defense and offense were substantially lower.  Do you attribute this to coaching, or do you think it is just statistical noise?

What dramatic difference? I'm not sure what week cutoff you are using to determine the change in DVOA -- or perhaps this is something that existed in the old version of DVOA but not the newer version that we use in the book. San Diego's offense in 2008 had 24.8% DVOA in Weeks 1-9 and 23.4% DVOA in Weeks 10-17, virtually the same. The defense has 9.9% DVOA in Weeks 1-9 and 6.6% DVOA in Weeks 10-17, slightly better, but not really by much.

Absolutely. First of all, a lot of the statistical trends that we consider exist precisely because talent tends to move around in the offseason in particular ways. Young teams get older and more experienced. Bad teams get rid of their worst players, which makes them better. Teams that are awful on third down tend to specifically go out and look for players who will help them improve on third down, which is one of the reasons for the "third down rebound" effect. In addition, the team projection system includes a number of variables related to player movement. This year for the first time, the team projections include a "no team variables" quarterback projection that helps us measure the impact of a team improving its quarterback situation. This is one of the reasons why Chicago's projection is higher and Denver's projection is lower. We have variables that consider top players switching teams, particularly top pass rushers -- and this "add a top pass rusher" variable (a.k.a. Merriman returning) is one of the reasons the Chargers are projected to improve on defense. We have variables that consider the specific draft value on different positions, both in the most recent draft and in previous drafts (this represents the importance of talent maturing in certain positions after two or three years). And there are variables that consider offensive line continuity -- that's one of the big reasons the Buffalo projection is so bad.

Two notes here:

1) We should point out that team DVOA is not the average of run DVOA and pass DVOA. It includes all plays equally, so if a team is very good passing because they rarely do it, their team DVOA will still be low because the majority of plays will be (poor) runs.

2) We may play around with adjusting things more in the future, but for the most part the way we deal with this problem is common sense. We try to analyze and interpret our stats, rather than just assuming that any team that is better in stat X is automatically more talented when it comes to play type X. As we often say, our stats are better than the conventional NFL stats, but they aren't perfect, and they aren't meant to replace our own knowledge of how player talents and schemes interact on the field. That's why the chapters in the book have essays, not just tables of numbers.

Well, we've got two different groups of statistics here.

First, you have your standard NFL play-by-play statistics. These are recorded by a group of official scorers at each game. The standard offensive stats have pretty much no bias. The defensive stats are "unofficial" and may be a little bit biased, but that's less because the scorers want to benefit their own home team and more because the definitions can be subjective -- who gets the tackle in a pile, for example, or what counts as a pass defensed. The official scorers have gotten better about this over the past couple years, thanks to the efforts of Chris Hoeltge at the league office, who has tried to get things better standardized. In particular, the Philly people aren't putting in a pass defensed any time the pass goes 10 yards over a DB's head, which is a plus. The "QB hit" stats are still registered somewhat willy-nilly from stadium to stadium, but the FO game charting project has actually helped that by reporting mistaken hits or missed hits, which are then changed in the official gameboks.

Second, you have the stats we keep at FO through the volunteers in the FO game charting project. That's the stuff like formations, pass rushers and blockers on each play, when there's play-action, who's the defender in coverage, and so forth. There's no question this stuff is biased. Every year, we work to help standardize definitions so that there's less variation between our game charters about what counts as what. No team is entirely charted by any one person, so things tend to even out -- for example, if the Chargers have a few halves charted by somebody who doesn't mark enough quarterback hurries, they probably also have a few halves charted by somebody who marks quarterback hurries a little too often. After the season's over, before we count things, I go through and try to make sure that no team has its stats particularly skewed by one charter who is extreme in the way he marks certain events.

Do you have any thoughts about Bolts From The Blue?  Any tips you want to send our way?  Whenever you have something to say, don't hesitate to e-mail me directly.