#33 is, appropriately enough, a 3-horse race – but it’s a good one.  Three running backs who meant a lot in Charger history.  Consider carefully before voting.

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My temptation is to leave #32 up to a vote, but that would be cruel and unusual punishment.  The choices here are SO limited that I’m willing to bet that if we do this again in about 4 years, there'll be a different winner.  (Beyond the jump are the "others.")

Barely Worthy of an Honorable Mention

Eric Weddle, SS

Only because Weddle is a current member of a pretty good team, and appears to be more than just a one or two year fix.  But as far as winning the prestigious Golden Jersey?  Not until he learns how avoid getting hit in the head by punts.

Barely the Winner

Eric Bieniemy, RB

At 5’7", Bieniemy was the latest in a line of "little Running Back engines that could" for the Chargers – but, as opposed to Lionel James and James Brooks before him and Terrell Fletcher and Darren Sproles after him, Bieniemy couldn’t.  His numbers are entirely unimpressive.  808 yards from scrimmage and 4 touchdowns in 4 seasons, and a kick return average of under 17.

But my personal favorite memory of Bieniemy -- and the reason he wins the Golden Jersey – was of him in Super Bowl XXIX.  Not that he had a great game (I mean, what Charger did??).  In fact, the moment occurred before the game, during pre-game warm-ups.  Bieniemy was pumped up for what was clearly the game of his life (even though he factored very little in it, even before the coin toss).  In what was probably an effort to fire the team up, Bieniemy was taking the pre-game non-contact drills a little too seriously.  Defensive lineman Shawn Lee eventually had had enough, so when Bieniemy skittered past him at too-energetic a clip, Lee very casually laid him out on his keester.

As a Charger fan, it was fun to see the players on the team jacked up for the game.  But I also knew if the team had any chance to win it, they’d have to control their emotions.  Bieniemy personified the wild emotions-run-amok of the moment, and we all know where it got that team that day.

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It’s too bad Dave Winfield isn’t eligible.  He would have made this easy.  But until we open it up to all of San Diego sports, we’re stuck with a lot of Charger scrubs from the past.

The Scrubs

• Willie Clark, CB
• Leonard Coleman, S
• Anthony Corley, RB
• Brian Davis, CB
• Bill Kay, CB
• Craig McEwen, HB
• Hanik Milligan, S
• Darrell Pattillo, CB-S
• Jason Perry, DB
• Jeff Powell, RB
• Ron Sayers, RB

The Winner

Antonio Cromartie, C

Just for the sheer fact that he has more interceptions in a single season than any other Charger, and he holds the NFL record for the longest touchdown – a record that will never be broken (unless they lengthen the field – perhaps when the NFL and CFL merge), Cromartie wins it. 

Pretty much every man, woman and child thought 2007 was a sign of greatness to come for Cro.  And then come 2008.  Suddenly there are questions, doubts, concerns.  Injuries?  Ego?  Flash in the pan?  Only time will tell.  I think one thing is certain.  As far as the By the Jersey Number series is concerned, Cro’s lucky he wears #31.  (Although he could wear 32 and still probably win.  Stay tuned for that.)

#30 doesn’t even require a jump.  Not because it’s such an overwhelming landslide victory, but because there’s not much to choose from.  The list for your perusal:

• Scott Byers, S
• Robert Carswell, S
• Bob Horton, LB
• David King, CB
• Bruce Laird, S
• Andre Lott, S
• Frank Middleton, RB
• Marquez Pope, DB
• Sam Scarber, RB
• Sam Seale, CB
• Kevin Wyatt, CB

The Winner

  (Wow, I actually had that very card!)
Bryant Salter, CB

While Marquez Pope went on to have the better career (qualifying under the team’s Yancey Thigpen Rule, instituted a year before his arrival, Pope was released far too early in his career), Salter put in a higher quality time with the Chargers.  14 interceptions in 3 seasons with some really baaad teams.  (There should be a rule: your name has to sound more American than "Harland Svare" to be a head coach in the NFL.)

Let’s face it -- the winners of these Jersey things (18 of the 27 so far) usually come from one of four distinct eras in Charger history, classified in four year periods:

-           ’60-‘64:  The AFL years.

-           ’79-’83:  The Coryell years.

-           ’92-’95:  The Boss Ross years.

-           ’04-present:  The Shottenheimer/Turner years?  The LT years?  Smith/Butler regime?  Brees/Rivers?  I don’t know…

#29 is yet another victory for Era Coryell.

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Not much to choose from with the gaggle of 28s from Charger history.  Most of the 15 players to wear the number are barely worth mentioning.  Then there are a couple who are ONLY worth mentioning.  But it boils down to a tough call between two veteran Cornerbacks with surprisingly similar stats – from two different "glory days."  You choose.

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Number 27 finds the Chargers still trying to find that elusive fix in the defensive backfield – with only an occasional spark.  But it’s an old-school Wide Receiver who takes the prize.  Jump it to find out!

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Blah.  I'm not going to lie, this crop is nothing to write home about.  Even so, the players need to be tackled and investigated.  I wouldn't be surprised if this one came down to a vote simply because nobody is good enough to beat out the rest of the field based on what he's done on the field.  Ready?  Let's go.

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