:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/9065851/138022252.0.jpg)
You can see the whole bracket by clicking here. So far, we've reviewed more than half of the misery that is this infernal bracket and today we pick up where we left off with half of the 3 vs 6 matchups left to go to be followed by the 4 vs 5 seeds.
First up today: (3) Losing the Freezer Bowl vs. (6) releasing Rodney Harrison
What happened?
(3) On January 10, 1982 the San Diego Chargers traveled to Cincinnati, Ohio to take on the Bengals in the 1981 AFC Championship Game. This was one week after one of the greatest moments in Chargers history, "the Epic in Miami." The Freezer Bowl could not have been more different. Within one week, they went from playing an overtime game in 88 degree, humid weather to playing in the -37 wind chill in Cincinnati. That's an effective difference of 125 degrees. What was expected to be a thrilling game was instead a one-sided beating as the Chargers fell 27-7. In terms of wind chill, this game was the coldest recorded in NFL history. Another interesting note on this game was that Cincinnati kicked off to start both halves.
(6)On February 27, 2003, following the conclusion of the 2002 season, the San Diego Chargers released two-time All Pro Strong Safety Rodney Harrison. Two weeks later, Harrison would sign a six year deal with the New England Patriots with whom he would go on to win two Super Bowls and be named an All Pro twice more. Harrison would finish his career with the most sacks of any defensive back in history and was the first player to ever record 30 sacks and 30 interceptions. He was selected as a member of the Chargers' 40th & 50th Anniversary teams. Since the Chargers released Rodney, they have employed one failed experiment after another and even now 10 years later still have not found a suitable replacement. Here's just a taste of the "failed experiment" list: Kwamie Lassiter, Terrence Kiel, Clinton Hart, Steve Gregory, Paul Oliver, Atari Bigby, and Bob Sanders. There were others, but those ones all stand out for various different reasons.
Which is worse?
One is one of the more brutal and vivid losses in team history and the other was the beginning of a hole in the roster that is going on 10 years now. Vote in the poll and let us know what you think in the comments.