My son, myself and the Stanley Cup. Mar 2004.

Myself with Kellen Winslow

Is There Any Hope?

With the conclusion of the 2004 draft and the opening of mini-camps means the 'buzz' begins about the 2004-05 football campaigns. Most fans of teams look to the new season as one of hope and promise....that is unless you are a San Diego Charger fan. The Chargers are clearly the new Bengals of the NFL. A team that hasn't posted a winning record in almost a decade, which means not making the playoffs as well. In fact since their Super Bowl appearance in 1995 the Chargers have posted just 2 seasons with more than 5 wins and had a 1 and 15 campaign in 2000. After that woeful 2000 season the Spanos family (owners of the Chargers) brought in Marty Schottenheimer to set the team into the right direction. After starting 6-2 in 2001 the Chargers could only muster 2 more wins and finished 8-8. But a promising future appeared on the horizon. Marty quickly shed the team of some of it's veterans - Junior Seau and Rodney Harrison - quickly to lay the blame on the defense and on some of the veteran players for the team's letdown. Rodney is now being sized for his Super Bowl Ring and considered a valuable contributor to New England's Super Bowl victory.

So after the dismal 4-12 season of 2003-04 what is Marty's plan of attack? Well first it was to bring in Wade Phillips and his 3-4 defense to replace Dale Lindsey at defensive coordinator. Then to draft Eli Manning only to trade with the Giants to obtain QB Phillip Rivers. With Drew Brees so shell-shocked from the constant pressure from opposing defenses his short tenure in the NFL has been nothing but a nightmare. Doug Flutie will come in for 1 or 2 games, and because is more mobile, makes the other teams run more to catch him but the end result is the same...an ineffective passing game. Regardless of who is taking the snaps for the Chargers, unless the offensive line does something, will continue to flee for their life.

But a Quarterback is the least of the Chargers' problems...with one of the worst offensive lines, defensive lines, wide recieving corps, linebackers and secondary the Chargers have made little, if any, moves to fill any of these spots. Sure they picked up Kevin Dyson who's value peaked in 2001 with the Titans but injuries have sidelined him so accountability is still a question mark there, and not to mention he has had only one season of 800+ yards in his 6 year career and only 178 total receptions...Marvin Harrison almost catches 178 passes a season...so to think Dyson is going to 'breakout' and be a premiere receiver this season is fairly unlikely.

Is there a bright spot or a hope for Charger fans? Well there is LaDainian Tomlinson. He is arguably the best runningback in the NFL today, unfortunately he has literally carried this teams offense since he was drafted 3 years ago and has yet to receive any help from any of his team mates, yet he continues to conduct himself with dignity. I hope the Chargers can bring him some aid before even he tires of playing for the Chargers and asks to be traded and/or released.

Marty needs to be fired and new blood needs to brought in before Rivers is a bust as well. Hope for a good 2004-05 season seems to be a .500 season and sadly I think that is far-fetched. Eight years removed from the playoffs puts the Chargers as the reigning team of futility and they should hold that moniker for at least one more season...and I for one would love to be proven wrong.