Political Chargers?
Oh what an offseason it has been for the San Diego Chargers. There have been no coaching swaps. There have been no massive trades. The biggest story to come out of San Diego as it pertains to the Chargers was likely the burning of Merriman’s car. The only problem the Bolts have had so far with any holdouts has been an issue with one only partially disgruntled special teams player. In short, the Chargers have managed to have one of the quietest offseasons not just of this year, but of any team in recent memory. As such, we are treated to some very off-beat sports stories.
This story about the Chargers being wrongfully linked to a certain local political candidate really made me chuckle. First of all, I find the idea that any team or organization in professional sports can back one candidate. Is that even possible? I’m sure from person to person inside every locker room (not to mention staff and front office executives) the political viewpoints differ, sometimes greatly. Either way, the fact remains that somehow the Chargers found themselves caught in the political crossfire this offseason. It’s been their biggest scandal so far (knock on wood).
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Chargers Tops Again
Sometimes I wonder if San Diego fans truly know how good they have it. I’m certainly aware of how great it is to cheer for the Chargers, because I cover the team, among a few others, and I see the way the Bolts are run and organized in comparison to other teams. This side-by-side comparison gives me a chance to really appreciate all the things to Chargers do so well. I’m not the only one to notice, though. John Clayton’s list of teams who are best equipped to weather a non-capped year is headed by none other than your San Diego Super Chargers.
The Chargers have many of their best players on lock through the non-capped season. One of the only players they’ve been unable to re-sign so far through that hear are Chris Chambers, Igor Olshansky, Mike Goff and Philip Rivers. Of all of these players, Rivers is most likely the first priority when it comes to keeping him. Chargers fans shouldn’t worry too much about losing Rivers though. Even if the Bolts can’t get a long-term deal pounded out for the young QB, they can still franchise him for a year to figure everything out.
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Oben Weighs In
I must admit now that I am not totally familiar with Roman Oben. Frankly, this conversation being discussed at the Union Tribune about Oben’s opinions on the size of rookie contracts was the first I’d ever heard of they guy. However, after reading this article, I am a huge fan of Oben. A former Charger (now an aspiring media personality), Oben spent years as a player representative on multiple teams during his NFL career. As such, he knows a thing or two about the labor deals and labor disputes in the league. Therefore, I would say his opinion on the matter is worth hearing.
Oben has some extremely interesting things to say, many of which I hadn’t thought about before. Oben talks about the fact that the players seem to be focused on the wrong aspects of their labor agreement. He says that if they take money away from rookies, the veterans need to make sure that money is put into the pool for money to paid to veterans. He also raises the issue that the rookie salaries outside the top 10 or 20 players are not at all a problem. It is obvious Oben has thought about this in extensive depth. I highly recommend the article.
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Osgood Believes He is Right
Kassim Osgood is not a trouble-maker. The special teams standout does not make headlines on the regular for any of the wrong reasons. I have never once seen Osgood’s name in connection with drug issues, a DUI, strip clubs or any kind of trouble with the law. He is not known for partying hard or running with a bad crowd. And so, you can perhaps excuse Osgood for being confused. Kassim Osgood is taken aback by the media scrutiny of his absence from voluntary team workouts, because he just doesn’t understand why there is a problem.
I totally understand Osgood’s point of view. All Osgood does is play hard whenever the Chargers need him. His name has become nearly synonymous with hard work in the Chargers’ organization. And yet, Osgood is feeling heat now as he struggles to do what he feels is right. All Osgood wants is a chance to play wide receiver in the NFL. The Chargers are not willing to give him that chance. Osgood is not making noise about his issues. The Chargers don’t seem bothered that he has decided to stay home. Everyone should let sleeping dogs lie.
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Looking into the Future for the Chargers
The San Diego Chargers have had one of the quietest offseasons in recent memory. With the possible exception of Merriman’s car being lit ablaze by some crazy person, I can’t think of one negative story that has come out of the Chargers camp. As such, the journalists over at the San Diego Union-Tribune are having to struggle to come up with things to write about. And so we get pieces like this story about the fact that the Chargers may have trouble keeping all their star players under contract. The new developments pertaining to the current CBA add new wrinkles to this story.
While it is true that the Chargers need to think something like four or five steps ahead to keep up with their current rate of success, it’s ridiculous that the sports media in San Diego is already picking up on this. There are teams all over the NFL who would love to have the luxury of worrying about their problems that may or may not arise four years from now. It’s ridiculous how loaded the Chargers are, and how well-run this team truly is. Chargers fans should count their lucky stars. Their team is one of the best in the business right now.
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Will Chargers Injured Stars be Ready?
The Kansas City Star is running a great little article on the San Diego Chargers, pointing out that the Chargers’ Super Bowl hopes hinge on the recovery of certain offensive stars on the team. The Kansas City Chiefs play in the same division as the Chargers, so it would make sense that people in KC would be interested in the woes of one of their most bitter rivals. The article is extremely well-written, to the point that people over at the San Diego Union-Tribune should honestly be ashamed that they haven’t tackled this issue yet themselves.
While the Star raises interesting points, I believe that the idea the Chargers won’t be 100% by the start of the season is mostly a pipe dream on the part of rival fans. The offseason is quite long, and both LaDainian Tomlinson and Antonio Gates have been rehabbing since their playoff run ended last year. LT’s injury was not a massive knee issue, but rather something relatively minor. Also, I’ve never heard of an athlete going through a career-altering toe injury, so I think Gates should be okay as well. I don’t see these injuries affecting the next season.
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Chargers Have Three No-Shows for Coaching Session
The Chargers began their preseason full team coaching sessions this week, and there were three no-shows to the preseason camp. The players in question are Kassim Osgood, Nate Kaeding, and Darren Sproles. Given that the Chargers have a recent history of nearly perfect attendance at these voluntary camps, any missing players are sure to raise a few eyebrows. But fret not, Charger fans, for two of the three players were simply attending to personal matters. Nate Kaeding and Darren Sproles both intend to get back to the Chargers sooner than later.
Kassim Osgood, however, is another story. Osgood wants a chance to play wide receiver in the National Football League. The Chargers are unwilling to allow him that chance. As such, Osgood has asked to be traded. However, the Chargers have been upfront in saying that they have no plans of moving Osgood to another team. However, they do love Osgood as a special teams player. As of now, this has not been a problem, because Osgood says he will show up ready to play. However, for this year, there will be at least one absence at the Chargers’ voluntary coaching sessions.
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LT Doing Campbell’s Soup Commercials
It is considered a rite of passage for many NFL players. Indeed, more than the playoffs, more than division titles and personal accolades, it is valued and cherished. An MVP is nice, as is a Rookie of the Year trophy, or a Defensive Player of the Year award. But even the Most Valuable Player trophy pales in comparison to this benchmark of true achievement in the National Football League. And now LaDainian Tomlinson has reached the pinnacle of NFL superstardom. No, the running back has not won a Super Bowl. LT is appearing in his own Campbell’s Soup commercials.
I am of course being slightly facetious with the above paragraph, but it should be noted that in the last couple of NFL seasons, LT has gone from local San Diego celebrity to international super-player in the NFL. Setting touchdown records doesn’t hurt, but LT has helped his cause by fostering a very family-friendly image. At this point, LT can sell everything from televisions to cans of soup. This type of versatility in marketing is nothing at which to turn up one’s nose, and LT should be applauded for his savvy.
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Cromartie’s Long Ordeal
The offseason affords fans a unique opportunity to get away from football for awhile. Fans can take some hockey, a little March Madness, the NBA playoffs and any other non-sporting activity they might feel like pursuing. Of course, fans can also use their time in the offseason searching out as much football knowledge as they can possibly find, and that’s what I’m here for. Today we have a really interesting piece from the San Diego Union Tribune about Antonio Cromartie’s mother’s ordeal last season - something I knew nothing about before reading the article.
To summarize the story quickly, Antonio Cromartie’s mother Cassandra Gardner was allegedly kidnapped from her home last season by her estranged husband. When Cromartie made his record-setting return, Gardner was in a hospital bed. During the offseason, Cromartie has been near his mother as she has gone through the ugly process of the lawsuit against her alleged kidnapper. These sorts of stories serve to humanize the superhuman NFL players, and I would recommend this article to any fan of the San Diego Chargers.
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LT Speaks on Spygate
In case you haven’t been paying much attention to the news or the world of sports, then you might need to be brushed up on your Spygate history. The Patriots had an issue with taping the opposing team’s signals, then they were punished, and then a bunch of other allegations surfaced that were fairly damning. Now, however, it appears that the Patriots will not be punished further for their transgressions. You’re probably wondering why I’m writing about the Patriots in a Chargers blog. Well, it’s because ESPN decided to get LT’s takes on Spygate yesterday.
I don’t really understand why LaDainian Tomlinson’s opinion on Spygate is of pressing importance to ESPn, but I suppose if they had him on the air, they might as well ask him about it. LT thinks Spygate is over and done. He, like many in the NFL, is ready to lay the matter to rest. LT also talks about the loss in last year’s AFC Championship, and having to leave the game. All in all, it’s a very interesting interview, and LT’s candor is quite refreshing in an era when it seems like so many players are afraid to truly speak from the heart.
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