The Elephant in the Room -- Injuries

[Velo]

Kind of surprised by that - it looked pretty bad the way he had to be helped off. Gaizano and Fehoko - could be the worst pair of tackles ever to start for the team.

Well they didn't cart him or carry him off, that makes me hopeful. If SJD can't go, I've just about lost hope for the defense. It all starts in the trenches and the Chargers will continue to be dominated.

[ChargersPowderBlue]

Curses are all too real. However, my reading up on this subject lately has revealed that inanimate objects cannot be cursed. Only individuals.

This problem goes back well over a decade. So the only individual who qualifies is Spanos himself. He is the curse.

Or one can call it nepotism if they prefer. Same difference to me.

Curses can happen in many different ways. The people, the fans, are the cause of the curses as well. The truth is the world we live in has evil and given in to evil.

Are any members of the Spanos family involved with anything shady?

Gaizano and Fehoko - could be the worst pair of tackles ever to start for the team.

And people were showing a liking to these guys. They've been disappointing in the time and opportunity given.

[Duck of Death]

I’m glad Geez brought this up - this “elephant” that we’ve all been trying to ignore for well over a decade now. Every year we try not to mention it, and yet without fail, half the team winds up on IR. Are there Vegas odds for this sort of thing? If so, let me know where I can sign up.

A few things I do know:

1. It took an act of Congress for the Bolts to let go of good ol’ Dr Chao, whose idea of good healthcare was making it rain Vicodin (including writing himself over 100 scripts - illegal). Same guy who was sued multiple times for malpractice, and whose office was raided by the Feds. Former Charger Kevin Ellison (RIP) was arrested for possession of scriptless Vicodin around the same time. Dr. Chao was part of the same staff that allowed a clearly concussed & wobbling Kris Dielman to stay on the field during a road game. Dielman suffered a grand mal siezure on the flight home and never played again.

2. I think It was Malcom Floyd (?) that was injured by a damn cart left out near the edge of the end zone.

3. Dr David Gazzaniga (aka Stab-a-lunga) is still on the current staff, despite puncturing Tyrod’s lung a few years ago.

4. There are 4 Spanos family members employed and presumably drawing a salary in the front office - the part of the FO that deals in some direct capacity with players. There are actually several more Spanos in other parts of the business. To be fair, I have no idea if any are competent at their respective jobs. But I do wonder who would actually call any of them out for poor performance?

So, after so many decades of mediocrity, we have to wonder what is wrong with their “business model”, as it where.

[richpjr]

I’m glad Geez brought this up - this “elephant” that we’ve all been trying to ignore for well over a decade now. Every year we try not to mention it, and yet without fail, half the team winds up on IR. Are there Vegas odds for this sort of thing? If so, let me know where I can sign up.

A few things I do know:

1. It took an act of Congress for the Bolts to let go of good ol’ Dr Chao, whose idea of good healthcare was making it rain Vicodin (including writing himself over 100 scripts - illegal). Same guy who was sued multiple times for malpractice, and whose office was raided by the Feds. Former Charger Kevin Ellison (RIP) was arrested for possession of scriptless Vicodin around the same time. Dr. Chao was part of the same staff that allowed a clearly concussed & wobbling Kris Dielman to stay on the field during a road game. Dielman suffered a grand mal siezure on the flight home and never played again.

2. I think It was Malcom Floyd (?) that was injured by a damn cart left out near the edge of the end zone.

3. Dr David Gazzaniga (aka Stab-a-lunga) is still on the current staff, despite puncturing Tyrod’s lung a few years ago.

4. There are 4 Spanos family members employed and presumably drawing a salary in the front office - the part of the FO that deals in some direct capacity with players. There are actually several more Spanos in other parts of the business. To be fair, I have no idea if any are competent at their respective jobs. But I do wonder who would actually call any of them out for poor performance?

So, after so many decades of mediocrity, we have to wonder what is wrong with their “business model”, as it where.

I won't pretend to have any info on how good or how bad of a doctor Dr Chao is, other than you should read some of the glowing comments by just about every player who he treated as well as the many, many college teams that use him for surgery. If he was as incompetent as he is made out to be here, he would not have such strong support.

Hard to argue the decades of mediocrity on the part of the Spanos clan.

[Duck of Death]

I won't pretend to have any info on how good or how bad of a doctor Dr Chao is, other than you should read some of the glowing comments by just about every player who he treated as well as the many, many college teams that use him for surgery. If he was as incompetent as he is made out to be here, he would not have such strong support.

Hard to argue the decades of mediocrity on the part of the Spanos clan.

I don’t know either, but it does seem like people would always tend to be friendly to a “candy man”.

Interesting BFTB article:

[Duck of Death]

A few years of bad injury luck is certainly explainable. But the Chargers have had astoundingly bad luck for well over a decade - something just doesn’t seem right. Whether it’s staff, turf, Spanos curse - who knows, but good grief it should be addressed. Maybe the Spanos’ went on a Hawaiian vacation, and picked up Greg Brady’s haunted tiki necklace? (Lol not sure how many here remember that episode?)

[electricgold]

OK let's assume you're right INJURIES are why we had a bad season and missed the playoffs this season it wasn't because of the HC and his culture. OK fine, what was the excuse then for not making the playoffs last season and looking pretty simillar.

[Duck of Death]

OK let's assume you're right INJURIES are why we had a bad season and missed the playoffs this season it wasn't because of the HC and his culture. OK fine, what was the excuse then for not making the playoffs last season and looking pretty simillar.

Unless I’m mistaken, I don’t think the OP is saying that at all. It’s obvious the coaching hasn’t been great. A well coached team doesn’t get blown out in their own house to the Jaguars, period. But this thread is more about the truly maddening perpetual Bolts injury bug. IMHO, it’s the most urgent issue that needs to be addressed - whether that gets done via new leadership or whatever, it just needs to get fixed.

[captaind]

2. I think It was Malcom Floyd (?) that was injured by a damn cart left out near the edge of the end zone.

That was Vincent Jackson.

Anyone want to talk about all the bad luck of the Super Bowl team? Think one guy got struck by lightning while camping. Another one died in a plane crash. It's uncanny what happened to some of them. And people wonder why I say there's a curse?

Maybe the Spanos’ went on a Hawaiian vacation, and picked up Greg Brady’s haunted tiki necklace? (Lol not sure how many here remember that episode?)

LMAO, good one. :lol:

[ghost]

Former Chargers LB Doug Miller was hit by lightning twice. First strike put him down and the second and fatal strike happened while resuscitation was being performed on him. He was camping in Colorado.

[wu-dai clan]

My gut feeling is that Staley and Co will be back for another year; Telesco, too. Hard as that is to admit - or believe. Injuries will be blamed this time around. Plus...Staley has 2 years left on his contract...

Agreed. This segment is edited and emphasized because it is exactly my starting point.

Now there is work to do. Player development. Scheme soundness. Skills and personnel that fit the system. Rounding out certain players games to get them playing their roles consistently. Determining precisely which players to retain, draft, bring in.

These are the nuts and bolts of what leads to success.