Canepa picks the all time Chargers team

[6025]

Not much I disagree with. I'd pick Woody over BR though. Dwayne Harper deserves a mention at CB.

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2015/dec/26/nick-canepa-all-time-chargers-team/

[Lightningwill_420]

Not much I disagree with. I'd pick Woody over BR though. Dwayne Harper deserves a mention at CB.

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/...chargers-team/

Harper was good.

Courtney Hall was better than Nick Hardwick.

Kellen Winslow was better than Antonio Gates when Winslow was healthy. Gates was more durable thanks in part to PEDs.

Leslie O'Neal shouldn't just be on the defensive line; he was also one of our best linebackers. He was better than Billy Ray and lasted longer than Lights Out.

Missed honorable mentions: Two Tons of Fun and Lee Williams at defensive tackle; Gary Plummer and Woody Lowe at inside/middle linebacker; Steve Hendrickson and David Binn on special teams; John Carney at kicker; Jim Lachey at tackle; Marion Butts, Ronnie Harmon, and Natrone Means at running back; Andre Coleman as a returner.

Chuck Muncie was all that. Leslie O'Neal, Wes Chandler, Don Coryell, and Jamal Williams should be in the Hall of Fame. Joiner was better than Chandler though.

I'm not sure what "best all-around" is based on. If it's special teams, Little Train and Hank Bauer were better than James Brooks. If it's being a guy who could run, catch, and pass, Chuck Muncie and Ladainian Tomlinson were better than Brooks. If it's being a 3rd-down back, Ronnie Harmon was the man. If it's being a backup runningback who could line up at tight end, that would be Rod Bernstine. Brooks was a good change-of-pace back for us and for the Bengals, but best all-around Charger? Huh?

[Geezbolt]

"If Bambi were playing by today’s loose rules, they would have to ban him from the sport." I love that quote and IMO it is so true. Jerry Rice would have been a great receiver in any era, but he would have never put up the numbers he did nor would his career have lasted as long as it did if he had to play in the eras of Lance Alworth, Paul Warfield etc.
I was glad to see Canepa mention Walt Sweeney as a special teamer. Everyone in Balboa Stadium used to stand up on kickoffs in anticipation of Sweeney making the tackle and he almost always did. Then the place would erupt. He was an absolute madman on kickoffs. I was also glad to see Chuck Allen getting an honorable mention as a middle linebacker. He was always rock-solid in the middle.
It's hard to imagine how good Muncie could have been -- a freakish talent. The same can be said for Leslie O'Neal.
We could argue the selections Canepa made forever, and that's half the fun, but all-in-all his list is a good one.

[Lightningwill_420]

"If Bambi were playing by today’s loose rules, they would have to ban him from the sport." I love that quote and IMO it is so true. Jerry Rice would have been a great receiver in any era, but he would have never put up the numbers he did nor would his career have lasted as long as it did if he had to play in the eras of Lance Alworth, Paul Warfield etc.
I was glad to see Canepa mention Walt Sweeney as a special teamer. Everyone in Balboa Stadium used to stand up on kickoffs in anticipation of Sweeney making the tackle and he almost always did. Then the place would erupt. He was an absolute madman on kickoffs. I was also glad to see Chuck Allen getting an honorable mention as a middle linebacker. He was always rock-solid in the middle.
It's hard to imagine how good Muncie could have been -- a freakish talent. The same can be said for Leslie O'Neal.
We could argue the selections Canepa made forever, and that's half the fun, but all-in-all his list is a good one.

I like the old rules better. Bringing them back would cut down on the NFL's worries about hits on defenseless receivers too.

Allow defensive holding on receivers. That way, a successful forward pass would be rare, exciting, and would allow fans to be in-the-moment. Right now, pass plays happen ad nauseam, and, when a defensive player makes a nice play, I can't really enjoy it because I'm looking for a flag.

If defensive players were allowed to put their hands on receivers during routes, you would see fewer pass plays and you wouldn't see many receivers wide open over the middle. When receivers are wide open over the middle, defensive backs have more reason to try to put a big hit on that receiver as a means to make that receiver drop a pass. Defensive players who have good coverage tend to play the ball and don't have a running start into their opponents.

[KNSD]

Not enough 1963 Chargers on that team.

[bonehead]

Not enough 1963 Chargers on that team.

Agreed, Ughh, Billy Ray Smith????

[KNSD]

BR gets the "married to Kimberly Hunt/radio show host" bump. I guess.

Also, Gil Byrd has always been over rated.

[Lightningwill_420]

BR gets the "married to Kimberly Hunt/radio show host" bump. I guess.

Also, Gil Byrd has always been over rated.

Gill Byrd has always been underrated. That dude would lead the conference in interceptions, make the All Pro team, and then wouldn't get picked for the Pro Bowl.

He took a few years to get good, but, once he got good, he was consistently among the best in the league for years.

I loved Billy Ray; he was fun to watch. But I agree we've had better players.

Kimberly Hunt was the best San Diego news person I've seen unless you count Larry Himmell or Ron Burgundy. I never heard her say um, uh, or ya know.

[6025]

Gill Byrd has always been underrated. That dude would lead the conference in interceptions, make the All Pro team, and then wouldn't get picked for the Pro Bowl.

He took a few years to get good, but, once he got good, he was consistently among the best in the league for years.

I loved Billy Ray; he was fun to watch. But I agree we've had better players.

Kimberly Hunt was the best San Diego news person I've seen unless you count Larry Himmell or Ron Burgundy. I never heard her say um, uh, or ya know.

I believe Kimberly Hunt was one of the advisers on "Anchorman" and it appears to me that Christine Applegate's character was based on her.

[Lightningwill_420]

I believe Kimberly Hunt was one of the advisers on "Anchorman" and it appears to me that Christine Applegate's character was based on her.

I did not know that. Kimberly Hunt's stock just went up.
I wonder if Billy Ray ever wore anything that smelled like used diaper filled with Indian food.

[6025]

I did not know that. Kimberly Hunt's stock just went up.
I wonder if Billy Ray ever wore anything that smelled like used diaper filled with Indian food.

Maybe Harold Greene did.

[Den60]

You have to wonder a bit what Fouts would have been like playing under the current rules as well. Fouts did a lot and went to AFL Championships with no defense. I give him the nod over Rivers because of that. Billy Ray was a smart, good all around LB who lasted a long time but I am not sure he should be there. I still remember Woody's INT against Pittsburgh in 1979. Merriman was great while on the juice and bad off of it so he doesn't make my list. I wouldn't vote for Muncie over some earlier backs like Lincoln and Lowe. Yes, he had talent but much of that was left untapped. Have to go with Winslow over Gates, again rules changes makes it easier of receivers. With Alworth a given you might go with Joiner over Chandler (speed and talent on one side and brains on the other) similar to the Alworth-Garrison tandem but I also remember Chandler making some big plays for us (one was a TD against Denver where he got run into the goal post to help us win the Division at 12-4).