The Root Cause Of What's Wrong With This Charger Football Team

[Coachmarkos]

Hi gang, I haven't posted here in a Long, Long, time. (the bickering and infighting between fans got to me.)

I'm going to have to agree with the theory that this issue is from "the top down".

I don't think Dean is a good owner, it's not his fault... but he's limited. He just is. Getting the stadium built, couldn't do it... ended up having to get a sweetheart deal from the league to put up shop in the Rams stadium, but it is what it is.

Then, the fortunes of the football team started going downhill when he started promoting his boys.
(yes, we had had bad teams in the past, but they were able to build a team that was a contender. A few times)

John Spanos is the "President of Football Operations" A title he has held since 2015.
Before that he was "Executive Vice President of Football Operations" in 2013.
He was director of college scouting from 2008-2012.

It was around 2008... that the talent level started dropping off.
AJ Smith was the GM from 2003 to 2012... remember the start of his reign was GREAT...and then he just got worse and worse? The Head of College scouting changed in 2008.

John was in charge of the hiring of Telesco.
The main reason Telesco was hired...he was a long time Colts employee yes... but they YEAR they hired him... he was the Assistant to Ryan Grigson...who won GM of the year in 2012.
Grigson was fired a few years later. He wasn't good. He got lucky.

Telesco has made some great draft picks...but he's had a lot of bad picks as well...AND, I'll be perfectly frank... most of his "great picks" fell in his lap. Slater/Bosa/Herbert..
There's been way more head scratchers...and he doesn't draft many late round guys that develop. (IMO).

Telesco and John... running the Franchise have hired:
Mike McCoy - OC from the Broncos (4 years...and had Peyton Manning)
Anthony Lynn - half the season OC from the Bills who was elevated to interim HC for a while... he started that season as the RB coach.
Brandon Staley - DC from the Rams (1 season)

All first time head coaches. All guys with limited experience as even Coordinators. (although McCoy had the most)
McCoy was fired in his next two hirings as an Offensive Coordinator... both in his first season. He is now a QB coach with the Jags.

John Spanos needs to go. And we need someone who knows what they are doing to find an established personnel guy who isn't a flash in the pan (like Telesco was), and they can hire a real coach with real experience.

Maybe they need to sell the team. But I don't think they will.

And as long as John is running the show...which we now have an incredible run of bad decisions and choices by him to give evidence...we're not going to see sustainable growth.
We'll have a flash in the pan year, here or there. (sound familiar?)
But consistent growth and building of a culture and a winning team isn't coming from the nepo baby to the nepo baby.

[Critty]

We knew Winning was not the priority the day they fired a 14-2 HC in year 1 of the Rivers era. The actual told us what they think. They did not hide it. Dean after he fired Marty

Spanos said in a statement. "But my first obligation is always to do what is in the best interest of our fans and the entire Charger organization. I must take whatever steps are necessary to deliver a Super Bowl trophy to San Diego. Events of the last month have now convinced me that it is not possible for our organization to function at a championship level under the current structure. On the contrary, and in the plainest possible language, we have a dysfunctional situation here. Today I am resolving that situation once and for all."

This is how I took his weak statement.
My GM and HC don't like each other and it's makes the workplace feel dysfunctional. And I want harmony. And I'm going to disregard the fact we just won more regular seasons games than ever in a single season with a QB in his first year as starter. And instead elevate front office harmony as a key factor in winning. Not to mention he said he must take what ever steps necessary to deliver to San Diego. Well ........ The real dysfunction was Dean believing his own bullshit and misguided idea of how to win. And then trying to package it to fans as if we would buy it. In the plainest possible language, Dean Spanos is a Fraud.

[BigBad]

We knew Winning was not the priority the day they fired a 14-2 HC in year 1 of the Rivers era..

Both coordinators left. Marty wanted his brother for d Coordinator.

AJ Smith didn't want the constant stink of "can Marty ever win in the postseason" lingering over RIvers, LT, and Gates heads.


That was Marty's FOURTH time having a team with 11+ wins lose in their first playoff game. BYE

[Critty]

Both coordinators left. Marty wanted his brother for d Coordinator.

AJ Smith didn't want the constant stink of "can Marty ever win in the postseason" lingering over RIvers, LT, and Gates heads.


That was Marty's FOURTH time having a team with 11+ wins lose in their first playoff game. BYE

It's not about the name or first Rd losses. It's about 14-2 and saying they need HC/GM to like each other to win. LOL.

[BigBad]

It's not about the name or first Rd losses. It's about 14-2 and saying they need HC/GM to like each other to win. LOL.

Its about a pattern. He was a KNOWN CHOKER. Would routinely make uncharacteristic bad decisions when the lights were bright. AJ Smith made the correct decision.

[Critty]

Its about a pattern. He was a KNOWN CHOKER. Would routinely make uncharacteristic bad decisions when the lights were bright. AJ Smith made the correct decision.

I don't really care. I'm not interested in all this drama.
we can disagree here.
Only a dumbass would fire a 14-2 HC for any reason.

[BigBad]

I don't really care. I'm not interested in all this drama.
we can disagree here.
Only a dumbass would fire a 14-2 HC for any reason.

That 14-2 coach was the reason the Chargers had Sammy Davis and not Troy Palamaulu. (He had overrule power on AJ in his first draft)
That 14-2 coach CUT Wes Welker after the preseason.

That was enough for me to tell that dinosaur GTFO.

[Cdn Bolt]

Its about a pattern. He was a KNOWN CHOKER. Would routinely make uncharacteristic bad decisions when the lights were bright. AJ Smith made the correct decision.

He wasn't fired for being a choker though. He declined an extension and was just finishing his final year actually. They got upset he wanted his brother Kurt to be DC.

His playoff record really wasn't that bad either. He had mainly WC teams losing on the road then the drive and the fumble etc.

He developed gates Antonio Gates and Kris Dielman, two UDFA, into pro bowlers so he had more personnel successes than misses btw. Whether you like him or not, I agree w Critty you don't fire a coach after a 14-2 season.

[Boltjolt]

Hi gang, I haven't posted here in a Long, Long, time. (the bickering and infighting between fans got to me.)

I'm going to have to agree with the theory that this issue is from "the top down".

I don't think Dean is a good owner, it's not his fault... but he's limited. He just is. Getting the stadium built, couldn't do it... ended up having to get a sweetheart deal from the league to put up shop in the Rams stadium, but it is what it is.

Then, the fortunes of the football team started going downhill when he started promoting his boys.
(yes, we had had bad teams in the past, but they were able to build a team that was a contender. A few times)

John Spanos is the "President of Football Operations" A title he has held since 2015.
Before that he was "Executive Vice President of Football Operations" in 2013.
He was director of college scouting from 2008-2012.

It was around 2008... that the talent level started dropping off.
AJ Smith was the GM from 2003 to 2012... remember the start of his reign was GREAT...and then he just got worse and worse? The Head of College scouting changed in 2008.

John was in charge of the hiring of Telesco.
The main reason Telesco was hired...he was a long time Colts employee yes... but they YEAR they hired him... he was the Assistant to Ryan Grigson...who won GM of the year in 2012.
Grigson was fired a few years later. He wasn't good. He got lucky.

Telesco has made some great draft picks...but he's had a lot of bad picks as well...AND, I'll be perfectly frank... most of his "great picks" fell in his lap. Slater/Bosa/Herbert..
There's been way more head scratchers...and he doesn't draft many late round guys that develop. (IMO).

Telesco and John... running the Franchise have hired:
Mike McCoy - OC from the Broncos (4 years...and had Peyton Manning)
Anthony Lynn - half the season OC from the Bills who was elevated to interim HC for a while... he started that season as the RB coach.
Brandon Staley - DC from the Rams (1 season)

All first time head coaches. All guys with limited experience as even Coordinators. (although McCoy had the most)
McCoy was fired in his next two hirings as an Offensive Coordinator... both in his first season. He is now a QB coach with the Jags.

John Spanos needs to go. And we need someone who knows what they are doing to find an established personnel guy who isn't a flash in the pan (like Telesco was), and they can hire a real coach with real experience.

Maybe they need to sell the team. But I don't think they will.

And as long as John is running the show...which we now have an incredible run of bad decisions and choices by him to give evidence...we're not going to see sustainable growth.
We'll have a flash in the pan year, here or there. (sound familiar?)
But consistent growth and building of a culture and a winning team isn't coming from the nepo baby to the nepo baby.

Understatement of the year,and true. I pray for this to happen.
Ive been saying this a lot the past 3-4 years. Been saying it alot the past year. The team will go nowhere with the Spanos in charge and especially with JohnBoy having any say.

[Boltjolt]

That 14-2 coach was the reason the Chargers had Sammy Davis and not Troy Palamaulu. (He had overrule power on AJ in his first draft)
That 14-2 coach CUT Wes Welker after the preseason.

That was enough for me to tell that dinosaur GTFO.

Yes but every GM/ HC has blunders. None of them are perfect and make the right draft picks or player decisions. Se still went 14-2 without Welker.

Not a reason to fire a HC that went 14-2.

[AFboltfan]

Lots of conjecture and opinion presented as fact by BigBad... Truth of the matter is you do not fire a 14-2 HC... As others have said. BUT at the same time, I don't know any owner that would side with a coach over their GM.

[Critty]

That 14-2 coach was the reason the Chargers had Sammy Davis and not Troy Palamaulu. (He had overrule power on AJ in his first draft)
That 14-2 coach CUT Wes Welker after the preseason.

That was enough for me to tell that dinosaur GTFO.

I understand AJ lord of no rings. You sure did tell him.