State Of The Chargers - What/Where Now!?

[Chargers33]

I posted this in the game day forum but wanted to share under this topic heading as well:
I myself am a 40 year fan of this team and don't plan on changing,but there have been more than a few fans that have left, and this team didn't have the luxury of losing fans. It all starts at the top and without a strong GM, "Team Spanos" has had their way for a while now, and this is what it looks like. There is no way a football team can continue to stay competitive in a game over any length of time, year in and year out, without an actual home field advantage. Our guys start right out with a competitive disadvantage, that's on the ownership. Using silent counts at home is embarrassing - we have the worst "home field" in all of football. Feel sorry for our guys on that one, and it won't be any better for the foreseeable future, just a nicer stadium for the opposing teams fans to enjoy. I for one, do not discount this competitive disadvantage, although it doesn't show up in the stat sheet it is huge!!

Beyond that, Telesco has not been stellar on draft day the last 2 years so that is starting to show, his unwillingness to invest in the O-line, along with the unfortunate injuries (who know how good Lamp might really have been) have reeked havoc in area where we have to be strong for the type of QB we have. I do like his stance on some of the contracts and the fact that he prefers to stay behind the scenes so those are pluses. At this point I believe our talent is overrated - and I wish the media would back off on saying how talented this team is, they only look at skill players and there is so much more than that when evaluating talent.

Not sure how long the LA experiment will last, there will be tremendous promotion and excitement in the beginning, but make no mistake, LA is still a Rams and Raiders town. I think long term we are going to eventually have to move somewhere that the Chargers can actually call home, and where the fans come to see us and not the other team. The stadium was crap in SD, and there were many times when the stands were filled with opposing fans - heck who wouldn't want to go to SD to see a game, right!? - but when the team was playing well you knew whose house it was. My biggest fear as a 50 something fan now, is that we will linger in purgatory for 10-12 years before anything changes, so unfair to the players and fans - and for that "Team Spanos", shame on you!!!

[Topcat]

I posted this in the game day forum but wanted to share under this topic heading as well:
I myself am a 40 year fan of this team and don't plan on changing,but there have been more than a few fans that have left, and this team didn't have the luxury of losing fans. It all starts at the top and without a strong GM, "Team Spanos" has had their way for a while now, and this is what it looks like. There is no way a football team can continue to stay competitive in a game over any length of time, year in and year out, without an actual home field advantage. Our guys start right out with a competitive disadvantage, that's on the ownership. Using silent counts at home is embarrassing - we have the worst "home field" in all of football. Feel sorry for our guys on that one, and it won't be any better for the foreseeable future, just a nicer stadium for the opposing teams fans to enjoy. I for one, do not discount this competitive disadvantage, although it doesn't show up in the stat sheet it is huge!! Beyond that, Telesco has not been stellar on draft day the last 2 years so that is starting to show, his unwillingness to invest in the O-line, along with the unfortunate injuries (who know how good Lamp might really have been) have reeked havoc in area where we have to be strong for the type of QB we have. I do like his stance on some of the contracts and the fact that he prefers to stay behind the scenes so those are pluses. At this point I believe our talent is overrated - and I wish the media would back off on saying how talented this team is, they only look at skill players and there is so much more than that when evaluating talent. Not sure how long the LA experiment will last, there will be tremendous promotion and excitement in the beginning, but make no mistake, LA is still a Rams and Raiders town. I think long term we are going to eventually have to move somewhere that the Chargers can actually call home, and where the fans come to see us and not the other team. The stadium was crap in SD, and there were many times when the stands were filled with opposing fans - heck who wouldn't want to go to SD to see a game, right!? - but when the team was playing well you knew whose house it was. My biggest fear as a 50 something fan now, is that we will linger in purgatory for 10-12 years before anything changes, so unfair to the players and fans - and for that "Team Spanos", shame on you!!!

Good points. Home field advantage is crucial...but, where else can they move the team?

[Bolt-O]

A suggestion, try to break up into paragraphs. Its easier to read.

Football operations are bad, but some of it has to do with injury at key spots... losing two pro-bowlers for lengths of time in the OL tends to screw things up, and face it, Derwin James in the D all season might have helped at least with energy in the secondary. Coaching has been mediocre at best, but I'm willing to see what Lynn does next season...he isn't going anywhere. We'll see about Rivers, I do think hes back for at least a season, they may pick a QB but no one obivious that will fall into their laps at #7. John Spanos has been a disaster as the real head guy, I'd wish he'd find some other thing to do. Telesco hasn't been great at building the OL for the long term.

Business wise, this move has been a disaster; though it may turn out profitable for the owners, the Chargers brand is at a all-time low. I think the first season will be ok attendance wise, but they will be like the Clippers in Staples when they first moved there.. tickets affordable for football fans who aren't into the Rams.

[wu-dai clan]

State of the Chargers ?

Our situation is as bad as it could possibly be.

We all know.
Fanbase issues.
There has been nonstop talk on SXM all morning about how bad it is.

Football wise, we are right there with Cincy.
It's neck and neck for suckage maximus.

At least they have a young, promising QB and an OLT.
Joe Burrow and Jonah Williams.
We will be hanging our hat on our young defense.

NFL, step in and force Spanos to sell the team to a very rich person with fresh ideas and lots of energy. This is the only answer. Otherwise, the stench of the move will never dissipate.

[Lightnin']

...I'm honestly thinking we're headed into an abyss this franchise will never recover from in
many of our lifetimes.

The difference in the Chargers and other hapless franchises is the lack of a fanbase. The
Bengals, Redskins, Browns, etc. have folks show up to games. The Chargers' fanbase
died in the mid-20-teens, yes-in San Diego. The move to Los Angeles exacerbated the
problem.

Don't be surprised if ownership doesn't get duped into thinking a "branding" will jump-start
everything; new name, new colors, etc. It's still a business, and that's a frequent method
to remain relevant.

Ownership has been out maneuvered by both the leaders in SD and fellow NFL owners (Jerry
Jones, etc.) to the extent, they hold a franchise in name only. The bonanza they'd hope would
come from owning an NFL franchise in Los Angeles is an evaporating mirage. The one move
that would've worked, to Las Vegas-was lost to Mark Davis; an owner whose competence is
only slightly higher than our own.

It's sad to see our favorite team, it's players and coaches deal with this, but-sometimes you just
draw the short straw...

[Biggestfan]

The clear issue is simple. Its owners. The Chargers appear to have one of the worst owners in football in my opinion. Based decisions. Unwillingness to spend in free agenc . Unwillingness to acquire good coaches etc

[foreigner]

If the bridges to SD are burnt forever the wise and corrective action to perform would be moving the team to STL. And that actually could work out for everyone, the Rams, the NFL and The Chargers. Without changing owners this could work out great for everyone.

The other corrective action is to sell the team to Bezos and then he can get the team back to SD and build a new stadium out of his own pocket. I like the sound of this, however the other thing to consider is that the stadium would still be half filled with opposing fans. That's a fact.

[Electric Chicken]

Good points. Home field advantage is crucial...but, where else can they move the team?

They didn't have a home field advantage in SD either Im glad they moved at least we will have a nice stadium , when we outplay the rams the fans will show up and that will start next year

[wu-dai clan]

I always try to hang in there.
Fix it with duck tape.
But this is what ?
A severe tropical depression ?
It's depressing all right.
But this is more like Krakatoa*.





* In 1883 Krakatoa, an Indonesian volcano exploded,
in the loudest noise ever recorded (180db--the loudest possible is 194db !)
The sound was heard 3000 miles away in Mauritius.
Twenty million tons of sulfur were released into the atmosphere.
Earth experienced a planetary drop in temperature of 2.2 degrees F for five years.
Krakatoa was ten thousand times more explosive than Hiroshima.


The Chargers suck.
Fix the Oline.
Fire Bradley.
That's all I got.

[Electric Chicken]

image.jpg

[Gwynning_Spirit]

rebranding would be the dumbest idea considering the spanii are gifted the coolest uniforms in the game.
But yeah, go ahead. Kids like dinosaurs and the Raptors have a dinosaur in basketball shorts as their logo.
Let's go that route. The team can embrace its LA roots become the LA Tarpits and our new logo can be an ice age animal stuck in the mud. Sounds about right.

[Formula 21]

I have never once heard the owners talk about winning. I have heard them talk about their drive to be billionaires.

so congrats to them for achieving their dream. And have pity on us poor fans who only want to see a winner.