OT: Tell Us About Yourselves

[Topcat]

Born in Massachusetts, moved to East L.A. in 1957, moved to suburbs of L.A. in 1965...worked as a sports reporter for several different newspapers in L.A. area...covered a lot of high school football and basketball, got to cover the Rose Bowl in 1974...followed the Rams as a fan for many years...lived in Mexico for three years, moved to National City, then Chula Vista for a total of four years and started following the Chargers...now live in Calif. Central Valley...worked as a teacher in elementary school in San Diego for four years, finished the rest of my teaching career in Central Valley in elementary and middle school...have taught English, graphic arts, video production, yearbook, Spanish...retired in 2014, but kept substitute teaching, and I WAS teaching a video production class to students in juvenile hall until the Coronavirus shut us down...

Currently volunteer as a chaplain's assistant at our local jail...have also done some part-time work for a Biotech company...have had my own video production company for many years--have done industrial video, and also produced a TV miniseries in the Central Valley dealing with supernatural events...also did wedding videography...currently in the book publishing business using Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing...do consulting work for people who want to publish on Kindle...I produce a podcast for a friend of mine...enjoy following Chargers news and views on this forum...

[Blue Thunder]

Born in Kansas in 1970, I moved around a lot as a kid (seven different schools in three cities from K through 6th grade) since my dad was in radio/television. I remember in kindergarten and 1st grade coming home and watching my dad on the news as the anchor of the ABC affiliate in Wichita. He has always been a huge Cowboys fan and I liked them as well (Tony Dorsett was my first favorite player since we both have the same first name), but when we moved to Winslow, Arizona in early 1978, I figured it was time for my own team. This was before the Cardinals were there, of course.

So the closest team at the time was the Chargers. As we all know, it was the dawn of an exciting time in Chargers' history. Fouts, Winslow, JJ, Joiner... man, they were fun to watch! And the lightning bolt is like the coolest logo ever! I was sold!

I became a big Michigan Wolverines fan around the same time. Anthony Carter was the man! With both teams rocking the blue and yellow and having similar looking uniforms, it's easy to see why I became a huge fan of both.

We moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana in late 1979 and so the Saints became my NFC team, even though they were awful for a long time! As a side note, I was really glad to see Brees go there when he left SD.

Then, in the summer of 1982, we moved to Enid, Oklahoma where I lived with my family until college (Southwestern Oklahoma St. Univ. in Weatherford, OK). I met my wife there (we worked at Pizza Hut together) and we were married in 1996 and moved to Arlington, Texas in 1997. We've been here ever since. I've been teaching math since 1998 (3 years in Cedar Hill and now in my 19th year at Summit High School in Mansfield)

Even after over 20 years of being literally surrounded by Cowboys fans, I've never been tempted to go back to my Dad's favorite team. I celebrated my 50th birthday earlier this month with my wonderful wife and two awesome kids (one of each). I consider myself very blessed. Now, if only the Bolts can win a Super Bowl, then that would be the icing on the cake!

[FarAwayBoltFan]

I'm about as native as San Diegans get. I was born in National City, raised in Chula Vista and IB, and graduated from Bonita Vista High and SDSU. I served in the Navy, bought a home in Scripps Ranch, and spent years working in San Pasqual and Mira Mesa before deciding to go to law school.

Law school took me on a 15 year CA hiatus through DC and Norfolk before depositing me in, of all places, Navajo country (northwest NM).

I left San Diego for financial reasons and never felt the need to blame the Chargers for doing the same.

I've been a Chargers fan since the early 70's attending many a game at San Diego Stadium, Jack Murphy Stadium, Qualcomm Stadium (the same building, yeah I know) and lately at StubHub/Dignity Health/RockIt Arena. I cried in loss when my favorite player, John Jefferson, left for the Packers, in horror when the "Holy Roller" knocked us out of the playoffs, and in glee when Benirschke's kick was good in overtime in the playoff win in the Epic in Miami. I rooted for Johnny Unitas and Dan Fouts in my youth, Mark Malone, Babe Laufenberg, Stan Humphries, and Ryan Leaf while young(ish), and Doug Flutie, Drew Brees, and Philip Rivers as an adult.

I'm older than I look but, unfortunately, younger than I feel.

I'm back in San Diego for the next 6 months or so while prepping for my next gig elsewhere.

Regardless of where I've been or will be, I'm an avid Chargers fan that enjoys sharing my fanaticism with my compadres on this board.

Thanks all for tolerating my takes and reading/responding to my rants.

[FarAwayBoltFan]

Even after over 20 years of being literally surrounded by Cowboys fans, I've never been tempted to go back to my Dad's favorite team.

Though I never figured out why NM was Cowboys country, like you, I spent 6 years surrounded by lone stars and dirty pickup trucks. Even though the locals tried to convert me, I was able resist supporting the Boys just like I resisted supporting the Skins while in DC. Good to hear your story Blue and thank you Fleet for your share and tell/meet and greet request.

[FarAwayBoltFan]

I wanted so bad a SuperBowl SD/DAL, now it's a LAC/NO that I want.

For 2 years I've been wanting a LAC/LAR Super Bowl to shut up the East Coast bias folks and crown a winner of the Battle for LA. Unfortunately, we may never get what we want (yet so rightfully deserve).

[Charge!]

Where are you from? Where are you living? When did you become a fan? Its time to get to know each other a little better. Age? Favorite players? Fans of another team? Lets spend this quarantine getting stronger as a community of fans here at TPB.

Thank you for creating this website and for caring enough to ask this question...

I was a Navy brat born in Iceland ....... when I was 3, we transferred to a base in Gardner Kansas.....then we moved to Chula vista, in the san diego area......

I was an architect and computer geek ,.............

I was a geek who became a football and chargers fan after,during PE, I was rushing the QB, and I jumped up and actually caught a pass and then returned it for a TD and everyone cheered me on so I started liking Football then......

I became a chargers fan when "Shack Harris" was our QB.....Ive seen every game since......

When
chargers had 40th anniversary.... or 50th anniversary, i got Chargers T-shirts on my birthday for those events......for same years.....

I have maybe 100's of chargers T-Shirts and Chargers caps.......

that I do not even use....... I have jerseys of Winslow, Fouts, means, .......Brees, Tomlinson, Rivers, Gates, Bosa..............

I have super high standards because I'm a perfectionist.....

It has killed me that Chargers have goner through more than a decade between great QB's............this year we have the chance to not wait another decade between QB'sz..... we have the chance to draft the next great QB.........

Its tough....... I understand ....many are ok with just "good enough QB's..........

and I apologize for offending anyone that i might have offended........ :-)

If Chargers lose, i breed Chargers blue and gold....... not kills me.......

I sure hope that Chargers choose the right QBN this year......

Ive been a chargers fan for 50+ years......

[RTPbolt]

Born a Navy brat in Ohio in 1970 but at 2 weeks moved to CA. At 3 Dad moved to San Diego base and spent 8 years in El Cajon growing up. Best friends parents had season tix and invited me to half a dozen games in the later 70s. Fouts, JJ, Joiner faves of old. I remember Kelcher coming to my elementary school as a kid....huge guy...great memory. Entered in a San Diego Soccers raffle at Sears as a kid and won tix to a Soccers game and got to take the ball out to start the game...on the way back in to the Murph getting in to the elevator Rolf Benirsche popped in since he was on his way up to do his radio play by play side job...cool memory. Met Seau at a bar in SD on a business trip....huge hands...i think he was on the Cheatriots at that point. Forever a Chargers fan...tattoo commitment. Moved to northern CA at 11 but came back to UCSD as a mech engr student but went back north to Sacramento to finish up. Bay area for 5 years then moved to research triangle park (hence RTPbolt) in 99. Duke mba 2002 so love my Blue Devils. Worked at Cisco for 20 years...Red Hat a year then changed careers to pursue my passion of helping people financially...im a Financial Advisor now and love it. Never gave up on my Bolts even thru the shitty years. This is just another transition of the torch for me. Love Rivers to death...daughter is at NC State. 4 kids....oldest boy is in the Navy on the James Williams destroyer out in the middle east. Two youngest sons 12 and 15 still at home in little town west of Raleigh. Wife stays home now runnin the castle.

Looking forward to this year assuming it goes on. Im hoping for a qb in the draft to start fresh. I have faith we will be competitive. Screw the Donks and the Turds.

Glad to be here....been around these gents on the board for i forget how long now...prior to this board creation for many years. Keeps me entertained.

Thanks gents and ladies!

[WindsorUK]

Looks like we have a bunch of 50+ dudes here!
Any young bucks out there? Anyone out there NOT see Dan Fouts as QB during the high flying Air Coryell days? Stan Humphreys your first Bolt signal caller?
Such a varied group with interesting stories!
Bolt up!

[KYBoltsFan]

KY born and raised by fellow member/poster here lightnin'...Chargers fandom is a family tradition. Dad got hooked watching the AFL Gillman/Kemp/Hadl/Lincoln/Alworth crew, I got hooked watching Air Coryell and reinforced with the Super Bowl run, my son got hooked watching LT/Brees. Its a thing we do. Dad took me out to SD for training camp in '84 and a preseason game vs the Rams, and we were there for Tomlinson's 1st game in '01 (and came back a few weeks later in 9/11 defiance to see us beat the Bills). Came out yearly till '05 when I brought my son as well...special experience having all three of us there! Dad was out there in '06 for the LT 'stiff arm' game vs STL and I brought Mrs. KYBoltsFan out for the crushing of AZ in '10. We've also been to several away games in CIN (including the John Jefferson 'falling backward catch' in the endzone in '79 and the 'Little Train' game in '85), IND (including Leaf vs Manning - yikes terrible game except for Darren Bennet tackling 'big play' Ray Buchanan & also a very exciting, important late-season game in '95 that we won), TEN, STL...and dad saw the awesome LT-walk-off OT game in WAS (as well as a loss I believe).

I'm in live professional theatre as a music director/conductor/composer/arranger, etc...we're taking a big hit right now industry-wide, but looking forward to things normalizing and getting back to work.

GO BOLTS

[Maniaque 6]

KY born and raised by fellow member/poster here lightnin'...Chargers fandom is a family tradition. Dad got hooked watching the AFL Gillman/Kemp/Hadl/Lincoln/Alworth crew, I got hooked watching Air Coryell and reinforced with the Super Bowl run, my son got hooked watching LT/Brees. Its a thing we do. Dad took me out to SD for training camp in '84 and a preseason game vs the Rams, and we were there for Tomlinson's 1st game in '01 (and came back a few weeks later in 9/11 defiance to see us beat the Bills). Came out yearly till '05 when I brought my son as well...special experience having all three of us there! Dad was out there in '06 for the LT 'stiff arm' game vs STL and I brought Mrs. KYBoltsFan out for the crushing of AZ in '10. We've also been to several away games in CIN (including the John Jefferson 'falling backward catch' in the endzone in '79 and the 'Little Train' game in '85), IND (including Leaf vs Manning - yikes terrible game except for Darren Bennet tackling 'big play' Ray Buchanan & also a very exciting, important late-season game in '95 that we won), TEN, STL...and dad saw the awesome LT-walk-off OT game in WAS (as well as a loss I believe).

I'm in live professional theatre as a music director/conductor/composer/arranger, etc...we're taking a big hit right now industry-wide, but looking forward to things normalizing and getting back to work.

GO BOLTS

[almailva]

i born in 66, i live near Monza in the middle of Lombardy - Italy, one of the countries where soccer is national sport...
i start follow football in the end of 70's when the first italian championship started, only five teams, but was fantastic. many US NATO soldiers playing with these teams.
in the early 80s there was a magazine with Dan Fouts' pic, all started from there.
Then i started to play until '91 (ACL and my wife stopped me). during 1986 season, my teammate and coach was Steve Hoffman, who was Cowboys ST coach in their superbowls era.
my favorite players: Fouts, LT, Rivers, Gates, Seau and many others from the past.
Thanks for this forum

[richpjr]

I was born in Virginia and lived in several states back east until moving to Mission Bay in 1971 at 10 years old. My dad was working at General Dynamics at the time and they had Charger season tickets that nobody ever used because the team was so bad so we got to go to every game and I quickly became a die-hard Chargers fan. My parents eventually got their own season tickets and we continued going to the games.

Lived in Mission Bay for a couple years and then moved to Del Mar for 10 years where I and went to Torrey Pines and commuted to SDSU until graduating in 1984. Since them I have lived in Mira Mesa, Escondido and now Temecula for the past 21 years. I bought my wife and I season tickets as a graduation present for myself and had them every year until they moved to LA. In that time I missed one home game - the day my son was born! As my kids were born, we kept adding seats and it was tailgating tradition for the family at every home game - some of my fondest memories!

I am a VP at a software company, been married 36 years, have 3 kids and 2 grand children. My grandson was born 2 weeks ago and with the coronavirus going around, have not yet got to even see him except through a window!