JUSTICE IS COMING PLAYOFF PODCAST Jan 17 2008
Here is this week’s podcast. I’m sorry that it took an extra day to put up. I have so many thoughts and feelings banging around my head that it took until now to collect myself. I also thought I should attach some comments for this one for those that don’t have the time or disposition to listen. I decided on Sunday night not to purchase tickets to the game as I did the last time the Chargers were in this position. I would like to publicly thank Jim Steeg for giving me the opportunity. I hope that the FAITHFUL READERS will not think me less dedicated for electing to watch it here in the home offices. Besides, who would be able to approve Whit’s one thousand comments?
However, the decision has more to do with me and not with the Bolts or their prospect of winning. Did the odds of coming up short enter into my mind? Of course. But I just didn’t want to spend hundreds of dollars listening to drunken Massholes chant “LT sucks” for 3 hours. I’m not as crazy as I once was, but I don’t want the game to become more about me and defending my fandom than the Bolts’ shot at the Super Bowl. I also believe that LaDainian can have a game for the ages on Sunday. Mark Kriegel actually wrote an article about how he owed the Pats that more than Charger fans. What a load of shit. But unless we win, they can say whatever they want.
The attached pic is the only time you will hear me trash the Pats this week. Actually, I put it up as more of a joke. You can search on youtube for their reaction after our playoff meltdown to get extra fired up. It’s rough to watch and is also on the U-T forums. I just didn’t have the heart to post it here.
But that is more because of the fact that the Chargers DID wilt under the pressure, as I believe Ty Warren shouted as he left the field. LT was absolutely right that Wilfork, Colvin, Hobbs acted like punks after the win. However, when you lose, anything you say will undoubtedly be seen as sour grapes. As I said last year, if every Patriot pulled down their pants at game’s end and took a shit on the field, we would have no one to blame but our own players for losing. After that game, Matt Light referenced Schottenheimer’s comments after the ‘05 game, which were actually meant to be complimentary. Remember? He was actually downplaying our 41-17 victory by saying that the Pats had endured many free agent departures and injuries. The fact that Brady spun it into disrespect just shows how Marty couldn’t get anything right. It’s like when Jeff Van Gundy suggested that Michael Jordan was such a legend that players were grateful just to be near him but that he was so competitive (which is what fueled his play) that he would eat them up on the court. Jordan acted like this was an insult and used it to fire himself up, which is what Van Gundy was really saying to begin with. When LT sought Jordan out this offseason, Jordan told him the best way to keep pushing when you are at the top of the game is to keep finding ways to inspire yourself.
Of course, Michael Jordan won six rings and LT had not even won a postseason game until this year. I bring up these basketball analogies not only because I am a Knicks fan, but because I see the Patriots and hope that this will be the Chargers’ version of the Jordan Bulls. We simply could never get past him and lost in the Finals during his year of retirement. We even pushed their 72-10 team, which was not unlike this year’s Pats, in the playoffs. But we could never get by them.
I also have wondered why the Bolts’ last two postseason “runs” have led them at the end to one of those “once in a lifetime” teams that look to be unbeatable. Are we to be offered up as sacrificial lambs once again? However, I then remembered that many teams don’t even get this far and that I still believe that the Bolts can do this.
Even if we do win, they will probably bash us. This Philip Rivers thing is insane. I agree with Norv that he shouldn’t lower himself to the level of jawing with some drunk hick in Indy even if he threatened to rape his daughter, or whatever I read on the U-T message board. The Pats, and especially their fans, WANT us to come unglued. Norv mentioned that our reputation before this run was to do just that. We earned that reputation. I am also surprised at people who think that Rivers should be benched for Volek. Rivers had one of the guttiest and most clutch performances I have ever seen on Sunday. Look at how accurate that pass to Chambers was. If people want to say Eli Manning is better, fuck ‘em. Manning was “efficient,” while Rivers was unconscious. It isn’t East Coast bias, Tupac. It’s just the media’s love of the Mannings. If you want to see the one readable article on Rivers that came out this week, click here.
Which brings me to my comments about Junior Seau. Nobody values Junior’s accomplishments in San Diego more than I. I witnessed first-hand how he played his bigest game in what was then his biggest game, while suffering a pinched nerve in his arm. But I am a Charger fan first and foremost. I understand how The Organization let him go in 2003, a move I agree with. For those who wonder why we relased Rodney Harrison, by the way, remember what kind of talent (or lack thereof) we had back then. Rodney was forced to cover guys in our defense, which is not his skill. In a defense like New England’s, he has been allowed to stay back and lay the wood. But, back to Junior, I don’t have a problem with his acting like a drunken scumbag off the field but I do have a problem with him playing himself off as an exemplorary citizen. He got the long-term deal, after his skills had eroded, partially based on his being “the face of the franchise,” during our late-90s swoon. While LT IS that classy, which is why I so desperately want him to shut his critics up on Sunday, Junior was not. The Chargers have not handled severing ties with alumni, from Alworth to Winslow, very well, they did try to give Junior the respect his achievements deserve. But he decided to make us look foolish and pick up and go to New England. As Jack Wolz said, a team in our position at that time could not afford to look ridiculous. I won’t wear a former player’s jersey while they are still playing. I wore Parrella’s jersey since he hasn’t suited up for St. Louis for quite a while. But I do not want to see Junior get a ring, especially not at our expense. But Fred Rosenberg, who accompanied me to Seau’s biggest game, the AFC Championship, has asked me to send him my jerseys. Out of respect for Fred, I will send them to him. I just want them out of my house before Sunday.
But Sunday is not about Junior, Rodney, or any other Patriot player or coach. It’s about us and trying to provide an encore for a historic upset last week. The season is officially (according to me) a success after the win at Indy, but it is no guarantee that this team will get this close again. However daunting our opponent is, we do stand one step from the Super Bowl. All year long I said that I just wanted the Bolts to play their best game in the playoffs. I still feel that way, but I REALLY, REALLY want to see them win it all. That’s what we are all in it for, right?
Talk to you Saturday,
RLW
January 18th, 2008 at 1:08 am
Ross,
This is the weekend I have been waiting for for a whole year. A chance for revenge against the Patriots. I’m not feeling cocky just confident. Our team is hungry. Our team is tested. We got the schedule we needed this year to prepare for this very game. The Patriots had to manufacture windmills to fight all season, to stay on top of their game. It worked. But now they are up against the underdog and not the favorite. The shoe has a little different fit to it. Everyone expects them to win. Everyone in the media that is. All we have asked for was another shot. Now we have it. I believe our guys will leave everything out on the field. I believe Norv is ready for this moment. I believe LT is ready for this moment. Norv has lived through Washington (Dan Snyder) and Oakland (Al Davis). If that isn’t a test of resiliency then nothing is. Going back to his rookie year LT has had to live with disappointment. From Anthony Thomas stealing his ROY award to the Patriots dancing on the Logo. It is time. It is time for LT to run with power, to run with speed, to run like there is no tomorrow. Because like you said, there may be no tomorrow. Our team was already counted out before the playoffs started. Hell, we had them counted out in week four. But AJ, as a good captain does, maintained the ships course. He even improved it by getting Chambers. Then Cromartie stepped up and gave us hope for the secondary to shine. When we reached 5 and 5 we knew once again there was a chance to get things going in the right direction. We were right to believe it. Eight wins later we are in the Championship Game. I am ready. It feels right. Revenge against the Undefeated. This is exactly what we wanted.
Preparedness.
Confidence.
Focus.
Desire.
Talent.
Our team is ready. This is what we live for. Let’s not forget to have fun this Sunday. I know it has been fun up to this point. Let’s hope our guys can over come the injuries and let’s hope we get the ball first in the second half. At least that’s the way I like it, uh-huh, uh-huh.
I linked my latest video offering in your last post, On To Foxboro. I will include it here also. I for one am glad you will be close to the inner circle on Sunday and not amongst the Massholes at “Razor” Stadium. The Fellowship Of The Lightning Bolt must remain strong and postive as we defend the Halls Of Justice.
What will probably be my last video post before game time contains my all time favorite song. It is appropriate for a tribute to the greatest running back in professional football. I hope all the fans at Justice will enjoy it. Go Bolts. Kick Ass.
http://www.onetruemedia.com/shared?p=4c610a263fa54b3280b860&skin_id=601&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=text_url
January 18th, 2008 at 2:07 am
Ross I’m with you all the way as are the rest of the BOLT faithful!!!!
We’ve come too far to turn back now, LET’S KICK SOME BIG TIME PATRIOT ASS on NATIONAL TV!!!!!
GO BOLTS
January 18th, 2008 at 2:14 am
Ross - Awesome entry. With so many factors against us, it is hard for me not to think that we are headed for a global warming version of the 1982 Cincinnati Ice Bowl this Sunday. And yet, the victory in Indy was so different than the one in Miami in 1982 that it gives me faith. In Miami we did it with offense. In Indy, it was every phase of the game, topped off by one of the biggest plays of the game, the last punt by Scifres - an inspiring all time victory that will stay with us forever. Yes, it now has been a successful year, but we have unfinished business. And the motivations abound - you know them all.
I will only say this once more, because it is unwise to indulge in fools - the national media is clueless about the Chargers - they ignored us all year and now that we are knocking on the door to the big dance, they are trying to play catch-up and they are grabbing at straws. Lazy journalism at best, keying in on the murmurs of Igor, Rivers, LT.
We need Rivers bad for this one. But we may have what it takes to stop the biggest factor in the game - the Patriots passing game - our defense, our rushing attack, and cold breath of mother nature - may they all pound the high flying Pats to the ground, where we will eat them alive. It is going to be interesting…
January 18th, 2008 at 10:06 am
Hey Ross howsitgoin?….
I agree with you when u say this season has been a success after last weeks win. I went to a dark room for a while after the Indy game to try and get my head together. When I was ready, I thought wow this has been a great season, our team pulled out a great win against all the odds (and the officials).
Like you (if I recall) I threw the towel in after we lost to KC at home. All I can say is Norv appears to have done a great job this year. This team could have gone down the drain bigtime after that defeat, instead by hook or by crook they got their u know what together and now we find ourselves 1 win away.
Having said all that, absolutely I want a ring, but u know what after the season I have experienced I have no more expectations left. I am left feeling real proud of what they have accomplished. As u know I was there for the debacle in September so…. looking forward to sunday bring em on.
January 18th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Whit - You are so right - gotta have fun - enojoy it all because this is a very special moment. The Chargers earned this - it is no fluke! 1090 AM in SD right now has the right idea - they are partying down big time at the house of blues…
January 18th, 2008 at 4:29 pm
Good post Ross. As I’m sure you’ve heard by now, they’re saying Rivers has a torn MCL. How cool would it be to shock the world with Volek under center? Run Burner run.
January 18th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
A partially torn MCL. Well that’s different. If Rivers is not mobile at all or experiences too much pain then Volek should start. I think Rivers probably injured the right knee because he was already favoring the left. Look, I want Rivers in the game as much as any Charger fan, but I don’t want to risk his future. He is only going to get better as our QB. AJ got Volek for a reason. He built this team with depth. Teams have had to do it with a back up in the playoffs before. Hell, that’s how Brady got his start. Plus, Volek has been taking all the snaps this week. This season has been a roller coaster ride. Helter Skelter. She’s coming down fast. Go Billy, Go Bolts.
January 18th, 2008 at 7:36 pm
I believe Rivers will play. The U-T has one report and all the mainstream media outlets have the “Rivers optimistic to play” headline. I cannot believe that there are Rivers haters among us. I love the message boards at FOX, ESPN, etc. What a bunch of douchebags. I am happy to be watching the game at home here in the home office and appreciate no one emailing me that I was insane to give up face value tickets. I need to control my environment or else my insanity will spill out all over the idiots of Boston. I don’t even listen to the announcers when we are on the road. I have my 12/31/86 all ready queued up. Nice White Album reference, by the way, Whit.
January 18th, 2008 at 8:21 pm
I keep hearing that Rivers is going to play also Ross. I’m just confused by the fact that they downgraded him from questionable to doubtful. By the way I like the way Simms stood up for our guy. I don’t know how I felt about Simms in the past except to say that he never annoys me like Cross or a Dierdorf. Now I have to say, he’s alright in my book. Speaking of not listening to announcers. Last week I turned off Dierdookie pretty much right from the beginning. It’s amazing how much listening to him and other clowns like him clutter the mind. I tried tunning into the Chargers radio station online but I could hardly hear it. So the family and I just discussed the plays as they happened. I must say it was pretty cool and it helped me to stay calm in such a close game.
Ross, I know you like look alikes. What do you think?
http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Video/Tease%20TEMPLATES/Copy%20of%20Tease%20TEMPLATES/s_bo_memorial_061122.300w.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/ed/WorfTNG.jpg
January 18th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
Ross-
I love your statement about “controlling your environment.” I have been stressed out about where to watch this game all week. I’m going to be a mess one way or the other. I honestly cannot enjoy games as big as this. There are some Charger fans having a party, but I am afraid I am going to go insane during the game and it might be better just to watch it at home.
Volek would shock the world if we won with him under center, but to me missing Rivers is huge. I know Volek is good, and I remember him playing lights out with the Titans. I think he put up almost 500 yards against the Raiders one time, so how could you not like the guy? But Rivers has stepped his game up big time the last couple of weeks. He honestly looks like he could be the top tier QB we hoped he would be. I heard a doctor on ESPN radio say that he has little risk of doing more damage for the future if he plays, and that should be able to go, but his mobility would be limited. My bet is Rivers plays, but if NE is successful at getting to him then they put Volek in. After all, Volek is a much more mobile QB anyway.
January 18th, 2008 at 9:01 pm
Hey Ross,
I’ve got my Yamaha snowmobile suit, My L.L. Bean insulated boots, my framers gloves and my Sirius stiletto satellite radio. I’m good to go. Since I’ve only got SRO tickets at least when I run into an obnoxious drunk I can move away. I want to be there when history is made. My Bears fan buddy who is going with me wanted to borrow a pair of my long underwear. I told him that I had to draw the line somewhere and borrowing my bloomers was crossing that line. Looking forward to seeing Stan the Man. Let’s GO!!
January 18th, 2008 at 10:47 pm
Nice job F.J. Posts like that get me pumped up.
I’m in the process of putting in a pool out here in Cali, and I just realized I might be able to put a lightning bolt across the bottom. I asked my wife if I could do it, and she said “no one would be suprised.” The way this team is playing, I think it would bring up my property value.
January 19th, 2008 at 10:44 am
A Lightning Bolt on the bottom of your pool sounds fantastic Kelly, so much more so because I’m freezing my butt off right now in south eastern PA. I miss sunny CA.
January 19th, 2008 at 11:03 am
To all ya’ll happy with with this season - I can’t settle for a loss here and just be happy with the fact we won a couple playoff games. We have got to win the Super Bowl and that means we got to take down the best team ever in the process. Priest from Super Fly - you know, the brother who had a plan to take down the man - said it best …
“If I quit now, then I took all this chance for nothing and I go back to being nothing. Working some jive job for chump change day after day. Well if that’s all I’m supposed to do then they gonna have to kill me ’cause that ain’t enough.”
I know I’m the master of the obvious but the Chargers’ D needs to force turnovers in this game. I’m almost positive the Pats short passing game is going to chew us up bad (unless we get lucky with the wind). So what we got to do is keep them from making long TD plays … and, when they get close to the endzone, blitz and make the Pats mess up. Another key is to pound the crap out of their receivers. That hit McCree delivered last week would totally come in handy this week. And, if he can’t do it legally, well then hit them late. A 15-yard penalty won’t kill us if it’s a smart penalty. I don’t care how tough the media makes the Pats receivers out to be … if those receivers, especially Moss, get hit hard, like they did in the Eagle game, the level of their play drops.
On offense, unless the wind plays a huge part, it comes down to pass blocking and Rivers (or Volek) again. Everybody makes a big stink out of Tomlinson and the impact he has to make. But Belichick ain’t no dummy. He’s going to stack the box to stop Tomlinson. And, unless Rivers or Volek can make the Pats pay for it, then Tomlinson isn’t going to have room to run. We score early and often with the pass and the Pats will back off. And Tomlinson will kill them. The Pats run defense, if they play it straight, isn’t very good - not even close to the Titans or the Colts. They’ve still got Seau and Harrison playing for them and even Bruschi is turning a bit stale and tapped out. Belichick is a genious the way he covers up their weaknesses … but, the truth is, Harrison and Seau were washed up back in the 90s before we got rid of them. If they play it straight - no extra guys in the box - Tomlinson will destroy them. And, if we use Michael Turner and run him right at Seau without blocking him, Seau will miss the tackle 9 times out of 10. I saw Junior doing the bolt dance last week after he missed a tackle in the backfield and some other Pats stopped the runner at the line … that’s pretty much what’s left of Seau’s greatness and even he knows it.
So let’s win this game. I don’t care if we have to play dirty to do it. If our O’line has to pull a few ligaments on the Pat defense, then do it. If it draws a 15-yard penalty, so what. The refs already showed last week they were going to bust our butts over nothing. So we might as well give them a real reason to do it if they are going to flag us anyway. Whatever it takes. Do it. Win this game. Because I don’t want to have to wait another year again. I mean, the fricken Tampa Bay Bucs have won a Super Bowl. The Baltimore Ravens, who didn’t even exist when I started watching football, have won a Super Bowl. Even Tony Dungy, one of the biggest post-season choke coaches off all-time, has won a Super Bowl. Jeff Hostetler has won a Super Bowl. So I think it’s about time my Chargers won.
January 19th, 2008 at 11:10 am
I have a question. Do we stay in the locker room as they announce twice our team is taking the field in Foxborough, then run out during the Patriots introductions? I say we do!
January 19th, 2008 at 11:37 am
Kelly, that’s a good plan.
January 19th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
The Mike Tyson Game Plan.
I have seen it all year with the Pats. Knock the opponent out early. Come out looking like some demon possessed killer and throw haymaker after haymaker until the opponent doesn’t even want to get off his stool. It has worked with most teams. It worked with the Chargers in week two. But as we all know, this is not the same team mentally as it was in week two. The second week of the season we were barely a team. We beat the Bears who were still suffering from Super Bowl hangover. Then we ran into Mike Tyson. The Iron Mike Tyson. Not the ear biter. But a closer look at the Pats and you will see what happens when they don’t end it with an early knockout.
Nov. 4 - Colts - Lose 24-20.
Nov. 25 - Eagles - Lose 31-28.
Dec. 3 - Ravens - Lose 27-24.
Dec. 29 - Giants - Lose 38-35.
All four of these teams can play great defense. Remember defense wins championships. Our offense needs to put up at least 28 points. Our defense needs to pull their chin straps a little bit tighter and hit these Patsies in the mouth over and over again. You know, like McCree did to Wayne.
When Buster Douglass fought Tyson he took Tysons best shots but still remained standing. You know the rest. If we stay close, if the defense inflicts pain, if Tyson is looking for an ear to bite, we will have them right where we want them. Payton Manning couldn’t get it done. A J Feely couldn’t get it done. Kyle Boller couldn’t get it done and Eli Manning couldn’t get it done. I like our quarterbacks chances. I feel great about tomorrow. And trust me, Brady isn’t going to sleep tonight as soundly as the media thinks.
January 19th, 2008 at 3:07 pm
The Buster Douglass Game Plan.
Shock The World.
January 19th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
Whit came through for us last week. So I’m putting it all on him again. I’m counting on you, Whit. I hope you have a Tom Brady voodoo doll.