San Diego: Rocky Balboa said it best, "The World Ain't All Sunshine and Rainbows."

Ever since the most recent Chargers debacle I've found it difficult to string thoughts together. I have ideas that are Chargers related but just can't bring myself to comment. I have ideas that are Padre related but feel that, for a sense of continuity as well as closure, I need to deal with the football demons first.

This thought process is wreaking havoc with my ability to complete a blog post of any sort.

Alas, I'm excited about the Padres so this post will be a thought organizer, one which should help me to move forward.

Pick yourself up and move forward, San Diego sports fans. It's all we can do......move forward.

Things on my mind:

-Nate Kaeding and how FUCT his head is.
-Shaun Phillips higher education and Twitterpidity.
-Norv Turner's "__________"
-Marty Schottenheimer/Earnest Byner/Useless kickers
-Antonio Cromartie (surprisingly not first on the list)
-LT. Please don't go to New England.
-Eric Weddle and the trampoline effect.
-The incessant "jocking" of Drew Brees by Scott and BR.
-2010 Baseball America Prospects handbook and Padre hope.
-Breakfast Town USA and other T-Shirts.
-Padres Town hall meeting.
-2010 Spring Training Trip.
-Lake Elsinore Trip on Thirsty Thursday.
-Bud Black's (im)-probable opening day line-up.
-Villanova basketball and how awesome of a fan I am.

This is but a cache of the crap that's been coursing through my cerebral cortex (alliteration, people). By listing my thoughts outside of the conventional top five list I hope to spur on some creativity so that I can move on from the horror show known as January 2010.

Actually...I probably should have scaled it back to a list of five so I wouldn't be so overwhelmed. Crap!

On to Denver: music for behind enemy lines

A couple of songs immediately spring to mind for a trip to enemy country. If you can think of more give me a shout:

Ahhh, Metallica's One. "For democracy....any man would give his only begotten son." (good thing I'm traveling with my dad.....and I've got a brother)

...and back to the old standby.

Go Chargers.

Charger Fans: Hope You're Feeling Better

The bye week is upon us and Charger fans are on the ledge, foot-a-danglin' and there may be only one thing that can return us from the brink.....making fun of others' misery. That's right! We will sink that low! Let's take the piss out of the Patriots! We'll start with their fans. Look at this clown:

Need more? Give this a go: from yesterday's edition of the Boston Globe:

FOXBOROUGH - Tom Brady said yesterday he wasn’t bothered by comments former teammate Rodney Harrison, now an NBC analyst, made about a pair of roughing-the-passer penalties Brady drew from the Baltimore Ravens.

In a halftime segment during Sunday night’s Steelers-Chargers game, Harrison took issue with a roughing-the-passer penalty against the Ravens’ Terrell Suggs, who was penalized after grazing Brady’s knee, and termed it a “horrible call.’’

Harrison added: “Tom Brady, if you’re listening, take off the skirt and put on some slacks. Toughen up.’’.........

Ha, Ha, Brady! Take your skirt off says old teammate Rodney Harrison. Even ex-teammates hate you. Loser!

Eh....who are we kidding? Rodney was just messing with his boy, clownin' around on Sunday Night Football. I missed it live, my head having been jammed into the freezer after the Bolts fell behind 21-0 so I kind of missed out on the context of Rodney's diatribe against BS calls that protect the QB.

So there's nothing positive to spin about the future of the Chargers, and speaking only for myself, I'm not too keen on having to support the Patriots against the Donkeys this weekend. These truths don't make me feel better nor should they assuage your pain. Maybe this can make us feel better:

Black Friday Rule

It was either Black Friday Rule by Flogging Molly or Friday I'm in Love by The Cure. Now, I like The Cure but I'll be damned if I'm going to post that song on this website.

Improvise, Adapt, Overcome

Here's to Jake Peavy helping out the bullpen by getting through 7 innings on a bum ankle. To paraphrase Clint Eastwood's Gunny Highway,

"I say he improvised, he adapted, and he overcame."

I could only find that particular quote in a Spanish version of Heartbreak Ridge so you'll instead be treated to this highlight reel of Clint Eastwood's awesomeness...

Conjure up the 1999 Draft? Let's not, Charger Fans

Remember the 1999 NFL Draft? Donovan McNabb booed mercilessly by an unrelenting Philadelphia Eagle fan base. That 1st round pick worked out all right, didn't it?

Because I don't get the opportunity to watch college football I can't speak with too much authority on players that will be picked early on Saturday.....my draft expertise is a derivative of the alleged "experts". The only times I've paid real close attention to the draft was '98, '01 and '04....

We know how 1998 turned out.....

Back in 2001 as I read the papers leading up to the draft there was one Mantra I preached: "Trade out of the #1 slot! DO NOT pick Michael Vick!" That worked.

The Elisha Manning Incident of '04.......so we got Rivers, Merriman, and Kaeding: All Good!

Which brings us to April 25th, 2009.......with talk of the proverbial "window of opportunity" closing the Chargers have a grip of holes that need filling: OL, DL, MLB, SS. Could a Superbowl even be won without shoring up the Line on each side of the ball? So who do we continue to hear about from the "experts", as likely selections with the 16th pick?......RBs, Beanie Wells and Knowshon Moreno. If AJ Smith opts for one of these tail-backs then:

I
Will
Booooooooooooooooooo
My Father's
Brand New
"72 Television

....as though it were a 3-Dimensional representation of human life! I will boo like a a little cry baby toolbox! I will do my best impersonation of Eagle Fan c.1999 and scream bloody murder at Roger Goodell and any RUNNING BACK WHO SHAKES HIS HAND on that God Forsaken stage!

I don't know who the answer is except who it is not. We restructured LT's contract and franchised Darren Sproles and 1st round money to a RB spells DOOM in 2009. Don't do it AJ!

• If they take Rey Maualuga.... I'll clap my hands together hard two times.
• If AJ trades down in the 1st to acquire a 2nd round pick I'll pump my fist once and in a moderately enthusiastic timbre, articulate "Yes!!".
• If it's Moreno or Wells then Dad and guests get "Ridiculous Eagle Fan" impersonation......of course I could change my tune.....10 tears later.

Ahhh....what do I know, anyways?

Who (or which position) is going to make you scold the TV?