When I see Charger fans and Patriot fans going back and forth with the trash talk, I know a new football season is coming. I also know it’s time to jump into the fray with my own thoughts and perspective. If you’ve read anything I’ve written over the last thirteen seasons, you know that no one had a tougher time with Eli Manning winning the Super Bowl than I did. However, when you hear people defending the possible taping of opponents, it’s hard not to join the majority of fans who were happy to see New England lose the Super Bowl in the most heartbreaking fashion. When this whole “Spygate” business broke, didn’t LaDainian Tomlinson suggest that for the Patriots, “If you’re not cheating you’re not trying?” When he said those words right before we got blown off the field in Foxboro, it was construed as sour grapes because the Chargers have lost to the Patriots the last three times out. I can accept that. If last season in the NFL taught us anything, it’s that you can say and do whatever you want as long as you win. Plaxico Burress would have been yet another self-promoting loudmouth if he didn’t catch the winning touchdown in the Super Bowl. Until the Chargers can beat the Patriots when it matters, words won’t mean anything. (more…)

The tapes were allegedly made between 2000 and 2003 and show offensive and defensive coaches signals in regular season games. According to the New York Times, the teams include the San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers (including the 2002 AFC Championship game) and the Cleveland Browns.

Contrary to some published reports, tape of the St. Louis Rams pre-Super Bowl walk-through is apparently not included.

Sources indicate that Commissioner Roger Goodell’s office is eager, if not desperate, to move past the Spygate matter and that they believe Goodell will claim that this new evidence only confirms already existing knowledge. No teams or media were notified of whom the evidence previously destroyed by the NFL showed being taped.

I say that the existence and proof that the New England Patriots were breaking these rules as far back as 2000 and continued the practice for at least seven years indicates that the previous punishment was still not enough. Especially because of the proof that the Patriots and head coach Bill Belichick were taping not only future playoff opponents, but actual playoff games.

Obviously, I am someone who considers this far worse because of his loyalty to a team greatly affected. It is absolutely true that I am heavily biased due to the fact that the Patriots have now eliminated my beloved Bolts from the dance two years running. This truth does not invalidate the fact that the cheating occurred or that the punishment previously handed out has proven to be far too lenient.

When I consider the great possibility that these dishonorable and illegal actions may have and probably did contribute to the upset of the number one seeded Chargers in January 2007, I am greatly saddened that the league may consider this matter to have already been concluded. I am confident that Pittsburgh Steeler fans will feel the same, especially in light of the taping of the AFC Championship game. Indeed, although the other teams involved have not been as recently active in the post-season, it has to be considered that those teams, especially the division rival Dolphins, Bills and Jets, have been as badly damaged by this since their twice-yearly contests with New England have obvious playoff implications.

I call upon the league to send a far stronger statement. Suspend Bill Belichick for a minimum of one year. A player caught abusing the legal substance alcohol can be subject to such a ban. A player caught cheating pharmaceutically can be suspended for a full year. A coach, whose behavior will permeate his entire organization, certainly should face no less of a consequence.

Leadership starts at the top and the culture established by a leader thrives. Bill Belichick is a cheater. He should face consequences similar to those the players employed under his supervision would if they were caught cheating.

Hester was Pro Football Weekly’s top rated FB entering the draft,although he ranged anywhere from second to fourth on other lists. Having played in the SEC and for a national champion, Hester shares the polished skills that A.J. Smith looked for in his first round selection, Arizona CB Antoine Cason.

Hester is an accomplished receiver and is well known for his good hands. In 364 carries at LSU, he fumbled only once. He is also known for his physical play. He is an aggressive blocker and first made a name for himself on Tiger special teams units as a freshman, recording five tackles in 2004.

Versatility and an ability to run the ball inside combined with his hands to make him irresistable to the Chargers in the third round. He also has a reputation as a team leader and he fits the Charger profile of drafting good”character guys”.

Figure the Chargers to rotate Hester with Andrew Pinnock, both as lead blockers to combat other teams tendency to stack the box against LaDainian Tomlinson and to provide the power-running counter punch role that Michael Turner filled so well the last few years. Jacob Hester’s abilities as a receiver will also be a commanding asset in those situations. Watch for Hester to catch a few passes after appearing to be a lead blocker early in the season, forcing defenses to pay attention to him. Norv Turner employed that tactic in Dallas, especially around the end zone.

The one knock on Hester is his speed, but that will not be as important in San Diego, where his physical presence running in the middle and as a blocker will be exploited.

Antoine Cason faced questions about his speed (some were silenced by his performance at the NFL combine) but the cornerback from Arizona obviously had not fallen far enough in A.J.’s eyes to leave him on the board.  With the departure of Drayton Florence, cornerback is one of only a handful of positions on the Bolts where it made sense to invest a first round pick.  With the Chargers first choices on the offensive line already gone and no need to select a back up running back so high, the defense got the pick and Cason fit.

Cason was rated fourth or fifth at his position on most boards. He may have lasted into the second round if unchosen by the Bolts, but if so he wouldn’t have been there long.  The senior from Arizona  finished his career with 15 interceptions and 253 tackles and was a pick as one of AU’s five best cornerbacks of all time. Although he doesn’t time well, he has that intangible often referred to as “football speed”, meaning he plays faster than the tests.

A smart and polished player with good footwork but lacking some strength and a demonstrated burst, Cason may need to gain strength at the next level.  There has been talk of moving him to safety.

Since I’ve stayed away from draft speculation and analysis this week, I offer you an alternative from the norm. Those of you familiar with JUSTICE IS COMING know that ever since I met then-new Chargers Vice President at the ‘04 division clincher in snowy Cleveland, I have made good on my promise to harass him as much as I can. Jim was kind enough to speak with me on Thursday, April 24 about all things Chargers.

RW: You know, I don’t mind being on hold since I get to hear all those radio highlights from last season. But they start over after about eight and I think it’s time to get some new ones in there. (more…)

As always, speculation is rampant and with General Manager A.J. Smith being notorious for his close-mouthed approach to the draft it is far from the easiest thing to do for this blog.  Especially because I am no Mel Kiper-obsessed draftnik.  I pay a minimum of attention most years.

The needs for the Chargers are really best addressed in the second and third rounds.  The problem is that we don’t have picks in those rounds.  I think a trade with a team hoping to move up and snag a particular player is very likely come the actual draft day… but that is not how the MVN mock draft works.  Here, I need to pick a player.

I have some infatuation with Ray Rice of Rutgers.  Rice is said to have a great work ethic and have the hard nosed approach both  A.J. and the Legions of the Lightning Bolt love.  At 5′8″and 199 pounds he is not huge.  But he attacks his runs and became the first Big East running back to clear the 2000 yard plateau last year, despite the fact that every opponents first priority was to stop him.  He also set a Rutgers career record with 49 touchdowns.  Rice could be a wonderful complement to L.T.  Darren Sproles is good and showed his worth against the Colts, but his style doesn’t create the one-two punch the combination of Michael Turner and L.T. did.  The biggest problem I have with  Rice is that most people think he will still be available mid to late second round and I would rather see a trade backwards to get him then, while also picking up a thrid round pick.

Another good option is USC’s Sam Baker.  Baker’s durability is questionable due to injury problems, but it would be hard to pass up a three time All-American at the 27th spot. He is strong and quick and the Chargers have risked the injury bug before when Marcus McNeil slipped based on rumors.  That turned out quite well.  At 6′5″ and 312, his size is fine and A.J. has shown a believe that playing in a pressured environment like that of USC is a positive in his eyes.

Of course, it all depends on what Jacksonville does too…

Well, the draft is a little over a week away and as I’ve said over the last few months I won’t be joining the “experts” in trying to figure out what the Chargers will do.  This goes beyond my own lack of interest in embracing the “business” end of professional football.  As a Charger fan, I expect not to have any real sense of what AJ Smith is doing.  If I could really predict what our he was up to, then he wouldn’t be AJ.  There isn’t a GM that keeps his cards closer to the vest than ours and right now you can’t argue with the results.  ESPN ran a piece saying as much earlier in the week.  As of now, it appears that Smith might trade out of the first round (the Bolts have the #27th pick) in order to pick up some choices before the Chargers are scheduled to draft again in Round 5.  When Bobby Beathard was at the helm, trading out of the first round was something of a tradition.  Guys like Natrone Means, who recently received an honorable mention on the NFL Network’s “Top 10 Power Backs,” was secured in this fashion.  Unfortunately, Beathard fell too far in love with his own legend and began reaching for projects like WR Bryan Still  and a host of guys from Stephen F. Austin.  That was what did him in, not the drafting of Ryan Leaf.  Critics often forget that the #3 pick that year, Andre Wadsworth didn’t fare much better on the field and that the trading of Patrick Sapp and Eric Metcalf didn’t exactly set The Organization back. (more…)

Should we get a replacement for Michael Turner?  Look for another young receiver?  Draft someone to guard against the horrible possibility of Jamal Williams going down?  Stock up in the secondary?

Let’s face it… the Bolts are not a team with a gaping hole and the price of success is that we pick late.  A nice problem to have. But late or not, what direction should we go?

And no, I’m not talking about drafting Lindsay Lohan into the Charger Girls.  Jeez, give you guys enough time without football and look what your brains turn into…

Smith uttered those comments in response to unhappy wide receiver Kassim Osgood. Osgood, as you may or not know, told the Union-Tribune earlier this month that he was fed up being known only as a special team player, even though he’s collected multiple Pro Bowl bids in that capacity and has a nice contract to match. Smith, as no-nonsense a GM as their is, basically talked with him and told him that if being a wide receiver is such a priority that The Organization will try to find him a new home. That’s why I love AJ. He always thinks Chargers first. That’s also why I haven’t been too focused on figuring out what needs he will address in next month’s draft. I’ve also previously stated that I’m not all that interested in subculture that has developed around the draft even though it has become the primary method of acquiring talent under Smith. But I have all the faith in the world in the guy, which is why I put my $20 dollars down on the Bolts to finally win it all during my trip to Las Vegas a few weeks ago.

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This may be the last Charger jersey I ever buy. If you saw my closet, you’d say it was a long time coming. Before the 2007 playoffs, I bought this blank jersey on eBay and decided to see which player I would distinguish himself enough to have his name and number put on it. Discerning eyes will notice that it is an Adidas 2001 replica (with the AFC decal pasted over the Bolts’ 40th anniversary logo). I don’t see how one could watch the 3 games the team played and not decide on Philip Rivers. He was forced to make more plays than say, Eli Manning (barring the last drive of the Super Bowl) due to the injuries suffered to LaDainian Tomlinson and Antonio Gates. Plus, he was playing on two bum knees himself. Chris Chambers (even though he really should have broken up Samuel’s interception) and Vincent Jackson had monster postseason campaigns. But watching Rivers try to stop his momentum after rolling out against the Patriots, it was impossible to feel anything but respect for the guy. Finding out that he had secret arthroscopic surgery the Monday before the game just to be able to play only further cements him in my canon of Charger heroes. If you find yourself wanting to bash Rivers because of something you read or some video clip you saw, I only ask that you base your opinion on actually having followed the team or watched a game in its entirety. (more…)