I'll Ride The Wave Where It Takes Me

I thought I would get a chance to get back here right after the schedule release, but it was not to be the case. That's OK, FAITHFUL READER. I'm happy to be here now. Even though the NFL has done an amazing job of making every step of the season and offseason into a production, we already knew which teams the Chargers would be facing. To see the sequence and placement of the bye week is a big deal. However, there will be teams that seem beatable in May that will seem very different that Sunday.

Hopefully, we are one of those teams to the opposition. At this point, we have to trust Harbaugh, Hortiz, and Co. This is what we all begged for.

I decided to watch the Hulu series on the Clippers, which was never a question really. I do love my cheesy content. I guess I wouldn't love watching it if I was a Clippers fan, which is the kind of thing I would have done back in the day. Of course, I'm a Mets and Knicks fan and that's no easy draw either. But Donald Sterling, even in the Ed O'Neill caricature, is the owner that Chargers fans feared Dean Spanos was. I don't mean the racism and infidelity, but the lack of prioritization to winning. Yes, Doc Rivers was hired by the Clippers but obviously he was just there for appearances and there was a lot of meddling and sabotaging.

I really don't feel like that is the case. I do think Dean Spanos often chose the path of least resistance. After having the late AJ Smith run the show until 2012, it seemed like Dean wanted people he could get along with but not who would really push The Organization to finally take the steps to being a true contender.

We can't accuse him of that now. They cleaned house and brought in the best in the business. I'm not talking about Dalton. Wade Garrett technically is the best, regardless of his age. Harbaugh is building things his "way," but hopefully also tailoring it to the talents of the foundation already in place. That applies no more so than to Justin Patrick Herbert.

Herbert appears to be smiling in every single photo taken of him lately. He's not going to become some diva but for him to run up on stage at a Luke Bryan concert seems a little out of character. Harbaugh wanted Herbert. I got sucked into fear he didn't as much as anyone since I think the kid really is special. I do feel like we are going to see a toughness, focus, and discipline that we haven't seen in a long time from the Chargers. Some people will reference "Martyball" without remembering that it only matters how you hold up in the big postseason spots. I plan to at least hit the Patriots game in Foxboro with my son in tow. I also am trying to make it to one game in LA.

By the way, it's Dan Fouts' birthday.

Anyway, let's start that dialogue again. I'll be back when there's more to talk about.

JIC,

RLW