I have a feeling I'm going to have take Joey Bosa out of the collage before long. Jim Harbaugh finally dropped his name today in one of his many interviews. I might have been on Pat McAfee's show, but he also mentioned Ekeler and there is no way he's coming back. I have no doubt these guys want to play for Harbaugh, however. I have no doubt, FAITHFUL READER, that you watched yesterday's press conference. Beforehand there was a very cool video they showed started with the 1960 clips they used right after the move to LA in 2017. There were of course some great "Air Coryell" clips, a nice isolated shot of Seau on 1/17/95, and a whole lotta Herbert. They ended it with some more shots of Harbaugh in '99-'00. I said it last week, those weren't the greatest times in Charger history, but they meant enough to him for everything we've seen over the last week to occur.
Yeah, I was at that game. No, I didn't take the photo. I must have taken down over 10 Labbatt's Blue Lights that day. Of course, the plan for 1999 wasn't for Jim Harbaugh, or Eric Kramer (pictured above) to start for the Bolts. Ryan Leaf's flameout in 1998 made these acquisitions necessary. I wrote last week about how the narrative that Dean Spanos is cheap and that his idiot son fucks things up may or may not be based in fact. I don't think we've heard either of them speak on camera since Staley was hired. I must say that they both came off extremely well. Clearly, they know what the perception of ownership is. When Dean Spanos mentioned the overwhelming support from the fanbase towards hiring Harbaugh, that fact was clear. They even included the clips of people holding up the Harbaugh signs at the end of this season in the hype video. As for John, I have never heard any verified sources saying that he is anything but a decent football guy who doesn't continually gum up the works. I remember him talking about the Bosa holdout in 2016 and the dreaded "offset language," but that's about it. Don't get me wrong, I've been right there with everyone screaming about how we're doomed since the Spanoses don't care and aren't willing to make changes.
Clearly, they are. Obviously, the day we all deserve which Dean Spanos was referring to is a Super Bowl Champion parade, but I appreciate the sentiment. When they were sitting in that box in Vegas watching Staley destroy all future prospects (including his own, apparently), we all knew it would only be worth it if they finally tried something different. To their credit, they did. They said they would look at every aspect of what they had been doing and how they had been looking for coaches in the past. I have no doubt that they zeroed in on Harbuagh as he did them. But even though I am the most cynical and jaded fan after all the disappointment and heartbreak we've seen, I believe that they did talk to every possible candidate and associate of Harbaugh to get this right.
There is no guarantee that Harbaugh can accomplish his goal of hoisting a Lombardi Trophy, let alone multiple ones. But his goal perfectly aligns with ours.
When Staley was hired, we just wanted something different. He certainly was and in the end it wasn't his 4th down calls that did him in. Whether it be last year at Cleveland, this year at Minnesota, or that first game against the Raiders, his approach never netted a loss. The problem was, as Daniel Popper pointed out last year, was that Staley strayed from analytics and just did whatever the fuck he wanted to. I don't understand analytics, but NFL broadcasts immediately put up the graphic of the probability of going for it each 4th down now.
Incidentally, I do agree with the masses that thought Dan Campbell got too greedy in SF. Of course, I loved the posts from people saying that maybe he didn't trust their "journeyman kicker" on that last one. The "Money Bungler" did well in the dome for the Lions, which is better than he did for us inside stadiums of LA, New Orleans, or Vegas. Speaking of Michael Badgley, check out this exchange on Bleacher Report from a few weeks back:
It speaks for itself. It is on par with me suggesting that Ryan Leaf is just as smug sober and he immediately proving my point by tweeting some thin-skinned response in my direction. As my appearance on the "CFB Dawgs/Harbaugh" broadcast proved, I've been doing this long enough to see myself become the villain. Thank you, Harvey Dent in The Dark Knight. Yes, last week's title of "Why The Chargers Need A Supercoach" was also a DC reference.
So what else to make of Harbaugh's presser. Sure, he made an Al Davis reference. Yes, Al Davis, started out with the Chargers. He's also Jewish, which is equally under reported. He made a great Rockford Files reference, even though James Garner himself was a Raiders fan.
Aaron Taylor was not our best signing. I watched this 1999 game of course, but can't remember this pass got batted down or not. As for the introductory press conference, I think Harbaugh has his shtick and also the things he holds back. You saw it in all the subsequent interviews he did yesterday as well. I'm fine with that. I have no doubt he was as excited to buy the Shop Vac and clean up the weight room as he suggested. Popper confirmed as much yesterday. I am sure he loves Justin Herbert as much as he says and unlike his predecessor (who uttered the phrase "gangster quarterback" and proceeded to waste him), I believe he means it. I don't know if every player he mentioned is truly in the team's plans. I don't know if Harbaugh is already looking at who's staying and who's not. I am sure that Keenan and Derwin going to be big parts of the machine going forward. It was nice to see Derwin post "Who's Got It Better Than Us" on Instagram. I know Harbaugh is friendly with Ryan Leaf from their brief aforementioned time together. They took a photo on the field for the Ravens' first playoff game. I don't think Leaf knows that Saquon Barkley is in Harbaugh's sights, but that he rather was using his "platform" to gain traction. I don't think Ekeler will be back unless he is truly willing to be a supplemental guy and paid accordingly. I do believe that players who were excited to get out of town with Staley may want to stick around now.
Speaking of the Ravens, that game last week was exactly why Marty got fired. Everything from Van Noy's head butt, to Flowers' taunting and subsequent fumble, Jackson taking a sack to squander a field goal, to his interception in the end zone...it was completely reminiscent of January 14, 2007 (with hints of January 8, 2005). I don't know if anyone has suggested that John Harbaugh needed to control his team better, but he did.
I was surprised to see Van Noy get sucked in by Kelce. He had to know that was coming. Then again, the Ravens steamrolled almost every team in their way from the game at SoFi onward. When KC stood up to them in the first half, they couldn't hold it together and they spent the entire second half shitting all over themselves. Again, sadly familiar to Charger fans of a certain age. I guess this graphic was also from that 1999 game. I believe I was watching it at Bar None near Union Square. This was right before I met Sam on December 3. Again, feel free to read all about it here.
Today is actually my son Aaron's 13th birthday.S
Somehow, he let me snap this pic before he went out to meet his friends. Yes, that is a bootleg version of Don Coryell's induction shirt. It's been a crazy 52 (gasp) years, with 45 of them spent following this fucking football team. Thanks for indulging me. Here's some tunes for the road. The first is from the Justice Is Coming House Band from Rochester on November 21, 1978.
We'll touch base after Joe Hortiz' presser next week. Enjoy your Saturday. Happy birthday Aaron and RIP to Carl Weathers and Wayne Kramer.
JIC,
RLW