SB Nation User Blog: calipatrick

AJ Smith to Adress Media Today 12 noon PT

calipatrick — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 17:22:20 -0000

AJ Smith to Adress Media Today 12 noon PT

There is speculation that he will address what's going on with LT. Hopefully it will be "He stays. Period."

Vincent Jackson Pleads Not Guilty to January '09 DUI

calipatrick — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 02:02:44 -0000

At the time of his arrest, Jackson was on probation for a 2006 DUI arrest and conviction in San Diego. He eventually pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor.

He was placed on five years' probation and ordered not to drive with a measurable amount of alcohol or drugs in his system during that time.

He had a 0.17 when he was arrested. That is A LOT. To put the physiology in perspective for the non-drinkers: at this point you hit slurred speach, confusion, problems in perception and a great decrease in muscle coordination/response time. At about .30 you start hitting coma. That was very irresponsible and dangerous of him to do and is going to cost him legally. Maybe DaBolts was right when he said VJ should have been suspended for this when it happened (during the playoffs.) Nonetheless, this almost certainly will result in a suspension next season.

Why Hate Can Be Good.

calipatrick — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 01:07:15 -0000

I was thinking the other day about how much I love the Chargers and hate the Faders. It’s simple; I like to hate on other sports teams. Is hate ever a good thing? Yes. It is. And now I bring you my defense of hate (in sports.)

It makes me feel good to have loyalty to my team and fellow fans. Part of that loyalty is to stand against anyone who spreads negativity about San Diego sports. Let’s face it, we have never won a superbowl nor world series and don’t even have a pro basketball team anymore. Almost by necessity we have to be a little bit forward sometimes when people bread negativity about the Chargers. It’s also a great outlet of a lot of repressed anger.

There are a lot of emotions that go into the football fan: anger, happiness, anticipation, joy, optimism, disappointment, aggressiveness, relief. In the same realm of emotions are defense mechanisms which can motivate us. Repression is a defense mechanism that many people use to cope with reality and maintain their self-image. Another defense mechanism people use in called sublimation. It involves taking emotions that you cannot point at the proper target and using that emotion in a way society deems appropriate. For example, someone with a background of physical trauma may channel those emotions into playing a physical sport, or becoming a surgeon who spends all day cutting into people. I let go of a lot of my emotion through sports. It feels good and society says it’s ok.

Yet, one thing I love about DaBolts (besides being a talented writer) is that he is very diplomatic about other teams. No repressed emotion coming out there. I haven’t heard him sat nary a cross word about anyone else. After the broncos fans trolled us to death after Mr Hoculi gifted the game away, he played policeman but did not join in the fray. He’s like President Obama in his quest for post-partisanship. But because he has to deal with all of us who could spend days talking about out contempt for the faders or Mr Cutler, I think he may keep some of his more cross words to himself. For all I know he has a Tony Soprano underneath that we don’t get to see.

All this emotion helps us to yell when we’re on D, cheer when we score, and boo when the situation calls for it. Incidentally, those jeers also make Mr Rivers tell us to shut up. Something all Charger fans have in common, especially here, is heart. We fight even after we lose. Anyone who remembers the late 80’s can testify to that.

So maybe both sides are right. There is a time for raw emotion and a time for discourse. I’m glad we have both here in our community. But remember to let your emotion out. Be great fans. Remember that Al Davis has a drive to be hated and we should help him out.

In closing I want to say: I hate the Faders, love the Chargers. I hate the broncos, love this blog.

Here Comes Sunshine

calipatrick — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 17:02:02 -0000

There is no spoon. There is no Dana, only Zuul.

Zen.

Today is the day. It is a gorgeous day in San Diego, not a cloud in the sky. But over yonder there is trouble brewing. But we in San Diego get blue skies because this is our year.

I hate to say this is public as I always would rather keep these things to myself. But everything that we needed to happen to us this season has happened. We won four in a row to get to the playoffs. The broncos lost 3 in a row to lose the AFC West title. The Ravens have won twice in the playoffs giving us a potential home game next week. We needed help and then some for this moment to come to pass. And now we stand on the precipice. None of this has been easy and it makes them better players and us better fans. Last week at the stadium was out of control because everyone understood how important every play was. Everyone started to believe we could do this.

I am a huge fan of Italian soccer. When we won the world cup a couple years back there were a couple matches where I was nervous and quite. My sister was living in Italy and would call me during the game to remind me that this is our year. This might just be our year, too.

Yesterday, I got that feeling from watching the Ravens at halftime. There way no way they were going to lose. They just had to win. The Chargers just have to win. Why? The Ravens didn’t believe anyone who told then anything except “you are going to win” and neither do we. There is no spoon. There is no Dana, only Zuul. If someone asks you if you are a god you say “yes!” See where this is going?

On to today’s game: I expect the Chargers to play deliberate football. Rivers doing his check-downs and lots of small yardage passes to keep the Steelers honest and a few long bombs to keep them guessing. The Steelers like to do their “zone blitz.” This allows their defense to confuse us but it allows something I think we can exploit. If they zone blitz, that can be very effective against the screens I expect to see the whole game. So why do I still expect to see many screens to Sproles, et al? The zone blitz is particularly vulnerable if Rivers can complete the pass. You can’t have linemen trying to cover Sproles. Expect to see a lot of quick passes and screens from Rivers.

I expect the Steelers to have a similar game plan as the Chargers. Big Ben is in a world of hurt. He’s playing through it but he won’t be as mobile and he will be looking to avoid contact. He will do his check-downs and just try to grind out yards. Look for us to blitz more often than usual for and Ron Rivera (boricua) to disguise the blitzes very well. We are not a team that pressures the quarterback a lot this season. But Big Ben loves to hold the ball and take the sack. Since he doesn’t want to get hit look for him to make some bad throws and for the Chargers to pick off one or two. If it works like I have designed, final score Chargers 28-20.

Bring.

It.

On.

Chargers in Paris

calipatrick — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 22:20:02 -0000

Hey y’all. I've been in Europe for the past week or so and I know it’s about a week late but even over there you want to talk Chargers. I thought I'd share my experiences.

First off, we beat the broncos. I went to the game. It was phenomenal. It was loud. My tickets are in the upper view section, last row which allow me to stand the whole time. There were some denver fans who sat in front of me and to the left. They were nice enough with enough joshing back and forth where we were laughing the whole game. Interestingly enough, I was serious the whole approaching week. I was only able to relax after we started to pull away. I was so impressed by our defense. Life is different under Ron Rivera (boricua). This is a better team. Its almost as if he has the whole d-line in front of the mirror saying I am...somebody. I am...somebody. We were only down at 6-3 and the game never felt like we were or were even capable of losing. The broncos fans shook my hand and wished us luck in the playoffs.

Late 1/3/09: So this evening is the game. I’m in Paris and have been an eager school boy to our game. In the context of life, you realize that a lot of what we see everyday is not as important and it should be. But I have also seen how competition has been important for millennia. Ancient Rome built a coliseum. Having a football team is something special. Our sense of community and belonging coming from the Chargers is something to be cherished. I do, everyday. Our problem is that we don't have a Michelangelo sweating over a Jamal Williams statue from the quarries of Carrara. Yes, Jamal Williams is that important.

1/4/08 1am: I’m heading over to The Great Canadian near St Germain…

...and then we won! Ron Rivera is the man. We never knew what the defense was going to do. It might be eight on the line and then we rush 3. He's a genious mastermind. A Cam Cameron on the defense. Rivers was calm and solid in the clutch. Also, I get the impression people like the Chargers. There were maybe 30 people at the bar with maybe about 20 for the Chargers. Don't ask me how that happened but they did love the Chargers. There were maybe 3 or 4 colts fans who were a little quite. Heck, I was nervous until Sproles shocked the world. I said shocked and I mean it.

Good Day Sunshine

calipatrick — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 17:16:36 -0000

Today is the day, my friends. Like a distant ray of sunshine on an otherwise desolate evening, today we play for the AFC West championship. For those going to the game, be loud. For those at the Murph in spirit, be loud to anyone walking by you. We will feel you from the stadium.

Just a few short weeks ago this season was over in the minds of many. Some stopped paying attention, some began their post-season reviews, and others started to cheer for the losses because they wanted a good draft position. The rumors of our death were greatly exaggerated.

It’s the darkest before the dawn and being 4-8 certainly qualifies. As a team and a community we have been through so much this season. Today is our shot at redemption. Today is about the last man standing. Today is our final opportunity. Today we play for the playoffs. We are here, ready to play/cheer/yell, everything.

And we must all thank sdsuaztec4 for firing Ted Cottrell. Very prescient, indeed. Allright, let's do this like the bootiz.

Bring.

It.

On.

Hater Nation

calipatrick — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 02:26:12 -0000

Hater Nation

"This is why you don’t count out a football team coached by Norv Turner. Because eventually, his teams will do enough to get you excited – only to let you down in the end. Kind of like that Hooters waitress who you thought was into you. (She wasn't.)"

The Hater Nation is blog I tend to read a lot.

p.s. Today I had a Faders hat-wearing fan in Fillipi's in Little Italy call my Charger jacket faggy. I smiled and told him he was hateful, which enraged him more. Man I love the Chargers.

Death Match Against The donkeys

calipatrick — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 00:44:08 -0000

With the game next week being a battle to the death of the season, I remembered a couple comments from the kind people over at MHR. They are an excitable bunch, really trying to become a relevant football team in the eyes of the Chargers. I believe they accomplished that this year. But, as happens sometime when people get excitable, they got a little too enthusiastic.

Here I present to you just a little reminder about what the donkey fan's were saying last week at MHR. To repeat, this is what they said on December 14, 2008 and we have our game against them on December 28, 2008.

Anyone know where I can get my AFC West Champions hat?

i would like to announce
DENVER BRONCOS YOUR 2008 AFC WEST CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!!!

That one above was from Mr Troll him/herself robbo650. Did they get that leash for you yet? Nothing personal, I can assure you. I am refering to the Troll Leash(TM).

which brings me to some gentleman's tag...

MHR is great, but celebrating a 2008 AFC West Championship on MHR is amazing.

and just for fun, here is Mr. Leash him/herself one more time. robbo650 with my personal favorite:

OFFIACL THE BRONCOS ARE YOUR 2008 AFC WEST CAHMPS!!!!!!

Being a San Diego sports fan you never get ahead of yourself. Right around the corner is always a let down. Maybe, just maybe, it would be our fault. Maybe we would get too excited and our team would lose to teach us a lesson.

This year was something different. As many talking heads names us likely super bowl contenders, many Charger fans left that talk alone. We know what happens when you get ahead of youself and start getting pompous about something you haven't even done yet; Karma will come and bite you in the butt.

Karma, my friends, is what has visited the donkeys this season. Well, that and no running game. At the minimum, we have for ourselves one heck of a game next week. And we have all week to get excited.

Bring.

It.

On.

Poll

Did the donkeys win the AFC West Championship last week?

No

11 votes

hahahaha!! suckas!

17 votes

28 votes | Poll has closed

Cromartie: trying too hard a/k/a is it liquid or solid?

calipatrick — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 20:12:34 -0000

I just read a quick exchange between Richard and DaBolts (h/t) about our would-be corner of the future. This got me to thinking, I wonder how Cromartie will bounce back next year. After the absolute meltdown against denver he hasn't been the same. The human psyche fascinates me. So I decided to try and put myself in his head. I think he's trying too hard. After all, this is the gentleman who said his goal is to have 15 interceptions this year. "Trying too hard?" one may ask, well let me use an analogy.

Anyone remember, when they were younger, combining corn starch and water? It's a fascinating experience. If you try to push really hard against the mixture with a stick or some such object the resistance is extreme. You can't do it. It's like stone. If you apply the slightest of traction the mixture gives like soft butter to a hot knife. In other words, it changes resistance based on how much force is being applied. If you relax and maybe ease off a little, you get better results.

This is what Ron Rivera (Boricua!) did when he took over the defense. He started slow. He wanted our guys to focus on the fundamentals and not try as hard; He wanted them to focus on the job at hand. Sometimes in life if you ease up you get more done. I remember many complaints that first week against Kansas City about our "vanilla" offense. Mr Rivera was bringing us back to the basics. Remember, one of the big complaints about Cotrell was that he had so much going on that nobody knew what to do; They were trying to do everything at once.

It seems that sometimes you get better results by calming down and not trying to do too much. If you try too hard, you become solid, immovable. You let it go you are better able to move and flow. Do what comes natural cro, which used to be intercepting the ball.

Dear Broncos fans, just let it be for a while, will ya?

calipatrick — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 03:43:43 -0000

Rationalization is a peculiar beast. It is one of about a dozen or so immature defense mechanisms used by psychologists to decribe what humans do to avoid confronting the emotional pain that lies within. In this case, we essentially we state Fact A that only has a tangential relationship to what we are really talking about, and feel placated that Fact A was beyond our control. Case in point. We lost the game. Fact A = we lost because we played poor defense. While true, it is also proper to stand up and say we got robbed. It's ok to be angry. And I will happily project(another immature defense mechanism) the anger I have to the Broncos.

Now, is it just me or does anyone else not want to hear a donkey's fan talk about how our defense didn't play well anyway? If you wanna gloat and rub it in our faces then gloat and rub it in our faces. But spare me the "it's ok" rationalization because, guess what, it's not ok. My Hoculi Hatred(TM) has now turned toward the broncos.

It's gonna hurt. It's gotta hurt. And it will be talked about.

Why is it in football it's considered uncooth to talk about how the game was robbed from us or to talk about how they played dirty? I'll get over it by sunday, but the game was robbed if not by anything else then by sheer incompetence, ours and the officials'. And the broncos always play dirty. I was just surprised the chop block was flagged this time.

Next time I will rationalize the summersalts I do over the grave that is the donkey's 2008 season by saying I am just getting my daily workout in. See how rationalization works? Isn't this fun?