Posted on 01/14/2017 4:00:34 PM PST by nickcarraway
Some Chargers fans were so dedicated to the team that along with wearing Bolts gear, they also sport tattoos inspired by the NFL team.
But with the team deciding to move from San Diego to Los Angeles for the 2017 season, many San Diego residents are now calling themselves "former" fans.
When the team announced its big move Thursday, some angry fans threw away their jerseys in a growing pile outside of Chargers Park Thursday. One person was even arrested for setting their jersey on fire.
Other former fans are now taking their Chargers' gear to the Sports Arena to be donated to the Alpha Project to help the homeless community in San Diego For many in San Diego, the news of the Bolts bolting is painful.
"I have tears in my eyes, that's how emotional. It's sad," said former fan Vicki Cocke. However, she said getting rid of her team gear is a necessary step.
"It's sad for myself and Charger fans," she added. "But I feel really good that there's people that really need the stuff, and it's good stuff, sweatshirts and t-shirts and hopefully it will help somebody that can use it."
Now, while jerseys are easier to dispose of, Chargers tattoos are another story.
Some tattoo shops in San Diego are sensitive to this plight of former Bolts fans and are trying to help.
Evolve Tattoo posted on Facebook a photo of a man with a Bolts tattoo, along with this offer: "FREE first session for the first three people to book the removal of their charger tattoo!"
The cost of removing a tattoo depends on where it is on your body, but it could add up to around $600.
But, for fans who don't want to remove their Chargers tattoo altogether, there are other alternatives.
San Diego Tattoo, for instance, has come up with some unique ways to cover up that Chargers lightning bolt tattoo. The shop's creative options include a tombstone under the bolt that reads "R.I.P. Chargers: 61-17," adding an angelic halo over the bolt or a tattoo that reads "LAME" -- inspired by one of the many spoofs of the Chargers' new logo. The cover-up options really all depend on how a fan feels about the team now.
"Depending on your price range, and your pain tolerance, I should say, we can either modify these particular bolts or we can completely get rid of them with almost whatever your heart desires," said Scottie Dagger, with San Diego Tattoo.
Meanwhile, disappointed former Chargers fan Alonso Rodriguez plans to get his Bolts tattoo completely removed from his body. He even started this online fundraising campaign to help with the costs of the laser removal. The former fan is trying to raise $2,000 to cover 12 sessions of the removal process. As of 10:30 a.m. Saturday, $205 had been donated to his campaign NBC 7 spoke with Rodriguez Saturday who said he will undergo the first session of the tattoo removal process at a local shop. For him, there is no turning back.
“I am a disappointed Chargers fan, heartbroken that the Chargers are relocating,” he told NBC 7. “I have decided that I have no allegiance to the Spanos [family] or Charger brand but more love to the city of San Diego and its people who I shared Chargers memories with.”
Rodriguez said that if he raises more than $2,000 for his tattoo removal, he will pay the good fortune forward to help cover the costs of another former Chargers fan who may also want to have their tattoo removed.
Another San Diegan feeling the blow from the Chargers bolting is Brian Terrell. He owns the Chargers-themed smog shop called Lightning.
In line with the theme inspired by the former home team, Terrell's shop is decorated with Chargers memorabilia, including a trading card collection from when he was younger.\
Now, Terrell must begin the emotionally painful process of removing every bit of Chargers decor from his business.
"It's still sinking in, even though I prepared myself for this. It's definitely not an easy pill to swallow, so I don't think my wife's gonna be happy with all the stuff in the garage, but I think that might be the way it's gonna go," Terrell said.
Terrell told NBC 7 his shop is offering this deal to former Chargers fans: "We have a special going on right now. If you come in for a smog test, we'll remove your Chargers stickers for free, no extra charge."
Sorry, there is something wrong with people that are this emotional vested in a team.
Why would they get rid of it?
Probably going to be an expensive collectible.
When they die it could be worth something.
Doubt LA will support two NFL teams. LA is now more a basketball and soccer town.
More LA fans will root for the Raiders, even if they play in Las Vegas.
Baby Bro from San Diego is a little shot down too, and he’s not even a football fan. There’s a civic pride aspect to it - ask former Sonics fans - that transcends sports, even if only a little. “What will we do for professional sports?” he sez. “Well, there’s the Padres,” I sez. Long, painful silence...
Hilarious!
I’m in San Diego
and Pathetic describes it.
On and on it goes...just ridiculous.
There are few things in this world that I’m so emotionally connected to, that I’d be willing to permanently ink their memory into my skin. A sports team is not one of them. Not even close.
L.A. always has been a college football town, regardless of what outsiders have been saying. Even before the lakers moved in, USC/UCLA has been the norm.
And there was a reason why no LA team ever survives. Now there’s 2 of them, and I;m not emotionally vested in any of them. However, this town has always had loyalty to the Raiders. I can count more Raiders stickers on cars and trucks and rarely see a Rams sticker.
It’s going to be embarrassing when the Chargers “host” the Raiders and 90% of the fans in the stands will be wearing Silver and Black.
Dean Spanos, his family, and his “special advisor,” the dishonest, corrupt Clinton-era toilet brush, Mark Fabiani, are crooks. The Spanos Crime Syndicate weren’t willing to contribute one dime of their personal wealth toward a new San Diego stadium, and they negotiated in bad faith for years with shifting & vague poison-pill demands in order to move the team to LA. Now, for $1, Spanos will become Stan Kroenke’s Bitch and the most hated team owner in America; he already is the cheapest and the most stupid. The other NFL owners dislike him, LA sports fans hate him, and now (former) San Diego fans hate him, too.
Enjoy sucking in the City of Angels, Spanos Grifters, and getting booed by hordes of Raiders fans who want the Silver & Black back, and know now they won’t get them.
— San Diego resident
It will support to teams: The Lakers and the Dodgers.
LA is a college football town. We have the Occidental College Tigers and the USC Trojans, so we don't need the NFL.
He’s still better than Jed York.
Given such disloyalty to fans commonplace in professional sports and the thuggish behavior of many of its practitioners, I am at a loss as to why people invest so much of their emotional lives into any of it.
That’s one thing to be said for college football, at least teams won’t move on you.
Yup. L.A. has always been Raiders Nation and these 2 stupid teams wont change that unless they get deep in the playoffs and they become bandwagon fans..
And they’ll be more Raiders fans in LA than Las Vegas.
Las Vegas is one of those cities where everybody comes from somewhere else and still roots for their former teams.
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