Posted on 12/05/2004 6:05:57 PM PST by macbee
SAN DIEGO (AP) -- The San Diego Chargers' long nightmare is coming to an end.
The Chargers -- yes, the Chargers -- took firm control of the AFC West by hanging on to beat the Denver Broncos 20-17 in a wild one on Sunday. LaDainian Tomlinson ran for two touchdowns and San Diego's defense saved the day by intercepting Jake Plummer four times, including in the end zone in the closing minutes.
On a rainy, cold and windy afternoon, the Chargers proved that water and electricity do mix, although it took them until the final play to do so.
Playing their biggest game in 10 years, the Chargers (9-3) clinched their first winning season since 1995 and took a two-game lead in the division over Denver (7-5)...
(Excerpt) Read more at sports.espn.go.com ...
Good. My brother called me from the rain before the game and he'll probably be calling tonight from the G-Spot. Go Chargers!
Is Lee "Hacksaw" Hamilton still calling the games?
Great old uniforms, too.
Their turn around has been amazing, going from the worst team in the league to apparent AFC West champs. They completed a 3-week 3-game sweep of their division rivals today. Not an easy task by any stretch, especially with 2 on the road. Denver is striking me as a "pretty" team that can't play well except in ideal conditions. They lose at home in a snow storm to a Northern California one week, and in wet conditions to a Southern Cal team the next. It's the Broncos who should thrive in these poor conditions.
I have a long standing love-hate relationship with the Chargers, dating back from the early 60's when they played their games in Balboa Stadium, right behind my high school.
For the past 40+ years, almost every time I let myself get seduced by the Chargers, I end up getting jerked around and broken hearted.
Maybe not this year.
They're looking rough and tumble.
Like winners.
..and a 1982 AFC Championship game ping to you. LOL!
No, thank the Lord. Hamilton was arguably the worst radio play-by-play man they've ever had, with his worthless "everyone into the pattern", to which I would scream "Everyone WHO and what PATTERN, you maroon??!!"
No, it's Dan Rowe on play-by-play and good ol' Hank Bauer handling color. They do a fine job and are certainly having a better time this season calling games for a smart, tough football team.
The early 90's were a great time for So. Cal sports talk radio -- Hacksaw in his prime, Chet Forte (RIP) and Steve Hartman, and a pre-syndication Jim Rome.
....and the Chargers had a pretty good team.
The Bolts should go 3 - 1 with that line-up, but Tampa Bay is surging and the KC game will be a touch-and-go affair.
XTRA-AM ("The Mighty 690") essentially "moved out" of SD and up to LA a few years ago and just last week reportedly had all its sports programming (Raiders, Clips, and Bruins) transferred to KLAC (570), so it will pretty much cease to be a factor in SoCal sports broadcasting. Hamilton apparently still has a show on XTRA, but I haven't listened for years. His "high speed newswire" (which could be timed by calendar at times) and other schtick turned me off a long time ago.
I should also note that XPRS-AM ("The Mighty 1090") replaced XTRA on SD sports radio and just announced that Ted Leitner("the man, the myth, the legend") will take over as announcer for SDSU football and hoops. Leitner already handles Padres games for 1090 along with Jerry Coleman, so it looks like it's "all Ted, all the time" for Padres baseball, SDSU, and sports-talk.
Hey !! It's Bambie. The guy was a treat to watch. Amazing.
Getting rid of David Boston was a smart move too. Did y'all here he got suspended for 4 games for steroid use? Of course he's out for this season already due to an injury. I'm sure the Dolphins are slapping their heads wondering what they were thinking in bringing him in.
I am a Cowboy fan, but I remember growing up watching Dan Fouts, Kellen Winslow and Charlie Joiner. Boy those Chargers were fun to watch! Air Coryell. I think Dan Fouts, had he played on a consistent contender with a defense worthy of the name, might be remembered as one of the top five all time. That arm was strong!
Ah, was that the game where Kellen Winslow had to be carried off from heat exhaustion? The school-yard lateral play? What a great game!
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