I have a complicated relationship with the Chargers and Raiders. I’m a well-documented Broncos fan but here’s the story of how I fell in love with the rest of the AFC west.
I started watching sports as a means of well, socialization, I needed friends. Going into junior high I didn’t have many of them. Until I went on a group trip to Colorado with my dad for some church youth thing. I was paired with a group from Louisville CO, that’s all I remember about that group (we didn’t keep in touch afterward) but I also remembered the one thing that would change my view of my peers for the rest of my life. The group was filled with Denver Broncos fans. It was the weekend after Tebow Mania and everyone had a palpable sense they could knock off the patriots. The entire long weekend we had been having fun. Playing football, going rock climbing, and eating pizza (notably, no one wanted to be in the arcade as I did they were all transfixed by a stupid football game) By the end of the week I wanted to hang out so bad with them, they were the cool kids and they were letting me in. Why? Because I had been invited to skip the closing seminar and the gathering and crowd into their room to watch Broncos Patriots. I begged my dad but to no avail. He said the game would be a blowout, which he was right about of course. The group was so mad they were reserved the next morning and I just kind of did my own thing with my dad. Still steaming I blamed him and the Patriots for my loss of friends (gee this is like most of my psychology I’m learning a lot here, sorry Tom Brady I guess this I why I hate you) I left with a new piece of info. Sports knowledge equals friends.
To the point as I began watching football I discovered the times to get my drug. There was the morning CBS game, then the Broncos game on CBS in the afternoon and a FOX game. Finished off by a fellow I became quite attached with Al Michaels and NBC SNF. The first year I watched the Broncos they had several morning games on the road which left the afternoon slot on CBS open for the raiders. At the time the Raiders were terrible. They were the team I watched out of pity mostly. I was fascinated with their stadium though. I loved the way the late afternoon California sun shaded the field how the baseball outfield invaded the 50-yard line. There fans though were what caught my wonder and admiration. These people were packing a stadium dressed in crazy get ups looking like mad max characters. And their team was losing by 20 points to the buccaneers. That’s what fandom became to me you convince yourself your team is good no matter what. The next year the raiders were on less frequently but I followed the scores closely now in the newspaper on Monday morning. The raiders continued to struggle but I was fascinated by their young new QB Dereck Carr. Carr made Raiders games fun to watch and though he struggled through the first season he looked like a talent. Last year the Raiders began to get going and I probably gave them to much credit. I fell in love with the grey and black and my allegiances were torn a bit. This year that snapped because they kept the Broncos out of the playoffs of course.
Why did I write this article? Because in the middle of a night like a snake the Chargers slithered out of San Diego and crawled into Los Angeles. I hate the Los Angeles Chargers. More than that immortal puppet master Bill Belichecks Patriots. Simply because of the team. I get it, sports are a business, but to leave without even a farewell season, to leave under the cover of night? So often we forget while sports are a business it only survives with fans. Stadiums are built, Salaries are paid, Franchises are built through the money of fans who spend their money on tickets and Jerseys. Who will support these chargers? The Rams are barely surviving in Los Angeles struggling to fill the collesium. You think chargers fans from San Diego are going to keep following the team? The overwhelming response is no. The Chargers will not be able to survive in Los Angeles, they won’t sell tickets. They will play in a stadium that hosts primarily an MLS team. The Chargers will drown in LA and they will have no sympathy from those watching from the decay that will become Qaulcom stadium.
So to the Raiders, save yourself, learn from this. Don’t leave for Las Vegas, if you think the people in San Diego get pissed when you take away the pigskin what do you thinks going to happen in Oak town. If you move to Las Vegas every game will be an away game the market in Vegas is slim to none. The Black hole will not travel; do not rip away a franchise with the fans last memory being that of Dereck Carr being dragged off the field on Christmas Eve. In what may have been the most depressing end to an entire franchises season ever. Stay in Oakland or you will rip out the hearts of hundreds of thousands. Meanwhile in LA, I hope the Chargers slowly die as an organization, become the new Browns of the NFL, have games with a 30,000 seat stadium half full and eventually have to dissolve themselves.
And I hope the residence of San Diego laugh, as they watch the Los Angeles Chargers drown.
