Chargers Lowerings Standards for Sportsmanship and Class

[Joe Jackson]

What is with the San Diego Chargers?
They came into the season opener doing alot of big mouth trash talking which isn't all that unusual.

Well they won the game, which they were losing for 3 quarters and would have lost completely were it not for a couple miscues by the Bears and one particularly unfortunate break. (the mangled punt by the SD kicker and the crazy hop that followed)
Nevertheless, they won fair enough and for the most part common sense and sportmanship should set in and the bad mouthing stop.
But several of the Chargers insist on continuing the taunts and insults ranging from everything from calling the Bears mental midgets to cowards and quitters.

Ordinarily you might dismiss it as just a little bad form, but it has gone on to where it now appears at least a couple of the Chargers, Merriman and Phillips in particular, really don't get it when it comes to sportsmanship and decent behavior.

They have further exacerbated the impression by making inflamatory remarks to and about the Patriots, their opponents for this week. Complaining about everything from losing in last year's playoffs to taunting the Patriots and chattering about the coach and the team cheating them and everybody else. And this week even Tomlinson who I thought was one of the more respected players around the league for sportsmanship and high character has started chirping about the deal.

All of this is just to say, I hope they do make it through the playoffs this year and the Bears get another shot at them in the Super Bowl because I believe if they played again right now the Bears would kick their ass big time and barring injuries or other misfortunes by the time the Super Bowl gets here the Bears will be even more dominant. And will lay their big trash talking azzes low.

[NLK]

What is with the San Diego Chargers?

Ordinarily you might dismiss it as just a little bad form, but it has gone on to where it now appears at least a couple of the Chargers, Merriman and Phillips in particular, really don't get it when it comes to sportsmanship and decent behavior.

Steroids only build bodies, not good character players. Its ok, let them talk crap, we'll see how big & tough they are when they get lit up this sunday.

[Cliff Levingston]

Who to root for on Sunday night? The low-class trash talkers or the cheaters?

[PistonFan4Life]

What is with the San Diego Chargers?
They came into the season opener doing alot of big mouth trash talking which isn't all that unusual.

Well they won the game, which they were losing for 3 quarters and would have lost completely were it not for a couple miscues by the Bears and one particularly unfortunate break. (the mangled punt by the SD kicker and the crazy hop that followed)
Nevertheless, they won fair enough and for the most part common sense and sportmanship should set in and the bad mouthing stop.
But several of the Chargers insist on continuing the taunts and insults ranging from everything from calling the Bears mental midgets to cowards and quitters.

Ordinarily you might dismiss it as just a little bad form, but it has gone on to where it now appears at least a couple of the Chargers, Merriman and Phillips in particular, really don't get it when it comes to sportsmanship and decent behavior.

They have further exacerbated the impression by making inflamatory remarks to and about the Patriots, their opponents for this week. Complaining about everything from losing in last year's playoffs to taunting the Patriots and chattering about the coach and the team cheating them and everybody else. And this week even Tomlinson who I thought was one of the more respected players around the league for sportsmanship and high character has started chirping about the deal.

All of this is just to say, I hope they do make it through the playoffs this year and the Bears get another shot at them in the Super Bowl because I believe if they played again right now the Bears would kick their ass big time and barring injuries or other misfortunes by the time the Super Bowl gets here the Bears will be even more dominant. And will lay their big trash talking azzes low.

I like to watch what he can do on a football field as a player, but his behavior last year after losing to the Patriots in the playoffs I think made a lot of people question his sportsmanship and even his character.

[Jello Biafra]

I think Olin Kreutz summed it up perfectly in his character assassination of Ron Riviera this week.

I think Ron showed you right there why he isn't here anymore. He's kind of a 'me' guy who said too much sometimes. It doesn't [surprise me]. Here's a guy who said after we lost the Super Bowl, 'It's my time [to be a head coach].' So take it for what it is.

It just so happens that the guys doing most of the trash talking, Wilhelm and Phillips, are linebackers. Rivera is the linebacker coach. Classless coach teaches players to show no class. That head coaching job is just over the horizon I bet.

I'm rooting for the Pats. Tom Brady is just so dreamy.

[dougthonus]

Well they won the game, which they were losing for 3 quarters and would have lost completely were it not for a couple miscues by the Bears and one particularly unfortunate break.

On the same hand, if we weren't blatantly offsides forcing the fumble on the 1 yard line, the game may not have been all that close anymore either. It's not like we didn't get any lucky breaks ourselves. I'd say that and the fluke punt (which some have said hit a wire changing it's direction) cancel each other out more or less.

[Joe Jackson]

Well they won the game, which they were losing for 3 quarters and would have lost completely were it not for a couple miscues by the Bears and one particularly unfortunate break.

On the same hand, if we weren't blatantly offsides forcing the fumble on the 1 yard line, the game may not have been all that close anymore either. It's not like we didn't get any lucky breaks ourselves. I'd say that and the fluke punt (which some have said hit a wire changing it's direction) cancel each other out more or less.

Well, if you just want to be contrary then if it weren't for Vasher's stupid 15 yard roughing the passer penalty when the Bears had them stopped on 3rd down the Chargers would never have been on the 1 yard line to begin with. They never got to the 1 yard line due to their own effort or success.
And you could go on forever.

The bears outplayed them for 3 quarters plus, only to be undone by their own 3 mistakes and a fluke.
Point being if the Bears simply eliminate the glaring turnovers, they can win any do over.

[dougthonus]

Well, if you just want to be contrary then if it weren't for Vasher's stupid 15 yard roughing the passer penalty when the Bears had them stopped on 3rd down the Chargers would never have been on the 1 yard line to begin with.

Okay.. So? You don't get to piecemeal remove plays that went bad for one team. I'm just saying you make it sound like the Bears got hosed by a couple freak things. By FAR the biggest hosing in the game came when we forced a turnover on the 1 yard line because we were WAY offsides and didn't get called for it. They didn't show the others in great detail, but it was at least the 3rd time I thought Harris jumped off sides without getting caught. He may have been clean the other times though, it's so close.

The next biggest fluke/freak play was the punt.

The one after that is probably the blocked FG which is just exceptionally rare in the NFL.

They never got to the 1 yard line due to their own effort or success.
And you could go on forever.

Well they certainly still would with overwhelming likeliness scored a FG on that drive still.

The bears outplayed them for 3 quarters plus, only to be undone by their own 3 mistakes and a fluke.

They were up by 3 points due only to Chargers similar mistakes though. If we hadn't gotten a turnover to generate our lone 3 point strike, then we'd be in a draw. It's not like we "dominated the game", both defenses were equally dominant, both offenses only scored on a short field.

Point being if the Bears simply eliminate the glaring turnovers, they can win any do over.

What is so glaring a turnover about Rex throwing an INT or our RB fumbling against an elite defense? The only turnover that was fluky or unusual was the punt.

If any team could eliminate all turnovers they'd win the vast majority of their games.

Anyway, I agree with you in general that the Bears could have won the game if it weren't for offensive miscues. I am just not reading much into that. The Bears have an offense which is highly likely to have miscues. The Chargers could have easily (and IMO likely) still won if neither offense had miscues and their offense is the more likely of the two to play a lower TO game.

[Jello Biafra]

Well, they just got their a$$es handed to them 38-14 against the Pats. Don't think they'll be talking so much this week.