Now that Gambitto has been exposed for lack of knowledge, isn't it time for another team change?

I mean, Hitsquad the fraud is claiming the Black and Yellow these days....

Just saying.....

That talented NFC East?

Swept.

4x Division champs......

What has Eli done for you lately?

Or more specifically what did he do when the Giants had to rely of his arm, like the Chargers had to rely on Philip Rivers?

He watched the playoffs.

gambitto,

get your facts straight.

It was Butler who made the trade with the Falcons that ended up bringing LT and Brees to the Chargers for Vick.The Chargers traded down. They had the Number one. They knew the 4 teams that would pick 1,2,3 and 4 ahead of them would not select RB. The pick they used for Drew Brees was the 1st pick of the second round. Their own pick.

1. LT
2. Drew Brees
3. Tay Cody-great pick there
4. Carlos Polk-career back up
5. Elliot Silvers-not even a special teamer
6. Zeke Moreno-back-up and cut later
7. Brandon Gorin-who?
8. Robert carswell-I remember the names....

That is hardly a good draft. Take LT the no brainer, and the remaining QB with your next pick, that just happens to be the best in that draft available simply because 32 teams including you passed on them. Brilliant.

In 2002:

1. Quentin Jammer-good pick, but you have to try to miss with a top 5 pick.
2. Tonui Fonoti-not even in football
3. Reche Caldwell-just bad
4. Ben Leber-Started because of glaring need, decent in Minn
5. Justin Peelle- 3rd string in Cleveland.
6. Terry Charles-Who?
7. Matt Anderle-Who?
8. Seth Burford-What? Who?

In 2003:

1. Sammy Davis-Miss
2. Drayton Florence-starter
3. Terrence Kiel-starter-*cough*
4. Courty Van Buren-back-up and released
5. Matt Wilhelm starter until last year
6. Mike Scifres-the best punter in the league, with the best game in league history and just missing the best season in league history.
7. Hanik Milligan-with his size and skills to bad he never worked out
8. Andrew Pinnock-very good back-up FB but played behind Lorenzo Neal one of the very best in history.

In 2004:

1. Philip Rivers-Best QB in the league last year(rating-all things considered)
2. Igor Olshansky-Good starter
3. Nate Kaeding- Top 3 kicker
4. Nick Hardwick-Top 5 center
5. Shaun Phillips-Top 10 LB, top 5 rush LB
6. Dave Ball-miss
7. Michael Turner-Top ten RB selected in the 5th round....you kidding me?
8. Ryan Krause-decent back up, but Antonio Gates was picked up in undrafted FA that year....
9. Ryon Bingham-quality versatile back up
10. Shane Olivea-Good RT for a couple of years, released when they found out he was doing dope
11. Carlos Joseph-miss

2004 was probably the best draft in the History of the Chargers, and likely one of the best in history.

2005:

1. Shawne Merriman-Top 3 LBs in the game
2. Luis Castillo-Prototypical 5 technique DE. Top 3 for that skillset
3. Vincent Jackson-Outstanding WR
4. Darren Sproles-4th round and another covetted RB, can AJ pick'em or what?
5. Wesley Britt-miss
6. Wes Sims-miss
7. Scott Mruczkowski-decent back up

Another outstanding draft

2006:

1. Antonio Cromartie-Probowler, longest play in NFL history and can never be broken only tied.
2. Marcus McNeill-top 3 LTs in the league-0sacks in his rookie year as a full time starter and probowler
3. Chalie Whitehurst-good back-up and inquiry of trade odders
4. Tim Dobbins-starter
5. Jeromey Clary-starter
6. Kurt Smith-throw away pick at kicker
7. Chase Page-miss
8. Jimmy Martin-miss

The last two have been discussed in detail.

The point is, you have know idea what you are talking about.

Once he gained full power of the franchise, he forced out Butler hires Marty, Cam and Wade. Let Brees, Michael Turner, Donnie Edwards and Lorenzo Neal walk. Drafted poorly in WR Buster Davis, made questionable acquisitions in Chris Chambers, Eric Weddle and signed unproductive players like Luis Castillo and Nate Kaeding to long-term contracts.Forced out Bulter? Did he somehow give him both Cancer and a Heart Attack? Let Brees walk? He offered him a 30 million dollar contract to be the back-up. He drafted a better QB, what was he going to do, keep the other guy? Chris Chambers sparked the offense, helped River become an elite QB and helped carry them to an AFC title game. Something Marty could not do with John Butler at GM.

Luis castillo, unproductive? Why then when playing the Vikings was Adrian Peterson held to 46 yards in the first half prior to his injury, and rushed for over 250 yards after? You have to get over the Nate Kaeding thing......name 10 beter kickers.

Stephen Cooper is better than Donnie Edwards at MLB. Michael Turner....again who are you going to get rid of? The best RB in the history of your team, and top 3 all time in the history of the league, or the back-up that spells him and wants a 50 million contract? Lorenzo Neal is 38 and in decline. For the first time in 12 years he did not block for a 1k runner.

A.J. Smith has dismantled all of the hard work that Butler had put in place for the team to be a Super Bowl contender. Now with a 4-7 record and a head coach in Norv Turner that the players are all throwing under the bus, it's time to clean up the mess. The first order of business is to fire GM A.J. Smith and head coach Norv Turner. If the Chargers want to make Ron Rivera the head coach, then do it. Just surround him with quality coordinators. It looks like Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel may be available. That would be a good start to 2009.They couldn't win a playoff game with Butler and Marty. Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel? They guys that had help from a video camera? Have you even watched football lately?

What is with this sudden Charger fan to team x fan hatred from you Hitsquad, um, I mean gambitto?

What were you saying there Hitsquad? Well maybe you are not one of hitsquad's multiple IDs, but you did used to be a Charger fan.

This is absurd.

AJ Smith is one of the best GM's in the league. The only real mistake we have seen from him is not saying that he will do everything humanly possible to keep LT a Charger.

Rivers is easily a better QB over Eli and Big Ben, and AJ stole multiple picks in that trade.

Kaeding is a top kicker, and Weddle finished the season strong.

To say that Smith accomplished nothing in building the most talented roster in the NFL is childish and shows your lack of knowledge.

People forget that when John Butler took over and fired Mike Riley, he had the opportunity to hire Norv Turner as the head coach since he was the OC at the time. He knew better and went ahead and hired the best coach he could find in Marty and the best coordinators available in Cam Cameron and Wade Phillips. He had no personal relationship with Marty or Cam and knew Wade from his Buffalo days. Butler knew he had a large project in front of him and hired the people to help guide the team to a winning franchise. It was Butler who made the trade with the Falcons that ended up bringing LT and Brees to the Chargers for Vick.

After Butler's passing, A.J. Smith inherited the job and began to dismantle Butler's work by trying to eliminate Brees immediately. Then butted heads with Marty even though he coached the team back to respectability before A.J.'s rise to power. A.J. was determined to get rid of Marty.

Once he gained full power of the franchise, he forced out Butler hires Marty, Cam and Wade. Let Brees, Michael Turner, Donnie Edwards and Lorenzo Neal walk. Drafted poorly in WR Buster Davis, made questionable acquisitions in Chris Chambers, Eric Weddle and signed unproductive players like Luis Castillo and Nate Kaeding to long-term contracts.

A.J. Smith has dismantled all of the hard work that Butler had put in place for the team to be a Super Bowl contender. Now with a 4-7 record and a head coach in Norv Turner that the players are all throwing under the bus, it's time to clean up the mess. The first order of business is to fire GM A.J. Smith and head coach Norv Turner.

If the Chargers want to make Ron Rivera the head coach, then do it. Just surround him with quality coordinators. It looks like Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel may be available. That would be a good start to 2009.

Let's get real here. I am a die hard bolts fan, and will always support them, whether they're 16-0 or 0-16. That being said, I can relize a problem when I see one.

In all honesty, no one can pick talent like AJ Smith, but that's all he can do. He has taken what should be a championship team and turned them into a mediocre club. You give him too much credit for good things he has done. The good has been well over shadowed by the bad.

Let's just analyze some of his decisions.

Drew Brees or Phil Rivers, who wins that one? Don't give me the whole Brees was injured crap, that's why you franchise him one more year just to be sure.

Donnie Edwards or Matt Wilhelm? That's not even a close one, next.

Lorenzo Neal or Tolbert? Who's Tolbert? Oh he's the guy that just missed his block, again, but that's alright, he fits better into the Chargers scheme. The scheme that needs a fullback who can catch better, because why get better run blockers when you have the best all time running back ever. We're much better as a passing team after we cut one of the best if not the best QB playing in the league.

Marty Schotenheimer or Norv Turner? Marty's coaching turned the skillful roster into a championship caliber team, that loved and rallied behind their coach. Norv took a championship caliber team and plunged them into mediocrite. Under Norv, a coach who was let go by the Chargers for being a bad Offensive coodinator, now finds himself at the helm of a sinking ship, because he can't inspire a team that by all rights should be favorites to win the superbowl.

These are just a few examples of how AJ's arrogance and overall football ignorance has ruined one of the most talented franchises in recent history.

If the Spanos have an ounce of common sense in their collective empty heads, they'll scrub smith and hire some half decent pop warner coach to replace him.Honestly my Dead grand mother could run a football team better.

When a Head football coach takes a team to a 14-2 record and he wants to hire a relative to his coaching staff, you let him. If the general manager has a problem with it then he needs to go.

I love the Chargers and always will, but I have the clear vision to see that their problem eminate from within. AJ smith and his puppet Norv Turner have destroyed this teams championship chances.

Oh, one more thing. It was Butler that put the core of this team together. The roster was great because of Butler. AJ Smith has slowly but surely dismantled what Butler built, and that is why the Chargers stand at 4-7.

In my opinion, there was only one GM worse than Smith, and the Lions finally fired him. AJ Smith should be nothing more than the head talent scout. He needs to leave GMing to people who are a little more humble and can put the needs of the team ahead of their own giant ego. When you get rid of or force players out because you didn't pick them or they disagree with you, you're a horrible GM.

I've got to disagree on the negativity around Eric Weddle.  I'm probably biased because he's on my fantasy team - yes, I play in a big-boy league with IDPs - anyhow, he's fantasy gold, as we award 1 pt per tackle - he's a tackling machine at free safety.

You're making a bad assumption here stating that he always gets burned - he's a free safety, meaning he's the safety valve for when the corners get burned - the blame here should squarely be placed on the ineffectiveness of Quentin Jammer and Antonio Cromartie.  Weddle's doing a good job as a free safety.

I wouldn't exactly declare the Chargers season to be over just yet. They may not have a shot in the wild card but Denver has not proven to be an elite team and the Chargers are only two games behind them.

That being said, changes should be made in the coaching staff. I don't know if you could fault the GM though because the team does have a lot of talent. With Merriman playing, the defense probably would have been a lot better. Cottrell was a big part of the problem and Rivera has started to get the defense to play better. LT is having a rough year but he probably still has another big year left in him. I wouldn't be too worried for the future of the Chargers. Rivers has the offense moving in the right directiong and he has some weapons and LT is not through yet. The Chargers should be fine with some new coaching next year.

What happened to your avatar Gambito? =(  Did CBS take it down? That's weird. It is a shame if they did....I already miss it

Good comment but how about spell check? Crappy spelling like "ben phoenominal" (been phenomenal) makes you look more like a dumb jock than a decent writer. San Diego Dave