Im not too sure how I feel about San Diego keeping their Head Coach and General Manager after yet another disappointing season. I mean, I could care less if the only time I hear the Chargers mentioned on ESPN is when analysts and experts debate how many more games they should have won, or the tremendous hot streak they go on once the playoffs are out of reach. Actually, I'm more torn on whether or not I agree with the front office's decision to try and right the ship with stability rather than a total makeover.
Dean Spanos, the president and CEO for the Chargers made the decision this week that the team would stick with Head Coach Norv Turner and General Manager A.J. Smith, as he believes the duo gives the team the best chance to win. It seems like he made the decision that made the players happy, and disregarded the fans. After hearing the news, running back Mike Tolbert had this to say: "I’m a big fan. I love playing for Coach Turner. ... I can’t get enough of this news.”
This is where I start to get confused. The only conclusion I keep coming to is that Spanos must have absolute confidence that this combination will turn the ship around. Its clear what Spanos wants: success in the playoffs. This was made evident after Marty Shottenheimer was fired after a season in which his team went 14-2. Given, he had developed a record of playoff struggles during his stint in San Diego, but since he left in '07, has anything gotten better?
Sometimes, the best adjustment a team can make during the offseason is not making a change at all. This tends to be the case with young teams that are finding their identity, not teams like the Chargers who have a veteran quarterback and no real reason not to be dominating the weak AFC West. If you look at how the team has changed in the past few years, the decay is obvious. Losing an aging, expensive LaDanian Tomlinson to free agency is understandable. Letting Darren Sproles slip away is not all right.
Bottom line is, I don't fully understand what Spanos thinks will change by keeping Turner and Smith, but he better be damn sure that he is making the right move because it would be a terrible waste to let this Chargers team that once had so much promise miss their window of opportunity because management doesn't really know what to do. But hey, if Phillip Rivers has actually stopped his whining, then something must be going right.
as always, feedback is appreciated
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