AFC West Preview 2009

(Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

The AFC West used to be the toughest division in all of professional sports. For 50 years, the San Diego Chargers, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs have played each other twice a season, every season. The original cities may have changed, but not the rivalry. There is no other division with a history quite like this one—which in truth is the AFL West, cleverly disguised.

Rarely, if ever, has one team had a clear advantage over its peers for an extended period. Every game in the AFC West is part of an ongoing battle for supremacy. With countless teams folding and moving in all sports over the natural course of time, a 50-year divisional lock down is rare. For a few seasons Seattle was included, but it never felt right—although it did not take long for the Seahawk faithful to develop an intense dislike for the Raiders and their fans...

 In order to help readers understand my individual point of view, I have to admit up front, I am a lifelong ChargerS fan, and these views might be somewhat...umm...  biased ;)

It is not personal, it is genetic. No one wants to take that final dirt nap without seizing one damn day when your team wins it all. I have seen many other teams hold up the Lombardi trophy, some multiple times, while waiting for the Chargers to squeeze a trip through the playoffs successfully. Rest before finishing the job is not an option, but I am not getting any younger.

In my best Tarzan, "Chargers good, rest of NFL bad."

To best explain how I got to this point, I can tell you guys what we all already know. As a fan, losing in the playoffs and the Super Bowl really sucks, no matter who you are rooting for. All that damn work, time, and effort spent getting to January, only to have fate decide today is just not your day, my friend. It rips your soul in half, and all you can do is walk it off.

Chargers fans have been walking it off for decades.

Winning it all has become an eternal quest around here, especially in the fading twilight of The Murph’s last few seasons. San Diego Jack Murphy Qualcomm Stadium may be an old broken-down shell of itself, but I can tell you it is still a great place to watch a football game. It's never boring, that’s for sure. Well, almost never.

It's fate hanging by a thread, all I can say is the Murph will always be my home stadium. When it is finally demolished, for me, it will be like watching the Enterprise blow up in Wrath of Kahn (I date myself., but it’s a good metaphor). It deserves better. The Murph has seen so many great contests, so many records set there. Turing that space into yet another empty set of office buildings seems like such a waste.

When and if the Charger finally have to move, California can more than likely kiss my DMV fees goodbye. It’s become pretty obvious that a new stadium for the Chargers built anywhere within fifty miles of Qualcomm is a long way off. The positive side of this is the Bolts really don’t have a clear-cut option that suits their wishes.

Yet. But deals get done, and teams do move.

Chargers fans face losing their team, and their trusted venue all in one masterstroke. 2009 is a huge year for the future of this team.

As I said, I am a little biased. But I will try to be objective…

First place - San Diego Chargers (12-4) Division Champions

The Chargers are the most talented team in the NFL, and if they don’t win the Super Bowl this season, have no one to blame but themselves. No excuses, no holy rollers, no bull$%#@.

Win. Now.

Philip Rivers is the unquestioned leader in San Diego, and as PR goes, so do the Chargers in 2009. Rivers is Dan Fouts reborn, with greater physical skills than Fouts ever had—and Dan retired as the all-time passing yardage leader. Rivers has tools at his disposal that even Air Coryell would have a tough time matching, man for man. Phillip is a stand-up citizen as well, married and with kids that he adores.

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