The San Diego Chargers have selected Antoine Cason, cornerback out of Arizona.

I like this pick. It was not a shocker, mostly automatic at this point.

The Bolts needed another standout corner alongside Antonio Cromartie. Cason is the type of guy that can step in right away. I don’t know if he can be a shut down player, and he won’t be the fastest guy on the field, but he spreads himself around. 

Most of all I like his character. Appears to be a good guy, smart and looks like a real gamer. Mentally tough and understands the game. That’s huge.

 Again, it might have been a easy pick, but the Chargers are fortunate to have a player like Cason.

At this point, time for the Chargers to take a break. No 2nd, 3rd or 4th round pick. See you back at selection #160 unless there is a trade. Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em.

The NFL has released the 2008 schedule. Here’s what the Bolts now have on their things to do list. Insight and thoughts forthcoming. Let’s just soak it up first…

Week 1 - Sunday, September 7 1:15 pm  CAROLINA
Week 2 - Sunday, September 14 1:15 pm  @ Denver
Week 3 - Monday, September 22 5:30 pm  NY JETS
Week 4 - Sunday, September 28 1:05 pm  @ Oakland
Week 5 - Sunday, October 5 10:00 pm  @ Miami
Week 6 - Sunday, October 12 5:15 pm  NEW ENGLAND
Week 7 - Sunday, October 19 10:00 am  @ Buffalo
Week 8 - Sunday, October 26 10:00 am  @ New Orleans (by way of London, England)
Week 9 - Bye
Week 10 - Sunday, November 9 1:15 pm  KANSAS CITY
Week 11 - Sunday, November 16 1:15 pm  @ Pittsburgh
Week 12 - Sunday, November 23 5:15 pm  INDIANAPOLIS
Week 13 - Sunday, November 30 1:05 pm  ATLANTA
Week 14 - Thursday, December 4 5:15 pm  OAKLAND (only on NFL Network)
Week 15 - Sunday, December 14 10:00 am  @ Kansas City
Week 16 - Sunday, December 21 5:15 pm  @ Tampa Bay
Week 17 - Sunday, December 28 1:15 pm  DENVER

Week 11-13, 15- 17 subject to flex schedule.

Chargers linebacker Stephen Cooper was suspended sans paycheck for the first four games of the 2008 season for violation of the leagues policy on steroids and related substances, according to the teams official website.

Cooper will be eligible to play as of week 5, that’s October 5th at Miami. He will be able to play in the preseason, however. Yay.

Cooper’s semi-mea culpa was pasted on the Chargers website: “I regret that I mistakenly took a stimulant that I did not realize at the time was banned by the NFL. I support the NFL’s anti-doping policies, and understand that I must serve a suspension even though the stimulant that I took was not used before any game and was not used to enhance my performance.”

While I respect Cooper taking responsibility for his actions, the “I did not realize” excuse is really weak. You are getting paid millions of dollars, might want to double check that the pills you’re throwing back aren’t on the NFL’s no-no list. Ask a trainer, coach, agent, anyone with a vested interest in your life if this drug you’re taking is permissible. It sounds like a no-brainer to me, especially if you’ve been popped for possession of steroids in the past.

Can’t help but be reminded of fellow linebacker Shawne Merriman getting busted for ‘roids and missing four games in 2006. I’m sure these are two isolated incidents. Nevertheless, the linebacker corps isn’t learning from their mistakes.

Norv and A.J. need to peak around the locker room more, but players really need to police each other. This team is so damn close to going to the big show. The Chargers defense is really coming together and the last thing they need is the steroid stigma.

The window to capitalize on this talented group grows smaller every season. Cooper’s actions hurt himself, and as a result he weakened a team.

Strong safety Clinton Hart inked a new five-year contract this week according to Chargers.com. Hart will stay in San Diego through the 2012 season. Financial details weren’t disclosed.

Looks to be a good move for the Bolts. Hart became a starter last season and earned it with solid play. While cornerback Antonio Cromartie stole most of the headlines last year on defense, Hart did his job well and solidified his spot on the team. Not too bad for a guy coming up from the Arena League.

 Props to A.J. Smith and company for locking Hart in a season before he was due to be a unrestriced free agent. Hart’s going into this season without that deal looming over his head, which is huge.

On October 26th, 2008, the San Diego Chargers will combat the New Orleans Saints… in London. It’s considered an away game for the Bolts so the ticket holding faithful don’t have to worry.

While I can dig on the NFL wanting to expand outside America, I don’t want to see the NFL become too gimmicky in its marketing of our brand of football across the pond. The billion dollar behemoth no doubt wants to tap back into the market after NFL Europe folded quietly into the night. This match up will be the second ever regular season game held outside the states, and probably not the last. Word has it the Bills will travel to Canada to give the CFL fans a treat.

I suppose it’s advantageous that both teams will have a bye week afterward, but between the jetlag and neutral ground it could still take a few days to get back in the groove. I don’t forsee any ill-effects from a player standpoint due to the game, but the ratings/revenue stunt doesn’t seem fair from a fan standpoint. Saints fans lose a home game. In a world where there are only eight, very precious games to watch in your city, having one transplanted to those who play football exclusively with their feet could be a tad annoying.

If the NFL was in dire straits financially I would applaud the effort, but aside from a plan of world domination, I don’t see how playing games on different continents will help the NFL. What’s next? A franchise in London? New division, the NFC/AFC Waaaaaaaay East? We know a NFL farm league is a bust over there. Is this to boost satellite TV revenue so Great Britain will get glued to the game, watch it over Manchester United? Not bloody likely.

Brett Favre. The Brett Favre has announced his retirement. One of the best to ever play the game has hung ‘em up. Said ‘so long’. Walked away before he limped away… at least for now.

Before I dwell into a Favre-tastic tribute and get all misty, let me share a fun fact about myself- I tend to watch a fair amount of television. Over the past year I’ve caught shows called Battlestar Galactica, Knight Rider, Bionic Woman… perennial classics from a bygone era thrust back into our lives. Why are these shows back? Can we just not let them go? Are the shows out there just not as good? I digress.

I see Brett Favre as of one of the last quarterback god’s to (allegedly) step away from the game. Joe Montana, Dan Marino, Jim Kelly, Troy Aikman, Steve Young were masterful in the NFL throughout for the last few decades. Favre was in their class. Peyton Manning might be on the tail end of that list, but I still feel he’s of the newer generation. The next batch of greats is a list we’re still waiting to fill out beside Brady and Big Ben.

As with our television habits, it’s tough for us to tear away from what’s familiar, from what was great. When we’re left with a crop of, with all due respect, the inferior, we long for what’s gone.

Society tends to have a short attention span these days. It bodes well for those of yesteryear, which is why I feel Brett Favre will be lured back to the field. He’s going to see the endless tributes on television and be inundated with interviews where the media kisses every part of his ass, and rightfully so.

With parity what it is in the league, ticket sales where they’re at and our fancy for the former so manic, Favre’s going to get courted like never before.

I hope he stays retired. I’ve had the pleasure to see so many of Favre’s games and watch in awe at his powerful performance week after week, season after season. The man made a helluva run last season and came so close to making it to the big show. He fell short. But you can’t keep trudging on hoping you go out in a blaze of glory, hoisting that Lombardi Trophy with teary eyes and the overwhelming sense of validation that eases the pain of leaving the thing you love the most. Elway was lucky. Marino wasn’t. Favre has a ring.

It boils down to what Kenny Rogers said which was proven to me after hundreds of nights at the blackjack table: you gotta know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away… and know when to just retire.

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Chargers linebacker Shaun Phillips got on his blog horse about athletes being targeted by criminals and dealing with general thuggery (“Athletes under the gun”).

Phillips makes a few good points. We are seeing more and more athletes being the victim of a crime, such as Sean Taylor. However, I don’t think bringing media attention to this phenomenon will have a snowball effect leading to more crimes against pro athletes.

The bottom line is this: athletes are likened to celebrities and have to accept the trials and tribulations that come with their paycheck. Of course this attention should never beget any kind of crime against an athlete, but these days it appears to be an unfortunate side effect of fame and fortune. I don’t want to sound overly cynical, but this growing epidemic of violence geared toward athletes doesn’t appear to be going anywhere.

The following has nothing to do with Shaun Phillips, but more often that not the blame rests with the individual in question. There are some pro athletes who have a shady to questionable past then receive a windfall of money and attention. They fail to shed former partners in crime, if you will, and their past invariably catches up with them. Many players run with an entourage, some of whom might be armed. It’s a recipe for disaster. Players across any sport would be wise to remember: you’re only as successful as those around you.

Chargers cornerback Antonio Cromartie had a damn good year. In case anyone missed his remarkable exploits, he kept on rolling into the Pro Bowl.

The AFC might have gone down to the NFC 42-30, but Cromartie did his thing- grabbing two deflected balls, returning one for 56 yards.

It was his first time in the Pro Bowl but it seemed like any given Sunday for Cromartie, who also led the league in interceptions this season.

There is nothing but potential for this guy. Young, flies around the field and gets the position.

There is always a degree of luck when a ball is deflected, tipped, tapped or slapped into your hands, it still takes skill to put yourself in a playmaking situation on the field.

A shutdown corner in this league is precious. The ability to subdue a number one receiver is prime.

Turnovers are probably the most important things in a game. And when you have a guy that can snag balls out of the air like Cromartie does, you’re never out of the game.

While I am not a Giants fan by any stretch, I am a perfect anti-Patriots fan.

With a loss in the Super Bowl the Patriots season was not perfect. They were still great, maybe one of the greatest. They have crushed records, teams and dreams. There was one more to go. They could not finish. Their luck has finally run out. This Pats team could not be better during the season, yet they were not good enough in the Super Bowl.

Eli Manning to David Tyree.

Unbelievable.

We’re all hip to giving big plays big names, so what do you think? ‘The Scramble’? ‘The Catch II’? I like ‘The Great Escape’. Or, what about ‘The Giant Killer’.

And if you need a moment of solace Patriots fans- the following tribute is for you.