2012, A Year to Remember

Apr 26, 2012; New York, NY, USA; Melvin Ingram (South Carolina) is introduced as the number eighteen overall pick to the San Diego Chargers in the 2012 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-US PRESSWIRE

As many of us well understand, 2012 will be a make or break year for most of the chargers players, staff, and as an all-around organization, if it’s not this year then it may not be at all. This offseason for the team has been a full one and one that will certaintly not be short-lived, the additions and losses will show. We’ll see how the draft and free agency affects the team this year, just another interesting piece in the puzzle that will be the NFL 2012.

However, it’s not just us bolts, the whole league has gone through some changes, i.e New Orleans. A couple years ago in New England, we saw the way Bill Bellicheat rolls, and how disgusted were you all to find out the truth about that dynasty. This offseason, we saw a scenario far worse play out. In all of our eyes it is absolutely and totally wrong to place bounties on your peers, like them or not, where’s the respect gone. I always cheer for my team when a guy makes a huge hit, that’s great, but I never wish that they’re seriously hurt, (well except maybe on the raiders but we’ll talk about that later). In my opinion, the Saints’ punishment was harsh but they all well deserved it, in this new league of player safety that Roger Goodels about, you can’t get away with that. Not only that but then to blaitently lie to him and the players still denying it, give me a break, be a man, be a professional, own up to it, and get on with it. The Saints’ play will be entirely based on how the players can handle the loss of leaders and, “Nastiness” that Williams brought, it will be a very interesting 2012 for the Saints’.

Another change to the league is the moving of a great. For all of you that don’t follow baseball, this MLB offseason, Albert Pujols, one of the best ever, moved from Saint Louis, to Los Angeles but that’s a story for another day. The same happened a month or two ago when Peyton Manning left Indy for Denver, arguably the best quarterback in history will now get to face us at least twice, notice at least. While it is true we have beaten up on Manning in the past, this year will be a different scenario, not situation, but different players, a new setting, and having two games of film on us, will certaintly help Manning. Some people say he’s done, but to me, he’s got a year or two left to play well enought to give his team a chance, they can definately make the playoffs with him at 75%, hey they made it with Tebow, now they have a great right. Facing Denver is going to be tough but our success against them will probably determine how we fare in the 2012 season.

All of us around the league are itching to get back to ball, can’t wait to see our bolts take the field that opening night, even if it is in Oakland. It has been a crazy offseason, and something tells me there’s at least one more turn to come. Whether it’s the year we’re about to get into, the Saints’ play in the wake of bountygate, the development of RG III and Andrew Luck, or the one who Luck’s replacing moving into our home, 2012 sure will be a year to remember, I just hope it’s for all the right reasons.

RRR, Bolt Up