Dec 30, 2012; San Diego, CA, USA; General view of Qualcomm Stadium during the playing of the national anthem with United States flags on the field before the NFL game between the Oakland Raiders and the San Diego Chargers. The Chargers defeated the Raiders 24-21. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports

First of all I want to say a big THANKS to all the guys here on BoltBeat!  Everyone has been doing an awesome job keeping us updated on all the off-season antics while I have been busy doing other work and mommy stuff.  Thanks guys!  That said, I have a few minutes in between doing stuff for other people today and of course my mind wanders to football.  I took a little field trip to the Q last week to see my new seats and let me tell you they are incredibly awesome.  So awesome that I could have just sat there all day for the next few months until our first preseason kickoff.  Unfortunately, they told me I could not live there for three months, so I had to leave. 

I gotta tell you, having season tickets raises the excitement bar up a notch.  It’s cool to know where I will be sitting for 10 home Charger games.  The worst part is the waiting.  It was already bad, but now that I have shady seats on the Chargers 40 yard line it’s excruciating!

The Chargers home regular season opener is Monday Nite Football on September 9th.  This is so far away, almost four months!  Nooooo!  But don’t panic, there are preseason games, and they are at night, so no drenched in sweat football games.  Our two home preseason games are on Thursday Nite Football.   The first game in an entire month before the regular season opener, on Thursday, August 8th.  Now, that’s only three months away.  Not bad, but still too long.  We still have OTA’s, Mini Camps and other off-season events to keep us from suffering too much.  The guys are at Chargers Park right now getting ready.  I am sure they think four months is too short, especially the rookies, so I will be patient.

On a side note, I’m thinking it would be super fun to invite a BoltBeat regular along to a game.   I’m not sure what my plan is, but I’m thinking some sort of “why I’m the best Chargers fan and I promise I will not start a fight” comment in the comment field.  I will put all the names into a hat and whichever one my dog grabs to chew on first gets a ticket.

I’ll keep you posted on that and other random stuff that is happening with our Bolts!

#IBelieve

ChargerGirl Cindi

Jan 30, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; Riley Guilmino poses with a New Orleans Saints No. 1 jersey at the NFL Draft exhibit at the Super Bowl XLVII Experience at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Are you ready for primetime and the 2013 NFL draft?  Well are you?  You may think you are ready, but the draft is a marathon, not a sprint.  I compiled a checklist for myself and realized that this may be helpful for others.   Remember, when shopping, cooking, inviting and charging you have three days of fun to fill with good stuff.  Do not plan anything but draft viewing on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.  If you have not already taken the time off, start coughing in front of your boss as soon as you are done reading this!  First round begins Thursday at 5 p.m, Chargers time, followed by the second and third rounds on Friday at 3:30 p.m.  Rounds 4-7 will be held Saturday, April 27 at 9:00 a.m.

NFL Network – Do not be looking for the draft anywhere else.  If you do not have it, call your cable company now!

Drinks – Make sure you have enough on hand for three to four hours of draft viewing over three days.  You do not want to be running out to BevMo in between rounds and miss something.  Also, make sure you get breakfast drinks for Saturday, mimosas or bloody mary’s are part of the experience.

Food – Think snackfest.  Stock up on hummus, pita, chips, veggies, cheeses, crackers, olives, fruits and other things that do not require cooking.  If you are making guacamole, make sure you get at least 20 avocados.  Only thing worse than running out of guacamole is when your team drafts Ryan Leaf!  If you want something hot, think crockpot.  Nacho cheese or chili?  Yes!

Extra Power – Make sure you have power cords for laptops, iPads and phones plugged in and ready for action.

Have fun and enjoy the draft.  #IBelieve

ChargerGirl Cindi

Recipe:  Crispy Potato Skins

What you need:  6 small to medium sized russet baking potatoes (remember to cut off any blemishes and any green parts), olive oil, canola oil, sea salt, freshly ground pepper, 6 strips of bacon (for carnivores), 1 cup grated cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup sour cream, 2 green onions, thinly sliced, including the greens of the onions.

What you do:

1. Scrub the potatoes clean then coat them with olive oil.  Then pop them in the oven and bake at 400°F for about an hour until the potatoes are cooked through and give a little when pressed.
2. While the potatoes are cooking, cook the bacon strips in a frying pan on medium low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Let cool. Crumble.
3. Remove the potatoes from the oven and let cool enough to handle. Cut in half horizontally. Use a spoon to carefully scoop out the insides, reserving the scooped potatoes for another use, leaving about 1/4 of an inch of potato on the skin.
4. Increase the heat of the oven to 450°F. Brush or rub canola oil  all over the potato skins, outside and in. Sprinkle with salt. Place on a baking rack in a roasting pan (don’t use a cookie sheet, it will warp).  Cook for 10 minutes on one side, then flip the skins over and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool enough to handle.
5. Arrange the potato skins skin-side down on the roasting pan or rack. Sprinkle the insides with freshly ground black pepper, cheddar cheese, and crumbled bacon. Return to the oven. Broil for an additional 2 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly. Remove from oven. Use tongs to place skins on a serving plate. Add a dollop of sour cream to each skin, sprinkle with green onions.

Serve these right away and enjoy the Super Bowl with your family and friends!

ChargerGirl Cindi