The San Diego Sports Syndrome

Dec 28, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers (17) gets up after being sacked by the Kansas City Chiefs in the second half at Arrowhead Stadium. Kansas City won the game 19-7. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

The Chargers gave us a roller coaster ride in 2014. At one time, the Bolts were #1 in the Power Rankings and Philip Rivers was given MVP consideration, and at other times, the Chargers broke our hearts and let us down, losing to teams they should beat. I don’t consider the entire season a bust given the tough schedule and personal accolades by some players, but not making the playoffs hurts. My Seahawks wife has been rubbing it in all week. This one stings. This will be forever a season of “shoulda, woulda, coulda.” We should have beaten the Dolphins and not gotten blown out. We would have beaten the Broncos had the refs been a little more attentive. We could have made the playoffs had we beaten Arizona on that first Monday night or the Chiefs in Week 17. I am sure there are a lot more of each as well.

Being a San Diego sports fan has been grueling the past few years. The Padres have been plain bad (though there is considerable optimism for this upcoming season) and the Chargers have not been able to break that glass ceiling and be great. We are also in the middle of a stadium crisis. The “San Diego Sports Syndrome” is when the team from America’s Finest City that you love, feeds you optimism and hope as the season goes along, then drops you like a baby giraffe when it gets to crunch time. The Chargers teased us with the 1994 Super Bowl and the 2007 AFC Championship game, getting oh so close. The Padres with the 1984 and 1998 World Series, along with many missed chances for a playoff run. I have always fantasized about a time where it will be “cool” to be a San Diego sports fan. I want a world where people jump on our bandwagon and by our merchandise. Maybe one day.

We all know what the Chargers need to do to fix themselves: bulk up the offensive line, fix the running game and get an effective pass rush. There is no reason to think the Chargers can’t turn around the team in the offseason. They have some money to spend and a decent position in the draft. In order to shake the San Diego Sports Syndrome, the front office has some serious work to do before next August. I want San Diego to turn into a sports town, not just a town to go and eat fish tacos and surf.