So I was waiting in line at J Box on Pacific Coast Highway, and noticed a bunch of guys with cables on the side of the County Administration Building.  They were hoisting up the big "Go Bolts!" Banner.

Now I'm pretty sure this baner made it's debut during the 1994 postseason...  I'm just saying.

Or perhaps Philip Rivers is the next Rivers… Dare I say a step above Fouts?  Rivers being snubbed for the Pro Bowl really got me thinking.  Not to mention watching his performance Sunday, matched up against Pro Bowler Jay Cutler.

Philip Rivers’ 2008 season is one of the greatest statistical feats by a Charger quarterback ever.  Philip Rivers threw 34 Touchdowns and for over 4000 yards.  In 1981 Dan Fouts threw  33 Touchdowns and almost 5000 yards, but by that time Fouts was in his 8^th full season.   So let’s take a little look at how the two greatest Charger quarterbacks stack up against each other over their first three seasons as a starter.  As well as how each quarterback’s best seasons match up.

Now I know this comparison is not fair and might not mean anything, but it’s still interesting.  Fouts came into the league with a terrible team.  He inherited a Pinto, while Rivers was given the keys to a Ferrari.  But both teams were Run oriented.  Even though the Chargers of the mid ‘70’s put up terrible numbers almost half of the offense yardage came on the ground.  There wasn’t a feature back like LT, but in 1973 the Chargers rookie Running Back, Don Wood did rush for over a 1000 yards.

After 1976 the Chargers passing attack really started shaping up.  And when Air Coryell showed up it was just crazy.  We could very well be seeing a similar transition, with this year being the turning point to the passing game. 

In the years to come, the Chargers would look good using multiple Backs with a focus on the pass.  LT says he’ll only play three more years and his role is changing.  As with Fouts, I see Rivers having a long career with the Chargers.  He could very well be our star player until the 2020 season, surpassing all of Fouts’ numbers and just maybe Marino’s and Favre’s too.

My man crush for Philip is only growing stronger.  I’m ready to retire number 17 today.  And Justice would be served if Philip Rivers is named the 2008 NFL MVP.

Just a quick look at how the two loving quarterbacks did tonight:

Rivers:

• 15 for 20
• 207 Yards
• 2 TD
• 0 INT
• 141 QB Rating

Cutler:

• 33 for 49
• 316 Yards
• 1 TD
• 2 INT
• 74.9 QB Rating

Oh Yeah, CHARGERS WON!  

I told myself last night I wouldn't be upset if the Chargers won and Denver won.  I'd only be really pissed if we lost then Denver lost...another Blown oppurtunity.  Well if Denver wins, I'll be pissed!

GO BILLS!

Too bad this game is not on TV.

Tyler Thigpen was a half yard short of giving the Charger faithful a little extra hope.  Now the Bolts are teetering on that mathematical elimination edge.  If the Chargers don’t keep an eye on Thigpen next week the Bolts could very well plummet off the edge, ending our 2008 season.

I don’t know much about K.C.’s quarterback.  I don’t know his stats, his rating, his collegiate background.  I don’t know anything about this guy except for what I’ve seen on two drives.  From what I saw this afternoon one thing is clear, this dude is all heart.  One thing Thigpen is not short on is guts.  The Chiefs aren’t playing for anything.  He put together a hell of a drive, scrambling several times for big gains.  But in the end it wasn’t enough.

Last month I witnessed the same driving force down at the Q.  The Chargers were up by 7 and Thigpen marched down the field to score a touchdown to bring the Chiefs within one point.  Failing on a two point conversion gave the Bolts the win. 

I’m telling you this guy plays best when his back is against the wall.  The Chargers need to do what they did against the Raiders and put up some serious points early.  The Chargers have to keep a decent size lead throughout the game to keep what little hope there is still alive.

Tim Carr’s film “Leaf” is an ill attempt at a documentary about former Charger Ryan Leaf.  This is the worst movie of any kind I’ve ever seen.   It is so bad I don’t know where to start.

Much like the prospect of Ryan Leaf in 2008, I was very excited about seeing this film tonight ten years later.  I figured enough time had passed and it would be funny to look back on those sorry Charger teams headed up by Ryan Leaf.  I thought watching the Leaf story would be very entertaining without bringing back the frustration and disappointment.  Well, there was plenty of disappointment but it had nothing to do with Ryan Leaf.

Jbox and I headed down to the library and hiked up to the third floor auditorium.  As we waited we chatted with other football fans.  Apparently we chatted a little too loud because we kept getting warned by Library security to keep it down.  Is that a real rule, or just an unwritten law?  No matter, soon enough we were let in and took our seats.  Surprisingly the auditorium completely filled, forcing people to stand against the wall or sit in the aisle.

The film started and from the beginning it was a disaster.   It’s filmed in the mockumentary style.  The film is told by actors, and based on their terrible performances are most likely students or friends of the director.  These “actors” try and portray everybody from reporters to fans, to teammates, to Ryan Leaf himself.  Worse than the acting is the editing.  Shots jump around and cut in and out as if they could never get a good take.

The writing is terrible!  “Leaf” is just a retelling of headline stories.  There is zero insight in this film.  The audiences, especially Charger fans, learn nothing new from this film.  Even the general dialog sucks.  And don’t get me started on the d-bag with the guitar or the Peyton Manning fan.  It’s beyond cheese.

With only a few minutes of actual footage, “Leaf” comes across worse than a high school play.  The film could easily have been done better.  I would have liked to see more real footage.   Pretty much everything event portrayed in the film has some real footage out there.  And how hard is it to interview real journalists?  Or Rodney?  Or Seau?  They’ve got nothing else going on.  The story of Ryan Leaf really had potential, but unfortunately absolutely none of it was realized.

Finally after 45 minutes I’d seen enough.  I looked over at Jbox to see his reaction to the crap in front of us.  Sure enough, Jbox had dozed off.  I woke him up and we got the hell out of there.

How appropriate the worst documentary of all time is about the worst football player of all time.  I take only one positive from “Leaf”:  I really appreciate how well the 2008 Chargers are doing.  That’s right; we could all be watching Ryan Leaf out there today instead of Rivers.  Or God forbid this film.