I've had a few folks (not enough to matter) object to my calling The NFL Team that Used To Be Here the Judases, which is fine, although I don't know why.
Has Judas suddenly become a good person? He was a betrayer, a betrayer of Biblical proportions.
I could have called them the Arnolds, which also was the name of a pig on "Green Acres," but the swine was too smart _ or the Benedicts, which is too eggy.
The Spanoses, who own the organization, betrayed us. Not the players or coaches, hence the name. If you don't like it, well, that's a shame. I've had a rather famous former San Diego player tell me he loves it.
But for this column, I will use Chargers some, because it's about more than the current cast of players.
Anyway, prior to the J's debacle in New England last Sunday, usually unsocial media called this the greatest team in franchise history.
It was not. It was good. It had seven players make the Pro Bowl (which no longer means what it used to), three first team All-Pro (which does mean something). It probably had the NFL's most talented roster (which also doesn't mean very much anymore, because the Patriots' roster isn't nearly as good). But the best? No.
It may be subjective, but I think I'm safe here.
If you want to say the 1963 AFL champion Chargers were No. 1, go on ahead. It's close, but I won't go there. It did have four Hall of Famers on it _ Lance Alworth, Ron Mix and coaches Sid Gillman and Chuck Noll. It also won San Diego's only major championship. Was it better than the '63 NFL champion Bears? Never know. Possibly.
It easily could have been the 1979 or '80 Chargers. I prefer the '79 team because it had a better defense and destroyed the Steelers and Rams, the Super Bowl finalists, during the season. It had eight Pro Bowlers, including Hall of Fame players Dan Fouts, Kellen Winslow, Charlie Joiner (a great offensive and defensive line and kicking game) and offensive coordinator Joe Gibbs (head coach Don Coryell belongs in the Hall, but isn't because of losses like the following).
Don's home defeat to Houston, which came to town without its three best players _ tailback Earl Campbell, QB Dan Pastorini and receiver Ken Burrough _ in the divisional playoff game remains the worst in club history.
The top Chargers team? I'm going with the 2006 club, which had by far the greatest roster in The League.
It had: the best running back, LaDainian Tomlinson; probably the best fullback, Lorenzo Neal; the best tight end, Antonio Gates; an outstanding QB, Philip Rivers; Pro Bowlers center-to-left tackle, Nick Hardwick, Kris Dielman, Marcus McNeill, (Mike Goff no slouch at right guard); a solid receiving corp; The League's most dynamic defender, Shawne Merriman; the best nose tackle, Jamal Williams; edge rusher Shaun Phillips; Donnie Edwards, a terrific cover linebacker; Quentin Jammer, a solid corner, and a fine kicking game.
Voice your choice. I'm going with 2006, which went 14-2 and got its coach fired for a reason. The 1979 team didn't get Coryell fired, probably because he was god-like here and didn't coach the five picks Fouts threw vs. Houston.
