It's Official: I'm Retiring

Farewell, Joe.

Since the best football coach in the history of mankind retired today, I have decided to do the same thing.

We all had a great run for a little while here on the site -- the fans were chanting for Marty, the Norv Face was in full bloom, and we even discussed replacements. As an added bonus, I got to use my History degree for something other than cocktail party trivia.

In a round about way, it was Joe Gibbs that created this site. He built the standard that Norv Turner was unable to live up to, and caused all that angst in the 90s for me (well, maybe all the flannel and grunge helped on that front as well). Having Norv show up again in my back yard seemed like a good opportunity to talk about it again. But I think I've accomplished what I came accomplish, and I don't think I can spend the rest of my life looking for unflattering photos of Norv Turner.

I also learned a valuable lesson: expectations are different here. This wasn't Norv coming in and expected to be the next Joe Gibbs and win Super Bowls, he was just expected to NOT be the new Marty Schottenheimer -- and win at least one freaking playoff game.

Of course, if you think about it, the Chargers are no better off than last year, even with a playoff win. Their worse record this year required them to play a game before advancing to the same divisional round they started in last year. If they lose to the Colts, how can it be considered a more successful season to have fewer total wins and progress no further in the playoffs? I'll tell ya -- when you haven't won a playoff game in 13 years, that's how.

The gift that Norv had brought to the Chargers is having them lose enough games during the regular season to get a positive match up in the first round of the playoffs, win that game, and declare victory. No one expects them to beat the Colts, and there will be no shame in losing in Indy. But due to Norvitude earlier in the year, he gets to put up the "Mission Accomplished" banner and move on to next year.

The key to success: lower expectations.

This has been quite a football season for me, full of emotion, excitement, sadness and silliness. I'd like to thank Joe Gibbs and Norv Turner for the season they gave me. And with that, I'm going to spend some time with my family and find a new venture. But I will leave with two thoughts:

• I really hope Gregg Williams is not another Richie Petitbon.
• And I am thanking God tonight that Norv Turner will continue to be employed by the Chargers so he can't be hired by the Redskins.

Thanks, everybody, it's been real...

Comments

[LVSkin]

I read blogs all the time and I never, ever, ever comment for fear that the stupidity of fellow commenters will become contagious and I will soon find my competitive nature forcing me into a "war of words" where the tools of war are f words and different names for yo momma. Having said that I have enjoyed reading your blog this year as I work with a die-hard chargers fan who a)refuses to acknowledge the 1-15 season of dreams b)vehemently defends Ryan Leaf as "kind of a good guy outside of football" and c)wears his Tomlinson jersey to work after a wild card playoff game win against a decimated Tennessee Titans (!!!) team. Your post about Sean Taylor was great work and I will be sorry to see you go when it looks like there will be a few more years of setting the bar low in the great whales vagina...although I predict Norv will do something to force you out of retirement much like Snyder signing deion forced Gibbs back...

[DC Skins Fan]

Thanks for the site...it was a good run and I enjoyed reliving my Norv angst from the 90s while watching the Chargers flail around early in the season. They may have finished a little better than expected, but I think it was pretty clear that LT rallied that team. Sadly, he can only carry them on his shoulders so far...eventually the void of suck that is Norv Turner will swallow all that talent and leave nothing but a shell of a football team and a bunch of shell-shocked, confused fans wondering what happened to the "offensive genius" they were promised.

Every time the Chargers throw a 2 yard pass on 3rd and long or totally abandon a successful running game in the 2nd half, a Skins fan will get his wings...

[jkrank]

Really enjoyed your site, cringing as my beloved Chargers continued to display enough talent to win games they should win, but not really performing like last year's team.

Sorry to see you go. Hell, maybe Pete Carroll will diss the Falcon's offer and go to Washington.

Or San Diego.