I've had a week to let the loss of (what once were) my Chargers in San Diego last week. Even thought I haven't lived in Southern California for more than 3 decades, I still felt some sort of a kinship with that team.
It's true that the team probably never knew my name, but I knew most of theirs (both players and coaches). I really started following football in 1990 with the Phoenix Cardinals and later the San Diego Chargers.
The Chargers didn't start winning again until 1992 after starting off at a horrific 0-4 clip. My Chargers went 11-1 to finish the season and win the AFC WEST and a home playoff game versus the Kansas City Chiefs. My fandom reached an all-time high at the time.
My fandom would be eclipsed in a big big way in 1994. My Chargers started 6-0 to propel them to another AFC WEST crown and a pair of playoff victories (including an improbable win in Pittsburgh to win the AFC and a trip to Super Bowl XXIX).
That victory and the start of Super Bowl XXIX were the peak of success for my team and would never be reached again.
After that, I suffered through Kevin Gilbride, Ryan Leaf, and Mike Riley among other things before Marty Schottenheimer, Drew Brees, and LaDainian Tomlinson turned things around for my team and gave me hope again.
Some of my best times as a Charger fan were when I got to log some games for CNN and get paid for them. I even went into fanboy mode and bought an LT jersey (I got another one as a gift).
After my team fired Schottenheimer, I suffered from the Norv Turner years (even though he took Marty's team to the 2007 AFC TITLE GAME). I even suffered through the Mike McCoy years (even though we got a playoff victory out of him).
The next best times of my Charger fandom were when I attended the Christmas Eve Monday Night Football Game vs. the Broncos in 2007 and this season's game here in Atlanta vs. the Falcons on October 23, 2016. Little did I know that was the last San Diego Chargers game I'd ever see again.
Now that they've moved on to Los Angeles, a move that nobody wanted. I will always have my memories of them. My three favorite teams are the following, the ones that defied all pre-season expectations: the 1992, 1994, and 2004 teams.
When the Chargers "bolt"ed for San Diego, a piece of my heart was taken away from me as well.
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