AP
Sometime this century, there's going to be a championship parade in San Diego. What do you expect from a city whose most popular sports celebrity is a mascot?
The Chargers' improbable run to the postseason came to a predictable end with a 35-24 loss to the Steelers. The better team won, plain and simple, and the cold weather in Pittsburgh had nothing to do with it.
I actually had some hope for the Chargers after the Ravens, Cardinals and Eagles all won this weekend to advance to their conference championships. It was set up for San Diego to make it a clean road sweep. But I had a feeling that wasn’t going to happen after Santonio Holmes ignited the crowd with an electrifying 68-yard punt return when his team trailed, 7-0.
The Chargers have won the AFC West three straight years and four of the last five but have advanced to just one conference championship in that stretch.
From 1979-81, the Chargers won three straight AFC West titles but just one playoff game during that span. The Padres have made the playoffs five times in their 40-year existence and advanced to the World Series twice, losing both times.
So without further ado, here are San Diego’s biggest sports disappointments since the Chargers traded Lance Alworth to the Cowboys in 1970.
1998 World Series: Facing a Yankees team that won 114 games in the regular season, the Padres could not protect three-run leads in the late innings of Games 1 and 3. In the opener at Yankee Stadium, plate umpire Richie Garcia squeezed Padres reliever Mark Langston on a 2-2 pitch to Tino Martinez that looked like it was over the heart of the plate. Martinez drove the next pitch into the upper deck for a grand slam to highlight a seven-run seventh inning. In Game 3, the Yankees scored two in the seventh and Padres closer Trevor Hoffman gave up a three-run homer to Scott Brosius in the eighth to put the Bombers in front for good. New York, by the way, won Game 4 to complete the Series sweep.
2006 AFC Divisional Playoff: This one really stung. The Chargers were an NFL-best 14-2 in the regular season and had home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. They had LaDainian Tomlinson, the league’s leading rusher, and a bunch of other Pro Bowl players. They had a 21-13 lead with five minutes remaining and had just forced Patriots quarterback Tom Brady to throw his third interception. On the pick, though, Chargers safety Marlon McCree had the ball stripped by Troy Brown. The Patriots regained possession, went down to score a touchdown and added a two-point conversion to tie it; next, they got the ball back and took the lead on Stephen Gostkowski's 31-yard field goal with 1:10 left, and held on for a 24-21 win when Nate Kaeding's 54-yard field goal attempt with eight seconds remaining fell short.
2007 Playoff Tiebreaker: In a one-game winner-take-all to determine the wild card, Hoffman failed to protect a two-run lead in the bottom of the 13th against the Rockies. Instant replay would have come in handy for the Padres. An incorrect call by plate umpire Tim McClelland allowed Colorado's Matt Holliday to score the winning run on a sac fly. McClelland called Holliday safe after Padres catcher Michael Barrett dropped the ball. But Holliday never touched the plate. Barrett picked up the ball and tagged him, but McClelland did not change his call.
2004 Wild Card: San Diego coach Marty Schottenheimer looked like a genius after transforming a 4-12 team the previous year into a 12-4 division champion. It was the first time in nearly a decade the Chargers were in the playoffs. Hosting the Jets in a wild card game, the Chargers erased a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter, only to lose 20-17 in overtime. And so, it was another early playoff exit for a Schottenheimer-coached team.
Super Bowl XXIV: This was the Chargers' only appearance in the Super Bowl, and it wasn’t a very good debut. Niners quarterback Steve Young threw six touchdown passes in San Francisco's 49-26 victory. The next morning, Chargers linebacker Junior Seau admitted to feeling embarrassed as he sat in the Miami airport. It was the longest flight in his 19-year career and not because it was a cross-country trip.
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Comments (30) Add A Comment
they just ran into the best defense in the league that's all
Sean Connery
Pemberton, NJ
Total Comments (945)
A friend of mine who lived there has the theory that it's just too nice. The weather is always perfect so going out to a game is just such a pleasant experience that the fans show up win lose or draw. The whole laid back aura of the place gets to the players, hence no championships. Sounds weird but maybe it's why places like Pittsburgh, Green Bay & New York seem to get more of the big game winners.
PS the 2006 NE game really was a heartbreaker, never have I seen a team beat both it's opponent and it's self so completely
Mr Steeler
Total Comments (19762)
First, no one likes the Padres--except maybe some people living in San Diego. Second, everyone respects the heck out of the Chargers, and I say that as a life-long Patriots fan. What you're ignoring is the fact that your team makes Norv Turner look good. Turner is a wonderful man. He's just a really crappy head coach. You need someone who can tell LT to stop crying and Merriman to shut the &^%$ up. You also need someone who can call some plays. Look, you guys have more talent than the Colts, and that's saying something. You should dominate your division next year. Stop whining and accept torn ACL's, losses to inferior teams, and missed opportunities like a Patriots fan. (BTW: Thanks for Junior.)
PTSDYNTSY
Total Comments (154)
I can not agree with you more,and i think mostwow gold people will approve,too.
julia5236
Total Comments (3)
Well what do you expect in FanNation?
The Real Captain…
Total Comments (12132)
It's obviously Cleveland hands down. They haven't won a title since the 50s and have had teams in basketball, baseball, and football for the entire time. the fumble, the play, the shot... come on, man! Cleveland is obviously the sports town in the biggest drought.
yngwiescruggs
Tempe, AZ
Total Comments (386)
TEN years? try 50! and Philly before this year was 25.
yngwiescruggs
Tempe, AZ
Total Comments (386)
even in recent memory, getting swept in the NBA finals cavs to spurs 2 yrs ago and the indians choking away a 3-1 ALCS lead to the sawx.
yngwiescruggs
Tempe, AZ
Total Comments (386)
true, our san diego teams don't win very often. when i was ten, it was a lot more important to me. years later, i still root passionately for my team. win or lose, it'll be 80 degrees tomorrow (yes, with some santa ana winds), and life moves along. i feel sorry for those whose life's highlights are the successes of their home teams. enjoy the wins, and shake off the losses.
boge
San Diego , CA
Total Comments (8)
6 years. Clippers from 78-84. Number of chances wise, the saddest sports city in america is San Fran, who have not won a major with 6 different teams in 94 tries.
patrikbraun
Los Angeles , CA
Total Comments (2)
I think some of you guys are missing the point. San Diego has *never* won a championship, but we have had all three major sports, the Clippers for only 10 years.
brgoldsmith
Total Comments (3)
its just kind of hard for a punter to carry you on his back like he did against Indy.
BlackandGold09
Beverly Hills , CA
Total Comments (61)
I guess its pretty hard for the punter to carry the team like he did against Indy.
BlackandGold09
Beverly Hills , CA
Total Comments (61)
I think some of you guys are missing the point. San Diego has *never* won a championship. SD has had all three major sports (the Clippers for only 10 years) and is one of the 10 largest cities in the country. That combination is unique.
To put an even finer point on it, of the top 25 population centers (a.k.a. tv markets) in the country, only San Diego and nearby Riverside have not won any major championships.
Of course, I fondly remember the SD Sockers, who never seemed to lose, and won 8 indoor soccer titles (ooooh)
brgoldsmith
Total Comments (3)
San Diego is not a sport city and let us all accept it. Never will there be a championship caliber team for the San Diegan. Eli Manning knows this and that is why he refused to play for the Chargers.
Maybe there will be some excitement for San Diego Chargers fans next year if the Chargers fires Turner and replace him with Mike Shanahan.
Still Chargers' loyalist
SON
Virginia Beach , VA
Total Comments (3)
San Diego will never be a sport championship city. Just look at the history of the Padres, San Diego Rockets, and the Chargers, they are all losers. This the reason why Eli Manning refused to play for the Chargers. He and his family knows that he is not going to flourish in Chargers uniform. And look at Junior Seau, he now has a Super Bowl ring because he played for a winning team the New England Patriot.
Maybe there will be a little excitement for the Chargers' fans next year if Norv Turner is fired and replace by Mike Shanahan.
Still a true Chargers' loyalist
SON
Virginia Beach , VA
Total Comments (3)
I thought the Clippers were an LA team.
Ash Rose
Total Comments (320)
next stop: Ravens...I can't wait 'til Sunday...a battle for the ages...hate,rivalry...the best 2 defensive teams in the NFL with Reed,Lewis,Polamalu,Harrison...add more hate and this is gonna be a game to remember for years to come...Ravens, a team that I admire y respect but I also dislike against my beloved Steelers,one of the greatest franchises in the NFL....this will be the Super Bowl for the Ravens and Steelers fans....good luck to both teams...
Lakerfan24
Pordenone, IT
Total Comments (188)
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