The Chargers were embarrassed by Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos with an historic comeback after the Chargers led 24-0 at half and went on to lose 35-24. Well, apparently the embarrassment turned to anger and restlessness, which is hardly unexpected of any fanbase after a collapse like that. Chargers P.R. director Bill Johnston took to the team’s website with a post entitled “Take a Chill Pill.” (Posting in its entirety just in case they decide to take it down.)
What’s with you people?
Yes, Monday night’s loss was bad. Horrible. Embarrassing.
Ok…enough already. No mas. I get it.
Now get over it. It was a loss. One loss.
Listening to some of you out there, you’d think Monday night was “win or go home” and the Chargers are now packing their bags.
“The Chargers are finished. Done,” said one scribe.
Another wrote, “Bye, bye Chargers. Put a fork in them.”
Sometimes I think Twitter was invented to give people a chance to puff out their chests and talk big, saying things they never would say to someone’s face.
And talk radio … don’t get me started. The old adage your mom used to preach – “If you don’t have anything good say, don’t say anything” – seems to have evolved to “if you don’t have anything good to say, call sports talk radio.”
Some of those folks are probably the same ones who called for former Head Coach Bobby Ross’ job when his first Chargers team started the 1992 season 0-4. I still remember the self-proclaimed experts saying Bobby was “in over his head”. The Chargers went on to win 11 of the next 12 games that year, along with a 17-0 victory in the first round of the playoffs.
A few of the more recent Chargers teams have been declared dead by quacks, only to awaken in good health. The 3-3 Chargers of 2004 won nine of their final 10 games. The ’06 Chargers won their final 10. The ’07 Chargers started 1-3 before winning 10 of their last 12. The ’08 Chargers won their final four in a row and the ’09 team won its last 11 games.
Time to take a chill pill. No one knows what will happen this season, yet alone the next game. That’s the beauty of the National Football League. I don’t know, you don’t know, no one knows what’s going to happen.
If you want these players and coaches to succeed, then support them. Don’t tear them down. What you want and what we all want, including your team, is to know people believe in them.
Look at it this way. We want our loved ones to succeed, and we’ll do whatever it takes to help them. But when they make mistakes, like we all do, we would never criticize or belittle them publicly.
Your team is 3-3, tied at the top of the division, and has 10 games to play. If the Chargers are your team, get behind them and stay behind them. We’re all at our best when we know others believe in us.
I am guessing this will go over like a lead balloon for some fans. For others it will be a mixed bag. I agree with some of it, but it probably isn’t a message that should be delivered by someone on the team payroll.
Bill Johnston has been in the business 24 years and with the Chargers since 1979.
[Related: New Browns CEO Joe Banner: “We Need the Best People”]
