Chargers Win For Fans In Possible Final Game In San Diego

Our top story on Midday Edition, if it was the end, it was a beautiful funeral. That's what Sports Illustrated is calling yesterday's game at QUALCOMM where the Chargers rolled over the mining any Dolphins 3214. It wasn't only the final score that made what could be the Chargers last game in San Diego memorable. Joining me to talk about the Chargers, their fans, San Diego history and things that make a football player cry RJ Harris, mighty 1090. Smack and for having me. Jim Steeg is here. Thank you Maureen. J what were your takeaways from yesterday's game. My takeaways this is a 55 year love affair. Grandparents with their kids and kids with their kids. Is a general -- generational bond. I think that gets lost a lot of times when we're talking quartz, spending and raising taxes and all that. That the discussion that needs to be had. On the surface yesterday, it was a melancholy, that it was joyful. People kind of work grasping to maybe this is the and in if it is working have the time. Smack what the people were there. Like the people, 66,000. I think the biggest thing for this season they were mostly charger fans. That's been a big? This year that the other teams come to take over. This was kind of the San Diego party, if you will. If you are invited you had a good time. Wozniak sphere like. It was kind of mixed. Bittersweet if you well. These people come from all over. They get their spot up asphalt. There are disappearing tailgate. There having fun, but right when they got to the certain level, this is great were having a good time, reality came in. This might be our last time. If it was a last call at least they made a strong drink. Smack now Jim, when you were on the stadium advisory board this year, did you think it would come to this, the likelihood of the Chargers leaving? I don't know about bank. I thought it was always the possibility. Hoped against hope. You hoped all the way through this process that there was a deal to be made. I still think there's a deal to be made and it's not a difficult deal to make. I think it's -- you realize what the passionate and what it is -- this bond in this community. You just want everything to work out. I think that the emotion they see from the fans, we've seen it in different ways through the last couple months. When Eric was in town the passion went a little off the rails because everybody got more -- what they were saying with Fabiani out there they attacked him. I think yesterday saw the opposite. They went at it and they were there to celebrate. They appreciated the price players and they appreciated themselves and the history of the team. The jury's -- jerseys that use on TV range from number 19 to 21. Versus number 21 for Tomlinson versus all the web to the Weddle's and the rivers and things like that. They were celebrating the history. J, remind us a few what about the timeline of decisions? -- The NFL owners are about to make and why this could be the Chargers last game in San Diego? In mid-January they're going to have a meeting in Houston at the NFL relocation committee, Los Angeles -- Los Angeles is going to make a Dana felt nothing else they want to present a united front. You've got to remember these are all business partners. They don't want to air the dirty laundry. They are trying to figure it out right now. If anybody tells you that they know what's going to happen, they are probably fibbing a little bit. That's going to be the next big thing. It's possible Jim, as you know that they could come out and say absolutely nothing. I think there's a lot of backroom stuff going on right now. In mid-January we will have an answer. Remember the NFL not only does it hold the cards, it makes his own rules. Smack what does it mean -- What does it mean that they could come out and say absolutely nothing? I think there's going to be a debate on whether that means it's divided -- the league is divided. That I can only think of two times the last 24 years where the link is been divided. That lasted for a period of time when the commissioner election took place in 89 and Jim thinks was going to be anointed as Commissioner and he was not. Because nine people held out. Ironically, the last time was over revenue-sharing that took place. I think with Jay is saying is absolutely true that what you want is a united front. The last thing we want to do is become divided. The arm-twisting that's going on right now back-and-forth, the lobbying that's going on, the phone calls that are taking place I try to make this come out that it's totally unified. No matter how you slice this, somebody is coming out a loser because after three teams potentially going -- to stop spots are going to one spot. That's issued. There may be those that are out there and I believe there are those that are opposed to the whole concept. It's not just the Chargers or the Raiders or the Rams. Is I don't think any of these teams should move. You can take out all the way back to those guys from the NFL sued Al Davis over moving to Los Angeles. I think there are those and the sentiment, wait a second I saw 66,000 people sitting in San Diego yesterday, what do you mean you have struggles. J, you made the point that you think NFL football might have outgrown San Diego. What you mean by that? It's such a grandiose organization business. With that becomes -- we talk about this motion right here in the bond. They look at the bottom numbers. They look at the bottom line. It becomes dollars and cents. Why wouldn't you want to have a team in the eighth largest city in America. Always talking about wanting to grow the pie and get international. There is a border to miles down. Why wouldn't you want to be in San Diego and I think yesterday was a great show of support. That said, if they cannot get the public money, all those other owners, all those other business partners are saying what the heck are you doing? Next time I go ask for public money, they are going to point to the San Diego model. Get a hold out for the government money and that is really the sticking point. Does a city -- does the county with want to contribute. Smack of course we have. -- For the plan -- I think that is an important element in this. If you're going to Los Angeles, it's all private there is no public support their. There's nothing that's going to take place. The charges are going to move out of the facility that they do not pay once and for. They're going to end up going and spending $100 million and buying land or new facility. I think have to look at the whole picture. That's the pressure that's going on in St. Louis where they talk about $250 million whereas we are talking about 350. Walking away from the Turner $50 million. That's important because these stadiums, if you go back 10 years ago, the stadium was proposed here with a $450 million stadium. Somehow we've got ourselves talking 1.5 billion inflation is one thing but these things have gone up threefold in the course of 10 years which is staggering. Smack -- When you think the family -- made the decision. I think the fuse was lit -- there was a study done at that point in time that showed that we don't have the corporate support here. We've got to Fortune 500 companies or top 500 companies and most of our money is in different places. It's a different way to mine money. We've got a lot of new casinos, though, things like that. There is no guy walking like there would be in New York where you could walk down Wall Street and get $.5 million. That's part of were started. The fight took place on the Chargers decided to take a ballot initiative and they'd discussed at the end of 2005 and they took it off the table. Mike Geary was out there fighting and threatening to sue over what was going to take place. I think that was kind of the fuse was lit at that point. I think the other thing that really was probably the final straw was when bomber bought the Clippers. That was a year ago last April. He paid $2 million for the Los Angeles Clippers. They've got great revenue streams and their TV rights locally in Los Angeles. You can see this discussion. We are worth $1 billion and an NFL team. We get $220 million a year out of national TV. We know where the most successfully gives and we the San Diego Chargers are worth $1 billion and the Los Angeles clippers are worth $2 billion. I think that was kind of the final last straw. The bottom line just like you say. That's when it comes down to. These guys are businessmen. They are not sports men. These guys, especially where the families and teams, this is such a big part of their network. You could say you can make a great business case study if he didn't go to LA, he left billions of dollars on the table. He certainly has enough to take care of his family but his legacy -- does he want to be known as the guy like the Portland Trail Blazers passing on Michael Jordan. Is he passing on Los Angeles and have a gap I could be. I want to get back to yesterday's game. How did the fans show their loyalty during the game? I have heard that there was a course at the end of the game -- that supercharger song. Right. It was San Diego -- it rhymes with like. I will not say it. As Jim pointed out the property of different jerseys. We are talking 5+ decades. Everybody had their favorite player and you could see those jerseys. When I levies you could see the old ones. You could see people wearing T-shirts from 1994. You could see them wearing when somebody's number was retired. They came out and not only did they show it during the game but there were thousands of people after the game that stayed. They flipped the light a few times and people still stayed. Philip Rivers and Antonio Gates, they were some of the real leaders of the game and they came out and showed how much they appreciate it. As Jim and I were talking earlier, it's amazing the whole team did not come out and took their hat. Those players got a little emotional. Absolutely. Especially Philip Rivers and he always has his emotions on his sleeve. They made a bond to with these fans. Especially this year, it's been underscored because it has been such a rough season. This would be a year where fans would bail out on you and we talk about the bandwagon jumping on and off. Charger fans of been loyal although a few of them sold their seats to other teams during the season. Smack -- Later on in the program were going to be -- what San Diego might give the Chargers lead. What you think will happen if the Chargers moved to LA lax Deeming the brand. -- Deeming the brand? We have the call here that wants the Chargers to call them selves the so-called Chargers. Do think they with catch on in this much larger market? I think the league has to think about what the future is. Is is the Cleveland Browns scenarios where you leave the name and reputation and everything behind. I know it's highly emotional now that you hear these things -- the daily Tomlinson saying I want to go to the Hall of Fame in two years. Am I going to celebrate that when my wife has been in San Diego. That was great that they retired his number here rather than wait till next year. There is a lot of emotion that's tied -- I would like to see them at a minimum leave the name behind and leave the colors behind and whatever they are and set it up -- I don't think San Diego wants to be like Los Angeles. Which is done a great history of stealing teams from the Lakers to the Dodgers to the Rams. I don't want to be that but I think there's expansion or something like that, let's get the toe in the water. To say that that is there and this is the same scenario that could happen in Cleveland. I believe that if the owners turn around and look at the deals around the table, there will be some that will be moved. I don't think the league -- I don't think you as Sandy against want to do what other people want to do that -- to us. You have to look at something that has a fresh report approaching a fresh opportunity. To steal somebody else's franchise I think is -- that's Los Angeles. I don't think many people from Brooklyn -- If indeed the charges to go, where with the team play? Before this new stadium somewhere is built? There is not a stadium here on campus. Dodger Stadium, Anaheim Stadium? Anaheim cannot take a football. When they turn around and redesign they told them no. Rose Bowl has got issues because they are trying to pursue a Coachella type arts music Festival. They didn't EIR on that and they tried to sweep during each IR and got challenged in court. They do not have the capability of doing it. The Dodgers -- they have been quiet. I always have this feeling that if I'm spending printer and $50 million in payroll, and Clayton Kershaw throws a pitch in October 5 that take the jump over the shortstops had because it's on some event created by the football team that played there there's a problem. The Coliseum is always a possibility but the question is is a Coliseum went to her to team. I think they're certainly willing to take one team. Thereabout ready to go through three and a $50 -- renovation. They're going to be renovating this stadium. There a lot of issues taken place. One point in time even talked about playing at the stub hub center. 30,000 seats anything is possible. I don't know what that solution is. Just add extra games. Halftime we bring in another group of fans. J, finally if they leave could weep pay city leaders, -- UR 343. There are -- there's plenty of blame to go around tourism is number three and their economy. They could not figure out something to make it work. As we've seen this year, everybody loves to come to San Diego. San Diego would seem like a destination city which the NFL is kind of going for to get people there for the whole weekend. Everybody is to blame. There is nobody -- do not blame the fans. They have supported this franchise for 5+ decades when it was a very good. Let's remember when Mister Spano spot the team in 1984. Since then, 12 winning seasons. The dance of always come out. I want to thank you all so much.I've been speaking to Jay Paris mighty 1090 sports analyst and Jim Steeg. Thank you.