Chargers Search Continues

The election has seen lots of hate and degrading remarks towards many people in this country. No matter who won, this would have been the case. This is a sports blog, but I just wanted to acknowledge that one small thing. Let us hope for a good next four years and that we unite as a country. For just like a phone book, it is easier to rip through one sheet than an entire book. Therefore, we must unite together. Same thing applies to the topic of a stadium for the San Diego Chargers. We must unite as a community after the Chargers have hurt so many people so that we can get a stadium built before Dean Spanos decides to move the team north to play with the Rams. With the election turning down the stadium initiative 43% to 57%, this has given the initiative momentum. Before the election, the Chargers were looking to build in downtown while Mayor Faulconer wanted to replace Qualcomm stadium in Mission Valley. Today, it is looking like both parties are looking to find some agreement for a downtown stadium near Petco Park. Both Faulconer and Spanos are talking to each other! This is a great sign. Hopefully they find a way without taxes to fund this new stadium and get the necessary money to bring in money for the city's economy through super bowls, bowl games, soccer games and other large events.

The GM meetings wrapped up yesterday in Scottsdale where good news has come before us. A.J. Preller entered the meetings with a spotlight over his head. After the issue with not disclosing medical records, much of the meetings was about things to put in place to prevent that from happening again, such as a universal rule for all teams. In the Union Tribune, Dennis Lin reports that it would be unwise to NOT deal with one team just because of something that happened. After all, the Padres have made amends and plan to hire someone to make sure that precise medical records are recorded and placed in a proper place to retrieve when called upon. Jed Hoyer, former Padres GM and current GM of the Cubs said that that would be unwise because it is preventing yourself from acquiring players that will improve your clubhouse and organization. Nobody should do that. This is relieving to hear because leading up to the GM meetings, rumors have swirled that some GM's across the league will refuse to work with Preller because of what he has done. Hopefully this leads to a successful off-season for Preller and the Padres.

Now that Alabama has defeated LSU, there is no way anybody is stopping them. They are not quite to the level of the UCONN women's basketball team, who has won something like three straight national titles under Geno Auriemma, but they are getting there. They have not lost since losing to Ole Miss last season and are well on their way to a second straight national championship. If someone is going to beat them, they will literally have to play a flawless game and catch some breaks in the process. Here are your games for the week:

- #24 LSU at #25 Arkansas, 7 ET, ESPN
- Ole Miss at #8 Texas A&M, 7:30 ET, SEC Network
- #20 USC at #4 Washington, 7:30 ET, FOX
- #3 Michigan at Iowa, 8 ET, ABC