San Diego: Fifth Most Miserable Sports City

Forbes magazine calls San Diego the fifth most miserable sports city in its most recent issue.

Do you agree?

Here’s what Forbes had to say:

5. San Diego, Calif.
Teams: Chargers (NFL-AFL), Padres (MLB), Rockets (NBA), Clippers (NBA)
Title round record: 1-7
Semifinal round record: 3-3
Total seasons/early playoff-round exits (or baseball 2nd place): 87/10
Total seasons/championships: 87/1
Years since last title: 45
Teams lost: 2 (Rockets, Clippers)
San Diego teams have actually fared pretty well during early rounds of post-season play, though the Chargers' 1963 American Football League crown was the only time the city took it all. Last season's late meltdown by the Padres stands alongside the Chargers' 1982 American Football Conference championship "ice bowl" loss to Cincinnati as the town's biggest disappointments.

Hate to admit it, but Forbes makes some very good points.

This city’s only “major” championship ever was won by the Chargers with stars by such names as Tobin Rote, Keith Lincoln and Paul Lowe. You haven’t seen anything to equal it with current “stars” such as LaDainian Tomlinson, Antonio Gates and Shawne Merriman.

Yes, San Diego did lose the Rockets to Houston (too bad) and the Clippers to Los Angeles (very good!)

The Padres are 1-8 all-time in the World Series, while the Chargers are 0-1 in the Super Bowl. Combined that’s a winning ratio of 10 percent.

Maybe Forbes is onto something, after all.

Forbes 10 Most Miserable Sports Cities

1. Atlanta
2. Seattle
3. Buffalo
4. Phoenix
5. San Diego
6. Houston
7. Denver
8. Cleveland
9. Philadelphia
10. Minneapolis-St. Paul

Chargers have history on their side

If history has anything to do with it, the Chargers will beat the New England Patriots on Sunday to advance to the Super Bowl.

The only other time the teams met for a championship, the Chargers wiped out the Boston Patriots, 51-10, for the 1963 American Football League championship.

Of course, back then the game was played in San Diego, people waited in line for three hours at the Lafayette Hotel to buy tickets and it wasn’t supposed to be the coldest day of the year … as it may be Sunday in Foxboro, Mass. with the wind chill factor near zero degrees.

Looking back, the Chargers jumped out to a 31-10 lead they never relinquished in that 1963 championship game … the only time the Chargers have ever won a league title.

Keith Lincoln was the star for San Diego, rushing for 206 yards and 1 touchdown in 13 attempts, catching 7 passes for 123 yards and 1 TD … and even completing a 20-yard pass on his only attempt.

Then there was Paul Lowe, who rushed for 94 yards and 1 TD; Tobin Rote (173 passing yards, 2 TDs); John Hadl (112 passing yards, 1 TD); and future Hall of Famer Lance Alworth with a 48-yard TD reception from Rote.

Now one must wonder if Philip Rivers, LaDainian Tomlinson and Antonio Gates can approach these numbers against the current undefeated Patriots … and there’s even the question if any/all of them will play due to injuries.

With or without their top dogs, the Chargers will try not to become the 18th straight team to fail to meet the winning challenge against New England this season.

Predictions:

Patriots 34, Chargers 17
Green Bay 27, New York Giants 24