City of San Diego suing the Chargers?

Source: Associated Press

SAN DIEGO (AP)—The city of San Diego expects to quickly settle a breach-of-contract suit it filed against the Chargers, which claims the team owes the city more than $170,000 for use of Qualcomm Stadium in 2004.

City attorney Jan Goldsmith, who was elected in November, said the suit was filed just days before the four-year statute of limitations expired. Goldsmith said the matter should have been handled years ago.

“The Chargers sent over a lot of information a long time ago and the city should have gone through it and talked about it,” Goldsmith said Wednesday. “We should have talked about this years ago. The fact that we didn’t, it’s not the end of the world. We’ll sit down, we’ll deal with it. We haven’t even served the complaint. It will be resolved, no doubt about it.”

According to the lawsuit, the team underpaid the city by $125,795 in 2004 as a result of the Chargers claiming skybox rent credits that were previously disallowed by the city for the 1996 through 2000 seasons. The city is also seeking more than $44,000 in accrued interest.

We love you LT!!!!

Written by: J.D. Harrison

Ladainian Tomlinson wrote on his blog that he wanted to stay with Chargers, and the Charger fan base couldn't agree more. I think I speak on the behalf of Charger fans world wide, when I say that if LT were to leave the team it would be the worst decision in the history of the Charger franchise. Though LT has been struggling lately, he has ALREADY proven himself. He is one of the greatest football players to ever play the game and to think that the Spanos family would even consider letting LT go, just because of some salary cap and a couple of bad breaks, is just plain outrageous! The thought of LT wearing any color other than the yellow and blue, is almost unbearable. Hopefully the Spanos family comes to there senses soon and grabs LT for the rest of his career.

Chargers head to Pittsburgh

We already know this is going to be a fight between two of the most physical teams in the NFL.

They battled Nov. 16 and the defenses were so stingy that Tomlinson scored the only touchdown and the Chargers still lost. The score ended up a paltry 11-10, the first time that score had ever been recorded in the NFL.

According to weather.com, the temperature in Pittsburgh will vary from a low of 20 degrees to a high of 23, with a 30 percent chance of snow. The last game was a chilly, snowy night, and this one looks to be no different.

This part of the season, teams need to have a steady running game to stay competitive, but after RB Darren Sproles took a beating against the Colts over the weekend, it looks like the Bolts' running game will be in the hands of ex-Viking, Chief, and Buccaneer Michael Bennett. There is a possibility Sproles will be able to play extensively, but nowhere near his thirty-plus touches of the last game.

LT isn't even in the equation for the Chargers, because if they plan on getting past the Steelers, they'll need to rest him up in order to heal whatever is wrong—his groin, whether it's a tear or pull.

The Steelers have a bevy of healthy, well-rested runningbacks ready to play, but have a busted quarterback in Ben Roethlisberger. He is expected to play despite suffering a concussion in the final game of the season against the Browns. The two offenses are completely opposite, though both teams have strong defenses that never give up.

Rivers. Pro Bowl snub.

Threw for a franchise record 34 touchdowns, leading the NFL in touchdown's and quarterback rating, 105.5. In the Chargers last game in Pittsburgh, Rivers threw for two interceptions, but that was before the team got hot and won five in a row.

Rivers most likely won't have a running game to keep the offense honest, so he'll have to sling it more than usual. But there is the possibility Sproles will be available for screens—though highly ineffective against the quick Steeler defense.

In order for Rivers to be efficient, the offensive line has to deal with the likes of LaMarr Woodley and James Harrison, a two-time Pro Bowler. These two linebackers combined for 27.5 sacks this season, and don't miss tackles often.

With the Steelers defense applying pressure, their maverick can fly all over the field making plays, whether it's the run or the pass: Troy Polamalu, No. 43, the one with the hair.

Polamalu ended the regular season with seven interceptions, a career best and has been voted to his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl appearance. He is often the eighth man in the box, pulling back into coverage during pass plays and generally disrupting any offense that takes the field.

He is the key cog in the defense when it comes to stopping Philip Rivers on Sunday, as he can be deceiving when positioning himself before a play starts. The Steelers' defensive scheme uses Polamalu a lot in blitzes and stunts, made simply to confound quarterbacks and give the linebackers time to get to said QB.

If Rivers can connect with one of his tallest receivers (either Vincent Jackson or Legedu Naanee) consistenly underneath Polamalu's coverage, he may have a chance to hit a wide open Chris Chambers on the sideline or TE Antonio Gates down the seam.

Chargers dominate Colts in overtime!

SAN DIEGO — Peyton Manning has his MVP award and nothing more, outdone again in January by the San Diego Chargers.

Speedy little Darren Sproles scooted 22 yards for the winning score 6:20 into overtime and the Chargers beat the Colts 23-17 in an AFC wild-card game Saturday night, ending Indianapolis' nine-game winning streak a day after Manning won his third Associated Press NFL MVP award.

Sproles came up big on a night when the Chargers played the final 2 1/2 quarters without LaDainian Tomlinson, who stood on the sideline in obvious discomfort from a groin injury.

Fifty years after the Baltimore Colts won the first overtime game in league history by the same score over the New York Giants for the NFL title, Indianapolis wasn't so fortunate. It was victimized by Sproles, who rushed 23 times for 105 yards, caught five passes for 45 yards, had 106 yards on four kickoff returns and 72 on three punt runbacks.

The Chargers (9-8) won the overtime toss. Indy's Darrell Reid called heads, but referee Ron Winter's flip came up tails. Sproles sent the Chargers into the second round of the playoffs, either at Tennessee or Pittsburgh, by finishing off the only series of overtime with his TD run around left end against an exhausted defense for the Colts (12-5).

It was the 25th overtime game in the postseason, including one game in the AFL. The last overtime game in the playoffs was last season's NFC title game, won by the New York Giants and Manning's little brother, Eli, against Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers.

Chargers uphold title of AFC West Division Champions!

Sunday, Dec 28, 2008
By Casey Pearce, Chargers.com

Four weeks after most left them for dead, the resilient Chargers won their fourth-straight game and 14^th-consecutive game in the month of December to complete an improbable comeback to claim their third-consecutive AFC West title Sunday night.

The Bolts’ emphatic 52-21 victory over the Broncos in front of a record crowd of 69,131 at Qualcomm Stadium allowed Norv Turner’s squad to become the first team in NFL history to make the playoffs after starting a season 4-8.

“This is obviously history, the way we trailed the division and how we’ve now won it,” quarterback Philip Rivers said. “We know the expectations we set out with and how high they were at the start of the year. All we’ve done is reopen some of those goal and some of those expectations now that we’ve got ourselves into January.”

The Chargers scored on their first four possessions of the first half and totaled a season-high 491 yards of total offense, forced two turnovers on defense and made a little history as they were able to vindicate a Week 2 loss in Denver and end the Broncos’ season.

Rivers tossed two touchdown passes to finish the season with 34, eclipsing Dan Fouts’ franchise record of 33, which he set in 1981. The Chargers also rushed for 289 yards as a team to set a new franchise record, and LaDainian Tomlinson’s three rushing touchdowns to push his career total to 126. LT entered the night tied with Marcus Allen for second-most in NFL history, and Tomlinson now sits alone in second place.

“Those things are nice individual things that come along with playing the way we played today,” Turner said. “It’s exciting to win the division. It’s exciting to know we’re going to play again.”

The Chargers came out with their foot on the gas pedal and never let up. They took a 3-0 lead on their opening drive of the night when Nate Kaeding capped a 60-yard drive with a 28-yard field goal.

Denver answered with a 26-yard touchdown run by Tatum Bell on their first possession of the night, but Matt Prater’s failed extra point attempt prevented the Broncos from tying the game.

The Bolts responded with a 73-yard touchdown drive, highlighted by Vincent Jackson’s 37-yard catch and punctuated by LaDainian Tomlinson’s one-yard touchdown run, his first of three on the night which made it a 10-6 game.

“The way the offense came out and got us that lead was huge,” safety Clinton Hart said. “We were able to dictate the pace of the game. It’s a whole lot easier to play with a lead, especially against an offense like that. We put together a complete game.”

Following a Broncos punt that ended their second possession, the Chargers widened the gap even further. A 34-yard catch by Antonio Gates set up an 11-yard touchdown pass from Rivers to give the Chargers a 17-6 lead.

The Chargers made it four for their first four as another Denver punt led to another Bolts touchdown drive. Tomlinson’s four-yard touchdown run made it a 24-6 Bolts’ advantage.

Late in the second quarter, the Broncos drove deep into Bolts territory and threatened to trim the lead just before halftime. But Paul Oliver picked a perfect time for his first career interception as his pick of Jay Cutler in the end zone brought the drive to a halt and allowed the Chargers to maintain their commanding lead.

“It seemed like every time they’d start to get going offensively, our defense would make a big play,” Jackson said. “Our offense and defense really fed off of each other tonight.”

The Broncos made it a little interesting early in the third quarter as they drove 73 yards on their first possession of the second half. Bell’s 37-yard touchdown run made it a 24-13 game just two minutes into the third frame.

As they did throughout the night, the Chargers had an answer. On the ensuing drive, Tomlinson’s 45-yard run, his longest carry of the season, put the Bolts on the door step once again. Rivers’ 13-yard pass to Darren Sproles allowed the star signal caller to set a new franchise record with 34 touchdown throws on the season and gave the Chargers a commanding 31-13 lead.

Just two plays later, the Bolts piled it on some more. On Denver’s first play of their drive that followed Sproles’ touchdown catch, Shaun Phillips tipped a Cutler pass that landed in the hands of Luis Castillo. Following the interception, Tomlinson found the end zone from 14 yards out to push the lead to 38-13.

“We practice the tip drill every day in practice,” Castillo said. “I looked up and saw the ball and was able to grab it.”

Early in the fourth quarter, Cutler threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tony Scheffler to pull Denver within 17, but the Broncos never got any closer. A 37-yard run by Sproles set up a two-yard touchdown run by the do-it-all back.

After a stop by the Bolts’ defense, the Chargers got a chance to drive one final nail in the coffin, and Jacob Hester served as the hammer. The rookie back picked up 37 yards in the waning minutes and scored his first-career rushing touchdown to round out the scoring at 52-21.

Tomlinson finished the night with 96 yards on 14 carries to finish the season with 1,110 yards and 11 touchdowns. Sproles led the club with 115 yards on the ground as the Chargers controlled the pace of the game and had the ball more than 12 minutes more than the Broncos. LT made sure to thank his offensive line for their big night.

“The guys up front, they totally dominated,” Tomlinson said. “They did what any good offensive line does; they took control of the game.”

Sunday’s win allows the Bolts to host the Indianapolis Colts in an AFC Wildcard playoff game next Saturday night. The Chargers enter the playoffs on a four-game winning streak and believe they’re playing their best football at the right time of the year.

“We’re on a good roll,” guard Kris Dielman said. “We’re ending the season on a good note. Now it’s time to go into the postseason and make a good run.”

The Charger Update

— Many were surprised to see quarterback Billy Volek back with the team after he gained free agency after last season. But instead of going somewhere else with the possibility of starting, he returned as Philip Rivers’ backup. “I’ve seen quarterbacks before chase the money,” Volek said. “I didn’t want to be like that.” He didn’t do too bad staying put, thanks to a three-year $9 million deal.
— Quarterback Philip Rivers said he knows what to expect — and how difficult it is — to advance in the playoffs after last season’s run. But, that exposure to being deep in the playoffs can pay off. “I think the expectations are more of a reality now, more of what’s really expected,” Rivers said. “We have an understanding of what it really takes. We didn’t know what it was like to play in an AFC Championship Game. We didn’t know what it was like to go on the road and knock off the defending champs. But now we know. So when all these things come arising again — which we hope we get the opportunity again — then we’ve actually been through it.”
— The Chargers placed four players on the Physically Unable to Perform list: tight end Antonio Gates (toe) and center Nick Hardwick (foot) are recovering from offseason surgeries. Fullback Andrew Pinnock and inside linebacker Anthony Waters, are also on it, rebounding from knee surgeries.
“Obviously, it gives them a chance to get healthy,” Chargers coach Norv Turner said. “It’s really not a major deal. When they’re ready to go, we’ll take them off it and they’ll start practicing.”
Hardwick is the likeliest player to still be on the PUP list when the season begins. He said his foot is progressing well, but he has lost strength in his leg.
“I can’t give any predictions as to when I’ll be ready to actually play football,” Hardwick said. “I’m pushing hard and going as I can tolerate it.”
Gates said he expects to pass a physical by Aug. 30, which is required to leave the PUP list.
— Cornerback Antoine Cason, the team’s top pick who missed three rookie practices before signing his contract, got the usual ribbing when he got to camp.” All the guys in there were giving me a hard time about it,” Cason said. “Quentin Jammer gave me the hardest time. But it’s all fun. That’s just part of it.” Cason will soon learn the Chargers tradition of the top pick picking up a dinner and drinks tab for all the veterans near the end of camp.
— It doesn’t show up on the team’s injury report, but team president Dean Spanos had his left arm in a sling Friday after recently undergoing minor wrist surgery.
—Rookie running back Marcus Thomas is a fifth-round pick and lands on a team which has LaDainian Tomlinson. Tough luck? Maybe, but Norv Turner said keep an eye on someone trying to replace Michael Turner.
“If you put him down as a guy to watch, that would be good,” he said. “He’s got some real good running skills.”
QUOTE TO NOTE: “You learn that we’ve got to finish it. You get that far, you’ve got to finish. It don’t mean a can of beans if you don’t finish it.” - Left guard Kris Dielman on the bitter taste left after the Chargers fell in last season’s AFC Championship Game to the Patriots.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
After being rebuffed in their attempts to trade Eric Parker, the wide receiver was cut on the eve of training camp.
For two years, Parker was the Chargers’ biggest outside threat. But he injured his toe before last season and was plopped on IR and missed the season.
Since Parker has last played the team traded for Chris Chambers and drafted Craig Davis in the first round. Along with the development of Vincent Jackson, Parker became expendable.
PLAYER NOTES
— DT Jamal Williams, entering his 11th season, will be used with caution this camp. He is coming off two knee surgeries and the team needs him starting in September, not now.
— QB Philip Rivers said at times he forgets which knee — his left — was the one rebuilt over the offseason. But he admits as camp wears on he is going to have to stay on top of it, as his legs get tired.
— WR Kassim Osgood squawked about wanting to be traded unless he became a bigger part of the passing game. But Osgood, a two-time Pro Bowl special-teamer selection, remains in San Diego well down the depth chart.
— What a difference a year makes for Darren Sproles. This time last year many thought the shifty running back and returning wouldn’t make the team. Now he is bringing back kicks and part of various offensive packages — especially on third down — and giving LaDainian Tomlinson an occasional breather.
— QB Charlie Whitehurst, the team’s No. 3 quarterback, remains a favorite of the coaching staff and front office despite Billy Volek, Rivers’ backup, being signed to a three-year deal in the offseason.
BATTLE OF THE WEEK: Antoine Cason vs. Paul Oliver for the nickel back role on passing downs. Cason has hit the ground running in his quest to snag a significant spot in passing situations. Oliver is in his second year and could put up a fight - the brass secretly hopes Cason is the guy. Oliver is also getting some work at free safety.
OTHER BATTLE FRONTS: Darren Sproles vs. Jacob Hester vs. Marcus Thomas for the No. 2 running back role. We know this — LaDainian Tomlinson isn’t competing against anyone. But behind him is quite a tussle as these three try to replace one guy — Michael Turner, who left as a free agent for Atlanta. There’s a chance Sproles and Hester will share this job, depending to some degree on the down and the distance. Thomas has to prove he’s a viable candidate. So far, Sproles and Hester are in the lead.
Jeromey Clary vs. L.J. Shelton for right tackle. Clary started the second half last year when Shane Olivea’s game dropped off. And by most accounts, Clary held his ground. But the team signed the veteran Shelton just in case, and has positioned him at right tackle to see if he can beat out Clary, or at the very least, push him to greater heights. Shelton started 16 games last year in Miami.
ROOKIE REPORT: CB Antoine Cason is making up for any lost time by practicing well. … RB/FB Jacob Hester has been impressive, but the team is really curious to see him now that practices will start including pads. … RB Marcus Thomas is probably not ready to back up LaDainian Tomlinson, but that could eventually be his role. … CB DeJuan Tribble is basically playing to get on film for other teams. … T Corey Clark’s best bet is to land on the practice squad.

Training camp is finally here!

SAN DIEGO: Training camp is finally here, but the San Diego Chargers seem to have learned the difference between hype and reality.
Even if they are good enough to get to the Super Bowl, they vow not to talk about it this summer.
"There was so much hype last year, and so much expectation, and all training camp it was 'Super Bowl,' and we weren't afraid to talk about it," quarterback Philip Rivers said Friday after the Chargers held their first full-squad practice of training camp.
"I fell in that trap, too. Not that we weren't focused, but it seemed like all the focus was on the ultimate goal. Subconsciously, we took some things for granted, maybe. Maybe we overlooked the meat and potatoes part of the deal, you know what I mean? We were looking ahead for the dessert."
Last summer, the Chargers overlooked their playoff pratfall against New England and focused instead on their 14-2 regular-season record from 2006. OK, so they did end up making it all the way to the AFC championship game in January before losing 21-12 to the Patriots. But things sure looked bleak when they started 1-3 and 5-5 in Norv Turner's first season as coach.
Outside linebacker Shawne Merriman doesn't buy the talk in some circles that it's the Chargers' turn to win it all.
"To tell you the truth, I don't think it's anybody's turn," Merriman said. "You know, it's how hard you work for it, and in our case, finishing up how we want to finish. They always say the team that almost gets there last year should win it the next year. That's all good, but for us, we just look at it as something we've got to do."
Expectations could be higher for the Chargers this year, provided that Rivers, running back LaDainian Tomlinson, tight end Antonio Gates and center Nick Hardwick all come back strong from injuries.
"It's tough, because whenever you look around at this team and see the kind of players we have, the first thing you want to say is 'Oh, this team's going to the Super Bowl,'" Merriman said. "But that's what started us 1-3 last year, because we came into the season after a 14-2 season the season before, automatically assuming we were going to the Super Bowl. We're thinking the opposite this year. We're taking it one game at a time and having a faster start."
In January, the Chargers won a playoff game for the first time in 13 years, beating Tennessee in the wild-card round. Then they eliminated defending Super Bowl champion Indianapolis on the road, although that victory was costly because Rivers and Tomlinson both sustained knee injuries. Rivers played in the AFC title game despite having arthroscopic surgery on his right knee six days earlier, but Tomlinson had only two carries before his sprained left knee forced him out.
Rivers had ligament replacement surgery three days after the loss to the Patriots. Tomlinson's injury didn't require surgery.
Rivers thinks the Chargers can handle the expectations better this year.
"Again, we have an understanding of what it really takes. We didn't know what it takes to play in an AFC championship game. We didn't know what it's like to go on the road and knock off the defending champs. But now we know, so when all these things come arising again, which we hope we get the opportunity again, then we've actually been through it. We're not just feeling our way through it. You know what it's going to be like. We'll have a clue."
The Chargers won their last six regular-season games and two straight in the playoffs.
Rivers said his knee "feels better than I could have imagined it. It's going to be really key to keep staying on top of it. I've been told by many people that know the deal that it's going to get tired if you let it. It's the strength. It'll run out of gas quicker. Just keep filling up the tank."
Tomlinson said his knee is fine.
"The only expectation we have is to play as good as we can," said Tomlinson, the two-time NFL rushing champion. "And we know that if we do that, we'll be in good shape."

Rivers runs his mouth, Chargers like what they hear

(Fox sports): There may be a new face of the San Diego Chargers.

One whose lips don't stop moving.

During the Chargers' first training camp practice Monday, quarterback Philip Rivers shouted good-natured encouragement toward injured players in rehabilitation drills a football field away. He chatted with the media afterward about his speedy rehabilitation from off-season knee surgery. He even spotted tight end Antonio Gates in the locker room doing the last of a series of interviews and chided, "You're going through it big time on day one. Gosh!"
The Chargers regard such loquaciousness as one of Rivers' most endearing qualities.
"The way he's able to communicate with his players, he doesn't act like a typical quarterback," said Gates, who has watched Rivers blossom over the past two seasons since becoming a starter. "Some quarterbacks can be like, 'I'm only going to speak to the guys that are good.' He interacts with everybody.
"For you to interact with a guy on the practice squad, that says a lot about your character and leadership abilities. He knows how to lead a team."
And how to aggravate others.
As his play has improved, so has Rivers' propensity for verbal altercations. He taunted Denver quarterback Jay Cutler from the sideline last December toward the end of a 23-3 Chargers rout, prompting Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey to tell the Rocky Mountain News that Rivers talks "too much trash."
Rivers was at it again three weeks later in a second-round playoff game at Indianapolis, jawing with Colts fans sitting behind the Chargers bench and those jeering as he left the field with a knee injury. Even the Chargers brain trust of coach Norv Turner and general manager A.J. Smith believe those antics were unnecessary.
"He's got to use better judgment," Turner said. "He doesn't have to be yelling at people in the stands. That was an unusual circumstance. But he's a competitive guy. I think that's one of the things that gets him and our guys going."
Rivers told FOXSports.com that he was sorry about what happened in Indianapolis but isn't about to apologize for a mouth that sometimes roars. The 26-year-old son of a fiery Alabama high school football coach, Rivers joked about his interaction with college fans who chanted "Arena Ball" while he played at North Carolina State.
"You can look at it two ways," he said. "You can't always worry about what everyone thinks. But at the same time, I wasn't trying to be blind to what it does appear to be. Certainly, you've got to be smart with your actions. There's nothing I regret. Being excited and having a good time, if you can't do that, we shouldn't be playing.
"There's a boundary to it. Ultimately, the question is whether it's a distraction to you or your teammates. As long as it's not and you can keep it to the confines of what we're doing, enjoy it and play."
Playing is what silenced some of Rivers' critics.Rivers started in last season's AFC Championship game loss to New England despite having suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament against the Colts. It wasn't one of Rivers' best performances (19-of-37 passing with two interceptions and no touchdowns) but he won universal respect for competing with what is normally a debilitating injury.
"People are saying, 'I like Philip Rivers. I couldn't stand him before that, but for him to get out there and play, it shows guts,' " Gates said. "Seeing somebody out there with a brace playing his heart out and throwing passes with a torn ACL, they've got so much respect for him now."
Conversely, star running back LaDainian Tomlinson removed himself from the game early because of a sore knee. Tomlinson, a future Hall of Famer, deserves credit for shelving his ego when feeling ineffective. But with Rivers playing through his injury and Tomlinson ultimately not even requiring surgery, has the leadership mantle been passed inside the Chargers locker room?
"People are starting to debate whether (Rivers) is the face of this team now based on that performance," Gates acknowledged. "It's still outsiders. Outsiders see the situation and say, 'He didn't play and he did. We're going to make him the face.' But still, we understand why (Tomlinson didn't play). We're not going to let outsiders come into this family and (debate) why he's not playing."
Rivers awoke from his ACL surgery with his right leg already in a motion machine. While he is wearing a black metal brace, Rivers' rehabilitation has gone so well that he isn't expected to miss any preseason practice time.
That will give Rivers a chance to better his strong finish in 2007. Over the season's final nine games (including the playoffs), Rivers completed 60.6 percent of his passes with 14 touchdowns and seven interceptions. The Chargers won eight of those contests before falling to the Patriots.
Such improvement stemmed from a combination of factors: Rivers growing increasingly comfortable with Turner's play-calling style in their first season together, quicker decision-making, the addition of wide receiver Chris Chambers via trade from Miami and the maturation that comes with being a second-year starter who spent 2004 and 2005 as Drew Brees' backup.
Basically, Rivers is becoming everything Smith envisioned when acquiring him and two picks (including a first-rounder) from the New York Giants in exchange for fellow quarterback Eli Manning on draft day in 2004 .
"He's made leaps and bounds both in his play and experience," Smith said. "He's somebody you can win a Super Bowl with."
That would speak louder than any words.

Chargers interested in building a double decker waterfront stadium

(CBS) : Will San Diego vote for blue collar jobs, or Chargers blue and gold? That's what it could come down to this November. Local developers have an initiative on the ballot to build a double deck waterfront terminal big enough for a football stadium, but opponents says jobs could be lost on the waterfront.The 10th Avenue Marine Terminal is just a short distance from Petco Park. It's run by the San Diego Port Authority. For more than 50 years, the terminal has handled basic cargo. Now, voters will determine if the waterfront property will be transformed into a modern multi-purpose facility, with the possibility of a football stadium."What we're proposing to do is to modernize from current standards so that additional maritime activity could occur at this site," Peter Gallagher of San Diego Community Solutions said.Gallagher is one of the developers of San Diego Community Solutions, who sponsoredThe project known as the Port of San Diego Marine Freight Preservation and Bay Front Redevelopment Initiative.Voters from National City, Chula Vista, Imperial, Coronado and San Diego will determine if the terminal will be transformed into a double-decker structure, while maintaining existing and expanding maritime operations.But on top of the 40-foot deck, there could be hotels, restaurants and even a sports stadium."We're not proposing a specific use to go on that upper deck, it can be a stadium," Gallagher said.Gallagher says, Mark Fabriani, the Chargers' legal counsel, is interested."His reaction was that the Chargers need to take a hard look at this is something that has strong interest," he said.The upper deck stadium would be big enough to hold a Super Bowl game. But the $2 billion project doesn't score a touchdown with everyone. The Port District says such an engineering feat would be wholly infeasible no matter how it is constructed. Others object at the prospect of lost jobs. They say the proposal could constrain future growth at the terminal."There's a lot of people in the community saying that this will eliminate maritime freight," Gallagher said.But he counters, "If we don't pursue maritime freight, this project doesn't get built."The development company says no public money would be used, and its revenue will be from leases. Mark Fabriani told News 8 that while there are many steps to be taken before this project is finalized, the Charges want to stay in San Diego and would take a hard look at this option.

Castillo gets $43 million in 5-year extension

Source: Associated Press
By Bernie Wilson
SAN DIEGO (AP)—Chargers defensive end Luis Castillo has agreed to a five-year contract extension through 2014 valued at more than $43 million.
The deal, announced Tuesday, will pay Castillo a guaranteed $17.5 million in signing and roster bonuses.
Castillo’s contract had been due to expire after the 2009 season.
“Since his arrival, Luis has played a huge role in the success we’ve had as a defense,” general manager A.J. Smith said in a statement. “He’s an ascending player who is committed to getting better.”
Castillo was the second of the Chargers’ two first-round draft picks in 2005. He has 13 sacks in 36 career games, including 33 starts.

Gates testing the waters

SAN DIEGO (AP)—Chargers tight end Antonio Gates tested his surgically repaired left big toe Monday at training camp and said it’s about 65 to 70 percent healed.
While rookies and select veterans opened camp, Gates went through a 45-minute workout on a side field. He tested the toe by running and cutting.
Gates was hurt in a wild-card playoff win against Tennessee and then played against Indianapolis and New England despite being in obvious pain. He underwent surgery in late-February to repair what he said was a tear in the plantar plate.
“Obviously, it’s a process,” Gates said. “I’m a lot better than I felt a month ago. I can say that. I have no determinant on when and how fast I’ll be coming back. But right now, I feel good. It’s a little sore, but it’s tolerable.”Gates said it was too early to know whether he’ll be ready for the season opener against the Carolina Panthers on Sept. 7. Monday was the third time Gates tested the foot by running, and saw progress when comparing the session to the other two workouts.
“The first time I went out there, I wasn’t able to finish the workout,” Gates said. “The second time, I finished it, but I was really, really sore. Now it’s to the point where I can finish the workout and the next day it will be a little bit sore. As it continues to go on and the progress continues, hopefully I can just get through a workout and feel really good the next day.”
Gates caught 75 passes for 984 yards and nine touchdowns last regular season.
Quarterback Philip Rivers, who played hurt in the AFC championship game, said he’s fully recovered from the torn anterior cruciate ligament that required surgery.
“I’ve been going full-go now for over a month,” Rivers said. “There’s nothing I can’t do. There are times throughout the day I can’t tell which knee I hurt.”
In other injury news, Turner said center Nick Hardwick is making progress from offseason foot surgery, but is a candidate to be placed on the physically unable to perform list. If he were placed on that list and not removed before the start of the season, he would be required to sit out the first six games of the regular season.
Receiver Eric Parker, who missed all of last season with a toe injury, wasn’t at the team complex Monday and his tenure with the Chargers could end within the next couple of days.
“If we have any developments regarding Eric, we’ll let you know immediately,” Smith said.