It Seems Charger Fans Are Driven to Stupidity

You know I used to live in San Diego, and I saw these limos everywhere, and at times I felt like I was the only one driving a Ford Escort.

It wasn’t until Saturday, and my work here to better understand who will win the Super Bowl this year, that I learned these limos were trolling for stupid people, and like a fisherman who knows where the bass are biting, their first stop, of course, would be San Diego.

The people of San Diego were certified stupid a couple of years back when they saw nothing wrong with their politicians approving a 10-year deal to use public money to guarantee every Charger game would be sold out, or the city of San Diego would buy the unsold tickets.

Prior to the agreement--even the year the Chargers went to the Super Bowl--they didn’t sell out every game. A word of warning to L.A. politicians: The Chargers are considering a move to L.A.--if you’re willing to help and then get voted out of office.

San Diego has lost millions on the sellout guarantee, the Chargers lost 15 of 16 games last year, and now the experts in Las Vegas are telling me people are lining up to bet the Chargers will win the Super Bowl this year.

“We’re talking about tremendous action on the Chargers,” said Rob Terry, the director of Race and Sports for the Palace Station. “They were at 120-1 to win the Super Bowl when we first started, and because of the money coming in, they dropped to 80-1 and then 50-1 and are now 35-1.”

I could understand if it was a horse race and people were betting on the jockey, but having a jockey (Doug Flutie) as your starting quarterback makes you more of a longshot.

I WOULD think at 41,416,353-1, which are the odds of matching 5-of-5 and having the Mega number to win the Lotto, you’d still have a better chance of getting a return on your $1 investment than betting on the Chargers to win the Super Bowl this year.

“You can say people are stupid, but people were probably saying the Rams had no chance two years ago when they lost their starting quarterback (Trent Green) in the preseason and had to go with someone nobody had ever heard of (Kurt Warner),” Terry said. “You can no longer base things on what happened the year before.”

But aren’t some of these people just throwing away their money?

“We have taken 96 bets from people who think the Browns are going to win the Super Bowl this year,” Terry said.

IT HAS become an annual guessing game as to who will come from nowhere in the NFL. The fact the Chargers have dropped to 35-1 shows how desperate the betting public has become trying to identify Cinderella.

Atlanta went to the Super Bowl with Chris Chandler at quarterback? The Rams with Warner? The Giants with Kerry Collins? The Ravens with Trent Dilfer?

Maybe the secret is to bet the house on the team with the worst quarterback--so that’s why everyone is betting on the Chargers.

Those who play it safe--as if betting money on one of 31 teams in August to win it all in late January makes any sense--will get 4-1 odds taking the Rams or Ravens. The Broncos are 6-1, the Raiders and Titans 7-1, and in the NFC, the Buccaneers at 6-1 are the Rams’ only competition.

“As longshots, we’re taking action on the 49ers, Seahawks, Bears and Packers,” said Terry, who likes the Saints and Eagles. “The Bears? I can’t believe the Bears.”

If you’re already a member of the Cade McNown Fan Club, there’s really no rhyme or reason to anything you do.

AT MANDALAY Bay, the oddsmakers are offering a clue on how they think the NFL season will go by picking the number of games they believe a team will win. Then they invite the public to bet whether the team will win more or fall short of that prediction.

For example, Mandalay Bay has only two teams winning as many as 11 games this season--the Rams and Ravens--with the Titans, Buccaneers and Broncos tabbed to win 10 1/2. I would think if people believe with all their heart the Chargers can win the Super Bowl, they’ll have no trouble believing the Titans, Bucs and Broncos can win 10 1/2 games.

Cowboy owner Jerry Jones predicted his team will win 10 games and make the playoffs, but the oddsmakers suggest they will win 5 1/2. I wonder if they’ve sent a limo for Jones.

FOR MOST USC alums, the limo, of course, is their second car. No need to pick them up, however, apparently they like to bet.

After I predicted the obvious--that UCLA will have a better season than USC--I can’t tell you how many e-mails I got that started off with a Trojan supporter writing, “I’ll bet you’re wrong, stupid.”

I messaged them back to say I moved out of San Diego last year.

THIS YEAR UCLA and Nevada Las Vegas will probably fare better than USC in football, but it’s probably too late to make a run at John Robinson to coach the Trojans. It seems he’s going to be a little busy.

Come Aug. 16-17, the Nevada Board of Regents will have the opportunity to confirm Robinson’s appointment as athletic director at UNLV.

“I’m still a football coach,” said Robinson by telephone from Canton, Ohio, after introducing Jackie Slater at the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremonies. “But I think I can contribute leadership, raise [$10 million] for the athletic department and provide the necessary long-range vision.”

The Las Vegas Review-Journal, in support of Robinson’s bid to become AD, reminded everyone Saturday that UNLV President Carol Harter told the media two years ago, “Hiring John Robinson was one of the best decisions I’ve made in my entire life,” and it’s a decision that continues to look better and better.

USC President Steven Sample still hasn’t returned my call.

TODAY’S LAST word comes from Robinson in Canton:

“What a thrill to be with Jackie Slater--he’s special, such a great man.”

Amen.

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T.J. Simers can be reached at t.j.simers@latimes.com.