Chargers dish out a different kind of bolt
Like defenders scattered throughout the NFL, San Diego City Attorney Mike Aguirre found out this week how elusive San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson can be.
Aguirre, who butted heads with Chargers officials over stadium issues as a private attorney and city official, was the substitute host on Roger Hedgecock’s radio show Tuesday and wanted some airtime with Tomlinson.
The Chargers are normally happy to take to the air -- except at playoff time -- but not this time. Aguirre’s request irked them, especially since it was made by Maria Velasquez, the spokeswoman for Aguirre when he is doing his city hall job.
It prompted Mark Fabiani, special counsel to the Chargers, to fire off a slash-and-burn statement that included, “... first, what in the world are Aguirre and Velasquez smoking to make them think that the Chargers or LT would do anything to allow Aguirre’s toxic, bilious personality to infect the Chargers’ exciting season in any way? And second, what is a taxpayer-funded city employee doing spending her time arranging guests on her boss’ private radio show?”
Of course, the Chargers’ hierarchy will certainly keep taxpayer concerns in mind while negotiating relocation deals with city officials from National City or Chula Vista.
Point-less, counterpoint-less
The Chargers-Aguirre feud has legs as sturdy as Tomlinson’s, which is why team President Dean Spanos, in Fabiani’s statement, lashed out, “There is no way in hell that anyone associated with the Chargers will have anything to do with Mike Aguirre.”
Aguirre, when he was elected city attorney, called Spanos a “corporate welfare queen” on a national radio show.
At the time, Aguirre failed to mention whether owners Al Davis (Oakland Raiders), Georgia Frontiere (St. Louis Rams), Bud Adams (Tennessee Titans) or Bill Bidwill (Arizona Cardinals) won the Mr./Ms. Congeniality award in that pageant.
Trivia time
The Lakers’ Kobe Bryant this season switched his jersey number to 24. When have the Lakers won NBA titles with a player wearing No. 24?
By invitation only
Fabiani, who was a White House lawyer during the Clinton administration, never had much of a chance to meet Chargers players until he took a job with the team. But then, only teams that win the Super Bowl get invited to the White House.
What if Shakespeare had MTV?
Lawrie Sanchez, who scored one of the biggest goals in FA Cup history, blames foreign players, lack of coaching and, yes, video games for a shortage of young talent in British soccer.
Said Sanchez: “When we all grew up, we didn’t have PlayStation, or PS2 or 24-hour TV so we played football [soccer] now. If my son played football [soccer] as much as he does with his PlayStation, he’d be a better player. It’s a fact of life.”
Yeah, what happened to the good ol’ days, when Britain’s youth was weaned on soccer riots? Who needs a Game Boy when you can have a brick?
Trivia answer
In 1971-72, when Keith Erickson played 15 games before being injured.
In 1979-80, when Ron Boone played six games, but was gone long before the Lakers beat the Philadelphia 76ers.
In 1986-87, when Adrian Branch went along for the ride, playing 32 regular-season games.
And finally
Don Cain this week was prepared to lose his world record for a single Frisbee toss -- 16.72 seconds set in 1984 -- to Swedish champion Christer Fuglesang.
Of course, Fuglesang was working with a distinct advantage. Steroids? Nope.
Fuglesang, the former Swedish Frisbee champion, is an astronaut on the International Space Station and was not going to have to contend with gravity on his throw.
Someone might point out to Fuglesang that this is supposed to be a world record.
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