I write for both thelakersnation.com, and glorifythepast.com, Lakers and Chargers respectfully.Each time I piublish a new article I will update this article page in order of relevance, please feel free to give me feedback by emailing me at david@davidjbrickley.com

PAGE 1 NEXT>>>

Chargers Super Bowl Hopes Crumble

DAVID BRICKLEY - glorifythepast.com (January 17th, 2009)

Will it ever be the Chargers year?

With a record of 13-3, and riding an 11 game winning streak, the Chargers were the hottest team going into the postseason. Fans echoed the following statement stronger than ever, “It just feels like this is our year.”

An unstoppable pass attack, an improving defense, and with a number two seed their first playoff game would be played in San Diego at Qualcomm Stadium.

Not to mention the Chargers had the most accurate kicker in NFL history in Nate Kaeding, who had made 69 straight field goals inside the 40 yard line.

But the playoffs are a different ball game.

The underdog New York Jets came into San Diego, and broke that 11 game win streak and the Chargers Super Bowl hopes, with a 17-14 win.

The most accurate kicker in NFL history missed three field goals. Including, two misses inside the area where Kaeding was 69 for 69 going into the game.

A.J. Smith and the Chargers had an opportunity to extend Head Coach Norv Turner’s contract in the midst of the 11 game winning streak, and decided not to. After a one and done postseason, The Norv Turner experiment may be all but over.

The amount of money that it would cost the Chargers to keep L.T. is not reasonable, and not likely. Merriman is gone, Sproles franchise tag runs out, and Vincent Jackson needs to be resigned.

A lot of questions to be answered this offseason.

Chargers fans have a certain hatred for the Oakland Raiders, which as an AFC West rival is to be expected, the Raiders are the laughing stock of the NFL, and a franchise that has not had a winning record since 2002.

The Chargers are definitely a better franchise, and posses more promise.

But as good as the Chargers have been, and as frustrating as it is, every year when the Super Bowl comes around the Chargers watch the game from the same spot the Raiders do…

The Couch

 

Chargers Put in Tough Spot

DAVID BRICKLEY - glorifythepast.com (December 16th, 2009)

The San Diego Chargers (10-3) face off against the Cincinnati Bengals (9-4) on Sunday. If the Chargers win, they can secure a playoff berth, and help their chances of clinching the number two seed outright,thus giving them a first round bye.

Unfortunately. not a lot of people will be rooting for the Chargers on Sunday.

Chris Henry, Bengals Wide Receiver, died Thursday morning at the age of 26. According to a police report, he fell out of pickup truck in Charlotte, N.C. during a domestic incident with his fiancee Wednesday. Henry was put on life support, and his injuries later led to his death.

"You never really question the man up stairs, because he never makes mistakes. Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson said, but I don't see why Chris was suppose to go already, he's going to be missed!"

The Chargers are now placed in a somewhat impossible situation. They will be playing a very emotional team, who will have lost a teammate just three days before kickoff. The Bengals goal will be to win this game for Chris Henry. The Chargers goal will be to win the game to secure a playoff berth, and be that much closer to a first round bye.

Earlier in the week all the news was surrounding Chad Ochocinco, and Shawne Merriman. Who had some heated twitter exchanges earlier in the season.

Johnson stated on Wednesday, "“Ever had somebody you just had an itch, you just wanna fight? That’s what it’s come to. I just want to fight.”

The meaningless banter between these two players, seems silly and pointless, when put into perspective.

Henry was on the season-ending injured reserve following a win over Baltimore on November 8th, where he broke his forearm. However, Chris still made a point to stay in touch with his teammates.

"We talked before every game, and he would just say, go out there and handle your business." Chad Ochocino said.

Ochocinco won't be getting that call before Sundays game against the Chargers, when the Bengals with heavy hearts take the field at 1:05 PST.

A week ago this match-up was considered a big game, with playoff implications. That hasn't changed. Unfortunately under the circumstances, we are all reminded that it is indeed just a game.

Ron OUR Test

DAVID BRICKLEY - thelakersnation.com (July 9th, 2009)

Ron Artest on Wednesday officially became a part of the NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers

Artest received a five-year deal worth about $33 million dollars. This either can be a major headache, or what seems to be more likely…

An absolute steal

Career averages of 16.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 2.1 steals.

An all-star caliber player, who has been named to All-Defensive teams, has won a Defensive Player of the Year award, and shot 40% from behind the three point line last season.

No offense to Trevor Ariza. He gave hustle, heart, and a will to improve on his game. He showed up on the biggest stage, and was a huge part why the Lakers won a NBA championship.

But Artest is better, a lot better, there’s just no argument to be made.

What Ariza’s agent didn’t know is why he was asking for more money than his client was worth, the Lakers had options of bringing in a better player than Trevor Ariza, and that player would be more then OK to sign for the MLE.

It was a no brainer, not to mention the last couple of years the Lakers have resigned their own players, they have been disappointed with their improvement. (See Sasha Vujacic, and Luke Walton)

Yes there is a crazy side of Ron-Ron that must be pointed out. His rookie season with Chicago he applied to Circuit City for a job in order to receive an employee discount. With the Pacers he attended a practice in a bath robe. He was suspended for 2 games by Pacers coach Rick Carlisle after he asked for a month off to promote his new album, and of course we all remember the 2004 brawl at the Palace.

Ron-Ron is not perfect. But it seems as if he has grown out of those immature crazy days. Sure he is still a great sound bite for reporters, and probably has a few more ejections up his sleeve. However, this new Ron Artest seems content in winning a NBA championship at all cost, and very excited to play along Kobe Bryant, and be coached by the GOAT Phil Jackson.

Ron Artest is this era’s Dennis Rodman. Sure Rodman dressed up in a wedding dress, dyed his hair, kicked a camera man in the groin, and even left his team before game 4 of the 1998 NBA Finals to go wrestle with Hulk Hogan.

However, those crazy antics don’t resonate as much when you produce like he did. All Rodman did in Chicago was win his fifth, sixth, and seventh rebounding title, and help the Bulls to win three straight championships.

The Rodman experiment worked in Chicago because he had a strong coach in Phil Jackson to keep him controlled, and the best in the league Michael Jordan to lead him.

Ron Artest has that same Phil Jackson, now with ten championship rings, and the best in the league Kobe Bryant to lead him.

Artest is a player that you love to hate when he’s on the opposing team, but a guy you can’t help but love when he’s in your team’s uniform. A pit-bull, that will defend the wing, back up his teammates, and most importantly do whatever it takes to win.

“Kobe has four rings, I’ve got none,” Artest said. “I’ve got to have one; I need one bad.”

Next season might be a year where the Lakers might take a sigh of relief. Artest will be there to push them to do it again and go back to back.

You might see Artest at the clubs on Sunset after the game, he might say some alarming things in the media, heck he might even pay homage to Dennis Rodman and throw on a wedding dress.

But if it produces a couple more championships. The crazy antics will just be another sub-plot in this succesfull Hollywood drama.

 

Bynum Back on Sunday?

DAVID BRICKLEY - thelakersnation.com (April 4th, 2009)

The time may be near, Andrew Bynum back in the lineup on Sunday?

Lamar Odom, joined Steve Hartman and Chris Myers on the Myers and Hartman show, on AM570 KLAC. Odom was asked when the Lakers are expecting Bynum to return.

“Andrew says that hopefully he will be playing not this game (vs. Houston), but the next one after that (vs. Clippers)”, said Odom.

All reports indicated that the return of Bynum would be Easter Sunday vs. Memphis, giving the young center two games to get ready for the playoffs. However, If Bynum’s prediction is correct; he would get six games of action in the regular season before the Lakers started round one of the playoffs.

Odom also added, “I think it might be a good idea, for Andrew to start because our first unit is so strong, especially with shot making, having Kobe and Pau out there.”

Odom reiterated saying, “I think it would probably be a good idea for him to start, put him right back where he started, and have me come off the bench.”

Lamar going back to the bench would indeed bring that punch that the second unit has lacked since seeing Odom and Ariza join the starting lineup. This is also good news for all Lakers fans, it looks like Lamar has finally got the big picture and is ready to do whatever is necessary to help this team win a NBA championship.

Bynum was initially injured on January 31st against the Memphis Grizzlies. A return on Sunday would have given the center eight full weeks to recover. The Lakers originally predicted 8-12 weeks for recovery.

Bynum, had averaged 26.2 points on 65.3 percent shooting, 13.8 rebounds and 3.20 blocked shots the previous five games before the MCL tear against Memphis.

The Conclusion on Lamar Odom

DAVID BRICKLEY - thelakersnation.com (January 29th, 2009)

Lamar Odom joined the Lakers in 2004, and sitting here in 2009 he is still the most perplexing individual on this roster.

Why do I say that? Well we still can’t put a finger on Lamar. A player that some people call a walking mismatch, others call him Lamar O-dumb.

You love him then you hate him, you want to trade him but when the rumors get thick you cringe at the thought.

Regardless, you got to have deep respect for a man that has given his all to this organization. Playing with a torn labrum in the 2007 Playoffs, coming back strong mentally after the devastating and tragic death of his infant son, and a guy that has said multiple times that he wants to retire a Laker.

One of Odom’s biggest fans is hall of fame coach Pat Riley, who gave him a second chance with the Heat, after the Clippers said Lamar had, “issues of character, and other risks involved.” Riley signed him to a 63 million dollar contract, and called him “one of the most unique players that he has ever seen.”

Not a bad statement from a man that had coached players such as James Worthy, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and of course Magic Johnson.

Speaking of Magic Johnson, Riley then said this about Odom.

“He is the only player to come into this league, who had the ability to play like Earvin (Magic) Johnson.”

A player that was once known for his Marijuana habit, was now being compared to the best point guard in NBA history.

Lamar revived his career in Miami, on the court he averaged 17.1 points, and 9.7 rebounds a game. But what was most important was what he did off the court. He said, “For the first time in my life I felt like a grown man, How I think. How I act. My relationships with people were changing and evolving.”

Lamar finally got the big picture. It wasn’t about the lavish lifestyle, partying, and doing whatever you wanted to do. It was about being a professional and taking your profession seriously.

Lamar was then tied to one of the most controversial and covered trades in recent time when the Lakers shipped out the “most dominant center in NBA history” Shaquille O’Neal to Miami in exchange for Brian Grant, Caron Butler, and of course Lamar Odom.

He was now a Laker and now instead of being compared to Magic Johnson, he was now the Scottie Pippen, to Kobe’s Michael Jordan.

As we all know that never worked out. But when Pau Gasol came to town last February, Lamar said, “Were like a rock and roll group” and that he wouldn’t mind being the third option on this team.

Andrew Bynum then came back from injury this year, and a lot of people were now saying Lamar is the 4th option.

In this years training camp, Phil Jackson decided that Lamar would be better suited off the bench. Becoming that Manu Ginobli sixth man type, and be the first option of the second unit.

However with the superb play of Trevor Ariza, and Jordan Farmar, people can argue Lamar may be the 6th or 7th best player on this team.

Sound kind of weird? Here is a question if the Lakers could only keep Ariza or Lamar who would you pick? How about Jordan Farmar or Lamar?

Kind of tricky, fans may be on both sides, but the fact is, Lamar is no longer asked to be the Scottie, or compared to Magic. He is just a talented piece to the Lakers championship puzzle.

At 29 years old, Lamar has gave us a body of work that we can judge him on. He is a unbelievably gifted athlete who has the ability any given night to score 35, or grab 20 boards, or dish out 18 assists. He also can produce a stat line of zero points, one board, and one assist in 20 minutes of play.

All that being said, Lamar will be an important piece in this years championship run. I also see a few games during the playoffs where he has a coming out party, and helps lift this team to the promise land.

Inconsistent may be a great word when describing Lamar. But he has made great strides in his life, and made a lot of sacrifices in order to compete for the city of Los Angeles.

You may not get Lamar Odom, you may think he failed at being all he can be. But I’ll tell you on thing, you got to respect the man.

Here’s to Lamar Joseph Odom in helping us get that ring that we all know is ours, because we all know one thing you can’t question an NBA champion.

 

Not Just Any Regular Season Game

DAVID BRICKLEY - thelakersnation.com (December 24th, 2008)

David Stern: “Your 2008 NBA Champions, the Boston Celtics”

Arguably the seven most painful words some of us Lakers fans have ever heard.

Those words and the series of events that happened last June have had a long time to marinate. We shall never forget what happened, and make no mistake the players feel the same way.

From Sasha Vujacic not wearing green, and distancing himself from anything that has to do with the Celtics, to Derek Fisher writing the number 24 up on the whiteboard earlier this season, signifying the lead the Lakers had in Game 4, only to lose that game 97-91, going down 3-1 in the Finals.

Finally, here we are, what we all have been waiting for, the rematch, the revenge game, the game that we all circled on August 6th, when the NBA schedule came out for the 2008-2009 Season.

Kobe Bryant is famous for saying, “this is just another regular season game”, but even KB24 has to admit that this game is astronomical, compared to any other game the Lakers have played this season.

A shot at redemption, a time to show the Celtics that this year is our year.

There are a few things that are worth mentioning about this Christmas showdown. For one, the Celtics have won 19 straight games, and have started the season 27-2, good enough for the best start by any team in NBA history.

However, there is a man the Celtics did not see last June. He wears number 17, stands at seven feet, and weighs in at about 285 lbs, and if for one second you think that the Finals loss didn’t hurt young Andrew as much as the guys that suited up in that series, then you got it all wrong.

All in all, this is the measuring stick to see where we are. There’s no question right now that the Celtics are currently the best team in the NBA. Ask, Magic Johnson, the Lakers have at sometimes been inconsistent. Their defense has been questioned, and even their focus.

But, there won’t be one Los Angeles Laker that will lose focus for this game, because this is bigger than a game. This is like the guy, that stole your girlfriend, and then you happen to run into him six months later.

Okay, that analogy might not be the greatest, but it rings true. You got to come out swinging; I don’t think words can describe how it was watching Game 6, losing by 39 points! In a game that they should have killed to win, instead, they rolled over and died.

Will it be the end of the world if the Lakers lose on Christmas? Will all hope be lost?

Absolutely not, however, I don’t know about you guys, but all I want for Christmas is a throttling of the Celtics, well a victory at the very least.

Lastly, if for some odd reason you’re not as fired up as me, or you’re not still steaming about what happened last time we matched up against this team, pop in that Game 6 tape, if you don’t have it, go on YouTube and check out Kevin Garnett in the most awkward interview ever, yelling, “Anythiiiiiingggg is Possibleeeeee”.

You can also see Ray Allen, accepting the award of the years “Best Team”, at the ESPY’s which was held at the Nokia Theater. Guess what his first words were when he reached the podium, “Another win in L.A.!”

Remember, Paul Pierce said that he is the best basketball player in the league, or what about him falling to the ground like he just tore his ACL, MCL, and LCL, and then minutes later come running out of the locker room.

Not to mention the fact that people compare that to the Willis Reed moment, which is the most disgusting comparison I’ve ever heard in my life, and is a slap in the face to the respected Hall of Famer.

So it is Christmas time, it is time to be with our loved ones. But, at 2:00pm Pacific Time, even my loved ones, know where I need to be, in front of the T.V. rooting on my Los Angeles Lakers, and if a Lakers victory means I don’t get any presents this year. Then that’s fine with me!

Boston, you better be ready, because we are!

 

Ted Cottrell Shown the Door

DAVID BRICKLEY - glorifythepast.com (October 29th, 2008)

One word sums it up, “Hallelujah”

Literally the first words that came out of my mouth when I was informed that Ted Cottrell is out as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, Ron Rivera is in.

Rivera who lead the Chicago Bears defense to super bowl XLI in 2007, is now the Chargers defensive coordinator.

So why was Ted Cottrell fired?

Simply, Cottrell lost this defense, his philosophies were not working, the talent was not being utilized correctly, he did not have the creative talents needed to fix these problems, and lacked the ability to impose any kind of fear intro opposing offenses.

You know how they say, “Don’t fix what’s not broken”, well in this case the defense was beyond broken, and Cottrell did not do nearly enough to try and fix it.

A defense with arguably some of the best talent in the league, Jamal Williams, Antonio Cromartie, Shaun Phiilps. A defense that started the year as the preseason number one ranked defense, only to swim around Detroit and Kansas City, good enough for 28th overall 8 weeks in.

Ridiculous, insane, un-explainable, for this team.

Nobody on this planet can explain how this defense unit has became so bad, with basically the same talent as last year, and no I will not jump on the bandwagon that the lack of Merriman alone made this defense from one of the best to the one of the worst.

I think the Chargers had to make this decision, for better or for worse. Going into the bye week, coach Norv Turner knew if this defense doesn’t shape up, there was no chance this team was going to the playoffs. This change was necessary, even if it is as simple as the defense now hearing a new voice, and buying into a new vision.

However, lets not forget that Rivera is not inheriting a gold mine by any stretch. There is many areas where this defense has to significantly improve. But the positive for him is you cant do much worse then Cottrell has done 8 games in, and the old quote rings true, “There’s no where to go, but up”

This change should re-charge this bolt defense, and help restore this one time feared unit.

When asked what the difference between himself and Ted, Rivera said, “He did things differently. I just feel our personalities are different.”.

The Chargers D is definitely ready for a different personality, and Rivera comes in with instant credibility and respect for what he did up in Chi-town.

Oh, and starting off with Kansas City (1-7), should get them started off on the right foot.

 

 

Kobe Leads Team USA to Capture Gold

DAVID BRICKLEY - thelakersnation.com (August 24th, 2008)

---

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Brett Favre is Coming to Town

DAVID BRICKLEY - glorifythepast.com (August 6th, 2008)

Brett Favre will be wearing number 4 this upcoming season, and will wear green and white as he always has.

However, this time it will be for the New York Jets.

The Green Bay Packers announced today that the team has traded the face of the franchise, and 18 year vet, to the New York Jets for a fourth round draft pick.

Every sports show you tuned into, it was all Brett Favre, in an off-season that started out slow, the biggest name of the last two decades was not wanted by a team that he gave everything too.

Most career NFL touchdown passes, most passing yards, most pass completions, 253 consecutive starts, a superbowl, and most career victories as a starting quarterback.

“You want to keep him Green Bay?”

GB: “No thanks.”.

So how does this affect our Chargers? Well the city of San Diego has yet to see Brett Farve live since his Packers traveled to San Diego back in 2003. In that Week 15 matchup he threw for 4 touchdowns and defeated the Chargers 38-21.

This time in 2008 it will be Week 3, the first national televised game in a Jet uniform that Favre will be a part of, Monday Night Football on ESPN.

Even though the Chargers have way more talent and should get a W in this game. Jets @ Chargers, has never looked more appealing to me then it does now.

See you at Qualcomm.