Arsenal supporters are down today because we lost 3-1 to Chelsea, our London rivals. We lost to Chelsea 2-1 a month ago in the FA Cup semifinals, and that was painful. We lost earlier this week to Manchester United in the Champions League semifinals. A really bad month for the Gunners.

Much of the chattering online has been about the lack of depth and experience on the Arsenal bench, and I have to agree with that. A Russian shareholder says he ready to lay out some money for the club to buy what it needs.

It's the end of the season, and we have nothing to show for it (again).

Rob Hughes of nytimes.com wrote this about the recent failings of Christiano Ronaldo, the superstar Portuguese midfielder, playing for Manchester United

Ronaldo is not a machine and cannot sustain scintillating performance match after match. But he has to justify his place. It would be a surprise if, behind closed doors, he was not told that it is unacceptable for the world No.1 to be a passenger on a night when the club’s most prized trophy is at stake.

Ronaldo has not been the same player since he won Player of the Year for his 2007-08 play.

An overwhelming Arsenal victory against Blackburn Rovers.

An epic play of epic proportions!

(jmjbox) Tom Brady hasn't always been successful according to Lee Jenkins of SI.COM.

Jenkins described how Brady was a 2nd-string quarterback at 0-8 Junipero Serra High School in (San Mateo) California, moved on to University of Michigan to become 7th-string quarterback, and to being drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the NFL draft in 2000. According to his high school buddy, who quit after the 0-8 season to focus more on basketball, which gave Brady his first starting break, Brady's rise has been a "fairy tale" of sorts.

Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers' knee needs surgery, according to local sports writer, Kevin Acee, of the SD Union-Tribune.

Rivers, one day after his team's lost to the Patriots, was the prime subject of local sports radio, many calling him a hero for playing with an MCL injury. Apparently Rivers had knee surgery last Monday, and some people (mostly local writers and commentators) knew about it but didn't reveal it to the public.

On another note, the same Acee article reported that LaDainian Tomlinson will not require surgery on his hurt knee, just time (4 weeks).

Gabcast! DB Blas: Mobile Dispatch #9

(AP)

Norv Pulls a Schottenheimer

Norv Turner spoke from the heart the night before the Chargers played the Colts in their AFC Divisional playoff game on Sunday. Charger players felt the emotional tone of Turner's speech and took it personally. So much so that the Chargers beat the favored Colts in a game all the pundits thought the Chargers had no chance of winning (Colts were favored by 10 points).

The Chargers felt as if Turner pulled a Marty Schottenheimer, the coach of the Chargers who was fired at the end of last year, and known for his heartfelt, pre-game pep speeches. The players responded with a win, and now the team seems ready to play an undefeated Patriots team, which will be their second meeting of the season.

At Hamilton's Tavern, South Park's unofficial Charger headquarters, where Charger fans assembled at 10:00 A.M. yesterday, the fans were a bit concerned after the Colts scored easily on their first possession to make the score 7-0. But all concerns flew out the window as soon as the Chargers mounted their first scoring drive in the 2nd quarter to tie the score. The Bolts played lights out the first half and it was clear that they were more physical, and ready to take on the Colts in the second half. And take the on they did.

For food, James Bryant, who is a regular food contributor, prepared a beef stew that was hot, healthy, and delicious. I personally had 3-4 servings. It was THAT good.

Turner has a .750 winning percentage in playoff games. The Chargers are most certainly primed to take the Patriots' record to 17-1, with their emotional victory over the Colts, and to raise Turner's playoff record to 4-1. The Chargers and Patriots tee it off at 1:00 P.M. on Sunday. Are you ready for some football?

Charger Fans Vindicated
Charger fans during the Marty Schottenheimer era were somewhat satisfied with regular season play, especially his last two seasons. But there's one gripe about which fans were most vocal--the team's inability to win in the playoffs. (Last year the team had the best record going into the playoffs, with home field advantage, then proceeded to lose their first game.)

Fans were vindicated in the calling of Schottenheimer's ouster with yesterday's playoff win against the Titans. Mind you, many fans were satisfied with the former coach's success, and were upset when he was let go. But yesterday's win is further evidence that management has been right all along.

The Return Guy: The Smallest, Most Exciting Player

Every NFL team, according to Lee Jenkins of si.com, wants a Devin Hester, a "playmaker," a strategic, intercontinental, offensive weapon, a player who can figuratively turn dirt into gold.

In his article, Jenkins describes these return men as the smallest on the team, but the most exciting on the team. Read it here.

As an aside, here in San Diego we have a newspaper columnist, Logan Jenkins, who writes for one of our local papers. Logan Jenkins is Lee Jenkins' dad. Lee, who wrote for the New York Times, is a really good writer, and it's interesting to see from where his talents are sourced.

Merry Christmas!

Race, Positions, and the NFL

Donovan McNabb took a beating; six times by a single player, in a one-sided game in which I almost felt sorry for him.

The latest in the McNabb debates have been reactions towards his comment regarding how black NFL quarterbacks have to work harder than their white counterparts.

While watching an average Giants team totally manhandle a Westbrook-less Eagles last night, I was reminded of an overheard conversation on the dearth of white NFL cornerbacks. Foxsports.com actually wrote about it recently, and read it with amazement.

Gabcast! DB Blas: Mobile Dispatch #5 - Bears vs. Chargers 2007

DB speaks with Chris at the 2007 San Diego Chargers home opener against the Chicago Bears