Take a Chill Pill, Huh? Let’s Talk About That.

Yup. “Take a chill pill.” So… I took a screengrab of this so you’d know I wasn’t making it up. This is an actual post from Bill Johnston, the Chargers PR guy… on Chargers.com. Therefore, indirectly, it is safe to say this is the Chargers message to their fan base. This has now become national news, because apparently it’s not everyday that an actual NFL team tells their fan base to quit being whiny little bitches. Here’s the full text.

What’s with you people?

Yes, Monday night’s loss was bad. Horrible. Embarrassing.

Ok…enough already. No mas. I get it.

Now get over it. It was a loss. One loss.

Listening to some of you out there, you’d think Monday night was “win or go home” and the Chargers are now packing their bags.

“The Chargers are finished. Done,” said one scribe.

Another wrote, “Bye, bye Chargers. Put a fork in them.”

Sometimes I think Twitter was invented to give people a chance to puff out their chests and talk big, saying things they never would say to someone’s face. And talk radio … don’t get me started. The old adage your mom used to preach – “If you don’t have anything good say, don’t say anything” – seems to have evolved to “if you don’t have anything good to say, call sports talk radio.”  Some of those folks are probably the same ones who called for former Head Coach Bobby Ross’ job when his first Chargers team started the 1992 season 0-4.  I still remember the self-proclaimed experts saying Bobby was “in over his head”. The Chargers went on to win 11 of the next 12 games that year, along with a 17-0 victory in the first round of the playoffs.

A few of the more recent Chargers teams have been declared dead by quacks, only to awaken in good health.  The 3-3 Chargers of 2004 won nine of their final 10 games.  The ’06 Chargers won their final 10.  The ’07 Chargers started 1-3 before winning 10 of their last 12.  The ’08 Chargers won their final four in a row and the ’09 team won its last 11 games. Time to take a chill pill.  No one knows what will happen this season, yet alone the next game. That’s the beauty of the National Football League.  I don’t know, you don’t know, no one knows what’s going to happen.

If you want these players and coaches to succeed, then support them.  Don’t tear them down.  What you want and what we all want, including your team, is to know people believe in them. Look at it this way.  We want our loved ones to succeed, and we’ll do whatever it takes to help them.  But when they make mistakes, like we all do, we would never criticize or belittle them publicly.

Your team is 3-3, tied at the top of the division, and has 10 games to play.  If the Chargers are your team, get behind them and stay behind them.  We’re all at our best when we know others believe in us.

I had mixed feeling reading this. First thing I thought was obviously, “What do you mean, ‘you people’?” Then I thought, a chill pill? Really, that’s the best you got? Then I thought, sure…I get it. Support your team. I can get behind that. He did admit the MNF loss was “Horrible. Embarrassing.” He did point out some truths about not knowing what’s gonna happen with the Bolts and how we are technically tied for first in the AFC West. It was just one game. In fact, I kinda liked what he had to say… I’d let him guest blog here on Lobshots any time. Because that’s what it felt like, a San Diego sports blogger venting.

Then I remembered… HE WORKS FOR THE CHARGERS. He’s the PR guy. The Director of Public Relations. Isn’t the PR guy the guy that teaches players what’s okay to say and not to say?

You’re in the NFL, Chargers… act like it. Your fan base is complaining because you took a giant dump on the field for the second half on a national stage for the second straight week. On the ass-end of literally the worst comeback beat down in the history of Monday Night Football. We, as fans, have a right to complain. So does the media. Radio, newspapers, and yes…blogs. I have no problem with the above post except that it came directly from the Chargers.

Calling your fan base a bunch of whiny little bitches? Guess what, Chargers… that makes you look like a whiny little bitch franchise.

I love the Chargers, I will continue to love the Chargers… win or lose. I will also continue to be a fan. As fans… I know this will come as a shocker, we overreact. It’s all doom and gloom when a bad loss comes along. Just like it’s all sunshine and rainbows when a good win comes along. Fans are emotional, fans are idiots… that’s never going to change. We’ll overact on twitter and call for everybody to be fired and for Clipboard Jesus to take over for Philip Rivers.

But you, Chargers, you are a part of a billion dollar industry. You don’t have the luxury of being emotional, overreacting idiots. You need to put on your big boy pants and go kick some ass out on the field. You want your fan base to stop bitching? Do better.

Last thing, wouldn’t want Bill Johnston and the Chargers PR team to think I’m being an internet tough guy puffing my chest on my blog and twitter… so, let’s talk, Bill. Would love to have a discussion about your blog. You read me yours, I’ll read you mine… we’ll discuss like grown-ups. Hit me up.

-bp

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