Following the Chargers move out of San Diego, local talk has quickly "turned to replacing them with another NFL team," according to Showley & Weisberg of the SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE. Former NFL exec Jim Steeg, who also sat on San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer's stadium advisory committee, said, "I wouldn't say it's a pipe dream dream but it's a dream. There aren't a lot of teams sitting out there who need a new stadium right now." City Council member Scott Sherman said that he is "eager to start making calls and possibly book flights in pursuit of a new San-Diego-branded pro football team." Sherman: "I want the NFL to know it may not have worked out with the Chargers but don't count us out as an NFL destination." Faulconer has said that his priority for now is helping San Diego State Univ. "establish a new campus and Aztec stadium at the 166-acre Qualcomm site" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 1/14).
WHAT IS NEXT: In San Diego, Nick Canepa writes an expansion MLS team would be "small time" in terms of replacing the Chargers. Canepa: "Nothing against soccer, or the MLS. ... But soccer is never, ever going to be the answer." (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 1/16). Canepa also wrote the Chargers should give up the team name and "leave it here." Canepa: "The NFL should do a [Gen. Douglas] MacArthur, vow to return, and honor the thousands of loyal fans." NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell also should "apologize" for what Chargers Chair Dean Spanos did, how he "handled this mess, and tell us we are not going to be forgotten" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 1/15). Also in San Diego, Dan McSwain wrote for the city, it "boils down to how wisely its elected leaders decide what comes next for the 166 acres occupied by crumbling Qualcomm Stadium." McSwain: "This is prime real estate" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 1/15).
THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK: In San Diego, Luis Gomez noted Westwood One's Jim Gray got "caught in an uncomfortable scenario Friday morning when he blamed San Diego city leaders" for letting the Chargers move to L.A. Appearing on Fox News' "America's Newsroom," Gray said, "Unfortunately, this mayor in San Diego, he really should be shot." Gray then backtracked and said, "Saying somebody should be shot is wrong. That's a bad phrase. ... I wanna say he should take the blame" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 1/14).
MOVE IT YOURSELF: In San Diego, Jennifer Van Grove noted a number of San Diego moving companies are "banding together to express their displeasure" with the Chargers' decision. On Friday, a "dozen local movers publicly pledged on the website WeWontMoveYouChargers.com not to lend a hand should the team call on them for relocation assistance" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 1/14).
