Don’t be afraid of the limelight, San Diego. Initial negative reaction to Chargers CEO A.G. Spanos’ interest in the team starring in HBO’s “Hard Knocks” documentary series next year is misguided. I think a Chargers season would build interest and value in the team and players, in addition to highlighting the process for trying to get a new stadium built in San Diego.
For those unfamiliar with it, “Hard Knocks” follows an NFL team for an entire training camp and airs episodes weekly. The Baltimore Ravens, Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets and Miami Dolphins have all participated.
Because the most popular seasons have been the ones with chaotic teams, the thought process is that the show creates chaos. Could there be a few players and coaches that act differently in front of the camera than otherwise? Sure. Do I believe it would create a locker room fracture before leading into a team tailspin? Not at all. Just because the Bengals and Cowboys do something doesn’t mean the same action turns another team into the Bengals or Cowboys.
You’re reading the Sports Report, our weekly compilation of news and information for the San Diego sports fan.
Chargers Avoid Serious Injuries
- The first week of training camp is always a mix of excitement and nervousness, as coaches and fans wait to see which players will get serious injuries early on. It looks like this year’s victim for the Chargers is Jonas Mouton, who tore his ACL and will spend the upcoming season on the injured-reserve list. It was lucky for Mouton, though, as he might not had made the team otherwise.
- Speaking of torn ACLs, outside linebacker Melvin Ingram has one and shouldn’t be back this season. But he’s been at camp doing squat jumps and coaches are thinking he could be on the field by Thanksgiving. That’d be a miraculous comeback.
- King Dunlap, who was given the first shot at winning the starting left tackle job, might have lost his chance due to a relatively minor injury. It will likely take an injury, or some seriously poor play, from veteran Max Starks for Dunlap to get another shot before the regular season.
Padres Have an Eventful Week
- With the trade deadline looming on July 31, Padres GM Josh Byrnes decided not to trade off any of his team’s star players. Instead, he sent a prospect and reliever Joe Thatcher to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for starting pitcher Ian Kennedy. The deal was lauded around the league as a win for the Padres, who improved their starting rotation in 2013 and 2014 without giving up any high-value players or prospects.
- Everth Cabrera and Yasmani Grandal, two players that are tied to the Biogenesis anti-aging clinic and the ongoing performance-enhancing drug scandal in baseball, reportedly have until the end of this weekend to accept their suspensions from MLB or challenge the suspensions in front of an arbitrator. There’s been no word, as of yet, of the length of suspensions MLB has handed down, but many believe it to be for the remainder of this season (similar to what Ryan Braun accepted last week).
- The Padres won two of three games against the Cincinnati Reds earlier this week, improving their record to 8-5 since the MLB All-Star Break.
- Our friends at Gaslamp Ball got Fox Sports San Diego’s Megan Olivi to ask herself 10 questions, just like she does to Padres players. Here’s the video.
Stories You May Have Missed
- Former NFL player and Carlsbad resident Byron Frisch “is one of four people charged by federal officials in an alleged $50 million insurance fraud,” reported U-T San Diego. Frisch played for several NFL teams (though not the Chargers) between 2000 and 2004, according to his LinkedIn profile.
- GIF of the Week: Cory Luebke saw his Padres teammates smelling a baseball in the dugout and just had to get in on the action. Then he had to taste the action. Unfortunately for him, the entire thing was caught on video and turned into GIFs.
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I’m John Gennaro, contributor to Active Voice and managing editor of Bolts from the Blue. You can tweet me @jmglion or e-mail me directly at boltsfromtheblue@gmail.com.
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