- 22 hours ago
Air Coryell
IG: aj_mckenzie416
Twitter: AJMckenzie94847
IG: aj_mckenzie416
Twitter: AJMckenzie94847
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00:05you play to win you play to go to the super bowl
00:09if you don't get there you don't get there but it doesn't mean you're a failure
00:15you put it out there you try you win you lose you reach your goals you don't
00:21that's all part of it that's part of life
00:34you
01:25I remember like it was yesterday driving to the stadium I lived in the
01:29Pacific Beach at the time driving down Interstate 8 towards the stadium it felt
01:32like what I thought was a sonic boom all of a sudden over the radio there's been
01:37this horrible plane crash total devastation in a major part of San Diego
01:41proper I was driving on 805 getting to the stadium and there was literally
01:47clothes and suitcases on the highway
01:54I run to Jerry McGee longtime great columnist covered the Chargers beat
01:58rider he comes around he goes wow what do you think about the news I go god it's
02:02horrible in it I mean it's just the worst thing ever and he goes no it's the worst
02:06you've ever heard oh yeah it's horrible it's devastation hiring Don Correale is
02:12the worst thing you've ever heard I go dude have you not heard about the plane
02:16crash and he hadn't heard about the plane crash I will never forget the same day
02:19one of the worst darkest days in San Diego history turned out to be one of the
02:23brightest sports days in San Diego history in comes this whirlwind Don Correale
02:29and I remember him saying you guys are one in three you haven't won in a long
02:33time people think I'm crazy to take this job he says well guys I tell you what we
02:39all got to be a little bit crazy to play this game and with that we all started
02:43laughing and we never stopped laughing until it was over we love the city in the
02:49area of San Diego the people here we've lived here for so many years it's uh
02:53it's coming back home it's it's our home
02:57he had them at eight and four the rest of the season and then they were contenders for a few
03:02years
03:05Don Correale was already a local fan favorite at San Diego State he won more than 80% of his
03:12games
03:12with an innovative passing offense that shattered numerous collegiate records
03:19this success earned him a head coaching job with the St. Louis Cardinals who ended a 25 year playoff
03:25drought following his arrival after leaving St. Louis in 1977 Correale seemed the perfect choice to
03:33rescue the struggling Chargers coach Correale loves football he loves his players didn't want to get
03:42involved in contract negotiations didn't want to be involved with ownership issues he
03:47wanted to get on the field he wanted to coach
03:51never in my life have I seen a guy that was so intense about what he loved which was the
03:57game
03:57I mean he'd look right through you he'd walk down a hall coach how you doing just walk right by
04:05him
04:07is he pissed at me did I say something wrong they had no malice he would just focus on little
04:13things
04:14he would get lost in his own little world if we needed popsicles for practice that was the biggest
04:19thing that day forget practice plans oh hell we need popsicles we need to get our guys happy for a
04:27little break during training camp the most important thing to me about Don Correale is that he actually
04:32cared about us as players Don was always a guy that made you feel important your contributions
04:39to the offense or to the meetings or to the team or to the locker room was part of the
04:44deal and was
04:45all we were all in this together that's just him as a human being I don't think there's ever been
04:51a
04:51coach who was more courageous about creating offense basically it had to do with the passing game
04:58obviously but also with formations and use of personnel seeing a player that could do more
05:05than one thing maybe this tight end could line up outside wide and create a mismatch you know like
05:12Kellen Winslow always trying to be trying to be everybody on this offense can throw too
05:23you saw Winslow and Muncie throw touchdown passes innovative it was the ideal marriage of tactics
05:32and talent besides Winslow the Chargers were blessed with future Hall of Fame receiver Charlie Joyner
05:39number 18 whose precision routes complemented the athletic ability of number 83 John Jefferson
05:50the beauty of Derek Correale is it's good against any defense you want to pressure it's fine if you
05:56want to stack to stop the run fine you want to be stupid try to play man coverage outside fine
06:04with all timing and reads by the receivers reads by the quarterback very difficult to defend and nobody
06:18in 1978 Eric Correale propelled the Chargers to their first winning season in nearly 10 years
06:30by 1979 Jack Murphy Stadium was running on Charger power
06:41all of a sudden there's this collection of great talent personalities and a chance to really do
06:46something and we were doing it and this city was insane it was on fire I mean you will nobody
06:53if you
06:53didn't have a Charger power t-shirt back in the days of disco with your big hair and everything else
06:59we were the first big thing sports wise in San Diego and we kind of realized we fed off the
07:04energy from
07:05the fans this town was rockin I mean it was awesome
07:14Hank Bauer himself became an object of affection for fans who appreciated the bread and butter back
07:20of Correale's gourmet offense
07:24special teamer great special teamer most tackles all time in a season could get you a first down
07:32catch run
07:38we started putting him in in short yard situations because he would just take the ball and dive head
07:46first into anything and oftentimes that anything was the end zone so that was good and the fans like
07:51that and he'd get up and jump around and in those days not a lot of guys jumped around after
07:56they scored
07:56and celebrated but Hank was so excited to get in the game and then excited to get into the end
08:01zone
08:02you know it's not easy being 23 24 years old and being totally bald in those days nobody was shaving
08:08his head their heads he was just he was uh follicly challenged like Pat Kern and Louis Calter used to
08:15tell me short white and bald there's no way to go through life
08:21do the best you can Phil
08:23when the charges traded for power runner Chuck Muncy
08:27Bauer's role evolved from short yardage back to special teams head hunter
08:32I think anybody that is worth their salt should be wanting to play their position
08:35but you know you got guys like Muncy and Brooks who are the best in the world at what they
08:38do
08:38hey I'll sit and wait my turn when they need me I'll go
08:40but if I want to be on the special teams I want to be the best at whatever I do
08:43I just want to get out and hit people that's all
08:49that's when special teams players were just starting to get noticed I mean how can you not
08:53notice a guy that's making every tackle I mean Hank was all over the place
09:00I look back at the numbers and in 81 we had 119 returns against us I made 52 times
09:07this is still an NFL record the guy that made the Pope Bowl last year at 18
09:12you have to have a Hank Bauer on your football team an overachiever because then it forces
09:19people who were gifted you know that natural ability to ask themselves why am I not working
09:25harder he's a guy who pushes everybody else
09:29let's go right now baby let's go
09:32Bauer's energy inspired the team but the recognized leader of the San Diego Chargers was their quarterback
09:40Dan Fouts wore a hat all week long MFIC
09:46in charge and he was definitely that he knew it we knew it the smartest toughest quarterback
09:55I have ever seen
10:01I feel a little bit embarrassed looking back on it and hearing these stories about what a
10:05what a tough means SOB I might have been in the huddle at times
10:09damn it
10:13son of a out of here
10:14I think they realized that I was just trying to
10:16trying to get us all on the same page get in the end zone
10:19Fouts the quarterback fires up downfield a touchdown
10:23I didn't make myself clear
10:25I meant well I think I understood you
10:27is that what you wanted a touchdown
10:30we were a better football team when Dan Fouts stepped in the huddle
10:33no doubt about it
10:34everybody played harder
10:36because they didn't want to disappoint Dan
10:38he expected perfection from everybody
10:41and when you didn't do those things
10:43he would tell you
10:44work the middle true work the middle on that
10:46cut your split down work the middle
10:48whether it was a running back for missing a blitz or not you know being where they're supposed to be
10:52whether it was a receiver
10:54and Dan and I had our you know little tips from time to time
10:57come on run out of the brakes now
10:59lead it on
11:00run out of the brake
11:01that's what I'm doing
11:03you run out of the brake
11:04I'm running out of the brake
11:05tippy towing like a
11:06I will and you're out of here
11:11you're out of here
11:12so when he would yell at me sometimes I would yell back at him
11:15but there was a mutual respect
11:16there was never anything ill intended about it
11:19that moment of conflict
11:21made us a better unit
11:24good job Cal
11:25way to fight in there for me man
11:27way to go Jim
11:28when Dan Fouts was in the huddle
11:31you know
11:32we believed we could do anything
11:35they both got to the hall of fame
11:41in 1979
11:42Fouts led the league in passing
11:44but in the opening round of the playoffs
11:47he threw five interceptions
11:49and an upset loss to Houston
12:01for them to come into San Diego
12:02and beat us as they did
12:04you got to give them credit
12:05wish I had played better
12:07we were just off
12:08and I was just off a lot
12:13a year later
12:14five interceptions
12:16when you lost by three points
12:18they would have blown them out
12:19if he had
12:20an okay game
12:21the Chargers reached the conference short
12:24against the eventual world champion Raiders
12:37you look back and you go
12:39damn
12:40how'd that happen
12:43such a journey to even get into the playoffs
12:46it's hard
12:47getting to a Super Bowl is hard
12:53the Oakland Raiders
12:54who feel that the team
12:55that trains right here
12:56in La Jolla, California
12:57the San Diego Chargers
12:59will not only dethrone Oakland
13:01as the champions of the AFC
13:02but will go on to win it all
13:04in 1981
13:06well I wouldn't trade any of our talent
13:08with anybody else's
13:09I think that we do have
13:11some very talented people
13:12and that talent is maturing now
13:16and I think that with the two years now
13:17that we've had in the playoffs
13:19that they're going to be a benefit
13:20to us this year
13:22San Diego's most skilled pass rusher
13:25was future Hall of Famer
13:27Fred Dean
13:28number 71
13:31incredible
13:32then they sent him up to
13:34the Bay Area
13:36California
13:38and look who won the Super Bowl
13:40the team with Fred Dean
13:42upper body strength
13:44that allowed him
13:45to
13:46either run around
13:49a blocker
13:49or
13:50use his long arms
13:52to move the blocker
13:53out of the way
13:53so
13:54Fred was really
13:56a unique player
14:00but beating up quarterbacks
14:02wasn't Fred Dean's
14:03only talent
14:06I'm a pretty Dean
14:08people tend to call me me
14:11cause I'm the baddest dude
14:13a quarterback
14:15like he's ever seen
14:17before the day is done
14:19you'll remember
14:21number 71
14:24let's go
14:25all the way
14:28nothing
14:30we thought we could sing
14:32so why not give it a try
14:33Fred Dean
14:35Leroy Jones
14:36Charles DeJernay
14:37came up with a concept
14:39of adding
14:39John Jefferson
14:40and Kellen Winslow
14:41and we formed a group
14:43called the High Five
14:44and the name of the album
14:49was
14:49The Other Side of Us
14:50of course
14:51this is one side
14:53being a football player
14:53the other side
14:55is the singers
14:55the crooners
14:56etc etc
14:57I think we sold
14:59maybe 100 albums
15:00I think I bought
15:0199 of those
15:09In the summer of 81
15:10Dean and John Jefferson
15:12were singing a
15:13more melancholy tune
15:16they informed
15:17Chargers owner
15:18Gene Klein
15:19they believed
15:19their skills
15:20were underappreciated
15:21and that neither
15:22would report
15:23to training camp
15:24if changes
15:25weren't made
15:27that was the year
15:28John Jefferson
15:28and Fred Dean
15:29decided they wanted
15:30more money
15:31again
15:33and Gene Klein
15:34had already
15:35renegotiated
15:36their contracts
15:37and got fed up
15:39simple as that
15:41at the time
15:41none of us
15:42made any money
15:43JJ got screwed
15:44we all got screwed
15:47JJ was the best
15:48receiver in football
15:51and he was tied up
15:52in a contract
15:53that should have
15:54been torn up
15:54after his first year
15:56JJ was such a big
15:57part of it
15:58not only for his
15:58production
15:59but for the spirit
16:00he gave our team
16:01it was very
16:02disheartening
16:02to see
16:03him being treated
16:04this way
16:05teams are saying
16:06we've got to
16:07stop these people
16:08what can you do
16:09as an encore
16:10well as an encore
16:11first of all
16:11we can get
16:12John Jefferson
16:12into camp
16:13that would be
16:14our first step
16:15Jefferson misses
16:16football
16:16he admits that
16:17but he says
16:18he is determined
16:18not to go back
16:19to the Chargers
16:20until he gets
16:21the contract
16:22he wants
16:22and he says
16:23yes he will
16:24sit out the
16:24entire season
16:25if necessary
16:27John Jefferson
16:28has been a
16:29remarkably fine
16:30football player
16:31wonderful young
16:32man to work
16:33and we are
16:33indeed
16:33sorry
16:35situation
16:35turned this way
16:39Klein stood his
16:40ground throughout
16:41the contentious
16:42summer
16:42the rest of the
16:43Chargers grew
16:44so frustrated
16:45that they eventually
16:46pushed back
16:47by staging a
16:49team-wide boycott
16:50similar to the
16:51Vince Lombardi
16:52we always had
16:53this Charger
16:53backer luncheon
16:54that most of
16:56the players would
16:57go to and sit
16:57at the table
16:58with the fans
16:58as a show
17:00of solidarity
17:00we decided
17:01not to go to
17:02the Charger
17:03backer luncheon
17:04there's a way
17:05of saying
17:06to management
17:06we need to
17:07get this done
17:08we need to
17:08get this resolved
17:09and the way
17:11they got it
17:11resolved was
17:12they traded
17:12both players
17:16John got traded
17:17to Green Bay
17:17and Fred Dean
17:19got traded
17:19to San Francisco
17:21so not only
17:21did management
17:22break up
17:23the team
17:23on the field
17:24they broke
17:25up my
17:25performing group
17:26that was
17:27a double hit
17:28for us
17:30and now
17:30all of a sudden
17:31a couple
17:32of the key
17:32pieces to that
17:33puzzle
17:33are missing
17:34okay so
17:35what do we do
17:36so what do we do
17:37well the only thing
17:38you can do
17:38as a player
17:39you can only
17:39control what
17:40you control
17:40so you play
17:41your asses off
17:53the Chargers
17:55moving the ball
17:56here early
17:56in the first
17:57period
17:57James Brooks
17:58right side
17:59touchdown
17:59San Diego
18:00and we did it
18:01all that night
18:02we put it
18:02together
18:03oh boy
18:04and I got to
18:05score my last
18:06NFL touchdown
18:07right there
18:07in front of
18:07the dog pound
18:08you know
18:12it was our
18:13statement
18:13to let people
18:14know
18:14okay we lost
18:15a couple guys
18:16but hey
18:16don't give us
18:17up for dead yet
18:23defensive philosophy
18:25but you also
18:26change personnel
18:26to fit that
18:27philosophy
18:28and believe me
18:29you can't do
18:30that every year
18:32and have the
18:33consistency
18:33you need to be
18:34a championship
18:35team
18:38despite the
18:39presence of
18:40some individual
18:41stars
18:42San Diego's
18:43defenders
18:44were seldom
18:45in the spotlight
18:47here's an
18:48accepted thing
18:48you're a second
18:49class citizen
18:50if you play
18:51defense with
18:51the Chargers
18:51in the 80's
18:52simple deal
18:53we have an
18:54offensive coach
18:54we have
18:55offensive star
18:56power
18:56we're the
18:57most dynamic
18:57offense in the
18:58history of the
18:58game
18:59and I'm sure
18:59those guys
19:00felt like
19:00they were
19:00second class
19:01citizens
19:03now with
19:03Fred Dean
19:04no longer
19:04on the roster
19:06the defense's
19:07misfortunes
19:08worsened
19:10can't put pressure
19:11on the quarterback
19:12an average
19:13quarterback
19:14a less than
19:14average quarterback
19:15can have a
19:15big day on you
19:17the loss of
19:18Fred Dean
19:19it just changes
19:20everything
19:21if you don't
19:22have those
19:22role players
19:23then you're
19:24putting more
19:25pressure on a
19:26secondary
19:26you're asking
19:27more of them
19:28to do it
19:33worn down
19:33Chargers
19:34defenders
19:35found themselves
19:35lunging for
19:36opposing ball
19:37carriers
19:38while their
19:39apologists
19:40grasped for
19:41excuses
19:45the weirdest
19:46thing I ever
19:46heard somebody
19:47say is that
19:47they felt that
19:48our offense
19:48scored too
19:49quickly
19:49which I still
19:51don't understand
19:51because isn't
19:52that our job
19:53is to score
19:54and do we
19:55really have any
19:55choices to
19:56how quickly
19:57we score
19:58can we really
19:59take eight
19:59minutes off the
20:00clock each
20:01time or is it
20:01better to do
20:02it in three
20:02plays
20:03we score a
20:04touchdown
20:05go
20:08downs
20:08stop them
20:09force them to
20:10punt the
20:10football
20:11we'll score
20:11again
20:12you know
20:13it's your fault
20:13you let them
20:14go 18 plays
20:15who says you
20:16can't stop them
20:17shut up
20:18stop them
20:18get off the
20:18field
20:24San Diego's
20:25problems
20:25weren't just
20:26on defense
20:26the offense
20:28was getting
20:28by with
20:29backup receivers
20:30but still not
20:31compensating for
20:32the loss of
20:33John Jefferson
20:35it was a long
20:36term approach
20:37that we were
20:37concerned about
20:38of not having
20:39a receiver
20:39that quality
20:40throughout the
20:41entire year
20:42you can always
20:42cover things up
20:43for a couple
20:44of weeks
20:45but over 16
20:46games it's
20:46going to show
20:49you let
20:49management know
20:50we need help
20:51you want to
20:52win it all
20:52are you in it
20:53for the money
20:55we want to
20:55win it all
20:57so help us
20:58out here
20:59will you
21:00and I'll
21:00tell you what
21:01they helped
21:01us out
21:02they helped
21:03us out
21:04I would
21:04have never
21:05thought
21:06in my
21:07wildest dreams
21:08that you
21:09could replace
21:09John Jefferson
21:10but you did
21:12a couple
21:13of members
21:13of the media
21:13came out
21:14and told me
21:14that they
21:15had just
21:15traded for
21:16West Channel
21:17I remember
21:18saying in that
21:19very flippant
21:20way
21:20that flippant
21:21mouth I had
21:21at the time
21:22and still do
21:24is it's about
21:25time they did
21:25something right
21:28the players
21:29and the
21:29organization
21:29as a whole
21:30has really
21:31adapted to me
21:32they took me
21:33in and made
21:34me a part
21:35of this big
21:35happy family
21:36and when you
21:37have a pure
21:37pastor such
21:38as Dan Faust
21:39from a receiving
21:40standpoint
21:41it's like dying
21:42and going to
21:42heaven
21:49Chandler soon
21:49changed his
21:50jersey number
21:51to 89
21:51and also
21:53changed the
21:54way he ran
21:55pass patterns
21:57he worked
21:58extremely hard
21:59to get his
22:00timing with me
22:01because he's
22:02so fast
22:03I had problems
22:04with some
22:05of the timing
22:05routes
22:05and so he
22:06literally had
22:07to slow down
22:08a little bit
22:08to make it
22:09all work
22:13everything that
22:14John Jefferson
22:15brought us
22:15in terms of
22:16energy and
22:17catches and
22:18big plays
22:19and everything
22:19else
22:21and I hate
22:22to say it
22:23JJ but Wes
22:23Chandler was
22:24every bit as
22:25good
22:25Wes is special
22:26with Chandler
22:32in the lineup
22:33the Chargers
22:34would set a
22:34league record
22:35for passing
22:36yards
22:39with Chandler
22:40through for
22:404,800
22:41which is still
22:42pretty good
22:43today
22:43great today
22:45still would
22:46lead the league
22:46right now
22:47but
22:474,800
22:49in 1981
22:50is
22:51from another
22:52planet
22:58in 1981
22:59Air Coriel
23:01was the league's
23:02number one
23:02ranked offense
23:03and at
23:04midseason
23:04the Chargers
23:06appeared
23:06unstoppable
23:12back to throw
23:13fires off
23:14into the corner
23:14it's intercepted
23:15in the end zone
23:16Lloyd Braden
23:17picks it off
23:18gets out to the
23:1815
23:19running along
23:20the sidelines
23:20only one man
23:21in the way
23:21and he will go
23:22for a touchdown
23:25a lopsided loss
23:26to the Bengals
23:27was followed
23:28by a sleepwalk
23:29in Seattle
23:33we never
23:35ever
23:35lose
23:36the dog
23:37ass
23:37Seattle
23:38Seahawks
23:38are you kidding
23:39much less
23:40on Monday night
23:40football
23:41and they
23:41hammered us
23:42and they
23:42earned it
23:43they deserved
23:43it
23:43they kicked
23:44their ass
23:45we sucked
23:45on defense
23:46but we know
23:47what we sucked
23:47on offense
23:48we sucked
23:49in the
23:49kicking game
23:51waiting for the
23:51snap from center
23:52that's a good one
23:53they run a fake
23:54they get inside
23:54to center
23:55Spencer takes off
23:56that line
23:56he's on the
23:57outside
23:58touchdown Seattle
23:59all of a sudden
24:00they come up
24:00with a big play
24:01against us
24:01and it was
24:02sometimes where
24:03you start
24:04looking around
24:04going well
24:05hey
24:06we were doing
24:07our job
24:07it's not
24:07our fault
24:08and you just
24:09can't have that
24:10I thought anybody
24:11was exaggerating
24:15they won
24:16eight straight
24:16and Seahawks
24:17were a fifth
24:18year expansion
24:18team
24:19and stuff like
24:19that
24:20they beat
24:21them
24:26eight or nine
24:27times in a row
24:28before that
24:30team
24:31and we got
24:32to play together
24:33we had a big
24:34team meeting
24:35just before we
24:36went up to play
24:36Oakland
24:36when we were
24:38sitting at six
24:38and five
24:39and if we lose
24:40to Oakland
24:40we were pretty
24:41much mathematically
24:42eliminated from
24:42the playoffs
24:44we talked quite
24:45candidly in that
24:46meeting
24:46about what we
24:48needed to do
24:48to get this
24:49thing back
24:49on track
24:54get the ball
24:55into the hands
24:56of Kellen
24:57Winslow
25:02back to throw
25:03on third
25:04down
25:04it's foul
25:04it goes into
25:05the end zone
25:06touchdown
25:06Helen Winslow
25:09he's going to
25:09throw for it
25:10this time
25:10into the end zone
25:11Winslow
25:13touchdown
25:21the fifth touchdown
25:22pass came from
25:22Chuck Muncy
25:23on a halfback
25:24option
25:24and of course
25:25when Chuck
25:26Muncy gets the
25:26ball
25:26people pay
25:27attention
25:27they rush right
25:28after Chuck
25:29and I just
25:29slipped into the
25:29end zone
25:30for that little
25:30three yard
25:31dink
25:33I would like to
25:34spike the football
25:35back then
25:36and I ran out
25:37spikes
25:39we also knew
25:40it was the last
25:41time we were
25:42going to play
25:42the Raiders
25:43in Oakland
25:43because they
25:44were moving
25:44to Los Angeles
25:45the next year
25:46at the end
25:47of the game
25:47you look up
25:48and there's
25:4855 points
25:50against the
25:51Raiders
25:52in Oakland
25:53and there's
25:54still fans
25:55here
25:55this is great
25:56because we can
25:57tell each one
25:58of them
25:58how we feel
25:59because we're
25:59never going to
26:00see them again
26:00it was like
26:01yeah you
26:02and you
26:03and you
26:03and you
26:03look at the
26:04scoreboard
26:06blankety blank
26:07blank blank
26:07so that was a
26:09lot of
26:09see them again
26:10they're still
26:10in your division
26:13also
26:15Los Angeles
26:15is closer
26:16to San Diego
26:17than Oakland
26:17is
26:19so
26:20I think
26:21you're going
26:21to see
26:21the Raiders
26:22fans again
26:24that was
26:25probably as
26:25much fun
26:25as I've
26:26ever had
26:26going off
26:27a field
26:29the next
26:30week
26:30was Chuck
26:31Muncy's
26:31moment
26:37San Diego
26:38Superback
26:39scored four
26:40touchdowns
26:40before
26:41halftime
26:41as the
26:42Chargers
26:43moved back
26:43into first
26:44place
26:44with a win
26:45over Denver
26:48but after
26:48a loss
26:49to the
26:49Bills
26:50Chargers
26:51faced
26:51situation
26:51in Tampa
26:55the
26:56offense
26:56mounted
26:57a
26:57fourth
26:57quarter
26:57comeback
26:58that
26:58would
26:58only
26:59be
26:59completed
26:59if
27:00animal
27:00preservation
27:01activist
27:01Rolf
27:02Bernerska
27:02could kick
27:04a last
27:04second
27:04field goal
27:07he had
27:07he had
27:07this thing
27:08for
27:08endangered
27:08species
27:08every
27:09field goal
27:10people
27:10pledged
27:10money
27:12so when
27:12he would
27:13miss
27:13he'd come
27:13to the
27:14sideline
27:14we'd all
27:14be making
27:14animal
27:15sounds
27:15oh
27:16Rolf
27:17feed me
27:17oh
27:18you're
27:18killing
27:18what is
27:19Rolf
27:20so I
27:21just remember
27:22before he
27:22went out
27:23I said
27:23Rolf
27:23just think
27:24about all
27:25of the
27:25animals
27:26that are
27:26going to
27:26die at
27:26the zoo
27:27if you
27:27don't
27:28make this
27:28kick
27:32the animals
27:33ate well
27:34that night
27:34and the
27:35Chargers
27:36were now
27:36one win
27:37away
27:37from clinching
27:38the AFC
27:39West
27:44it's for
27:44the division
27:45championship
27:45it's
27:46Monday night
27:47football
27:48it doesn't
27:49get any
27:49sweeter
27:50this is why
27:50you play
27:51professional
27:51football
27:53handoff
27:53going here
27:54to James
27:54Brooks
27:54in the back
27:55field
27:55over right
27:55tackler
27:55the 20
27:56to the 15
27:56to the 10
27:57spins out of
27:58the ground
27:58from tackler
27:59at the 5
27:59breaks
28:00two more
28:00tackles
28:01touchdown
28:02Chargers
28:03what a run
28:06back to
28:07passes
28:07counts again
28:08steps up
28:09under pressure
28:09throwing
28:10deep
28:10to Joyner
28:11straight
28:11catch
28:12touchdown
28:12Chargers
28:14the Chargers
28:16have won
28:16the AFC
28:17West
28:18they're dancing
28:19in the aisle
28:20bring on
28:21the rest
28:22of the NFL
28:25do we have
28:26any character
28:27that's all
28:27I want
28:28to say
28:28do we have
28:29any character
28:30we were very
28:31focused in the
28:32locker room
28:32after the game
28:33relieved
28:34I think was a
28:35big part of it
28:36and what's next
28:37is more important
28:38because we had
28:39failed the two
28:40previous years
28:40at that point
28:42you've already
28:42been in the playoffs
28:43you've already
28:43been to a
28:44championship game
28:45it's big
28:45it's Monday night
28:46it's the Raiders
28:46but it's
28:48there are bigger
28:48things out there
28:54if you eat bananas
28:55the potassium
28:55is going to keep
28:56you from cramping
28:57so Pat Kern
28:58the business manager
29:00for the team
29:02had to go out
29:03late at night
29:04and find bananas
29:05for everybody
29:06and put them
29:07in their room
29:08that's a lot
29:08of bananas
29:09I don't know
29:09if there was a
29:10banana shortage
29:10in Miami
29:11or what
29:11and I guess
29:12there were like
29:12a dollar
29:13a banana
29:13at the time
29:14Dog Court
29:14he all gets
29:15these little
29:15thoughts
29:16they take over
29:17everything
29:18oh
29:19bananas
29:21we're going to
29:22win with bananas
29:23those popsicles
29:25in training camp
29:25were great
29:26but bananas
29:27and that's why
29:28we love Coach
29:29Correale
29:29the bananas
29:30did it for us
29:31you think
29:32who knows
29:33it didn't hurt
29:41it also didn't hurt
29:42to have Wes Chandler
29:44on special teams
29:47this is Wes Chandler
29:48and he is all
29:49trouble in an open
29:50field
29:50and Wes Chandler
29:51put it on the next
30:03great coaching
30:04by Mark Braden
30:05our special teams
30:05coach
30:05we put Wes in
30:07as a short
30:08return man
30:08he wasn't a return man
30:10my job was to
30:11peel out to the
30:11outside and kick out
30:12the contained man
30:13I couldn't have
30:14broken a pane of glass
30:15with that block
30:15but I got between
30:16me and the guy
30:17all of a sudden
30:18I just felt this
30:18whoosh
30:19right under my butt
30:20and there he goes
30:21off to the races
30:32more scores
30:33to take a stunning
30:3424 to nothing lead
30:35by the end
30:36of the first quarter
30:38but by halftime
30:39the large lead
30:41had melted
30:42in the Miami heat
30:44steps up
30:44throws it down
30:45field
30:45it is complete
30:46the lateral back
30:47at the 20
30:48to 10
30:48to 5
30:49into the end zone
30:50touchdown
30:51oh they did it
30:52with a gadget
30:54the hook and ladder
30:55right before the half
30:56I think that totally
30:57woke up the sleeping
30:58giant
30:59got the crowd
30:59back into it
31:00and then
31:01once that hook and ladder
31:02started with Tony Nathan
31:02man it was on
31:03like the brick of dawn
31:12the Chargers stormed back
31:14led by their tight end
31:17Kellen Winslow loves to play
31:19and he loves being the star
31:22and we loved him being the star
31:24because when he was
31:25we were going to do
31:26just fine
31:28and I think that's where
31:30a player's ego
31:31is a tremendous asset
31:32his ego was under control
31:34but yet
31:35he wanted to push
31:37the envelope
31:37on each and every play
31:40the Dolphins were determined
31:42to try to stop him
31:43did a good job
31:44beating him up
31:45trying to get him
31:46out of the game
31:47they did get him
31:48out of the game
31:49for a short time
31:50because of
31:51different injuries
31:52and dehydration
31:53and everything
31:55Kellen Winslow
31:56with a Hall of Fame date
31:5712 receptions today
31:59but now he's down
32:00that's just fatigue folks
32:02he has played every play
32:04as hard as he could
32:06gosh I mean
32:06he had a bad shoulder
32:07he had cramps
32:08he was hurting
32:09locked up
32:11found a way
32:12to go back on the field
32:13one of the great
32:14individual performances
32:15in the history of sports
32:18Winslow caught
32:19nearly everything in sight
32:21but it was the catch
32:22he didn't make
32:22it proved to be
32:24the biggest play
32:25of the game
32:26alright give me
32:27a good three now
32:28Kellen
32:28let's go split right
32:29fade aggressive
32:30on white
32:31ready
32:32on the play
32:33Winslow is the
32:34primary receiver
32:35it went right
32:37to James Brooks
32:37right past
32:39Kellen Winslow
32:40as you can see
32:40him trying to reach
32:41for it
32:42in fact it's very
32:43similar to the play
32:44that he'd scored
32:44on earlier
32:45when I dropped back
32:47I saw that Winslow
32:48was double covered
32:50but that never
32:51scared me
32:53throwing to Winslow
32:54so I felt
32:55if I could buy
32:55a little time
32:56I know I could
32:57just loft it up
32:58there softly
32:59and he can catch it
33:00well he had nothing
33:01left at that point
33:03he could not jump
33:03so the ball sailed
33:05over his head
33:06incomplete in my mind
33:07throws it
33:08toward the end zone
33:09touchdown
33:10San Diego
33:11catching it
33:12was James Brooks
33:14we've run that play
33:15a thousand times
33:17James Brooks
33:18job on that play
33:19is to block
33:20the weak side linebacker
33:21and then if nobody
33:22comes
33:23just stay in and block
33:25well JB saw me running
33:27he went down the field
33:29to the back of the end zone
33:30he ran
33:31saw me
33:32saw Winslow
33:33and just ran
33:35and ran
33:35and ran
33:36saw the ball
33:36and went and got it
33:40and to this day
33:42it's the most incredible
33:43single play
33:44I've ever been a part of
33:46because
33:46it was an overthrown
33:47incomplete pass
33:48and yet it was a touchdown
33:50to tie
33:51one of the greatest games ever
33:55but overtime wasn't assured
33:57until Winslow
33:58made a game-saving play
33:59on special teams
34:04it's called the emergency
34:05do or die
34:05it doesn't matter
34:07if you are a starter
34:08if you've got the biggest
34:09contract on the team
34:09it doesn't matter
34:10my job was to be the jumper
34:13and the football season
34:14comes down to this
34:17the snap high
34:18it's down
34:19he kicks it
34:19it is short
34:21it is short
34:22it is short
34:23they're going to overtime
34:25the Chargers might have got
34:26a partial block on it
34:29that was incredible
34:30that was incredible
34:32and he said he just barely
34:33got it with the side
34:34of his hand
34:35at the time
34:36I thought I was soaring
34:37just hanging up there
34:39like Michael Jordan
34:40waiting for the ball
34:41to come up
34:41so I could swat it down
34:43and then I would drift
34:44slowly back down
34:45to the ground
34:47when I look at it
34:48on film
34:48I mean you probably
34:49could have slid a credit
34:50card under my hand
34:52I wasn't very high at all
34:56this epic battle
34:58had become a war
34:59of attrition
35:05deep into overtime
35:06it was the Chargers
35:07who'd be the last
35:08men standing
35:10threw a ball
35:11to Chandler
35:12and he got the wind
35:13knocked out
35:14so now he's
35:15on the sidelines
35:20the next play
35:21Charlie at the end
35:22of the play
35:23got hit pretty hard
35:24along the sidelines
35:25and he wasn't in the game
35:26for the next play
35:27so we're now
35:29we're running out of guys
35:31and we better get
35:32in the end zone soon
35:33or get a field goal
35:36and Luther holds
35:37it is up
35:38and the game
35:38is over
35:39the San Diego Chargers
35:40win
35:41a 29 yard field goal
35:43by Rolf Benerska
35:44and the Chargers
35:45move on to the
35:46AFC championship game
35:52the one Charger
35:53wasn't moving anywhere
35:56and that's when
35:58my back
35:59my hamstrings
36:00my calves
36:01all cramped up
36:04just from
36:05my waist down
36:07just cramped up
36:08on both sides
36:08he couldn't
36:10get off the field
36:11so
36:11I think it was
36:12Eric Seavers
36:12and Billy Shields
36:14had to carry him
36:15it's like
36:17it's the old Spartan
36:18getting carried off
36:19on his shield
36:20pretty awesome
36:22and then you just
36:23start realizing
36:24how tired you are
36:25looking around
36:26at bodies strewn
36:28on the field
36:28because there were
36:29guys that just
36:30didn't want to get up
36:31in fact
36:31Big Ed and
36:32Louie Kelcher
36:33were laying
36:34next to each other
36:35because they were
36:36on the field goal team
36:37they looked down
36:38they saw Winslow
36:39being taken off
36:40the field
36:40with the cameras
36:41and everything
36:41and I think
36:43Louie said to
36:43Big Ed
36:44he says
36:44you know
36:44they never pick up
36:45fat guys
36:45we're going to have
36:46to get up
36:46by ourselves
36:47hey
36:50hey
36:51hey
36:51hey
36:51hey
36:51hey
36:52we dug
36:53as deep
36:54as we can get
36:54and we came out
36:55that's where you
36:56come up in
36:57that's where you
36:57come up in
37:00alright
37:00another season
37:01next week
37:03everybody gets
37:04the game ball
37:05of course
37:06of course
37:07Big Ed and Silver
37:08first
37:12that's Saturday
37:15and then we woke
37:16up on Sunday
37:16to the coldest
37:18day
37:18in the history
37:19of the 20th
37:21century
37:2659 below
37:27zero wind chill
37:2930 to 40 mile
37:31an hour winds
37:33hot steam
37:35coming off
37:35the Ohio river
37:36as we're going
37:37into the stadium
37:37look like a
37:39jacuzzi
37:42I get out
37:43and I go down
37:43the tunnel
37:44and it hits you
37:45it's like somebody
37:46threw a hundred
37:46knives at you
37:47and I run
37:48right back
37:49into the locker
37:50room
37:51everybody's going
37:52what's up
37:53and I go
37:53well first of all
37:55start taking off
37:55everything you're
37:56putting on
37:57because A
37:58you can't move
37:59and B
38:00not going to help
38:01I still have
38:02frostbite in my
38:03right big toe
38:04because of that
38:05and in my
38:06right thumb
38:07I feel it
38:09when it gets
38:09cold
38:10how Dan
38:11played that
38:12game with no
38:12gloves on
38:13and quarterback
38:14is beyond me
38:16if you look at
38:16a football
38:17it's not round
38:18it has two
38:19points on each
38:20end
38:20and if you
38:21don't throw
38:22a perfect
38:22spiral
38:23the wind
38:24will take it
38:25all different
38:25ways
38:26it's almost
38:26like taking
38:27a shoebox
38:27out in the
38:28wind
38:28and throwing
38:28a shoebox
38:31and there
38:32were times
38:32if you got
38:33it out of
38:33spiral
38:34you just
38:34had no idea
38:35where it was
38:36going to come
38:36down
38:39I'm sure
38:40there was
38:40some effect
38:41for individual
38:41players
38:42in dealing
38:42with the
38:43cold
38:44it can become
38:45a distraction
38:45because you're
38:46so focused
38:46on trying
38:47to stay
38:47warm
38:47versus
38:48what your
38:49job needs
38:49to be
38:49or executing
38:50of that
38:51task
38:51on that
38:51particular
38:52play
38:55we were
38:55so focused
38:56on survival
38:57and maybe
38:58didn't play
38:58up to the
38:59level that
38:59we could
38:59have
39:01but you
39:01give
39:01Cincinnati
39:02credit
39:02they made
39:03the adjustment
39:04they were
39:05going to show
39:05us how tough
39:06they were
39:06and maybe
39:07they did
39:07they won
39:07the ball
39:08game
39:08and there
39:09were only
39:09two guys
39:10on the field
39:11that didn't
39:12have gloves
39:12on
39:12Kenny Anderson
39:13and myself
39:15but he played
39:16brilliantly
39:16and Kenny's
39:17advantage is that
39:18he threw
39:19tight spirals
39:20and I didn't
39:21always throw
39:21spirals
39:22in my mind
39:23that was the
39:24biggest part
39:25of us losing
39:26the game
39:36we were disappointed
39:38and of course
39:39you can always
39:40look back at
39:41Cincinnati
39:41and go
39:42what if
39:43what if
39:43what if
39:44you know
39:44different day
39:45a different
39:46condition
39:47might have
39:47been
39:48but
39:48it just
39:49didn't
39:49happen
39:49for us
39:54and going
39:55to the airport
39:55and not being
39:56able to fly
39:57out for three
39:57hours
39:58because
39:59they would've
40:00lost the
40:00Super Bowl
40:01anyway
40:03couldn't de-ice
40:04the plane
40:04and we sat
40:05in Covington
40:06Kentucky
40:07in the airport
40:08with nothing
40:09open
40:11so we were
40:12in Boone
40:13County Kentucky
40:14on a Sunday
40:16without any
40:16alcohol
40:17because there
40:18is no liquor
40:19sold in Boone
40:20County on Sunday
40:21boy
40:21don't you
40:22understand
40:25we sat
40:26in that
40:26hole
40:27for hours
40:29and couldn't
40:30get back
40:30to San Diego
40:31at least
40:31let us
40:32get home
40:32you beat us
40:33you go
40:34to the
40:35Super Bowl
40:35but don't
40:36keep us
40:36prisoners
40:37here
40:37please
40:41the next
40:42few seasons
40:42were difficult
40:43ones
40:44for Don
40:44Correale
40:45and the
40:46San Diego
40:46Chargers
40:48I think
40:49what happened
40:49was
40:50we had
40:50run the
40:51cycle
40:51of having
40:53an opportunity
40:53to win
40:54the big
40:54one
40:54we got
40:55older
40:56we just
40:57kind of
40:57slid
40:58those years
40:59after that
41:04three
41:04of our
41:05front four
41:05who really
41:06was the
41:06strength
41:07of our
41:07defense
41:07were up
41:08with the
41:0849ers
41:08winning
41:09Super Bowls
41:10Muncie
41:11was gone
41:13Dan
41:13was starting
41:14to get
41:15hurt
41:15the injuries
41:16were catching
41:16up
41:18Gene
41:19Klein
41:19finally
41:19just got
41:20tired
41:21of dealing
41:21with contracts
41:22fell in love
41:23with horse
41:23racing
41:24and finally
41:25said
41:25you know
41:25what
41:26I've had
41:26enough
41:27horses
41:27they're
41:28never
41:28going
41:28to
41:28renegotiate
41:29I'm
41:30getting
41:30in the
41:30horse
41:30racing
41:30business
41:31the
41:31Spanos
41:31family
41:32wanted
41:32to
41:32buy
41:32it
41:33so
41:33Gene
41:33just
41:34decided
41:34to
41:34sell
41:34it
41:35and
41:36once you
41:36change
41:37ownership
41:37all hell breaks
41:38loose
41:38because the
41:39coach gets
41:40fired
41:40the quarterback
41:41gets retired
41:41and it takes
41:42a while to
41:43rebuild the
41:43team in
41:44that
41:45ownership's
41:45way
41:46in the way
41:46they want
41:56with all due
41:57respect to the
41:5749ers
41:58Dallas Cowboys
41:59who also ran
42:00our offense
42:00and on and on
42:01and on
42:02I in my heart
42:03believe
42:04that we had
42:05the greatest
42:05offense
42:06in the history
42:07of the National
42:08Football League
42:10we changed
42:11the way
42:12people play
42:13defense
42:14they had
42:15to change
42:16philosophy
42:17playing defense
42:18because of us
42:19there are teams
42:21today still
42:22running that
42:22offense
42:23the same
42:23terminology
42:25that won
42:26Super Bowls
42:26with that
42:27St. Louis Rams
42:28when they won
42:29Super Bowl
42:29I could step
42:31into a St. Louis Rams
42:32huddle
42:32and run their
42:33plays
42:34the same
42:35offense
42:37to me the
42:38Hall of Fame
42:38is about
42:39influence on
42:40and contribution
42:42to
42:42the game
42:43of pro
42:44football
42:45it is my
42:46sincere hope
42:47that my
42:47inclusion
42:47to the
42:48Hall of Fame
42:48helps open
42:49the doors
42:50for so many
42:50others
42:51who have
42:51not
42:52participated
42:52in a
42:53Super Bowl
42:53game
42:55it's not like
42:56it's going to
42:57define my
42:58life or anything
42:58not winning
42:59a Super Bowl
42:59but I think
43:01about it
43:01I think about
43:02it all the time
43:04and to get
43:05and to get so
43:05close
43:06and know
43:06that you
43:07could have
43:08should have
43:08done it
43:11pisses you
43:12off
43:12hurts
43:15it's the
43:16Holy Grail
43:16it's how your
43:17career is measured
43:18whether you
43:19won a ring
43:19or not
43:20if you
43:20have won
43:21a ring
43:21you go
43:22into a
43:22very elite
43:23group
43:24we were
43:24never able
43:25to step
43:25into that
43:26elite group
43:27I mean
43:27how big
43:28is winning
43:29a Super Bowl
43:29how big
43:30is it
43:32well merely
43:33from a football
43:33point of view
43:34it's the biggest
43:34thing in your
43:35life
43:38we'll be judged
43:39based upon
43:40our failures
43:41but also
43:41upon our
43:42entertainment
43:43value
43:43and how
43:44people remember
43:45us
43:46people remember
43:47the San Diego
43:47Chargers
43:48as a team
43:49that they
43:50enjoyed
43:50watching
43:53all I care
43:54about is
43:55the fans
43:55and if
43:57they liked
43:57it
43:57great
43:58some
43:58will be
43:59critical
43:59some
43:59will say
44:00ah
44:00they
44:00never
44:00won
44:01the
44:01big
44:01one
44:01but you
44:02know
44:02what
44:04we tried
44:05and we
44:06had fun
44:06trying
44:07we did
44:08leave our
44:08mark
44:08we will
44:10not be
44:10forgotten
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