To Mr. Schottenheimer, thank you

I sit here sulking in the Chargers loss to the Denver Broncos by loading up my X-Box 360 and playing Madden 07. It is a fun throwback to a time in which my favorite player of all time would glide past defenders on his way to the end zone. That player is the Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson. I’d rock my powder blue #21 every Sunday as LT lit up the scoreboard and now I try to relieve those memories through video games. When you play as the Chargers, a small screen pops up where you can select the uniform, difficulty and playbook. Next to the playbook, it says SD - M. Schottenheimer. It made me a little sad as it was a reminder that Coach Schottenheimer had passed in February. I wanted to take a moment to thank Coach Schottenheimer. His tenure with the Chargers was too short and ended so poorly, I wish it could’ve been different. The man helped shape my favorite player into an all time great. However his impact not only on the Chargers and LT was one of success, his impact on football can not be denied. A career win total of 200 wins, a coaching tree filled with champions and his coaching being responsible for multiple Hall of Fame inductees. The criticisms on his career come from his lack of a super bowl appearance. However that shouldn’t take away from his incredible career. I am a firm believer and if anyone with any influence in Canton sees this, the Hall of Fame needs to induct Marty Schottenheimer as soon as possible. In the same way I feel about Don Coryell, if you influence the game in any meaningful and impactful way, you have shaped the history of the NFL and thus your bust deserves to be in Canton. Like Coryell, Schottenheimer won’t get to attend his own ceremony but that shouldn’t take away all that he has done for the game I love.

However I’m not here to debate Coach Schottenheimer on whether he belongs in Canton or not. I’m here to thank a man of a lifetime of work. He had a simple offensive philosophy. Run the football and because of that, my hero became a legend. Breaking the single season touchdown record in 06, LaDainian Tomlinson was set to lead the Chargers to their first ever Super Bowl. However plans were hampered in the playoffs by misfortune capped by Marlon McCree’s fumble after intercepting Tom Brady. Coach Schottenheimer never got another shot to coach my Chargers as he was fired in the offseason. I don’t know what could’ve been. I don’t want to think about it. I do want to think about a packed Qualcomm Stadium erupting to LT breaking the touchdown record against the Denver Broncos. I like to think about Coach Schottenheimer’s great speeches. I think about them a lot, this one in particular. He spoke on the feeling of watching a player grow. The feeling of seeing someone you taught succeed. He was a mentor, a teacher and a good man. He allowed a six year old kid from Hawaii fall in love with a player he only met through a TV screen. He made my Chargers great, he took a franchise in obscurity and let them be seen on CBS which was really helpful as that’s the only game my TV would catch. He would coach in the UFL and in his only season, he’d win a championship. He went out as the winner he was. Whenever I need a lift, I watch LT’s Hall of Fame speech, where he thanks Coach Schottenheimer and says he was the best coach he ever had. It brings a tear to my eye every time I watch it. Thank you Coach, for everything. When I visit the Charger greats in Canton. LT, Ron Mix, Dan Fouts, Junior Seau and co. I hope to see your bust there one day, perhaps with my favorite phrase of your etched below. “One play at a time, let’s go kick some ass.”