People, today's game against the Broncos is a perfect example of why I came up with the term "Boltitis."  In fact, there couldn't be a better game to serve as an example of the agony and repetitive torture that goes along with being a Chargers fan.  High expectations, followed by utter failure, followed by legitimate reason for hope, only to be ended by what equates to something worse than a full swing kick in the groin.  Yep, that's life as a Charger fan.

I can't say that heading into today's game in Denver I was confident.  In fact, I truly thought the Chargers would lose.  The Broncos had just come off a confidence boosting performance in Oakland, and you just knew they were going to be up for the Chargers because they had gotten spanked 3 games in a row against them, twice at home.  Turns out I was right.

Before I knew it, the Bolts were down 21-3, and looked like their defense was legitimately in the bottom 5 of the NFL.  Here we go again...

Alas, Darren Sproles returns a kick-off for a touchdown and we manage to limp into halftime only down 31-17.  They come out in the second half and proceed to cut the score to 31-24.  The defense stiffens up a bit, although they still looked terrible, especially rushing Cutler, and all of a sudden we were looking at a one point deficit at 31-30.  Granola stadium was awfully quiet, and the Chargers looked confident.

Next posession, with 4 minutes and change left in the game, Sproles gets a flare pass and takes it to the house for a touchdown.  A successful two point conversion later and, boom, the Bolts lead 38-31.  A normal NFL fan would have been feeling pretty good at this point, but Charger fans are not NFL fans, especially those like me that have seen 32 years of unbelievable collapses.

So against my better judgement, I didn't turn off the TV to let things play out in peace without me being tortured along the way.  Whoops.  About 8 completed passes later, again with zero pash rush on Cutler, the Bronco's are on the Charger 4 yard line with just over a minute to go.  The Bolts defense held strong, for once, on first and second down, and up to the line came Cutler and the Broncos for a crucial 3rd down.  Cutler rolled right, and as he began to raise his arm to throw, but before cocked his arm back, the ball fell out of his hand, to the ground and Tim Dobbins picks it up.  Game over, right?  The play will be reviewed, but the was clear as day.  Has to be Chargers ball.  Wrong.  Ed Hochuli, usually one of the best refs in the game, had blown the whistle before letting the play run it's course, thus giving the Broncos the ball back for 4th down. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?  Thoughts of smashing my computer, throwing a beer bottle against the wall, hunting down Hochuli, and other violent notions went through my head in rapid succession, but thankfully I just sat in silence...and then laughed.  Why?  Because this is the way it works in San Diego, especially with the Chargers.  I knew immediately that the next play would be a touchdown (it was), and the play after that would be a surprise two point conversion (it was) to put the game away (it did).

The Chargers offense, which was a bright spot today, made a valiant effort to get the ball downfield and at least make the last 30 seconds interesting, but there was no real chance for them to get into field goal range, with no timeouts, and kick a game ending field goal.  Nope.  This game was settled when Hochuli shat the bed on the most important play of the game.  But that's the way football works.  You get some calls, and others go against you.  Unfortunately, in San Diego the proverbial ball tends to bounce the other way far more often than it does the way of the Chargers.

Ah, Boltitis.  Loosely defined by yours truly as the pain and agony felt by someone that has followed a San Diego Chargers franchise through so much dissapointment over the years that it's just not fair.  It really isn't.  I have a buddy that moved to San Diego 2 years ago and started supporting the Chargers because he likes Norv Turner (odd, I know).  He's so optimistic all the time and always thinks things are going to go well.  My pessimism seems to confuse him.  I think today he may have started to see why I'm always so negative when watching the Chargers.  The final text he sent to me durning the Broncos's winning drive was, "What is happening?"  With pity in my fingers, I replied, "Ha....You'll come around eventually.  This is NORMAL."  Well, it might be normal, but god damn, it never gets easy.

Sir Bolt