BOLT ANALYSIS: NORVAL EUGENE TURNER

Hey ya’ll. I know it’s still raw, and we are all running a bit empty this week, but we already have big Charger news for 2010-2011. Norval Eugene Turner has signed a three year extension and will continue to coach this team. I know many of the Charger faithful blame Norv for the loss on Sunday. And many of the faithful have never been sold on Norv’s low-key approach to the game at all. Lots of folks are enamored with coaches who have visible passion…Bill Cowher, Jon Gruden, and newbie Rex Ryan come to mind. Hey, it is hard to argue with success. But…why do you think that guys like Cowher and Gruden have not returned to football? One reason is because they like the easier job of commentary…but another reason may be that they know that to have a successful team you need continuity and players buying into what you do. That does not happen overnight and both of them know there would be growing pains with a new team. Once you have won it all…why go back into that right away? And, for every emotional coach who is successful there are those who have other ways to win (think Evil Bill from New England and Tom Coughlin). Could there be two less likable guys? But they win.

Although Norv had low points in his first season, and his teams have started slow each of his three years…they have finished strong each time. They are 13-0 in December…they have had major winning streaks each year..they have won the AFC West each year. To steal a line from Nick Canepa..that and five cents will get you a nickel. More important is the fact that he now has player support. He has a great relationship with this team’s best player (Rivers) and this year he was able to put a ton of young guys into a starting and supporting role with great results. Yes, they had a meltdown on Sunday and he can certainly shoulder some of the blame for that. But…inferior teams in 2007 and 2008 WON playoff games under Norv. His 2007 team nearly upset undefeated New England without many starters and nearly made the Bowl. (sidenote here: Nate Kaeding kicked 4 field goals in that game in cold, snowy conditions, making Sunday’s disaster even harder to fathom).  

This offseason promises to be eventful. Decisions on the players mentioned Monday loom: LT, Sproles, Jackson, McNeil, Merriman, Jamal Williams. It will be interesting. There is no question that something is missing. Some killer instinct..some ability to drive a knife into an opponent. I don’t think it takes much…a couple of new people on both sides of the ball maybe. An infectious couple of rookies or free agents with big enthusiasm maybe (a la Merriman’s rookie year). What seems clear is that we need to move past relying on the guys that have carried this team for nearly a decade…we have taken LT’s greatness and Jamal Williams’ greatness for granted…and it no longer exists. We have assumed that Merriman would always return to excellence. No longer can we do that. Even without these three, we have the nucleus. Without these three (and we never really had them this year…did we?) we may be stronger. But…that is a topic for another post.

So…for 2010-2011…one question mark is already done away with…Norval is here to stay…so stop worrying about the coach. It is what it is. Let’s put the team together and support him. 

Also, just remember, the BOLT ANALYSIS never sleeps. There is no offseason.