Hours before the Broncos performed deconstructive surgery on the football-impaired Chargers, it was leaked that San Diego’s cadre, without announcement (it remains unannounced), had extended General Manager Tom Telesco’s contract for three years. Probably in August.

Hilariously, pathetically, a source told our whippersnapper beat guy Michael Gehlken the reason for keeping Taciturn Tom’s extension secret for months was the team didn’t want to “create a distraction.”

Complete coverage: Broncos 17, Chargers 3

A distraction?

The unabashed torment the football team has put the city and its fans through since its year-long threat to move to Los Angeles hasn’t been a distraction, but re-upping a GM’s deal would have been? Are we to believe the players could have performed worse during Sunday’s 17-3 loss to Denver or in any of the other nine games they’ve blown had they been aware Tom was financially set for a while?


This organization has become unfathomable. Not only is it playing bad football, but its we-don’t-give-a-damn-about-you-off-the-field shenanigans have made no sense. Look, if they leave, they leave, but there’s no excuse to urinate on an entire city that has supported them for more than a half-century.

The Chargers, at the very least, owe this town an apology.

For teams that do things normally, showing confidence in a GM would be considered a positive and be announced without hesitation. But they now do everything to irritate — and that also includes how they play and coach.

After presiding over his latest debacle, coach Mike McCoy was asked about the Telesco deal and instead of saying, “I’d like to have Tom playing if he could run, block or catch,” he said he’s happy for the man who hired him. When pressed if he’d received a similar offer from the Spanoses, Mike said: “I have not been offered a contract; I’m worried about this week.”


1 / 39 Charger fans for 10-years, Michelle Villamore (left) and Genevieve Pahati enjoy a tailgate bbq with their finances at Qualcomm Stadium where the Charges will go up against the Denver Broncos. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 2 / 39 Season ticket holder Denise Ames, born and raised in Del Mar, but living in Wildomar, made quite an entry in her Chargers cape on the way into the game. (John Gastaldo) 3 / 39 Paget Hutson and Kelsie Skerrett show off their tickets for Sundays games against the Denver Broncos at Qualcomm Stadium. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 4 / 39 Monique LeMons, left, watched her daughter Victoria LeMons, 1 as she figures out a cell phone with Sara Graham in the back of a pickup truck tailgating at the Chargers-Broncos game at Qualcomm Stadium. (John Gastaldo) 5 / 39 Long time Chargers fans Vincent Web (left), Nadia Dossous and Chad Garner arrived early to Qualcomm to watch the Chargers warm up before going up against the Denver Broncos. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 6 / 39 Damian Quintanilla from Escondido has been a season ticket holder for the past 21 years. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 7 / 39 Susan Jerrome, left, watches her brother Mark Jerrrome, both of Vista, CA, roll dice playing on a card table while tailgating outside of Qualcomm Stadium before the season ticket holders go in to watch the game. They have been Chargers season-ticket holders since 1989 and both think the Chargers will be back next season. (John Gastaldo) 8 / 39 Jeffrey Campos (left) and Karsten Felix have been Chargers fans for 30 years and on this day before the the Chargers go up against the Broncos the two enjoyed a tailgate bbq. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 9 / 39 Edward Dasco of Fontana, CA, left, photographs Christine Eattugalan, center, of Whittier, and Iryl Gomez of Fontana, before they entered the stadium. (John Gastaldo) 10 / 39 Season ticket holders Alicia Zajaceskowski and Adrienne Mooney get excited before the game against the Denver Broncos at Qualcomm Stadium. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 11 / 39 Chargers and Broncos fans arrive at the Qualcomm Stadium stop on the San Diego Trolley for the game. (John Gastaldo) 12 / 39 Michelle Meza has been cheering on the San Diego Chargers for the past 8 years. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 13 / 39 Chargers fans made their way toward the stadium from the parking lot hours before the game. (John Gastaldo) 14 / 39 Michael Ivory proudly shows off his Chargers flag that he displays on his truck. Long time fan Ivory has been a season ticket holder the past 5-years. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 15 / 39 A security expert and his K-9 walk the permiter of Qualcomm Stadium in advance of the game vs. The Denver Broncos. (John Gastaldo) 16 / 39 Zee Mata rode his bike to Qualcomm Stadium to watch the Chargers go up against the Denver Broncos on Sunday. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 17 / 39 San Diego Police officers were patrolling the parking lot at Qualcomm with a little more urgency considering the past week’s attack in San Bernardino (John Gastaldo) 18 / 39 30-year Chargers fan Tom Jurado (left) and 15-year Chargers fan George Martinez fan of 15-years enjoy the bbq before watching the Chargers go up against the Denver Broncos at Qualcomm Stadium. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 19 / 39 Tim Montoya, left, of San Diego and Kathy Reinmiller from Las Vegas, self-described “football-buddies,” sit in the back of a pickup truck before the start of the Chargers-Broncos game. (John Gastaldo) 20 / 39 Chargers season ticket holder, Linda Parks gets pumped before the game against the Denver Broncos at Qualcomm Stadium. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 21 / 39 Jason Baker, left and uncle Steven Baker, both of Alberta Canada somehow made their way to Sunday’s Chargers-Broncos game. (John Gastaldo) 22 / 39 Chargers fan Robert McClanahan waits before entering Qualcomm Stadium to watch the Chargers go up against the Denver Broncos. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 23 / 39 Michelle Meza has been cheering on the San Diego Chargers for the past 8 years. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 24 / 39 Patrick Vaughan, and wife Laura Vaughan, react with sympathy as they watch injured Charger '.Dontrelle Inman being carted off the field with a neck injury that required a neck and back brace. (John Gastaldo) 25 / 39 Workers move to clean part of the stadium during the second-to-last home game of this Chargers season, which may be their last in San Diego. (John Gastaldo) 26 / 39 Ron McEwen of Santee, foreground, and Kenny Baker of La Mesa have had an interest in the Chargers and in attending their games together going back 35 season and are 35-year-season ticket holders. (John Gastaldo) 27 / 39 The San Diego Union-Tribune (John Gastaldo) 28 / 39 Broncos fan Carlos Cruz of Anaheim shows off beers attached to his head. (John Gastaldo) 29 / 39 Jairo Esparza of San Diego shows his passion during the Chargers loss to the Broncos. (John Gastaldo) 30 / 39 Fans depart the Qualcomm Stadium parking lot after the next to last Chargers game of the season. (John Gastaldo) 31 / 39 Season ticket holder Donney Cummins tries to get the Chargers offense pumped up in the 2nd half against the Denver Broncos at Qualcomm Stadium. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 32 / 39 Johnny Huerta watched as the Chargers fall to the Denver Broncos at Qualcomm Stadium. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 33 / 39 Alfonso Ceballos clearly is upset with the Chargers for not scoring a single touchdown against the Denver Broncos at Qualcomm Stadium. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 34 / 39 Mitchell Pellegrin is in disbelief as he watches the Denver Broncos score another touchdown against the Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 35 / 39 Josh Carambas who has been 13 year Chargers season ticket holder watches as the chargers fall to the Denver Broncos. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 36 / 39 George Meyer watches as the Chargers fall to the Denver Broncos at Qualcomm Stadium. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 37 / 39 Johnny Huerta watched as the Chargers fall to the Denver Broncos at Qualcomm Stadium. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 38 / 39 Season ticket holder Donney Cummins tries to get the Chargers offense pumped up in the 2nd half against the Denver Broncos at Qualcomm Stadium. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 39 / 39 Chargers fans show their disbelief in the officials penalty ruling as the chargers fall to the Denver Broncos at Qualcomm Stadium. (Nelvin C. Cepeda)

At this rate, he doesn’t deserve to be offered a new deal — although this is as much Telesco’s mess as his — and he should be worried about this week, when his fife and drum corps must travel to Kansas City. The Chiefs clobbered them here on Nov. 22.

Maybe they’re better off away, where they don’t have to suffer tens of thousands of opposing guests in their own home as they did Sunday, when Qualcomm Stadium’s seats were filled with orange jerseys. The Chargers have lost six straight games at “home,” where they’ve been outscored 65-9 over their last 10 quarters.

But this, too, is a big part of what the L.A. threats have wrought. What fans they had left are sensing the lamest of ducks and selling off their tickets. If club management doesn’t care, why should anyone else? Our heads have beaten a hole in this wall without any remorse being shown.


Denver has an outstanding defense, but Sunday the Chargers didn’t come close to a touchdown on a day when the Broncos managed just 10 offensive points. The visitors got one on pick-six touchdown off a Philip Rivers interception.

Rivers, who had a miserable afternoon, had another interception for a score that was called back by a holding penalty, or that would have made it a half-dozen pick-sixes on the season, an NFL record. He had a passer rating of 57.1. He’s too good for that, but when you’re sacked four times, hurried more, and your rookie tailback is fumbling as though the football is an explosive, bad things happen.

1 / 45 Chargers Malcom Floyd is introduced before the Chargers-Broncos game. (K.C. Alfred) 2 / 45 F18s fly over Qualcomm Stadium during the National Anthem before the Chargers-Broncos game. (K.C. Alfred) 3 / 45 Chargers Philip Rivers gets angry after being sacked by Denver Broncos, Malik Jackson in the 4th quarter at Qualcomm Stadium. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 4 / 45 Immediately following this tackle in the 4th quarter at Qualcomm Stadium, Chargers Philip Rivers was angry for what he thought was a late hit by Bon Miller. (Nelvin C. Cepeda) 5 / 45 Broncos Brock Osweiler throws against the Chargers in the 2nd quarter. (K.C. Alfred) 6 / 45 Chargers Jerry Attaochu, left, Steve Williams, below, and Manti Te’o stop Broncos Demaryius Thomas in the 1st quarter. (K.C. Alfred) 7 / 45 Broncos Demaryius Thomas catches a touchdown pass against the Chargers in the 2nd quarter. (K.C. Alfred) 8 / 45 Chargers Dontrelle Inman, left, was injured on this hit by Broncos David Bruton Jr. Inman had to be carted off the field. (K.C. Alfred) 9 / 45 Chargers Dontrelle Inman is carted off the field after getting injured against the Broncos. (K.C. Alfred) 10 / 45 Chargers Philip Rivers yells at Javontee Herndon after missing a route in the 1st quarter. (K.C. Alfred) 11 / 45 Chargers Josh Lambo missed a field goal against the Broncos in the 1st quarter. (K.C. Alfred) 12 / 45 Chargers Jahleel Addae breaks up a pass to Broncos Owen Daniels in the 1st quarter. (K.C. Alfred) 13 / 45 Chargers Brandon Flowers is carted off the field after getting injured against the Broncos. (K.C. Alfred) 14 / 45 Chargers Philip Rivers gave up an interception for a touchdown to Denver’s Danny Trevathan (59) in the 1st quarter. (K.C. Alfred) 15 / 45 Chargers Philip Rivers gave up an interception for a touchdown to Denver’s Danny Trevathan (59) in the 1st quarter. (K.C. Alfred) 16 / 45 Charger Girls perform during a game against the Broncos. (K.C. Alfred) 17 / 45 Charger Girls perform during a game against the Broncos. (K.C. Alfred) 18 / 45 Chargers Philip Rivers gets up after getting sacked in the 1st quarter against the Broncos. (K.C. Alfred) 19 / 45 Broncos J.J. Anderson runs over Chargers Steve Williams in the 2nd quarter. (K.C. Alfred) 20 / 45 Chargers Philip Rivers escapes Malik Jackson to run for a first down, but was called back on a penalty in the 2nd quarter. (K.C. Alfred) 21 / 45 Chargers Philip Rivers walks back to the huddle after running for a first down, then getting it called back on a penalty in the 2nd quarter against the Broncos. (K.C. Alfred) 22 / 45 Chargers Philip Rivers directs David Johnson during a play against the Broncos. (K.C. Alfred) 23 / 45 Chargers Melvin Gordon runs, then fumbles on this play in the 3rd quarter against the Broncos. (K.C. Alfred) 24 / 45 Chargers Melvin Gordon sits on the ground after a fumble in the 3rd quarter against the Broncos. (K.C. Alfred) 25 / 45 Broncos Brock Osweiler throws agains the Chargers in the 3rd quarter. (K.C. Alfred) 26 / 45 Broncos fans hold a sign with Brock Osweiler during a game against the Chargers. (K.C. Alfred) 27 / 45 Broncos Josh Bush, behind, causes Chargers Malcom Floyd to fumble in the 3rd quarter as Bradley Roby (29) defends. (K.C. Alfred) 28 / 45 Chargers coach Mike McCoy argues a play agasint the Broncos. (K.C. Alfred) 29 / 45 Broncos Brock Osweiler watches a play after Chargers Kendall Reyes hits him in the 3rd quarter. (K.C. Alfred) 30 / 45 Broncos fans look on during a game against the Chargers. (K.C. Alfred) 31 / 45 Charger Girls perform during a game against the Broncos. (K.C. Alfred) 32 / 45 Chargers fan Ryan Garcia braves a sea of Broncos fans during a 17-3 loss at Qualcomm Stadium. (K.C. Alfred) 33 / 45 Chargers fan Courtney LeVasseur braves a sea of Broncos fans during a 17-3 loss at Qualcomm Stadium. (K.C. Alfred) 34 / 45 Chargers Melvin Gordon sits on the bench against the Broncos in the 4th quarter. (K.C. Alfred) 35 / 45 Chargers Philip Rivers and Broncos Von Miller get into it during the final moments of the 4th quarter. (K.C. Alfred) 36 / 45 Chargers Philip Rivers and Broncos Von Miller get into it during the final moments of the 4th quarter. (K.C. Alfred) 37 / 45 Chargers Philip Rivers and Broncos Von Miller get into it during the final moments of the 4th quarter. (K.C. Alfred) 38 / 45 Chargers Philip Rivers gets sacked by Broncos Shaquil Barrett in the 4th quarter. (K.C. Alfred) 39 / 45 Chargers coach Mike McCoy runs off the field after a 17-3 loss to the Broncos. (K.C. Alfred) 40 / 45 Broncos Brock Osweiler leaves the field after a 17-3 win over the Chargers. (K.C. Alfred) 41 / 45 Chargers Philip Rivers throws to Malcom Floyd in the 2nd quarter against the Broncos. (K.C. Alfred) 42 / 45 Denver’s Aqib Talib breaks up a pass to Chargers Malcom Floyd in the 2nd quarter. (K.C. Alfred) 43 / 45 Broncos Brock Osweiler leaves the field after a 17-3 win over the Chargers. (K.C. Alfred) 44 / 45 Chargers Philip Rivers runs off the field after a 17-3 loss to the Broncos. (K.C. Alfred) 45 / 45 Denver Broncos Brandon McManus kicks a field goal against the Chargers helping to beat them at Qualcomm. (John Gastaldo)

“They gave us multiple chances offensively,” said Rivers, whose lucrative contract extension actually was announced in August. “We didn’t rise to the challenge. We had every opportunity to win the game.”


In a way, that’s true. Denver didn’t score after intermission. But every time the Chargers started something the Broncos either snuffed it or shots were fired into feet.

In any event, the season was lost long ago. The team is 3-9 and at times seems as defenseless as a child. It’s more than injuries now, and there were two more big ones Sunday — receiver Dontrelle Inman (neck) and corner Brandon Flowers (knee).

But it’s beyond that. If you watched this thing, the players tried. The obvious problem: They aren’t nearly good enough to beat an opponent of substance.

“Obviously, there weren’t too many bright spots,” McCoy lamented.


Which begs the burning question: Why the hell would star-struck Hollywood want or care about the homely Chargers?

Not even a sex tape would work.

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