9/22/2020 by James Fedewa

“If this new SoFi Stadium could be in San Diego...”Just the simple thought of that could drive chills up a San Diego Chargers fan spine. Or maybe just a San Diego resident. What Dean Spanos tried to do for 20 years for San Diego, only to offer a $5 billion stadium to Los Angeles instead. Sure, it’s not exactly Dean Spanos’ Chargers venue, but more of the Los Angeles Rams owners gig, Stan Kroenke. Never the less, it’s the Los Angeles Chargers now…

The brand new SoFi Stadium, and home of the Los Angles Chargers, looks crazy amazing (and more like the 8th Wonder of the World). Still, Chargers fans must wait again to witness a real Chargers home game on their real home turf (due to state COVID-19 restrictions, fans must stay away a little bit longer).

Football fans turn on the game, expecting to drool over the brand new stadium, lit in powder-blue Bolt graphics, shining with the new Chargers jersey’s, only to notice Justin Herbert running out onto the field to start the game? Wait, he is not supposed to be starting. Where is current starter, Tyrod Taylor? Immediately, all the gawking at the new stadium and jersey gets tossed aside as the Chargers first round pick begins a new-era in Chargers history and takes the field for the first time as a professional quarterback. *Well, newer-er (after the first home game, new stadium and the sweet jerseys). The newer-er (Justin Herber) found out he was starting the game, 10 seconds before kickoff.

Starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor’s second start as the Chargers QB has abruptly ended (before the game even began). Taylor had “chest pains” after the coin-toss and had to be taken to the hospital. Right then, Herbert was notified, like an alarm clock buzzing on the morning of the first day of school. Yeah, sure… you’re probably setting your alarm an hour before school starts, but Herbert got the 10 second warning: GET UP!! TYROD’s OUT and YOU ARE IN KID!

And Herbert shined and lit the place up, against the Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs. No, the Bolts did not win, but they played well and the game did go to overtime. Sure, Herbert had a few errors, but Chargers fans forgot all about the new stadium, the new jersey’s and drooled over their brand new QB of the future, Justin Herbert. Herbie is their Ferrari, the stadium is only the garage and the new jersey’s are only the upholstery…

My Question to Chargers fans: What’s better than a new stadium and jersey’s? A damn good 22 year-old quarterback with 4 years starting college experience who just lit up Los Angeles television rating! **We all just wish it was in San Diego

4/22/2020 by James Fedewa

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4/12/20 by James Fedewa (www.NationalFanatic.com)

Here is my latest 2020 NFL Mock Draft. How far will Tua Tagovailoa fall?

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February 27, 2020 by James Fedewa

The only time I even attempt a mock draft before the NFL Combine, is with offbeat trades. After the NFL Combine, the I will eliminate silly, unpredictable trades, but let’s have some fun with it (for now).

*For the record, I have been watching quarterbacks Jordan Love and Jacob Eason since their high school football days. Both are from the town I am from (Jordan Love = Bakersfield, CA / played football with my nephew) and the town I currently lived in (Jacob Eason = Lake Stevens, WA). Plus, I am a Chargers fan whose favorite player is Philip Rivers (so I have been dreaming of one of these guys being the next quarterback of the BOLTS).

February 2, 2020 by James Fedewa

Looks like the Philip Rivers era is coming to an end for Chargers Fans. Is this ac-TUA-lly happening? I’m so sad, I could eat a whole container of s-HERBERT. This s-EASON is going to be tough. I really LOVE-d Rivers but fans knew the owners are Jackasses (err BURRO-W’s).

January 4, 2020  by James Fedewa

…with the sixth pick in the NFL Draft (OK, so now you know. I’m a Chargers fan): Rivers is getting up there in age, at 38 years young, but he is not ready to retire. Finding his replacement would be the savvy selection with the #6 overall pick, but not necessary the sure thing. so I will give you FOUR draft day scenarios:

• 1.) Chargers General Manager Tom Telesco will be aggressive with this years draft and trade up to get the #1 overall pick. Chargers trade their #6 pick, their #38 pick and 2021 1st round pick to select Quarterback Joe Burrow, LSU.  This would be ideal fit for Burrow as he could learn for a season with Philip Rivers as his mentor.
• 2.)  Telesco will use the #6th overall draft pick to select Quarterback Justin Herbert, Oregon. Many mock-drafters are predicting Herbert to the Chargers, which could be an excellent selection, as he has the size, arm strength and what I like most about him the most is his leadership and poise.  Herbert is the true leader of the Oregon Ducks football team and after watching the Ducks vs. Washington and vs. Wisconsin, Herbert led his team to victory.
• #3.)  Chargers will trade down in the first round and trade back up.   Telesco is not a “wheeler and dealer” when it comes to the draft.  He likes a set of guys (per round) and generally sticks to his scouting evaluations and round groupings (he lets the draft come to him). But this year, Telesco will turn his #6 pick into two first round picks in 2020 with trades. The first pick will be a left offensive tackle (or even Right Tackle Tristan Wirfs, Iowa). Followed by their selection of Quarterback Jacob Eason, Washington.   If Philip Rivers gets to tutor a young QB, that QB should have a set of similar tools.  Eason and Rivers have very similar builds and play style and Eason could be the perfect protegee for Rivers. Looking at the top 5 quarterbacks in this draft, I could see Eason or Herbert the best fit for Rivers.
• 4.) Honestly, I think at least four quarterbacks will be selected in the first round and three will be taken in the top five picks.  If Telesco wants a quarterback in the first round, he’s going to have to trade up and get one. Cincinnati, Detroit and Miami will probably have already selected Burrows, Tua and Herbert, which would leave the BPA:  Cornerback Jeffrey Okudah, Ohio State being selected by the Chargers.

Mock drafting for the Chargers is not about what you or I think. Its about what you (or I ) think Tom Telesco will do (so predict the GM is the game, not mock drafting)  

Current Season Playoffs: (RANT)

With the (Your Team Here) out of the playoffs, (Your Team Here) fans can now move on from this professional football and focus on the NFL Draft.  Sure, the NFL Playoffs will be fun to watch for many fans, but since the (Your Team Here) are done, so we should all be done with the NFL for now (or for at least the playoffs anyway).  If you are a 100% (Your Team Here) fan, then zero percent interest should be focused on other teams (and the NFL), so why bother to watch (except for maybe the Seattle Seahawks; give them 3% of our professional football interest, just because I live in Seattle and my kids love Russell Wilson, who is #3, hence the 3%).

The main reason why we should be done with the playoffs, other than because the (Your Team Here) are done for the season, the NFL referees are pure garbage (which is shit, mixed with a junk). Missed calls, unturned video replay reviews and subjective bias leniency. It’s crazy how much a referee can alter the outcome of a game, yet the NFL thinks they are so good, it is difficult to improve.

My Second reason why we should NOT watch the NFL Playoffs: Douche Bag NFL Owners.  Screw those know-it-all pricks that think they are improvising their brands by either moving to a different city,  firing their coaches after one season, or pretending they  know how to run a a football team because they own a team. That’s like saying, I own a Ford Truck, and my truck slid on the pavement the other day, so lets replace every tire (or replace the whole truck).  NFL Teams should be run by their city, not a person or chairman, sorta like the Green Bay Packers, but that’s a different topic.

My third and final reason why we should be done with the NFL Playoffs (this one’s personal):  I won my fantasy football league, so my pinnacle for this season was finished just after week 16, the fantasy football championship game.

10/15/2019 by James Fedewa

I have not been blogging too much this season, as I usually focus my content in the beginning of the year (primarily with the NFL Draft, January through April). After the NFL Draft, I usually review local craft breweries and their unique beers, as well as rant about the NFL. If you have ever seen my Instagram account, you would already know my passion for unique beers. But lately, my available time has been running scarce, especially with our kids getting older, including their variable sports schedules.

Sure, 8 year old and 10 year old kids are limited in actual competitive sports, but it is fun to watch them do well, yet we never really know what our daily schedule might bring. We can have three soccer games in one day, and two soccer practices and a basketball practice the next day. The following week might only have three total practices, and staggered games over the weekend, in different (yet local) cities…

And we would not want it any other way. This was not the primary reason why we wanted kids (making life unpredictable, fun and/or diverse), but the change of focus from our individual selves, focusing on something else (our children and their growth). These new responsibilities grants us wisdom within our family making us better people, and more importantly, better humans. My wife and I wanted kids to grown with us, to enhance each others lives, and to share our values. We can pave a path for our kids to walk, but they must choose their own direction (with a nudge or two).

It is also weird how our own parents values influence how we now raise or own kids. My folks had me in soccer, football and baseball (which is exactly what I find myself doing with my own children), but not necessarily the same sports. We want to expose our kids to as many sports they could think of, and see which sports sticks. I wanted to see the sports they were good at, or hated, or which sports I do not like at all (or my wife loves). Yes, we do have our preferred kids sports (Mom vs. Dad / kid vs. parent), but that diverseness can only enhance our kids aspirations and thought process.

Team sports is not just about just playing games and being competitive. Sports is about our kids social behavior, interactions with other kids, and they how they act in groups. It is about kids finding new friends (outside our neighborhood), that have common likes and interests, other than just by the boundaries we live in. Our kids learning from different types of people, parents and coaches (other than school, family or church), with a totally different style of disciplines.

Most parents chose this lifestyle, as our own hobbies become very secondary. I loved to golf twice a week, home brewing beer, playing guitar and blogging about what I love, but now days, I do not really have that time. My kids are my hobbies. It is crazy to think that I can surf the internet for an hour, shopping for the new LeBron James basketball shoes for my daughter (or Blake Griffin / Josh Allen jersey that she really wants). Or I might be looking for a Saquon Barkley Color-Rush jersey for my son (because he likes all football teams, not just the Seahawks). Question: how does a 6 year old boys from Seattle become Ohio State fan? (UGGG!)

…it’s not exactly the “perfect” life, as I wish my kids loved the Chargers, Padres, Lakers (or the CSUB Roadrunners, like me), but since they do have passions and have favorite players, and I can support that. We play (and watch) Football, Soccer, Baseball/Softball, Basketball, Tennis, Golf, and will keep searching for more things for our kids to like. I have been eyeballing racquetball (again) and La-Cross, so those might be the next two things. ***But to be honest, it breaks my heart when I have to buy Clippers, Seahawks and Buckeye swag. “Dad, will you hold my (Broncos) backpack?” (Hell No! Not now, not ever… NEVER!)

I do wish I had more time to blog, and I will, but until then, check out this “Style of Beer” chart that I found on-line (not that color actually dictates taste, smell and flavors of beer – but it’s a cool chart):

Husband: “Honey, grab me a sixer!”

Wife: “Sure, of what? “

Husband: “Something red…”

Wife: “Killian’s Irish Red it is…”

Husband: “Noooo! something local… Never mind, just grab me an IPA please…”

4/25/2019 – by James Fedewa  @jamfed  www.NationalFanatic.com

This seasons NFL Draft will be remarkable, we all know it, but predicting this draft is probably the most difficult in recent memory.  If Kyler Murray does go #1 overall, then most mock-drafters (and Draftnik’s) are safe and should have a pretty decent top ten prediction, but Kyler Murray should not be your typical #1 overall type of draft pick.

Murray would instantly be the shortest NFL quarterback in the league, in the last 50 years (amongst typical first-round type QB’s). Plus Kyler has only started one season and he has the advantage of leaving the NFL to return to his MLB career. These are just too many (negative) variables for a #1 overall prospect.   (…not to mention, the Cardinals already drafted a quarterback #10 overall in last season’s draft – Josh Rosen)

Please let me know what you think. Open dialog and communication is always admired:

4/9/2019 – by James Fedewa   @jamfed

www.NationalFanatic.com

Mock draft 3.0, YES! Now I am feeling this seasons draft. Researching these rookie prospects is getting more and more interesting and we are all more excited about the upcoming Draft Day.

Kyler Murray will probably slide, and so will the inside linebackers, Devon White and Devon Bush. Nick Bosa will go #1 overall, even though he is a little stiff and injury prone.  Quinnen Williams will probably slide to #3 (and I believe he is the #1 overall prospect), but the Jets might trade this pick before they select.  Dwayne Haskins is still the top quarterback in this class, as 50 touch down passes (in his FIRST year as a starter) is just too tantalizing for Denver to pass up. Did Hollywood Brown’s knee injury cause him to slid out of the first round?  And Tom Brady’s replacement???

Please let me know what you think. Open dialog and communication is always admired and answered: