Maize's Chargers | Finding A Home, Building A Contender

[Maize08]

I got the itch to start another dynasty. It's been a while since I've posted something, but I'm really intrigued by the situation in San Diego. The Chargers organization is facing a vote over a new stadium. The franchise could realistically be without a permanent place to play in the near future. They have the agreement in place with the LA Rams to share the new stadium. Ownership doesn't like the idea of partnering with Stan Kroenke, being the "second team" in Los Angeles.

Then there's a roster influx, needing talent on defense and more playmakers around Philip Rivers. A front office that just had a bitter and (too) public contract dispute with their top pick... It's been a really bad summer for the San Diego Chargers.

With their days in San Diego likely numbered, I've decided to take over the franchise and find them a new home. Along with that, building a title contender.

The Rundown
Game: Madden 17 on PS4
Roster: Official Madden Roster (Week 2)
Difficulty: All Pro
Gameplay: 15 minutes, accelerated gameclock down to 15 seconds. Using custom sliders, always a work in progress.

[Maize08]

Re: Maize's Chargers | Finding A Home, Building A Contender

History and Records

14 - 19 - 21 - 55

Team Record: 421-420-11
League Championships: 1963 (AFL)
Superbowl Appearances: 1 (1994)
Division Titles: 15 (Last in 2009)
Playoff Appearances: 18 (Last in 2013)
Playoff Record: 10 wins, 13 losses

Chargers Award Winners
Award	Player	Pos	Year
Most Valuable Player	Ladainian Tomlinson	RB	2006
Offensive Player of the Year	Dan Fouts	QB	1982
	Ladainian Tomlinson	RB	2006
Offensive Rookie of the Year	Don Woods	RB	1974
Defensive Rookie of the Year	Leslie O'Neal	DE	1986
	Shawne Merriman	LB	2005
Comeback POY	Drew Brees	QB	2004
	Philip Rivers	QB	2013
Coach of the Year	Marty Schottenheimer		2004

[Maize08]

Re: Maize's Chargers | Finding A Home, Building A Contender

Season Results

2015
Record: 4-12
Standings: 4th in AFC West, 14th in AFC
Playoffs: Missed Playoffs
Super Bowl Result: Denver Broncos 24, Carolina Panthers 10
League Rankings: 9th Offense, 20th Defense
Longest Streak: No win streak | 6 straight losses
Pro Bowl Players: Jason Verrett, CB
Offensive MVP: Philip Rivers, QB
Defensive MVP: Eric Weddle, SS
Rookie of the Year: Denzel Perryman, MLB

-

2016
Record: 5-11
Standings: 4th in AFC West, 12th in AFC
Playoffs: Missed Playoffs
Super Bowl Result: Pittsburgh Steelers 35, Green Bay Packers 32
League Rankings: 22nd Offense, 27th Defense
Longest Streak: 2 straight wins | 4 straight losses
Pro Bowl Players: None
Offensive MVP: Danny Woodhead, RB
Defensive MVP: Jeremiah Attaochu, OLB
Rookie of the Year: Hunter Henry, TE

[Maize08]

Re: Maize's Chargers | Finding A Home, Building A Contender

Offseason Recaps

[Maize08]

Re: Maize's Chargers | Finding A Home, Building A Contender

Feel free to post!

Just a couple quick notes. This is going to be heavily focused on the storylines, especially the team's stadium and potential relocation. I'm trying to keep this as realistic as possible.

I'll be starting before Election Day (November 8th), which puts me at about Week 10. So I'll have an article to review the first half of the season, before starting in with games.

In the offseason, I found out you can edit draft prospects! So I'll be editing the prospects for ALL TEAMS for the first two rounds to match real college prospects. I'm going to keep the positions the same and just adjust it to a college player. So if a Quarterback goes in the top five, I'll change it to DeShone Kizer or Deshaun Watson. Just for the first two rounds and all of the Chargers picks.

Looking forward to it!

[Cheese2121]

Re: Maize's Chargers | Finding A Home, Building A Contender

Good to see you posting again man. I always enjoyed your work. I will definitely be following along!

[aima_guru]

Re: Maize's Chargers | Finding A Home, Building A Contender

Nice! Followed your stuff in the past--pumped to be able to catch this one from the beginning, good luck to your Chargers, sir!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk

[Maize08]

Re: Maize's Chargers | Finding A Home, Building A Contender

Good to see you posting again man. I always enjoyed your work. I will definitely be following along!

Thank you! I've always followed your work as well. Even at times when I'm not active, I always find myself poking around in the Dynasties. Nice to see that you're still around!

Nice! Followed your stuff in the past--pumped to be able to catch this one from the beginning, good luck to your Chargers, sir!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk

That's great, thanks a lot. I'm looking forward to this one. I'll be starting tonight with an article or two. I want to get through this first season rather quick.

[LopaKa]

Re: Maize's Chargers | Finding A Home, Building A Contender

Welcome back to chising Maize, looking forward to this. That AFC West is a tough division, so it will be fun seeing you build up this Chargers team. I was personally bummed to find out I couldn't move the Raiders or Chargers to Vegas, but I'm excited to see where you choose.

[Maize08]

Re: Maize's Chargers | Finding A Home, Building A Contender

Chargers Now Turn to the Voters
The San Diego (for now), Super (not lately), Chargers (ironically, offense could use a 'charge'), followed a difficult offseason with a disappointing start to the 2016 season. A 3-6 record has not excited the fan base or bolstered support for the franchise in San Diego. The franchise that was outplayed by Stan Kroenke, has been scrambling since the decision made in last January's NFL Owners meeting.

The Spanos family had long butted heads with the City of San Diego, yet were adored and revered in NFL circles. That support was 'not' enough to push through their initial bid for a joint stadium with the Raiders in Carson. That bid was trumped by Stan Kroenke's privately financed fortress in Inglewood (ready to open for the 2019 NFL Season).

A shock at the time, the league's support for the Spanos family pushed the owners to strike a conciliatory deal for the Chargers in L.A. While the Rams had already been granted relocation, the Chargers had the option to join. Joining means contributing a $200 million stadium loan from the NFL and personal seat license fees to the construction costs and would pay $1 per year in rent to the Rams.

A potentially sweet deal for the Bolts, the franchise brass hesitated. Dean Spanos announced in late January that the team would remain in San Diego for the 2016 season. They wanted to try again for a stadium of their own in the city they called home since 1961.

Qualcomm Stadium opened in 1967 and has since fallen behind in the NFL's ongoing billion-dollar arm's race. The condition of the stadium had led the Spanos family to use the "lack of accommodations" as leverage to negotiate a favorable lease agreement. The Chargers can end their lease yearly, February to May, and pay an exit fee to the city. That penalty decreases each year, currently falling around $12 million dollars.

While "The Q" had once called the Padres tenants (now in state-of-the-art PetCo Park) and it had also hosted three Super Bowls. The most recent was in 2003, with the stadium starting to show its' age. By then, it was quickly becoming the oldest, non-Lambeau stadium in the NFL.

Flash forward to 2016, it became clear the Chargers were running low on options. Then came a proposal: A raise in the city's hotel tax to 16.5%, a four percent hike, as a means for the city to help pay for a new downtown stadium and convention center.

Ballot Proposal C became official in August, with vocal critics already firing a red flag at the idea of an NFL stadium in scenic, quaint downtown San Diego. A political game of hot potato insued, many public figures have decided to remain neutral on the matter. The city's Mayor Kevin Falcouner initially sent formal questions regarding the stadium proposal. He has since gone quiet, while public support remains low for the measure.

The Chargers consider it a chance for the city to host a "world class facility" for the Chargers, Comic Con and enough to draw attention for national events. Yet many residents (and fans) are upset that the team has again tried to poke the city for public funds.

"At the heart of this contentious proposal, is an inherent flaw." said a spokesman for the #NoOnC committee. "Beyond putting the city in a financial bind; this is a billion dollar sport that cannot seem to afford their own place to play. They cite record profits, but constantly strap taxpayers with the bill."

During this Sunday's game, in which the Chargers beat the Titans 35-10, attendance was sporadic and fans seemed disinterested in the franchise's second home win of the season. The team scored 3 touchdowns in the 4th Quarter to pull away. When Andre Williams ran in the final score of the day, a small swath of fans chanted "Too little, too late" and it turned into "Day late, dollar short."

That could very well be the case when voters decide on Ballot Measure C. Polls open at 7 AM tomorrow, with recent polls showing that #YesOnC is trailing mightily in the polls. To gain approval on a specific tax hike, it requires two-thirds majority from voters. Thus the Chargers need 67% tomorrow in favor, otherwise, the team is left scrambling. Again. Day late, dollar short.

[Maize08]

Re: Maize's Chargers | Finding A Home, Building A Contender

[Hellisan]

Re: Maize's Chargers | Finding A Home, Building A Contender

Looks cool man. As a San Diego resident, I'm watching curiously. When I think about this issue, I only see one route that this can go. I don't think even the Spanos family would be thick enough to put together a ballot that needed a 2/3 majority to pass. They're SAYING that, but I'm thinking they have something up their sleeve and will get the state to approve a simple majority right before this thing goes to vote. I'm intrigued too. I really hope they stay, but they've mucked it up pretty bad. If Spanos simply had any type of public relations panache, this whole ordeal would have been over a LONG, LONG time ago.

I'll be reading bro.

edit: question, does the game have anything in it to allow you to build a new stadium to play in?

[Tearz49ers]

Re: Maize's Chargers | Finding A Home, Building A Contender

Oh, hellloooo!

[djp73]

Re: Maize's Chargers | Finding A Home, Building A Contender

Looks cool man. As a San Diego resident, I'm watching curiously. When I think about this issue, I only see one route that this can go. I don't think even the Spanos family would be thick enough to put together a ballot that needed a 2/3 majority to pass. They're SAYING that, but I'm thinking they have something up their sleeve and will get the state to approve a simple majority right before this thing goes to vote. I'm intrigued too. I really hope they stay, but they've mucked it up pretty bad. If Spanos simply had any type of public relations panache, this whole ordeal would have been over a LONG, LONG time ago.

I'll be reading bro.

edit: question, does the game have anything in it to allow you to build a new stadium to play in?

you can relocate to a new city/stadium or you can build a new one in the same city. Theres also options to renovate but that doesnt change the appearance.

[Maize08]

Re: Maize's Chargers | Finding A Home, Building A Contender

Welcome back to chising Maize, looking forward to this. That AFC West is a tough division, so it will be fun seeing you build up this Chargers team. I was personally bummed to find out I couldn't move the Raiders or Chargers to Vegas, but I'm excited to see where you choose.

Thank you! The west is definitely a tough division, especially with the Raiders getting better with a young roster. I like that the Chargers have a young roster, so there's some room to grow. Glad to see so many familiar faces, hope you enjoy.

Looks cool man. As a San Diego resident, I'm watching curiously. When I think about this issue, I only see one route that this can go. I don't think even the Spanos family would be thick enough to put together a ballot that needed a 2/3 majority to pass. They're SAYING that, but I'm thinking they have something up their sleeve and will get the state to approve a simple majority right before this thing goes to vote. I'm intrigued too. I really hope they stay, but they've mucked it up pretty bad. If Spanos simply had any type of public relations panache, this whole ordeal would have been over a LONG, LONG time ago.

I'll be reading bro.

edit: question, does the game have anything in it to allow you to build a new stadium to play in?

I agree that there could be a contingent plan. I have this feeling that the Chargers could look to build elsewhere. The Spanos do not want to move in with Kroenke, that's for sure. I can understand wanting a place of their own, but time is running out in SD. I would be surprised if the stadium goes through downtown, maybe they can find another spot.

In the game, you have three stadium options (like djp mentioned). Relocating, upgrading and building a new stadium.

Oh, hellloooo!

Hello sir! Good luck with the 49ers.