by Michael Daly

Created on: May 17, 2008   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

The firing of Marty Schottenheimer by the San Diego Chargers was a move that was overdue but was also seen as an error, for despite Schottenheimer's abysmal playoff record he had turned the team from a disorganized-appearing mess into a legitimate force in the AFC West. But in the end his inability to win playoff games made him expendible.

And the supreme irony from his firing is this - the Chargers fired Schottsy, hired former coaching washout Norv Turner, stumbled to a 1-3 start and a record of 5-5 in 2007 - and then got better, not only winning out their remaining six games but doing something not done since Bobby Ross was coach - winning a playoff game. And they did more than win a playoff game - they won twice, including beating the defending Superbowl champion Indianapolis Colts intheir own building, and made the AFC Championship Game for the first time since 1994. And once they got there they played strongly, forcing three interceptions including an endzone pick that threatened to throw the game's momentum in their favor. The resiliency shown by the Chargers in that 2007 playoff run was nowhere to be found in Schottenheimer's two playoff appearences (2004 and 2006, both one and out runs).

That was an important step forward for the Chargers and served as confirmation that they are a team one can legitimately forsee reaching the Superbowl. It was vindication as well for Turner, who'd struggled to get winning records in his previous coaching tours, and also the effective end of any future coaching prospect for Schottenheimer. To take talented teams as he was able to build and never go anywhere in the playoffs was a sign of a fundamental failing in his game; that he was facing superb opponants is true enough, but a good coach gets more out of his team in the playoffs than Schottsy ever did.

What makes it doubly bitter is that one needs to better remember what Schottenheimer inherited in the Chargers when he took over in 2002. Entering 2002 the Chargers had gone six seasons with four losing seasons and two .500 years. They'd become a national joke with the Ryan Leaf fiasco and hit rock bottom in 2000 with just one win (over Kansas City) and a pile of blown leads - in games against the New Orleans Saints, Buffalo Bills, and Carolina Panthers the Chargers blew touchdown-plus leads, with the Broncos loss especially galling as the then-0-10 Chargers led 27-10 at one point with receiver Jeff Graham trash-talking the Broncos sidelines like crazy.

Schottenheimer began the turnaround with an 8-8 season in 2002 but truly made it stick with 12-4 in 2004 and the true blossoming of Ladanian Tomlinson as he led the league in rushing touchdowns. 2003's 6-10 stumble was Schottsy's only losing season with the Chargers while 2005's 9-7 campaign was his only other mediocre season.

"In the final analysis it came down to what it always comes down to in this league. One team makes the plays and when that happens that team usually wins." So noted Schottenheimer after blowing a big lead to the St. Louis Rams in 2002; it is a fitting summation of Schottenheimer and his firing from the Chargers, for they became good with Schottsy and then did what no one expected and got better.

Learn more about this author, Michael Daly.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.