Chargers get what they deserve - a losing team

Remember back in August when many "experts" had the San Diego Chargers to possibly represent the AFC in the Super Bowl?...the same Chargers team who made it to the AFC Championship Game last year...

But what these "experts" forgot is that Norv Turner (photo, right) is the Chargers head coach...and after 12 games, San Diego has been one of the most underachieving teams in the league with a 4-8 record...

The Chargers had one of the most quality coaches in the league, but general manager A.J. Smith could not put his ego aside as he let Marty Schottenheimer (photo, below, left) after the 2006 season - a season where the Chargers went 14-2...

Just two years ago the Chargers were the best team in football under Schottenheimer...we all know San Diego lost their first round playoff game at home to New England that year...but how often do you see a head coach who just posted an .785 winning percentage get shown the door?...

Schottenheimer got treated unfairly by the Chargers...in the short term it looked like Smith made the right move after the Chargers got hot late last season and won two playoff games before succumbing to the Patriots in the AFC title game...

But in the long-term, Smith is getting exactly what he deserves under Turner - a team that is underachieving...this has been the trademark of many of Turner's previous teams when he was at Washington and Oakland...

Turner may be a nice man and a great offensive coordinator, but he lacks the pedigree to be a successful head football coach over a sustained period of time...he has been a head coach in the NFL for 11 years and Turner's overall record is 73-95-1....when he accepted the San Diego job, Turner had a mark of 58-82...

Smith (photo, right) had a good coach in Schottenheimer...in the two previous years before Schottenheimer, the Chargers were a paltry 6-26 under Mike Riley...in his five seasons as head coach at San Diego, Schottenheimer was 47-33 and had two division titles...when let go, the Chargers were on the brink of breaking through to the Super Bowl under Schottenheimer...

However, Smith's ego and bullheaded nature led him to get rid of a winning coach for a coach who is below average at best...that is why the Chargers are sitting at 4-8 and it couldn't happen to a better general manager...