Hostile
The Duke
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Get ready for the throwback jerseys.
The San Diego Chargers began in 1960 as a charter member of the AFL. They were owned by Barron Hilton and were based for one year in Los Angeles. In 1961 they moved to San Diego. Barron is the son of Conrad Hilton, the Hilton Hotel magnate, and the grandfather of paparazzi magnets Paris and Nicky Hilton.
In 1966 after he ascended to the top spot at Hilton Hotels, Barron Hilton sold the Chargers to Eugene Klein. Klein then sold the Chargers to current owner Alex Spanos in 1984.
During the Hilton years the Chargers won the AFL Championship once, in 1963. During his years as owner they only missed the playoffs in the AFL one time. That was 1962. Eugene Klein was the owner for 18 years and never had a team in the playoffs while in the AFL, and then only 4 times after the merger. The first happened in 1979 and they continued through 1982. A period of time known simply as Air Coryell.
The Chargers had a long History of air it out football. Their coach all through the AFL years was Sid Gillman. He is widely recognized as the greatest innovator of the forward pass ever. He had a future Dallas Cowboy named Lance Allworth who was so fluid as a WR that he looked like he was gliding half the time. Allworth entered in 1962. He was drafted by the NFL 49ers and the AFL Raiders who traded him to San Diego for 3 scrubs. he opted for the AFL and was a star. He caught a TD for the Cowboys in Super Bowl VI.
Don Coryell wasn't the direct successor to Sid Gillman, but he sure fit the team prescription. He brought along a QB named Dan Fouts who was a ball machine. "Air Coryell" never lacked weapons and never lacked guts to throw the ball in any situation.
The Cowboys and Chargers did not begin a head to head series until after the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. By the way, silly trivia but you will never see it called the NFL-AFL merger despite the longer History of the NFL. That was allegedly part of the negotiations for the merger, that the AFL was named first.
The first ever meeting of the two teams happened in 1972. They have faced each other only 8 times. Dallas leads the all time series 6-2.
The last couple of weeks I have been tracking Jason Witten's ascension up the Cowboys and all time TE receiving charts. He passed Drew Pearson today with his 3rd reception.
All Time Cowboys Receptions
1. Michael Irvin...750
2. Jason Witten...502
3. Drew Pearson...489
All Time TE Receptions
1. Tony Gonzalez...976
2. Shannon Sharpe...815
3. Ozzie Newsome...662
4. Kellen Winslow...541
5. Frank Wycheck...505
6. Jason Witten...502
With 4 more receptions he will move into 5th all time. Ironically next on the list for him to catch will be Kellen Winslow Sr. who was a key cog in Air Coryell. Winslow's numbers were amassed in 9 seasons from 1979 to 1987. Witten is on his heels in 7 seasons. By season's end he could catch Winslow if he averaged 10 receptions per game. Not impossible, but a bit unlikely. he has 73 on the season. 27 more for 100 receptions. 29 more would tie the all time record for TEs in one season with 102. 30 more would break the record. That is just under 8 per game.
The San Diego Chargers began in 1960 as a charter member of the AFL. They were owned by Barron Hilton and were based for one year in Los Angeles. In 1961 they moved to San Diego. Barron is the son of Conrad Hilton, the Hilton Hotel magnate, and the grandfather of paparazzi magnets Paris and Nicky Hilton.
In 1966 after he ascended to the top spot at Hilton Hotels, Barron Hilton sold the Chargers to Eugene Klein. Klein then sold the Chargers to current owner Alex Spanos in 1984.
During the Hilton years the Chargers won the AFL Championship once, in 1963. During his years as owner they only missed the playoffs in the AFL one time. That was 1962. Eugene Klein was the owner for 18 years and never had a team in the playoffs while in the AFL, and then only 4 times after the merger. The first happened in 1979 and they continued through 1982. A period of time known simply as Air Coryell.
The Chargers had a long History of air it out football. Their coach all through the AFL years was Sid Gillman. He is widely recognized as the greatest innovator of the forward pass ever. He had a future Dallas Cowboy named Lance Allworth who was so fluid as a WR that he looked like he was gliding half the time. Allworth entered in 1962. He was drafted by the NFL 49ers and the AFL Raiders who traded him to San Diego for 3 scrubs. he opted for the AFL and was a star. He caught a TD for the Cowboys in Super Bowl VI.
Don Coryell wasn't the direct successor to Sid Gillman, but he sure fit the team prescription. He brought along a QB named Dan Fouts who was a ball machine. "Air Coryell" never lacked weapons and never lacked guts to throw the ball in any situation.
The Cowboys and Chargers did not begin a head to head series until after the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. By the way, silly trivia but you will never see it called the NFL-AFL merger despite the longer History of the NFL. That was allegedly part of the negotiations for the merger, that the AFL was named first.
The first ever meeting of the two teams happened in 1972. They have faced each other only 8 times. Dallas leads the all time series 6-2.
The last couple of weeks I have been tracking Jason Witten's ascension up the Cowboys and all time TE receiving charts. He passed Drew Pearson today with his 3rd reception.
All Time Cowboys Receptions
1. Michael Irvin...750
2. Jason Witten...502
3. Drew Pearson...489
All Time TE Receptions
1. Tony Gonzalez...976
2. Shannon Sharpe...815
3. Ozzie Newsome...662
4. Kellen Winslow...541
5. Frank Wycheck...505
6. Jason Witten...502
With 4 more receptions he will move into 5th all time. Ironically next on the list for him to catch will be Kellen Winslow Sr. who was a key cog in Air Coryell. Winslow's numbers were amassed in 9 seasons from 1979 to 1987. Witten is on his heels in 7 seasons. By season's end he could catch Winslow if he averaged 10 receptions per game. Not impossible, but a bit unlikely. he has 73 on the season. 27 more for 100 receptions. 29 more would tie the all time record for TEs in one season with 102. 30 more would break the record. That is just under 8 per game.
