As a longtime Padres season-ticket holder I'm very disappointed with the criticism of the Padres and the way they are spending or not spending their money.
The Padres were losing millions upon millions of dollars in Qualcomm, and just because they have Petco Park doesn't mean they should just throw around money stupidly. Petco allows us to compete with the other teams in our division, nothing more.
The Padres are doing a terrific job of making themselves pennant contenders, not only this year, but for years to come. The Padres are not the Yankees or the Red Sox and they must pick and choose wisely and this offseason they have done a good job of that. The Padres improved by 23 games from 2003 to 2004 and were right on the cusp of the playoffs. They didn't need to turn over the roster. They just needed to add a couple of pieces to put them over the top.
Woody Williams more than offsets the loss of David Wells, who jumped at the chance for one last big contract, which the Padres wisely did not offer. Good riddance. The acquisition of Dave Roberts for virtually nothing is huge. He is among the top three base-stealers in baseball and fills our biggest need for a leadoff hitter/center fielder with speed and will hold the fort until Freddy Guzman is ready to take over that role in the next couple of years.
The only other thing on my wish list is a fifth starter to fill out our terrific rotation, and I hope the Padres will sign Esteban Loaiza, a local guy who was a 20-game winner two years ago. Loaiza had a terrible year last year and can be had cheap. Other than that, I love the 2005 Padres and don't see the need for major changes, especially if it involves trading away our top future prospects.
With players such as Khalil Greene, Sean Burroughs, Brian Giles, Jake Peavy, Adam Eaton, Mark Loretta in place, the Padres are positioned to be a factor in the National League West for years to come. I can't wait for Opening Day 2005.
MURRAY PELLER, San Diego
REPEATING HISTORY: I am beginning to have an uncomfortable feeling of history repeating itself. I am 85 and have a lot of memories.
With the Chargers winning eight consecutive, there is a definite enthusiasm pervading the media that could, again, lead to an enormous expense added to our city's debt – a new football stadium, one which would be more expensive than the small ballfield.
The public voted for the ballfield, Petco Park, just after the team won the league championship – despite mediocre records before and after the election.
I played both football and baseball, and I know how easy it is to miss by a couple of inches. That was in the 1930s. With the Chargers winning, the press, fans and voting public may need to have an "up-to-date" field and stadium.
It's really very easy to make a common mistake in football. I have. All pro teams want tomorrow's fields in all cities. It makes me sorrowful.
FRED GROVIC, La Jolla
EDWARDS IMPRESSIVE: I'm very happy for Drew Brees, Antonio Gates and LaDainian Tomlinson. They deserve the Pro Bowl honors. So, of course, does Donnie Edwards.
I'm very impressed with Edwards' reaction to the news. I think it highlights why the Chargers are winning and why they have developed into such a wonderful team. They are, plain and simple, a class act.
Mr. Edwards does his job every day of the week and then shows up on Sunday and plays his heart out. For nine years, for goodness sakes. He doesn't carry a Sharpie in his sock, wear ridiculous hair, sport a billion tattoos, have an "in your face" dance or wear some fantastic bizarre suit in front of the media.
In short, he's fun to watch. I understand that I'm old-fashioned, but I truly enjoy watching fantastic athletes perform great athletic maneuvers that I could never even attempt. Without cheating, fanfare or grandstanding, it's even better.
To Mr. Edwards: You are a class act, and I'm sorry you didn't make the Pro Bowl. Whether it's because of "East Coast bias" or just the fact that the voters' eyes were drawn to the loudest shiny object, I don't know. I think San Diego fans will take a smooth pearl on defense any day over a shiny tin can. I know I will. You're the real deal.
SARAH GOEHLER, San Diego
FAN OF BREES: In a time when all we hear about in sports are the Ron Artests, Kobe Bryants, ad nauseam, it is absolutely wonderful that a player such as Drew Brees, who wasn't on many people's minds last year, is elected to the Pro Bowl.
Now that's got to be the "feel good" story of the year. I'm not a true Chargers fan, nor do I have a favorite NFL team, but to watch Brees show the character that he has this year and make it to the Pro Bowl is a story that I hope every sports writer in San Diego takes a few minutes to write about.
Personally, I'm a bit tired of the Terrell Owenses of the NFL. Go Drew!
BILL KIZER, Carlsbad
CRAFT ON SPOT: Coach Tom Craft, please put your headset on and listen up. Let this serve as "official notification" that SDSU football fans will no longer tolerate a losing non-bowl worthy team.
Wyoming beating UCLA in Thursday's bowl game was the final straw. No doubt Boise State and Utah will be successful in their upcoming bowl games as well. Yet these three schools (even combined) should not be able to compete with San Diego State. Everyone, including SDSU Athletic Director Mike Bohn, knows this.
Thus, the only new Aztecs football marketing slogan and season outcome we will tolerate in 2005 is:
"No More Excuses. We're Going Bowling."
CARYL S. FOSTER, San Diego
