First off, congrats to Nick Hardwick -- who announced his retirement earlier this week -- for a wonderful career. He was a pro in every way.
And what helped set Nick apart was that he played the game with a smile on his face.
He had a keen appreciation for how blessed he was to be able to live his dream.
But ponder this Chargers fans. What’s next at the center position?
Over the past 35 years, when the Chargers have been good, they’ve had an outstanding player in the middle of the line of scrimmage.
When Air Coryell took flight in the early ‘80s, Don Macek rarely missed a snap over a 14-year career.
When the Chargers went to the Super Bowl in the mid-90s, Courtney Hall was the man in middle.
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Like Hardwick, Macek and Hall were outstanding players, teammates and people.
Yes, the NFL has turned into a passing league. But it’s still a line of scrimmage game.
If you can’t control the line of scrimmage, you can’t win.
So what’s next for the Chargers? Offensive back Rich Ohrnberger will be coming back from back surgery. That’s always iffy.
When he got a chance to play last season, he played well. Same for offensive guard Chris Watt, who proved during his rookie season that he can get the job done.
Can the Chargers dominate opponents if they don’t have a Macek, Hall or Hardwick. Not likely.
