Dean Spanos believes that it is acceptable for the San Diego Chargers to be this way

The San Diego Chargers have a 21-20 record since the 2009 NFL season.  This includes a 9-7 record in 2010, an 8-8 record in 2011 and a 4-5 record so far this season.

When Norv Turner was hired by general manager A.J. Smith, he had a combined 58-82-1 record as head coach of the Washington Redskins and the Oakland Raiders.

Turner had a combined 32-16 record as San Diego’s head coach from 2007-2009, but San Diego is 21-20 since then.

Smith took over as general manager prior to the 2003 NFL season.

San Diego has a 3-5 record in the playoffs under two head coaches since Smith became the GM.

Smith has a tendency to select first round picks that are injury prone in the NFL.  In 2005, Shawne Merrmian and Luis Castillo were first round picks.

Merriman led the NFL in sacks when he missed four games in 2006, missed 15 games in 2008 and was eventually placed on waivers.

Castillo missed six games in 2006, missed six games in 2007 and missed 15 games last season before being released.

Antonio Cromartie was San Diego’s first round pick in 2006.  While Cromartie was an All-Pro cornerback and led the NFL with 10 interceptions in 2007, he played the 2008 season with a broken hip.

Cromartie’s effort was questioned in a playoff loss to the New York Jets, and he was eventually traded to New York.

Craig Davis was a first round pick in 2007.  Davis missed 12 games in 2008, missed 15 games in 2009 and missed nine games in 2010 before being released.

Larry English was San Diego’s first round pick in 2009.  English missed eight games in 2010 and missed 11 games last season.

Ryan Mathews was San Diego’s first round pick in 2010.  Mathews missed four games in 2010, missed two games last season and missed two games so far this season.

San Diego has not made the playoffs since the 2009 season while they have not won a playoff game since the 2008 season.

It is easy to point fingers at Smith and Turner who should have been fired after last season, but the finger pointing goes higher than them in my opinion.

While Smith hired Turner, drafts, signs and trades players, Dean Spanos is San Diego’s Team President.

The ship is sinking in San Diego, and Spanos is doing nothing about it.  This tells San Diego’s fans that it is acceptable for them to watch an average football team.