NFL San Diego Chargers

NBC’S Collinsworth Joins Growing List of Qualcomm Stadium Haters

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Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

NBC’s Chris Collinsworth spoke to several reporters during Super Bowl media day, an annual event prior to the game where just about everyone who has some involvement with the NFL is either interviewed or is interviewing someone else. Collinsworth was asked his opinion about the current home of the San Diego Chargers, Qualcomm Stadium. Not surprisingly, he didn’t pull any punches talking about one of the oldest NFL stadiums still standing.

“Do you want my honest opinion? It’s a terrible stadium,” a candid Collinsworth told reporters Tuesday afternoon. Collinsworth went on to say that Qualcomm, in his opinion, is either the worst or second worst stadium to visit — the other being Oakland coliseum. When you are being compared to a place nicknamed “the black hole,” you probably aren’t thought of too fondly.

The good news news for Chargers fans? The fact that he hates the stadium doesn’t mean he hates the team. Collinsworth actually said he hopes the Chargers get a new stadium in San Diego, and that he and his broadcast partner Al Michaels look forward to their trips to San Diego when the Chargers get Sunday night home games on NBC.

“Do I hope they get a new stadium? Darn right cause we like coming to San Diego and we want that team to stay there.” Collinsworth admitted that Michaels actually cheers for the Chargers and watches every game, an interesting side note in terms of celebrity fandom. While it’s not a surprise that he admits a love of San Diego (who doesn’t love San Diego?), it is a surprise he divulged his feelings on whether he believes an NFL team should stay in San Diego or leave to Los Angeles.

Collingsworth reminisced about the city of Cincinnati’s struggle to build a new stadium for the Cincinnati Bengals, the team he played for while a WR in the NFL. Like most realists in today’s financial climate, the importance of a tax that would have to be passed in order for the stadium to be funded and built isn’t lost on him. Collinsworth believes that if that doesn’t happen, the Chargers will not remain in San Diego much longer. “The reality of it is that the NFL is going to get the stadium that it wants. It may be in LA; that team may go there.” In the long run, Collinsworth admitted, there will be a new stadium that the Chargers will be playing in, a blunt reality that all of the citizens of San Diego will need to remember when next year’s stadium proposition comes to a vote.

Whether it is in San Diego or elsewhere remains to be seen, but there is no doubt that with the condition Qualcomm Stadium is in, it won’t be tolerated by anyone much longer. And it’s also obvious Collinsworth thinks it’s ridiculous that an NFL team still plays in it at all.

Jonathan George is an NFL writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @jonageorge. “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.

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