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Somebody pinch me!!

I must be dreaming, the San Diego Chargers have so much talent, they actually can go Bobby Beathard style and draft the best player available? This is what I’ve been kicking this around in my mind as the NFL Draft draws closer. To the point distraction. Seriously.  For example, Friday night I’m at Staples Center, covering the Lakers and Mavericks, talking to the world famous Kamenetzky brothers, and while I act like I’m listening as they explain the intricacies of Phil Jackson’s soul patch, what I’m really thinking is “The Chargers can choose a RB to replace Michael Turner.  Mmmmm…. Hello, Felix Jones! But if Dallas takes him, deep down I hope the Bolts grab Central Florida’s Kevin Smith.” Not that one. This one. The guy that racked up 149 yards on 27 carries against Texas.

Then I spend some time with Chivas USA watching this kid from Huntington Beach, Sacha Kjelstan. He shows the skills that make him worthy of the el “Comandante” (The Commander) moniker given to him by Chivas fans because Kjelstan reminds them of Ramon Ramirez when he was with Chivas del Guadalajara. In other words, they think Kjelstan’s a stud, and they’re right. He’s an under-23 US National Team star, and a first rounder of the 2006 Superdraft. But talented as he may be, my mind still went wandering. Why do the Chargers only have five picks in the draft…and only one within the first 159 players?

Oh, that’s right, they gave the Dolphins their second-round pick for wide receiver Chris Chambers, used their third-round selection in a package to move up and get safety Eric Weddle last April. Their fourth-round pick? Used for cornerback Paul Oliver in the supplemental draft.

Ok… todo tranquilo.

So here I am in the broadcast booth calling the Dodgers vs. Padres for Fox and as my broadcast partner Carlos Hernandez, former backstop for the Dodgers (bumped by a kid named Piazza), Padres (where he won Sterling Hitchcock an NLCS MVP by blocking his splitty to perfection), and Cardinals (he was the poor soul trying to catch Ricky Ankiel in his Ricky Vaughn days), was breaking down Jake Peavy’s dominance of the Dodgers Saturday (unless you consider a complete game two hitter ordinary), my mind again went back to the Chargers, thinking about who AJ Smith might draft this time around?

Could it be somebody that can play right tackle and take Shane Olivea’s place? Or will he try to get some defensive line help to spell Jamal Williams, who’s not getting any younger after plugging holes with nastiness for 10 years as two knees requiring surgery. How bout a corner? Will Brandon Flowers of Virginia Tech be the answer to Drayton Florence’s departure? Or will it be Aqib Talib of Kansas? Maybe AJ Smith surprises everyone and gets Antonio Gates an apprentice like Fred Davis of USC.

Finally, after talking to Vladi Guerrero about why he loves Shakira so much and hates not being in right field everyday, then confirming that crazy story with Torii Hunter that he was signed at a Del Taco in Corona, I was buying a hot dog behind Thunder Mountain at the Big A and once again, my mind wandered back to Bolts football. I realized San Diego will field a team this season that returns all 22 starters, a squad that, had it not been for some late season injuries could have been the ones with a crack at Elisha Manning in Glendale.

Had that happened, you can bet LT would have a ring.

I came to the realization for once, they don’t have to fill a gaping hole in the roster. They can take whatever player hey want with the 27th pick in the first round, and if they draft another Stanley Richard, Brian Still, Mychael Ricks, Mossy Cade, or Ryan Leaf, it’s still all good in Charger Country.

Honestly somebody slap me, I have to be dreaming. What, I’m not?

I guess Chargers fans are being repaid for years of loyalty, and being forced to buy and wear Craig Whelihan, Freddie Jones, Billy Joe Tolliver and Rod Bernstine jerseys.

I’d say the good karma it built up was worth it, que no?

Adrian Garcia is a reporter for 710 ESPN in Los Angeles and TV host and announcer for Fox Sports en Espanol to go along with his duties as a columnist for Beisbol Mundial magazine and guest NFL analyst for CNN en Espanol. Check out his podcast here:

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