It’s easy for the cynical or the broken-hearted to discount the value of an NFL team to its city. Every time we hear the rumblings from City of Industry or see Ed Roski’s name in a news story, there is a certain segment of San Diego that says, “you want ‘em? You can have ‘em.” To those disaffected San Diegans, I present exhibit A for the defense: a night when the Chargers’ defensive stars gave up their free time to raise money for charity, while also helping lift their community’s economy and spirit.
This is how you dress for dodgeball. Really.
At two different spots around the County on Monday night, simultaneous events raised money for the Afterschool All-Stars, Pro Player Foundation, and the Quentin Jammer Foundation. We started at In Cahoots, where the 2nd annual SP’s Dodgeball Tournament was taking place. Clearly, enough people have seen the movie to make this a colorful and only slightly ridiculous event. The costumes may have been a bit garish but these guys and gals came to inflict pain!
We caught up with Shaun right before the tourney was about to begin, to ask about his charity and how afterschool programs can help in the development of youth:
The dodgeball tourney looked like a lot of fun and I imagine there are some red welts to prove it on the bodies of various people at your workplace today. But we couldn’t stay, because up the road at Kearney Mesa Bowl, there was another event to cover.
Quentin Jammer at J-Bowl
J-Bowl, a Chargers charity bowling night with Jacques Cesaire and Quentin Jammer, drew many teammates and fans out to benefit the Quentin Jammer Foundation and the Pro Player Foundation. Quentin devotes a lot of his time and energy away from the field to the San Pasqual Academy, a terrific school which helps disadvantaged youths. He and his wife Alicia both spend lots of time at the school in addition to their various fundraising efforts around the community.
In between rolls, Quentin stopped to answer three questions about his and Jacques Cesaire’s charities:
Jacques Cesaire will leave the 4-7-10 after this roll
Jacques, meanwhile, was knee deep in his own game, pumping up the players around him even as he failed to pick up the spare in the frame I watched. Behind him, Darren Sproles was posing for pictures with fans, while in the foyer, Steve Gregory was telling anyone who would listen that the Yankees were just saving up to beat the Phillies in the Bronx.
Sure, sure, I get it, charity night, NFL gives back, we’ve all seen the United Way commercial before. But before you file this story under charity puff piece, stop to see the event from a different set of eyes, the eyes of the guy trying to make a buck in San Diego.
In one corner, a man’s been hired to run a carving station slicing up tri-tip for the customers. Over here, a freelance cameraman is getting a little supplemental cash to document the story for the 10 o’clock news. Various companies, media groups and charitable organizations are all drawing heat and light from the evening. The bowling alley is seeing business it would normally never see on a Monday night.
Not just charities benefit from a night of charity.
Take away the NFL team and yes, there will be other charitable events. But does another cocktail clinker in Rancho Santa Fe compare to how the community lights up when an NFL player takes off his helmet and starts rolling bowling balls, tossing dodgeballs, smiling, posing for photos, and mingling with fans?
Game days are special in San Diego, and as I inched my way into the Q on Sunday the parade of powder blue jerseys, the smell of tailgate BBQ and the outpouring of spirit was a sight to behold. But the lasting effect of being in an NFL town goes way beyond Sunday. The Chargers create and generate revenue not only for themselves but for others in many walks of life, and for charities that would otherwise need to find their money elsewhere.
Just remember, the next time you want to wave goodbye to pro football in San Diego, there’s a lot more that leaves town than just the team.
Craig Elsten -
Chris Ello -
Chainsaw -
