Feeling down about the Chargers’ offseason?  So were we, until an unexpected gift from Seattle this week.  Unable to find a washed-up ex-USC quarterback to build around, new Seahawks coach Pete Carroll instead decided to trade for Chargers’ 3rd string quarterback Charlie Whitehurst.

As a result, the Chargers move up 20 spots in the 2nd round, and now will have the #28 and #40 selections in the 2010 NFL Draft.  Plus, Seattle threw in a 2011 3rd round draft pick, giving San Diego three selections in the third round next year.  Chargers’ GM A.J. Smith could easily use two of those 3rd round picks to move up in this year’s draft and earn an extra selection.

And all for Charlie Whitehurst, the guy who grew some fine facial hair but otherwise contributed nothing to the Chargers the past three years.

In their latest 619 Sports podcast, Craig and Chris exult over the largesse of the Seahawks, and wonder what this means for A.J.’s draft strategy come April.  The podcast is after the jump:Download audio file (032010-whitehurst-trade.mp3)

The San Diego Derby Dolls have a brand new banked track to play on, and they are wasting no time using it.  The Los Angeles Derby Dolls are making the short trip down I-5 on Saturday March 20 at 7pm to pit one of their home banked track teams, the Sirens, against SDDD’s home banked track team, the Swarm, on SDDD’s banked track at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.

The last time the Swarm and the Sirens played each other was in LA in September of 2009, where the Swarm took a solid win with a final score of 104-51.  During that game the Swarm gained the lead in the very first jam and held onto it for the entire game.

SDDD’s The Swarm infested LADD’s season in 2009, making it to the championship game undefeated.  They lost the title of 2009 champions of the Doll Factory to the LADD’s Tough Cookies.

In 2010 the same five teams, the Swarm, the Sirens, the Tough Cookies, the Fight Crew, and the Varsity Brawlers, will once again battle for the championship title.  The difference is that this year the games will be played in both SD and LA, giving SD fans a chance to get in on the action.

This is the first game of the season for both the Swarm and the Sirens.  For more information or to get tickets visit the SDDD website.

Editor’s Note: Kali Katt has worked herself into the starting lineup for the Swarm tonight, and we wish her well against the Sirens!  619 Sports’ Craig Elsten will be at the bout tonight and return a full report on Sunday.

Jeremy Tyler made international headlines when he left San Diego High after his junior season to play abroad with Maccabi Haifi in Isreal.  Now, the 18-year-old has quit his team and is coming home with five weeks remaining in the season.

Tyler was scorned roundly for leaving high school, mostly by people who never had to walk a mile in his shoes.  At the time of his departure, I defended his right to seek a professional career instead of marking time in U.S. History class.

Things did not work out well from the start for Tyler in Isreal, as he languished on the bench with Maccabi Haifa.  A profile in the New York Times painted Tyler as immature, unprepared, and unwilling to work at the level demanded of a professional.  Now he’s back, hoping to work out for a few months before signing with another international team in August.

Sonny Vaccaro helped advise Tyler and his family during his initial signing with Maccabi Haifi.  The hoops guru joined 619 Sports this morning to talk about Tyler’s disappointing departure, but also to defend the concept of skipping the NCAA-bound pipeline in favor of a European approach.

Our provocative discussion is the latest podcast from 619 Sports, you can listen to it after the jump:Download audio file (031910-sonny-vaccaro.mp3)

Melvin Goins drained a critical three-pointer, his fourth of the game, with :19 remaining as the 6th seeded Tennessee Volunteers edged 11th seeded San Diego State 62-59 at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island.  Goins finished with 15 points off the bench for the Vols, who advance to play 14th seeded Ohio in the 2nd round of the Midwest Regional.

The Aztecs delivered the effort and intensity needed to come out of Providence with their first-ever NCAA tournament win, but were unable to hit the big shots when needed down the stretch.  Kawhi Leonard airballed a contested three-pointer at the buzzer that would have tied the game.  Leonard finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

D.J. Gay had a solid game with 16 points, including three big free throws with :09 left to cut the lead to one.  The Aztecs were undone, though, with their shooting from beyond the arc.  SDSU was 3-for-18 (16.7%) from three, and was outscored by Tennessee 24-9 from distance.

After the jump, read more PLUS Craig and Chris break down the game in a brand-new 619 Sports podcast:Goins led Tennessee with 15 points, matched by J.P. Prince, who scored 11 of his 15 in the first half.

Prince was at the line with 47 seconds remaining and the Volunteers leading 57-56, but missed two free throws.  The Aztecs outrebounded UT 30-29, but were unable to corral the one critical board they needed, as Prince’s second miss found its way into the Vols’ hands, leading to the Goins deciding three.

The Aztecs took their last lead of the game with 9:45 to play when Malcolm Thomas (8 points, 4 rebounds) finished an up-and-under move in the paint.  But SDSU went the next 4:09 without scoring a point, missing four shots with a turnover.

The Aztecs led for a good portion of a sloppy first half before a late 12-3 Volunteers run gave Tennessee a 34-26 advantage at halftime.  The Aztecs shot just 32% in the first half, and 38% for the game.

Listen to the latest 619 Sports podcast, as Chris and I break down the game and give our takes on the end of the Aztecs’ season, and what to expect next year:

Download audio file (031810-aztecs-lose.mp3)

One of the all-time great Aztecs basketball stars, Michael Cage moved on to a 15-year NBA career and now is a TV analyst for the Clippers and the Mountain West.  He’s watched the Aztecs courtside a number of times this year, and likes their chances to upset Tennessee in today’s first-round NCAA tournament game.

Michael joined 619 Sports this morning and was FIRED UP for the big game.  The rebounding star shared his thoughts on what makes Kawhi Leonard so tough on the glass, why he thought the Aztecs were screwed by the selection committee, and what he’s looking for against the Volunteers.  By the end of the interview I was ready to suit up for the game, Ben Kneller style!  Our conversation is after the jump:

Download audio file (031810-michael-cage.mp3)

Find out more about Michael Cage at his website, mcage44.com.

Can SDSU spring the upset and earn their first-ever NCAA tournament victory?  How do the Aztecs match up with the Volunteers?  And who are the key players on the spot to deliver a win?

Craig and Chris are ready for the Aztecs’ big game with this preview podcast.  Find out why Tennessee’s depth advantage may not matter, how the Vols are a mirror image of the Aztecs, and why we hope D.J. Gay got a good night’s sleep, all after the jump:

Download audio file (031610-aztecs-preview.mp3)

Be sure to follow 619 Sports on Twitter and Facebook for live tweets during the Aztecs’ NCAA tournament games!

Matt Stairs, Who Has Slimmed Down 36 Pounds From A Year Ago in Philly, and The Padres Are Running Wild This Spring

PEORIA, Ariz. — Matt Stairs glanced up at the television from his locker room stall because he had heard his name. Moments later, he saw himself in action.

The highlight clip was from nearly two years ago when Stairs was with the Toronto Blue Jays, and it showed him doing something Matt Stairs rarely does — which is to steal a base. The announcers cackled some, his Padre teammates in the clubhouse laughed, and Stairs — now 42 years of age — creased a rankled smile.

“Yeah, that’s very funny,” he said. The reason the MLB network had chosen to dig through the video archives was because Stairs had stolen a base the previous afternoon here in a Cactus League game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. “I’m trying to do everything I can to make this team. And the way these guys are running this spring, I figured I’d better get with the program.”

Beep. Beep. It’s true. Stairs is hardly the only Padre on the run in the spring training. The Friars stole six bases in all against the Angels on Tuesday and had five thefts the night before against San Francisco. Heading into Wednesday’s exhibition game against Kansas City, the Padres had pilfered more spring training bags (26) than any other team in baseball.

So what in the name of Carl Lewis is going on around here? The plodding and plundering Padres, who never run (unless it’s back to the dugout after making an out), who never take chances, who never push the issue, are — what? — all of a sudden daring?

“It’s something that we’ve really stressed this spring,” said oufielder Will Venable, who tried only seven steals last season but was successful on six of them. “We need to be aggressive not only stealing bases, but on the bases in general. Going from first to third, stuff like that. With the ballpark we play in, it’s important for us be able to manufacture some runs.”

Pardon me for a moment here while I say — hallelujah!!

You mean, after all these seasons of watching long fly balls die short of the warning track at spacious Petco Park, the Padres have finally realized that they’re going to need to use the running game to create offense? As the saying goes, better late than never.

Last season, while once again boasting one of the poorest offenses in the Major Leagues, the Padres ranked 20th in baseball with 82 steals. By comparison, the Tampa Bay Rays led the Majors with 194. While it’s true that all the running didn’t help Tampa return to the postseason, it should also be noted that success on the basepaths definitely does translate into success in the standings.

For proof, know this: The Philadelphia Phillies ranked first in all of baseball a year ago with an 81-percent success rate on stolen bases. The New York Yankees (80-percent) ranked third. Seems to me I recall it was a Phillies-Yankees World Series matchup that concluded last season. Just running as opposed to running successfully is the key here, but running successfully is something the Padres actually did a year ago.

Though their 82 steals ranked 20th, their 74-percent success rate ranked a solid eighth. What those rankings tell me is that the Padres simply didn’t try to run enough last season.

“Obviously, you’ve got to get on base before you can run,” Padres Manager Bud Black said. “If we get on more this year, we’ll run more.”

But do the Padres have the players who can run? Last season, shortstop Everth Cabrera led the team with 25 steals while Tony Gwynn (11) and Chase Headley (10) were the only other Friars to reach double-figures. A closer look, however, reveals that the Padres could benefit greatly by continuing their spring baserunning antics once the regular season gets underway.

Headley has just 10 steals, but he only tried 12 times. That’s an 83-percent success rate. Scott Hairston, who has returned after a half-season stay in Oakland, was eight-for-nine last season (89-percent). Venable, as noted earlier, went six-for-seven (86-percent). Even catcher Nick Hundley was five-for-six (83-percent). Jerry Hairston, signed as a free agent, is another guy who has had success running in the past.

The only Padre whose percentage needs to improve is Gwynn, who needed 18 tries to get his 11 bags last season (61-percent). To that end, Gwynn has been working plenty this spring with former Padres outfielder Dave Roberts, who only recorded perhaps the most famous stolen base in baseball history in Game 4 of the 2004 AL Championship Series while with the Red Sox against the Yankees.

“Stealing, of course, is not just about speed,” Gwynn said. “There’s so much to learn about the pitchers and what they like to do. You want to pick the right pitches to run on. With Dave’s experience, I’ve picked up a lot from him.”

The other side to the stolen base, as everyone knows, is the caught-stealing, which can be an inning-ender. But if the Padres can run more in 2010 and keep their success percentage up around where it was last season, it’s a veritable certainty that the team will score more runs. Cabrera and Gwynn should both be in the 30’s this season, while it’s not a stretch to think that Headley, Venable and both Hairston’s could reach the 20’s.

Stairs, slimmed down 36 pounds from a year ago with the Phillies, might even be able to continue to join in the fun. And what fun it would be to see the Padres run, run, run themselves into contention.

– Ello

San Diego State’s junior forward Malcolm Thomas transferred from Pepperdine after his freshman season to be part of a winning program.  Now, he’ll be in the starting lineup for an NCAA tournament team on Thursday vs. Tennessee.  Along the way, Thomas has learned how to use his size and strength to his advantage in the post.

Thomas joined 619 Sports this week to talk about how he’s become a physical presence on the court:

Download audio file (031610-malcolm-thomas.mp3)

Now three years removed from an NFL sideline, Marty Schottenheimer still has his eyes on the game.  The former Chargers coach joins 619 Sports to talk about L.T. leaving San Diego to go play for his son Brian Schottenheimer, the offensive coordinator for the New York Jets.

Does L.T. have any tread left on the tire?  Who could the Chargers seek out to replace Jamal Williams?  And does Marty have any plans of getting back into the game?  These questions and more in our exclusive interview, after the jump:

Download audio file (031710-marty-schottenheimer.mp3)

Chris Ello is in Peoria, Arizona with the Padres for three days of Spring Training 2010 coverage.  After filing this column from last night’s impressive win over San Francisco, Ello worked the Padres’ locker room on Tuesday.

Here’s Chris’ interview with Padres’ catcher Nick Hundley, hoping to stake his claim as the everyday catcher in San Diego this year.  Nick talks about growing up as the son of a football coach and more, after the jump:

Download audio file (031610-nick-hundley.mp3)