Chargers fans, time to lose your minds

The San Diego Chargers vs. The St. Louis Rams at Qualcomm Stadium.Charger Fans loving the win over the Rams. Sean M. Haffey U-T San Diego

Chargers tight end Ladarius Green was taking about his family being in town and his need for extra tickets to Sunday's game when Antonio Gates reminded him it will be more of a challenge than usual.

'Y'know, the game is sold out,' Gates told him. 'You better get those tickets.'

That's right.

In a city usually satisfied with sold-enough to avoid a blackout, this monstrous game is going to have a crowd that befits it.

Sold out.

Moreover, it has been so for months.

The Chargers announced on Sept. 24 that Sunday night's game against the New England Patriots was sold out. It was the team's earliest sellout in seven years.

Not since the entire 2007 home schedule was sold out that July had a Chargers ticket been so hot so early.

Congratulations, Chargers. Congratulations, Chargers fans.

Now, you all need to make it worthwhile.

Maybe you've noticed I don't root for or against the Chargers. But I most certainly want San Diego to be a good sports town.

I loved it when being at Qualcomm Stadium for a Chargers game felt like an event, when it thundered for the lightning bolts, when the rumble in the Qualcomm Stadium stands was bettered only by the chills it gave us.

It hasn't been that way for a while. You won't even try to argue that if you regularly went to watch L.T. and Sproles and Cromartie and Merriman and have been to the Q lately for the mix of boos and booze, the tepid claps far more regular than incessant screams.

Hey, I'm not saying the product on the field has merited more enthusiasm or not called for derision much of the past four seasons.

But your team is a contender again.

You get Sunday Night Football. You get the powder blue uniforms.

You shelled out the money. Now lose your mind.

You know why Chargers players were so overwhelmed by what they heard and felt in last year's season finale? Because those who'd been around a long time hadn't played in front of a friendly crowd like that in years, and those who were fairly new had never played in before such an assemblage at the Q.

Now, the Chargers are again fighting for their playoff livelihood against one of the league's best teams.

At home. In front of a stadium that might be as full as it's been in three years.

The last time the Patriots were here - on Oct. 24, 2010 - the game drew the seventh-largest home crowd (68,836) in Chargers history. Only one game since, against the Green Bay Packers in 2011, drew more (68,908).

That game against the Packers was overpopulated by overweight, under-sunned folks from Wisconsin. It's good for tourism to have the Packers come to town.

No matter what portion of the crowd is Patriots fans - and their number wasn't overwhelming in regular-season games here in 2008 and '10 - Chargers fans need to party on Sunday like it's 2009.

Players have noticed a shift in the crowds this season. Last season was pretty embarrassing. The offense had to go to silent counts at home numerous times in multiple games. And once quick boos became commonplace in the Norv Turner era, it was a tough habit to break.

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