Ortmayer in Over Head in This Job

Dear Steve Ortmayer:

Please resign as a Christmas gift to San Diego. You have continually proved in your short reign as director of football operations for the Chargers that you are in over your head.

I’ve been attending Charger games since 1973. I have seen the rise of the blue-and-gold into a great organization, and now I’m seeing the meteoric decline that you and your partner in failure, Alex Spanos, are responsible for. The empty seats around the stadium and the yearly decline of season ticket holders are a tribute to the poor job you two are doing.

The final incident that proved to me that you’re not qualified for the position you have is the unpopular firing of Coach Al Saunders. You wouldn’t answer questions on why Saunders was fired. Why not?

Maybe you realized you had no chance to justify the firing of a coach who won more games than expected with what little talent you gave him.

Steve, there’s a pattern developing. You are just not a very good judge of talent.

You can justify all your bad moves, Ort, but without question, your worst move was coming to San Diego. It looks as if San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium will rival Atlanta’s Fulton County Stadium next season as (the stadium) with the most empty seats. The knowledgeable fans are not going to pay $23 a game to see the team you’ve assembled. The fans who don’t cancel their season tickets will have their banners with them: “No More Support Until They Fire the Ort.”

Anytime you want to talk football, Steve, feel free to stop by my house. It’s a mile from the stadium, on your way home. Unfortunately, it appears that your home is 120 miles away from mine, in Los Angeles with your buddy, Al Davis. I suggest you go home now before you destroy the Charger franchise.

MIKE SULLIVAN

San Diego