Win The Super Bowl, Keep Your Job

Its pretty simple really. If Coach Schottenheimer's Chargers win the Super Bowl, he will be all but guaranteed an extension with the team. If they screw up and coaching is to blame, then Marty will need to start packing his bags.

There is no denying that Chargers GM AJ Smith and Marty have butted heads in the past, and they still aren't friends now. They are like an old married couple that are never in the same room at the same time. Out of sight, out of mind. They tolerate each other, and that's basically the extent of their relationship.

Owner Dean Spanos made it clear before the season began that they expect to go deep into the playoffs. The team was built to win now, so lets win. With only one season left on Marty's contract, his job was on the line.

That might seem unfair because for all the flack I used to fire at Marty in the past, he has since changed my stance. I think Marty is a good coach and the players respect him. He has an undeniably strong bond with LaDainian 'The Franchise' Tomlinson and his players respect him. I can't recall him ever having a problem with his players throwing him under the bus, unlike other clubs. Marty has changed his ways and its a good thing because the game was ready to pass him by.

After Marty led the team to 12-4 and the playoffs in 2004, he was given a 2 year extension. His team went 9-7 the following year, and this year his team is the favorite to win the Super Bowl. If he falters, he might not be given another opportunity here in San Diego.

AJ Smith says Schottenheimer's best quality is "allowing his coordinators to operate freely. He believes in them and stays out of the way." Not a ringing endorsement of Marty, but you can't expect AJ Smith to gush with praise. He didn't hire Marty, and for a guy who thrives off of having control over his personnel, Smith is probably licking his chops at the chance to hand pick a new Head Coach.

The boys over at the San Diego Union-Tribune have poked and prodded the GM and the Head Coach to try to get these two to say what they really feel. Props to those writers for their efforts, but we probably wont really know what the truth is until Super Bowl XLI.