The rally at House of Blues spanned two floors.

Photo by Ron Donoho

Certain diehard fans of the San Diego Chargers don’t necessarily need an excuse to pop open a 24-ounce Coors Light at 6 a.m. You know who you are. But a team tailgate/pep rally at downtown’s House of Blues was cause enough for libations and celebration. Hosted by XX Sports Radio (1090 AM) morning show personalities Scott Kaplan and Billy Ray Smith, the rally attracted hundreds of men and women dressed in Chargers jerseys. It was quite the spectacle:

A band—also decked out in Shawne Merriman, Philip Rivers and LaDanian Tomlinson jerseys—played Van Halen songs.

There were hot gals up on stage in clingy white tops who’d painted eye black high on their cheeks.

Sports personalities on hand included former Chargers great Lew Bush, former Broncos cornerback John Lynch, Padres closer Heath Bell and former San Diego State University football standout Marshall Faulk.

There was a line of guys to the left of the stage waiting to get buzz cuts from a Sports Clips barber.

"Sally from Santee" (right) won the

LT Slide dance contest.

Photo by Ron Donoho

And, five contestants—including somebody in a nine-foot-tall Sports Clips referee doll costume, and a blue-face-painted guy wearing Mardi Gras beads—competed in a contest to imitate the latest dance sensation known as the LT Slide.

The winner of the dance contest was “Sally from Santee” Johnson. The mother of five won the crowd over from the outset by handing out cans of beer to hosts Kaplan and Smith.

“I didn’t practice for this at all,” says Johnson. “But it’s great to be here, with the biggest fans in San Diego. These are the diehards right here.”

SDSU and NFL running back Faulk concurs. “It’s really something to see the fans here so early in the morning,” he says from the stage. “It’s great for the fans and it’s great for the city.”

The diehards, and the bandwagon jumpers, will be in full voice this Sunday at Qualcomm Stadium, when the Chargers take on the New York Jets in the second round of the AFC playoffs. Game time is 1:40 p.m.