Losing brings out the worst in pro sports organizations, and the San Diego Chargers are on display in the worst light possible.

An arrogant General Manager is under siege. A nice guy coach is being skewered nationally. The star players are under fire. The top linebacker is going after the fans in public tantrums via social media. The injury list has more quality on it than the roster does.

I would have never thought it would come to this.

There are six weeks left in a miserable season, and though the Chargers can put together a nice little winning streak, starting this weekend against the Denver Broncos, then Jacksonville, then Buffalo, their playoff hopes seem gone. A five game losing streak, a beaten up roster, and substandard backup and young players have buried this team's hopes. There are 10 teams in the AFC who have better records than the Bolts.

And now the franchise is getting buried under an avalanche of criticism, not just locally, but nationally. Owner Dean Spanos, who twice before in his reign of leadership has made mistakes, is now faced with the monumental decision of his ownership career. Stay with it, fix it, or fire everyone responsible.

What does Spanos do about a front-office that has failed to keep the team at its high water mark? How does Spanos put out the oil fire of hate in the community, directed at his outspoken General Manager AJ Smith? How can Spanos retain a coach, Norv Turner, a good man, but now failing? How do you sell season tickets next year in an angry community, if you keep the "status quo" of decision makers in place?

There are options out there, but they will be costly. For the Chargers to remove the GM and the Coach, the owner would have to swallow some $12 million in contracts. Just two years ago, after an atrocious ouster from the playoffs by the Jets, within hours, Spanos gave contract extensions to Smith and Turner, without explanation, and without need, since both had years left on the old deal. You can remove them, pay them to leave, but then you have to spend even more to hire the quality names out there, Jon Gruden, Bill Cowher, Jeff Fisher.

It was the beginning of the end of Spanos' credibility as the owner of the team, just fifteen years ago. He had already taken direct hits for allowing the war between then-GM Bobby Beathard and Coach Bobby Ross to erode away the foundation of the franchise. Spanos refused to intercede, and Ross left, refusing to make changes on his coaching staff, just two years after the team went to the Super Bowl. That ugly divorce promptly led to the demise of the franchise. You have not forgotten the era-error of Ryan Leaf, Kevin Gilbride and a (1-15) season.

Spanos has revisited it all again, siding with his current GM, Smith, in ridding the team of then coach Marty Schottenheimer. This after a glorious (14-2) run, with a roster with the arrow pointed upwards in terms of talent. Smith hired Turner, whose track record was one of failure with the Redskins and Raiders. Five years later, the arrow is now pointing down with this leadership group.

And now the owner is at this crossroads, with his team staggering thru a second poor season, facing the reality they might miss the playoff games again. Can you imagine the outrage this January if there is no postseason?

Smith's mistreatment of free agents Vincent Jackson and Marcus McNeill crippled the roster last fall. His decision to hit the eject button on contributing stars, from Darren Sproles, recently, to Rodney Harrison and Junior Seau years back, has left a sour taste in the fans mouth. The inability to get draft pick quality talent in return for free agents Drew Brees and Michael Turner eats away at the roster. And then there are the mounting failures of first round draft picks over the last seven years. Just 1-of the last 7-top picks has been a contributor, and even at that, Ryan Mathews, is struggling to stay on the field.

Of course the GM's diatribes, "you are a Charger just a year at a time" have come back to haunt him. Fans across Qualcomm Stadium are hoping this is the last year and there is no next year for the team leader.

Turner, a bright mind of offense, but a dim bulb as a leader, is under the glare of a critical spotlight. Under motivated, ill prepared, prone to excuses, never one to be responsible, you name it, and Chargers fans have probably talked about his shortcomings, some imagined, many more real. There is no doubt the coach has built a great legacy developing quarterbacks and piling up stats, but the NFL is all about what you do in January. If this does not workout, this attempt to get to the postseason, it would mean Turner and his quarterback Philip Rivers, would have combined for 1-playoff win in the last four seasons.

The national media has grown hostile. ESPNs columnists wrote this week, "never has someone with so much, done so little, for so long a period of time." The reference was to the head coach, Norv Turner, and his GM-AJ Smith.

Spanos has his hands full. His football team has fallen on hard times. His hand picked leaders have lost the fans support. The efforts to find a way to finance a stadium have fallen on deaf ears, in a near bankrupt city, in a near bankrupt state, with the owner's history of wanting money placed in his hand for every deal he has ever made here, haunting him.

And he is being chided for installing his two sons as future leaders of the club, AG, as the team's CEO, with no background, and John, as Director of Scouting, whose fingerprints are right alongside Smith's for these shaky drafts. Shouts of 'nepotism' ring out everywhere. Guess there is nothing wrong with that if you are on the receiving end of it, huh?

His VP of Marketing, Ken Derrett is being ridiculed for calling radio stations and publically complaining of unfair treatment, when the fans are allowed carte-blanche to criticize. His star linebacker Shaun Phillips, went nuclear on twitter this week, attacking what he called the "fake fans-suck it", who were criticizing the team. The medical staff is under scrutiny for mishandling the scary concussion issues that might cost Pro Bowl guard Kris Dielman his career.

This season has brought out the worst in the fans, and now the worst in the organization. Six weeks to go in a dreadful season. In that time, the owner has to determine if his leadership can right the ship, if they have to rebuild, whom to fire, whom to hire, and can they regain what they had once upon a time? Civic pride, fan support, media adoration, respect not ridicule.

I think the Chargers will win some games before the end of the season, but I don't know this regime can keep its football people in place. I know, short of a change, the atmosphere and environment around the Chargers will continue to be toxic.

All this to deal with. And I have not even mentioned that 'other thing,' the vacant Los Angeles market, and the potential this team team could leave in the middle of night, once January turns to February.

I never thought it would come to all this. The owner trusted the football people, who screwed up the franchise. And the fan base feels it is being screwed too, from ticket prices, to blackouts, to being held hostage, to having to watch a team that is trending downward.

You just hate to think the Chargers marketing slogan "Bolt Up" will be replaced by "Bolt Out". Fans would rather hear the words "Blown Up". Losing is the absolute worst.