LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego Chargers / Photo: Newscom

The Chargers are a team to watch in the AFC right now. They’ve won seven straight games and even though LT isn’t the threat he used to be (nor as popular—LT currently ranks fifth among running backs in the AFC Pro Bowl voting), he is surrounded by a lot of talent and even in a more limited role, he can still be a very effective player.

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LaDainian Tomlinson Fastest to 150 TDs

LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego Chargers / Image: Zuma Press

LT sprained his ankle in a 24-20 win over the Oakland Raiders last Monday night. He managed 55 yards on 13 carries with a touchdown before he was injured. But he’s been hobbled all week and didn’t participate in practice so his status was reduced to “out” for Week 2. Always the optimist, however, LT remained upbeat and said this ankle sprain was nothing like the toe and groin injuries that slowed him last season:

“The thing that I’m encouraged about is it’s not anything that’s going to keep me out for a long period of time. It’s frustrating, but it’s football. You get banged up ….. I think the true character of a person is when he’s up against adversity. I’m definitely at that point. Nobody wants to be hurt, but I’ve had some unfortunate things happen. At the same time, I’m still optimistic about this injury.”

Source: Chargers.com

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LaDainian Tomlinson Out With Sprained Ankle

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Running back LaDainian Tomlinson and the San Diego Chargers agreed to a renegotiated contract late yesterday (three years, the dollar amount was not immediately available) that will not only give the Bolts salary cap room but will also keep L.T. under contract through the 2011 season. This puts to rest nearly two months of speculation that LaDainian’s days in San Diego were numbered. L.T. was understandably happy the drama was finished:

“I love San Diego and being a part of this team with my teammates. My number-one priority was to stay here in San Diego. I truly believe this is the place that gives me the best chance to be successful and win a championship. I want to finish the job we started when I got here eight years ago. My heart has always been in San Diego. I couldn’t imagine putting on another uniform. I really appreciate the role Dean (Spanos, Chargers’ president) played throughout this process. He made it work for everyone, and I appreciate his friendship more than he knows.”

L.T. has been the lifeblood of the San Diego Chargers for the past eight years, but you know how it goes with 30-something running backs in the NFL (L.T. is currently 29-years-old). Nevertheless, despite some nagging injuries the past few seasons, LaDainian Tomlinson continues to be one of the best all-purpose running backs in the National Football League.

Source: Chargers.com, Photo: Newscom

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LaDainian Tomlinson Staying in San Diego

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Rumors of LaDainian Tomlinson leaving the San Diego Chargers are so far just that — rumors. But LT addressed the situation on his personal Web site — LaDainianTomlinson.com — this past week, saying:

“I have been getting a lot of messages on my site regarding me leaving San Diego. I feel that I need to make it very clear that I have NO intentions of leaving San Diego. San Diego is where my career started and where I’d like it to end. I have nothing but love and the utmost respect for this team, the players, and the Spanos Family. Me being traded is completely out of my hands. I have ABSOLUTELY no control in that decision making. All I can do is wait and see how it all plays out. As for now, I am a Charger and will be until I am told otherwise.

That doesn’t exactly fill me with confidence that LT will be returning to the Chargers. I believe he’ll be asked to take a pay cut in order to stay in San Diego. And I probably don’t need to tell you that won’t go over very well. The recently oft-injured LT is due base salaries of $6.725 million in 2009, $8 million in 2010, and $9.275 million in 2011. He has taken a good deal of punishment during his eight-year career and he’ll be 30 years old next season. A running back’s shelf life in the National Football League just isn’t that long. Look at how quickly Shaun Alexander went from MVP to unemployed. Shaun’s 31 and he can’t even find a team that wants him anymore. Sadly, a similar fate could await LT over the next couple years.

Source: LaDainianTomlinson.com, Photo: Newscom

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LaDainian Tomlinson Staying in San Diego?

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San Diego Chargers running back/return specialist Darren Sproles had a busy night. With starting RB LaDainian Tomlinson limited to just five carries because of a nagging and potentially serious groin injury, Darren more than picked up the slack as the San Diego Chargers beat the Indianapolis Colts 23-17 tonight in an AFC Wild Card game. Darren had a whopping 328 all-purpose yards — 105 yards on 23 carries; 45 yards on five receptions; and he averaged 25 yards on seven punt and kickoff returns. It was the third most all-purpose yards in NFL playoff history. Chargers receiver Chris Chambers summed-up Darren’s stellar performance after the game:

“He was a busy guy tonight and he just kept making plays. You see a guy like that work so hard and you just get so happy for him individually. He gave this team a huge lift tonight.”

OK, what Chris means by “a guy like that” is that Darren is just 5-6 and 181 pounds. Generally speaking, being that short would not encourage a person to pursue a career as a professional athlete unless they were going to be a jockey. And naturally, the knock on Darren has been and will always be his size. So he has to prove people wrong on a daily basis. One of the first comments I heard after this amazing performance was that he could never hold up week after week, carrying the ball 20-25 times per game as a full-time starter. I beg to differ. Because of his height (or lack therefore) and incredible quickness, he’s able to avoid a lot of the crushing hits that would sideline any player that handled the ball that many times per game. He’s certainly not slight of build like a Roscoe Parrish (receiver, Bills) or DeSean Jackson (reciever, Eagles). The Chargers should find a way to keep Darren. He and L.T. provide a potent one-two punch at the running back position. But if they don’t, I think Darren can thrive anywhere in the popular dual RB role so many teams are employing these days. Whatever happens, I believe he may have already cashed-in based on tonight’s performance.

Source: Chargers.com, Photo: Newscom

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Darren Sproles is All-Purpose for Chargers

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Brett Favre’s N.Y. Jets jersey is the hottest selling NFL jersey right now. Here’s how the rest of the top ten shake out. These are the top-selling jerseys on NFLShop.com from April 1-Oct. 15, 2008:

1. Brett Favre, New York Jets
2. Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys
3. Eli Manning, New York Giants
4. Marion Barber, Dallas Cowboys
5. Tom Brady, New England Patriots
6. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings
7. Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts
8. Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys
9. LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego Chargers
10. Terrell Owens, Dallas Cowboys

The only surprise on the list was Jason Witten. I didn’t see him as being that popular. And where is Chad Johnson Ocho Cinco? Or Reggie Bush?

Source: CNBC.com, Photo: Newscom

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Top Ten Best-Selling NFL Jerseys

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A new Nike football campaign entitled “Fate” captures the true essence of the game by following the journeys of two top athletes from their first steps to playing in the NFL. The “Fate” commercial features San Diego Chargers All-Pro running back LaDainian Tomlinson and Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu. The spots were directed by David Fincher, a renowned director whose films include Se7en, Fight Club, Panic Room and the soon to be released The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

The ad traces LT and Troy’s lives from young toddlers through middle and high school and college to their careers as NFL players. All of these scenes were researched and are authentic to the lives and milestones of LT and Troy. At the end of the ad, the two compete in an NFL game.

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LaDainian Tomlinson and Troy Polamalu ‘Leave Nothing’ Nike Football Commercial

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Check out the new Nike Football “Proving Ground” ads featuring Larry Fitzgerald, LaDainian Tomlinson, Shawne Merriman and Champ Bailey. Everything Nike Football can be found at NikeFootball.com.

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Nike Football ‘Proving Ground’ Ads

The first 40,000 tickets that were made available for the NFL’s second overseas regular-season game on October 26 at Wembley Stadium in London, England between the San Diego Chargers and New Orleans Saints sold today in 90 minutes. The tickets were available to fans who were randomly selected from an overwhelming number of registered ticket requests. Today’s sales at Ticketmaster matched the pace at which tickets were bought for last year’s game between the Miami Dolphins and New York Giants. Because of the demand for tickets, the NFL has released an additional 5,000 tickets to go on sale immediately. There has also been an increase in the number of tickets that will be offered in the second sale of tickets to fans who registered in February when the game was first announced.

Last year’s Wembley game was such a huge success that the NFL has committed to playing at least one game in the UK for each of the next three seasons, beginning with this year’s matchup of teams who have each come within one game of reaching the Super Bowl in the past two seasons. The Saints’ Reggie Bush and the Chargers’ LaDainian Tomlinson are scheduled to make a promotional visit to London next month.

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NFL International: 40K Tickets in 90 Minutes

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There’s no “i” in Campbell’s Chunky soup, but San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson will be going solo in the newest installment of the famed Chunky soup advertising campaign, which began production in Los Angeles this week.

LT is taking his gridiron greatness and “good guy” personality in front of the camera, as he stars in the Chunky soup ads for the second consecutive year. This season marks Chunky soup’s 11th as an NFL sponsor and the first time in the brand’s history that the advertising campaign will be solely focused on one marquee player, without his mom by his side (and just before Mother’s Day — what a slap in the face to moms everywhere — I’m kidding, of course). Campbell’s Chunky soup will feature LT in the 2008 advertising campaign, appropriately titled, “Working Day,” which focuses on a day in the life of an NFL star. Chargers’ head coach Norv Turner will also appear in one spot. Chunky soup’s brand manager (whose name is ironically Doug Brand) said:

“As we enter our 11th consecutive season with the NFL, we are excited to introduce a new and different approach for this year’s advertising campaign. We are delighted to have LaDainian Tomlinson back for a second season and believe he is the foundation for the outstanding evolution of this new campaign. LaDainian is a stand-out athlete who truly represents all of the qualities of the Chunky soup brand — big-hearted, hardworking and fun, making him a natural fit as our spokesperson and one who will effectively serve as our Tackling Hunger® Ambassador.”

The “Working Day” campaign marks the first time the ads will feature mostly computer-generated graphics and visual effects. Plus, LT will utilize green screen technology where he’ll simulate touchdown runs as he dodges opposing defenses. I’ll post the finished product as soon as I get my hands on it. As far as the soup is concerned, I like New England Clam Chowder, Chicken & Dumplings and Hearty Bean & Ham best. I also love the Tantalizin’ Turkey Chili with Beans. Mmm mmm, good.

For more information on Campbell’s Chunky soup and the Tackling Hunger program, please visit chunky.com.

Source: Business Wire, Photo: Newscom

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LaDainian Tomlinson Eats Chunky Soup (starring in their commercials is fun, too)