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

Chris Chambers released by Chargers / Image: Zuma Press

In a statement today, Chargers head coach Norv Turner said:

“There are a number of things that went into the decision. The reason we’re able to do this is the play of Malcom; the way Legedu Naanee is performing. Certainly there are a number of other things in terms of our football team that we need to address. Defensively and in the kicking game, we need to get some help.”

It wouldn’t make good business sense to keep Chris as a third receiver when he’s making $4.5 million this year. And any team that picks him off the waiver wire will be required to pick up the balance of his 2009 salary. If Chris clears waivers, he’ll be able to collect the remaining $2.4 million of his contract as termination pay. I don’t doubt a receiver-needy team will take a chance on Chris. And in the right system, at 31-years-old, I think he has a lot of football left. He might just need the proper motivation to turn his career around and become the player he’s capable of becoming—again.

Source: Chargers.com

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Chargers Release Chris Chambers

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

Shawne Merriman, San Diego Chargers / Image: Zuma Press

Chargers General Manager A.J. Smith released the following generic statement today:

“It’s disappointing to hear about the issue involving Shawne Merriman. We’ll continue to monitor the situation and let the legal process run its course.”

In turn, Shawne released his own, more thorough, statement:

“On September 6, 2009 the San Diego Sheriff’s Department responded to a citizen’s complaint that was initiated by Tila Nguyen (aka Tila Tequila). I was taken into custody based upon that complaint. At the time, I was concerned about her welfare given the intoxicated state she appeared to be in and I encouraged her to stay until safe transportation could be provided. We would all do our best to help a friend if we considered their actions to be detrimental to their personal safety. I in no way caused any harm to Ms. Nguyen, however, paramedics were called and she was examined but no injuries were reported. She was released and has since returned to Los Angeles, California. There have been no charges filed against me. I want to thank the San Diego Sheriff’s Department for their professionalism. I will continue to cooperate fully with the Department, and I look forward to clearing my name regarding these false allegations. I want to put this behind me so I can continue to focus on a successful season for the San Diego Chargers.”

Sources: NFL.com, FoxSports.com

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Shawne Merriman Arrested

Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers / Photo: Newscom

The deal makes sense. Philip is one of the top five quarterbacks in the NFL and his 36-18 record (including the playoffs) proves it. So the Bolts were determined not to let him get away. And they put him in a happy place for the 2009 season in the process. Now he must accomplish what peers Ben Roethlisberger and Eli Manning—who also got this kind of cash—did. Philip needs to follow-up with a Super Bowl victory. That is what the Chargers hope they’re paying for.

Here are some of Philip’s thoughts following the announcement:

“The one thing I’ve said throughout the summer was that my contract was never going to become a distraction for this team. I was focused on the season. I’m obviously grateful that it got done and that I’m going to be a Charger for years to come. I’m very appreciative to the Spanos family for keeping me around and allowing this to get done. You never are guaranteed that you will be here, but I hoped I would be for a long time. I’ll never get the South out of me, but San Diego is definitely home. Three of our four children have been born out here. I love the people, love the town and love being part of the city.”

Sources: Chargers.com, NFL.com

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Philip Rivers $92M Contract Extension: Quotes

Antonio Cromartie, San Diego Chargers / Image: Zuma Press

Here’s what Antonio had to say in the offending tweet (if you can decipher):

“Man we have 2 have the most nasty food of any team. Damn can we upgrade 4 str8 years the same ish maybe that’s y we can’t we the SB we need.”

The case with Antonio seems to have taken things too far. Now, apparently Chargers head coach Norv Turner specifically told his squad not to discuss any team matters on Twitter or any other online social media. So I guess, technically, the front office has a case. But, it’s ridiculous. The quality of the food in the cafeteria really shouldn’t be considered a “team matter.” Besides, the guy has to be able to express his opinions about the food in the facility. What the heck? And if using Twitter as a forum to do so is frowned upon, I think the team is taking their authority too far.

Buffalo Bills LB Kawika Mitchell put it best in his own four-part Twitter response to the situation:

“Players play this game. They’re tryin to get us to play for free. If we want to complain about some sh!t then let us b. We’re just like any other person workin. If u don’t like somethin I’m sure you’ll complain. Our voice is our rite. It’s bullsh!t that the league is scared of twitter. We have opinions. We sit back and listen to all the bullsh!t media, coaches and fans have to say, so if the chargers food sucks. It sucks. Please! B mad at real sh!t.”

I think the personal messages and interaction with fans from players like Antonio and Kawika; as well as Chad Ochocinco, Terrell Owens and so many others; is the best thing to happen to the NFL—from a media perspective—in years. The lockdown on the players’ on-field exploits (or in-game tweeting) is one thing. To take away their freedom of speech off-the-field is quite another. The truest insider perspective can’t come from any member of the media. Sorry. It has to come from the players themselves. If the league will let them.

Sources: twitter.com/crimetime31, twitter.com/Ka_Mitchell55

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Antonio Cromartie Fined For Tweeting

Shawne Merriman, San Diego Chargers / Image: Zuma Press

“People haven’t seen the best of me, not at all. In the past, I would tell someone, ‘I’m about to go out and just kill it this year.’ Now, I want people to just watch. I had enough doubters around before, and some people felt like I was just talking (trash) or just talking too much. My thing is, now I’m just talking about what I’ve done and what I’m doing right now, not about what I’m going to do.”

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Shawne Merriman: ‘Just Watch’

Approximately $105 million of Performance-Based Pay was distributed to players in the system for their performance during the 2008 playing season. Jeromey was a 2006 sixth-round draft selection from Kansas State and earned $405,859 in additional pay.

Performance-Based Pay was created as part of the NFL’s 2002 Collective Bargaining Agreement extension with the National Football League Players Association. The system creates a fund used to supplement player compensation based on a comparison of playing time to salary. This program will stay in place through the remaining years of the CBA in which a Salary Cap exists. In 2009, the Performance-Based Pay fund will be approximately $3.5 million per club, which is a five percent increase over the 2008 fund. Players become eligible to receive Performance-Based Pay in any regular season in which they play at least one official down.

Under the system, Performance-Based Pay is computed by using a “player index.” To produce the index, a player’s regular-season playtime (total plays on offense, defense and special teams) is divided by his adjusted regular-season compensation (full season salary, prorated portion of signing bonus, earned incentives). Each player’s index is then compared to those of the other players on his team to determine the amount of his pay. Interesting, eh?

Source: NFL Media, Photo: Newscom

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Jeromey Clary Earns Extra Money

The NFL announced its 2009 Kickoff Weekend primetime television schedule today — including a Monday night “AFL 50th” doubleheader — and the Thanksgiving Day national TV tripleheader.

In a tradition that began in 2004, the Super Bowl champion annually hosts the NFL Thursday night season kickoff the following year. This September 10 at 8:30 PM ET on NBC, the Super Bowl XLIII champion Pittsburgh Steelers will host the AFC South champion Tennessee Titans, who had an NFL-best 13-3 record last season. The Sunday night primetime game (8:30 PM ET) on NBC will feature a division matchup as the Green Bay Packers host the Chicago Bears. Green Bay and Chicago have won seven of the past eight NFC North titles. On Monday night, September 14, ESPN will host a Monday Night Football doubleheader that will be part of the NFL’s celebration of the 50th anniversary season of the American Football League. The four clubs competing that night began playing in the inaugural 1960 AFL season. The first game (7:00 PM ET) will send the Buffalo Bills to Foxboro to visit the New England Patriots, the decade’s winningest team (102-42 since 2000). The MNF nightcap (10:15 PM ET) will be an AFC West battle as the Oakland Raiders host the three-time defending AFC West champion San Diego Chargers.

Continuing an innovation introduced in 2006, the NFL will serve up three nationally-televised games on Thanksgiving Day. The early game (FOX, 12:30 PM ET) will be an NFC North meeting of the Green Bay Packers at the Detroit Lions. The second game (CBS, 4:15 PM ET) features the Oakland Raiders visiting the Dallas Cowboys in the Raiders’ first Thanksgiving game since 1970. The Thanksgiving primetime game will be at 8:20 PM ET on NFL Network with the defending NFC East champion New York Giants visiting the Denver Broncos, marking the first Thanksgiving contest in Denver since 1963.

The announcement of the Kickoff Weekend and Thanksgiving Day games was made today by National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell at the NFL Annual Meeting in Dana Point, California. The rest of the 2009 regular-season schedule will be completed and announced in April.

Source: NFL Media

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NFL Announces 2009 Primetime Kickoff Weekend and Thanksgiving Day Games

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast

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