Radio Host Finds Theft of Merriman’s Car Comical
If you’re a fan of the Jim Rome radio show, then you already know that Mr. Rome, by virtue of being very good at what he does for more than just a few years now, gets a lot of paid vacation time. As such, there are a great many guests hosts who many fans of Jim Rome could identify by name or even voice. Being a guest host on Jim Rome can be a springboard to bigger and better possibilities for an up-and-coming radio personality. However, after Jemelle Hill poked fun at the theft and destruction of Shawne Merriman’s Mercedes, I wouldn’t expect her to be filling in for Jim Rome anytime soon.
First things first, just to get this out of the way: Jamelle Hill is not a good sports journalist. She’s not an engaging media personality and her writing is forgettable. She would have been better off keeping her mouth shut on this particular topic. While anyone can see a bit of humor in the fact that Merriman’s car was stolen and torched before he even realized it was gone (allegedly), claiming that someone stole and torched his car because of the Lights Out dance is just plain ignorant. Someone stole the man’s car out of spite, jealousy, and a likely need for a little bit of cash. The Lights Out dance likely had very little to do with it.
You can get all your San Diego Chargers tickets at www.stubhub.com.
Merriman’s Car Vandalized
There are some stories that defy all explanation. You read them. Then you read them again. Then you rub your eyes and you read them a third time because you’re absolutely sure you couldn’t have possible read them correctly the first time. Then you get up and you walk away from the computer to give yourself some time. You go outside to breathe some fresh air. Then you come back to the story, thinking perhaps it will have changed. But the story doesn’t change. It’s legitimately that crazy. This story about someone trashing Shawne Merriman’s car is one of those stories.
First of all, who would be brazen enough to steal the car of the man they call Lights Out? Have you seen this dude basically decapitate people on the football field? He’s a monster? Second of all, I love the part at the end where they state that Merriman never reported the car missing. How do you not miss a Benz that is worth nearly 200k? Seriously, that’s not easy to do. And third, I just love that Shawne Merriman is only 23. You forget sometimes, because of how large the guy is and what a consummate professional he is as well that he’s really just a very young man. The Chargers are going to be so good for so long, it’s scary.
You can get all your San Diego Chargers tickets at www.stubhub.com.
Hardwick Could Miss Early 2009
The San Diego Chargers sure have been busy this offseason. No, they haven’t been making waves with a coaching change (that was last year). They haven’t exactly been putting up huge headlines over their big name free agent signings (though they did make headlines for losing a couple of very solid backups). And no, the Chargers aren’t setting the world on fire with their prospective draft picks. I haven’t even heard a thing about their draft yet. The Bolts won’t even put their name in the Chad Johnson lottery, saying they’d offer two first-rounders to the Bengals for Ocho Cinco (tell me that wouldn’t be amazing).
No, this offseason the Chargers are making headlines this offseason with surgeries. So far, there are 11 confirmed players who have either had surgery or will soon have surgery on the Chargers roster. Their center, Nick Hardwick is expected to be laid low for 4-6 months after having surgery to repair an injured ankle. If Hardwick takes the full six months to recover, he could wind up missing the first part of the 2009 season, which would not be good news for the Chargers at all. We are all wishing Nick Hardwick a very speedy recovery.
You can get all your San Diego Chargers tickets at www.stubhub.com.
Chargers to Hold Osgood
It’s the offseason, in case you hadn’t noticed. It is still that dead period between free agent moves of actual importance and the all-important NFL draft. As such, the good journalists all over this country are forced to come up with nonstories about basically nothing. They give us retrospectives, lists, and any multitude of of other stories that only half-pertain to what is going on with the world of the NFL, be they write-ups on possible pre-draft needs, low level free agent signings of men who might not even make the cut of your team, answers to grumbling players, or just plain lists of all time greats.
This particular article out of Sign On San Diego deals with the fact that Kassim Osgood is unhappy with his contract in San Diego, but the Chargers will hold on to Osgood until his contract expires. The Chargers have no desire to switch Osgood to wide receiver, as he has requested. However, they expect him to honor the next two years of his contract as he plays special teams for them. They then expect Osgood to look for other options in free agency. The Jury is still out as to whether this will work. Stay tuned for further developments.
You can get all you San Diego Chargers tickets at www.stubhub.com.
Comparing Draft Classes
Theres a very interesting article from the Yes Network with a very interesting comparison of the 2004 quarterback draft class to the famous 1983 draft class. That class is very close to my heart, as it was the first draft held after my birth, and also happens to be considered the best draft year for quarterbacks in the history of the NFL. Among the greats who were picked early in the 1983 were John Elway, Jim Kelley, and Dan Marino. These three quarterbacks are already enshrined in the Hall of Fame, but this article wonders if perhaps their 2004 counterparts might overtake them someday.
While this is an interesting argument, it doesn’t hold much water once you get past early successes. While it is true that both Ben Roethlesberger and Eli Manning have won Super Bowls already, with Philip Rivers chomping at the bit for his own chance at the ultimate prize in football, it still remains true that these players must be judged on their bodies of work. I would say that if Rivers can manage to win at least one Super Bowl - and if all three of these QBs make their way to the Hall of Fame - then we will have an argument.
You can get all your San Diego Chargers tickets at www.stubhub.com.
San Diego Chargers 2007 Season Stats Breakdown
Perhaps the best number the Chargers earned last year was the number 6, the amount of games they won in a row to close out the regular season. They then won two more in the playoffs, before putting up a valiant effort versus the then-perfect Pats.
On offense, LaDainian was a one-stud wrecking crew, accounting for 15 of the team’s 19 total rushing touchdowns (those stats were the most for a single player and the second most as a team, respectively). The Chargers were also above the curve in total rushing yards (2,039) and yards per attempt (4.2). However, through the air the Chargers were a little less fantastic, though they didn’t try as hard to pass the ball as other teams. The Chargers were middle-of-the-pack in team passing touchdowns (22), interceptions (16) and yards per catch (6.1), so the air attack was at least pulling its own weight.
On defense the best stat available from the 2007 season is 30, the number of interceptions that the Chargers caught, ranking them first in the league in that statistic. You can probably thank Antonio Cromartie and his 10 picks for that nice season highlight.
To get San Diego Chargers tickets, go to StubHub.com.
Chargers on the Clock
With the NFL Draft just around the corner, SportsCenter is putting all of the NFL’s teams “on the clock” and discussing their possible first round draft picks. ESPN.com is keeping tabs on this process in convenient print form, and they say that the Chargers should pick cornerback Brandon Flowers out of Virginia Tech. After losing Drayton Florence to free agency, the Chargers will need to replace him with a player who can come in an make an impact nearly immediately on defense. The Chargers’ lack of a third corner was exposed in last year’s playoffs.
I would be inclined to agree with ESPN.com’s assessment of the situation. The Chargers don’t have many needs on the field. They’ve got most of their most important positions shored up with some of the most talented players in the National Football League. They have two extremely solid shut down corners. However, they need one more cornerback who can take away a team’s third option through the air if they truly want to become the most dominant team in the league. The Chargers are only a few pieces away, and I believe a CB is their next piece.
You can get all your San Diego Chargers tickets at www.stubhub.com.
More Information about Chargers’ Surgeries
As we reported yesterday, the San Diego Chargers had a couple of their players go under the knife recently. Now, I have more information on the Charger’s surgeries. The Chargers PR department reports that offensive tackle Marcus McNeill underwent an arthroscopic procedure on his shoulder on March 11. The recovery time for his surgery is estimated at two to four weeks from the date of the operation. They also report that linebacker Shawne Merriman had arthroscopic surgery on his knee on March 13 and is in the midst of an approximately four to six week recovery period.
This is all good news for the Chargers. While it seems odd to call a surgery on important pieces of your football team a good thing, neither of these procedures was serious. As I said yesterday, this is really just the kind of strange and extreme “upkeep” that professional football players must do from time to time to deal with the insane amounts of pressure exerted on their bodies during the football season. However, barring any unforeseen complications, these players will all be ready for the start of camp, which is really the most important thing.
You can get all your San Diego Chargers tickets at www.stubhub.com.
Two Chargers Under the Knife
You know I say it all the time. It’s a terribly slow time of year in terms of football news. To be honest, whether you’re a pro or college team, right now making the news is not entirely a good thing. It seems lately that the only teams making big news are the teams who are signing big time free agents, and if your team is signing big time free agents, then you’re likely attempting to get better because you weren’t the best last year. Or, you might be making news for other unsavory affairs (like losing half your defense or being embroiled in a cheating scandal, just to cover the two Super Bowl teams), which is never good either.
In keeping with that theme, the San Diego Chargers’ quiet offseason has been interrupted with the news that two Bolts have undergone surgery. It seems that Chargers offensive tackle Marcus McNeil and linebacker Shawne Merriman both underwent separate and unrelated arthroscopic procedures. While neither man was doing anything more than what would be considered routine maintenance and upkeep in the world of professional football, it still strikes me as somewhat amusing that the Chargers can’t make any real news until two of their players go under the knife.
You can get all your San Diego Chargers tickets at www.stubhub.com.
Grading the Chargers Defensive Backs
The San Diego Chargers defensive backs have been graded by the Chargers Football Xtra portion of the San Diego Union Tribune, and for the most part, marks are high. Quentin Jammer gets an A-. Antonio Cromartie received a grade of A- as well. Cletis Gordon received a C. As for the safeties, Clinton Hard got a grade of C. Eric Weddle got a B. None of the other defensive backs have seen enough time yet to get a letter grade, so they received incompletes. All in all, the GPA of the Chargers’ defensive backs is very solid.
This is what it has truly come to in San Diego. We have a story basically telling people what they already know: The San Diego Chargers have really good defensive backs. I’d say that perhaps the Chargers could afford to maybe pick up a better safety, but that’s just ridiculous. The Chargers have two of the best lock down corners in the league. And the two players are great compliments to each other. Jammer is the physical beat ‘em up corner, and Cromartie is the interception machine. I cannot wait for next season to start.
You can get all your San Diego Chargers tickets at www.stubhub.com.