Winslow vs Gates: Gates slams Winslow gives hat tip to Gonzo
 

SAN DIEGO – Chargers star tight end Antonio Gates doesn't care much for Kellen Winslow's boasting, which could make Sunday's home game with the Cleveland Browns much more interesting.

On Wednesday, Winslow hyped his matchup with Gates as “a heavyweight match. It's me versus Gates. I want to be the best tight end out there.”

Winslow, whose 40 catches lead all tight ends, mentioned that Kansas City's Tony Gonzalez is behind him on the receptions list, followed by Gates.

“So I've got to stay on top,” said Winslow, whose Hall of Fame father of the same name played for the Chargers from 1979-87.

Winslow was asked to clarify. Did he mean keep his lead in receptions?

“The best overall. I'm trying to be the best. I said I was the best. I am the best, and I'm going to prove it on Sunday,” Winslow said.

Gates, who started in the last two Pro Bowls, wasn't amused.

“I just have a problem with a guy who disrespects guys who've done it over a decade like a Tony Gonzalez and those guys,” Gates said after practice Thursday. “To put yourself in a situation where you feel like you're better than a guy who has basically been doing it since you were in high school, I just have a problem with him not embracing the game enough and respecting the guys who've proven themselves in the league.”

Winslow is in his first full season. He broke his right leg in the second game of his rookie season of 2004, then missed all of last season after tearing up a knee in a motorcycle accident.

“For you to play in seven straight games and decide you're the best tight end in the league, I don't think that's appropriate to say,” said Gates, a former basketball star at Kent State who joined the Chargers as an undrafted rookie in 2003.

“There are certain things that I will never let get to me. Obviously he's not a person I would be worried about. He hasn't played long enough.”

Winslow has 40 receptions for 393 yards and three touchdowns. Gonzalez has 33 catches for 441 yards and a score, while Gates has 32 receptions, 384 yards and four touchdowns.

Gates' 89 catches last year tied Kellen Winslow's San Diego record for receptions by a tight end, and his 1,101 yards were the most for a Chargers tight end since Winslow had 1,172 in 1983. Gates led all tight ends last year in catches, yards and touchdowns (10).

In four seasons, Gates has 226 catches for 2,838 yards and 29 touchdowns.

Yep. Good to see he appreciates those who came before him.

On a side note, am I missing something in the 2nd-to-last paragraph? Are we talking about two Kellen Winslows, or did they get the name wrong?

Yeah, me too. Gates can score all the TDs he wants this week....

As long as SD loses the game.

He will get to see first hand when we go to CLE and beat their asses.

Gates is a real good player, atleast he knows what Te's paved the way, Winslow's a punkass anyway, his mouth will just get him drilled, too bad Merriman wasn't playing this game so he could get drilled.

They're talking about Kellen Winslow Sr, who played for the Chargers. (Widely considered the best tight end in NFL history prior to Gonzo and Sharpe.)

Thanks for clearing that up. I'm not much of a history buff when it comes to the NFL, and I was a whopping 1 year old when those records were set! It seems weird they didn't clarify that, though.

Winslow doesn't get it. If you need shit like that to pump yourself up fine, keep it to yourself. You would think the motorcycle embarrassment and the SOLDIER clip would humble the boy. Someone needs to teach him how to be a grown up.

I hope Gonzo has read this and gets angry like LJ.

LOL at winslow shelling out the disrespect to the players he probably studies and gets his moves from

The Choosen one should be surpise tested for Roids-I bet he would fail.

Jim Rome calls him Private Winslow. HILLarious.

I prefer Evil Kelneival due to his motor cycle jackassery.

Yep!

Gates has his head on straight.