Pouting in San Diego

[LaChapelle]

L.T. proclaims he's "the best back"
Posted by Tom Curran on September 2, 2009 9:13 AM ET (PFT)

The fact that he has turned 30 doesn't mean LaDainian Tomlinson's too old to engage in a little "neener, neener, neener."

Speaking to Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times, Tomlinson flashed jealousy about a recent Sporting News article in which Jim Brown interviewed Adrian Peterson.


One question posed by Brown suggests that Tomlinson is overrated.

The article, in which Brown says he believes Peterson is "the most complete back he's seen in a long time," was given to Tomlinson by a Chargers staffer.

"I was sitting there reading it thinking, 'Wow,' " Tomlinson told Farmer. "The difference with me is you can put me out on that field and there will be nothing I can't do. I won't have to come off the field. Adrian has to come off sometimes on third down. Running routes, he's still not there yet. Great downhill runner, powerful, fast, all that stuff. . . .

"But anything on that field you want me to do -- throw it, block -- I can do it. That's what I pride myself on is not having any weaknesses. And that's what makes me the best back."

It's a predictable response from Tomlinson. In 2006, he was being touted as the heir apparent to Brown. Two injury-marred seasons later, and Brown's prodding Peterson to call L.T. overrated while they sip lemonade on the veranda.

Given the pride Tomlinson takes in his craft, making sure L.T. read all about it was, in the short-term, a wise motivational move by the Chargers.

But if it causes him to push too hard from September through December, leaving him used up and/or injured come the playoffs, the smarter move might have been to put the thing in a box marked "Do not open until Christmas."

[TEX]

Same thing EVERY year with L.T. and the Bolts.

[-King-]

Well, atleast LT wasn't pouting on the end of the bench today..


...oh wait.

[Quesadilla Joe]

Tomlinson won't consider pay cut

Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson continues to talk his way out of town.

During a Monday segment with San Diego radio station 1090, L.T. said that he "would not take a pay cut under any circumstances."

Tomlinson added that he is unhappy with the organization.

"Things were always there that happened over time," he said. "I didn't feel the unity and the togetherness in the locker room. We're at a point where guys come into the league and it's not about the same values anymore. I just can't deal with that kind of stuff."

Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post reports that the Chargers have yet to hold their offseason personnel meetings, but their decision about Tomlinson's future won't be difficult.

He's due a $2 million roster bonus in March, and is all but certain be released before then.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...sider-pay-cut/

[Quesadilla Joe]

Tomlinson talk heats up tumultuous Chargers offseason

The Chargers were supposed to be playing in the Super Bowl on Sunday. We thought it would end that way. None of us thought it would come down to this.


Instead of a glorious end to the season, it has become the beginning of a problem-plagued offseason, punctuated by LaDainian Tomlinson’s recent scathing comments.


No game to be played, but plenty of issues to be resolved.
Never before has the nickname of Chargers Park, “The Fortress,” had a truer meaning. The franchise is under siege from an unhappy fan base and now under fire from one of its own players.


The bitterness of the blown opportunity — the awful loss to the New York Jets — will not go away. There are unanswered questions everywhere involving the team, its players, its coaches and its management.



The darkness of the setback has grown deeper with accusations of player unrest, a divided locker room and open-ended questions about leadership, responsibility and maturity.


Instead of a home-field victory against the Jets, a possible shootout with the Colts and a chance of a Super Bowl Sunday game, the team is dealing with personnel problems and a personality crisis.


Tomlinson, the future Hall of Fame running back, in a likely farewell speech, bared his soul on XX 1090 twice inside a week. First, talking about the dreadful loss to the Jets, then following up with a fusillade of critical comments about his teammates.


Tomlinson heads home this weekend to Texas, likely never to return as the Chargers star running back. He leaves frustrated over his reduced role, his substandard performance, questionable coaching and an immature locker room.


Offended by insinuations that he is washed up and too expensive, Tomlinson spoke out like never before. He maintains he still has a 1,200 or 1,400-yard season in the tank. He says the lack of a running game was not always the running back’s fault. He intimated that the passing of the torch from a running team to a Philip Rivers pass-first team played with his falloff in production.


More scathing was his adamant stance that he will not take a pay cut next year. His critical comments that the culture of the locker room had changed cannot be viewed as strictly someone speaking out of frustration. He took a direct shot at teammates, saying that there were too many “Me” players on the roster consumed by trying to market themselves to make more money.


And Tomlinson’s sentiment that the organization let the situation get out of control or did nothing to stop it, was an indirect indictment of the passive personality of head coach Norv Turner. Of concern was the word responsibility, and theories that San Diego had fast become what Turner’s teams in Washington and Oakland had become — leaderless with little accountability.


The Chargers issues though, are not just of another disappointing postseason loss, but a deeper divide involving many players.


Free spirit Shawne Merriman, on XX 1090, refuted the picture painted of him of being so “Hollywood” that nothing else mattered. He spoke of his fierce workout regimen, his leadership abilities and his public desire to stay in San Diego.

Of course, lost in all that noise were the Labor Day weekend incidents with Tila Tequila during a party at his home and the latest assertions that he is in the middle of a paternity suit with friend Tiffany Horne.


He admitted a near fight confrontation in the fourth quarter with teammate Antonio Cromartie after the cornerback refused to try for a tackle to prevent the back-breaking touchdown run of Shonn Greene in the Jets loss.


All is not well amongst the teammates.


As for Cromartie, he has backed away from the spotlight, just like he backed away from two huge plays at the end of the most important game of the season.

Cromartie has been consistent with the negative headlines all season. The training camp Twitter fine, the multiple paternity suits, the flying champagne bottle incident and now the end of season lack-of-courage performance. Whatever goodwill he built up during that flashy 10-interception rookie season has been used up.


Gifted receiver Vincent Jackson could now be facing six months in jail for his latest traffic incident, a third in recent years. First there were DUIs – and now the suspended license and registration issues from the morning of the Jets game, which have resulted in a pair of misdemeanor charges.


The real justice will come this offseason from Commissioner Roger Goodell. DMV means Dumb Move Vincent. He laughed off the most recent arrest on XX 1090. He won’t likely be laughing when all this is resolved.


Nate Kaeding continues to get blasted by the paying public, now admitting his first blown field goal attempt led to him getting a case of the shakes as he missed two more kicks in that Jets game. The fact that he is 3-of-9 in home playoff games leads to the biggest vote of no-confidence this town has given a player since the Ryan Leaf era of errors.


Through all of the fallout, no one wanted to clarify rumors about which players were out running the streets and at strip clubs some 31 hours before they were to play the Jets.


And then there’s Norv Turner’s play calling against the intimidating Jets defense, which appeared to tighten as the game wore on.


In retrospect, it now appears Rivers, his crown jewel quarterback, not only had to deal with the Jets pass rush, but his coach’s tight collar play calling, an anemic running game and receivers dropping the ball. Good luck winning that game in that environment.


Chargers fans love to scream at home games. Now, they are screaming at the home team.


It’s about leadership, accountability, maturity, decision-making, locker room divisions and turmoil.


The numbers (13-3, 11 straight wins) have been replaced the number “one.” One big offseason of decisions to fix what apparently has gone wrong in that clubhouse, on the sidelines and on that roster.


No game Sunday. Lots of problems to be dealt with on Monday. Not the Super Bowl weekend we expected in San Diego.

http://www.sdnn.com/sandiego/2010-02...gers-offseason
Best offseason EVAR!!

The Chargers are a sinking ship!

[Bane]

Sinking ship? Uh didn't the Donkholes start out 6-0 and then drop like a crack whore in front of her pimp and hand the AFCW to SD?.....Yeah....Uh I'm thinking the last thing a Donkhole fan needs to do is talk smack about the team that won it's division and constantly smacks you in the dick jar when it counts.Fuggn dumbshit loser idiot! Stay down bitches!

[beach tribe]

The Horsemen's Idol A.J. smith completely screwed the Chargers out of multiple Super Bowls when he traded Brees, and let M. Turner walk.

Every GM makes mistakes. It just can't be avoided. No one knows what is going to happen, but A.J. made two GINORMOUS mistakes, and it's going to cost his team the ultimate prize.

[thecoffeeguy]

Originally Posted by beach tribe

The Horsemen's Idol A.J. smith completely screwed the Chargers out of multiple Super Bowls when he traded Brees, and let M. Turner walk.

Every GM makes mistakes. It just can't be avoided. No one knows what is going to happen, but A.J. made two GINORMOUS mistakes, and it's going to cost his team the ultimate prize.

If memory serves, he didn't trade Brees. He let Brees walk. At this point, I think they have a really good QB in Rivers at the helm. Dislike him if you want, but the guy is a gamer.

He let M. Turner walk as well, which boggles the mind. Guy was a 235 RB and with speed to boot. I bet he is regretting that decision right now.

On a side note, I heard a few rumors around here on some offseason trades the Chargers might do.

First one I heard is sending Cromartie and a 3rd to the Packers for AJ Hawk and a 2nd round pick.

The other one is the Ravens are interested in Malcom Floyd and would give up a 2nd round pick.

IF that happened, the Chargers would have a 1st round pick and (3) 2nd round picks.

Plenty of picks to grab quality players.

[Buck]

Cmon GoChiefs, your new sig.

[Hammock Parties]

Son of bitch.

I am disappoint.

[Buck]

You shouldn't have been talking shit.

[Hammock Parties]

Yeah now I have to adblock that image.

[Buck]

Originally Posted by GoChiefs

Yeah now I have to adblock that image.

Thats not fair. Oh well at least everyone else will see it.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Buck

Thats not fair. Oh well at least everyone else will see it.

It's 100 percent fair. Stay down, bitch! I control my internets!

[chefsos]

Originally Posted by Buck

Thats not fair. Oh well at least everyone else will see it.

Those of us with sigs turned off don't know what the **** you're talking about...

[Quesadilla Joe]

Just two years ago Dolt fans were telling me that Cromartie is the best CB in the league and now they can't trade him straight up for Maurice Morris.