Mr. Laz
04-25-2010, 05:38 PM
L.T. may not retire as a Charger, if A.J. is still the G.M.
Posted by Mike Florio on April 25, 2010 7:16 PM ET
Sure, former Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson now wears green instead of powder blue. But when the time comes for L.T. to call it quits, he'll sign a one-day contract with the team with which he became a star, right?
Maybe not.
Tomlinson said Sunday that he possibly won't retire as a Charger, if A.J. Smith continues to be the General Manager.
"[M]y relationship with A.J. has been rocky (http://www.signonsandiego.com/weblogs/bolts-blog/2010/apr/25/lt-nothing-against-chargers-just-aj/)," Tomlinson said, per Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. "And so it's hard for me. It's hard for me to just accept going to retire with the Chargers with A.J. being there."
The relationship between Smith and Tomlinson reached a boiling point in 2009, when the 2006 NFL MVP issued a statement regarding his future with the team, and Smith responded with comments that seemed to mock Tomlinson (http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2009/01/22/aj-mocks-lt/). Smith quickly backtracked (http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2009/01/27/aj-apologizes-to-lt/), but the damage apparently was done.
Though we've yet to send in our application for membership in the A.J. Smith Fan Club, he seems to be guilty only of assessing his team without regard to the names on the backs of the jerseys -- and of declining to smooch the rear end of a player whose best days are behind him.
Besides, we thought Tomlinson was no longer talking about the Chargers (http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/04/08/lt-says-he-wont-be-talking-about-the-chargers-again/).
Maybe he'll resume his vow of silence, starting . . . . now!
Posted by Mike Florio on April 25, 2010 7:16 PM ET
Sure, former Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson now wears green instead of powder blue. But when the time comes for L.T. to call it quits, he'll sign a one-day contract with the team with which he became a star, right?
Maybe not.
Tomlinson said Sunday that he possibly won't retire as a Charger, if A.J. Smith continues to be the General Manager.
"[M]y relationship with A.J. has been rocky (http://www.signonsandiego.com/weblogs/bolts-blog/2010/apr/25/lt-nothing-against-chargers-just-aj/)," Tomlinson said, per Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. "And so it's hard for me. It's hard for me to just accept going to retire with the Chargers with A.J. being there."
The relationship between Smith and Tomlinson reached a boiling point in 2009, when the 2006 NFL MVP issued a statement regarding his future with the team, and Smith responded with comments that seemed to mock Tomlinson (http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2009/01/22/aj-mocks-lt/). Smith quickly backtracked (http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2009/01/27/aj-apologizes-to-lt/), but the damage apparently was done.
Though we've yet to send in our application for membership in the A.J. Smith Fan Club, he seems to be guilty only of assessing his team without regard to the names on the backs of the jerseys -- and of declining to smooch the rear end of a player whose best days are behind him.
Besides, we thought Tomlinson was no longer talking about the Chargers (http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/04/08/lt-says-he-wont-be-talking-about-the-chargers-again/).
Maybe he'll resume his vow of silence, starting . . . . now!