LT remains sounds better than LT's remains

LaDainian Tomlinson stays put.

A crazy few weeks we've seen here in San Diego. From the AJ Smith mocking incident to the drama filled merry-go-round provided by the UT's Kevin Acee and XX1090's line-up of hosts. It had become awfully draining to listen to the "pundits" as well as shortsighted fans lend their expertise on the issue. I felt that LT was coming back all along (ok-so there was SOME doubt) because it made practical sense: the Chargers have needs on both sides of the ball so why create yet another hole by eliminating your workhorse running back?

But the last week brought a new set of intrigues. We heard from LT's mom on The Scott and BR Show.....and then the same show provided commentary from Drew Brees.....the sort of commentary that may have led you to believe that two buddies talking behind the scenes had come to some sort of "too-good-to-be-true" reunion agreement. Then Acee reported Friday night that the offer was on the table for LT's taking.... and then SI's Peter King gave his 2 cents... which generally doesn't count for shit especially considering that cap "experts" (that horrible word again) were saying that the Saints were in no position to pay a player like LT.

Let's take a step back.........and acknowledge that history is our best teacher (this is the post I was going to write, my predicted outcome, before I saw the good news).

AJ SMITH DOES NOT SIGN FREE AGENTS TO BUILD THE CHARGERS.........HE USES THE DRAFT.

The above statement is half true. AJ Smith doesn't sign free agents..... from other teams ......he signs his own. From AJ Smith's point of view he made an excellent acquisition in the form of retaining Darren Sproles through use of the franchise tag (buying himself time to negotiate a long term deal). AJ added to the team.

Now LT was not a free agent but the minute it was decided that his salary hindered the Chargers' future plans (signing Rivers, et al.) he became expendable and was viewed as a Cap-Casualty thus an ex-Charger. What has AJ done? He added a RB, who wasn't supposed to be here, to his roster....... at the price-tag he desired. How tricky..... AJ added a player during the Free Agency signing period.

Remember Kris Diehlman's free agency a couple years back? He shopped his services but ultimately returned to sign a new contract with the Chargers. AJ considered that a free agent addition.

This was a calculated gamble on AJ's part and he did his absolute best to blow it by insulting LT and making him feel unwanted. This team would have taken a step backwards had we lost LT and then felt compelled to use our 1st round pick on a running back. Disaster averted.....

Let's cross our fingers for Rey Maualuga.....

[Chargers.com]
Chargers, Tomlinson agree on new three-year contract

[SI.com]
Jim Trotter: LT, Bolts agree to restructured 3-year deal

[SD Union-Tribune]
Tomlinson agrees to restructured deal with Chargers

...oh yea...the Chargers also added ex-Dallas LB Kevin Burnett. Read all about it...

Anatomy of a Pissing Contest

What a shit storm. Below is a comprehensive list of links to stories regarding Chargers' General Manager AJ Smith and his public spat with LaDainian Tomlinson. The Country should not know that AJ Smith is San Diego's GM! I never knew that the GM of the Patriots was named Scott Pioli...didn't know it until his name made the news as a possible replacement in KC and he was ultimately hired. Pioli is the guy who built a dynasty in NE but nobody knew him....which is the way it should be.

Note to AJ Smith: General Managers should be seen and not heard.

There is a lot of info below. I would recommend listening to the XX1090 audio files. Jim Trotter is the former Charger UT Beat Writer and currently writes for Sports Illustrated. Kevin Acee is the current Charger UT Beat Writer. They are frequent visitors to Darren Smith's afternoon show on XX1090 and provide some good background. I think the most interesting aspect of this story is the XX1090 interview by Acee on January 22nd. He had the opportunity to give the context in which AJ gave his quote but he did not. He in no way disavowed the idea that AJ was "mocking" LT......but as the shit hit the fan.....he went ahead and published an article on 1/25 where he said there was "NO WAY" that AJ was mocking LT. So which is it I wondered....

The resulting storm that fans rained down on SD caused Owner Dean Spanos to REQUIRE AJ to apologize to LT. What does this mean? Who knows....

January 14, SI.Com, "Chargers handling L.T. like a journeyman, not a Hall of Famer", Jim Trotter.

January 17, Union Tribune, "Chargers ponder LT's fate", by Kevin Acee

January 21, Union Tribune, "Draft day homework is already well underway", by Kevin Acee.

January 22, Union Tribune, "Window of opportunity always open if you have a top QB" by Nick Canepa.

January 22, XX1090, Darren Smith interview with Kevin Acee.

January 22, XX1090, Darren Smith interview with Jim Trotter.

January 23, Yahoo Sports, "Time for Spanos to 'flex' on Smith", by Michael Silver.

January 23, The "WHTNEP" San Diego Sports Fan Collective, "AJ Smith: Front Runner for Douche of the year."

January 24, Union Tribune, "LT can resolve predicament by making a cut-in his pay", by Tim Sullivan.

January 25, Union Tribune, "Abrupt? Egotistical? Smith can be both. Bud did he mock LT? No." by Kevin Acee.

January 25, Union Tribune, "Tomlinson-Smith saga must stop now, Merriman says", by Kevin Acee

January 26, XX1090, Darren Smith interview with Kevin Acee.

January 26, Chargers.com, "AJ reaches out to LT".

January 26, Union Tribune, "Smith calls Tomlinson in effort to clear the Air", by Kevin Acee.

A Rapidly Deteriorating LT Situation

The passage below is from a Sports Illustrated.com article by Jim Trotter where by the issue of LT's return to the Chargers next season is discussed at length.

"Two things I always knew about my league, the NFL: You don't ask for favors, you don't hang around. A man might love the game, but the game loves no one. The game will use what he has, [then] discard him. The sh-- isn't personal." --Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown, in his autobiography, Out of Bounds.

LaDainian Tomlinson was a rookie with the Chargers in 2001 when he read Brown's book. Asked later what resonated with him most, the former TCU star spoke about the aforementioned passage. Then he wrapped up his feelings by saying, in so many words: Pro football is a business; loyalty is a fantasy.

I am thinking about this one. Trying to remove emotion, to be rationale. I know what I want to say but find myself in a horribly awkward typing situation....so until that moment of keyboard comfort, and I set forth exactly what must be said in a closed doors meeting between AJ Smith and LaDainian Tomlinson......click the following link to read the rest of Jim Trotter's article which talks about football related material such as God, Man, and Crucifixion.......the following link.