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.

Viewpoint Out Of Donkey Land

As I sit here after an eventful day of rug-rats running around celebrating my son's birthday, and the snow begins to fall, I find myself deeply interested in the challenges that are being reported on this blog between LT and AJ.

I am somewhat/mostly removed from those type of updates and depend solely on this lovely blog to provide me that high level information I am not getting on a daily basis here in Donkey Land. Instead I am inundated with Donkey coaching changes and additions of people who I could care less to hear about, but do find humorous on occasion. Other than that, football is dead in Donkey land; all you can get updates on are the Avalanche (NHL) and the occasional Mammoth (indoor lacrosse) or Nuggets (NBA).

The most recent addition the new young man put in charge of the Donkeys for the next few years has selected to do is, keep it in the family. This is somewhat how the report went, on the local news a few days back. Josh McDaniels brings in younger brother as an offensive assistant, his previous experience is with an Ohio High School team where he held the QB Coach position.

"Yes from High school to the Broncos (with a major "nah-look" on his face)"

Take a look at this link to the local news on the hiring....

http://www.9news.com/sports/article.aspx?storyid=108240&catid=295

.....also do not hesitate to read the comments in link (hilarious)... some are right on, such as this one:

Josh: But Ben, do you really think you are ready for this type of leap?
Ben: Give me a chance bro. Do you remember when I coached the QB's at Massillon Jackson High School 4 years ago?...Jackson High School,

Hail to you.
Our days with you and our friends so true,
are the happiest days of our lives.
We'll sing this song to our athlete's strong,
to a team that never fails.
So in all we do be brave and true,
Jackson High School, Hail to you.

Josh: Yeah, I do, but that was 4 years ago. What have you been doing since?
Ben: I coached QB's at Canton McKinley HS just 2 years ago.
Josh: Oh, right! I forgot about that.
Ben: So, am I hired? I just really want to meet Nate Jackson.
Josh: Deal. How about I make you the assistant head football coach of the Denver Broncos. Sound good?
Ben: Perfect.

Comments like these from the "Bronco Faithful in Bronco Country" have me laughing, and though stuck in this snowy "paradise", I can not help but get a feeling of further confidence about how we will handle these Donkeys in the future, Ed Hochuli or not.

On another note that I am very unfamiliar with, and as stated look to you as my eyes and ears back in the homeland: AJ vs. LT.

It was not long ago when AJ arrived on the scene after the sudden death of John Butler. While making some good decisions during his time here as it pertains to deals and the draft, it sounds as though his health is beginning to fail him. Some would call it dementia, others may refer more to is as Alzheimer's. Regardless of how we choose to diagnose AJ's problems, he must be put in his place, and recognize he is a suit who sits in a box with a hair cut way to similar to Jimmy Johnson.

Jimmy Johnson!

From that vantage point he feels as though he can make comments about arguably the best tail back to play the game (after Walter). Was LT slower this year due to the toe etc... Of course he was, but I know all of you watched the last couple of regular season games, specifically the Denver game when LT was LT. I didn't notice a loss in speed during those games.

AJ you need to back off and keep your mouth shut. Your job is to make decisions on bringing in new talent and you should remove yourself from trying to stir the pot and even beginning to vaguely insinuate that you may be moving the player that puts fans in the stadium. LT gives us the best opportunity to put points/wins on the board and moving him is incomprehensible.... if you ask a Charger Fan in Donkey Land. Should it come down to AJ of LT I would expect Mr Spanos to make the right decision and let AJ know not let the door hit him on the way out. How dare you mock a future Hall of Famer and San Diego Legend.

That is how this Charger Fan in Donkey Land sees it.

SD's Championship Drought

With all the LT/AJ drama of the last week...the report that the City is suing the Chargers for $170,000 dollars...... The City of Industry having received voter approval to begin building a New Stadium.....and finally San Diego being discussed as the team that could possibly relocate to LA...

Well I started thinking about my Charger acquaintances and how they are fairly quiet and pretty innocuous in their fan hood. But during such a week of tumult how could the silence remain so deafening?

I needed to send out a feeler.......a text message to the Ten People in my phone who were the biggest Charger Fans (Father, Brother, Friends) ....varying degrees of fan passion, no face/body painters amongst them, and it went like this:

You People are the sorriest excuse for Bolt fans EVER!
You're a Prison Sodomites' wet dream...
a quiet, passive cell mate who dare not make a peep.
Yer the reason this town never wins...
yer the reason they're moving 2 LA!
SUCK IT!

The first responses back should have been from the 1981 comedy, Stripes: "Lighten up, Francis" ....but it went like this..

Excuse Me?

My Bad

It's my son's b-day party today.
Told you Sunday at the earliest.
No cell mate for me.

What the hell is that?

If u have time 2 respond twice u have time 2 go 2 da Blog
and express yoself on da LT/AJ situation.
If u wait in silence...we'll lose the team next...luv ya

My dedication is to my team not your blog...
and I don't have time I'm working!!
That was a pretty fucked up text!!

And your blog set me back like $400

...couldn't tell ya how much the blog set me back
although it will be $200 less once "-_-_-_-_-_"
decides to pay me. Secondly...it's not my blog... it's a public forum...
a place where your happiness or displeasure can be put on record...
that of course is your prerogative. I have had discussions
w/a UT writer and the FireNorv site was discussed
by Madden n Michaels on MNF so...
the Power won't read our texts...

Call it what you want
all I'm sayin' is I wouldn't even let
my brother say shit like that to me

Lighten up, Francis.

Indeed, Sgt Hulka. Shouldn't "WE" (read:me) all lighten up and keep this thing called Football in perspective? After all, we'd hate to be SO consumed with football that we looked like this sorry SOB Giant fan...

...and a late text reply:

Go Cardinals!!!

We Love ya Shirles