By a landslide...

Charger Fans just say, "Rey!"

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...

Assassin Needed in San Diego

This man to the left is an assassin.

He is William Munny out of Missouri ...Killer of Women and Children.

He is unrepentant and Unforgiven.

The San Diego Chargers are in need of an Assassin. A man who roams freely on the defensive side of the ball, hunting man.

An Assassin who searches...who destroys...who does so without any regard to the concern of Commissioner Goodell's office. An Assassin set loose to work and ravage with impunity by his master: Defensive Coordinator Ron Rivera.

OK folks, you get the idea, so we'll dispense with the drama. The 2009 Draft looms large and with all of the LT release talk and Darren Sproles resigning business and the ever present discussion of Phillip's extension there is one thing that we MUST all agree upon: we have no chance at a Super Bowl Championship without a REAL Defense. Our defense has lost the nastiness that it possessed back in 2006 and we must reclaim it or forever be haunted by "what-ifs". To that end, who do we go after?

My preliminary research found me hoping for USC linebacker Rey Maualuga who incidentally was featured in a Kevin Acee UT article today. Click it...

I...am...here....to....destroy...

No matter the choice it must be a difference maker. Someone who wreaks havoc like the safeties we saw in play last weekend (Dawkins, Polamalu, Reed, Wilson).

Have you ever seen our Safety play like #43? no. Can you see our Safety playing like #43? That 'tis the question....

Those guys set the tone and in San Diego a Defensive tone must be set.

Norv can do whatever his little offensive genius heart desires on offense but it will be for naught if there is no Defense there to enforce our will. It's a fact. It is also a fact that William Munny out of Missouri...Killer of Women and Children is unavailable to roam our secondary. Stop your crying AJ and build us a Defense!

It's true...I'm unavailable...and I've killed just about everything that walked or crawled at one time.