With 2 out of my last 3 posts heavy on the subject of Shawne Merriman, one might think I've got a bit of an unhealthy obsession with the Bolts' star outside linebacker. Not true, loyal reader. Not true. While I'm not going to take my coverage of "Lights Out" to Brett Favre-is-coming-out-of-retirement fever pitch, the growing tension between the Chargers front office, and some players if you believe the rumors, is worthy of a few columns. Um, yeaaahh, calling my rants and raves in cyberspace "columns" is probably a bit self-gratuitous, but what the hell. This is my blog and I'll write what I want, damnit!

So where was I? Ah yes, my continuing coverage of Shawne Merriman. There has yet to be any information regarding what the 4th opinion was that number 56 sought today in Miami, but I will be shocked if the doctor said he can play this season. Seriously. He's already seen 3 of the top orthopedic specialists in the world within the last week, but the 4th one is going to defy the supposed evidence and tell him to get out on the field and kick some ass? I think not. What Shawne is doing right now, in my opinion, is showing potential suitors (don't forget he will be a free agent after next season) that he'll do anything to play. Wait, let me clarify what I'm really trying to say. What Shawne is doing is pretending to show clubs that he'll do anything to play, when all he is really doing is trying to build up his value prior to his next contract negotiation and showing that it's all about Shawne Merriman.

With the 5 year contract extension yesterday of Merriman's back-up, Jyles Tucker, it appears the writing is on the wall, so to speak. Teams don't make multi-million dollar 5 year investments on 2nd year undrafted free agents unless they intend to play them....a lot. And since Shaun Phillips was also given a healthy extension last season I can only reach one logical conclusion: Shawne Merriman is free to find another NFL home at the conclusion of the 2009 season.

So there's that, right? Sounds simple enough. Shawne gets his knee fixed in the next few weeks, probably comes back and has a monster year next season since it will be a contract year, and then he moves on. Not so fast. This is going to get ugly before all is said and done.

It's been said on local sports talk radio and other national media outlets that the Chargers are not so happy with the way Shawne has handled this situation. Even worse, there are whispers that some Chargers players are feeling like he's acting like a Hollywood star, even leaving practice early once a week to do TV work, and consequently messing with the all important chemistry component of this squad. This is no bueno. Mess with the organization and you don't get a new contract. Mess with team chemistry, especially on a team that gets along as well as this one does, and you are branded a "me guy". At that point, you might as well publicly state that all you care about is "gettin' paid" because your image as a role model is donzo. Bye, bye. You can do more charity work than the Red Cross, but all the media will focus on are your foibles. That's where Shawne is headed right now, and if you ask me, that's what he deserves.

Why do I have to hate on him so much, you might ask? Because he's not a team guy unless it serves him. Because he doesn't come off as genuine, or anything like the common man. Because he failed a steroids test, vehemently denied ever using steroids, and then blamed it on a "tainted supplement" and vowed to sue the company that made it. Has anyone been following the progress of that lawsuit? No, sir. Nobody has, because it never happened! Give us a break, Shawne. As T.O. once infamously said about Jeff Garcia, "If it walks like a duck, and talks like a duck...." Well, you can see where I'm going with that.

At this point, I'm just ready for this guy to be in another uniform. Whatever A.J. Smith and the Chargers brass decide to do, I support them. A.J. has proven himself in many areas during his time here in San Diego, but none resonate so much with me as his absolute drive towards building and maintaining a team equally as strong in character as it is in on-field talent. I look around the NFL and see owners and GMs like Paul Brown making one bad personnel character decision after another, and it makes me really appreciate what we have here with A.J. So I guess what I'm saying is that if he's not happy with Merriman, I'm not happy with Merriman. It just so happens that I already felt Shawne was more Kobe Bryant than Tony Gwynn, but when my feelings are confirmed by a man like A.J. Smith, I know my gut is giving me the right vibe.

So get your knee reconstruction surgery done, Shawne. I'm sure the Chargers organization, with the support of a lot of fans here in San Diego, will be happy to pay for your surgery in exchange for you turning the lights out on your career in San Diego and taking your selfish gig to another stage in the NFL.


Mahalo,
TWF