Sports News and Trade Rumors: Pro Sports Daily

Comment

June 24

San Diego Union-Tribune

"In the second-floor bedroom where he used to sleep, the son sat alone on a bed holding a Bible and a picture of his deceased grandmother. That is where the mom found him late on the afternoon of April 25, awaiting his selection on the first day of the NFL draft. "I'm so thankful," the son said, looking up. He spoke of growing up and of his family that helped him. "All this made me the man I am today," he said. The son's future was upon him, and he crossed the room to wrap his arms around his mother. "It's all going to be OK," he told her. In the middle of the embrace, with a downstairs full of people, the son's phone buzzed. He answered and heard the voice of Chargers Vice ..."

Oceanside Chargers bid seems intriguing

Comment

June 22

San Diego Union-Tribune

columnist Nick Canepa

"There now is a seven-year itch on the back of the Chargers stadium issue, and much of it has been nothing more than a pie-in-the-sky fight. Some of it has made too much sense for City Hall to approve, some of it over the top, such as the recently rejected, outrageously cumbersome proposal for the Qualcomm site that would have flown like an ostrich. With an attractive Chula Vista bayfront locale fading, doing the limbo awaiting state approval to raze an unsightly power plant - it could take years - Oceanside once again is in the crosshairs. The huge difference this time is that the 92-acre property, former home of the Valley Drive-In theater on state Route 76, is privately owned and ..."

Chargers extend radio deal

Comment

June 19

San Diego Union-Tribune

"The Chargers on Thursday announced a two-year contract extension with Clear Channel Communications to broadcast all the team's games. Combined with the last year of the current deal, the Chargers will be heard on KIOZ-FM (Rock 105.3) and XTRA Sports 1360 through the 2011 season. The difference between this deal and the one the parties signed in 2005, according to several sources, is that the team will receive a much smaller rights fee in return for more commercial time to sell. It's believed the Chargers have been receiving an annual rights fee in the low seven figures, more than $1 million but less than $3 million. Under the terms of the extension, that amount is expected to be reduced ..."

Chargers again mull Oceanside for stadium site

Comment

June 19

San Diego Union-Tribune

"Two years after saying no to playing in Oceanside, the San Diego Chargers are again contemplating a new stadium there, this time at the site of a defunct drive-in theater on State Route 76. A developer and a team spokesman stressed that it is very early in their discussions and an Oceanside councilman called the prospect highly unlikely, but the talks mark yet another attempt to keep the Chargers from bolting town. An executive with Georgia-based Thomas Enterprises, which has approval to build 950,000 square feet of commercial space on the 90-acre site where the Valley Drive-In theater once showed flicks, broached the idea of putting a stadium there with Chargers spokesman Mark Fabiani ..."

What happened to Ryan Leaf?

Comment

June 19

San Diego Union-Tribune

columnist Steve Kelley

"Their careers were on parallel planes. Peyton Manning and Ryan Leaf were possibly the best one-two quarterback punch ever to come out of college football. Leaf was so perfect, he could have been created in a laboratory. He was tall, 6 feet 5, and strong, and could burn a hole through the Great Wall of China with his taut spiral. Leaf's arm compared favorably with Manning's. In fact, his passes were prettier. There was a wobble to Manning's throws. They always seemed to find their receivers, but if a judge were awarding style points, Leaf's ball would win every time. Chosen second, behind Manning, in the 1998 NFL draft, the world belonged to Leaf every bit as much as it did Manning. But ..."

Cornerback Gordon is making most of offseason workouts

Comment

June 18

San Diego Union-Tribune

"Cletis Gordon is entering his fourth season. He's scheduled to make $1.45 million in 2009. But there he was Monday at Chargers Park practicing with the rookies and a handful of other second-, third-and fourth-year players. "Any time as a player like me, when you can get more reps, it's going to help in the long run," Gordon said. And there he was about noon Monday, the last player on the field, working on his angles of pursuit with assistant Cris Dishman. Gordon knows the Chargers drafted a cornerback (Brandon Hughes) to challenge him for playing time and perhaps even a roster spot. This is a crucial offseason for Gordon, whose speed, in particular, has made him an intriguing prospect ..."

Broncos' offseason of upheaval is uplifting for Chargers

Comment

June 17

San Diego Union-Tribune

"So now it's wide receiver Brandon Marshall who wants out of Denver. Great. I don't know what happens to him, but I have a good idea what happens to the Broncos -- and it's not good, Denver fans. Your team no longer is a threat to the Chargers in the AFC West. For that matter, nobody is. You can call the division now before the early returns are in. San Diego is the runaway winner, not so much because the Bolts are that much better than everyone else but because they're that much better than everyone else in the AFC West."

DA: Additional Leaf charges possible

Comment

June 16

ESPN.com

"Prosecutors in Texas have set a Thursday morning deadline for former San Diego Chargers quarterback Ryan Leaf to turn himself in on drug-related charges, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported. "He can run, but he can't hide and we will find him," said James Farren, the district attorney for Randall County, Texas, according to the report. Farren is also considering additional charges against Leaf, who starred at Washington State and was taken second overall in the 1998 NFL draft, but struggled in a brief pro career. "There is sufficient information that I felt justified in asking the grand jury in keeping the investigation open," Farren said, according to the report. Leaf's attorney, Bill ..."

Chargers' talent can cause a quandary

Comment

June 14

San Diego Union-Tribune

"There's no such thing as an NFL team having too many good football players. That's like a drunk complaining about a hosted bar. But can a franchise have too many very good - or even great - players? It's possible. And the Chargers may be the ones to find out very soon. In their case, too much could be too many. "They are marquee players; they are attractive players to other teams," Chargers General Manager A.J. Smith says. "Everyone wants to get better. If you have a team loaded with marquee players, the temptation is there. The more great players you have, the more difficult it gets working out contracts. My attitude is, it's part of the business." When the 2009 season ends, ..."

Additions toughen division

Comment

June 14

Boston Globe

"San Diego Chargers general manager A.J. Smith has regularly articulated his admiration for the Patriots and their consistent winning ways, which is why he viewed two major offseason moves with particular interest. When former Patriots vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli was named general manager of the Kansas City Chiefs, and former New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels became head coach of the Denver Broncos, Smith knew what it meant. The AFC West, owned by the Chargers in recent years, suddenly had a Patriotlike flair to it. "I consider it a direct threat to us," Smith said, "and I don't like it." Smith, who annually touts winning the division at the No. 1 goal ..."

Chargers defense getting up-close with the Wildcat

Comment

June 12

San Diego Union-Tribune

"The Wildcat offense took the NFL by surprise and by storm in 2008, the Chargers falling victim to it in October in Miami. With the predicted proliferation of the Wildcat - in which the ball is snapped directly to a player other than the quarterback, with that player having the option to hand off, throw a pass or run - the Chargers spent portions of the past two days running the offense in earnest for the first time. "I think it's good for our defense to see," coach Norv Turner said. "They're going to face it.""

Jackson loses ruling in court

Comment

June 12

San Diego Union-Tribune

"A San Diego Superior Court judge on Thursday denied a request by Chargers receiver Vincent Jackson to suppress evidence obtained as a result of Jackson's Jan. 6 arrest on suspicion of drunken driving. Jackson's attorney, Cole Casey, said after the hearing he would appeal the ruling. "Hopefully this is going to end up in federal court," Casey said. "What's at issue, in our perception, is constitutional violations" of the Fourth Amendment, which guards against unreasonable searches and seizures. Casey had argued that Jackson was forced to have his blood drawn against his will after repeatedly requesting a breath test instead, as was his right. His blood-alcohol content measured 0.17 ..."

Turner believes that his players are primed

Comment

June 12

San Diego Union-Tribune

"He is usually the cynic on such things, at least the cautious observer. Even now, coach Norv Turner is by no means predicting his players' self-actualization. He remains a show-me kind of dude, as it would be wise for all who have watched the Chargers fall short time and again to maintain a healthy skepticism. But it is interesting that Turner believes a bridge has been crossed by his bunch, whose confidence and preseason predictions have dissolved in too-soon exits from the playoffs and even a couple mediocre regular seasons. "We have a lot of guys on this team that are at a place in their careers when they're going to play the best football they've ever played," Turner said recently, ..."

Antonio Gates back in Detroit to share his success story

Comment

June 11

San Diego Union-Tribune

"Antonio Gates admits he made his share of mistakes growing up. He said he was involved in drugs, performed poorly in school, got kicked out of school and was involved in his share of fights. Now, he's one of Detroit's success stories as an all-pro tight end for the San Diego Chargers. And his rags-to-riches story is sure to resonate with the nearly 400 youth football players who will participate in the second annual Sound Mind, Sound Body camp that runs through Saturday at Wayne State. "Whenever I go out there on Sundays, a little bit of Detroit remains with me," Gates said during a telephone interview from San Diego. "I think of my brother and sisters. I think of what I went through to ..."

Chargers recall playing with - and against - Harrison

Comment

June 4

San Diego Union-Tribune

"Rodney Harrison made it official Wednesday, that 15 years as the one of the game's most ferocious and instinctive defenders was coming to an end. "I am done, and I am very much so at peace with that," the now-former strong safety said in a conference call with reporters. "Football has been good to me. I've worked hard; I've played hard. I've done some things that I never dreamt I could do, and now it's time to move forward to the next phase of my life." As Harrison made his announcement, one of his two former teams practiced at Chargers Park. There aren't a lot of Chargers remaining from when Harrison played the last of his nine seasons here in 2002 - just Quentin Jammer, LaDainian ..."

Less is more, more or less, in NFL season

Comment

June 4

San Diego Union-Tribune

columnist Nick Canepa

"A 17-or 18-game NFL season would be a football junkie's exotic dream drug. It would be raining America's reigning sport. Football, more football, as far as the eye can see. Football to the right of them, football to the left of them, football volleying and thundering from Labor Day to Presidents Day. It could be great, but as much as I'd like to see the game played every minute of every day, I'm not so sure. I'm from Missouri on this one, waiting to be shown how it will work without players taking too many ambulance rides to hospitals. Football is hard, man. I don't know if they can make it harder and maintain a semblance of the excellence they're having serious difficulty maintaining ..."

Former Boise State standout trying to find his spot with Chargers

Comment

June 2

San Diego Union-Tribune

"Legedu Naanee, who made the transition from quarterback to wide receiver at Boise State, is still looking for the perfect position in the NFL. Having spent time at wide receiver, tight end and even fullback during his first two years with the San Diego Chargers, Naanee just might have found his sweet spot - slot receiver. Naanee has 17 career receptions, including a four-yard touchdown catch against Pittsburgh in the playoffs last season. San Diego is looking for more from the 6-foot-2, 226-pounder. "They want me to have a larger role in the offense," Naanee said this weekend in Boise, where he participated in a charity basketball game. The Chargers, who seem to be perennial Super Bowl ..."

Team has hatched grand plans to signify its 50th season

Comment

June 2

San Diego Union-Tribune

"The Chargers kicked off plans to celebrate their 50th season Monday, inviting players from each decade to speak to the assembled media at Qualcomm Stadium, a place they're trying hard to vacate. They also had a secret guest make an entrance after Lance Alworth, Doug Wilkerson, Charlie Joiner, Darren Bennett and Philip Rivers did some talking. And crack my egg if it wasn't the San Diego Chicken. He even spoke. An interesting choice, The Chicken. In the early 1980s, when I covered the team on a day-to-day basis, late Chargers owner Gene Klein refused to allow fowl play on the field. The greatest mascot of them all wasn't the Chargers mascot so much as he was a fine-feathered spectator. ..."

Chargers' Merriman working his way back

Comment

June 2

San Diego Union-Tribune

columnist Marcia C. Smith

"The freshest scar on Shawne Merriman's body stretched four inches and snaked down the left side of his surgically repaired knee. The cut might as well have been made across the heart of the Chargers' defense. Because that's what Merriman is as the wildly pumping, emotionally elevating linebacker with hatchet hands and meathook arms. Without Merriman last season, the Chargers, at times, flatlined. With him, they have new life, new hope. "It's all good now," said the Chargers' three-time Pro Bowl linebacker on Monday morning, confidently slapping the new scar that has become as much a part of his warrior persona as his No. 56 jersey and tattooed torso. "No pain. Nothing tentative. But I'm ..."

Merriman's future in San Diego in doubt

Comment

June 1

San Diego Union-Tribune

"With the 16th pick overall in the 2009 NFL Draft, San Diego selected 6-foot-2, 274-pound defensive end Larry English, who will play outside linebacker in the NFL. Did the Chargers front office lose their minds? After all, they already had Merriman -- a player who had earned the nickname "Lights Out" for his devastating hits -- and the highly talented Shaun Phillips anchoring the outside linebacker spots. Mock drafts across the internet had been projecting that San Diego would use that pick on a true defensive end or an offensive tackle. What in the world were the Chargers thinking? Well, what you have to figure into the equation is that Merriman is in the last year of his contract. And ..."

Stadium developer unveils proposal, but Chargers balk

Comment

May 29

San Diego Union-Tribune

"Local developer Perry Dealy unveiled his proposal to replace Qualcomm Stadium in Mission Valley Thursday, a day after the San Diego Chargers called his plans unrealistic in a fax sent directly to him. The plan calls for a 70,000-seat stadium with a 16-story hotel, 3.7 million square feet of commercial buildings ranging up to 33 stories, and 5,900 condominiums and apartments in structures that top out at 25 stories. Media questions at a news conference dealt mostly with the dissension, and Dealy's materials for the media didn't shy away from the problems. A handout plainly noted the mayor and the Chargers were not on board with the project. Dealy called on San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders ..."

Safety Hart knows he's in fight for playing time

Comment

May 29

San Diego Union-Tribune

"The first week of offseason coaching sessions was not a total surprise to Clinton Hart. But a harsh reality certainly slapped him upside the head. "Obviously, they've got confidence in other players more than in me," Hart said. Hart is now solely the starting strong safety in the Chargers' base defense. Thing is, the Chargers aren't working their base defense much this month, and come the season they don't figure to be in it all that often, either. What Hart, a starter and a captain for the first time in 2008, is facing is perhaps half the snaps on the sideline in '09. "I'm OK with that," he said. "I'm willing to do whatever it takes to win a championship. But I'm not willing to sit ..."

Ex-Charger Leaf indicted on drug, burglary charges

Comment

May 22

San Diego Union-Tribune

"Former Chargers quarterback Ryan Leaf has been indicted on drug and burglary charges in Texas as part of an ongoing grand jury investigation into his use of prescription medication. Leaf, 33, recently has been in a drug rehab in British Columbia, according to the Randall County, Texas, district attorney's office. Last November, amid reports that he asked a player for a pain pill to help an old wrist injury, Leaf was placed on leave from his assistant coaching job at West Texas A"

Versatility remains Bingham's specialty

Comment

May 22

San Diego Union-Tribune

"Ryon Bingham knows it sounds trite when he says he'll do anything to play. But he also knows he's the employee here. "I get paid to do what they want," Bingham said Thursday. "If I got to do what I want, I'd be a running back or a linebacker." In offseason coaching sessions that began this week, the 6-foot-3, 303-pound Bingham is playing at end and nose tackle, the same sort of utility man he's been his entire career."

Developer sees Qualcomm site as an option for the Chargers

Comment

May 21

San Diego Union-Tribune

"They said it couldn't be done and, frankly, they're still not convinced that it can. But the San Diego Chargers are again evaluating a stadium proposal for the Qualcomm site. They're leery, but they're listening, still hopeful some bright idea can capture the imagination of the community and, in turn, ramp up their revenues. With their Chula Vista initiative short on traction, and a Los Angeles alternative still in its theoretical stage, Team Spanos has little incentive to reject Perry Dealy's plan as preposterous. It promises, however, to be a mighty tough sell."

Proposal opposed by mayor, Chargers

Comment

May 21

San Diego Union-Tribune

"A local developer's plan to build homes, offices, shops, hotel rooms and a new Chargers stadium at the team's current site in Mission Valley has met resistance from the people whose support it most needs: the team and the mayor. Two weeks after developer Perry Dealy privately showed Mayor Jerry Sanders blueprints for redeveloping San Diego's Qualcomm Stadium site, Sanders' office is raising concerns and other politicians sound skeptical or unenthused. Sanders declined to comment yesterday, but his spokesman Darren Pudgil said Dealy's idea "appears to be very dense for the site" and added, "If this doesn't work for the Chargers, it just doesn't work.""

Ex-Aztec Dombrowski moves to front of line

Comment

May 19

San Diego Union-Tribune

"Good thing it's only May. Good thing for the Chargers and good thing for Brandyn Dombrowski - because that was Dombrowski working with the first team at left tackle Monday on the opening day of offseason coaching sessions. It was part fill-in, part audition for the guard out of San Diego State, who played about a half-dozen collegiate snaps at tackle. As Dombrowski took part in drills alongside Pro Bowl guard Kris Dielman, starter Marcus McNeill and backup L.J. Shelton worked on the side rehabbing injuries that shouldn't keep them out come summertime. What Dombrowski can accomplish for himself is perhaps solidifying a roster spot. What he can do for the Chargers is provide a versatile ..."

Defensive seeds are being sown in hopes of reaping wins

Comment

May 18

San Diego Union-Tribune

"Ron Rivera and his overhauled defensive staff have spent much of the offseason mixing and matching, dissecting and discovering. What worked? What didn't? How could this best be used? And when? Could this or that be simpler? Who can do this? Who can't do that? "We basically rewrote the defensive book," Rivera said last week. What that playbook will result in, they hope, is a very different defense that is still very familiar. Rivera is an aficionado of the 4-3 defensive scheme, and it was clear in his two-plus months running things last season that he would blend some of his past into the Chargers' present. But he is a big fan of former Chargers coordinator Wade Phillips and the 3-4 ..."

Receiver Floyd signs one-year contract

Comment

May 16

San Diego Union-Tribune

"Malcom Floyd wanted to be back with his team. "I didn't see any positives out of missing more time," Floyd said. "It was time to come in and get it rolling." And so a pseudo-holdout ended Friday with Floyd signing his one-year, $1.54 million contract in time for the start of coaching sessions Monday. "I feel great," the receiver said. "It's a lot of stress off me." The Chargers put the second-round tender on Floyd, a restricted free agent, in February. On the advice of his agent, in the hopes of getting a trade or bargaining for a long-term deal, Floyd did not sign the tender and skipped the team's conditioning sessions and this month's minicamp. He remained in town, working with Todd ..."

Medical red flags become NFL draft fliers

Comment

May 16

San Diego Union-Tribune

"San Diego Chargers general manager A.J. Smith has spoken with all of his team's 2009 draft picks - except one. Smith didn't make his usual congratulatory draft-day telephone call to Demetrius Byrd last month because the Louisiana State wide receiver was hospitalized. And even though he was since discharged, Smith still hadn't chatted with Byrd as of Monday night. Smith says he wants to give Byrd more time to recover from head injuries suffered during a pre-draft auto accident.Of course, the two ultimately will talk. When they do, the first words that should come from Byrd's mouth? Thank you.Draft prospects with significant medical red flags are likely to slip or may not even get selected. ..."

Fouts is taking aim at one final completion for his former coach

Comment

May 14

San Diego Union-Tribune

"What Don Coryell had was a great tank commander's vision, and thus the spine and guile to attack Point B from Point A the quickest and most devastating way possible, using X's and O's tactics previous football minds never imagined. Except his policy wasn't so much scorched earth, but scorched air. He not only exhausted opponents' bodies, but their brains. The more I think about it - and I've been thinking about it more and more lately - the more I'm convinced. Coryell may be the single most important football coach of the past half century. Certainly the most innovative and daring. His fingerprints remain all over the sport at every level, and it's highly doubtful they will be smudged ..."

Dallas-Fort Worth venues announced for Super Bowl XLV ancillary events

Comment

May 13

Dallas Morning News

"The Super Bowl XLV Host Committee announced today the locations of eight major events and venues - from the NFL Experience to the headquarters hotel - for the 2011 game in Arlington. Dallas will get the largest share of marquee events and venues. The NFL Experience, an 850,000-square-foot theme park, football museum and memorabilia show, will be held at the Dallas Convention Center. That announcement was expected since there are no other indoor venues large enough to accommodate it. In warm weather states, such as Florida or Arizona, the NFL Experience is sometimes held outdoors. The event is booked indoors in regions where cold weather is likely. The Hilton Anatole was chosen as the NFL ..."

Commissioners of the big four sports gather to discuss 'The Future of Sports'

Comment

May 7

New York Daily News

"They are portrayed as having the job security of a Supreme Court justice or the president of North Korea, but even the commissioners of the four major North American sports have to occasionally answer questions about the future of their sports at a time when, as one of them said, the economy is in the greatest downturn since the Great Depression. Wednesday, Bud Selig of Major League Baseball, Roger Goodell of the National Football League, David Stern of the National Basketball Association and Gary Bettman of the National Hockey League assembled at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Midtown Manhattan to discuss some of the issues facing an enterprise with a combined revenue of $21.2 billion. ..."

Martin ready for shot at NFL

Comment

May 5

San Diego Union-Tribune

columnist Morris Dalla Costa

"There is no secret about Vaughn Martin's ability to play football north of the border. It will now be on display south of the border as well. The San Diego Chargers of the National Football League confirmed it with the 113th pick of the NFL draft Sunday. Martin became the first Canadian underclassman to be drafted, going near the top of the fourth round. The Chargers had two other picks later in the fourth round but didn't wait, fearing Martin would be snapped up before they got another chance. Indianapolis, Carolina and Cleveland were all looking to grab him. It's a testament to how good the Chargers believe he can be. It's also a testament to how far the 23-year-old has come, ..."

For Martin, trip to NFL was more than a little unconventional

Comment

May 5

San Diego Union-Tribune

"He can, if called upon to summon the athletic skills of his island youth, go into all-rounder mode and bang in the ball with a googly off the stump of the batsman's wicket. Or bend it like you know who. That, to Vaughn Martin, was child's play. "Cricket and soccer, every day, all day," he says. "Growing up, I'd get done playing cricket and go play soccer, then go play more cricket, then more soccer." None of this is to even contemplate the fearsome sight of Martin - now grown to 6 feet 3 and 319 pounds, dreadlocks spilling out of his helmet - coming unchecked down a sheet of ice with a puck on his stick and a red light on the brain. "I wouldn't say he was a graceful hockey player, but ..."

For free-agent kicker, minicamp is a tryout - for another tryout

Comment

May 4

San Diego Union-Tribune

"The Chargers gave him jersey No. 1. It could stand for Louie Sakoda's one chance in, say, a half-million of beating out Nate Kaeding and/or Mike Scifres. By no means is that a slam at Sakoda, a rare talent indeed, a special-teams guy who was a consensus first-team All-American as both a kicker (2008) and punter ('07) at Utah. Of all the teams he might've chosen for a tryout, though, about the last place you'd figure to find him in an NFL minicamp is San Diego. To put it mildly, simply and obviously, see, both jobs are taken. Quite taken. Have been for quite some time now, with no opening imminent. Kaeding and Scifres are two of the Chargers' best, steadiest and most dependable ..."

Veteran right guard Forney looking for his shot to start

Comment

May 4

San Diego Union-Tribune

"Kynan Forney wasted no time after last season letting Chargers management know he wanted to be back. He had spent a year in the locker room and on the practice field. He knew what their need was at the position he plays. He observed a stunning December comeback, and since he knew he wanted to get back into a starting lineup, he figured this one would be best. "The opportunity, the talent, the excitement with these guys," Forney explained of his decisions to essentially forgo free agency and sign a two-year, $4.8 million deal with the Chargers. Forney, who started 89 games for the Atlanta Falcons from 2001-07, has long been in the Chargers' plans for 2009. Signed in September after the ..."

Recharged Bolts enjoy healthy start to their weekend minicamp

Comment

May 2

San Diego Union-Tribune

"The too-soon endings of two straight Chargers seasons have been at least partially determined by injuries to key players. An AFC Championship Game loss after the 2007 season still haunts those who were there fighting an inevitable outcome through a preponderance of injuries. And the entirety of 2008, if it were to be summed up in one word, would be injured, as a number of Pro Bowlers entered the season hurt and others fell along the way. As preparation for a new season officially dawned Friday at Chargers Park with the first day of a weekend minicamp, there is a new look and a new feeling. It is the feeling of health, as so many former casualties were on the field working without health ..."

He might be 'beat up a little,' but Ellison high in Chargers plans

Comment

May 2

San Diego Union-Tribune

columnist Nick Canepa

"Chargers minicamp isn't quite a day at the office for rookie strong safety Kevin Ellison. But he's been in the building, just one floor down, that's all. He played football at USC, which could soon be in line to become the NFL's Los Angeles franchise. About everything Trojans coach Pete Carroll does smacks of a professional organization, from the talent on hand - probably better than the Detroit Lions, anyway - to the pro-style offense and defense he runs, and the way he goes about his business. If anything, Carroll recruits too many good players, but it makes for great competition. Ellison comes from arguably one of the best college defenses of modern times. Eight USC defenders were ..."

'Lights Out' says he's ready for the electricity to be turned back on

Comment

May 1

San Diego Union-Tribune

"It seems like a win-win. The Chargers get their biggest impact player back, and he's ticked off. "This year is literally going to be about unleashing," Shawne Merriman said. "Unleashing so much I've got pent up in me." There has always been a lot going on inside Merriman. But now there is a storm boiling inside the 271 pounds of mohawked linebacker, whose 39½ sacks from 2005 to 2007 are the most by a player in his first three seasons. He is ready to burst after a season on the sideline and the ongoing indications that his time in San Diego is not long. "It's going to be an interesting year," he said. "I'm bringing all the ruckus. I'm going to do the 'Lights Out' dance so often people will ..."

Sproles signs contract as franchise player

Comment

April 29

San Diego Union-Tribune

"Darren Sproles signed his franchise tender Tuesday, assuring his participation in the Chargers' minicamp this weekend. "Darren wanted to go into the season knowing everything is cool," said his agent, Gary Wichard. "He wanted to be at minicamp. He's a Charger." Sproles signing the tender does not preclude a long-term deal getting done this year, but it severely diminishes the likelihood. Sproles had been working in the team's conditioning session, but he had planned to skip workouts that involved contact until a contract was signed. He and head coach Norv Turner have discussed how Sproles will be used and preserved in the preseason."

Chargers player Phillips cited in Ivy Hotel punchout

Comment

April 28

San Diego Union-Tribune

"Chargers linebacker Shaun Phillips was cited for misdemeanor battery early Saturday morning after a security guard at a rooftop bar in downtown San Diego said the linebacker hit him in the face, police said. The incident was reported about 1:25 a.m. at the Ivy Hotel on F Street, San Diego police said. Police spokeswoman Mónica Muñoz said there was a brawl at the bar that precipitated the incident. She said neither Phillips nor any other Chargers player was involved in the brawl. In a written report on the incident, San Diego police Officer J. Denny said he and another officer responded to a call about a fight at the Ivy. Denny said that a security guard had been called to the rooftop ..."

Chargers' draft class of 2009

Comment

April 27

San Diego Union-Tribune

"ROUND 1 Pick 16 (No. 16 overall): LARRY ENGLISH, OLB, Northern Illinois Age: 23 Hometown: Aurora, Ill. Ht: 6-2; Wt: 256 Acee's analysis: Northern Illinois' all-time sacks leader with 31.5. His 63 tackles for loss are seventh-most since the NCAA started tracking that stat in 2000. School-record five sacks vs. Idaho in 2007. School-record six TFL vs. Temple in '06. Started 47 games. Was named top player in the Mid-American Conference by league coaches the past two seasons. Has had asthma since he was young. Medical redshirt in 2004 because of ankle injury. Links: - NFL.com page - Northern Illinois page - Action video - Archive interview video ROUND 3 Pick 14 (No. 78 overall): LOUIS ..."

Chargers go for intriguing mix on second day of draft

Comment

April 27

San Diego Union-Tribune

"An eclectic mix of second-day picks completed the Chargers' draft Sunday, as the team added depth and mystery at a variety of positions. Among the picks was a fourth-round defensive end built like a nose tackle who is from Jamaica by way of Canada. With their final selection, the Chargers took a receiver who is in the hospital recovering from injuries suffered in an automobile accident eight days ago while he was on his way to pick up his mother from church. In between came a slow running back, a smallish corner and a safety with a history of knee problems. But for a team coming off its third straight division title, already figuring it will be better in 2009 just by virtue of many of ..."

If English can apply pressure, Chargers will feel less of it

Comment

April 26

San Diego Union-Tribune

"The reason Larry English went so high is because he gets so low. The Chargers' first-round draft choice is an outside linebacker with the balance and the leverage to attack from acute angles, a speed rusher who can run hunched over without sacrificing much steam. He's the kind of player who turns the corner in terrible, swift stages, head and shoulders before hard-churning legs. "A lot of guys can run full speed and don't dip their pads," Northern Illinois coach Jerry Kill said Saturday. "What makes Larry a great pass rusher is he can get so damn low that they can't get to him. Certain guys are gifted." Larry English may or may not be the second coming of Shawne Merriman, but that's the ..."

Selection is a defensive move – in more ways than one?

Comment

April 26

San Diego Union-Tribune

"There are so many things that make Draft Day great. The long faces on the gurus. The phone calls that never come. The Tweeters that don't Tweet. The intrigue. The lies. The panic and knee jerk. The stupidity. The intelligence. The unknown. The unpredictability of A.J. Smith – matched only by his predictability. With his only first-day pick, the Chargers' general manager Saturday drafted untested Northern Illinois outside linebacker Larry English 16th overall. Does this mean Smith is ready to reserve a moving van for tested Shawne Merriman, who just so happens to be the best outside linebacker in the NFL? We're making an informed guess, which is our right. Nobody's saying this was the ..."

Smith selects English to 'bring the heat'

Comment

April 26

San Diego Union-Tribune

"For what he can provide now as well as for the future, Larry English made sense to the Chargers. With a desire to immediately upgrade their pass-rush potential and eyeing a bigger need a couple of years down the line, the Chargers targeted the defensive end/outside linebacker all along and brought him into the fold Saturday alongside Shawne Merriman and Shaun Phillips. Already possessing a pair of outside linebackers whose 57 sacks since 2006 are the second-most by two teammates in that span – even with Merriman missing last season – the Chargers got themselves another player whose specialty is getting after quarterbacks. Playing defensive end in a 4-3 defense, English had 31½ sacks and 63 ..."

Only certainty concerning Chargers: it's all speculation

Comment

April 25

San Diego Union-Tribune

"At least a couple of possibilities to move down in the first round and pick up an extra first-day pick will likely solidify for the Chargers on Saturday afternoon. No one inside Chargers Park was talking Friday. It's A.J. Smith's call anyway, and the general manager holes up for more than 48 hours before the dawn of draft day. But the scuttlebutt is that the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants are in a dealing mood as they search for a way to secure offensive weapons in the first round. The Eagles, with the 21st pick, might want the Chargers' pick, at 16, to make sure they beat Denver or Tampa Bay to tight end Brandon Pettigrew, or even keep the Chargers or Jets from selecting ..."

Kicker known for more than leg

Comment

April 25

San Diego Union-Tribune

"David Buehler made this a marginally interesting specialists class, but not for his kicking ability. The USC product does have a mammoth leg and could stick with an NFL team because of that. But it was the non-kicker-like ability he showed at February's NFL Scouting Combine that made him one of the celebrities of the pre-draft process. The 6-foot-2, 227-pound Buehler (pronounced like dealer) ran 40-yard dashes of 4.56 and 4.63 (good linebacker times), and put up 225 pounds on the bench press 25 times (good offensive lineman strength). His 69 touchbacks and accuracy inside 50 yards should make him a sixth-or seventh-round pick. And he could be a weapon on kickoff coverage as well. He did ..."

A decade of hindsight guides former NFL QB Akili Smith

Comment

April 25

San Diego Union-Tribune

columnist Tim Sullivan

"Smith can see the whole field now. He can see where the daylight dimmed, where his bright promise became cloaked in shadowy skepticism, where his football career was fumbled. Ten years after a $10 million signing bonus failed to extract his full potential, the 33-year-old Smith has re-dedicated himself to his sport and is sweating the small stuff for free. The former first-round draft choice of the Cincinnati Bengals - the NFL's third overall selection of 1999 - has returned to Grossmont College as an unpaid and untiring quarterbacks coach. If the light has come on a little late, its glow is growing. "I'm completely amazed," said Mike Jordan, head coach of the Grossmont Griffins. "It's ..."

Chargers News