LaDainian Tomlinson Released After Breathing Life Back Into The Chargers

On the drive home I listened to AJ Smith on Xtra Sports 1360 discuss the release of future Hall of Fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson. After he spoke I turned off the radio.

I have yet to read any articles regarding LT's release. I have stayed away from all of the social media so I can only guess as to how San Diego's reacting. For the most part, San Diego has readied itself for this day ever since the protracted AJ/LT drama in February of 2009. I, for one, was ready for this day. Yet it's still a difficult thing to grasp.

LT marks a significant moment in my history as a Chargers fan*. Truth be told, I wasn't much of a Chargers fan before that day in 2001 when the front office decided to opt out of the "Michael Vick Sweepstakes" and traded the rights to draft #1 to the Atlanta Falcons. I became a fan that day as I recognized a sea change in the way the Bolt Brass was choosing to operate. Of course it didn't hurt when they not only drafted LT but snagged Drew Brees at the top of the 2nd round (click below to continue reading).



I absolutely KNEW it was the wrong move to pick Michael Vick yet how ironic is it now that we are speaking of LT's career ending and Vick's starting over? I think that the seminal Zucker brothers film Airplane said it best when they reminded us that, "Irony......can be pretty ironic sometimes."

So here we are, left to reflect on LT's greatest moments. I'll always remember the Oakland Raider domination as well as the "Raiders Suck" T-shirt that LT famously sported during one Raider week. There were the overtime walk-off TDs against the Redskins, Titans, and Raiders that I'll always recall with excitement and who can ever forget the fantastic rushing game against the Patriots on January 14th 2007 during the playoffs........followed by the midfield melt down at the conclusion of the game with a few Patriot players. As difficult as it was to lose that game it was made easier when LT voiced his opinions so boisterously about the New England Patriots and Bill Belichick.

The luster on LT's star has lost a bit of its shine in the last couple of seasons but it is far outweighed by the good he has done for both the Chargers and the community of San Diego. Forget the bad and remember the good. There was a lot of good, wasn't there?

*In 2001 I was a "fan free-agent". I had drifted out of following my birth team in about 1995 but couldn't commit myself fully to the San Diego home team. I always wished them well but in no way could have been described as a true fan. As is the case, my level of suffering as a Chargers fan is not on the same level as so many tortured fans in San Diego. I feel among the persecuted but I am mindful that while the Chargers have been in existence for 50 years, I have only lived here for X number of years and only followed the Chargers for Y number of years. I am also mindful that this is not a blog about algebra.

Cromartie on the block; eastern philosophy needed

From Kevin Acee's Wednesday UT article, Chargers still seek deal for Cromartie:

Cromartie had 10 interceptions in 2007 but has just five in the two seasons since, and his lack of physicality and a perceived laissez faire attitude has worn on teammates and coaches.

The team is ready to move on from its 2006 first-round draft pick, and Cromartie has told people close to him he would like to be traded.

Perceived laissez faire attitude?

Laissez faire most accurately refers to Thomas Jefferson's thoughts on government interaction with the masses...... not how big of a "Gaping V" Antonio Cromartie plays like. "Perceived" implies that he might actually be on top of things. That he might actually care to win. There is no issue of perception here.

Whether Cromartie is dealt, released, or plays out his contract, the young man needs help. He has financial commitments to an ever growing family and the only way to fulfill these obligations is to perform and then get rewarded with a multi-year contract.

Luckily for Antonio Cromartie, I am currently researching a way for him to emerge from his self created abyss. This research has led me to delve into eastern philosophies and tradition in an effort to restore the shining star of 2007. The research is nearly complete and I believe that if the methodology can be relayed to young Cro' we may be able to avert losing him at all. This intervention may lead to a renewal for our 25 year old quarterback.

Stay tuned, faithful eleven.

Editor's Note:
I also find it laughable that HE WANTS to be traded. If he was playing on the east coast he'd be crucified by the media.... far worse than he gets it here in San Diego. Is it so tough playing for a team that is but a few steps from the Super Bowl? Is it the wrath of Vencie Glenn, Avenging Jack Murphy, and the whole of San Diego that has you lacing up your track spikes?

Run, Cro'. Run.

It's what you do best.

A face for radio: as spring training approaches, the Baseball Bloggers Alliance does its best Ramones impersonation

Last summer, Avenging Jack Murphy, along with a few other San Diego Padres blogs were invited to join the Baseball Bloggers Alliance. The BBA's stated mission was for baseball bloggers to get together and be able to use each other as sounding boards for series previews as well as end of the season awards voting.

After the 2009 season, the members of the BBA voted on the same awards that the Baseball Writers of America vote on as well as the Hall of Fame voting. As we approach the 2010 season, BBA founder Daniel Shoptaw, is bringing another dimension to the bloggers' confederation: podcasting.

Take a look at the below release with all of the relevant links:

The writers of the Baseball Bloggers Alliance would like to announce that they are taking to the airwaves.

Beginning Tuesday, February 16th at 11 pm Eastern, BBA Baseball Talk can be found at Blog Talk Radio. This one-hour show will discuss the big stories of the day in major league baseball and other baseball-related topics. Callers are welcome to chime in at 347-884-8690.

Your hosts for the first edition will be BBA founder Daniel Shoptaw, who writes at C70 At The Bat, and Ron Kaplan of Ron Kaplan's Baseball Bookshelf.

Hosts will rotate on a weekly basis and the time and date of the show may move depending on the requirements of that week's hosts.

The Baseball Bloggers Alliance is a confederation of 132 blogs working together for collaboration and discussion possibilities.

I look forward to hearing the BBA represented on Tuesday night and then listening to the Friarhood on Blog Talk Radio, Thursday evening. Tank from The Matrix said it best; "These are exciting times."

Use the BBA to help you gain insights on who your team plays next because let's be honest....... John Kruk don't know shit!

The BBA wants the airwaves:

San Diego: Rocky Balboa said it best, "The World Ain't All Sunshine and Rainbows."

Ever since the most recent Chargers debacle I've found it difficult to string thoughts together. I have ideas that are Chargers related but just can't bring myself to comment. I have ideas that are Padre related but feel that, for a sense of continuity as well as closure, I need to deal with the football demons first.

This thought process is wreaking havoc with my ability to complete a blog post of any sort.

Alas, I'm excited about the Padres so this post will be a thought organizer, one which should help me to move forward.

Pick yourself up and move forward, San Diego sports fans. It's all we can do......move forward.

Things on my mind:

-Nate Kaeding and how FUCT his head is.
-Shaun Phillips higher education and Twitterpidity.
-Norv Turner's "__________"
-Marty Schottenheimer/Earnest Byner/Useless kickers
-Antonio Cromartie (surprisingly not first on the list)
-LT. Please don't go to New England.
-Eric Weddle and the trampoline effect.
-The incessant "jocking" of Drew Brees by Scott and BR.
-2010 Baseball America Prospects handbook and Padre hope.
-Breakfast Town USA and other T-Shirts.
-Padres Town hall meeting.
-2010 Spring Training Trip.
-Lake Elsinore Trip on Thirsty Thursday.
-Bud Black's (im)-probable opening day line-up.
-Villanova basketball and how awesome of a fan I am.

This is but a cache of the crap that's been coursing through my cerebral cortex (alliteration, people). By listing my thoughts outside of the conventional top five list I hope to spur on some creativity so that I can move on from the horror show known as January 2010.

Actually...I probably should have scaled it back to a list of five so I wouldn't be so overwhelmed. Crap!

The Godfather of Avenging Jack Murphy...may he rest in peace

...and the writing has never been more clearly defacing the wall. Thank you for 9 fun filled seasons, LT.
From Thursday's Union tribune:

“I’m not coming back,” Tomlinson said. “I don’t believe I’ll be back in San Diego. I’ve accepted it.”

The firestorm has really revolved less around the inevitable departure of a future HOFer and more around the following:

Tomlinson also elaborated Thursday on a radio interview he gave earlier this week in which he questioned the team’s mentality, saying players were about themselves and not always focused on the whole. He did not back off and even stated some things stronger than he had previously.

He said there is a direct correlation between things that happen off the field — “nightclubs, stuff at people’s house having parties, stuff that gets out and is a distraction” — and the Chargers’ performance on the field.

Tomlinson said there are “great character guys” on the team but that a lack of focus by certain players contributed to the loss to the Jets, a game in which the Chargers committed numerous costly and uncharacteristic penalties.

“It makes a difference on how you react,” Tomlinson said. “Their focus was somewhere other than where it needed to be — on the field. We talked over and over about that. We had extra sessions on that as players. And then we go out and that stuff happens. So what else could it be?”

He also said there are players overly concerned about their contracts. A number of Chargers have been rewarded in past years with multiyear deals, but some of the team’s stars are without that security.

“That was a big focus,” Tomlinson said. “A lot of guys got the contracts. Guys see that other guys got paid and taken care of and they’re like, ‘Why ain’t nobody talking to me?’ It became a problem.”

Great.
Tomlinson expects Bolts to let him go [Union Tribune-Kevin Acee]