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Linebacker Shawne Merriman will talk with the media early Wednesday morning before he begins his four-game suspension. As soon as Merriman finishes his news conference we will post the video on Chargers.com for all to view.
Statements from NFL & Chargers regarding Shawne Merriman issued on Tuesday October 31, 2006.
STATEMENT BY AN NFL SPOKESPERSON:Linebacker Shawne Merriman of the San Diego Chargers has been suspended for the team’s next four regular-season games for violating the NFL Policy on Anabolic Steroids and Related Substances.
Merriman is eligible to return to the Chargers’ active roster on Monday, November 27, following the team’s November 26 game against the Oakland Raiders.
### STATEMENT BY THE SAN DIEGO CHARGERS
We’re proud of the stand-up way Shawne has taken responsibility for the mistake he made. We have faith in Shawne Merriman and we have faith in the players on this team. The Chargers have been resilient all season long, and we will continue to be resilient. It’s a tough lesson learned for Shawne about the world of supplements. The entire Chargers family will welcome Shawne back when he returns to the team on November 27.
###
Is this game worth watching again? I say, yup!
Thursday, Nov. 2 at 6 p.m. PT — Chargers beat Rams 38-24 LaDainian Tomlinson runs for a season-high 183 yards and scored three touchdowns in helping the Chargers to a 5-2 record.
According to U-T’s beat writer Kevin Acee, Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman has decided on Tuesday to drop the appeal of his four-game suspension. Merriman maintains he was the victim of a tainted supplement, but knew he was unlikely to win his appeal based on the NFL's policy that players are responsible for what they put in their body.
Merriman leads the NFL with 8 1/2 sacks.
LaDainian Tomlinson’s has been nomination for the FedEx NFL Ground Player of the Week for Week 8 on NFL.com
Tomlinson’s three touchdowns, two on the ground and one in the air, sparked the Chargers to a 38-24 win over the Rams on Sunday.
The Chargers rebounded from last week's tough loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, exploding past the St. Louis Rams 38-24 Sunday.
Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson wearing a gorilla mask in the afternoon news conference on Monday, October 30, 2006. Photo credit: Lester Cacho
L.T. goes bananas; Merriman uncertain about drug test appealHalloween came a day early for the San Diego Chargers.
LaDainian Tomlinson wore a gorilla mask to his weekly news conference a day after he reminded everyone how good he is by gaining 240 yards from scrimmage and scoring three touchdowns.
The Chargers rebounded from last week's tough loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, exploding past the St. Louis Rams 38-24 Sunday. LaDainian Tomlinson led the way, eclipsing the 100-yard mark for the first time since the opener with a season-high 183 yards rushing, giving him over 8,000 for his career. Tomlinson also visited the end zone three times (two rushing, one receiving), joining Emmitt Smith as the second-fastest players to rack up 90 touchdowns, accomplishing the feat in 86 games, five more than Jim Brown (81). "So many questions start to come when you don't have 100 yards," said Tomlinson. "People start to wonder, are you getting old or have you lost a step? For me, it's all motivation." Shawne Merriman came up with three sacks, while safety Marlon McCree returned a fumble 79 yards in the second quarter to give the Chargers (5-2) a 21-7 lead.
Running back LaDainian Tomlinson 38 yd TD run against St. Louis Rams. Courtesy Westwood One's Bill Rosinski and Dan Reeves on the call.
San Diego Chargers vs. St. Louis Rams inactives for Sunday, October 29, 2006 at Qualcomm Stadium (San Diego, California)
San Diego Chargers Inactives
7 QB Charlie Whitehurst (third quarterback)
24 CB Cletis Gordon
30 SS Andre Lott
34 FB Andrew Pinnock
82 WR Greg Camarillo
89 TE Ryan Krause
95 LB Shaun Phillips
99 DE Igor Olshansky
San Diego Chargers Lineup Changes
None
San Diego Chargers Roster changes from the flip card
On Tuesday, Oct. 24, the Chargers waived LB Nick Speegle and signed LB Akbar Gbaja-Biamila, who will wear #94 today. Gbaja-Biamila is a 6-5, 260-pound, third-year player from San Diego State. His complete bio is in the Chargers Media Guide.
St. Louis Rams Inactives
11 QB Ryan Fitzpatrick (third quarterback)
23 CB Jerametrius Butler
32 S J.R. Reed
57 LB Jon Alston
63 G/C Larry Turner
66 G Mark Setterstrom
86 TE Dominique Byrd
92 DE Tony Bryant
St. Louis Rams Lineup Changes
#52 Dexter Coakley will start at WLB for #50 Pisa Tinoisamoa.
They range from a piece of cloth to a can of tape. And they are worth a lot of money but have even more value as symbols of history.
As described in a recent USA Weekend article, a panel of experts from the pro football and college halls of fame and two memorabilia firms have determined the five rarest items in football history - whereabouts unknown.
They are, in descending order of value:
5) The Rutgers Red Scarf - In pre-helmet days, it was wrapped around the heads of Rutgers University players in the first-ever college football game (1869) (Value: $50,000)
4) The “Immaculate Reception” Football - Scooped up before it hit the ground by Pittsburgh’s Franco Harris to score the winning touchdown in a 1972 Divisional Playoff game in “one of the most memorable plays in pro football history” (Value: $150,000)
3) Red Grange’s First NFL Jersey - “The Galloping Ghost” signed with the Chicago Bears the day after his last college game, and proceeded to lead a 19-game barnstorming tour. “Grange’s first professional game was one of the most important in football history,” says an expert (Value: $250,000)
2) Jim Throrpe’s Carlisle Jersey - “Arguably the greatest athlete ever,” Thorpe’s Carlisle Indian college team defeated Harvard 18-13 in 1911 with Thorpe scoring all of Carlisle’s points (1 TD, 4 FG) (Value: $300,000)
1) Super Bowl I Footage - Two networks televised it, but no tape of Super Bowl I can be found. Legend has it that the networks taped over the game -- which was not the mammoth event it is today -- with soap operas (Value: $1 million)
Sunday’s game against St. Louis features three of the NFL’s all-time leading receivers who have combined for more than 33,000 career yards. The Chargers Keenan McCardell ranks 17th in NFL history (10,909 yards), while St. Louis’ Isaac Bruce ranks 11th (12,666) and Torry Holt ranks 27th (10,013).
Super fan Chris Hannah, and New Orleans resident, sent us this picture of a throwback Junior Seau jersey on the gate to Archie Manning’s house in New Orleans.
Running back LaDainian Tomlinson has rushed for 7,834 yards in 85 games in his six-year career. Tomlinson needs 166 rushing yards to reach 8,000 career yards and can join some elite company should he accomplish the feat in the next few weeks.
Only seven players in history have reached the 8,000-yard milestone in fewer than 90 games. Of those seven, five have been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The running backs in history to reach 8,000 career rushing yards in fewer than 90 games:
GAMES TO 8,000
Eric Dickerson **
LA Rams, Indianapolis 1983-87 73
Jim Brown **
Cleveland 1957-63 80
Earl Campbell **
Houston 1978-83 83
Barry Sanders **
Detroit 1989-94 83
Edgerrin James
Indianapolis 1999-05 84
Emmitt Smith
Dallas 1990-95 85
Walter Payton **
Chicago 1975-80 86
LaDainian Tomlinson
San Diego
2001-06
85*
*Has 7,834 yards in 85 games ** Pro Football Hall of Fame
Adding to the Chargers’ 4-2 start to the season is starting tackle Marcus McNeill, the team’s second-round choice from Auburn. McNeill is a key reason the team has not allowed a sack in three games on the season and possesses the league’s No. 3 rushing attack, averaging 148.0 yards per game. McNeill earned NFL Offensive Rookie of the month honors for his work on the San Diego line…cornerback Antonio Cromartie (first round, Florida State) contributes to the NFL’s No. 1-ranked defense (241.2 yards allowed per game) as its nickel back and has played in every game this season.
San Diego has the league’s top defense. It will go against a St. Louis offense that is more conservative than in the old “Greatest Show” days -- one that utilizes the running game more.
That said, Rams wr Torry Holt leads the league in TD catches (7). And St. Louis quarterback Marc Bulger who has never had a game in his career in which he completed less than 50 percent of his passes – has been checking off to running back Steven Jackson, whose 25 catches make him the team’s third leading receiver. Of course, when it comes to double-threats, the Bolts LaDainian Tomlinson may be one the scariest. Tomlinson – he and Jackson rank in the top 10 in NFL scrimmage yards – caught and threw a TD pass last week.
Which will prevail?: San Diego has not allowed a 100-yard rusher in 17 home games, St. Louis is 17-2 vs. the AFC since 1998.
The Chargers sign linebacker Akbar Gbaja-Biamila to a two year contract. To make room on the roster linebacker Nick Speegle will be released from the active roster.
The Bolts defense is already without linebacker Shaun Phillips and defensive end Igor Olshansky for at least another two weeks and lost linebacker Steve Foley prior to the season.
Shawne Merriman and his attorney David Cornwell talk to the media late Monday afternoon in response to reports that the linebacker will be suspended for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.
Watch both video clips here. (Shawne Merriman and David Cornwell)
On Monday Head Coach Marty Schottenheimer talks with the media and you’re invited to watch live. The press conference is schedule for 1:45 PM (PDT)
In the 4th Quarter on third down LaDainian Tomlinson took a handoff, pulled up short and threw to Brandon Manumaleuna for the score with 5:10 to go. It was the ninth TD pass of Tomlinson's career.
The Chargers rallied from a 17-point deficit Sunday, but Lawrence Tynes' 53-yard field goal with six seconds left gave the Kansas City Chiefs a 30-27 triumph. LaDainian Tomlinson had a hand in two fourth-quarter touchdown throws, one as the receiver and one as the passer, as San Diego (4-2) came back to tie the game at 27-all with 5:10 left. The Chargers had fallen behind early as they turned the ball over on three of their first four possessions en route to a 20-3 second-quarter deficit. "The first-half turnovers killed us," said quarterback Philip Rivers. "The first one, I missed the pass. On the second one, I was squeezing it, but he popped the ball out of my hand." Rivers finished the day with 266 yards passing and two touchdowns, while Tomlinson accounted for 66 yards rushing, 72 yards receiving and one yard passing.
Linebacker Shaun Phillips sustained a calf injury in the second quarter and is out for the game. Phillips was injured on the play when Kansas City tight end Tony Gonzalez gained 57 yards on a pass to set up the Chiefs' third touchdown. Phillips lay on the ground for several minutes before being helped to his feet. He walked away slowly, favoring his leg.
Chargers Inactives
7 QB Charlie Whitehurst*
24 CB Cletis Gordon
27 FS Bhawoh Jue
34 FB Andrew Pinnock
82 WR Greg Camarillo
89 TE Ryan Krause
94 LB Nick Speegle
99 DE Igor Olshansky
* - 3rd Quarterback
Chiefs Inactives
10 QB Trent Green
20 CB Benny Sapp
39 RB Derrick Ross
43 FB Greg Hanoian
55 LB Rich Scanlon
61 G Tre Stallings
64 C Rudy Niswanger
71 T Will Svitek
Line-Up Changes
Chiefs, QB – 11 Damond Huard for 10 Trent Green
NFL.com Senior Analyst Pat Kirwan names Bolts offensive line coach Jack Henry an unsung hero.
"Jack Henry, offensive line coach for the Chargers: The Chargers are starting to look like an elite team in the NFL. San Diego totally dominated the 49ers on the road in a 48-19 win. Henry can be proud of the job his offensive line did while scoring the most points in the NFL during Week 6 with over 400 yards of offense. When an offense goes 12 for 15 on third down, throws the ball 39 times without a sack and LaDainian Tomlinson scores four touchdowns on the ground, you know the line played extremely well. A rookie left tackle and two other starters in their third season spells long-term success for the Chargers line under Henry's watch."
An article on the weHow web site explains how to setup DirecTV at a football tailgate. The site claims it’s a “Moderately Challenging” setup with 19 descriptive steps on how it can be done.
"Did you know that you can setup your DirecTV or Dish Network satellite TV system almost anywhere? Yes it is an amazing concept! You can take it camping, tailgating, or to your vacation/second home. You will need a DirecTV or Dish Network subscription, a portable satellite dish, power, a satellite receiver and a TV."
All the information you need is right here.
Now that's tailgating!
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NFL.com voters select...
Quarterback Philip Rivers and running back LaDainian Tomlinson as the FedEx Air & Ground NFL Players of the Week for games played on October 15-16, the NFL announced today.
Along with the player awards, FedEx is awarding Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego, the children’s hospital in both winning players’ market, two checks for $5,000.
With defensive end Igor Olshansky out for about three-to-four weeks after undergoing knee surgery, it's going to be up to Jacques Cesaire and Derreck Robinson to pickup the slack.
Two of the three teams who are tied for the longest active streak of home games without allowing a 100-yard rusher face each other this week when San Diego visits Kansas City.
The Chargers and Chiefs have both denied a 100-yard rusher in 17 consecutive home games, as have the Pittsburgh Steelers. With the Chargers and Steelers on the road this week, the Chiefs can bump their streak up to a league-best 18 games, but it may be difficult. San Diego’s LaDainian Tomlinson has 29 100-yard rushing days in 84 career games (34.5 percent), and the past five times Tomlinson has rushed for 100 yards, he has done so on the road.
The longest active streaks of teams who have not allowed a 100-yard rusher at home:
Kansas City
17 games, 12-5 record
Pittsburgh
17 games, 13-4 record
San Diego
17 games, 13-4 record
Chicago
14 games, 11-3 record
Miami
10 games, 6-4 record
Minnesota
10 games, 8-2 record
Quarterback Billy Volek has been elevated to number two position behind starter Philip Rivers. Volek was acquired in a trade last month with the Tennessee Titans.