San Diego Chargers news and notes

	San Diego Chargers Stories
	2010 NFL draft review: San Diego Chargers I could say that San Diego Chargers General Manager AJ Smith pushed all of his chips to the middle of the table by trading up to get RB Ryan Matthews with the 12th overall pick. However this team did what it had to, once the Buffalo Bills bit on CJ Spiller at nine it no longer looked like Matthews would fall to them at #28. They think his running, receiving, and blocking skills will be the piece that puts them over the top to a Super Bowl birth. Since 20 of their 22 starters will return they may be right. This team is in win now mode, and given that we have to say that the move was necessary and a pretty good one.
	What should the San Diego Chargers do with their first round draft pick? It seems almost a virtual lock that the San Diego Chargers will use the 28th pick to select a RB. What we have to do is try to ferret out is which one they have their eyes on.
	What are the San Diego Chargers team needs heading into 2010? The LT era of the San Diego Chargers is over and the shots RB all the way to the top of their primary needs. They need a back to pair with Darren Sproles. What kind of back seems to be the question, but RB is their primary need without a doubt.
	Draft Day decision makers: San Diego Chargers AJ Smith is the Executive Vice President and General Manager for this club, and he has been so, since 2003. He has been with the club for the past nine seasons, and has a philosophy of building the team through the draft. Ed McGuire is his chief assistant, and Jimmy Raye is the director of pro personnel. John Spanos is the Director of college scouting and they will be joined in the war room by their full complement of scouts.
	2009 NFL draft one year later: San Diego Chargers This is one of those cases that seem to prove the most NFL ready tag is often a clue that a player is going to struggle. Larry English came to the NFL as one of the most ready for the next level players in the 2009 draft. The Chargers took him with the 16th pick, and he didn’t do much, kind of like the under performing season of Aaron Curry. A year ago I gave the Chargers high marks not so much for this pick but for finding two starters in the later rounds, including one of the finest day two draft steals of 2009.
	2009 NFL season in review: San Diego Chargers I know Charger fan, LT is gone, and even though this team has all that talent to warrant a Super Bowl Championship, it seems they always come up short. I have no faith that Norv Turner is the guy to lead this team to said championship, and I have even less faith in the front office of this team. It seems to me that this team is distracted by its stadium situation, and a possible relocation to the city of angels. However they were 13-3, but it was yet another great regular season dismantled by a loss in the second round of the NFL playoffs.
	Tomlinson cut by the Chargers Even though we all saw this coming, this is the end of an era, and it should make all football fans a little sad. Today the San Diego Chargers cut RB LaDainian Tomlinson. This is the end of a brilliant nine year run where Tomlinson became one of the league’s best RB’s but the team never achieved the success of its most famous member.
	San Diego extends Head Coach’s contract The timing of this announcement is very curious, but the San Diego Chargers have announced that Head Coach Norv Turner has received a three year contract extension. I say that it is a curios time for an announcement because the Charger just suffered another embarrassing loss in the playoffs. In fact it may be time for both Turner, and General Manager AJ Smith to admit to themselves that this is as far as they can take t his team, and it is time for the team to find a GM/head coach combination that can get this team over the hump to a Super Bowl Championship
	San Diego Chargers success lies with role players Everywhere one looks on the San Diego Chargers they have one of the best men at their positions. They have QB Phillip Rivers, RB LaDainian Tomlinson, TE Antonia Gates, WR Vincent Jackson and LB Shawne Merrimen. However the Chargers success lays with their role players. While other teams scheme to stop the name stars on the Chargers, their role players do the little things that have made this team the team to beat in the AFC. No rolling over like little girls for this squad they come to week 17 riding a 10 game wining streak that should make them the most feared team heading into the NFL Playoffs.Here is a look at some of the Chargers that can a little overlooked:
	Merriman arrested for choking Tila Tequila San Diego Chargers star Line backer Shawne Merriman was arrested early Sunday morning after reportedly choking his girl friend, reality TV star Tila Tequila. Merriman reportedly not only choked Tila, but was not allowing her to leave the house or restraining her in some way. For Merriman this could be the latest indiscretion that lands the NFL player in a ton of hot water not only with the law, but with the NFL itself.
	2009 San Diego Chargers draft analysis These teams in the middle of the draft are very hard to figure out. The teams that pick before the middle part of the first round are generally so bad that any one great player will have a big impact. The teams in the later part of the first round are generally one player away from either bring great, or maintaining their greatness.