flgreen Posted March 30, 2010 Share Posted March 30, 2010 During a momentary twist-off of the salary cap, NFL GMs are giddily wheeling and dealing like a garage full of fantasy football geeks on draft day. There's no telling what might happen next as typically tight-fisted clubs like the Bears have gone on a spree while characteristically profligate spenders like the Redskins have stood pat. I asked one player who has been the subject of some speculation, San Diego All Pro Linebacker Shawne Merriman, if all this NFL musical chairs is getting to him. How do like all this wild no-salary-cap spending that's going on? It's kind of a bind that everybody who came in my year got into. It's about 212 players. We just gotta deal with it and hope for the best. End of the day it's about playing football. Do you think one of the things that got so out of whack was that owners were paying rookies too much? I think so. Because whenever a guy comes out of the draft and is unproven and gets that type of money and then you have guys who are proven in the league who aren't getting the same type of money, it creates a problem not just in the locker room but in what we're going through right now with the CBA (collective bargaining agreement). This whole thing is a money issue. That's what it's about. If those problems had already been fixed who knows where we'd be at right now. When you see prized veterans like Ladainian Tomlinson, Brian Westbrook and Thomas Jones getting cut for essentially money reasons, how does it make you feel? It's a part of the business. I'm one of the few that understands that. I'm just here to play football. If I find a five-year deal, my job is to perform for five years. Of course, I'd like to finish out my career with one team but that's not how it is. How it is is it's a business, and that takes precedence over where I want to be. Then let's talk business. Antonio Cromartie, Ladainian Tomlinson - two former Chargers teammates of yours with Pro Bowl resumes - recently signed with the New York Jets. When are you headed to New York? Let me tell you something it'd be great to play out there. I'm an East Coast kid. So to be back out on the east coast would be great. I love the San Diego weather and winning, but it'd be great to play on the East Coast. Let's just keep this between us, but which team under no circumstances would you not want to join? (long pause) I'm happy where I'm at. Amidst the debate over new overtime rules maybe the players could benefit. Here's a proposal for the NFLPA: Just like it is for most other Americans if you work OT you get paid time-and-a-half. We know that won't be the case. Doesn't that make sense? You play an extra 15 minutes you should get paid extra. It would make sense if they took away two pre-season games and added two to the regular season and we got paid for those. Now that would make a lot of sense. All this free agency, players moving around, collective bargaining - it must make you think about how you want your career to end. I read a few weeks ago about Allen Iverson finding out on the same day that an injury ended his season and likely career and his wife filed for divorce. Can you think of worse last day at work than that? No it doesn't get too much worse than that. But I don't think in that way. My thoughts are all always positive. I don't worry about my career after football. I'm still one of the only active players to have had my own TV show, pro football talk on FOX. I had several radio deals with Clear Channel, and still do. I enjoy talking about the game that I love playing. I'll be doing much more of that when I'm done with football as a player. I read on your twitter site, www.twitter.com/shawnemerriman, that you're into the WWE. Promise me you won't go into professional wrestling. No, I just like kicking ass. I don't know about the wrestling thing so much. It's a possibility though. It's been there for while. Follow Dave on Twitter: www.twitter.com/DaveAHollander Become Dave's Fan on Facebook: www.facebook.com/daveahollander Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PS17 Posted March 30, 2010 Share Posted March 30, 2010 He didn't say one thing about the Jets. He said he would love to play on the East Coast, and nothing more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slowmoe57 Posted March 30, 2010 Share Posted March 30, 2010 Meh could care less Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drago Posted March 30, 2010 Share Posted March 30, 2010 he's a fraud, nothing more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenranger Posted March 30, 2010 Share Posted March 30, 2010 pass, he's no good off the juice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SenorGato Posted March 30, 2010 Share Posted March 30, 2010 I think he'd be a very good player for us or someone else (the Pats, Browns, or Ravens). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace21Black Posted March 30, 2010 Share Posted March 30, 2010 pass, he's no good off the juice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost Posted March 30, 2010 Share Posted March 30, 2010 Doesn't Woody Johnson dislikes him? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mistalava Posted March 30, 2010 Share Posted March 30, 2010 Does Tia Tequila come along as part of psycho-package deal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace21Black Posted March 30, 2010 Share Posted March 30, 2010 Does Tia Tequila come along as part of psycho-package deal? no way...she got choked out like an MMA fighter...they arent together anymore... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serphnx Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 Last I heard he was looking to go into pro wrestling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustInFudge Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 He didn't say one thing about the Jets. He said he would love to play on the East Coast, and nothing more. Its a stretch...but he said this... Then let's talk business. Antonio Cromartie, Ladainian Tomlinson - two former Chargers teammates of yours with Pro Bowl resumes - recently signed with the New York Jets. When are you headed to New York? Let me tell you something it'd be great to play out there. I'm an East Coast kid. So to be back out on the east coast would be great. I love the San Diego weather and winning, but it'd be great to play on the East Coast. Whether "out there" meant NYJ or East Coast isnt clear. I will agree the thread title is bit misleading. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vudu Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 Holy misleading thread title Batman! Either way, we want no part of steroid boy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetophile Posted April 1, 2010 Share Posted April 1, 2010 How do like all this wild no-salary-cap spending that's going on? It's kind of a bind that everybody who came in my year got into. It's about 212 players. We just gotta deal with it and hope for the best. End of the day it's about playing football. Oh, and my ears stick out like a mutherfukker. Then let's talk business. Antonio Cromartie, Ladainian Tomlinson - two former Chargers teammates of yours with Pro Bowl resumes - recently signed with the New York Jets. When are you headed to New York? Let me tell you something it'd be great to play out there. I'm an East Coast kid. So to be back out on the east coast would be great. I love the San Diego weather and winning, which is a nice little idea if it was true, but see, the Chargers have these great runs and then don't win bupkis. Goddamn it, my ears stick out like a mutherfukker. What is he really supposed to say? I am enjoying the irony that's permeating things lately, though. Meaning, players in the past would pick getting malaria over playing for the Jets if they had a choice. Now we're the cutie to court. Funny stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serphnx Posted April 1, 2010 Share Posted April 1, 2010 If there was ever a posterboy for steroid use and where it can get you in life, Merriman is it. He ranks right up there with Jason Giambi. If you give a person the choice to make millions upon millions for taking something that will only harm you at most if you continue to take it and abuse it over a long term period, then any sane and rational human being makes that choice. I mean unless you're already independently wealthy or something, in which case money doesn't matter to you, but for everyone else I mean. The irony of it all is, if these substances were not banned, a guy like Merriman, you wonder if he'd have been special at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SenorGato Posted April 1, 2010 Share Posted April 1, 2010 If there was ever a posterboy for steroid use and where it can get you in life, Merriman is it. He ranks right up there with Jason Giambi. If you give a person the choice to make millions upon millions for taking something that will only harm you at most if you continue to take it and abuse it over a long term period, then any sane and rational human being makes that choice. I mean unless you're already independently wealthy or something, in which case money doesn't matter to you, but for everyone else I mean. The irony of it all is, if these substances were not banned, a guy like Merriman, you wonder if he'd have been special at all. The NFL is a poster-league for steroid use. Merriman's not some outlier...also, stuff like this is why he's a terrific buy-low guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SayNoToDMC Posted April 1, 2010 Share Posted April 1, 2010 Didn't he beat up that troll Tila Tequila? Woody might want to pay him just for that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbyjet69 Posted April 1, 2010 Share Posted April 1, 2010 Does Tia Tequila come along as part of psycho-package deal? no, we don't need another Gastineau and Brigette Neilson! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Integrity28 Posted April 1, 2010 Share Posted April 1, 2010 I highly doubt that we replace Kerry Rhodes the safety, with Kerry Rhodes the linebacker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SenorGato Posted April 1, 2010 Share Posted April 1, 2010 One down season due to injury and he's done as a player? The guy was one of the 4-5 most feared defensive players in the game a couple years ago and he's all of 25 now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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