Manning vs. Rivers: Who got the best of the trade?

Certainly, a majority of football fans in San Diego still remember the 2004 NFL Draft.

There was Eli Manning pouting after he was the first overall pick by the San Diego Chargers. (He didn’t want to come to what he thought was the worst team in football; a Chargers team that went 12-4 in 2004.)

Less than an hour after being drafted by the Chargers, Manning was a member of the New York Giants.

The Chargers wisely instituted a trade for Giants first-round pick Philip Rivers, adding some future draft picks along with Rivers.

As it turned out, those future selections included a couple of stars to be in linebacker Shawne Merriman and kicker Nate Kaeding.

Who got the better of the deal?

Without a doubt, you could argue that the Chargers did. After all, they received what turned out to be three quality players for Manning.

But on the other hand, Manning has won a Super Bowl. That’s more than Rivers, Merriman or Kaeding have ever accomplished.

Come Sunday at the Meadowlands, Rivers and Manning will start against each other for the first time.

No matter what happens, Manning still has a one-up on Rivers with a Super Bowl ring.

That fact alone makes the 2004 draft swap a good trade for the Giants.

Shawne Merriman: Say goodbye to Chargers!

No matter how the San Diego Chargers spin it, Shawne Merriman is as good as gone within the next two seasons.

The Chargers picked outside linebacker Larry English of Northern Illinois first in the NFL Draft because:

They think (a) Merriman may not be fully recovered from knee surgery, (b) he will walk as a free agent within the next two years, or (c) both.

The most likely answer is “c,” since Merriman will be gone either way after 2009 or 2010.

One name you haven’t heard over the weekend is Jyles Tucker, who was signed to a long-term contract last season as protection against Merriman not returning.

When English signs his lengthy contract, the Chargers will have two replacements for Merriman signed up.

Goodbye, Shawne!

As great a player as Merriman is at full strength, he certainly went into the team’s doghouse last season when he signed a contract with “Best Damn Sports Show Period” on Fox Sports Network.

Even had he been healthy, he was going to fly to Los Angeles every Thursday night to participate in the show throughout the season. That certainly does not come across as putting his team first.

Let’s face it: Merriman definitely enjoys the bright lights.

The big question is where those bright lights will be outside of San Diego within a couple of years.

Georgia coach Mark Richt: A true winner!

University of Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford may be the big financial winner in this weekend’s NFL draft, but the true champion is his college coach.

No matter what happens with the Bulldogs, they can always bank on the fact that their coach Mark Richt and his wife, Katharyn, are No. 1 where it really matters … in the game of life.

Their heroic story unfolded a decade ago in the Ukraine, where Katharyn went to adopt a young orphan named Andre.

By the time she arrived, Andre had already been adopted but there was a little girl named Anya there with a severe facial deformity.

The Richts not only adopted Anya; they also adopted a boy named Zach.

Ten years later, the two Ukrainian-born children continue to join the Richts’ two older boys as part of a family of four kids.

Why such a good heart from the Richts? It also goes back to a Bible passage about orphans and widows.

James 1:27: “Pure, unstained religion, according to God our Father, is to take care of orphans and widows when they suffer and to remain uncorrupted by this world.”

The Richts, like thousands of others, are blessed beyond belief to be taking care of those who couldn’t care for themselves.

Their youngest children are now 11 and 12; had they been in the Ukraine they would have been kicked out of their orphanage at age 15.

Only because of a coach and his wife … the ultimate winners in Southeastern Conference football … will they be given a chance to live life to the fullest!

Draft makes the Chargers what they are

If you’re wondering why the Chargers have become the dominant team in the AFC West, opposing coaches will tell you it’s at least in part because of the NFL draft.

Here’s what each had to say to espn.com:

“You look how they drafted,” Kansas City coach Herman Edwards said. “They built their team through the draft. They are very talented.”

Denver’s Mike Shanahan: “San Diego, player per player, is probably as good as anybody in the National Football League and is probably one of the top-five teams. Personnel-wise, I would say they're right at the top, No. 1. That's saying a lot.”

Oakland’s Lane Kiffin: “It's no secret that San Diego is the team to catch.”
The Chargers have built themselves through the draft with such selections as:

2004: Philip Rivers (quarterback), Igor Olshansky (defensive end), Nate Kaeding (place-kicker), Nick Hardwick (center) and Shaun Phillips (linebacker).

2005: Linebacker Shawne Merriman, defensive lineman Luis Castillo, receiver Vincent Jackson and return man Darren Sproles.

2006: The Chargers' first two picks were cornerback Antonio Cromartie and left tackle Marcus McNeill.

2007: Receiver Buster Davis and safety Eric Weddle led the pack.

The Chargers now have holes to fill at running back (without Michael Turner), offensive line (without Shane Olivea), secondary (without Drayton Florence) and defensive line (with Jamal Williams and his knees aging.)

But with only five picks in this weekend’s draft, each one will have to be a premium in order to make the team better in 2008.

Projected First Round Pick: Offensive Tackle Gosder Cherilus, Boston College

Time for a two-week break

It’s time.

Time for a two-week break from blogging, that is.

Our first five months have been quite a ride.

You always want to remember the high highs:

Predicting back in late April that Jake Peavy of the Padres would start the All-Star game.
Saying in early May that the Padres should cut their losses and cut David Wells.

But let’s forget about the low lows:

Thinking that the Chargers might pick a linebacker in the first round of the NFL draft.
Forecasting that Barry Bonds would break the Major League Baseball home run record in Petco Park (thank goodness we were wrong!)

We will continue the blogging ride on Sept. 4, the day after Labor Day.

See you then.

Turner worth the risk to Chargers?

If the Chargers win the Super Bowl this year, keeping running back Michael Turner as back up to LaDainian Tomlinson was worth it.

If not, General Manager A.J. Smith might actually not be hailed as a genius on this one.

Heading into this weekend’s minicamp, the Chargers are delighted to have Turner on their premises. Whether keeping him is a genius move, we’ll let you know in January (or on Dec. 30, if the Chargers don’t make the playoffs.)

During the NFL draft last weekend, ESPN listed key additions and losses for each team. The Chargers were listed as “none” under key additions, because they believe keeping Turner and guard Kris Dielman made them a better team (even though those players were already on the roster.)

New England has certainly strengthened itself during the offseason. And these are the same Patriots who eliminated the Chargers in last year’s playoffs.

Is keeping Turner and Dielman around – without signing any free agents – enough to make the Chargers better than New England?

Good thing the games aren’t played on paper!

Chargers may select linebacker first

Virtually every “expert” expects the San Diego Chargers to pick a wide receiver or safety in the first round of this weekend’s NFL draft.

But what about a linebacker?

Now that Donnie Edwards has bolted the Chargers for Kansas City, San Diego is in desperate need of someone to step up inside.

It’s going to be hard for anybody to match Edwards’ production. Not only did he lead the Chargers in tackles each of the past five seasons, he also seemed to make the key interception whenever the team needed a game saver.

Can Matt Wilhelm or Stephen Cooper do the same when they likely start at inside linebacker in 2007? We’ll likely find out as Randall Godfrey (who started alongside Edwards the past three seasons) is also expected to move on.

Certainly, the Chargers are set at outside linebacker with Shawne Merriman and Shaun Phillips. But back-up linebackers Carlos Polk, Marques Harris and Tim Dobbins are just that – back ups.

Without Edwards, the Chargers will go from a very strong linebacker group to a somewhat questionable one … at least depth-wise. Wilhelm and Cooper must step up in 2007 if the Chargers are to remain among the NFL’s elite at linebacker.

Talk all you want about the team needing to draft a wide receiver or Safety. However, don’t be surprised if General Manager A.J. Smith’s No. 1 pick is at linebacker.

After all, Smith is gambling that his personal feud with Edwards that caused the veteran linebacker to leave will not create a huge hole for the 2007 Chargers.