Are Chargers preparing to trade Cromartie to Dallas or Green Bay?

So now the San Diego Chargers are exploring to trade cornerback Antonio Cromartie for a running back, according to ESPN’s esteemed reporter Chris Mortensen.

Good luck getting much for Cromartie.

The youtube video of No. 31 Cromartie backing off a tackle of Shonn Greene in the past season’s playoffs certainly has damaged Cromartie’s reputation. All he had to do is put a hit on Greene and the New York Jets’ running back certainly would not have scored a 53-yard touchdown.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Na4cE3m2Gwo

Cromartie had great value after a 2007 Pro Bowl season in which he intercepted 10 passes, as well as made all the highlight films on ESPN, etc. with a 109-yard touchdown return of a missed field goal vs. the Minnesota Vikings.

Since then, his career has taken a downward spiral culminated by his missed tackle vs. the Jets … not to mention much-publicized partying off the field (and the fact he has seven kids by five different women.)

The Chargers could trade with the Dallas Cowboys, who are overloaded at running back with Marion Barber, Tashard Choice, and Felix Jones. Maybe the Cowboys would be willing to trade one of the three with the belief that a new start would be good for the once highly-regarded Cromartie.

San Diego is in need of a running back for two reasons: (a) LaDainian Tomlinson will soon be released, and (b) Darren Sproles is a pending restricted free agent who would be due $7.3 million in 2010 if the Chargers tender him a contract, a 10 percent increase over his 2009 franchise-tag salary of $6.67 million.

The Green Bay Packers are in need of a cornerback, so they could also be in the market for Cromartie.

Cromartie’s departure could leave the Chargers thin at CB, where Quentin Jammer is a star but the rest are questionable. Among other things, Antoine Cason has not progressed as well as the Chargers had hoped after making him their No. 1 draft pick two years ago.

Trading Cromartie would rid the Chargers of someone not considered a “team” player … but it could leave holes at cornerback and running back (depending on what the team gets in return.)

Say goodbye to Saints, Vikings in postseason

Say goodbye to the New Orleans Saints for the NFC playoffs.

And while you're at it, take Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings with you.

All of a sudden, it looks as if the winner of this week's Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys game will not only win the NFC East ... it may also become the favorite to win the NFC.

Why?

The Saints certainly aren't going to cut it if they can't even beat Tampa Bay at home to clinch the NFC's No. 1 seed.

And with Favre and coach Brad Childress arguing, don't expect the Vikings to go anywhere in the postseason (not to mention the fact Favre normally fades after November.)

New Orleans (13-2) won nine of its first 11 games by double digits. After a 38-17 win over New England, the Saints appeared better situated than ever to make the franchise's first run to the Super Bowl.

Since then, the Drew Brees and Saints have pulled out a pair of three-point wins over non-playoff teams and have lost two straight -- both at home -- starting with a 24-17 setback to Dallas.

Don't forget Kurt Warner and the Arizona Cardinals. They could again fly under the radar and capture the NFC for the second straight season.

As for New Orleans and Minnesota ... their runs were nice while they lasted.

Tomlinson proves classiest player in the NFL

The Pittsburgh Steelers couldn’t even win at home against the lowly Oakland Raiders.

The New England Patriots couldn’t hold a 9-point lead vs. the Miami Dolphins.

So much for the six-time champion Steelers and the three-time champion Patriots (all in this millennium.)

You want someone with real class in 2009?

How about trying LaDainian Tomlinson of the San Diego Chargers?

As soon as LT passed former Cleveland Browns great Jim Brown for eighth on the all-time rushing list, he knew what to do Sunday.

Tomlinson immediately patted his heart and saluted Brown from where he was sitting in the stands.

Earlier this season, Brown had stated the Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings was the most complete back in the NFL.

Even though this was a slight to Tomlinson, it did not impair his sight of NFL history.

Of all the classy moves in the NFL this weekend, none was more significant than Tomlinson saluting Brown.

Let's hope Favre falls on his face

Brett Favre makes his first exhibition start Friday for the Minnesota Vikings.

If you are like me, you are suffering from Brett Favre Fatigue.

The best case scenario would be that Favre does not get hurt seriously this season but his team fades down the stretch ... as his New York Jets did last season.

After all, he's the one who has said in the past that he cannot play a 16-game schedule nowadays.

Willie Mays hung around too long in baseball; once stumbling on his face as he neared home plate.

Here's one hope that Favre figuratively stumbles on his face in 2009.

Favre needs to shut 'em up; hang 'em up

Let’s just hope all of this Brett Favre retirement/non-retirement talk ends soon.

Two years ago, he was a certain Pro Football Hall of Famer with a spotless reputation.

He’s still going to be in the Hall of Fame … but his reputation has gone from spotless to drama queen.

Who could blame the Green Bay Packers for moving on to Aaron Rodgers after Favre announced his “retirement” in the 2007-08 offseason?

Who could blame the New York Jets for being done with Favre after one year; especially after the reported dissension caused in the locker room via Favre living by a different set of rules than others?

As the “will he or won’t he” talk of Favre becoming a Minnesota Viking goes through its peaks and valleys, consider one letter to cbssports.com:

Favre has backed himself in a corner over and over when it comes to his "retirement." If he wouldn't have kept retiring in the first place he may have still been a Packer. The Green Bay organization and GM Ted Thompson were tired of all the drama and wanted to move on. Brett couldn't handle it and now he wants revenge on Ted Thompson, but he's got to consider that in the process of getting revenge on Thompson he would also be spitting in the face of all the Green Bay fans who supported him all those years through all the good and bad times. The last thing any Packer fan wants to see is #4 in purple and gold. Is getting revenge on Thompson for getting rid of him really worth turning your back on the fans and the city that embraced you for all those years? Is it worth risking his god-like status in Green Bay?

Well said. Well said!

Brett Favre needs to stay retired

Brett Favre needs to call it quits for good.

Now, we’re hearing that he could make a comeback with the Minnesota Vikings in 2009.

Say it’s not so, Brett!

Favre should simply have let his Pro Football Hall of Fame career with the Green Bay Packers stand on its own.

Last season, he faded down the stretch … which is why his New York Jets faded out of the playoff picture and cost coach Eric Mangini his job.

That’s a good indicator Favre is no longer up to playing a 16-game season.

In addition, more than one of his Jets teammates talked about how Favre was elusive and aloof all season.

What would make a year with Minnesota any different?

Oh, sure, Favre could get overly fired up to twice play the Packers (and Green Bay players would be the same toward him.)

But two games do not a season … or a comeback … make.

Favre was one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. He should keep it that way; not go out the way Willie Mays did so unfortunately in MLB.

Charger apologists will have tough time apologizing

Boy, isn’t A.J. Smith of the Chargers the best general manager in the NFL?

Reminds you of John Wayne, doesn’t he?

Boy, Norv Turner sure can coach; can’t he?

You know, he’s going to be the next Bill Belichick and win three Super Bowls in four years with the Chargers.

Pardon me for daydreaming and being among the apologists for the Chargers.

We’ll leave that to the San Diego Union-Tribune, Joe Tutino of 1090 AM Radio and Tom Shanahan of voiceofsandiego.org. (Thank goodness for Coach John Kentera, who went on 1090 this past week and said he wasn’t impressed with the Chargers because they had not beaten anybody this year.)

To put it more bluntly, they still haven’t. What an embarrassment Sunday’s 35-17 loss was to the Minnesota Vikings.

Did you see that awesome Chargers’ rush defense? All they did was allow rookie Adrian Peterson to rush for an NFL record 296 yards (including 253 in the second half.)

He only out-rushed LaDainian Tomlinson by 256 yards, meaning that perhaps he is about ready to surpass LT as the NFL’s most-feared runner.

Sure, Antonio Cromartie did a wonderful job for the Chargers by returning a missed field goal an NFL-record 109 yards for a touchdown before halftime. But that was supposed to give the Chargers momentum; not be their final highlight of the game.

At mid-season, the Chargers and Cincinnati Bengals may be the biggest underachievers in the NFL. Luckily for the Chargers, they are in a horrible division and are tied for first with Kansas City at 4-4.

Come next Sunday, the Indianapolis Colts come to town for a night game.

Don’t be surprised if Charger fans are again chanting "Mar-ty" for former coach Marty Schottenheimer before that game is done.