No L.T., No Cry

The former MVP said he was practically 100% healthy. He said it was the biggest game of his career and would definitely play. He practiced during the week without a limp and proclaimed himself fine. Going into the game, the San Diego Chargers didn’t even feel the need to list him on the injury report. Yet Super Charger LaDainian Tomlinson played only 5 snaps in the Chargers 21-12 loss to the Patriots in the AFC Title game last Sunday.

Now we're told by LT and his defenders not to question the All-Pro Running back for his decision to sit out the game. True, LT is known as a stand-up man who rarely brings attention to himself on the field but is he truly a team player? He’s been known to complain about his team's game plan or if the players around him aren’t playing well. He's even been seen giving his Quarterback ‘the cold-shoulder’ along the sidelines after a mistake. He questions the direction of the front office. He whines when he loses and other teams celebrate their victories and often wonders out loud if his team will ever be good enough to make it to a Superbowl.

Yet last Sunday the Chargers were one game away from a Superbowl and LT was on the sidelines. He tried to play on his hyper-extended knee (or 'bruised' knee as it was first diagnosed) but felt he just couldn't continue. Four times the Chargers were in the red zone where LT flourishes and four times the Chargers only came away with 3 points. There he sat on the bench with his helmet and mask on, away from the game, and away from his teammates. He didn't try a new knee brace, never cheered on his team, and never tried to play again.

People should question LT on the extent of his injury and level of his fortitude. It's true that the position is called 'Runningback' and not 'Hobbleback' but LT has really never been injured before, so perhaps he didn't know his limitations and got scared. His own teammate, Phillip Rivers, showed a gutsy performance by getting orthroscopic surgery on his knee earlier in the week, limping around during practice, and then playing the whole game effectively. As a result, Rivers will need major off-season surgery but the magnitude of an AFC Title game could not keep him out of the line-up and for that Rivers' teammates were proud of him.

LaDainian Tomlinson will not need surgery on his knee this off-season because his injury was never that serious. If LT had played sparingly or was even used as a decoy, the Chargers may have won the game but to not try at all was his worst sin. There may not be many more chances for LT to get one step away from the Superbowl and now he must deal with that alone.

Bolts upset Colts - God Bless Billy Voleck

What a stunner or as we say in Boston…'a shockah'! With many of their top players out in the second half, the San Diego Chargers still managed to comeback and beat the Colts yesterday in Indy 28-24.

The Chargers must have Indy’s number because with All-Pro RB LaDainian Tomlinson, QB Philip Rivers, FB Lorenzo Neal all out of the game and trailing 24-21 in the 4th quarter, San Diego back-up QB Billy Volek came through and led the Chargers on a 78 yard drive to put them back on top and eventually defeat the favored Colts.

Not sure why Tomlinson and Rivers didn’t come back into the game. They both looked fine walking around the sidelines but seemed more interested in jawing with each other and the Colts’ fans than playing in what could have been their final game of the season. Watching the game with two friends who are lifelong San Diego fans, it seemed like the chances for a Charger upset were vanishing. However, journeyman QB Billy Volek and 5’ 6’’ back-up running back Darren Sproles kept the dream alive.

I don’t want to hear any excuses about the Colts injuries to Dwight Freeney or Marvin Harrison. The Chargers were more depleted. San Diego also had All-Pro TE Antonio Gates banged up, had more sloppy plays and penalties, barely pressured Peyton Manning, and even missed a FG during the game. Besides, let us not forget that last year the Patriots had Rodney Harrison, Richard Seymour, Junior Seau, Lawrence Maroney, and others out when the Colts came back to beat the Pats and go on to win the Superbowl. On top of that, much of the rest of the team had the flu and in the second half they had the inexperienced backfield of Sanders, Hawkins, Baker going up against the vaunted pass attack of the Manning and the Colts. Yet, if Reche Caldwell doesn’t drop a pass in the 4th quarter, the Patriots still hang on to win that game.

Now the Chargers come to Foxboro next Sunday as 15 point underdogs with a chance to go to their first Superbowl and avenge last season’s play-off loss to the Pats in the process. If you’re a Pats’ fan, this is the best news ever! This year Indy was a bigger and faster team than the one that beat the Pats last year in the Championship game and by far the biggest hurdle in getting to back to the Superbowl. Instead, we now host a warm weather team in San Diego that is extremely banged-up and not nearly the threat they were last year when the Pats squeaked by them in the playoffs.

On the NFC side, the New York ‘football’ Giants upset the Dallas Cowboys thus eliminating yet another major Superbowl threat for the Patriots. So now it’s Eli Manning in a Championship game next week and not his brother Peyton.

What a shockah!