The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Jay Posner on Monday’s most circulated protest of dirty behavior. Other than those You Tube clips of morning radio dj’s watching “Two Girls, One Cup”, that is.
Several San Diego Chargers said linebacker Shawne Merriman was targeted by Tennessee and suffered a sprained left knee on a dirty play by two Titans during the second quarter. Merriman identified center Kevin Mawae as one player but didn’t know the identity of the second player.
œIt was a cheap shot, Merriman said after the Chargers’ 23-17 overtime victory.
œIt was a real dirty play, safety Marlon McCree said. œI’m sure our coaches will turn it in (to the league) and they (Titans players) should get fined for what they did. It was an unnecessary play, and I don’t think it’s called for in this game.
Merriman and his mates believed the Titans went after him because of a play early in the second quarter when he collided with Vince Young after a handoff. Young was rolling to his left and never saw Merriman, who did not appear to be trying to hit the second-year quarterback.
œVince is a really good friend of mine; he knows I wouldn’t do that, Merriman said. œAnyways, I’m not even that kind of player. I pulled way up. I tried to catch him as he was falling. If the refs thought I did something wrong they would have flagged me, and they didn’t.
Young injured his ribs on the play but did not blame Merriman.
œI don’t think Merriman tried to do that, he said. œIt happens.”
At least one of his teammates, however, believed otherwise “ tight end Bo Scaife called it œcheap and œdirty. And Merriman said œseveral Chargers told him Titans coach Jeff Fisher ordered the hit. Fisher was unavailable for comment after the Chargers spoke with reporters.
œPlenty of people told me it was a coach down there telling them to go get at me, said Merriman, who earlier angered Titans fans by celebrating each of his two sacks with his œLights Out dance.
Said McCree: œI know they did because the previous series they ran a play designed to crack back on him. The guy came down and hit him on the blind side. Come on, what is that for? That’s not necessary. And then a few plays later, he’s down on the ground and two of the offensive linemen come and jump on his back? On his neck?
œCome on, this guy’s got a family. You don’t like how he plays, you don’t like how he celebrates, stop him from getting to your quarterback. Don’t hit him after the play or don’t go after his knees and his neck.
If you think McCree was upset, check out this guy’s reaction to San Diego’s comeback win.
Even Tony La Russa is blown away to learn Denver’s Mike Shanahan allowed Todd Sauerbrun to play in yesterday’s win over K.C. just hours after the punter —accused of slugging a cab driver — emerged from the local drunk tank.