“NFL Free Agency-Surely Not Free”

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Buyer Beware in the NFL.

It all starts Tuesday morning at 9am. Get your checkbooks ready. Here comes NFL free agency.

The Chargers need help on that roster, but they need health more than they need help. And that’s complicated, because they don’t have alot of salary cap space.

The Cleveland Browns, coming off that (1-15) season, with little talent, and lots of young players, have just over 105M in salary cap space. The 49ers, with a new GM-Coach, and no players, have 95.4M, second best. Jacksonville, forever a loser, has 75M in the bank.

As woeful as the Chargers have been, they have only 4M-cap space as the free agent window to talk to agents begins. Think of that, a team that has lost 25-of its last 35-games, has just 4M in cap space remaining.

By comparison, the guys who just raised their 5th Super Bowl trophy, the Patriots have 59M in revolutinary money to spend. The smart guys live in the State of New England, don’t they, surely not at Chargers Park.

They committed 14.5M to franchise tag LB-Melvin Ingram. They still have as many as 18-veteran players they’d consider re-signing.

At the top of that list are running back Danny Woodhead and safety Jahleel Addae, must-signings..

Creating bookkeeping is just ahead over at the Fortress, and that’s how they will find some additional cap space.

They could eat a chunk of the contract of concussion prone Brandon Flowers, who now has a cap figure of 11M for the coming season. They cannot live with that, and because of the injury issues, maybe they don’t want to live with him any longer.

Wide receiver Stevie Johnson carries a cap figure of 4.5M and no one really knows if he comes back from that knee surgery a year ago that wiped out his season.

There are some players who should be restructured down. Included in that group is defensive end Corey Liuget, who is not really a 9.5M a year player. Ditto for right guard DJ Fluker, who is not worth 8.8M.

The team has over paid, and surely not gotten value out of oft-injured tackle King Dunlap and guard Orlando Franklin, who have a combined cap figure of 15.6M. You surely won’t cut them, but I surely would not pay them either.

Fellow tackle Joe Barksdale has a 5.5M cap figure, and disappointing receiver-return man Travis Benjamin counts 6.5M.

That’s 66.5-million tied up in the above mentioned 8-players, some hurt, some underachievers.

Tom Telesco and his cap guys, Ed McGuire and Mike Spanos, sure have given alot of money to alot of players, who have not been difference makers.

Chargers fans in San Diego would say ‘tough crap’….Los Angeles it’s your problem.

The real problem is for quarterback Philip Rivers. If they don’t get more players in here, he finishes his career like Dan Marino.

No Super Bowl wins.

And Marino’s last game was a (62-7) loss in the playoffs to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Let the bidding begin around the NFL. Let the give-backs begin for the Chargers.

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“Lakers Basketball-Civil War-Palace Coup”

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Lakers basketball, making news not just on the court…but now in the courts.

Call it a revolt, a coup, an insurrection.

Call it a family feud.

Call it a showdown.

Jeannie Buss, who fired her brother Jim Buss just 2-weeks ago, in the midst of a 4th straight losing-non playoff season, beat him 1-on-1, not on the court, but in the court.

As the dismissed VP of basketball operations, Jim tried to call a special Board of Directors meeting of owners, to seek Jeannie’s removal as COO of the franchise. He got taken to the hoop, slam dunked, had it rejected back in his face.
He got blown out.

She went to court seeking an injuntion, forcing him to cancel all plans for some type of family hostitle takeover.

Buss, the playboy, who has failed miserably, wanted to convince 5-other family members Jeannie had no right to remove him, and take total control of the business.

Jeannie Buss has been a business success across the hallway, despite the failures of her brother to put a winning product on the floor.

Sellouts, team sponsorships, formation of the TWC-Lakers network, all point to her positive leadership.

Jim Buss, the former exec, is headed for another last place finish, some terribly questionable free agent signings, and the inability to lure any marquee free agents to LA,in the post-Kobe Bryant era.

More than a power struggle, this is a critical time for the Lakers to get and find stability. Under Jim Buss’ leadership, they were in danger of becoming the LA Clippers of old, the Donald Sterling version.

In the end, Jim Buss obviously didn’t pay attention to the fine print…the fine print in the family trust, that he, and all six Buss children signed, while the patriarch of the franchise, Jerry Buss was still alive.

The family trust that said Jeannie would have total leadership control of the organization.

The insurrection is over for now. She runs the franchise. No one knows if the franchise can turn the corner with her hand appointed new leader, Magic Johnson, calling all the shots.

What we do know, is Jim Buss is a failure, as a basketball exec, and now as a family member.

Got beat in court…got beat going 1-on-1 by a girl…another embarrassing check mark to put on his failed resume.

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“Changing of the Guard-Complete”

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We’ve been spoiled for so long, us sports fans in Southern California. Spoiled by the greatness of the people who have broadcast the games of our teams over the years, on radio-television-cable.

Bob Miller, the NHL Hall of Fame Voice of the LA Kings, is retiring at the end of the season, ending a 44-year run as their Radio-TV voice. He leaves after two health scares, a quadruple heart bypass, then a mini-stroke.

We will forever remember his work with the Miracle on Manchester, the first years with Bernie Nichols, Marcel Dionne and Rogie Vachon. And of course the great nights covering all things Wayne Gretzky.

It will be strange this spring, this summer, this postseason pennant race, not to hear Vin Scully, who was the point man for all things Dodgers from Brooklyn to Chavez Ravine. His history, his artistry, will never be duplicated anywhere else, by anyone, at anytime. From the early 1950s thru 2016, he graced us with great moments and great gratitude.

In the NBA, we will never forget Chick Hearn, and the eras upon eras, of great games he delivered from West-Baylor-Wilt, right thru Showtime and the Shaq-Kobe era, painting everything Purple and Gold with the Lakers.

Dick Enberg has stepped aside as one of the most complete broadcasters we have ever heard, not just with the Angels back in the day, or the Padres recently, but everything in between, from the NFL, to the iconic UCLA days, to the Olympics and his signature Breakfast at Wimbledon.

Our beloved Jerry Coleman worked right up till the end, and wound up in Cooperstown too, a tremendous accomplishment. His stories, his malaprops, his personality, his love of history. We honored him for not just being a Yankee player, or a Padres broadcaster, but also for being a War Hero in the sky.

Ted Leitner remains on radio doing Padres game. Ralph Lawler, forever linked to the Clippers, thru some good years and lots of bad, are all that is left of those who came, stayed, and made us enjoy our teams while they were on the air.

I was lucky, for I grew up in a sports family, and remember Mel Allen, Phil Rizzuto, Red Barber on the Yankees. I recall a young Scully and a Connie Desmond-Jerry Doggett in Brooklyn. And Russ Hodges and Lon Simmons with the Giants.

Bob Miller’s retirement completes the circle of the very special broadcasters Southern California has been privledged to listen to.

Like I said, I, and you, have been spoiled, by the great voices doing our games for so many years.

We’ll probably never have an era like that ever again.

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“Changing of the Guard-Complete”

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We’ve been spoiled for so long, us sports fans in Southern California. Spoiled by the greatness of the people who have broadcast the games of our teams over the years, on radio-television-cable.

Bob Miller, the NHL Hall of Fame Voice of the LA Kings, is retiring at the end of the season, ending a 44-year run as their Radio-TV voice. He leaves after two health scares, a quadruple heart bypass, then a mini-stroke.

We will forever remember his work with the Miracle on Manchester, the first years with Bernie Nichols, Marcel Dionne and Rogie Vachon. And of course the great nights covering all things Wayne Gretzky.

It will be strange this spring, this summer, this postseason pennant race, not to hear Vin Scully, who was the point man for all things Dodgers from Brooklyn to Chavez Ravine. His history, his artistry, will never be duplicated anywhere else, by anyone, at anytime. From the early 1950s thru 2016, he graced us with great moments and great gratitude.

In the NBA, we will never forget Chick Hearn, and the eras upon eras, of great games he delivered from West-Baylor-Wilt, right thru Showtime and the Shaq-Kobe era, painting everything Purple and Gold with the Lakers.

Dick Enberg has stepped aside as one of the most complete broadcasters we have ever heard, not just with the Angels back in the day, or the Padres recently, but everything in between, from the NFL, to the iconic UCLA days, to the Olympics and his signature Breakfast at Wimbledon.

Our beloved Jerry Coleman worked right up till the end, and wound up in Cooperstown too, a tremendous accomplishment. His stories, his malaprops, his personality, his love of history. We honored him for not just being a Yankee player, or a Padres broadcaster, but also for being a War Hero in the sky.

Ted Leitner remains on radio doing Padres game. Ralph Lawler, forever linked to the Clippers, thru some good years and lots of bad, are all that is left of those who came, stayed, and made us enjoy our teams while they were on the air.

I was lucky, for I grew up in a sports family, and remember Mel Allen, Phil Rizzuto, Red Barber on the Yankees. I recall a young Scully and a Connie Desmond-Jerry Doggett in Brooklyn. And Russ Hodges and Lon Simmons with the Giants.

Bob Miller’s retirement completes the circle of the very special broadcasters Southern California has been privledged to listen to.

Like I said, I, and you, have been spoiled, by the great voices doing our games for so many years.

We’ll probably never have an era like that ever again.

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“Tough Call for Tough Guy Running Back”

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What is LT going to do?

This Week and This Summer?

LaDainian Tomlinson wants to remain active in the National Football League. It was thought he would get an offer to go to work for the NFL Network, but their roster seems loaded with veteran names and personalities.

There’s not really much for him to put his arms around in San Diego, since the Chargers are moving to Los Angeles.

And that’s the problem, Chargers owner Dean Spanos, again.

Trying to use his money and influence to buy friendships, after what he did to all his pals, and business associates, and politicians in San Diego, Spanos wants to hire Tomlinson.

At first it was thought to be a ceremonial job, as an ambassador, for the team in the LA market.

Maybe working in the marketing arm of the team in the new market, where they have yet to be warmly received.

Then thought that LT really wants to learn the ropes in the front office in a football related job.

But that entails around the clock 24-7 dedication to be in scouting and player personnel. Not much time for golf or other popularity functions in a post-career life.

Don’t see that fitting Tomlinson’s plans. You really have to want to have that lifestyle to dive into a front office job. John Elway loves it in Denver. Didn’t workout for Dan Marino, who tried it for a week in Miami.

The reaction has been harsh that Tomlinson would go to work for Spanos, as a sign of honor, considering what the owner did to the loyal fans and the business leaders in San Diego.

And then there’s the other, bigger story to consider.

Tomlinson will stand on the steps of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August, after a near unanimous vote for enshrinement.

Who is going to be his presenter?

Is Spanos trying to buy his way into LT’s heart now with this job, so he can be the one to make the speech in Canton? Any bets Spanos would get booed at the podium there like he has been in Los Angeles?

Sadly, the man who created all the things for LT to excel in, Marty Schottenheimer, is in failing health in North Carolina with early Alzheimer’s.

You wouldn’t bring in a failing head coach like Norv Turner to intro him would you?

John Butler, who drafted him, has passed away. GM replacement AJ Smith was as disliked as anyone in San Diego, till Spanos did his LA exit. Though AJ stands for lots of good things, he self destructed here, so why invite him there?

Philip Rivers would be a great choice, but he will be in training camp, about to play that weekend, in of all places Los Angeles.

So Tomlinson has such tough decisions to make.

I am sure he does not want to denigrate the Spanos family, though they were the ones, who ran him off, and did not even attend his retirement press conference. Still to be decided will be his uniform number retirement party.

But you surely hope, the team does not try to sell LT in Canton as a Los Angeles Charger. Those record setting days were established by #21 in a San Diego Chargers jersey with a lightning bolt on his helmet.

But knowing them, they’d do anything to put themselves in any good light, considering the bad taste they”ve left in everyone’s mouth. The ‘First of Family of Football’ that runs a last place franchise, seems tone-deaf to everything. They’d probably think this is the right thing to do by the running back icon..

Tomlinson does not need the money, but he likely needs an entree into an NFL job. It sure would be an uncomfortable position, considering so many others, led by Dan Fouts, have denounced what the owner did.

I’d say pass on the offer.

I’d say have Mom intro you in Canton too.

You did great things in San Diego. LA is just some other city, and that franchise is still not on anyone’s radar.

Tough call LT. It won’t be OK, if you say yes to a job in LA.

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