Chargers' Merriman will forgo surgery, play with knee injury

Can we have a poll?

Shawne Merriman is:
1. A dummy
2. An idiot
3. High
4. All of the above

I vote for #4.

You would think his buddy Lavar would tell him how much fun it is to play football when your knees aren't healthy.
S.D is probably thinking they need him to reach the S.B. and they wouldn't be able to resign him after next season any ways. So if he really hurts his knee and can't play again there actually only losing him for the 2009 season. It's pretty obvious to me by letting him play this year that the Chargers don't care about his carrier long term.
Merriman is a fool for letting the Chargers use him like this.

The Chargers won't reach the SB if he blows out his knees and ends his career.

Where is the requisite "The Redskins are idiots for passing on Shawne Merriman" comment?

I just can't get over how foolish and shortsighted this decision is. Total meathead. He's still got a lot of mileage left- IF he shuts it down, has the surgery NOW, and rehabs for next year. What poor, ill-advised short term thinking this is. Now he'll play maybe half the season at 75%, then hurt himself to the point he has no choice but to have the surgery. At that point he'll be well behind where he'd be if he just got it done now. And that's best case. Worst case he ends his career, and misses out on tens of millions of dollars and a possible shot at the Hall of Fame. Unreal.

What doctor would say go play and open them selves up to a huge lawsuit if turns out he ruins his carreer. So to me its hard to really know what the docs said behind close doors to him.

C l o w n a s s

I'm reminded of what TO said after he played in the Superbowl against New England, in which he suggested, had it been Brett Favre playing hurt refusing to sit out instead of TO, he would have been hailed as a warrior.

Well I generally agree in following the advice of one's doctors, I think you guys are being a little hard on a guy who refuses to stay off the field, perhaps at the expense of his career. Usually when someone puts playing above money and anything else we as fans appreciate this. But I guess it depends on the guy.

What an idiot! Hope he doesn't slip on a banana.

Seriously, why are they Chargers even allowing him to play? Their GM should be fired.

I agree. If I am AJ Smith (shoot me now by the way in this case) I IR him in a heart beat.

I'm reminded of what TO said after he played in the Superbowl against New England, in which he suggested, had it been Brett Favre playing hurt refusing to sit out instead of TO, he would have been hailed as a warrior.

Well I generally agree in following the advice of one's doctors, I think you guys are being a little hard on a guy who refuses to stay off the field, perhaps at the expense of his career. Usually when someone puts playing above money and anything else we as fans appreciate this. But I guess it depends on the guy.

I hear ya, to an extent. Hey, if you play through a broken pinky and it needs to be cut off (Ronnie Lott), or play with a broken leg or ankle (Jack Youngblood and Donovan McNabb), then hell yeah, you're a warrior. But if you play with torn knee ligaments that could end your career, what's better for both you and the Chargers? Being balsy and "tough" and playing a few more games until your career ends, or getting your knee taken care of and being great for several more seasons? This is no-brainer IMO.

Also, TO was just doing what was necessary to be effective for one game, and that game just happened to be the biggest of all. I don't think TO was at risk of ending his career with that ankle injury either.

EDIT:
On a side note, I just heard on ESPN that Merriman was advised to have corrective surgery after last season and decided against it. Look where that's left him. :doh:

Perhaps he wants his career to end? Maybe he has some kind of insurance policy that nets him serious money if his career ends?