that San Diego will allow him to play. Doesn’t his contract run through 2009? I think his choice is unwise. However, it doesn’t surprise me. Dork.

I live in the San Diego area, and trust me – even though I don’t want to see players hurt, I would not mind beating them without (or with) Merriman. It’s been a rough year for me out here….ugh – I may as well live in New England.

I would hate to see his career cut short because he had too much pride to have surgery and miss a season of play. Even though he’s been caught cheating, he is a heck of a player. I wouldn’t wish or celebrate injury to any player but if the doctor’s are telling you not to play and you do then it’s his fault.

I wonder how much pressure merriman might be getting from norv and others in the organization… Norv has to think his job is on the line this year if he doesn’t have an amazing season, and their defense is not the same without merriman. He needs to win NOW to keep his job (hey they fired schottenheimer after 14-2). I suspect if the chargers don’t go deep into the playoffs norv is history.. Norv has said all along he thought merriman would play this year. And if Merriman is too dumb to see that taking a season off and healing up is in his best interest, when he probably could still play 6-8 more years after, there is no sympathy for him when he blows out his knee entirely

I hate to hear of a player who is throwing caution to the wind just to achieve a title, that in it self tells me he either is listening to other players who just have the SB change on their mind and or coaching staff instead of doctors family and close friends.

Makes you wonder although his injury is stated not nearly as severe if Saturday is making the right choice.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/Shawne-Merriman-has-no-use-for-your-expert-medic?urn=nfl,103927

Sorry first link didnt work:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/Shawne-Merriman-has-no-use-for-your-expert-medic?urn=nfl,103927

Neither link worked here it is

Shawne Merriman has no use for your expert medical opinion
By MJD
Shawne Merriman, in a move clearly not designed to dispel the notion that he’s a meathead, has decided to forego knee surgery and play in 2008, despite the fact that four different doctors have told him that he needs surgery right now.

Is it brave? Maybe.

Tough? I guess.

Dumb? Oh yeah.

Really, really, really dumb. Historically dumb. It’s “Hey, let’s poke that grizzly bear in the eye” dumb. It’s “I bet we could lure Scott Mitchell out of retirement with a 10-year, $185 million contract” dumb. It’s “Yes, I will pay to see the movie Death Race” dumb.

It’s not that I’m sitting here saying I know what’s best for Shawne Merriman. It’s just that I trust the opinion of four separate expert physicians who do know what’s best for Shawne Merriman.

Why even bother going to see a doctor? If you’re going to go to four different specialists, have every single one of them agree, and then ignore them all anyway … really, why even go? Smokers don’t ask different doctors if they should smoke or not, because they know they’re going to fire up their cancer sticks anyway. They don’t ask, they just smoke.

What would a doctor have to have said to Merriman to get him to have the surgery and sit out the year? That if he played, his leg would actually fall off? That torn PCLs and LCLs often progress into full-blown lupus?

Merriman’s a young guy, and it’s not an exaggeration to say that he’s on track to finish with a Hall of Fame career. And we’ve seen countless times that the mentality of an athlete is that they always, always, always want to play. But to an outsider like me, it just seems so insane to risk an entire career for one season.

Obviously, he believes the Chargers can win a Super Bowl this year, and he wants to help his teammates grab that ring. I get that. Really, I do. But is it worth it if it jeopardizes the rest of Merriman’s career? To me, that seems like an easy “no,” and I’m saying this as someone who desperately wants the Chargers to win a Super Bowl right now.

It’s his knee and his choice. He’s got to do what he feels is best for him. I just wish he’d put a little more faith into the expert advice that he sought out from four different experts.

He may as well have just signed his retirement papers. The words “career-threatening” were used if he wouldn’t have a procedure. I guess he would rather play this season with a chance of cutting his career short than miss a year and finish out a healthy career.

I am wondering if this will affect the “Lights Out AKA Steroid Injection” Dance he does. This is a terrible, terrible decision for him. Hopefully he figures it out before it’s too late and his knee is torn to shreads.

Either way, I have a feeling that the Colts won’t see him on the other side of the ball this year.