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OMG!! This is FREAKING Cool!!!

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Steely Dan Hall of Famer

Steely Dan

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Tomlinson’s Trade to Bills shakes San Diego like an earthquake!

Buffalo sends two players and four draft picks to the Chargers for Tomlinson after originally seeking a trade for Michael Turner.

 

 

By Aprile Pazzo

UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

 

April 1, 2007

 

Since the beginning of February when Ladanian Tomlinson lost his father in a tragic accident and former head coach Marty Schottenheimer was fired Tomlinson has publicly, and privately, expressed his displeasure with the Chargers front office. Norv Turner, the new Chargers head coach, designed and implemented the current Chargers offensive strategy during Tomlinson’s rookie year and Tomlinson has no problem with coach Turner but he has been unhappy about how Shotteheimer was treated by the team and more specifically A.J. Smith the Chargers GM. Recently this displeasure came to a head in a private meeting Tomlinson held with Smith on Thursday in Phoenix during the league meetings. It’s reported that in this meeting Smith angrily told Tomlinson he wasn’t the GM and should accept, and keep his mouth closed about moves made by management.

 

Leaving the meeting on Thursday Tomlinson told reporters that he was planning to call Alex Spanos, the team owner, and didn’t say anything except that he may have some comments on Friday.

 

On Friday Tomlinson met with Alex Spanos and President/CEO Dean Spanos. In this meeting, it appears, Tomlinson asked for a trade to another team believing that his relationship with Smith was irreparable and he could no longer be a part of the team as long as Smith was GM. Alex Spanos, who no longer actively participates in team affairs, preferring to concentrate on league affairs, did become involved with this problem and he refused any comment when leaving the meeting on Friday. Tomlinson also refused comment. Messages left for Dean Spanos were not returned. However, in a statement released late Saturday night he said; “You really hate to lose a guy like Ladanian and I’m very sad to see him go but, the players need to realize that no one player is greater than all of the players on the team or anyone in the front office.”

 

On Saturday morning after a last ditch effort by A.J. Smith and the Spanos family to keep Tomlinson failed, Smith called his friend, and now GM of the Buffalo Bills Marv Levy. The two had been having trade talks about Michael Turner because the Bills need a running back, (since trading Willis McGahee to the Ravens), and Smith called him late Saturday morning to offer Tomlinson instead and they began to work out a trade in a matter of hours. The Bills are sending up and coming free safety Ko Simpson, wide receiver Josh Reed and their first round pick, twelfth this year, along with their two third round picks (74th and 92nd) in this year’s draft plus their first round pick in 2008 for Tomlinson. In addition to Tomlinson the Bills will get free safety Bhawoh Jue, who injured himself in week two of last season.

 

Financially Buffalo is breaking their rule of “cash to the cap” that they instituted this off season. “When someone calls you and offers the greatest running back in the NFL” Levy said, “you don’t keep any barriers to that acquisition in place. This was the opportunity of a lifetime.” Ralph Wilson, the Bills team owner, is expected to be at the press conference on Monday and will comment on the trade at that time. The Bills are expected to make cap room by re-negotiating some veteran contracts.

 

Leaving San Diego was an emotional decision for Tomlinson and one he didn’t make in a fit of anger. “I’ve been thinking about asking for a trade since coach Shottenheimer was fired in February. My meeting with GM Smith on Thursday just made my decision easier.” Tomlinson said by phone Saturday night. “I want to thank all of the fans who have been very supportive of me and my family. San Diego fans are so great and this move has nothing to do with them or my friend coach Turner.” About his move to Buffalo Tomlinson said; “Buffalo gets a bad rap in the NFL. This is the team that went to four consecutive Super Bowls in a row. That was never done before and may never be done again. With the head coach of those teams now in the front office I only see a bright future for our team.”

 

In a statement issued by General Manager A.J. Smith late Saturday afternoon he expressed his sadness at the situation deteriorating the way it has and if he could do it differently over again he would but Tomlinson’s decision was irreversible. He did point out that all of the players and picks San Diego will be getting in this trade will more than offset the loss of Tomlinson. He also stated that they still have Michael Turner on the roster and he didn‘t expect the offense to miss a beat.

 

Running backs coach, Eric Studesville, of the Buffalo Bills was at a loss for words when contacted Saturday night. “To go from a questionable situation at running back to the best situation in the league is amazing. I still have goose bumps. I don’t want to demean (Anthony) Thomas, (Shaud) Williams or (Fred) Jackson (the Bills current running backs) but I think they understand this was a move the team had to make. The running back who distinguishes himself in camp and backs up Ladanian will get his share of carries when Ladanian takes himself out of the game.” When asked how exciting this has been for him he responded; “I don’t think it’s really hit me yet on Monday at the press conference when I wake up and realize this hasn’t just been a great dream I think it will finally sink in.”

 

Putting Tomlinson in the same backfield as quarterback J.P. Losman and with receiver Lee Evans should make Buffalo one of the most improved offenses in the NFL literally overnight. Having a serious running game will keep defenses from teeing off on Losman or playing to far off the line which should give Evans more man to man coverage. Losman and Evans hooked up for seven plays of more than 35 yards last year.

 

A physical will be administered by the Bills team physician, on Monday but this is seen as merely a formality. It is expected that Tomlinson will begin the off season team conditioning program on Thursday due to the logistics of this sudden move.

 

 

 

Aprile Pazzo: (619) 293-1830; aprile.pazzo@uniontrib.com

 

http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/charg...insonbills.html

 

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They may have paid too much but still It's TOMLINSON!! :thumbsup::lol:

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Steely Dan Hall of Famer

Steely Dan

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Well, if you didn't bold everything, and you used Turners name instead of LT's... you might have fooled a few people. This was just so crazy.. it didnt cross my mind you were serious.

 

What the hades does bolding everything have to do with it?

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Steely Dan Hall of Famer

Steely Dan

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Id just like to say well done.... good prank even though its kinda hard to believe... you can tell that you put a lot of effort into this and the article was well written.

 

Thanks, I delibrately made it a high price because I felt too little would be unbelieveable and too much unbelieveable too. If I erred I erred on the side of too much.

 

BTW, Aprile Pazzo is April Fool in Italian. I know I got someone briefly on another board I put this on. I'm sure I've gotten someone else briefly here. They probably won't admit it though. :thumbsup:

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Mike F UDFA

Mike F

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Sports Illustrated tried a similar story back in the eighties, printing a story about a pitcher named Sidd Finch. He could throw the ball well over a hundred miles per hour and he wore a work boot on one foot, when in uniform.................he was supposed to be the new phenom for the Mets.

 

That story got a ton of folks since it was actually in print, in the magazine, for the baseball preview that year.

 

They even used a similar tactic about hiding April Fools in the body of the story.......................even still, nice job on this story. :thumbsup:

 

Mike

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Steely Dan Hall of Famer

Steely Dan

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Sports Illustrated tried a similar story back in the eighties, printing a story about a pitcher named Sidd Finch. He could throw the ball well over a hundred miles per hour and he wore a work boot on one foot, when in uniform.................he was supposed to be the new phenom for the Mets.

 

That story got a ton of folks since it was actually in print, in the magazine, for the baseball preview that year.

 

They even used a similar tactic about hiding April Fools in the body of the story.......................even still, nice job on this story. :thumbsup:

 

Mike

 

The D&C did a story on a U of R offensive lineman named Olar Pilar (an anagram of April Fool) and it talked about his huge size and ability to move and made him out to be a small school stud. It fooled some NFL teams, including the Poorpisses who had a guy call and try to set up an appointment to work him out and wasn't too happy when he found out the truth which is hugely funny!

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sarmanuscg07 Rookie

sarmanuscg07

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Sorry. I can't believe anyone fell for this... no not one. Sorry but ten paragraphs worth is great if it has even a bread crumbs chance of being true. Better luck next year.

 

dont be a infectious cist on this rare breed of comical posts. the man deserves credit where credit is due. im sure your one of the ones who was temporarily fooled and in such angst you unleash your disapproval. its okay though, it had me for a couple of seconds.

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BillsCelticsAngelsBama Veteran

BillsCelticsAngelsBama

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dont be a infectious cist on this rare breed of comical posts. the man deserves credit where credit is due. im sure your one of the ones who was temporarily fooled and in such angst you unleash your disapproval. its okay though, it had me for a couple of seconds.

If you were fooled for even a couple of seconds, I pity those that depend on you for anything

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/dev/null Hall of Famer

/dev/null

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Sorry. I can't believe anyone fell for this... no not one. Sorry but ten paragraphs worth is great if it has even a bread crumbs chance of being true. Better luck next year.

 

Maybe if he did it in the form of a KFFL update?...

 

Bills | MOVALLEYRANDY has no sense of humour

Sun, 1 Apr 2007 16:30:40 -0700

 

TSW is reporting that MOVALLEYRANDY has disappointed the coaching staff with his poor sense of humour. Officials would not comment, but rumor persists that the UDFA from California may be sent to work on his skills in NFL Europe.

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