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By Logert, March 8, 2010 5:32 pm

The 5-9, 215-pound former All-America running back from Youngstown State spent the better part of his first two NFL seasons on the practice squads of the Redskins and Baltimore Ravens before getting an opportunity to play last season for the Redskins. In nine games in ’09, Mason averaged just under 4.0 yards per carry, toting the ball 32 times for 127 yards. He will attempt to earn a roster spot on a team in San Diego that averaged just 3.3 yards per carry last season.

“We’ve followed his progress through his young career,” said General Manager A.J. Smith, “and when he came available, we decided to give him an opportunity to earn a spot with the Chargers.” – Full Story

Marcus Mason – Career Stats

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By Swasted, March 4, 2010 1:36 pm

As the free agency deadline approaches, the San Diego Chargers have made a couple of surprise moves by releasing their biggest man and keeping their littlest. The UT is reporting the Chargers have released All-Pro veteran defensive tackle Jamal Williams and placed a first and third round tender on running back Darren Sproles.

Jamal Williams has been with the team for 12 seasons after being drafted out of Oklahoma St. in the 2nd round of the ‘98 draft. Williams would have been due a $1-million bonus and was scheduled to earn $5-million next year. He was limited to one game last year when he suffered a triceps injury in the first game of the season against Oakland Raiders. It’s been a pleasure watching Jamal dominate opposing offensive linemen all these years and his presence in the middle will definitely be missed and should be remembered as one of the all-time great Chargers.

Darren Sproles was told last week by Chargers officials that he would not be tendered and would be allowed to test the free agent market. However, today the Chargers placed the first and third round tender on him which will increase his 2010 salary to over $7-million. I think it’s unlikely the Chargers will be willing to pay that much for him so I’m guessing a long term deal or trade is on the horizon.

Kassim Osgood is reportedly on his way out the door as well after according to his Twitter account (@kassimosgood) he was told there was a 0% chance of him getting any playing time at WR. The special teams standout has aspirations of playing receiver in the NFL but the Chargers have better options so the former SDSU Aztec will test free agency.

With the release of Jamal, how about packaging Sproles, Cromartie and SD’s 1st round pick to the Rams for their 1st pick and get Suh…? Yeah, I know, dream on…never happen.

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By Swasted, February 10, 2010 10:05 am

Jumping Turtle’s Entertainment Permit Suspended – In an unsurprising move, the city of San Marcos suspended the entertainment permit for the Jumping Turtle on Tuesday following a Saturday morning brawl that led to two stabbings and a woman being hit in the head with a bottle. The city had revoked the permit in November of last year but the venue was able to continue the live shows while the owners appealed. Yesterday’s decision will be effective immediately. Unfortunate news for all of you who were hoping to catch the “reggae/ska/surf” greatness of Mike Pinto there this Saturday.

Ryan Leaf Unable To Arrange Plea Deal – Ryan Leaf is still facing burglary and drug charges in Texas stemming from a incident in October 2008 while he was an assistant football coach at West Texas A&M. He allegedly broke into a player’s apartment and stole an unknown amount of the painkiller, Hydrocodone. Leaf has been attempting to reach a plea deal with prosecutors that would allow him to remain living and working in British Columbia. He’s been living there the last few years and working at a resort. Yep, a resort. If unable to reach a plea deal, the burglary charge alone could carry a sentence of 20 years in prison.

Scale of Zero To Tony Gwynn – GasLampBall.com is fielding a series of polls to judge individuals associated with the Padres on a scale of zero to Tony Gwynn. Here’s their official explanation, “The Zero to Tony Gwynn scale is a rating of a Padres’ importance to the San Diego Padres and their fans. The scale works to determine the relative importance of a particular Padre based on the assumption that Tony Gwynn is the perfect representation of the San Diego Padres.” Head over and place your votes, here’s a list of who’s been posted so far:

Trevor Hoffman
Dave Winfield
Steve Garvey
Jerry Coleman
Jake Peavy
Randy Jones
Ted Leitner
Nate Colbert
Benito Santiago
Heath Bell – Good to see them reference a tweet I sent them last night showcasing my disdain for Heath’s entrance music… “Heath has also decided to replace Hell’s Bells with a Voldemort. Something that should not be named for its amazing amount of suck. He also has a weird habit of saying things that I’m not sure he should be saying.”

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By Swasted, February 8, 2010 11:42 am

What a game, what a weekend! Congrats to Drew Brees and the Saints for their victory over Payton and Co. in Super Bowl #??. Danica made her stock car debut and finished 6th in the ARCA race at Daytona on Saturday and Kevin Harvick edged out his second straight victory in the Budweiser Shootout. Mark Martin and Dale Jr. will be on the front row for Sunday’s Daytona 500 and the rest of the field will be sorted on during the Gatorade Duels on Thursday. Here are the rest of the headlines…

San Diego Supercross – Check out TransWorld Motocross’ coverage of San Diego Supercross, where Davi Millsaps pulled off his first victory in nearly 2 years. The boys at TWMX were also nice enough to put together a gallery of the ladies of San Diego Supercross for those of us who didn’t want to sit in the rain, unfortunately it’s a pretty weak gallery. Where are the crowd shots? That’s where the hotties are. Anyway, I caught a bit of the coverage on Sunday morning and it wasn’t as muddy as I thought it would be and seemed to be a pretty good race in the final.

Local News: Thousands Visit Jade Buddha In Escondido – Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike descended upon the Phap Vuong Monastery in Escondido on Sunday to witness the unveiling of the Jade Buddha for Universal Peace, the largest Buddha ever carved from jade in the world. The statue is on the North American leg of its world tour. Monastery officials estimated that by 2 p.m., more than 10,000 visitors had participated in the event. The Buddha will be on display in Escondido through February 16th.

Local News: Animal Waste Used To Ward Off Protesters – An Oceanside animal hospital is using three large bins filled with animal feces set near the edge of its property to try to ward off labor-union members who have been picketing the place for months because the hospital used a nonunion contractor in some of its construction work. “We put it out there every day to discourage them,” said Lisa Hamilton, administrator of Mission Animal and Bird Hospital on Benet Road at Highway 76. She declined to discuss the matter further, saying inquiries were being handled by veterinarian Robert Cartin. “It smells awful,” said Abraham Bustamante of Carpenters Local 1506, pointing out the bins on Friday. Bustamante said the odor is so bad, particularly on warm days, that picketers often wear masks to filter the air they breathe.

Local News: Drunk Driver In Encinitas Rams Sheriff’s Deputy – A suspected drunken driver crashed into the back of a Sheriff’s patrol car late Sunday night in Cardiff, according to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department. Deputy Steve Johnson had stopped at the intersection of South Coast Highway 101 and Chesterfield Drive when the crash occurred, said Sgt. William Dreyer. The deputy was taken to Scripps Encinitas Hospital for treatment of minor injuries and was later released. The driver of the car, Troy Otillio, 44, was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence, Dreyer said. Otillio was not injured in the crash, the sergeant said.

Olympic Athletes Confused By Social Networking Guidelines – There are some restrictions on what athletes can do online during the Olympics. According to the IOC Blogging Guidelines for the 2010 Games, athletes and other accredited people must keep their posts confined to their personal experiences. “You can’t act as a journalist if you aren’t,” says Condron. “You need to do things in a first person way.” Rule 49 of the Olympic Charter says that “Only those persons accredited as media may act as journalists, reporters or in any other media capacity.” The other most significant restriction on athletes posts is a ban on references to sponsors or advertisers who aren’t official Olympic partners. – I used to enjoy watching the Olympics as a kid but after being exposed to all these guidelines set forth by the IOC, I’m growing to despise them. At work, we’re one of their media partners so we have to deal with some of their ridiculous guidelines.

Danica Adds Daytona To Nationwide Schedule, NASCAR Premiere – JR Motorsports’ general manager Kelley Earnhardt has announced Danica Patrick will make her NASCAR and Nationwide series premiere this weekend at Daytona. Patrick, the only woman to win an IndyCar Series race, had considered not competing at Daytona because of the uniqueness of restrictor-plate racing and also the number of Sprint Cup drivers in the event. But having survived a spin and moving from the back of the pack to near the front during the ARCA race, Patrick felt as if she progressed enough to make her NASCAR debut on NASCAR’s biggest stage a day before the Daytona 500. “The ARCA race was a blast, and I’m not ready for my first Daytona Speedweeks to end just yet. I want more racing,” Patrick said.

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By Swasted, February 4, 2010 3:52 pm

In an article by Kevin Acee, LT is quoted as saying he’s not coming back to the Chargers. Not a huge surprise, especially after his interview with Darren Smith a couple weeks back.

Clay wants Tolbert to line up behind Hester, JB would probably draft LeGarrette Blount (unless his Beaver pride steps in) or whoever led Division II in rushing this year.

From the UT:
LaDainian Tomlinson knows he has played his last game as a Charger. “I’m not coming back,” Tomlinson told The San Diego Union-Tribune on Thursday. “I don’t believe I’ll be back in San Diego. I’ve accepted it.” After more than a month of saying he did not know what would happen, Tomlinson said he has believed for a while he would be let go by the Chargers. “I’ve been praying and meditating,” he said. “After doing that for a couple weeks, I just felt like it was over.” Tomlinson has two years remaining on his contract, but he is due a $2 million roster bonus March 5 and would be paid $5 million in total salary in 2010. As part of the renegotiated contract he signed last March, he is guaranteed $1 million by the Chargers for next season.

**UPDATE** – Check out the Chargers store, the Tomlinson jerseys are the only ones that are marked down…

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By Swasted, January 27, 2010 9:06 am

Garland Agrees To 1-year, $5.3 million Deal With Padres – I really like the Jon Garland signing. He’s a durable guy who knows how to pitch and he can bring additional leadership to a young pitching staff. He pitched great for the Dodgers last year down the stretch and I think he’s going to take full advantage of pitching in Petco. Sure it may have been more fun if the Pads signed Pedro instead but this is a much wiser decision that comes with less risk.

Mark Loretta Retires, Hired by Padres Front Office – Mark Loretta announced his retirement from playing baseball on Monday and in the same breath announced his hiring as a special assistant to the baseball operations staff of the San Diego Padres. Welcome back, Mark! (Cue War…)

Padres Sign Matt Stairs To Minor League Contract – The Padres signed 42 year old Matt Stairs to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. The Padres hope to use Stairs as a left-handed bat off the bench and in DH situations during interleague play. Stairs recently told ESPN that he’s lost 31 lbs. this off-season and is currently at 199 lbs. I’ll believe it when I see it and probably not even then.

Xavier Nady Reaches Deal With Cubs – Former Padres OF Xavier Nady has reached a preliminary agreement on a one-year, $3.3 million contract with the Chicago Cubs.

Changes to the 2010 NFL Season – Here are some quick bullets on changes you can expect in the 2010 NFL season as the CBA expires:

• Players would need six years in the league before becoming unrestricted free agents rather than four. Some veterans with less than six years in the league would become restricted free agents, meaning their current club will have the right to match an offer or be compensated for losing them. (Merriman, VJ, Cromartie, etc.)
• Each club already has one transition (franchise) player tag and would get a second. A transition player must be offered at least the average of the top 10 salaries for his position during the previous season, or 120 percent of the player’s previous year’s salary, whichever is greater.
• The eight clubs that made the divisional playoff round this year will have limits on signing unrestricted free agents under what’s called the Final Eight Plan.
• The 32 teams would be relieved of their obligation to fund numerous player benefit programs, including 401Ks, player annuity, severance pay, and tuition assistance. That would be a reduction of more than $7 million per club.
• A supplemental revenue-sharing plan will be scrapped by the league, which says about $100 million is involved; the union claims it’s closer to $200 million. That’s not a huge sum in the scheme of NFL finances, but would still hurt clubs on the financial bottom rung.
• There would be no salary floor or salary ceiling. In 2009, the cap was $128 million and the floor was $111 million.

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By Swasted, January 22, 2010 6:52 pm

Darren Smith asks some good questions and a clearly disappointed Ladainian Tomlinson responds. Dude sounds super bummed and describes his relationship with Norv Turner as “a good working relationship…he’s the boss…I play for him and try my best for him.”

I don’t think he’ll be back next year but this is the first time I’ve heard him sound like he doesn’t want to come back.

More Interviews Available at XXSportsRadio.com

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By Swasted, January 22, 2010 10:12 am

North County Times Blowing It, Again – It’s pretty funny what passes as journalism these days. The North County Times posted an alert about a dangerous burglary suspect on the loose in the Escondido area. The suspect is known to carry weapons and is considered armed and dangerous. Rossman Ortega, is described as a 27-year-old Latino man with black hair and brown eyes. He is 5 feet 6 inches tall, and weighs about 150 pounds. Great description, how about a picture? Hmmm, there must not be one available. So I did a quick Google search for Rossman Ortega came up a San Diego Sheriff’s press release of his crimes, complete with a mugshot.

Taco Bell Founder Dies – Glen Bell, the man who introduced Mexican cuisine to mainstream America with Taco Bell restaurants, died in his Rancho Santa Fe home Sunday. He was 86. Bell was shy and didn’t reveal who he was when visiting local fast-food restaurants, Baldwin said. “There’s a Taco Bell in Escondido he liked to go to,” she said. – He used to always go to the Taco Bell on Escondido Blvd by the DMV. I went there with my dad years ago and some lady by us pointed him out to us. Not sure why he picked that one, it always seemed like a shit hole to me.

Headley Excited to Return to 3B – After a trade that sent Kevin Kouzmanoff to Oakland, Chase Headley will be returning to third base for the 2010 season. Last year, Headley had the opportunity to play 17 straight games at third base when Kouzmanoff was injured, a span in which Headley hit .303 with a homer and 10 RBIs. “When Kouz was banged up and I started to play over there consistently, after a week I was starting to feel good,” Headley said. “It’s a very reactionary position. There’s just a lot more going on, and it’s easier to be locked in. It’s not to say I couldn’t stay focused, but a lot of the time in the outfield you’re standing around for eight innings without a ball coming your way and you have time to pore over what you did wrong.”

USA Today Padres Team Report – Fifteen players made their major league debuts with the Padres last season, and 19 qualified as rookies. Most of the top prospects at Class AAA Portland finished the season with the Padres. San Diego finished the season with the youngest roster in the major leagues. It also finished on a 37-25 run. The future no longer looks bleak.

Spring Training Around the Corner – A complete list of 2010 Major League Baseball spring training reporting dates for all MLB teams. Key Dates for the Padres: Pitchers & Catchers Report – 02/18/10, First Workout – 02/19/10, Position Players - 02/24/10, First Full Workout – 02/25/10

FCC Ruling May Let More Cox Rivals Carry Padres – Hey Ryan, it looks like you’ll be able to keep that AT&T cable you love so much. Federal regulators Wednesday voted to end the “terrestrial loophole” that allowed Cox Communications to have exclusive rights to San Diego Padres games, opening the door for rivals such as AT&T and DirecTV to eventually add the games to their channel lineups. The Federal Communications Commission voted 4-1 to close the loophole, which allowed Cox in San Diego and other cable operations elsewhere to withhold local sports programming from competitors.

Jets Online Shop Taking Pre-Orders For AFC Champs Gear – Via Deadspin.com, the NY Jets online shop has started taking pre-orders for AFC Champions gear. Someone should’ve told them that they’ll need to roll into Indy and beat Peyton and Co. first. They’ve since taken it all down and replaced it with, “Win and We’re In” gear.

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By Swasted, January 22, 2010 9:04 am

From TheOnion.com:

Shaq Misses Entire Second Half With Pulled Pork Sandwhich – Cavaliers center Shaquille O’Neal suffered a frustrating setback during his team’s victory over the Toronto Raptors Tuesday night, when he was sidelined for the entire second half of the game with a pulled pork sandwich. O’Neal, who scored 12 points and grabbed three rebounds during the first half of the game, returned to the bench at the beginning of the third quarter, clutching at the pulled pork sandwich and informing trainers that it was incredibly tender. A member of the Cavaliers’ medical staff said that when he attempted to examine the pulled pork sandwich, O’Neal flinched away and grunted sharply.

Dusty Baker Has Already Destroyed Aroldis Chapman’s Arm – Within just a few minutes of Cuban pitcher Aroldis Chapman’s arrival in the United States, Reds manager Dusty Baker had already overused and mangled the 21-year-old’s arm beyond recognition, team sources reported Sunday. Baker, who has been accused of overtaxing young pitchers’ arms in the past, reportedly greeted Chapman with a bucket of 250 baseballs and told him to “hurl them” as fast as he could, later encouraging the fastballer to “go nuts” with his pitching style. “He didn’t even let me stretch out first,” Chapman said.

McGwire Admits It Was “really fucking fun” Hitting Baseballs So Far – Former St. Louis Cardinals slugger, onetime single-season home run record holder, and admitted steroid abuser Mark McGwire came clean Monday, confessing that it was really fucking fun being able to hit baseballs so hard and far. “I can’t remember having a better time in all of my life,” McGwire said during an hour-long interview with the MLB Network’s Bob Costas. “Do you have any idea what it’s like knowing instantly that a ball you hit is going to fly—no, soar—over a fence in a major-league stadium? Well, I do. And it’s fucking fantastic.”

CBS Producers Make A Plea To Shannon Sharpe – In an effort to clear up the confusion caused by terminology such as “unconsistentical” and “splosiverance,” CBS producers made a formal request Monday that NFL Today commentator Shannon Sharpe use a minimum of three real words in each sentence. “We tried to convey to Mr. Sharpe that peppering in a few words that actually exist will help viewers understand what he’s talking about,” executive producer Sean McManus said. “Providing fans with some context is key for Shannon. It is much easier to comprehend what he means when he says, ‘Andre Johnson needimentally must keep advantagizing opportunimals this week.’”