Posted on 01/16/2007 12:23:50 AM PST by Big Guy and Rusty 99
National Football League rushing champion LaDainian Tomlinson remained upset by New England's post-game victory celebration after ousting San Diego from the playoffs. The Patriots, seeking their fourth Super Bowl title in the past six years, edged the Chargers 24-21 with help from four San Diego turnovers and a missed 54-yard field goal on the final play of an emotional game.
Several New England players hurled their helmets into the air and danced on the middle of the field in celebration, incurring a meaningless 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct and the wrath of San Diego star rusher Tomlinson.
"I would never, ever react in that way," Tomlinson said. "I'm a very classy person and I would not have reacted like that. I was very upset."
Tomlinson refused to shake hands with several of the Patriots after the game and was restrained when rushing toward several New England players after the game after a mocking imitation of Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman's victory dance.
"When you go to the middle of our field and you start doing the dance that Shawne Merriman is known for, that's disrespectful. It showed no class at all and maybe that comes from their coach," Tomlinson said.
"I wasn't going to go do anything, just tell the guys not to disrespect us on our own field. When you start to further disrespect us, that's just not how you react."
New England coach Bill Belichick, 13-2 in the playoffs entering Sunday's semi-final at Indianapolis, has made the Patriots into a dynasty but it was Pittsburgh which won last season's Super Bowl crown.
Tomlinson, who ran for 123 yards and two touchdowns in a losing cause, had little sympathy.
"Just disappointment, that's the initial thought," Tomlinson said. "When you are a three-time Super Bowl champion I wouldn't think you would need to act that way. That was the way they reacted to it. We can't do anything about it."
Tomlinson set a one-season NFL record with 31 touchdowns and won the NFL rushing crown with 1,815 yards. But he will not play for a championship.
"We're going to be back," Tomlinson vowed. "This was disappointing but I believe next season we will be one of the teams competing for that Super Bowl spot."
Just had to rub it in didnt ya :p.
yep. I guess I'm a poor sportsman too.
Now now, the chargers lost that game more than the patriots won it. SO many silly mistakes on the field, martyball was no where to blame.
Fumbling an interception after the 4th down??
Fumbling the return and making a rookie mistake of not falling on the ball?
That stupid roughing penalty that gave the patriots the 1st down the needed?
what was with giving up a timeout to contest a play which had no chance of reversal?
LT Is a hell of a player who I, as a Patriots fan, had a LOT of respect for until about 8:00 Sunday night.
I forgot about that, but there were 3 other big #@$@ ups by the random players.
Big Baby needs to get over it.
Troy Brown stripped the ball...heads up play on his part. Poor coaching and fundamentals on SD part. The defender should have knocked the pass down or dropped to the ground after the interception.
Fumbling the return and making a rookie mistake of not falling on the ball?
Again, smart coverage by the Patriots.The first man on coverage drilled the return man so he could not get another chance to recover his own fumble. The second Patriot went right for the ball. Excellent coaching and execution.
That stupid roughing penalty that gave the patriots the 1st down the needed?
Running his mouth and following up with a head butt. He did a Marty meltdown under pressure. This team has as much potential, if not more, than any team in the NFL. Don't squander it on this loss. Learn from it and move on.
I really thought you guys were on the track to win until two minutes before the half, then it was downhill from there for the chargers. I agree its not just how well the winning team played but how well the losing team didn't play.
It wasn't smart coverage by the patriots, they were just running toward the ball like any normal team would. They just had the good fortune to have parker fumble the return and forget to fall on it like a fool.
ALl your post points out is that it wasn't the superiority of the patriots that won the game, but the stupidity of some of the charger players who lost it.
Have a nice day.
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