GM AJ Smith: Chargers “soft and bewildered”

[Fireball77]

Smitty is a WR and not in a position of leadership. Standards for behavior to me have to do with that and nothing to do with race.

AJ Smith also called out LdT right after the offseason. I don't think it's cool myself. It's just how he is. It appears he is insulating himself from the product on the field a bit.

[Kevin Greene]

Smitty is a WR and not in a position of leadership. Standards for behavior to me have to do with that and nothing to do with race.

AJ Smith also called out LdT right after the offseason. I don't think it's cool myself. It's just how he is. It appears he is insulating himself from the product on the field a bit.

Hmmm, I think Jerry Rice might argue that, just because you're a WR doesn't give you carte blanche to act like T.O.

[Fireball77]

You mean the Jerry Rice who arrived in Seattle and asked that they unretire Steve Largent's # for him? Yes he asked Largent first but it never should have been asked IMO. Or maybe you mean the Jerry Rice who cried about the legitimacy of Randy Moss' record because of the amount of games Moss took to break it without mentioning that he, Rice, set his in a strike year mostly against TV repairmen and movers?

Most WRs are divas to an extent. Smitty's a diva, he even admits he's high strung. I do NOT applaud or excuse his smackdown of teammates one bit and I think it's awful. I agreed wholeheartedly with the suspension the team put him on.

The problem with TO is that he never admits he is/was wrong or behaved or played poorly. At least Smitty does that. TO just makes excuses.

[thefuzz]

I am with you FB on the fact that I would rather have my QB just shut up and play ball....at the same time I will take an on field jawer, over an off field "bus thrower underer".

I.E. Manning 1, McNabb, etc...

But back to the original point.

AJ was asked in the news how he felt his team was doing, he answered truthfully. Maybe he should have said "it is what it is" or "they get paid as well", but he didn't.

IMO AJ is not insulating himself, he is being critical of himself to the media, something that you rarely ever see in the NFL. When he said that's how people lose their jobs, he was speaking oh himself, Norv, and on down the line. Pretty sure the only people in SD with max job security are Sci Fi, Rivers, Jammer, Gates, and Sproles.

Am I am fan....not so sure. If it helps motivate the team (coaches included) then yes it will be a good thing. If there is a divide between FO and team, then it was a huge mistake.

I will say this, AJ has some serious balls, no doubt.

In the offseason, he admitted that he had to do his job much better, to bring in the talent to take them over the top. He said that the past couple of years that his drafts were not nearly as good for the team as they need to be. Thats ballsy.

[Fireball77]

I agree on the distinction too, Fuzz.

Fair enough on AJ. Glad to get another perspective from someone who follows it more closely than I.

[thefuzz]

I agree on the distinction too, Fuzz.

Fair enough on AJ. Glad to get another perspective from someone who follows it more closely than I.

Not saying that I am right about the AJ thing, just a gut feeling after following them for a while.

I will tell you this. I would take AJ Smith as my GM over almost every other one in the league.

[Fireball77]

What did you think of Butler? I liked that guy.

[Kevin Greene]

Not saying that I am right about the AJ thing, just a gut feeling after following them for a while.

I will tell you this. I would take AJ Smith as my GM over almost every other one in the league.

Smith has done a lot of great work in SD. Brokering the Manning deal, SD also had another great QB trade when they sent Mike Vick to the Falcons the year they drafted LT and Drew Brees.

Smith has made mistakes, keeping LT later in favor of Micheal Turner etc. The criticism of the team would have been better directed to the players in the locker room me thinks.

FB, the WR thing, I agree most are Primas, but a position on the football field shouldn't preclude your ability to lead.

[thefuzz]

What did you think of Butler? I liked that guy.

Butler was good, but made some pretty big mistakes.

Leaf, and Sammy Davis to name a couple.

He too was not scared to do his job, and had some really good drafts.

[thefuzz]

Smith has done a lot of great work in SD. Brokering the Manning deal, SD also had another great QB trade when they sent Mike Vick to the Falcons the year they drafted LT and Drew Brees.

Smith has made mistakes, keeping LT later in favor of Micheal Turner etc. The criticism of the team would have been better directed to the players in the locker room me thinks.

FB, the WR thing, I agree most are Primas, but a position on the football field shouldn't preclude your ability to lead.

The LT thing, I promise you was not a Smith decision. That came from the top. They will never say that, but if you listen to Smith long enough, you can tell that he didn't want that to happen.

There are some spots were Smith could have drafted a bit better over the past two years, but drafting for that team is very tough. There aren't many holes to fill on the roster. The biggest place where they need players is OL and NT. He got the best interior OL for their scheme this year, but NT's are very hard to find.

His ability to find UDFA's is pretty damn good.

[Kevin Greene]

The LT thing, I promise you was not a Smith decision. That came from the top. They will never say that, but if you listen to Smith long enough, you can tell that he didn't want that to happen.

There are some spots were Smith could have drafted a bit better over the past two years, but drafting for that team is very tough. There aren't many holes to fill on the roster. The biggest place where they need players is OL and NT. He got the best interior OL for their scheme this year, but NT's are very hard to find.

His ability to find UDFA's is pretty damn good.

Yeah, you'll remember the offseason when Smith again, blasted a player in the press this time mocking Tomlinson.

"My first reaction was we both have similar feelings," Smith said. "I have no intentions of leaving San Diego. San Diego is where my GM career started and where I'd like it to end. I also have nothing but love and the utmost respect for this team, the players and the Spanos family. I have absolutely no control over how long I will be with the Chargers.

"As for now, I am the Chargers' GM, and I have major decisions to ponder for the organization now and in the future. My recommendation to Dean Spanos will be what's in the best interest of the team – both short and long term. That's my job. That's what Dean hired me to do."

Right now the Falcons have a power running game, the Bolts don't, bad decision wherever it came form.

[Darth Hater]

Rivers is a damn fine qb and not the problem with the Chargers but to say he's not a douchebag because he's a father and a Catholic or whatever other BS reasons anyone of his jock sniffers can come up with is ridiculous.

[Purity-Control]

I don't really mind the GM calling out the team. But it should of been privately

[Panthro]

Rivers is a damn fine qb and not the problem with the Chargers but to say he's not a douchebag because he's a father and a Catholic or whatever other BS reasons anyone of his jock sniffers can come up with is ridiculous.

He's from Alabama.....there aren't any Catholics from there lol

and lol at using the defense that being a father or religious is anti-douchbaggery. I'm just saying I have met him numerous times, have friends who have met him socially and worked with him at NC States football program so I think my insight into his personality supercedes anyones youtube clips or espn highlights.