San Diego Super Chargers!

Of course, it's easy to be such an impact defensive player when you're on the juice. Couldn't have come at a worse time for San Diego.

Sources: Chargers' Merriman suspended for steroids

Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman has been notified he will be suspended for four games for violating the NFL's steroids and related substances policy, league and team sources told ESPN's Chris Mortensen.

Merriman's positive test was "definitely for steroids … not one of those supplement deals" said a source with knowledge of Merriman's suspension.

Merriman's suspension originally was to be announced last Tuesday when two other players -- the Falcons' Mark Lehr and the Lions' Shaun Rogers -- were suspended for violating the policy. But Merriman reserved the right to appeal his suspension, so it was not announced.

Neither the Chargers, nor Merriman, could be reached for comment Sunday night.

Merriman's suspension is the latest on a laundry list of on- and off-the-field issues coach Marty Schottenheimer has had to deal with this season.

From a strictly football standpoint, Merriman's four-game absence decimates a San Diego defense already reeling from injuries.

Linebacker Steve Foley was shot in the leg by a off-duty police officer on Sept. 3 and was subsequently placed on injured reserve. Foley's replacement, Shaun Phillips, injured his right calf in Sunday's 30-27 loss to Kansas City and will be out four to six weeks.

In addition, linebacker Igor Olshansky is out after having arthroscopic knee surgery and is likely to miss a month.

Off the field, the situation has been at least as devastating.

Safety Terrence Kiel is currently facing five felony drug charges relating to the shipping and possession of large quantities of prescription cough syrup, which is a controlled substance. Although Drug Enforcement Administration investigators said Kiel admitted he shipped at least two packages and knew of the contents, Kiel pleaded not guilty at his arraignment earlier this month.

Foley, meanwhile, has been charged with two counts of misdemeanor DUI stemming from his confrontation with an off-duty Coronado police officer.

Police said that Foley, who, according to his agent, David Levine, is currently unable to walk or stand without assistance, had been partying in downtown San Diego and registered a blood-alcohol level of .233 percent, nearly three times California's legal limit of .08 percent.

The charges carry enhancements that include being charged with DUI within 10 years of a prior conviction and having a blood-alcohol level exceeding .15.

Foley has been arrested at least five times since 1999, including cases that police say involved alcohol and confrontations with officers.

 

You can't stop the San Diego Chargers.
You can only hope to contain them.

 

Makes me feel a bit better about the Cowboys taking Ware over him.

 

get OUT!!!! A football player on steroids? But...but...their testing program is so stringent and strict! Paul Tagliabue said so and Congress is still licking his ball sac!!!! NOT FOOTBALL!!!!!

 

It will be interesting to see how the American sports media covers this, as compared to the shrieking, 24-hours-a-day coverage of baseball steroid use.

 

I'd just like to see AP get SOMETHING on it soon.

 

Yea unlike baseball football actually has a program and people are caught. The fact is if no one ever was caught using steroids or other banned substances you would question whether the program was working. Players are always going to cheat and try to get around tests, the proof that a program is working is that players actually test positive.

 

Since you are unfamiliar with sarcasm, I shall close the register.

 

Holy fucking shit you are stupid.

Baseball doesn't have a program? Tell it to Ryan Franklin or Alex Sanchez.

You're so fucking stupid. I find it hard to believe you can even turn the computer on without some serious guidance.

 

Paul Tagliabue would solve this problem by moving the Chargers' games to the Meadowlands.

 

That is outstanding work, DP.

 

Just moved, shotty.