Chargerz Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 This guy is gonna be scary good!!!!!!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------- UNION-TRIBUNE May 30, 2006 K.C. ALFRED At 270 pounds, Shawne Merriman is trim and buff, having added 10 pounds of muscle while reducing fat. “I have not got to push him to his limits yet,” Mel Menor, the smaller man, will say later. “I haven't made him cry, because I don't want to be picked up and slammed to the ground.” Shawne Merriman, a freakish combination of muscles and ability by any measure, was 10 minutes into a workout at The Boxing Club, and it was both comical and agonizing to watch. Merriman did not have to be there, could have been so many other places, had so many other things to do. The NFL's 2005 Defensive Rookie of the Year has taken up boxing on his way to stardom. The Chargers linebacker is not interested in actually fighting, just in becoming a better football player. “I can guarantee you 110 percent nobody in the league is doing this kind of workout,” Merriman said. “It gets tough. You think you don't have it in you; you have to find a way to finish it.” That particular day's Menor-inflicted hell began with Merriman jumping rope for three minutes. Menor then called Merriman out of the ring and had him punching at air while striding up and down the floor holding small weights. Immediately after that, Merriman dropped to do push-ups. Then it was back in the ring, pausing only to put on boxing gloves. He spent the next several minutes moving in circles while punching mitts worn by Menor, a two-time Muay Thai kickboxing world champion. By the time that first round was finished, Merriman's shirt resembled a wet rag. Before the workout was complete, he would repeat that exercise with Menor three times. Between each round he did dozens of pushups and sit-ups, at one point reeling off 25 crunches while Menor stood on his stomach. “He's got that drive, got that passion,” Menor said later. “He knows what he's got to do. He gets pushed, and he wants to push more.” While the on-field outcome of this new regimen will have to wait, Merriman feels the results already. “I'm faster than I've ever been because I've cut so much body fat,” he said. “I feel so much better. It's scary. I scare myself sometimes how I am.” One look at Merriman reveals stunning progress. He has added 10 pounds of muscle while trimming body fat. The other day coach Marty Schottenheimer was shocked to find out Merriman was up to 270 pounds and promptly told his young star he did not look it. “It's a different 270 this year than the 270 I was last year,” Merriman said. When he arrived – belatedly – to last summer's training camp, Merriman was a bit flabby and certainly not in shape as he suffered through a series of minor injuries that postponed the start of his season. He firmed up and trimmed down by midseason, and his 10 sacks and seven tackles for loss left no question as to his fitness. But it is already clear Merriman is never satisfied and never shy about saying so. “I don't think I played that well (last season) compared to what I can do,” Merriman said. “I'm going to be a lot better this year. It's not even going to be close.” When Merriman speaks this way, there no longer is an urge to raise an eyebrow or need to suppress a chuckle. To date, pretty much everything he has said about how good he wanted to be has come true. Even as he held out of workouts last spring and summer, he said he would quickly earn his teammates' respect. He was speaking up in team meetings by midseason and was respected as a veteran by December. He said he was tough. During the season he played the final few downs of a game in November with a dislocated wrist and finished the season playing with a cast on his arm and bursitis in his knee. He said he would prove to be the best player taken in last year's draft and then went out and won the league's Defensive Rookie of the Year award and made the Pro Bowl. Even speaking specifically, he turned out to be prophetic. Mired in a three-game stretch without a sack, Merriman said before last season's game at Indianapolis that he had been watching extra film and working at more efficiently getting off blocks. “You'll see a big difference Sunday,” he said. That Sunday he sacked Peyton Manning twice, running over linemen a couple of times as if they were not there. He also forced Manning to intentionally ground the ball at a crucial point in the fourth quarter and ran the quarterback out of bounds on a fourth-and-goal. He finished the season leading the team in sacks and making it to the Pro Bowl – the fourth-youngest ever to do so – despite missing the season opener with a knee injury, barely playing in the second game and not making the starting lineup until the seventh game. He continues to stay busy with business ventures, television appearances and even a possible foray into acting. But just as his many off-the-field demands during the season had no adverse effect on his play, his offseason schedule does not seem to have impeded his development. The Chargers brass has acknowledged there was concern, or at least an unknown and uneasy feeling, about Merriman's diverse interests last year. No more. It is clear he loves football and is dedicated to making himself the best. “That's what I love to do,” he said. “You have to remember what got you here. You can't lose sight of your passion, your love. No matter how much money I make, how many cars I have, how many houses I buy or whatever else I do, football is No. 1. I can't wait to turn it up this year.” Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Posted May 31, 2006 Share Posted May 31, 2006 270? Starting to sound like a DE. And that's OK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chargerz Posted May 31, 2006 Author Share Posted May 31, 2006 270? Starting to sound like a DE. And that's OK. 1492268[/snapback] But quick as a cat!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Posted May 31, 2006 Share Posted May 31, 2006 But quick as a cat!!!! 1492617[/snapback] For IDP at DE with LB tackles can be great, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loyalboyd Posted May 31, 2006 Share Posted May 31, 2006 If this guy was in a 4-3 he would be the next Keith Bullocks. This man is a true freak of nature. I see him having 10 sacks this yr again easy if not more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Posted June 1, 2006 Share Posted June 1, 2006 If this guy was in a 4-3 he would be the next Keith Bullocks. This man is a true freak of nature. I see him having 10 sacks this yr again easy if not more. 1493805[/snapback] He had 10 last year and he only started game 7 on. Probably 15 for the season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swiss Cheezhead Posted June 3, 2006 Share Posted June 3, 2006 (edited) If this guy was in a 4-3 he would be the next Keith Bullocks. This man is a true freak of nature. I see him having 10 sacks this yr again easy if not more. 1493805[/snapback] Not quite. He's 35 pounds heavier. Merriman is like nobody else. Until now, we haven't seen a "prototype" for the 3-4 pass-rushing OLB. Merriman is it. He's going to dominate for a long time. Edit: As good as Ware is, Dallas was stupid to pass on Merriman. Edited June 3, 2006 by Swiss Cheezhead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Posted June 3, 2006 Share Posted June 3, 2006 Not quite. He's 35 pounds heavier. Merriman is like nobody else. Until now, we haven't seen a "prototype" for the 3-4 pass-rushing OLB. Merriman is it. He's going to dominate for a long time. Edit: As good as Ware is, Dallas was stupid to pass on Merriman. 1497302[/snapback] Swiss, any chance he will be listed as a DE eventually? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TecmoBeast Posted June 4, 2006 Share Posted June 4, 2006 This guy is a menace. For how small, quick he is... he can bullrush blockers backwards. He's going to be a Pro Bowl regular. I'm seeing his face everywhere already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swiss Cheezhead Posted June 4, 2006 Share Posted June 4, 2006 Swiss, any chance he will be listed as a DE eventually? 1497553[/snapback] Listed by whom? The Chargers? No. The team will always list him as a LB, since they run the 3-4 almost exclusively. Individual league rules will dictate which source determines his fantasy IDP position. I've seen guys like Willie McGinest and Demarcus Ware listed as DEs in some leagues and LBs in others. I think they should all be listed as what they primarily are -- linebackers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Posted June 10, 2006 Share Posted June 10, 2006 SCOUTING REPORT: SLB Shawne Merriman has gone from being a freak to a monster. He has added 10 pounds while trimming down and appears as fast as ever. He has worked this offseason with a boxing instructor to improve both his hands and his endurance. He has spent many hours in the film room (at the team's complex and at his home) watching for ways he can improve in coverage. With a healthy Steve Foley on the opposite side drawing the offense's attention as well, Merriman appears poised to improve on his stellar rookie season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swiss Cheezhead Posted June 10, 2006 Share Posted June 10, 2006 SCOUTING REPORT: SLB Shawne Merriman has gone from being a freak to a monster. He has added 10 pounds while trimming down and appears as fast as ever. He has worked this offseason with a boxing instructor to improve both his hands and his endurance. He has spent many hours in the film room (at the team's complex and at his home) watching for ways he can improve in coverage. With a healthy Steve Foley on the opposite side drawing the offense's attention as well, Merriman appears poised to improve on his stellar rookie season. Source? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chargerz Posted June 11, 2006 Author Share Posted June 11, 2006 SCOUTING REPORT: SLB Shawne Merriman has gone from being a freak to a monster. He has added 10 pounds while trimming down and appears as fast as ever. He has worked this offseason with a boxing instructor to improve both his hands and his endurance. He has spent many hours in the film room (at the team's complex and at his home) watching for ways he can improve in coverage. With a healthy Steve Foley on the opposite side drawing the offense's attention as well, Merriman appears poised to improve on his stellar rookie season. Source? How about the article I posted at the start of this thread?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazysight Posted June 11, 2006 Share Posted June 11, 2006 How about the article I posted at the start of this thread?! He meant the other guys source. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Posted June 11, 2006 Share Posted June 11, 2006 (edited) Source? All you had to do was Google it. Chargers team report. From same paper as Chargerz' post. Kevin Acee San Diego Union-Tribune Edited June 11, 2006 by Randall Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swiss Cheezhead Posted June 11, 2006 Share Posted June 11, 2006 All you had to do was Google it. Chargers team report. From same paper as Chargerz' post. Kevin Acee San Diego Union-Tribune Why should I have to Google it? You should always cite your sources. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Posted June 11, 2006 Share Posted June 11, 2006 Why should I have to Google it? You should always cite your sources. I don't come in that often. It would be faster. Or PM me to get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 "Shawne Merriman, the NFL's defensive rookie of the year, has had a busy offseason. But for the 272-pound linebacker, the highlight has been working out in the weight room. "I dropped my body fat from 13 percent to 4 percent," he said. http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2006/06/12...61106201034.txt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chargerz Posted June 13, 2006 Author Share Posted June 13, 2006 (edited) "Shawne Merriman, the NFL's defensive rookie of the year, has had a busy offseason. But for the 272-pound linebacker, the highlight has been working out in the weight room. "I dropped my body fat from 13 percent to 4 percent," he said. http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2006/06/12...61106201034.txt Seriously, I feel bad for RB's, WR's, and QB's who have to face him. The guy's a beast!! Edited June 13, 2006 by Chargerz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbmcdonald Posted June 15, 2006 Share Posted June 15, 2006 Seriously, I feel bad for RB's, WR's, and QB's who have to face him. The guy's a beast!! I have Both Merriman and Edwards in the HFA Dynasty League. I think that Edwards being traded would improve the prospects for both of them, what does anyone else think about that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keggerz Posted June 15, 2006 Share Posted June 15, 2006 I have Both Merriman and Edwards in the HFA Dynasty League. I think that Edwards being traded would improve the prospects for both of them, what does anyone else think about that? apples and oranges...if edwards were to leave merriman would still man his same position Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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