NFL: Seau wants to leave San Diego!!

[Imran Siddiqui]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/news/2003/03/14/seau_chargers/

SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Junior Seau's agent has been given permission to seek a trade with another team, apparently ending the star linebacker's 13-year run as leader of the San Diego Chargers.

If his agent isn't able to make a deal, Seau expects to be released, he told the San Diego Union-Tribune.

"It's definitely good and bad," Seau said. "It's time for us to part ways. There will be some disgruntled people and disgruntled fans, but it was time."

Neither Seau nor Chargers executives were available for comment.

However, the director of Seau's charitable foundation, Bette Hoffman, confirmed the move.

"It is true," Hoffman said. "He just feels that it's time to part ways with the Chargers."

Seau was named to his 12th Pro Bowl last season, but missed the all-star game after undergoing surgery for an ankle injury that bothered him most of the season. He missed three games and part of another because of the injury.

"Look, this is not easy for me," coach Marty Schottenheimer told the Union-Tribune. "Junior Seau embodies everything you want in a player -- work ethic, dedication, passion. But we felt this was something we needed to do, and we wanted to do it right.

"That's why we extended the courtesy to Junior and his representative to try to see if there's a trade that can be reached."

Seau was a first-round draft pick in 1990 out of Southern Cal.

What the Hell is going on over there? Seau wants to be traded or released? Did Schottenheimer totally chew him out in the offseason or something?!

[Charlemagne120]

hes carrying the lightning bolts so if junior leaves they are done

[Drake Tungsten]

What the Hell is going on over there?

Seau has Barry Sanders Syndrome. He's realized that he's wasted his career playing for a **** team and wants to get out. I can't say I blame him...

[Imran Siddiqui]

Yeah, but San Diego is on its way up now! This seems like a wierd time to jump ship, with the Chargers signing Boston to make their offense more dynamic.

Chances are he'll end up with some team that has less of a Super Bowl chance than the Chargers.

[SlowwHand]

Stupid time to leave.
Chargers getting it together, finally, and this guy wants to bail.
Too many tackles leading with the helmet.

[MichaeltheGreat]

The Chargers are a definite ways away from being Superbowl winning material, and Seau's injury is pretty well career limiting - he probably doesn't have that much time left in his career, another season or two, and for the Chargers, they have to evaluate the value of keeping on a limited duty linebacker getting up in years, versus opening up the roster spot. Seau wants to be more than a backup LB for a "maybe, if we get real lucky" team.

I think both sides are looking at it the same way - Junior's future with SD is limited both in time and role, and he's done enough for the franchise that he deserves the chance to make the best deal for himself that he can, to see if he can get a Super Bowl ring.

[Imran Siddiqui]

True that, MtG, but the problem is in finding a champion caliber team that has cap room and needs a LB. I don't see that many out there. Of course Oakland could always pick him up .

[SlowwHand]

Probably the case.
I think some underestimate the coming year for the Chargers. Including Seau.

[Ted Striker]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
True that, MtG, but the problem is in finding a champion caliber team that has cap room and needs a LB. I don't see that many out there. Of course Oakland could always pick him up .

That's probably where he is headed.

[Dinner]

My guess is Saeu's chain of restaurants isn't going to do very well once the fans hear about this. It was over priced with few people in it to begin with but now even the die hard foot ball fames are going to stop going.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Ted: Can Oakland afford him? I mean with shiny new contracts to the WRs?

New NEWS! Apparently SD also was behind this. I'm getting mixed signals on whether Seau wanted to leave or the Chargers pushed him out the door.

[Joseph]

The Raiders would be stupid not to take him.

[Imran Siddiqui]

But once again, can they afford him? I remember reading that they are like $30 million OVER the cap. They can only whittle down so much.

[Ted Striker]

They'll find a way and a guy like Seau will take a pay cut if he feels like he's on a contender's team.

Oakland would be the perfect fit for him.

[mactbone]

The San Diego Union-Tribune reports that linebacker Junior Seau has played his last game with the Chargers.

Seau, a 12-year veteran who was taken by the Chargers in the first round of the 1990 draft, has received permission to seek a trade. If no trade materializes, he'll likely be released.

"It's time for us to part ways," Seau said. "There will be some disgruntled people and disgruntled fans, but it was time. I have so many great memories from my time in San Diego, but I look forward to the challenge ahead. I have no regrets about what was done. I wish everyone the best."

Coach Marty Schottenheimer said it was an "organizational decision" to allow the 34-year-old Seau to look for a trade.

"Look, this is not easy for me," Schottenheimer said. "Junior Seau embodies everything you want in a player – work ethic, dedication, passion. But we felt this was something we needed to do, and we wanted to do it right. That's why we extended the courtesy to Junior and his representative to try to see if there's a trade that can be reached."

Translation: If he wasn't one of the most beloved players in the history of the franchise, he would've been tossed in the street like last week's garbage.

Seau said that he already has talked to two teams about a possible trade. Still, it's obvious that Seau doesn't want to leave, especially since the Chargers are building a solid foundation for short-term (and long-term) success.

"There's something hidden between the lines here," Seau said. "It just doesn't make any sense. But there's nothing that I can say that is negative. It's definitely going to be different. But I look forward to carrying on somewhere else."

Class act. Not many players can be so gracious when the plug is pulled prematurely.

In our view, the Chargers will regret this one, especially if they see Seau on the opposing sideline twice in 2003, wearing silver and black.

This makes it sound like the Chargers weren't interested in keeping him around and are letting him shop.