Appeal lag keeps at least one starting OLB on field

October 26, 2006

Oliver Stone can cancel the movie. It's just coincidence.

Yes, by appealing his pending four-game suspension for violating the league's steroid policy, linebacker Shawne Merriman will be allowed to play in at least the Chargers' next two games. And, yes, fellow linebacker Shaun Phillips will miss at least one of those games.

But Merriman said there's no conspiracy. He's not waiting for Phillips to return before accepting his punishment.

"The appeal was already set," Merriman said yesterday after practice.

Questioned by reporters for nearly 10 minutes, Merriman confirmed he tested positive for the anabolic steroid nandrolone, which he believes was in a nutritional supplement he has been taking for some time.

"It definitely wasn't intentional at all," Merriman said. He declined to name which supplements he was taking or which one he thought might have contained nandrolone, although he did say he has changed the routine he's been following since he entered the league last year.

"I don't take any kind of protein shake or the same thing that I've been taking because I don't know exactly what I even did wrong yet," he said. "When I find out, I obviously can do something about that."

Merriman tentatively is scheduled to have his appeal heard Nov. 7, which means he would be able to play Sunday against St. Louis and Nov. 5 against Cleveland.

If his suspension begins with the Nov. 12 game at Cincinnati, Merriman would miss games against the Bengals, Broncos, Raiders and Bills before returning for the Dec. 10 game against Denver. If the penalty were delayed another week, until the Nov. 19 game at Denver, it would mean Merriman would miss both of the Chargers' games against the division-leading Broncos.

Asked if he wouldn't rather get the suspension over with now, Merriman said, "And take me off the field? What am I going to do? Be away from football? I don't want to be away from football at any given time. I'm just fortunate enough to be on the field right now with my teammates and playing. I'll let the rest play out."

Several players and coach Marty Schottenheimer said they would not allow Merriman's situation to be a distraction.

"I don't think it's something that we can't deal with," Schottenheimer said. "This is a part of life in America and professional sports. It's unfortunate, but we'll move forward."

Oben practices Nearly one year after he first injured his left foot, and several months after undergoing two surgeries, tackle Roman Oben practiced yesterday. The Chargers have three weeks to decide whether to activate him off the physically unable to perform list, but Oben is hoping to be ready for the Cincinnati game.

"I was a little rusty," he said. "I felt good to just be out there doing stuff with the team. It's definitely a process."

Oben said he's not thinking about whether he would start upon his return. Rookie Marcus McNeill has played well in his place.

"My battle is against myself and getting myself healthy, not against Marcus or against showing the coaches I can get back on the field," Oben said. "That's the way I look at it. It's a long season, and I have to get myself ready to help us win."

Nuts 'n' Bolts About 1,000 tickets must be sold by 1:05 p.m. today in order to lift the blackout and allow Sunday's game to be televised locally.

Phillips and defensive end Igor Olshansky did not practice and will not play Sunday. Guard Mike Goff (finger) also missed practice, but said he will return today and play against the Rams.

Merriman enjoyed a laugh after practice when Philip Rivers talked to reporters while wearing a Maryland T-shirt. Seems the two made a wager on the Maryland-North Carolina State game last week, and when the Terps won, Rivers had a new shirt. "I had the shortest pair of N.C. State gym shorts you could imagine he was going to have to wear, but we didn't come through," Rivers said.

Source: http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/chargers/20061026-9999-1s26chnotes.html