When Shawne “Lights Out “Merriman’s career as a San Diego Charger began in 2005, he was labeled “The West Coast version of Lawrence Taylor,” and he was quoted as saying that he wanted to be better then Chargers all time great Junior Seau.
However, what started out as a success, ended in disappointment and sadness. Now, in 2010, Merriman has been released by the San Diego Chargers, and his stint with the team is over.
Merriman’s struggles after his successful 2005-2007 seasons can be traced through an understanding of who he is as a person, and the issues he had on and off the football field. Merriman’s time as a San Diego Charger is a prime example of how players and their loyalties with the communities and organizations they represent is no longer genuine.
Merriman’s upbringing in Upper Marlborough, Md., tells anyone what they would need to know about who Merriman is. Merriman grew up in a single-parent home, held his first job at the age of 12, had to deal with the tragedy of losing his house t...
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