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SCHOTTENHEIMER SOUR ABOUT LEMON DEAL
Earlier this week, we reported that some members of the Chargers' organization were "livid" about the team's decision to trade third-string quarterback Cleo Lemon to the Dolphins.
As it turns out, a pretty key member of the operation didn't like it.
The head coach.
According to Jay Glazer of FOXSports.com, Marty Schottenheimer didn't know about the trade until it happened.
To make matters worse, Schottenheimer told the team that he had no idea the trade was coming -- and that he wasn't happy about the decision.
This development doesn't bode well for the relationship between Schottenheimer and G.M. A.J. "Smiling is for ******* . . . and *****" Smith. Nor should it.
Really, why in the hell would Smith send a guy packing without at least giving the coach a head's up? Whatever the excuse, the G.M. failed to give the head coach basic respect.
And that's not good. It's a sign of a power struggle in the organization, and it surely will cause the players and staff to push their loyalties in one direction or the other.
Of course, Schottenheimer didn't make things any better by undermining Smith in front of the team.
From what we've heard, the Lemon trade has its roots in a tug-o-war between Smith and Schottenheimer regarding former backup Doug Flutie and Lemon. Flutie was Smith's guy, and Lemon was Schottenheimer's guy. The team kept four quarterbacks a year ago primarily because the head coach wanted to keep Lemon around.
So the decision of Smith to ship to South Florida without telling Schottenheimer is even more of a slap in the head coach's face than it might appear at first glance.
The other problem here is that, if Smith is willing to trade Lemon behind Schottenheimer's back, the coach and the team now likely will waste mental and emotional energy worrying about what else Smith is doing.
Marty was on thin ice before last year's sudden resurgence, and he was the coach before Smith inherited the G.M. gig when John Butler died. Our guess, then, is that Smith's next goal is to hire his own head coach.
To get there, however, the one who's already there needs to clear out. And Smith's ability to move Lemon without Schottenheimer's knowledge or input suggests that A.J. is in position to make it happen, if/when he chooses to do so.
Also, Jay Glazer's original report can be seen here:
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/5017814
Quote:
Marty sour on lemon deal: Keep an eye on the relationship between Chargers GM A.J. Smith and Chargers head coach Marty Schottenheimer. Chargers players say that this week, Schottenheimer addressed the team in a meeting  beginning with news to the entire squad that he had no idea about the Cleo Lemon trade. Schottenheimer informed the team that the deal was done without his knowledge, and the coach was clearly not happy about it.
Lemon isn't a big name but was very well liked inside that locker room.
PFT had originally reported that one of their sources told them that there were some folks within the Chargers organization that were not happy at all about Cleo Lemon being traded for a mere 6th round pick plus AJ Feeley. I asked Florio how solid he was on that source being right and he gave him an A- as opposed to the A+++ of the source that told him that Miami had been onto Lemon for months and viewed him in high regard.
Anyway, it turns out PFT was right. Lemon's backer was Schottenheimer...and I would take this news as a positive where it concerns Cleo Lemon.
The reason why all trades have to be viewed skeptically is because you have to ask the question, "Why are they trading him?" Generally the team with the player on their roster knows the player better than the team trying to trade for him, so you have to realize that when a team is trading a guy it has to be for a reason.
In this case, it would appear the coaches liked Cleo Lemon, he was well-liked in the locker room, but AJ Smith dealt him as part of a p!ssing match between Smith and Schottenheimer. Apparently, Lemon became the 4th QB on the roster last year because Schottenheimer wanted him over Flutie, and Smith wanted Flutie.
Again, this is not evidence that Cleo Lemon is GOING to be a good QB. This is merely chopping away one of the many things that cause questions about a guy.
