People around the league were slightly surprised by the outright release of Chris Chambers by the San Diego Chargers earlier this week. While the veteran receiver’s production was down significantly, releases in the middle of a season don’t happen that often, and the whispers were that there had to be something more going on.

(It’s a pretty woman’s mugshot. In the middle of a sports story. That’s never, ever a good sign.)

Boy howdy, was there ever. The woman shown above is one Stacey Saunders, a San Diego woman who, according to the SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, has allegedly been intent on ruining Chris Chambers’ family for the past few months. In police reports and divorce proceedings, Chambers and his soon-to-be ex-wife claim that after a brief affair with Chambers, Saunders has been harassing him and his wife over the phone and via text message, to the point that it led to a divorce and disrupted his ability to perform on the field. So off you go, sir.

If this sounds all a bit familiar, well, it should.

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Sunday in San Diego, the Chargers beat the Raiders for the 13th straight time, a bitter pill for the legions of SoCal Raider fans who made the annual journey south from (East) Los Angeles.

(NFL apparently is like Vegas to J-Russ and Cable: A game of “chance”)

With the lossthe Raiders dropped to 2-6, their playoff hopes out the window.

But despite Sunday’s result and the season’s circumstances, JaMarcus Russell wasn’t displeased with himself after the Charger loss. Nor was his coach. Read more…

A San Diego bail bonds company had a TV ad done up specifically for this week. One guess why:

(One guess which frame I threw in there.)

Video after the jump. Read more…

When Junior Seau said he retired to spend more time with his kids, of course he really meant cavorting with rodeo clowns and an enraged bull. Who wouldn’t do that if they were thinking of making a possible NFL comeback later this season?

I guess one’s resume is never complete without “Guest Rodeo Clown” somewhere in there. OK. But how do you explain to Belichick that you won’t be able to help during the playoff run because you have hoofprints on your ass? Video, of course, following the jump. Read more…

Typically, there are two types of people who trend toward voting Republican: rich people and Dixielanders. We’re sure you know people who don’t follow these trends - we do too - but it’s a trend that the numbers bear out year after year. It makes sense, really; Republicans have an agenda that favors lower taxes for the rich, and people in the South are dumb enough to listen to Glenn Beck. It’s all terribly rational.

(Their mascot? Rudy Giuliani, of course.)

So when it comes to a sport like the NFL with its enormous payrolls, you’d think the trend would be that they vote Republican overwhelmingly, right? It would make no sense that… oh wait, we’re being told… oh, that’s true? Damn, I took out my “Option A would make so much more sense than Option B, even though Option B” opening for nothing. Of all the rotten luck.

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You know the Bills have had a rough history when they can completely blow a game like they did last night, and you can think of like five worse that have happened to them over the years off the top of your head. Buffalo used a poorly-timed fumble on a kickoff that never should’ve been returned to come from ahead and lose to the Patriots, 25-24, in both teams’ season opener.

(These guys have three Super Bowl rings between them)

It wasn’t a completely devastating loss for the Bills (they were, of course, supposed to lose). It’s not like Vincent Gallo’s going to make a movie about it or anything. But at this rate, the people of upstate New York are just going to start hoping the team moves to Toronto so they don’t have to be so miserable all the time. They also should be happy to know that Brady told his New England teammates that he “knew” the Bills would let them back into the game late.

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As I do with most issues in life, I have reserved judgment on this whole Shawne Merriman-Tila Tequila controversy until I’ve heard what Charles Barkley has to say. As we learned on Friday, the San Diego District Attorney’s office dismissed the case against Merriman, in which Tequila, real name Tila Nguyen, accused the Chargers’ star of choking her and throwing her to the ground.

Barkley, on ESPN Radio in Dallas, had some words of advice for Merriman. I’m not sure why — Barkley didn’t sound as if he knew exactly who Merriman was. But it was the first question he was asked, and he responded by bashing reality TV in general. Read more…

• Shawne Merriman & Tila Tequila have had quite the memorable week, haven’t they?

• Bengals QB Carson Palmer is worried that someone’s going to die in the NFL. Meanwhile, other Bengals QB Jordan Palmer has no worries about big brother’s USC squad beating the Buckeyes.

• Sounds like Danica Patrick will be racing over to NASCAR next year.

• Melanie Oudin had a great run at the US Open, although she could have done without the hotel eviction & her parents’ impending divorce.

• In the meantime, Novak Djokovic entertains the Flushing Meadows fans with his impression of John McEnroe - only to have the real deal come down & serve the Serb a lesson in an impromptu match.

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As the Tila Tequila-Shawne Merriman saga lurches forward, America is soberly reminded once again what it has wrought with its obsession with reality TV. If no one had watched “Shot at Love,” she’d still be Tila Nguyen, and none of this would be happening. Let this be a lesson to all of us.

Then again, we never would have had the Penthouse Forum-worthy story from yesterday, of how Merriman (allegedly) had a threesome in the works, and asked Tila to join in. This enraged the tiny reality star, who reacted the way most of us would: By getting naked and running outside. Now we may have official assault charges against Merriman (she says he choked her). And Tila is keeping the pressure on with multiple Tweets last night about her situation. Because you’ve got to win the public relations war before you can win in court. Read more…

• Threesomes, nudity, threatening to have sex with others - this Shawne Merriman-Tila Tequila story just keeps getting better & better!

• But sleeping around isn’t always so much fun - especially when it’s leading to the divorce of Melanie Oudin’s parents.

• The Dallas Cowboys are the hottest ticket in the NFL this year. It’s so hot, it’ll burn a $800-per-game hole in your wallet.

• Bode Miller wants to start his very own winery. Bottoms up!

• Ex-NFL lineman Orlando Brown breaks into his ex-wife’s house & trashes the place - but not before leaving a little present in her toilet.

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