Brent Schrotenboer of the SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE reports today that San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman, currently a holdout from training camp, is suing a company owned by former Duke basketball players Christian Laettner and Brian Davis for $3.64 million - and $998.76 per day in interest.

The litigation stems from a loan Merriman and his company, S.M. Real Estate, provided to Laettner and Davis’ real estate development company, BD Ventures.

Merriman originally sued BD Ventures in federal court in April, 2009, noting that the loan had not been repaid in full.  On Monday, Merriman filed an affidavit in Maryland  requesting that a judge “make a summary judgment in his favor.”

As part of the affidavit,  Merriman wants a piece of Laettner and Davis’ real estate and business ventures: Read more…

Late last week, SoCal network television station San Diego 6 aired an on-camera interview with Tila “Tequila” Nguyen that included some beyond-explosive accusations about Shawne Merriman’s lifestyle that hasn’t gotten much coverage in the national media.

(San Diego Network TV Station gave Nguyen legit platform last week)

Nguyen told San Diego 6 that Merriman’s brother Jay “manufactures” a special form of ecstasy in one of Shawne’s homes, which is designed to go undetected by NFL drug tests.

She also claimed Merriman was a “pedophile” who has sex with minors.

Read more…

Earlier today I posted that San Diego’s XPRS-AM radio reporter Marty Caswell reported there was a rumor going around Invesco Field in Denver that Broncos Coach Josh McDaniels had “taunted” the Chargers linebackers before the Broncos lost to San Diego 32-3.

Chargers Linebackers Shawne Merriman and Stephen Cooper confirmed to Caswell after the game that McDaniels had indeed taunted them, with the coach reportedly saying to the San Diego linebackers group, “We own you guys.”

Cooper and Merriman weren’t the only Chargers reacting to McDaniels. Caswell reports that Chargers linebacker Shaun Phillips was next to pile on the coach. Read more…

• Charles Barkley has some relationship advice for Shawne Merriman: “You don’t get your women from reality TV.”

• Well, Jay Cutler’s debut for the Chicago Bears could have gone better.

• Fox Sports reporter Chris Myers compares Larry Foote’s jersey from the Steelers to the Lions to going from dating Beyonce to Whoopi Goldberg.

• Michelle Wie’s blog is worth checking out - if only for the leather skirts.

• Jim Tressel says Ohio State fans are unhappy & miserable. And William Rolle sort of proves the coach’s theory.

Read more…

• Jay Culter’s debut as Chicago’s QB was completely em-Bear-assing.

• A fired high school basketball coach decides to spend her new-found free time suing over the fact that girls have to play on school nights while the boys get to play on weekends.

• We knew the New Jersey Nets were losers, but we didn’t realize it was $50 million worth.

• It’s nice when a mother & daughter work together. It’s not so nice when they’re working together to beat up a cheerleading coach.

• Utah’s Kyle Korver & Deron Williams jazz up a charity event with a little dodgeball action.

Read more…

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.

Read more…

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…

If anyone wanted to know the difference between college football and the NFL, you just needed to watch the two games last night. (At least the two that anyone cared about - sorry, Florda A&M at Winston-Salem State on ESPNU.) If you like offense, crazy plays and wild comebacks, then the Clemson at Georgia Tech game was for you. But if you prefer low-scoring, hard-hitting football that’s kind of not very exciting until the final five minutes, then the NFL kickoff game between Pittsburgh and Tennessee was for you. (Sorry, is my bias showing?)

First let’s talk about the Steelers’ 13-10 overtime victory. Plainly put, Pittsburgh had no reason to win this game. They could not run the ball, gaining a whopping 33 yards. (Note to the guy in my fantasy league bragging about “stealing” Rashard Mendenhall: eat it.) And between Jeff Reed almost shanking the game-tying 32-yard field goal into the offensive line’s backsides and Hines Ward fumbling after a reception took him inside the Titans’ five with a minute to go, they were teetering on disaster. 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.

Read more…