Chad Ochocinco found a willing fight partner in Shawne Merriman

Yahoo! Sports

Wed Jun 24 04:13pm EDT

Chad Ochocinco found a willing fight partner in Shawne Merriman

I thought spending the offseason working out in a boxing ring would be a good thing for Chad Ochocinco. As it turns out, all it's done is make him want to fight everyone.

First, it was Solomon Wilcots, then Mike Golic, and now, Chad is stepping up in weight class with a challenge to San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman (notes). The last word currently belongs to Merriman, and he's presented it in video form:

Mr. Merriman does not appear to be kidding.

How did we get there? What is the "calling out" that Merriman speaks of? Here's the series of Chad's apparently unprovoked Merriman-directed tweets:

Somebody please tell Shawne Merriman thats is ass on Dec. 20th, relay the message to the rest of the D, especially Cromartie!!!!child please
@shawnemerriman damit i didnt stutter, i never held my tongue before, you heard me loud and clear, and we can get in the boxing ring to
CHILD PLEASE, is the word for the day, Shawne Merriman tryin to stop Ocho Cinco, CHILD PLEASE, better chance at finding Osama!!!
Headed to the boxing gym, deal with Mr. Merriman when i return, talking about ringing my neck out, yo lights gone be off permenantly!!!!
Damit people how do i get the camera on my mac book pro to work, its my turn to talk trash

We are all witnessing the evolution of NFL feuds, where pauses are mandatory so that the instigator can figure out how to work the camera on his MacBook Pro. It's a unique time, 2009.

In the unlikely event that these two ever do actually come to blows, my money's on Merriman.