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Shawne Merriman was in New York Wednesday to see a specialist and was pondering seeing another doctor today, as he and his advisers attempt to gather enough information to decide when and if he will play this season.

"It's finding out what do I need to fix, what I need to do," Merriman said by phone. "If it's left up to me, I want to play football. I can't stand sitting out."

Merriman's options for fixing what he said was a torn posterior cruciate ligament (among other issues) in his left knee range from doing nothing to having a surgery that would delay the start of his season to undergoing reconstructive surgery that would keep him out all season. Even as Merriman deals with his knee, he faces scrutiny back in San Diego.

General Manager A.J. Smith famously does not talk about "the Chargers' football business." And when Smith does comment on personnel matters, it is often in a sort of conundrum, but with a definite message buried not too far below the surface or between the lines. Asked  how he felt about Merriman's latest venture, wherein the linebacker will fly from San Diego to Los Angeles after practice each Thursday and tape a show about the NFL on Fox Sports Net, Smith said this:

"My feeling about any of his off-the-field activities will be between me and Shawne. Shawne has many, many activities off the field, and that's his business, along with his agents, marketing people, publicist and business partners. My only hope is that he remembers his high-level football performance is what drives his off-the-field attraction."

Source: Union Tribune