Wildfires Impact LT, Chargers

He was an architect of the modern offense

(AP) - Don Coryell, one of the founding fathers of the modern passing game, has died. He was 85. The San Diego Chargers confirmed Coryell died yesterday at Sharp Grossmont Hospital in suburban La Mesa.The team did not release the cause of death, but Coryell has been in poor health for some time. "We've lost a man who has contributed to the game of pro football in a very lasting way with his innovations and with his style," Hall of Famer, and Coryell protege, Dan Fouts said from Oregon. More»

Shawne Merriman accused of choking her

(NEWSER) - Police arrested San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman today after he allegedly choked his reality-TV star girlfriend, Tila Tequila, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. She signed a complaint charging Merriman with battery and false imprisonment, and said he choked her when she tried to leave their house this morning. Tequila, whose real name is Tila Nguyen, is known for her now-canceled dating show, A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila. More»

(NEWSER) - The Astros-Padres game yesterday in San Diego drew a crowd of 23,284—and thousands of bees. Padres left fielder Kyle Blanks sighted the swarm in the top of the ninth and tried to signal the umpire, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. "I saw Kyle walking toward the infield and I wondered 'Where's he going?,'" says center fielder Scott Hairston. "Then I saw the bees and took off running." More»

Each game this round is a rematch, but don't expect similar results

(NEWSER) - All four match-ups for next weekend's NFL playoffs are been-there, done-that this season, but the outcomes aren't necessarily givens, USA Today reports:

• Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco's interceptions helped the Titans as much as Kerry Collin's 80-yard touchdown drive in defeating the Ravens, but Flacco's seen a lot of play since then.

One official will look under hood, another will be stenographer

(NEWSER) - The NFL is modifying its instant-replay policy after yet another botched call in a game, the New York Daily News reports. This much stays the same: Only one official will go under the hood to look at the replay. But another official will tag along with him, stand nearby, and act as a sort of official stenographer. He'll record the decision, the ball placement, and any other details. The idea is to cut down on confusion. More»