It was the twelfth of October 1989. Mike Lynn was on the phone with Jimmy Johnson and Jerry Jones. They were finalizing what has now become known as ‘The trade’. The trade which sent Cowboys running back Herschel Walker, to the Vikings with three conditional draft picks for three players and three straight up draft picks and five other conditional draft picks is recognized as one of the biggest trades in NFL history. The trade sent the Vikings from the ranks of post season contenders and propelled the Cowboys into three Superbowls. This is part of NFL history. We Charger fans have recently witnessed a trade that could very well turn into one that has a similar effect on two franchises. In 2004 the Chargers were entering the first full draft under new General Manager AJ Smith. Smith who took over in 2003 after the passing of friend John Butler and the draft as his friend had directed. 2004 though was his draft, and he started out by selecting Eli Manning as the number one pick. AJ selected Eli even though the Manning family had decided that the San Diego Chargers were not a worthy of a Manning, and said that their young child will not play for the San Diego Chargers. Eli, the highest an Ole Miss player has ever been picked. Soon after his selection, Manning was traded to the Giants for quarterback Philip Rivers (the No. 4 overall pick), a 3rd-round choice in 2004 and 1st and 5th-round choices in 2005 ending his hour long pout on national TV. Eli was happy, as was Philip Rivers, many new fans from the South Eastern US flocked to the Chargers, promising good things from their young QB. This trade propelled A.J. Smith to the NFL’s 2004 Executive of the Year by Pro Football Weekly, the Professional Football Writers of America (PFWA), FoxSports.com and CBS Sportsline.com has put his personal stamp on a team. Smith went on to further solidify the team in 2005 with the Giants draft picks picking up standout Line Backer Shawne Merriman, trade for Roman Oben and take kicker Nate Kaeding, who hit 87.5 percent of his field goal tries in 2005 (21 of 24) for the third-highest single-season conversion percentage in team history. Charger fans in 2006 are starting to see the effects of the trade as in the 13th week of the season the Sand Diego Chargers are tied for the best record in the NFL at 11-2, and are currently the number one seed in the AFC. For just the second time in team history, and first time in over two decades, Charger fans have a realistic chance of seeing a AFC Championship game in San Diego. While the New York Giants have regressed this season and the players find themselves in a position to be sitting at home before the fire in January. San Diego’s version of the trade is yet to be fully realized, but Charger fans are singing the praises of the team that AJ Smith has assembled, and look forward to the team continuing to grow. With the impressive young talent that AJ Smith has been able to assemble is partly due to the San Diego version of ‘THE TRADE’ and it has solidified not only the Chargers as a NFL powerhouse, but AJ Smith as one of the best GMs in the league.
Conc - Nice read !!! Here's a recent article on AJ, the trade, and his relationship with John Butler. I think it fits your excellent thread !!! Passing the torch Here's a clip from it ...... The Manning clan can spin all they want, with their three or four "variations" on what happened in those days when Archie visited and leading up to the trade. I'll put my trust in AJ. He's never lied to us.
The Mannings in all their 'wisdom' screwed lil Eli. I am gald, he is not half the QB Philip Rivers is!
That's the damn truth, and the NY media and fans now know it !!! This year feels different. Even better than '79 and '80. Let's keep the great ride going ..... SIX more wins and it will be done.
Just think, had Eli kept his mouth shut, we would of been stuck with him, NY would of had Rivers and Merriman. And we would of been sitting around here crying like we used to. Those days are over!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Too bad we could not of gotten 3 players also.
Very nice, Conc. It definitely ranks as one of the best (and worst) trades in NFL history. If one of you guys can find it, it would be cool to see who Dallas acquired with all those draft picks. I'd be surprised if they did better than Rivers/Merriman/Kaeding/Oben.
TK - A very good read on the trade, with all the players, picks, and movement. Dallas used some of the picks to trade up and down. San Diego was even part of the deal, due to a player not reporting after the trade.
Players selected with the actual picks traded to Dallas: 1990 1st Round (#21) TE Eric Green Pittsburgh 1990 2nd Round (#47) DT Dennis Brown San Francisco 1990 6th Round (#158) LB James Williams New Orleans 1991 1st Round (#11) OT Pat Harlow New England 1991 2nd Round (#38) DB Darryl Lewis Houston 1992 1st Round (#13) OL Eugene Chung New England 1992 2nd Round (#40) QB Matt Blundin Kansas City 1992 3rd Round (#71) RB Kevin Turner New England http://vikings.scout.com/2/11653.html
Six more wins and and lifetime of frustration is put to bed. Great article, Shammy. Geez, I go into shock whenever I see what the Vikings gave up for Herschel. Just amazing!
The end results of the Walker trade after 1992: Vikings: WR Jake Reed Cowboys: RB Emmitt Smith DT Russell Maryland CB Kevin Smith S Darren Woodson CB Clayton Holme The end result of the Manning trade after 2005: Giants: QB Eli Manning Chargers: QB Philip Rivers K Nate Kaeding LB Shawne Merriman OLT Roman Oben
There's no question that it was a trade that made San Diego what it is today as a powerhouse Here's the big question though; which was more important to the franchise? The Vick for Tomlinson trade or the Manning trade?
Nope next step beating KC! :icon_evil: 5 steps after that Super Bowl!:ABQ1: :icon_toast: :icon_twisted:
Amen brother . Amen. :yes: Beat the holy crapp out of k.c.. And especially for them calling the chargers soft. Thems fighting words.
In Oben, SD got above average left tackle play for over a season, and now he's quality depth for the playoff run (and hopefully for 2007). Would anyone trade Rivers straight up for Manning? Would anyone trade Merriman straight up for Manning? Not me, on either.
That would mean that it was like -40 with the wind chill in San Diego... I have never heard of an Ice Bowl game in sunny San Diego... 1981 AFC Championship Game San Diego Chargers - 7 Cincinnati Bengals - 27 (Played on January 10, 1982 at Riverfront Stadium) http://www.sportingchronicle.com/nfl/afcchampionship.html
Chargers lost at home in January '81 to Oakland, in the 1980 season playoffs. Chargers lost on the road in Cincy in the 1981 season playoffs (January '82).
