Expectations high as Chargers open camp

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Friday, Jul 25, 2008
By Casey Pearce, Chargers.com

Many fans refer to what took place at Chargers Park Friday morning as Christmas in July, the long awaited day when training camp opens and the new season officially begins.

Ironically, December and January were hot topics as the Chargers made their way off the field following their first full-squad practice Friday, but Bolts players were quick to turn the attention back to the present.

“Fans stop me a lot and ask me about the Super Bowl,” quarterback Philip Rivers said. “That’s the ultimate goal. There’s no denying that. But it’s a journey. We’re not going to win it today. It’s a long hard road to get there. Our focus is on having a good camp and getting better every day.”

Attention to detail will be a major point of emphasis for the Chargers as they open training camp. Players were very candid when asked about the “cart before the horse” analogy that they feel they’ve experienced in the past.

“There was so much hype last year and so much expectation,” Rivers said. “All through training camp it was, ‘Super Bowl!’ and we weren’t afraid to talk about it. I fell into that trap, too. It’s not that we weren’t focused, but it seemed like all the focus was on the ultimate goal rather than the little things.”

It’s understandable that a team coming off a trip to the AFC Championship Game, one that has won 46 games and three division titles in the last four seasons, enters the year with high expectations from the outside. But in a league that thrives on parity, one that sees the fate of its teams change so quickly, the Chargers are choosing to put the blinders on.

“The only expectations we have are to play as good as we can,” running back LaDainian Tomlinson said. “We know that if we do that we’ll be in good shape. That’s the only expectation we put on ourselves. It’s not to try to do what we did last year, not to try to win a championship. Obviously that’s our goal, but you can’t put those kinds of expectations on yourself because each year it gets harder.”

Instead of getting ahead of themselves Friday morning, Chargers players instead turned to the past. Several mentioned the hard lessons they learned from their 1-3 start a year ago and vowed to not let the same mistakes trip them up again.

“That’s what started us 1-3 last year,” linebacker Shawne Merriman said. “We came into the season after going 14-2 the season before and automatically assumed we were going to the Super Bowl. We’re thinking the opposite this year. We’re taking it one game at a time and looking for a faster start.”

The witty Rivers had some clever words to express his feelings on the different approach his team is taking this summer as opposed to that of a year ago.

“Subconsciously we took some things for granted,” Rivers said. “Maybe we overlooked the meat and potatoes part of the meal and were looking ahead for dessert. We were talking about December and January and we were still in July. It’s kind of crazy to think about it. We understand that it’s so far away, but the things we do now will help us.”

The work to attain the ultimate prize actually began months ago for the two-time defending AFC West Champions. The Chargers saw more than stellar participation in the team’s offseason program with players dedicating themselves to getting better.

“I saw a lot of guys in the whole offseason working,” Merriman said. “You never really see that many guys when it’s not mandatory working together to get better. We’re hungry.”

The Chargers will no doubt benefit from a long playoff run last January, one that provided a young roster with three postseason games and numerous new experiences. Both the struggles in September and successes in January gave the Bolts a new perspective.

“Last year we talked a lot about the big picture, but I’m not sure we understood it,” Rivers said. “Now we understand, ‘Let’s not worry about December and January right now.’ I think last year we got a taste of really what it’s going to take and now I think we’re out to get it but understand that it is a patient, long process. We’ve got to go play and take care of business and that starts today.”

Mike Nowak, Chargers.com

Philip Rivers and company understand the expectations but also understand the work it takes to achieve them.

	Chargers veterans report for Training Camp Chargers Veterans report for Training Camp on Thursday July 24, 2008. Play
	LT on training camp LaDainian Tomlinson talks about his knee and the first day of Chargers training camp. Play
	The Chargers' window LaDainian Tomlinson and Shawne Merriman discuss the Chargers' window of opportunity and their goals for 2008. Play
	Friday Training Camp: Norv Turner On Friday Head Coach Norv Turner comments on having all players back in camp and on rookie CB Antoine Cason first day of practice. Play
	Friday Training Camp: Antoine Cason Chargers 1st round draft pick Antoine Cason talks to the media about his first day of practice in the NFL. Play
	Friday Training Camp: LaDainian Tomlinson RB LaDainian Tomlinson talks about the Chargers upcoming season and how he spent his time in the off-season. Play
	Friday Training Camp: Shawne Merriman LB Shawne Merriman comments on how happy he is to get back on the field and to start a new season. Play