Green Says the Hardest Part’s Over

“The hardest part is over and I’m ready to get on with my life.”

With those words, linebacker Mike Green checked into training camp Friday, putting an end to a stressful 10-day period that had begun with his arrest on drug charges and continued with a municipal court extending lenient treatment that was matched by Charger owner Alex Spanos.

“I’m ready to let the whole thing die the death that it should,” said the third-year linebacker, who will submit to random drug tests as a condition of reinstatement.

Green, the team’s leading tackler in 1983 and 1984, said he is about five pounds overweight, but in generally good physical condition.

He said he isn’t aware of any mental or emotional difficulties.

“I’m disenchanted with myself for putting my career, my job and my marriage in jeopardy,” he said, “and I respect Mr. Spanos for giving me a second chance.”

Green, declining to discuss the specifics of his case on the advice of his attorney, said the experience had been draining and unpleasant.

But he was touched to discover how many friends he had in the organization.

“A lot of people were behind me,” Green said. “And I’m just happy that Mr. Spanos is letting me come back when he could easily have gone the other way. I don’t want to let anyone down again.”

Green said he hopes the matter can now be put aside.

His teammates seem pleased to have back.

Linebacker Linden King, who last weekend called a meeting of players to discuss ways of combatting drug abuse and has been an outspoken critic of players getting special treatment, welcomed back Green.

“Mike’s a helluva player and I’m glad to have him back on the team,” King said. “I feel strongly against drug abuse, but I don’t see that Mike is getting special treatment. My main concern has just been to see that due process of law was followed.”

Green came back knowing a second drug episode would mean expulsion from the team, as Spanos made clear in a talk Thursday.