White Is Back and Rams Are Glad to Have Him : He Drops a Pass, but Teammates and Coaches Point Out His Contributions

It really didn’t matter--the dropped pass, that is. The game most likely was out of reach, and after all, it was just an exhibition game.

With fewer than 50 seconds remaining to play and the Rams trailing by four points, Charles White circled out of the backfield, presumably the prime target for quarterback Steve Dils. The Rams, faced with a fourth-down situation, needed five yards.

White, newly returned to the Ram lineup following his controlled-substance arrest eight days ago, was open. Dils hurried back into the pocket and threw to White, who then watched as the ball struck his hands and fell to the ground.

White grabbed his helmet in disbelief. He returned to the bench and stared at the ground.

It was an unnecessary ending to an otherwise pleasant evening. After an earlier Ram score, team owner Georgia Frontiere made a special trip to the bench and hugged Eric Dickerson, then White. The two talked for several minutes.

White was back in uniform, slightly out of the glare of the public eye, and doing what he says he enjoys best--playing football.

The dropped pass didn’t actually mean the Rams would have scored or even made a first down. As White botched his catch, Ram tackle Hank Goebel found himself the proud owner of a penalty flag, a result of a holding call.

White, as he sprinted off the field at game’s end, was forced to endure the taunts of fans. Twelve carries, 41 yards, two receptions and numerous blocks meant little to them.

Afterward, when asked if he would discuss the night’s events, White said: “No.”

White’s locker was vacant except for a game program and an unopened chocolate bar. He was gone within 10 minutes of the game’s end.

No problem. Ram players and coaches were more than willing to vouch for White’s importance.

Coach John Robinson pointed out that it was White who read a safety blitz, enabling quarterback Jim Everett to find Tim Tyrrell for a two-yard touchdown pass midway through the third period.

“We put (White) at fullback and he did a great job of blocking,” Robinson said. “On the touchdown pass (Bronco strong safety) Dennis Smith was blitzing, and Charlie just nailed him. It was a dramatic plug.”

Other compliments were forthcoming. This from cornerback LeRoy Irvin:

“I was glad to see Charlie in there, because everyone makes mistakes in their life. It’s good to see the league and the Ram organization be able to help a guy when he’s down, when he has a problem. Sometimes, problems don’t go away overnight. Just the fact that the league was there, and the Rams were there, and the players are with him . . . We just want to put it behind us. We want to make it a dead issue.

“Let bygones be bygones and let Charlie come back, work hard. He’s paid a high-enough price already.”

There were other supporters, including Dickerson, who gained some of his 62 yards behind White blocks.

“It was good to see Charlie back,” he said. “All of us have our problems, sure. I think Charlie deserves another chance.”

Said tight end David Hill: “When things like that happen, you’re always hoping for the best. The thing is, we basically have to go about things as usual. We’re all professionals and we all have our individual lives. Who are we to criticize anybody? I mean, Charles White is going to be a great asset to this team.”