Another Disney Day on the Picket Line With the Chargers

Picture this picket line:

--Wes Chandler parking his BMW so close to the practice field that the bus carrying non-union players had to be re-routed.

--Charger officials threatening to tow Chandler’s car.

--The bus full of players accidentally knocking over a fire hydrant, water spraying 75 feet into the air.

--Rumors of a sniper, prompting police helicopters to survey the practice field.

--Tim Spencer holding his 1-year-old baby boy, Cole, in front of the oncoming players bus, hoping the bus would stop.

--Another player smashing the bus window with his fist.

--Elvis Patterson, a non-union player just a day ago, sitting with the union players during practice.

--Other non-union players going home.

--Chandler inviting all Charger fans to join his picket line.

All of the above happened Thursday on Day 3 of the National Football League players strike.

“I promised my children I’d take them to Disneyland this summer,” Charger Coach Al Saunders said. “But I didn’t have to, because Disneyland came to us.”

The day began rather quietly, with striking Chargers and non-striking Chargers holding separate, simultaneous practices. Only 32 players showed up for the striking Charger workout at UC San Diego, 10 fewer than Wednesday. And there should be even fewer today, since most of the players have made plans for the weekend. Wilson, for one, is going to see his alma mater, LSU, play Ohio State.

“I’ll be on the sideline with my picket sign,” he said.

Also, tight end Kellen Winslow made his first appearance at practice and on the picket line. Winslow said he somehow got his signals crossed with Chandler, the team player representative, and didn’t know where to go Wednesday. Thursday, he showed up at the practice wearing a St. Louis Cardinal baseball T-shirt. He didn’t practice, however, because he’d had his sore knee drained earlier in the day.

“The Cardinals are gonna lose out to the Mets,” punter Ralf Mojsiejenko kidded Winslow.

“How much you wanna bet?” Winslow said. “I’ll bet you this week’s paycheck.”

“What paycheck?” Mojsiejenko said.

The non-union practice was a tad more serious. For the first time, the players were given shoulder pads and told to hit each other. It was a tough workout. Afterward, 15 of the players were found sleeping in the locker room, some on the floor and some on couches.

But morning gave way to afternoon, which brought the dramatics. On Wednesday, the non-union bus had pulled directly up to the practice field gate, thus eliminating a confrontation with striking players. But on Thursday, Chandler parked his car right next to the gate.

Pat Curran, a former Charger tight end who is now the Charger business manager, told Chandler to move the car, but Chandler sat on the trunk and said: “Why? I’m in a legal parking space.”

“OK,” Curran said, “I’ll get the tow truck.”

The truck never came, but the non-union bus did. After knocking over the fire hydrant, it drove straight for the practice field gate. A group of 29 Charger players stood in front of the bus, including Spencer and his child.

The bus halted, then started, halted, then started. Eventually, it drove through the gate, but not before a window was smashed.

“I won’t be in front of that bus tomorrow,” Winslow said. “After seeing that driver find that fire hydrant, I figure he can find me, too. Listen, I think things have reached their peak. I think what we did today was more of a statement. I mean, no one came out here with shotguns. It just showed we’re not happy with things. Cooler heads will prevail.”

And, it is hoped, cooler fists. Several non-union players said it was Karl Wilson who smashed the window. Wilson, however, was unavailable for comment.

As for the sniper, Steve Ortmayer the Charger director of football operations--heard the rumor that someone had a gun. Police were summoned, but no sniper turned up.

Patterson, a starting defensive back with last year’s Super Bowl champion New York Giants, had practiced twice Wednesday with the non-union players and also Thursday morning. But he visited with Ortmayer Thursday afternoon and asked for the rest of the day off to think.

He spent his time with the striking Chargers. He sat with them watching practice. He said he would continue to attend non-union meetings, so he can learn the Charger defense. At the same time, he said he wasn’t sure he wanted to play in any games with the non-union players.

“I’m behind the players 100%,” Patterson said. “But I’ll practice occasionally.”

In other words, Patterson has been told by Ortmayer that he might be able to play for the Chargers after a strike and that it might be in his best interest to know the Charger terminology.

“After the strike, there are gonna be some guys that have a chance to stay,” Ortmayer said. “With (Patterson’s) experience in this league, I’d say he has a chance to be one of them.”

Other non-union players are getting fed up, though. Receiver Al Williams, who was cut by the Chargers in training camp, says he’s thinking of going home.

“I don’t like what’s going on,” he said. “I’m close to leaving. I mean, you wonder if the coaches are really looking at you for your talent. I really think I might give it up. This team and all the taunting that’s going on. It’s just weird. Everything’s weird. You can tell by the coaches’ reaction when somebody drops a pass or something. And when all those guys were picketing, I felt kind of bad being here.”

Running back Todd Spencer said: “But you’ve got to stay because you’re unemployed. It’s the best offer I’ve got right now. If I had a job, or could hit the lotto tomorrow, or if my parents were rich, I wouldn’t be here.”

Chandler watched their practice Thursday and invited all Charger fans to take a look, too.

“We encourage them to come on down,” Chandler said, “And if they do, I guarantee one thing: They’d walk in line with us, the real players. Let them take a look at this temporary team and see if that’s what they want. I doubt it.”

Saunders admitted no one has really impressed him yet.

“I don’t even know all their names yet,” he said.

Charger Notes

The Chargers added two players to their non-union roster: running back Gerald Harris, a 5-9, 200-pound running back from Georgia Southern, and wide receiver Danny Green, a 5-11, 195-pounder from the University of Washington. Also, Steve Ortmayer, director of football operations, was negotiating a contract Thursday with nose tackle Blaise Winter, who was cut during training camp.