Charger Notebook : Spanos Issues Ultimatum to Linebacker Banks
Charger owner Alex Spanos issued an ultimatum to holdout linebacker Chip Banks: report to training camp by Thursday or the club will withdraw its current contract offer.
In a one paragraph statement issued about 5 p.m., Spanos said, “I gave Chip Banks an outstanding contract offer at the end of May. The contract offer was considered sufficient enough by Chip’s agent to make a deal. The offer was predicated on Chip’s being here to give our team leadership and continuity from the start of training camp. I am giving Chip until Thursday to report to training camp or our contract offer is off the table. There will be no trade. If Chip Banks plays this year it will be for the San Diego Chargers.”
Efforts to reach Banks and agent Harold Daniels were unsuccessful. Daniels had previously said that Banks is holding out for a $300,000 reporting bonus in 1990.
“He said he either wants the $300,000 or he wants to be traded,” Daniels had told The Times on Sunday. “And he said if they won’t trade him, he’ll retire.”
In addition to Banks, running back Curtis Adams and defensive linemen Lee Williams and Joe Phillips also remained out of camp because of contract disputes. Spanos’ statement, however, related only to Banks.
“Our concern is Chip Banks,” Spanos said. “The statement speaks for itself. It’s up to Chip Banks at this point.”
Spanos referred all other questions to Steve Ortmayer, the Chargers’ director of football operations.
Said Ortmayer: “It’s time for Chip to be in here. It’s time for us to get this thing together. Other than that, the statement speaks very well for itself.”
When asked if the team had contacted Banks with Spanos’ ultimatum, Ortmayer said, “Chip is well aware of it.”
There was no word about what would happen Thursday--aside from the Chargers withdrawing their current contract offer--if Banks refuses to report.
“We’ll get to Thursday when Thursday comes,” Ortmayer said.
Coach Al Saunders refused to comment on the situation.
“I don’t have anything to say,” he said. “It’s evident that Mr. Spanos’ statement stands on its own merit.”
The Chargers acquired Banks from Cleveland before the 1987 season. He finished second on the team to Smith with 71 tackles last season.
Charger Notes
As for players who are in camp, the current number is 98. The Chargers list 102 players on their latest roster after beginning camp with 117. The first mandatory cut-down date is Aug. 23, when NFL teams must reduce their roster to 60 players. . . . There is nothing new to report on the holdouts of Curtis Adams, Joe Phillips and Lee Williams. “There’s been no progress, but we’re continuing to work on it,” Steve Ortmayer said. “We hope to have those three in before the game Saturday, too.” . . . The Chargers were film critics Monday. They reviewed films of Saturday’s 24-21 victory over Dallas before a late afternoon practice. “We went through mistakes in preparation for the season,” Coach Al Saunders said. “We don’t start game preparation during the exhibition season until Thursday.” . . . Gary Kowalski, normally a right tackle, worked out at left tackle during Monday’s practice. “His pass protection (on the left side) might be something we’d like to see down the line,” Saunders said. . . . There is no official word yet who will start at quarterback in Saturday’s game against the Rams, but Babe Laufenberg seems to be the leading candidate. It already has been announced that Mark Malone will finish the game. Saunders will name the starter on Wednesday or Thursday. . . . Running back Barry Redden, who bruised a forearm in Saturday’s game, practiced Monday. Linebacker Gary Plummer, who sprained a knee, did not. Plummer is expected to be out of action for another week. His absence means Cedric Figaro and Chuck Faucette will get more work.