A DAY AT A TIME : Beuerlein’s Dismal Showing Last Week Doesn’t Dampen Quarterback’s Spirits

This being the week of the big game, maybe the fans last Sunday were just giving that ex-Notre Dame quarterback a big Coliseum welcome?

Maybe his last name rhymes with “B-o-o-o”?

Maybe they didn’t really mean it?

Nah . . .

They booed Steve Beuerlein for real last Sunday but you can’t keep a good young man down--long--and especially if his coach doesn’t get his relief throwing in the bullpen, and backs him up later.

Of course, every week is another story. If Beuerlein’s struggles continue Monday night in Seattle, where more than one Raider quarterback has been carted off on his shield recently, Mike Shanahan may be that much closer to gesturing to Jay Schroeder.

What, him worry?

Beuerlein walked jauntily into the Raider facility Wednesday, a smile on his face, a bounce in his step, eager for the new day.

Did the reporters want to know how a guy reacts to stinking out the place?

OK, no problem, he didn’t mind talking about it.

One day it hurts.

The next, it’s over.

This may not be the second coming of John Elway, but however Beuerlein turns out, he has the advantage of genuine belief in himself. This is quite a nice attribute, long term. We’ll find out soon just what it is short term.

“The thing about Steve Beuerlein that’s very good that I didn’t realize when I came here, he’s exceptionally coachable,” Notre Dame Coach Lou Holtz said.

“He’ll do it any way you want it done.”

By the time Holtz got there, Beuerlein, ex-blue-chipper from Anaheim Servite, had had his reputation tarnished in three seasons under Gerry Faust, had undergone shoulder surgery and had lost his starting job.

Back at No. 1, Beuerlein had a strong senior season and looked good in the all-star bowl games. It was still only enough to make him a fourth-round selection in the pro draft by the Raiders.

“Steve is not quick afoot,” Holtz said. “He’s got rather large feet. But Steve Beuerlein’s mind thinks very well.

“At first, I thought he had poor peripheral vision. It was just that he had so much confidence, he didn’t give himself enough margin for error and would force the ball.

“We have a different margin for error for different quarterbacks. Tony Rice’s margin for error last year was, if he’d been throwing hand grenades, nobody would ever have gotten hit.

“Steve Beuerlein’s margin for error was a little smaller in his mind than what it was in my mind. Once he adjusted to that, there was no problem.

“I remember talking to Red Hickey of the Green Bay Packers when Steve was a senior. I said, ‘I think Steve Beuerlein will be an excellent quarterback in the pros.’

“I just thought he had confidence, he had an excellent arm, he was a good competitor. He threw some interceptions early in his career, but then he went 100-something passes without throwing one in his senior year.

“I was telling that to Red Hickey on the way out to practice: ‘Take a look at him. I know a lot of pros say he won’t go high, but I think the guy can definitely play.’

“And Steve was terrible. I couldn’t believe it. He threw the ball terrible, he didn’t read coverages. I know Red Hickey’s thinking, ‘That guy’s crazy.’ That was the only day I’ve ever seen Steve Beuerlein at practice where he looked absolutely horrendous.”

Maybe it just wasn’t ever supposed to be easy for Beuerlein.

The Raiders took him. If they’re happy about it now, there’s no reason to believe they thought then that they’d pulled off a coup. He had a good arm and decent size, he’d been the pick of his class once, and he’d rallied as a senior.

Who was to know that within 17 games, he’d be the starter?

Something has to explain it, besides many other Raider quarterbacks being found wanting or choosing other lands, and it’s spunk.

After the Atlanta game, in which the Falcons loaded up on the line of scrimmage and dared him to pass, Beuerlein led his own self-critique, admitted to being confused, throwing poorly, forgetting formations, everything but the murder of Cock Robin.

How long did he stay down?

A day or so, anyway.

“Aw, it was just like I thought,” Beuerlein said Wednesday. “The first couple days were pretty rough. I’ve always been pretty hard on myself.

“It’s kind of like a cycle I go through. If I didn’t play well, I’m very hard on myself the next day. I’ll mope around for a day or so. But then it quickly turns to a motivational-type thing. I get fired up to go out and do the best I can.

“My worst days at Notre Dame? I’d say my junior year. That was much worse than this. Like I said, you hate to lose, and I feel terrible about what happened Sunday. But I know you can’t expect to come in here, having never played at this level, and win every game you play. You’re bound to experience a day like this sooner or later.

“The thing I’ve got to work through now is not to let it get me down. I don’t think it will. I’m not that kind of guy. It’s not going to keep me down. I’ll be there come Monday night.”

So will the Seahawks, probably a lot of them within easy hailing distance. The saga continues.

Raider Notes

Howie Long’s “minor” surgical procedure turned out to be a 5-inch incision that located a severed artery as well as a calf pull. Long is hoping to return by the final game--against the Seahawks at Los Angeles.