Mora Family Rivalry Not Too Heated : Pro football: Saint father, Charger son facing off this Sunday.

It’s Family Feud, NFL style, Sunday at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium when the Jim Mora-coached New Orleans Saints meet the Chargers, whose defensive secondary is coached by Jim Mora Jr.

The Moras, per et fils, claim the unusual confrontation is of little consequence at best, uncomfortable at worst.

But Charger defensive coordinator Ron Lynn said, “Oh yeah, this is for bragging rights in the household. I think it means something to both of them. Jim has such high regard for his dad, he’d love nothing better than to beat him. He’d never show it but I think there’s some of that attitude, ‘Look what I can do,’ that every son has.”

The elder Mora, in his sixth season as the only winning coach in the Saints’ 25-year history, said going up against his son’s team creates mixed emotions for him and his family. Mora’s wife, Connie, and another son, Stephen, will be at the game.

“I don’t enjoy coaching against my son because I know one of us has to lose,” Mora said. “It’s a tough situation for my wife, and us. When both of us win, it’s a good Sunday. When one of us loses, it’s not as good a Sunday.”

So who does Connie Mora pull for this weekend?

“She’s rooting for the guy who brings home the check every week--and it ain’t young Jim,” the senior Mora said, laughing.

The Chargers’ Mora sympathized with his family’s strained loyalties, saying, “I wouldn’t want to have to go through the things my mom’s going through--or my dad. He has to come in here and try and make me look silly, and basically he wants me to succeed.”

He added, “I have a little bit of mixed emotions, but I’d rather have mixed emotions and win.”

As the son of a coach trying to work his way up through the college and pro ranks, the younger Mora, who turns 29 Tuesday, estimates he moved a half-dozen times while growing up and was exposed to a variety of well-known coaches from John Ralston to Dick Vermeil to Don James, for whom he played at the University of Washington.

But the elder Mora says he was surprised when his son got into coaching. In fact, Mora has been with the Charger organization seven years, first in player personnel, then coaching the secondary under Dan Henning.

“I knew he had an interest in athletics, he was around teams all the time, but he never expressed interest (in coaching),” the father said. “My other sons were around athletics too and they didn’t become coaches. I’m real proud of Jim. He got that job. I didn’t help him, didn’t make any calls or write any letters. He’s done a good job, gone up the ladder and I’m proud of the progress and development he’s made.”

The Moras said they talk two or three times a week, but don’t get into specifics about each other’s teams. While the younger Mora’s defensive backs have come in for weekly criticism, he said his father’s advice has been mostly in a Ward Cleaver vein: “Hang in there, stay positive, be prepared.”

“We’re around football so much, we have other things to talk about,” young Jim said. “We have general father-son discussions. We don’t talk about strategy or personnel. We’ve talked about the (losing) situation here. He had similar problems a few years ago so he’s been through it.”

The elder Mora said that knowing their teams would be playing each other, their conversations have veered away from the subject.

“We talk a lot, but it never gets into a lot of detail about the Chargers or the Saints,” he said. “This summer I don’t think either of us cared to talk a lot about (our teams). He don’t try to get a lot out of me and I don’t try to get a lot out of him.”

Lynn laughingly said he’s not worried about his young assistant spilling any secrets.

“If anything,” he said, “Jimmy would be the best at misinformation.”