Now, Beathard Is on the Spot

Dan Henning teams lose.

Dan Henning teams don’t quit.

Reconcile one with the other.

That is Bobby Beathard’s job.

Where is Bobby Beathard? More importantly, where is Bobby Beathard’s head? What is this man thinking?

You see, Bobby Beathard teams win. Not games. They win Super Bowls . . . four of them. Beathard’s teams in Miami and Washington won as many in some months as the Chargers win in entire seasons.

Losing does not sit well with Beathard.

But losing does not come easy to Henning. His teams play hard. They scrap. They stay motivated long after so many other also-rans have sent their hearts home for a long winter’s nap. They win in defeat.

Ask the Denver Broncos. They came to Mission Valley needing a victory Sunday to get a playoff bye and the home-field advantage in Round 2. They got a royal battle and a victory, 17-14.

That was the Chargers’ eighth loss, against two victories, this year in games decided by a touchdown or less. Henning teams have a 6-22 record in such games over three years.

Dan Henning teams play tough.

“We haven’t quit,” said Gary Plummer, the veteran linebacker. “You look around the league and see teams with three or four wins and even teams with six wins who quit a few weeks ago. There’s a lot of pride in this locker room.”

Pride and character.

So what is character worth?

In life? Everything.

In football? Not as much as victories and losses. Character is defined by the standings. That is the way it has always been.

Don’t look for Beathard to change that. He has a major decision to make, if, indeed, it has not already been made. It is the biggest decision of his two years as the Chargers’ general manager.

Beathard must decide whether Dan Henning should return as head coach.

Does he keep a coach who has kept the team intact and playing hard?

Or does he fire a coach who has not won?

This is a relatively easy call, in one sense. He will not get much heat for making a change. It’s almost a freebie, in terms of risking the wrath of the multitudes. You cannot go wrong dismissing a coach with a 38-73-1 career record, 16-32 Chargers record and 4-12 season record.

The question, as it stands, is whether “not going wrong” is the same as doing right.

Earlier this year, Beathard was listening to bloody screams for Henning’s thinly populated scalp. The fans were up in arms.

However, sentiment has changed these last few weeks. The fans have come to appreciate this team, which will not quit. A victory over those villainous Raiders in October did not hurt, but subsequent victories over Seattle and New Orleans provided big boosts. Then came that Coryellian 38-30 victory over Miami last week.

Suddenly, folks were thinking these guys could get there under Henning.

One vote counts.

Beathard’s.

If Beathard decides to make the change, this egg nog is on him. And he better hope it does not get all over his face.

His decision will cause him to reside in that hot seat occupied for so long by Henning. In effect, Henning has deflected the heat from Beathard. There isn’t that much to go around.

A new coach, such as Georgia Tech’s Bobby Ross, would come in fresh. He would get a honeymoon, a period of grace. Beathard would become the man on the spot.

Beathard must take what he has done into consideration.

How much help has he been in his two years as general manager? How good have the players been who have stayed with it and hung tough through a two-year record of 2-13 in games decided by seven points or less? Have they been competitive because coaching drove them to overachieve? Or have they lost because coaching could not get them over the hump?

In truth, this is not a playoff-caliber cast of characters. Beathard answers for this.

For one thing, Henning and the Chargers have played the entire season with a veritable rookie quarterback. That would be John Friesz, who happens to be Beathard’s man. He was Beathard’s man to choose, but Henning’s man to mold. Give the teacher an A-plus for that student.

The defense had problems adjusting to the loss of lineman Lee Williams, ultimately dealt to Houston. Getting people into uniform is the province of the general manager. The coach plays the guys he is dealt.

And this coach has been dealt a remarkable (or unremarkable) collection of players. Sure, there are star-quality players, but most were there when Beathard took over. Draftee Junior Seau and Plan B signee Ronnie Harmon have been the notably bright acquisitions, but that’s not much production from either the draft or Plan B.

Then too there are those dazzling second round picks from last spring, Eric Moten courtesy of trading a 1992 first rounder and running back Eric (Phantom) Bieniemy. Maybe these guys will be star quality in the future, but Henning is being measured on now.

The now was yet another excruciatingly close loss to a superior opponent. Bobby Beathard said he was going home to sleep on his decision. He should take a long look in the mirror while he is brushing his teeth.