Chargers Give O’Neal a Deal He Can’t Refuse

Next thing you know, the Chargers might start winning more games than they lose.

Defensive end Leslie O’Neal, heretofore Mr. Impossible, signed a one-year contract Wednesday and reported to training camp on time.

O’Neal didn’t even make it to mini-camp. But when the Chargers convened Wednesday night for their first team meeting at training camp with Coach Bobby Ross, O’Neal was there.

“Let me tell you something, I could have been totally happy sitting out until the middle of August,” said O’Neal, who was the highest-paid Charger at more than $1 million in 1991. “But because they came up with the numbers I wanted, I came on in.

“If the numbers weren’t correct I would have stayed out as long as I had to. My golf game is going pretty good now, so I could have easily took a couple of weeks. . . . I had plans to go to Palm Springs (today) to play.”

The Chargers also reached a two-year deal with center Courtney Hall and a one-year agreement with linebacker Henry Rolling on the training camp reporting date for veteran players. The team, however, still has 10 unsigned veterans, including quarterback John Friesz.

“(My signing) surprised a lot of people,” said O’Neal, who missed 24 days of training camp in 1990 while negotiating a contract. “There was a magic number and that number came up, so boom, I’m here.”

The Chargers have had difficulty in the past in accepting O’Neal’s independent approach to the game. They have considered him selfish and uneven in performance. They expected him to name his own date for reporting to camp.

“Leslie always intended, if at all possible, to be in training camp when it started,” said Marvin Demoff, the agent for O’Neal. “It’s a new era and I think he wanted to be a part of it.

“We were talking today, the only players that have been here longer than him are Gill Byrd and Billy Ray Smith. He sees a chance while he’s got a few years left of this being a good team. And he wants to be a part of it rather than being different.”

As the world turns.

“I think this contract puts me right up in the top 10 (among defensive linemen),” O’Neal said. “I’m in that neighborhood somewhere.”

Hall also was represented by Demoff, and when he was a rookie, he signed a temporary one-year deal to provide him protection and allow him to get to training camp on time. If every player approached the game like Hall, holdouts would become extinct.

Rolling’s timely arrival came as he is battling a reputation for erratic play and competing for playing time with Billy Ray Smith.

Three down, 10 to go:

Tackle Leo Goeas--His initial contract proposal demanded that he be paid as a starter, but unless a deadly disease strikes the offensive line, he will be fortunate to hang around as a reserve. “We’ve gone to our top offer and it’s up to them,” General Manager Bobby Beathard said.

Guard Mike Zandofsky--He is beginning his third year with the Chargers and is regarded as a nice guy and a steady backup. “They’ve rejected our offer, so it’s on their shoulders,” Beathard said.

Tackle Broderick Thompson--The Chargers continue to be unhappy with Thompson’s nasty attitude, but they don’t have anyone to replace him. Beathard said the team has an agreement with Thompson, but Thompson said, “I don’t have a contract. Bobby Beathard says something and he is God and you guys believe him. If he said John Friesz was black, you’d believe him.”

Linebacker Gary Plummer--The Chargers anticipated a tough time in landing Plummer, and so for insurance they signed Eugene Marve in Plan B. The coaches like Marve’s work, and the front office will let everyone know that to put more pressure on Plummer. The Chargers were dumbfounded by Plummer’s initial demand and countered Wednesday. Plummer wants to be paid for all the tackles he has piled up in the past few years, but the Chargers look ahead and do not see Plummer in their plans. It’s a cold business.

Kicker John Carney--The toe-to-toe duel with Carlos Huerta will have to wait. “I’m just waiting for management to make a fair offer,” Carney said. Can he wait until Christmas? Carney, one of the team’s hardest workers, continues to kick on his own to stay in shape.

Punter John Kidd--Beathard has an 8:30 a.m. meeting with Kidd today, and the two sides should reach an agreement.

Nose tackle Joe Phillips--He has a history of contract problems with the Chargers, and he may be still stinging from past negotiations gone sour. The Chargers think Phillips has an inflated opinion of his talents. Said his agent, John Adler: “We let them know what it would take to get Joe signed, but we don’t have a clue from them what they think it will take to get Joe in.”

Running back Rod Bernstine--The Chargers would like a two- or three-year deal; Bernstine prefers a one-year pact. “That’s a major problem,” Bernstine’s agent, Ralph Cindrich said. “He’s not being offered prime dollars.”

Guard David Richards--He’s never missed a practice or a game, but the Chargers act as if they haven’t noticed. For the past two years, Richards and Thompson have signed for the same numbers. The Chargers didn’t even bother making a proposal to Richards because they were waiting for Thompson’s signature.

Friesz--No new talks, no new proposals, no Friesz. “We’re in the same place,” Beathard said.

Running back Marion Butts--Butts is under contract, but Beathard said the team has made an offer to rework it. “That sounds good to me,” said Butts, who was fined for holding out of camp last year, while demanding that his contract be reworked.

Charger Notes

Defensive tackle George Thornton and H-back Craig McEwen were the only two veterans to report in overweight. Thornton was told to show up at 295, but he hit the scales at 308.