It’s New Millennium, but Same Old Beathard

This is not news: Bobby Beathard traded the Chargers’ No. 1 pick in 2000 for a second-round pick Saturday.

But this one demands an explanation.

Three days ago Beathard rejected Carolina’s offer of a second-round choice--the 44th pick in the draft--for the Chargers’ No. 1 in 2000.

But when it came time to trade it Saturday, which was as sure a bet as the sun rising, Beathard gave it away for the 59th player in the draft and for a guy who has had operations on both knees.

Beathard rejected the Panthers’ offer because he thought he could get more for the Chargers’ No. 1 picks; he ended up settling for far less.

Tampa Bay will have the Chargers’ No. 1 pick in 2000, while the Chargers will have Mikhael Ricks, a wide receiver from Stephen F. Austin for the next two years.

But what could the Chargers have had with the 44th selection had Beathard not passed on Carolina’s offer?

USC cornerback Brian Kelly went to Tampa Bay with the 45th pick, Virginia wide receiver Germane Crowell to Detroit on the 50th selection and Wisconsin wide receiver Tony Simmons to New England with choice No. 52. Penn State wide receiver Joe Jurevicius went to the New York Giants on the 55th pick.

Keep this in mind: Ricks set the NCAA Division I-AA season record averaging 28.89 yards a catch. Hard to believe everyone else in the league wasn’t willing to surrender a No. 1 pick for Stephen F. Austin’s finest.

Beathard traded the team’s No. 1 pick in 1999 to Arizona as part of the deal to get Ryan Leaf, and the Chargers will not have a first-round pick until 2001--unless Beathard gives that away today.