In a word, yes.
If there’s ever been an NFL executive at one with his team, not merely a part but the integral center of it, virtually alone responsible for its character, chemistry and cohesion, it’s Beathard. After five seasons of scraping, molding and rosterthrashing as the general manager of the San Diego Chargers, the ageless (actually 57 this week), towheaded, body-surfing beach boy has once again orchestrated a team into the Super Bowl. This one is a massive underdog – with the betting line favoring San Francisco by 19 to 21 points, oddsmakers are saying the ‘Bolts (for the design on football’s most dazzling jerseys) will be dispatched as suddenly as, uh, lightning. Again. When they played six weeks ago, the 49ers stomped the Chargers 38-15. But this year, the Chargers have come from behind twice in the playoffs to beat AFC glamour teams Miami and Pittsburgh.
Beathard has already been in five Supes – two with Miami, three with Washington – and owns four championship rings. Not that anyone could tell, the way the laid-back, unassuming Beathard shuffles through an office day in shorts and sandals, listening to his idol Rush Limbaugh – whose picture graces his wallwhile fixing cappuccino for his staff. His real office is the road – campuses where he still bird-dogsundergraduate athletes like the precocious scout be started out as. Last season, when Charger owner Alex Spanos listened to his bean counters and tried to cut down Beathard’s scouting forays, the GM almost quit his dream job. “Bobby loves the carousel, looking for players. He’s 57 going on 27. He just out-energizes the rest of us,” says Giants GM George Young.
Beathard builds teams the way Warren Buffett builds fortunes: buying low, selling high. His first Redskin pick was unknown kick returner Tony Green, who went from the sixth round to all-pro; in 11 years in Washington the ‘Skins had but three firstrounders; the ‘82 championship team included an astounding 27 free agents; the ‘88 ‘Skins were led the formerly scrap-heaped quarterback Doug Williams and anonymous running back Timmy Smith. He bet on an obscure assistant coach, Joe Gibbs – and he won two championships. “I’ve been labeled a gambler all my life,” says Beathard. “But it’s not gambling to go after good character guys, guys who put the team first.”
After leaving the Redskins in 1989, Beathard sat out a year as an NBC analyst. Then the former college quarterback from tiny Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo came home to the Chargers. “I missed the churning in the stomach,” he says.
Slowly but surely San Diego became “Redskins West.” Beathard’s first draft pick was Tiaina Seau, an American Samoan who didn’t speak Englis until he was 7 years old but is now the fearsome linebacker known as “Junior.” And a cult figure: the jerk played by Dennis Hopper on the Nike commercials worships Seau’s sneakers. From free agency came the versatile runner-catcher Ronnie Harmon. From the draft, ahead of his time, came rolling thunder himself, running back Natrone Means. When he needed a coach, Beathard selected another Gibbs: the courtly, unshowy Bobby Ross, who had won a college championship at Georgia Tech. When he needed a quarterback, Beathard stole another Williams from the Redskins themselves: tough, emotional Stan Humphries.
After all those moves, the Chargers finished eight wins and eight losses last season. Then Beathard moved to finish his overhaul. Gone were 25 Chargers from the active roster, 10 starters, some flamboyant and selfish. In their place turned up low-key free agents like linebacker Dennis Gibson and defensive tackle Rueben Davis men who, in Beathard’s words, “will play to the death and be positive influences in the locker room.” When last seen Gibson was deflecting a pass on the goal line, saving the AFC championship game; Davis was strolling off the field puffing a cigar, savoring it.
Is this always the way it will be, Bobby? Yes – at least till Sunday.
