December 18, 1998
By Bernie Wilson
AP SPORTS WRITER
Rodney Harrison was still in his hit-man mode 24 hours after the San Diego Chargers played another ugly game, and it wasn't even the Seattle Seahawks he was riled up about.
Some Chargers, Harrison contends, aren't giving their all. Harrison won't name names, but he's not keeping quiet about it, either.
``I'm tired of it,'' the hard-hitting safety said Monday. ``Whenever you come into a locker room and you see guys smiling and laughing after a loss, I mean, where are their hearts? Obviously not into the game.
``There's nothing more frustrating than to go out there and give it your all and you see guys playing on injuries and you go into the locker room and you see guys are laughing and joking, It's nothing funny. We just got our butts kicked.''
Harrison made a similar speech after Sunday's 38-17 loss at Seattle, which dropped the Chargers to 5-9. Although it was his first such public uttering, he said he's felt that way for 10 weeks.
On Monday, with the frustration of another lost season mounting, middle linebacker Kurt Gouveia chimed in.
``I've never seen anything like this,'' said Gouveia, a 13-year veteran who won two Super Bowl rings with the Washington Redskins.
``It's embarrassing,'' Gou-veia said. ``Whoever it is, whoever it might be, it's time to play football. I mean, college is over. This is the NFL and you're expected to play well. You're getting good money to play.''
Gouveia was asked if the lack of dedication was a big problem.
``You watched the film,'' he said. ``You see what we put on that football field. You tell me. It's almost like toying with my livelihood. I expect to play well. I go out there and try to be consistent, I expect others to do the same. When they go out there and aren't doing the same, something's definitely wrong.''
As he spoke, Gouveia dressed gingerly because he broke his right hand Sunday. If he can play this Sunday against Oakland, he will.
Harrison and Gouveia are among the leaders on the NFL's top-ranked defense, whose members would seem safe from criticism. The defense repeatedly has been thrown back out onto the field because of a flood of turnovers.
On Sunday, the Chargers lost the ball eight times, including seven interceptions that tied the club record. Five of the interceptions were by Craig Whelihan and two were by rookie Ryan Leaf, who saw his first action in five games.
Harrison flung his helmet about 25 yards after Seattle scored following a Chargers' turnover.
San Diego's special teams, which have played poorly all year, let Steve Broussard return the opening kickoff 52 yards.
Gouveia said the lack of dedication isn't limited to any certain unit.
``All I say is people need to look in the mirror and look at themselves, how are you preparing for this type of job?'' he said. ``If you can't cut it, get out. People in the community, the owners, expect you to play well.''
Gouveia took it a step further.
``I think a lot of it is how the coaches are perceiving it, how far they are letting it go. I tell you what, the coaches are really going to buckle down on whoever it might be. It's time to play football.''
Two more games anyway, to finish San Diego's third straight season out of the playoffs.
Interim head coach June Jones wasn't available for comment. He was in Honolulu, where he was introduced as the University of Hawaii's new head coach.
Leaf, who's been a bust, said he respects the defensive leaders.
``That's why I'm going to step on the field on my days off trying to get better, because it's hard enough looking in their eyes right now because of how hard they work for us, and they don't get the dividends of it all.''
Leaf has thrown 15 interceptions and lost four fumbles while throwing just two touchdown passes.
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