Updated 2008-01-18 07:27
Chargers’ alumni licking their chops
NFL. Junior Seau is a liar.
The veteran linebacker said yesterday that Sunday’s AFC Championship contest with the Chargers — a team he played with for the first 13 years of his NFL career — is just another game. But looking at the Southern California native, an emotional player who wears his heart on his sleeve, it’s clear that’s really not the case.
“I try not to get too Oprah with it,” he said with a grin yesterday. “I’m so happy for the city of San Diego — my hometown, the organization which started me off and really, really helped me to become the player who I am today.
“All that is all great, but when it comes down to playing between the white lines, come Sunday, it’s definitely going to be a challenge,” said Seau, who turns 39 tomorrow. “It’s going to be a challenge of the game of football. Nothing more.”
Both Seau and Rodney Harrison are two players on the New England roster who spent their formative years in San Diego. While they were there, they both played a large role in the success of the franchise — Chargers’ running back LaDainian Tomlinson said earlier in the week that Seau helped build a foundation of winning while he was there. But come Sunday, the two will line up against their old team for the chance to represent the AFC in Super Bowl XLII. Seau says the chance to knock heads against his old team in such a big game will be an extraordinary opportunity.
“[It’s] definitely something special,” said Seau. “I can honestly say that we’re going to experience [the] AFC Championship together. Not on the same team, but we’ll definitely experience it together.”
Harrison, 35, broke into the league in 1994, and played the first nine years of his career with San Diego. To many, he helped define Chargers football: Upon his departure, one San Diego columnist wrote, “When people talk about Southern Californians being soft, they forget Gen. Patton was born just up the road, and Rodney Harrison played football for the Chargers. Played it like a madman. Played it with passion.”
Sunday’s game will mark the first time the veteran safety will have faced the Chargers since he left town via free agency after the 2002 season.
“It’s just special to be in the AFC Championship. I don’t know necessarily facing the Chargers makes it any more special,” said Harrison. “It’ll be good to see LaDainian [Tomlinson]. I have a lot of respect for that guy and a lot of their other players. For me, I’m just happy to be in this game.”
Both Seau and Harrison missed out on last year’s bitter divisional playoff battle with the Chargers in San Diego, as well as the AFC Championship Game against the Colts because of injury. (Seau said yesterday he spent the day of last year’s AFC title game surfing.) Both have told their younger teammates to take advantage of the opportunity, because you never know when you’ll be back to the summit again.
“I tell the young guys, ‘Don’t take anything for granted because at any point in time it can be over with, whether it’s a season, whether it’s a game, whether it’s your career,”’ said Harrison, who will be playing in his fourth conference championship Sunday. “I think I have a greater appreciation now that I’m older.”
