Chargers turn cold shoulders to Wick

By: JAY PARIS - Staff Writer | Thursday, January 17, 2008 10:50 PM PST ∞

SAN DIEGO ---- The Chargers head for teeth-chattering New England this weekend, hoping to adjust to game-time temperatures predicted for the low 20s. They'll arrive for the AFC Championship Game after practicing in sunny San Diego, although another option was considered.

"Coach said he's thinking about trying to get a flight up to Anchorage, but he couldn't get that orchestrated,'' quarterback Philip Rivers said of coach Norv Turner. "You can't necessarily prepare for the cold.''

One man disagrees.

Bob Wick is a jolly sort, but he doesn't wear a white beard with a red suit and black boots. Still, he was checking his list twice Thursday, with the Chargers scheduled to exit Southern California this afternoon.

Wick likely rivals LaDainian Tomlinson, Shawne Merriman and Rivers as the most important Charger who will punch the clock Sunday. If Wick fails his job, the Chargers can't do theirs.

Bob who?

"He's one of the best,'' safety Clinton Hart said.

Wick won't throw a pass, produce a scoring run or register a tackle. Instead his role as equipment manager is keeping the Chargers toasty when Mother Nature says "frosty."

"You want to keep them comfortable," Wick said. "You don't want them to say, 'I'm cold.' ''

The Chargers have enough to worry about with New England quarterback Tom Brady leading the undefeated Patriots into a game with a Super Bowl berth at stake.

Wick's work is challenging in that the thermometer could read 9 near the game's end.

That's why Wick and his staff have been busy this week. They've been dusting off the cold-weather gear, cracking open extra storage trunks and looking for anything and everything to make sure if the Chargers shiver it's because of nerves, not chills.

"I don't know that anybody really ever gets used to playing in that kind of weather,'' Rivers said. "It's obviously not ideal; it's not what you'd necessarily ask for, but as I've heard that's championship weather.

"You look at the two championship games (the NFC's is in Green Bay), it's going to be as cold as it gets. You've got to be thankful that you're getting to play in that weather, because that means you like where we are. We're one of four that's still got a shot."

Wick has one chance and can't blow it. He was meticulously going over his shipping contents, so it appears things are under control.

"The biggest fear is not having L.T.'s jersey, because without everything else, you can (still) go on with the game," said Wick, a Scripps Ranch resident. "Even if you don't have your jacket you can play the game."

To win the battle of staying warm, Wick will bring a 7,000-pound batch of gear that includes enough apparel to dress a ski team. That's 2,000 more pounds of goodies than was hauled to Indianapolis last Sunday for a game that was played indoors.

"We basically go with a full load, with everything," said Wick, who's in his 29th year with the Chargers. "We have snow parkas, snow pants, some real good undergarments, tights and tops. We are going to be very warm and dress to the max."

The team took nearly the minimum on its last visit to Foxborough, Mass.

"It was September, so we did bring jackets because it got a little cool that night," Wick said. "But none of the heavy snow gear we have this week."

Sunday's expected frigid temperatures would make most long for a warm fire and hot cup of cocoa ---- Wick has seen worse. He was at the 1981 AFC Championship Game when the visiting Chargers fell to the Cincinnati Bengals 27-7 on a day the wind chill was minus-59.

"We had one guy with the Padres helping us out, and when he went outside his glasses froze up," Wick, 47, said. "He went inside and never came back out."

A bundled-up Wick was on the sidelines at Cleveland in 2004 when the Chargers clinched their first AFC West title since 1994, despite a minus-10 wind chill.

"This is nothing new,'' Wick said. "We've been there before.''

Wick isn't alone. His assistants are Chris Smith, Kevin Duddy, Steve Jeli, Dan Reeves, Jerry Turner and Chuck Sandusky.

They'll produce a sweat before kickoff, emptying 32 trunks, 53 player bags and 35 equipment bags.

But Hart won't need much.

"I'm going to go out there with no sleeves with Vaseline on my arms and act like it is a regular game and not let the cold affect me," he said. "I'm blocking the weather out."

For once, a Charger gives Wick's hard work the cold shoulder. Never mind the preparations Wick has made to avoid just that.

Contact staff writer Jay Paris at jparis8@aol.com.