SAN DIEGO -- LaDainian Tomlinson wasted no time putting it out there Saturday during the first full-fledged day of training camp: The Chargers' sole expectation is to win the Super Bowl.

"Our expectations are to win the championship," said Tomlinson, the reigning NFL MVP. "Realistically, we think we have a shot at it. Last year was kind of a year that was a little more shocking to all of us because of what we did in the regular season -- 14-2. You never expect to go 14-2 in the regular season, so I think last year was kind of a situation where we expected to win but we didn't know how much.

"Now we realize we are an elite team. We're one of five teams in the National Football League that really has an opportunity of winning the whole deal."

Tomlinson surmised that the Chargers are one of four AFC teams with a legitimate shot at hoisting the Vince Lombardi trophy in February.

The star running back looks back at last season's playoff stumble against New England as a hard lesson. Perhaps even a necessary one for a franchise that hasn't won a playoff game since the 1994 season.

"I think experience is the biggest teacher," said Tomlinson, who is 0-2 in postseason play. "You experience what happened, and you experience different things that happen during that big game and you make sure they don't happen again."

Remember all that chatter last January about the Chargers being on the fast track to the Super Bowl? The players got caught up in it as well.

From Tomlinson's view, the top-seeded Chargers were looking way too far ahead when they lined up to face the Patriots at Qualcomm Stadium in an AFC divisional playoff game.

"I think, honestly, we were looking past New England," Tomlinson said. "We figured it would be Baltimore. We knew we had lost to Baltimore and we were looking forward to that matchup.

"I think that was a situation where we wanted to avenge our loss. I would say we were probably looking past New England a little bit. But we shouldn't have been.

"As great a team as they are, and with us being back in the playoffs and not very experienced, we shouldn't have been looking past anyone."

Perhaps the greatest lesson Chargers players learned is that a stellar regular season doesn't guarantee success will continue in the playoffs.

"The things that happened to us last year will definitely carry us through this season because we understand being really good in the regular season doesn't count for nothing in the postseason," Pro Bowl tight end Antonio Gates said. "Now it's time to come out and play a whole year of being great in the regular season and even better in the postseason."

Having the playoff lights go out so early last postseason was sobering to star linebacker Shawne "Lights Out" Merriman. But he brightens up by pointing out that each season starts with a clean slate.

"We finished in a disappointment, but the good thing about football is you can always start over the next season," Merriman said. "Regardless of (my) 17 sacks, 14-2, whatever happens last season always gives you a chance to start off with a new season. That's what makes football great."

It's hard to find a Chargers fan who isn't expecting a great season. A crowd of 3,775 fans attended Saturday's afternoon practice, and that charged-up optimism the fans feel is permeating the hallways and meeting rooms of Chargers Park.

"You don't go into a season not expecting to win," Gates said. "The expectations around the community, this locker room, this organization has definitely exceeded to a level now where it's so high that you come out and prepare with the intensity to become champs."

As a young team and with players like Merriman and quarterback Philip Rivers being relatively early in their careers, the window of opportunity for a Super Bowl run should remain open for a while.

Tomlimson, entering his seventh season, thinks there's plenty of chances ahead for this group.

"I think our team is young enough and we're just right now in the window," Tomlinson said. "We're going to still have some years left before that window closes."

Et cetera

Coach Norv Turner said that WR Eric Parker's practice participation will be limited due to the toe injury that he suffered during June's minicamp. T Roman Oben received a lot of work with Shane Olivea (illness) ailing. Also, DT Jamal Williams is expected to practice just once on days when the team practices twice. … Veteran G Mike Goff is sporting a short hairstyle for the first time in nearly three years. Goff recently had his long hair cut and donated it to Locks of Love, a nonprofit organization that creates wigs for children who have lost their hair while undergoing chemotherapy treatments. … Turner was upbeat about the first day, which included a walk-through in the morning and the afternoon practice. "I thought it was a good day," Turner said. "All the work we did in the offseason showed up. Our team is in very, very good condition. The things that we've worked on real hard showed. We have a lot of work to do, but this group likes to do it so it's going to be fun." … Today's 4 p.m. practice at Chargers Park is open to the public.

Contact staff writer Mike Sullivan at (760) 739-6645 or msullivan@nctimes.com.