Doug Flutie will likely be the Chargers' No. 3 quarterback this season. Tom Pidgeon/Getty Images

CARSON, Calif. -- It is a baseball story, but it says so much about a football player.

It's May, at Fenway Park, and Doug Flutie, who lives in suburban Boston in the offseason, is sitting in a private box between home and first base. The Devil Rays are in town.

"I'm going to get a foul ball today,'' Flutie tells his wife.

He says he'll probably get the foul ball when a right-handed batter is up, of course, because a righty is more likely to foul off an outside pitch to the right side. He knows this from years of diligence. When he was a kid in nearby Natick, Mass., he'd come to the games early, with a glove, and stand three or four rows deep by the right-field foul pole, waiting for the fly balls to sail down the line into the seats. He got a few that way. "I don't take my glove any more,'' he said, "but it's not because I don't want to.'' It's just that it looks weird for a 41-year-old man to be fighting for foul balls.

He's not sure what inning it is. Maybe the seventh. Kevin Millar is up for Boston. Right-handed hitter. When the righties come up, Flutie makes sure he's in the front row of seats, outside the comfy box, because it's prime time for foul balls. Millar is late on a pitch and ticks it foul, up to the plexiglass behind Flutie, and it ricochets back, off the hands of the guy two seats above Flutie, and right into Flutie's right hand.

"The first thing I do,'' he says, "is I grip the ball tight and hold it up to show my wife. Like, 'See? I knew I'd get one today!'"

Doug Flutie, 41 going on 12.

On Saturday morning, I'm on the sidelines of Chargers practice, standing with Fox analyst (and Chargers preseason colorman) Ron Pitts. We're watching Flutie cavort like a kid 20 years younger, trying to be faster, more strong-armed and better than Drew Brees, the incumbent who is 17 years younger. Pitts looks out and says: "Do you realize I played in the Japan Bowl with Flutie after our senior year in college? It was 1985, and we're on a bus over in Tokyo. I introduced myself to him, and we talked for a while. 1985! And here he is. I've been out of the game for such a long time and look at him. Married, kids practically grown, still playing. Amazing.''

After practice, I looked Flutie up. His right shoulder and left knee were mummified in ice, a concession to time. He's starting to get wrinkly around the eyes now, but just a little. You can see the gray flecks in his morning stubble and slightly around the temples. But just slightly.

And he makes it clear they are going to have to carry him kicking and screaming from the game he loves.

"In the week Ricky Williams quits at 27,'' I wondered, "why are you still here?''

"My daughter wants to finish school here. She's a junior [at Torrey Pines High, north of San Diego], and she's happy here. She's on the cheerleading squad that went to Orlando and finished second in the nationals. It's been good for her. And I still love this game. Last year I started five games and played in seven. I still know I can do it. We're playing Minnesota, and I run for two touchdowns. My arm feels great. I can make all the throws. I've never done anything different, and I still feel like I can play like I always have. But I'll tell you this: When I lose my athleticism, it's time to go. I still play everything in the offseason back home. Lots of basketball. And it's still there.''

He stopped for a second, and I was about to ask something else when he said: "The day I retire is the day I'll feel old. I'm not there yet.''

It's likely a matter of time before Philip Rivers, the fourth pick in the draft last April, beats out Drew Brees in August or September for the starting job in San Diego. Flutie will be the insurance policy, the third guy. Probably, I say, because on a bad team, which this is likely to be, quarterback injuries and ineffectiveness are both facts of life. Maybe Flutie gets in there at some point. Who knows?

In the afternoon practice, wide-receiver coach James Lofton put the quarterbacks and wide receivers through some strange agility and leg-building drills. In one of them, Lofton told them to take continual standing broad jumps out to the hash mark. There was Flutie, trying to leap farther than Brees and the other camp guys. When the whistle blew for the group to go to the next drill, Flutie picked up a ball and yelled, "Hey!'' to an assistant coach jogging to the next drill, maybe 30 yards away. The guy looked up, and Flutie fired a tight spiral, a perfect throw the guy caught in stride.

They don't make them like Doug Flutie anymore. In fact, I don't think they ever made another one, at any time in our sporting lives, like Doug Flutie. Just once more, this year or next (though I know there might not be a next), I want to see one more Flutie play in a game, one more Flutie-to-Phelan-type play and one more leaping Flutie pirouette. Wouldn't that be nice?

Two days after Cleveland coach Butch Davis sidestepped questions about first-round pick Kellen Winslow and said the Browns wouldn't negotiate the contract in the press, rookie CEO John Collins made a rookie move. He issued a press release saying Winslow had turned down the same contract the pick before Winslow in the first round had just signed.

That, folks, is called not being on the same page. All I can say is, Butch had better win this year.

New Raider quarterback Kerry Collins, who, amazingly, is with his fourth team (Panthers, Saints, Giants, Raiders) in his 10th NFL season

MMQB: Do you see yourself competing for the starting job this year?

Collins: "No.''

MMQB: Why?

Collins: "Because that's what they told me when I came in this year. I'm here to support Rich Gannon and learn the offense. My focus is to be the best quarterback I can be in this offense.''

MMQB: This is your fourth team. Doesn't that seem amazing for someone who came in as the top quarterback in his draft?

Collins: "It's not the way it was supposed to happen, I guess. But I'm happy to be here. It's a great spot for me, with a good coach and a good offense. I think it's going to be a great fit."

We're back, baby. I'm surprised I didn't get more missives on my lambasting of Yankee and Red Sox fans.

BUT YOU CAN'T DEFEND RICKY'S TIMING. From P. Hogan of Los Angeles: "I really enjoyed your piece on Ricky Williams. Other reporters are labeling Ricky as selfish. As you said, 'A guy can do what he wants.' Maybe he didn't want to end up like Earl Campbell. But I think it's the 'Fins fault [to some extent] for basing a large part of their offense around one player.'

Maybe, but a lot of teams have one offensive stud. The bottom line, to me, is Ricky has the right to do whatever he wants to do, but he was hugely selfish with his timing, waiting until every decent running back was off the market.

BRAD SAYS SEATTLE CAN'T WIN. From Brad Mudd of St. Louis: "You're crazy. Seattle can't win in St. Louis much less in any other difficult NFC stadiums. I don't think they win the division. Without home field, they're not nearly as good.''

You can say that about 31 other teams in the league, Brad.

THE PHILLY CORNERS, NOT T.O., MIGHT BE THE BIGGEST EAGLES QUESTION. From Bob Simpson, of Palm City, Fla.: "As a long-time Eagles fan, I am dismayed that the Eagles are satisfied to go into the season with two relatively inexperienced cornerbacks. Lito Sheppard was a major disappointment last year, having given up more than half of the passing touchdowns allowed by the defense. Sheldon Brown didn't show much either. Can they contend with this weakness on what is otherwise a much-improved team?''

I would spin it this way, Bob. Sure they can and will contend, because even though they've taken a step back in cover-ability, they've made a good-sized leap in the pass rush. As long as Jevon Kearse stays upright -- and I can give you no guarantees about that -- this team will be the equal of any other team in the NFC.

MASKING-AGENT NOTE OF THE WEEK. From Mark of Boyton Beach, Fla.: "The 'mysterious liquid' that has come up in the wake of Ricky Williams' retirement, can be found at www.detoxify.com.''

Thanks for that bit of public service news, Mark. I'm sure a few NFL players will click on that this afternoon.

	MAILBAG Peter King will answer your questions each week in Monday Morning Quarterback: Tuesday Edition. Your name: Your e-mail address: Your home town: Enter your question:

HE MAKES A GOOD POINT. From Matt Pickett, of Central City, Ill.: "How can Dan Rooney justify the recent contract extension for Bill Cowher? Pardon me if I'm wrong, but Mr. Cowher does not deserve such job security. He is not the coach he once was and, even with the embarrassment of talent he's had over the years, has only one AFC title and no Super Bowl rings.''

Matt, check out the "Scorecard'' section of Sports Illustrated this coming week. I wrote something about the Cowher extension, making this major point: Coming off a 6-10 season, with Cowher having two years left on his existing contract, is no time to give a man an extension for two more years at $9 million. I don't get it either.

I'M GLAD TO SEE I'M NOT ALONE IN DECRYING THE MORON FACTOR. From Shawn Mackinnon, of Clifton Park, N.Y.: "I read your observations about a recent Yankees-Sox game you attended, and I couldn't agree with you more. I am a Yankee fan from upstate New York and for the last two years I have taken my five-year-old out to Fenway to see a the Yanks and Sox play. Both games we attended included a group of young people who decided it was their duty to remind everyone in their section who sucks and who does not. Your anecdote about the father and his three daughters clearly illustrates the difficult decision parents have to make when contemplating taking their children to a game. It's terrible.''

You know, I was reminded of the difference between fans in the Northeast and fans in the rest of the United States Wednesday night in Denver. I bought a seat for the Dodgers-Rockies (boy, has baseball lost its fastball at Coors; what a dispirited crowd), and in the first inning, my cell phone rang. It was an NFL front-office guy, telling me about a signing that was imminent. I answered and talked in a low voice. I never like people around me to hear what I'm saying on the phone. After my second minute on the phone, the guy in front of me looked at me, annoyed, and waved for an usher. Guy and usher talked. The usher tapped me on the shoulder and said, "The gentleman is concerned about you being on the phone. You're disturbing him.'' I am not making this up. Here I am, practically whispering on the phone, and the guy is irritated. That should tell you two things. One, it was pretty quiet at Coors. Two, manners are a little different in Denver than they are in Boston and New York. I, by the way, nodded at the usher, finished my conversation in 30 seconds and got off the phone. I was annoyed with the guy, but I hate the proliferation of Cell Phone America, so I couldn't really complain too much.

"Every time I unpack another box at my new house here, I think of Bruce Allen.''

-- New Broncos safety John Lynch, in Denver, talking about the Buc GM who decreed that Lynch's days in Tampa were done last March.

Lynch was smiling when he said it, but I have a feeling he'll have just a teeny bit of motivation when the Bucs and Broncos meet this season, Oct. 3, in Tampa.

I'm sure United has its reasons for doing this, and those reasons must have something to do with its massive financial problems, but charging $8 for a $2.20 breakfast (nine-bite fruit cup, half a cup of yogurt and a mini crumb cake) is not going to endear the airline to hungry passengers. I want a healthy United Airlines out there -- all travelers do -- but gouging people for snacks is not the right way to create goodwill in the traveling community.

The crumb cake was pretty good, though. Streusselie. Just not enough of it.

I must give United credit, however, for finding my lost headset radio in the seat of my flight and returning it to me. That actually took a few people caring about their jobs. That's good.

1. I think I have just the job for Carmen Policy, the former 49er and Browns president. Policy is now heading into his next life, that of a vineyard owner in Napa Valley. He's having a home built on 10 acres there, and he's going to produce real wine. Policy just moved into an apartment in San Francisco, waiting for his Napa home to be built. The perfect job for him? Front man on the NFL's bid for a franchise in Los Angeles. For a long time I've felt Paul Tagliabue would let one of the unstable teams (maybe San Diego, Minnesota or Indy) move there. But now I think chances are better that, sometime this decade, Tagliabue will forge ahead with a new franchise in Los Angeles. Who better to be the front man than Policy, a league guy and smoothie through and through, who is also tough when he has to be?

2. I think Sirius, the new home of the NFL on satellite radio, is getting serious. No pun, but lots of money, intended. They've hired Shannon Sharpe to do two three-hour radio shows per week ... at a price of $300,000 per year. That is big dough for satellite radio. And how about this: Sharpe will make $1.2 million between CBS and Sirius this year, which is about $400,000 more than he would have made as a player, assuming he didn't reach big-money incentives in his contract.

3. I think, speaking of media stories, the NFL Network just made a huge splash  in getting Denver Post Broncos' beat man Adam Schefter to leave his paper for an on-air gig at the network. They've got real money, people, and it sounds to me like they're going to put on some real programming. Adam's one of the best story-breaking NFL guys in the country. Now all they've got to do at the network is get on digital cable. Don't make common folk (and me) buy the dish, men of Tagliabue.

4. I think I have one fantasy football name for you to remember through my first four stops at camp: Denver rookie wide out Darius Watts. He is this year's Mike Shanahan-smitten guy. I should warn you, however, that last year Shanahan was touting Adrian Madise, and you saw how far that got Madise.

5. I think these are my non-football thoughts of the week.

a. My view of the Nomar deal: No matter which way he spins it, he wasn't happy with the Red Sox and wasn't going to re-sign there when he became a free agent after the season. He's probably going to take more days off down the stretch than he normally would because of his sore Achilles. In exchange, the Red Sox got very good fielders at shortstop, Orlando Cabrera, and at first, Doug Mientkiewicz. Entering this season, Cabrera was the fifth- or sixth-best offensive shortstop in baseball, but he's had a dreadful year. My view is if the Red Sox can sign him to a three- or four-year deal for half of what it would have taken to get Nomar signed, this is not a good trade -- it's a very good trade. As far as Nomar goes, any Red Sox fan should thank him in a gushing way for playing every game like it was his last. I appreciate his intensity and his desire ... and his two batting titles. But sometimes players have to leave. It was time for him to go. It's a shame he won't end his career in Boston, but, like Roger Clemens, I don't think he'd ever be happy returning with so much contractual water under the bridge. I asked Drew Henson in Cowboy camp yesterday if he was surprised about the Nomar deal. "Not really,'' said the Yankee third-baseman-for-a-week. "Once they went after A-Rod the way they did, and he found out, it seemed like he was never going to be happy there again.'' Right he is.

b. I think I played Monopoly more this summer than I have in the last five years. Mary Beth's boyfriend, Ben, has taken a shine to the game, and he relishes my competitiveness at it. I'm on a two-game winning streak, and I got a kick out of Ben logging onto some Internet site about Monopoly strategies to prepare for the next game. Ben, my boy, there is only one strategy: Get the first color group, no matter what it takes, and get houses on them immediately at any cost. Monopoly is not a game for the fiscally patient.

c. Coffeenerdness: Graham Higgins, of the Upper Montclair, N.J., Starbucks, is my barista of the week. Of the year, really. Last week, on my way into the store for a grande hazelnut latte, I paused to talk softball with a couple of parents of kids I've coached, and we stood there for a few minutes, jabbering. The door to the store opened, and out stepped Graham, an industrious lad. "Your latte, Mr. King,'' he said, handing me the golden liquid. Now, that goes beyond the call of duty, Seattle. Promote this man! Give him his own store!

d. Required viewing in the Charger locker room Saturday: USA vs. Puerto Rico basketball.

e. You know what's pathetic? Kobe Bryant asking for 70 percent of his salary the year before his rape trial.

f. You know what's more pathetic? The Lakers agreeing.

g. Steve Phillips, the former Mets' GM, is the best new voice I've heard on TV or radio this year. He's an espen guy. On talk radio, he actually says what he thinks. What a novel concept among former baseballers.

h. You readers are really something. I'm at the Dodgers-Rockies game the other night at Coors Field, wearing a Padres' batting practice cap, and the guy behind me taps me on the shoulder and says, "Are you still going to write about kids' sports even with Mary Beth off to Colgate this fall?'' I said I didn't know. He said he hoped so, because he loved the stories about the kids.

i. How many people are like me, and got sucked in by ESPN last week? I had vaguely heard of a band called Five For Fighting but was totally unfamiliar with their work. On SportsCenter the other day, Five For Fighting was singing a song called 100 Years. On one of its reruns the next morning, I heard it again. What a song, I thought. And so I went to Borders and bought the CD. It became the car CD on the trip from the Oakland airport to Napa for the Raiders Thursday night, and the drive from Carson (Chargers) to Oxnard (Cowboys) Saturday night. Heck of a CD. And I never would have bought it without seeing the Five For Fighting gig on TV.

j. The networks should be ashamed, absolutely ashamed, for not showing more of the Democratic Convention last week. What a low point in our our country's media history.

6. I think Jake Plummer will be the MVP of the NFL this year.

7 I think of all the guys I met on the Western leg of my training-camp trip (Broncos-Raiders-Chargers-Cowboys), the one who impressed me the most was LaDainian Tomlinson. We'd never spoken before, and his frankness, intelligence and love of the game pleasantly stunned me. I asked if he'd ever been tempted to quit, a la Ricky Williams, and he said: "No. You have to listen to your inner voice, and my inner voice tells me to leave my mark on the game forever.''

8. I think Bill Parcells might actually coach out the four years in his deal with Jerry Jones. When we spoke yesterday at Cowboy camp, he was ebullient. I never thought I'd see the Jersey guy so happy in California, but practicing out of the broiling Texas griddle agrees with him. "What's great about it,'' he said, "is you got guys concentrating on getting their work in instead of just trying to survive the day. The learning environment is better."

9. I think the Raiders are very lucky to have Rob Ryan as defensive coordinator. Talk about a hands-on teacher. He was on the front lines the other day, teaching old warhorses Warren Sapp and Ted Washington exact techniques in the new Raider 3-4 for about 30 minutes. "We'll teach fundamentals first, then the scheme,'' the former Pats defensive aide said. "That's one thing I learned from the Patriots and [defensive coordinator] Romeo Crennel."

10. I think I have one selfish wish this week. Soon-to-be-Tufts senior Laura King leaves for the Olympics Friday. She'll be an SI employee (gopher? mail-carrier? tour guide?) for the magazine's advertising clientele. I'm thrilled she's going, safety issues and all. That's probably naïve, but I just feel like you can't live your life in a bubble, even in these dangerous times. My selfish wish is that Laura works her rear end off, has the time of her life and stays very, very safe. Selfish wishes, I guess.

Sports Illustrated senior writer Peter King covers the NFL beat for the magazine and is a regular contributor to SI.com. Monday Morning Quarterback appears in this space every week.