CHARGERS UPDATE : NOTEBOOK / T.J. SIMERS : May’s Salary Was the Factor in Richards’ Award in Lawsuit

SAN DIEGO — Charger guard David Richards, the big financial winner in the players victory over the NFL in the anti-trust lawsuit verdict, will be sending a “thank you” note to former teammate Mark May.

Richards was awarded $240,000 by an eight-women jury in Minneapolis, and because the damages are trebled, Richards stands to receive $720,000.

“They took the difference between Mark May’s salary and mine and doubled it,” Richards said. “There was a direct comparison there between two players on the same team. They paid a player a considerably larger sum of money to play my position because he was able to be a (Plan B) free agent.

“It’s not over yet; they will obviously appeal the case and I’m sure settlement talks will continue on behind the scenes. It was a total victory. Some of the players weren’t awarded damages, which I feel badly about, but we stood up, took the heat and did something for the rest of the players.”

Chargers’ cornerback Gill Byrd, who has filed a similar lawsuit in Los Angeles along with Raiders’ running back Marcus Allen, said it’s his understanding that his case will come up next.

“Everything was waiting on this case,” Byrd said. “I wouldn’t want my sons to play in the system as it is now, and that’s one of the reasons I did it.”

The agent for unsigned nose tackle Joe Phillips said it’s unclear yet if Thursday’s verdict will affect Phillips. David Morway said the first order of business is to try and talk to the Chargers and win an opportunity for Phillips to play football this season.

If the there is an injunction issued by the presiding judge in Minneapolis case that calls for immediate free agency for the estimated 30 players around the league who remained unsigned, Phillips would have the chance to sign on elsewhere without compensation to the Chargers.

Meanwhile, Phillips’ teammates offered reaction to the team’s decision to lock him out:

Linebacker Gary Plummer: “I feel bad for Joe for a number of reasons. First of all because he can’t play football this season and it’s what he loves to do. Secondly, he’s got a family to support and that’s going to be very difficult to do now.

“Third, he might have been a victim of some bad advice, or if not bad advice, a lack of ability to get negotiations resolved by his agents. I just feel if he had an agent like Leigh Steinberg, who is experienced dealing with (General Manager) Bobby Beathard, it would never have come to this.”

Linebacker Junior Seau: “I feel for his family. Now it’s life without football. I’m going to miss him. He was a big part of my success last year; he controlled the middle.”

Defensive end Burt Grossman: “I think he’s still going to be back. I just can’t believe this whole thing has gotten that far out of hand. Even if he comes in it’s going to be for unbelievable low money, so I guess it has gotten that far out of hand. If he doesn’t come in, well, you make your bed, you got to lay in it.”

Seau and Grossman are also represented by Phillips’ agents, John Adler and Morway.

“This is about Joe,” Seau said. “This has nothing to do with me.

“Something went wrong and we all have to look at it. What I’m doing now is learning from it. Hopefully it won’t happen again; we need every player here.”

Grossman said, “I don’t know if I will still be represented by them. Would you? Obviously with my contract being up at the end of the year it’s not the best situation for me to walk into. It’s a bad situation and after the season I’m going to have to think about it.”

Coach Bobby Ross became irritated with his offensive unit’s performance in practice and had his entire team walk off the field without stopping for interviews.

Ross then met with his offensive team, and according to one player, “he let us have it.”

Ross said later, “It was not a good practice on the offensive side of the ball. It started out poorly and it got worse. That was the reason for me having a meeting with them. It was no big deal; I’ve done it before and I’ll do it again if I have to.”

Starting right tackle Broderick Thompson, who is listed questionable with a bruise to his chest, had his arm in a sling Thursday. Thompson said the bruise had brought pain throughout his left shoulder.

Ross said he does not expect Thompson to play against Denver. Leo Goeas is expected to start in Thompson’s place.

Running back Marion Butts added a knee brace to his wardrobe and practiced without problem although he is listed as questionable.