The Sports Xchange

SAN DIEGO — San Diego Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen’s smile was more about hoops than football.

“It was great,” Allen said about the Golden State Warriors winning the NBA title on Tuesday night. “I’m from the Bay (area); I’m a Cal guy.”

This former University of California standout is now among the go-to guys for the Chargers.

“I’m a veteran guy now,” said Allen, as he heads into his third year. “It’s definitely time for me to step up and be that guy for us.”

Allen is coming off a sophomore season that didn’t quite match his stellar rookie season.

In 2014, his receiving yards dropped from 1,046 to 783. His touchdowns fell from eight to four. He did have six more catches at 77, but they didn’t deliver similar production.

“It’s humbling,” he said. “It lets you know there are (defenders) out there that can do what you do better sometimes.”

But Allen isn’t hanging his head.

“It makes you go back and work and get better,” he said.

Head coach Mike McCoy said he notices a difference with Allen.

“Now he is up at the front of the line (when he’s running drills),” McCoy said of Allen. “In the past, younger players feel their way through things. But he understands his role and what he needs to do. We need him to get better and better every day.”

Allen said he is doing just that by, in some ways, doing less.

“Just go out and play football and stop thinking so much,” Allen said. “Just play my game: read the defense and see what it is throwing at me and try to get open.”

So far, McCoy is upbeat about where Allen is headed.

“He’s done an outstanding job,” McCoy said. “He came in in great shape and has been taking care of his body. And like every player, every year you play you learn a little more.”

–McCoy called off the final day of minicamp, originally scheduled for Thursday, giving his players a head-start on their time off before training camp.

“We did an outstanding job in offseason program so we canceled practice tomorrow,” McCoy said.

But doesn’t McCoy stress he works 365 days a year to make the Chargers a championship team?

“I’ll throw them a bone, but I’ll show up,” he said.

–Cornerback Jason Verrett is trying to rebound from a rookie season that was derailed by a shoulder injury. He looks good in minicamp and that assessment comes from quarterback Philip Rivers.

“He has the potential to be one of the top few corners in this league,” Rivers said. “Not to put any added pressure on him, but he has been, for me, probably the most impressive guy on the field this offseason.”

–Tight end Antonio Gates, as is his custom, trained away from the facility this offseason. But he is participating in the minicamp and even will get his 35th birthday off, with the team not practicing on Thursday.

“As of right now I feel great physically,” he said. “I’m in a great place mentally. So, we’ll see how it goes.”

Gates had 12 touchdown receptions and 812 receiving yards last year.

–The Chargers blasted the city of San Diego over its proposal to put a stadium financing issue up to a vote in December. The Chargers are convinced the ballot initiative hasn’t done enough to satisfy the California Environmental Quality Act.

The Chargers’ position is that even if the ballot measure was approved, with some $600 million of public funds becoming available, the issue would be headed for lengthy court battles and they say time is of the essence.

The NFL has asked for an accelerated time frame, wanting to know of the Chargers’ intentions at the end of the year. The Chargers are eyeing a stadium to share with the Oakland Raiders in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson. San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer struck back at the Chargers, accusing them of putting up a road block every time the city tries to offer a plan to keep them in town.