SAN DIEGO -- Maybe it's the hillside view from the lounge of the Pacific Ocean. Maybe it's the ocean breezes that keep the afternoon temperatures in the 70s. Maybe it's the mini suites in which the players reside. Maybe it's the golf carts that transport Chargers players from the practice field to where they need to be at the University of California-San Diego in La Jolla.

But something has been de-charging the Chargers since the Bobby Ross days. They are 23-57 since Ross' departure following the 1996 season, a year after going to the Super Bowl. Take last year, for example. General manager John Butler upgraded the personnel. Rookie halfback LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for 1,236 yards. Four defenders went to the Pro Bowl -- defensive end Marcellus Wiley, linebacker Junior Seau, cornerback Ryan McNeil and safety Rodney Harrison.

Yet, as before, the Chargers underachieved. Seven games were lost in the final 90 seconds. Four losses ended with the Chargers having the ball on third-and-ones. A nine-game losing streak ended what was a disappointing 5-11 season that cost Mike Riley his job.

"You look at us on paper, and we're beautiful," Wiley said. "We are as good at it gets, but we didn't execute. I don't think we had the discipline it took for us to everything the way it's supposed to be done."

Enter Mr. Discipline, Marty Schottenheimer, an old-school coach who sets rules and hard work ethic. His words to the team were simple: More teams lose games than win them. Chargers players nodded. They've seen it too much of it.

"There is more of a sense of urgency in everything we do," quarterback Doug Flutie said. "Guys are a little more intense about meetings, taking notes, stretching. There is more attention to detail."

	Doug Flutie, right, started all 16 games last season for the Chargers.

Even Flutie is changing. At 39, Flutie admits he's set in his ways. He's always trained the way he wants to train and works the techniques that have made him a successful quarterback in the CFL and the NFL. This summer, he's following Schottenheimer's schedule for training and preparation.

More players, including Wiley and some of the top defensive players, have joined the Seau Breakfast Club, a 6 a.m. weightlifting session that is voluntary and two hours before any mandatory team function. La Jolla may be a resort area, but the Chargers are starting to look like a bunch of workers wearing hard hats and Schottenheimer can't be more pleased.

"I like this football team," Schottenheimer said. "It's the hardest working group of players I've been around. Rodney Harrison, Junior Seau, Curtis Conway and Tim Dwight do a great job. We're trying to develop a mentality. You have to develop the toughness that is necessary to compete in this league and be successful."

Schottenheimer has a standard for winning. He's averaged 10 wins per season during his 15 years of head coaching. Last season's assignment might have been his toughest. Redskins owner Dan Snyder hired him to take over a franchise that, like the Chargers, lacked discipline. Veterans rebelled to a minor degree at first, but later bought into Schottenheimer's ways. After an 0-5 start, the Redskins won eight of their final 11.

"I don't know if this team is better than Washington, but I know the quarterback situation in Washington made it difficult," Schottenheimer said. "I don't know if the Chargers will surprise anybody. But if we are able to stay relatively injury free, I like our chances."

The Chargers dodged two huge bullets in camp. Tomlinson, trying to run a zone play to his right, felt his jersey being grabbed and suddenly a defender accidentally fell on his ankle. Initially, Tomlinson thought his season might be over. But X-Rays were negative, and doctors diagnosed the injury as a high ankle sprain. Tomlinson is expected to return to practice next Monday.

Seau got a scare from a calf injury, but he should be fine in a couple of days.

"Last year, it was a little tougher to stay as disciplined because this team has had so many changes through the years," Wiley said. "I think the defense has been through three different defensive coordinators. After a while, you think of a dog, and you are trying to train a dog and you keep changing the trainers. Pretty soon, the dog is going to do anything he wants. It was getting ugly last year, and we couldn't stop the bleeding."

Butler believed that the Chargers had better talent than the team's 5-11 record, which is why he brought in Schottenheimer. Unlike the Redskins, Schottenheimer doesn't have to worry about the politics of making a quarterback decision. Snyder wanted Jeff George to be the Redskins quarterback, and Schottenheimer had to lose two games before dumping George and going with Tony Banks.

"I said from the outset that I will pick the guy who gives us the best chance to win," Schottenheimer said. "We can win with either one now. The competition is so keep that I don't think you will be able to sit back after three pre-season games and quantify whether one or the other guy is statistically better. I don't think that will happen."

Schottenheimer will make the starting quarterback decision following the Aug. 22 exhibition game against the Rams. It's the best quarterback battle in the league. Each day, Flutie and Drew Brees try to top each other with plays. The other day, Flutie broke out of the pocket into the middle of the field on a bootleg during a two-minute drill. To get the first down, Flutie dove with the football extended. A few minutes later, Brees drilled a hard pass over the middle to a receiver in a slant pattern that drew ohhs and ahhs from the observers.

"One day in practice, protection broke down, I drifted to the right with a guy chasing me and threw a side-arm, falling down shot on the money down the sidelines for 20 yards," Flutie said. "I was pretty happy with it. The next day, Drew did the same damn thing."

Flutie calls Brees a sponge who is intelligent enough to soak up any little technique to improve him as a quarterback. Brees, for example, noticed that Flutie had a nice way of grabbing the football from center on running plays. He copied it and incorporated it into his style in days.

"I feel like I'm ready to step into the position and start," Brees said. "I know it's a learning process, and that I'm still developing at the position. I feel good about the way things are going."

So does Schottenheimer. The Flutie-Brees battle is a draw and could very well stay that way for two more weeks. In the end, Schottenheimer might have to make his decision on a hunch. That's okay in his mind. He truly does believe he can win with either quarterback, and so do the players.

The most important thing for Schottenheimer is that the players believe in Schottenheimer. They do.

"I look at this roster and I look at the defense, and you've got some nice names I've been watching for a long time," new Chargers middle linebacker Donnie Edwards said. "These guys are play-makers. And the defense has always been at the top. A couple of years ago it was No. 1. A lot of those players are still around."

With a little more discipline, the Chargers may shake their losing ways.

John Clayton is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.