MEDIA BLITZ: LADAINIAN AT HIS CHUNKY SOUP COMMERCIAL

Forget Spring ball. That stuff's for sissies. The first real test of LaDainian Tomlinson's knee-in-progress will come two hours north of San Diego at Culver City Studios, Stage 11. Just don't tell the Chargers.

"Well, they know about the commercial," says the Chargers' all-world running back. "I don't know if they know exactly what's going on during the commercial."

In its 11th season as an NFL sponsor, Campbell's Chunky Soup will flip the script and ditch the mammas to focus on a day-in-the-life of a jock. The campaign, titled "Working Day," will include some hard hitting football action.

"There's a couple of different stunts where I've got to stiff arm people and dive for touchdowns and stuff," Tomlinson explains during a lunch break right outside his massive trailer.

"And there's something with a trampoline."

Wait, what?

Chill, he says. "You could say that it's a way of working out the knee so next year I'm ready to go."

Right. After lunch—fish, not soup—LT's in full uniform and ready to rock. He swaggers to the set with the same scowl that jangled the nerves of a hundred 'backers, arriving at Stage 11 just in time to watch a final rehearsal run-through: Tomlinson's stand-in races a Steelers safety down an elevated wooden platform, clears what looks to be a 10 foot moat—and the camera down below—and crashes onto a padded end zone. And the Steelers pursuer? He landed right on top, helmet at the fake LT's knees.

Tomlinson can't believe his eyes. He turns to the nearest PA.

"He's jumping on me like that?"

Um, what was that?

"He's jumping on me like that?"

Oh, that? Why, um…yes. Is that cool?

LT straps on his helmet, climbs atop the platform and gets loose, bouncing in place and, possibly, praying. Then, Action! Tomlinson beats the pursuer to the moat, launches gracefully with arms extended, ball piercing the air, and lands on the pads, safe and sound. There's wild applause. "Perfect!" the director shouts. LaDainian Tomlinson, Mr. One and Done.

"First take," LT says proudly as he peals off his hitting-hat, ready to call it a day. "That was fun. I told you I did my own stunts."

Not so fast, pal. He'll need to do it many more times for another camera angle. This time, though, he'll need to clear a pile of Steelers and Chargers linemen, extras in the form of extremely large veterans of the NFL and NFL Europe, one Ultimate Fighter and a rather mean looking dude with a startiling resemblance to Kyle Turley who identifies himself as a "former wrestler, football player, and baby maker." It's possible he hasn't showered in weeks.

Says LT, upon hearing the news, "I don't think Norv will be happy."

Well, you fellas can talk it out later this week when Coach Turner tapes his Chunky Soup cameo. One tip, though: For the love of God, man, hide the trampoline!

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