San Diego files response

— -- San Diego Chargers : San Diego City Attorney Casey Gwinn filed a response to the Chargers' lawsuit on Monday, contending the team hasn't met the complicated financial formula that could allow it either to seek a new stadium or to leave town. Gwinn also revealed that San Diego officials recently warned five West Coast cities and a development group not to negotiate with the Chargers while the team remains under contract to play in San Diego. The city sent "stay-away" letters on Jan. 9 to Carson, Anaheim, Long Beach and Pasadena -- all in the Los Angeles area -- and to Portland, Ore. It also sent one to the Anschutz Entertainment Group, which at one time proposed building a stadium in downtown Los Angeles to attract an NFL team. "We sent them those letters because we wanted to put them on notice that we're in a binding contract with the San Diego Chargers and we don't want anyone interfering with those contractual rights," Gwinn said. The Chargers filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles on Nov. 25, asking a judge to validate the "trigger" clause in the stadium lease that would allow them to renegotiate the deal. The team, which said it needs a new stadium to remain financially competitive with other teams, agreed Dec. 30 to move the suit to San Diego. The trigger clause can only be activated if the team's salaries and benefits exceed its salary cap, which team officials said happened in 2002. In its cross-complaint filed Monday, the city says it doesn't believe the Chargers have met the trigger requirements. In a second part of its cross-complaint, the city asked a judge to rule on the impact of a trigger if the Chargers have indeed met the requirements. Pittsburgh Steelers : Kicker Jeff Reed is expected to need three months of rehabilitation after surgery to repair damaged cartilage in his left hip. Reed first felt discomfort in the hip during his senior season at North Carolina in 2001, but doctors never felt the injury required an operation until now. Reed, who had surgery Friday, is expected to be ready for the Steelers' annual mini-camp in June. After going 20-of-24 on field goals during his rookie season in 2002, counting the playoffs, Reed was 23-of-32 this season.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.