Looking to Cure the Ills of Sports? No Problem

S port has its problems. We have the solutions . . .

Problem: The major league lockout enters its 28th day, with opening day all but gone and no end in sight, because neither side is willing to budge on the issue of arbitration.

Solution: Arbitration.

The players want to roll back the arbitration eligibility requirement to two years’ big league experience. The owners want to keep it at three years.

And Bo Jackson wanted $1.9 million and the Royals wanted to pay him $1 million.

Settle this impasse the same way. Hire an arbitrator and have both sides argue their case. Let the owners bring in their financial impact studies and their bar graphs charting salary growth. Let the players bring in Wally Joyner.

Then, let the arbitrator decide--with both sides agreeing to abide by the ruling for the next 12 months.

The new Basic Agreement would include revised provisions for minimum salary and roster size, but the arbitration issue would remain negotiable for a year. That way, Chuck O’Connor and Donald Fehr will have ample time to forge a long-term compromise--and, if not, arbitrate again in ‘91--while the fans get baseball.

Now, to get the owners and the players to agree on an arbitrator.

Still working on that one.

Problem: The Raiders announce their planned return to Oakland, leaving greater Los Angeles without a National Football League team.

Solution: Come to greater Anaheim.

Let’s face it: Los Angeles never really had the Raiders; it merely rented them. In spirit, in style, in cloak and swagger, the Raiders will always be the Oakland Raiders. They’ll always be Daryle Lamonica deep to Warren Wells, George Blanda at the final gun, Jack Tatum crushing fresh flanker spleen.

So they want to go back to Oakland. Good. It’s about time. They never should have left.

At the same time, maybe now Los Angeles will re-discover the Rams. Pretty good team here. They usually make the playoffs. They have a quarterback too.

In 1980 and 1981, the Rams played in Anaheim without another team in Los Angeles and the republic survived. Don’t tell me about the unbearable freeway ride, either.

Orange County NBA fans have been making the trek to the Forum for years.

Problem: The Big West Conference, still the Little West in the minds of the NCAA, can’t get a 22-8 Cal State Long Beach squad in the 64-team postseason basketball tournament.

Solution: Beat Houston and Loyola Marymount this week.

Reputations die hard and the Big West, despite the presence of four 20-victory teams, still can’t shed its image as cannon fodder for Nevada Las Vegas. In the national view, the Big West continues to serve as home to one Ali and nine Gerry Cooneys.

For that to change, the Cooneys have to start hitting back.

“Until we go beyond (teams) just making the field, until we start winning some NCAA games, I’m not sure we’ll ever get the respect we so richly deserve,� says Big West Commissioner Jim Haney.

UC Santa Barbara gets Houston on Thursday. New Mexico State gets Loyola on Friday.

Get someone besides Nevada Las Vegas past the first round.

Problem: Andre Agassi won’t play for Tom Gorman, John McEnroe won’t play, period, and the U.S. Davis Cup team is down to the junior varsity once again.

Solution: Name McEnroe U.S. player-captain.

That’s one way to get McEnroe interested again. McEnroe ranks as one of America’s all-time Davis Cup greats--he was playing five-hour classics against Mats Wilander while Jimmy Connors was raking in big exhibition boondoggles--and, like him or loathe him, the man is impassioned.

Think Mac might light a fire under Agassi?

Think Mac would tolerate Robert Seguso whining about the doubles selection process?

Think the United States would ever lose to Paraguay again?

And just think about the pep talks.

Problem: Jim Abbott, America’s Rookie, is angered after the Angels automatically renewed him at $185,000.

Solution: Keep a diary.

Since the untimely departure of Nolan Ryan, and the timely departure of Reggie Jackson, the Angels have had two true drawing cards--Joyner and Abbott. Both embody the image the Angels want to sell--clean-cut, clean-living productive athletes who give something back to the community.

Both are rewarded with the strong arm in contract negotiations.

The Oakland Athletics win pennants by keeping their best young players happy. The Angels think they can contend while ticking off their best young players.

Wasn’t any lesson learned by Joyner’s recent arbitration settlement? Joyner had his least impressive big league season in 1989, but after the low-balls following Joyner’s superb 1986 and 1987 seasons, the arbitrator saw fit to make amends with an award of $1.75 million.

Abbott is taking notes. And if he’s talking to Joyner, he also knows he can become a free agent after six seasons.

Loyalty is a two-way avenue. If charity doesn’t begin at home, don’t blame the players when they search elsewhere for it when their time finally comes.