Is This Any Way to Run the Rivalry?

Leftovers from the weekly media luncheon . . .

On Unrivaled Apathy: Smokey Gaines is consistent. For all of his years in San Diego, and this is his eighth, he has insisted that a rivalry does not exist between his San Diego State Aztecs and the cross-town University of San Diego Toreros.

Through victories in his first six games against USD, Gaines said it was not a rivalry. USD won last season, 81-64, in the most lopsided game since both universities have been playing Division I basketball . . . and still it is not a rivalry.

“It’s a rivalry,” Gaines said, “when you have 13,000 fans in the stands. It’s not a rivalry when you get 2,000 to 3,000.”

Interestingly, Gaines has always been quite consistent in his insistence that he will do anything possible to stir interest in basketball in San Diego.

Why, then, continually denigrate the annual cross-town clash with USD?

It might have been understandable when San Diego State was undisputed No. 1 on this turf and went into this game with everything to lose and nothing to gain.

When these teams square off Thursday night in the Sports Arena, USD enters the game No. 1 in the city. This time, the Toreros have much more to lose than they have to gain.

Party-Crashing: Three of the four teams playing for San Diego County high school football championships Saturday in San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium are from north of Highway 78.

The interloper is Lincoln from the City Central League.

Lincoln will play Oceanside for the 2-A championship at 5, followed by Vista vs. Fallbrook for the 3-A championship at 8.

“I want to thank the North County schools for allowing a city school to take part in their extravaganza,” said Lincoln Coach Vic Player. “I guess it’s only fair. Our tax dollars pay for the stadium.”

Neighborhood Chums: Vista and Fallbrook, Hatfield/McCoy rivals in the North County hills, have traditionally played in the last Palomar League game of the season.

The rivalry stirs the kind of intensity USD and SDSU do not seem to inspire.

“It’s a big moneymaker,” said Vista Coach Dick Haines. “We always draw 10,000 at our place. We went up to Fallbrook this year and you couldn’t get a seat in the place. You had to get there early or sit up in the end zone.”

However, the principals decided to rotate the schedule, and Vista vs. Fallbrook popped up as the league opener. This was roughly comparable to serving the entree before the hors d’oeurves.

As it has turned out, these rivals will be meeting in the season finale . . . and not the regular-season finale.

“We’re playing the last game of the season,” Haines said. “Like it or not.”

Inventive Vocabulary: Vic Player was laughing about a promise he made to Oceanside’s players to meet in the county championship game at the stadium.

“I didn’t want to be a pediobreaker,” he said. “A pediobreaker is one who breaks promises to children. Not really. That’s one I made up.”

Fallbrook had a more basic slogan, according to Coach Tom Pack. His team opened the season in Maui.

“Our slogan,” he said, “was Maui to Murphy. This is a dream come true, coming all the way to play in San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium.”

Jack and His Wardrobe: There have been rumors that Jack Nicklaus, tightening his schedule, would skip the opening Tournament of Champions at La Costa.

“Jack returned the form we sent him,” said Mike Crosswaite, the tournament director. “He had to give us things like his sport coat size. We expect him to be there.”

Maybe not. Nicklaus won a green sport coat for the Masters championship, so he may figure he doesn’t need another one. Being color blind, they are all the same to him.

A Nice Place to Visit: The Super Bowl Task Force presented a report which estimated that the 1988 game will generate $141 million for the San Diego economy.

Later in the presentation, Task Force Chairman Bob Payne was talking about the impact on future tourism.

“What we want to do,” he said, “is to get (people) to visit . . . and not move here.”

Shortly thereafter, he was explaining the steps which would be taken to keep restaurants and hotels from hiking their prices to take advantage of the demand during Super Bowl week.

A voice from the audience suggested: “Let ‘em raise their prices the following week, so people will go home.”

Economic Impact: Al Saunders, the Chargers’ coach, said he already knows about the potential economic impact of the Super Bowl. He said he didn’t need a survey.

“Our owner told me if we’re not in it, my household will be directly impacted,” Saunders said.

He was smiling, but he didn’t say whether he was kidding.

Designated Hitter: Tony Gwynn waited patiently in the back of the room. He was on hand to comment on his Gold Glove Award, and he was batting last for the first time in his life.

But he still packed a wallop . . .

On the chances of signing free-agent outfielder Tim Raines: “I wish about 100%, but I don’t know which way we’re going to go with the club up for sale. I know owners are being a little bit more cautious about signing someone who might not be productive, but I think Tim Raines would be an exception. Does it sound like I’m begging?”

On Steve Garvey as owner/first baseman: “We wouldn’t have as many problems as we have now, like guys crying about the beer ban. Garv would be in the clubhouse and he’d know what was going on. I think it would be great.”

On offseason conditioning: “I’ve experimented the last couple of days with roller skating uphill. Don’t laugh. You try roller skating uphill, and you’ll really feel it.”

Roller skating uphill? A guy has to do something when he finds himself last in a batting order.

Last Word From Smokey Gaines: “I don’t know why you spend a half an hour hyping the Super Bowl. You are going to sell it out, aren’t you? And we’re going to draw 3,000.”

I can understand his complaint. The Super Bowl might not even be played between teams who are rivals.