Of Settling Strikes and Throwing Them

Clips and comments . . .

The Charger regulars (or regular Chargers) return to find that the team has gone 3-0 in their absence and now leads the American Football Conference’s Western Division with a 4-1 record.

These fellows might be expected to feel like children awakening on Christmas morning to the most wonderful and unexpected of gifts.

However, these fellows are not children. Although they no doubt appreciate what has landed in their laps, their excitement is surely tempered.

They are paying the bills. Their individual shares of the tab will run from approximately $20,000 to $200,000 in lost income.

It is appropriate that Halloween is the nearest “holiday,” because this may be the ultimate trick and treat.

San Diego State loses to Stanford, 44-40, after giving up 47, 49 and 52 points in earlier games.

Jim Brandenburg has certainly brought discipline and defense to the Aztec basketball program.

What? This isn’t the basketball team? This is football?

Maybe Denny Stolz, the football coach, should be stalking the campus for a replacement defense.

Ron Fowler takes control of the Sockers and then leaves on a 2 1/2-week African safari.

Fowler, the owner of Liquid Investments Inc., is obviously an enlightened man. He has an acute awareness of what life will be like with the Sockers and the Major Indoor Soccer League.

A couple of weeks in a jungle will help him cope with the winter ahead.

The Padres will not raise ticket prices in 1988.

They’re not lower?

Both Tony Gwynn and Benito Santiago make The Sporting News’ National League All-Star team.

OK, so don’t lower the ticket prices.

Dan Fouts expects to be paid for running practices for the regular Chargers while they were on strike.

If this is what was agreed upon, fine . . . though I expect this one will end up in court. Consider, however, that Fouts led the striking players to an 0-0 record and Al Saunders coached the irregulars to a 3-0 record.

If Fouts gets close to $50,000 for his chores, what would the job Saunders has done be worth?

Todd Santos passes for 536 yards and 5 touchdowns for San Diego State.

It brings to mind a remark Don Drysdale made a few years back. Flown ahead to the next city by the Dodgers to rest for a start the next day, he was informed that Sandy Koufax had pitched a no-hitter.

Drysdale’s reaction?

“Did we win?”

See above.

Cornerback Elvis (Toast) Patterson returns an interception 75 yards for a touchdown to enable the Charger replacements to beat the Raider semi-replacements.

Toast? That is what he was called when he was with the New York Giants, ostensibly because he was burned so often by long passes. He should have a new nickname hereabouts. Maybe amending it to Toast of the Town would be sufficient.

It has been a long time since a Charger defensive back has had such an impact on a football game, at least in a positive way. Charger defensive backs have been much more likely to watch winning passes . . . not catch them.

Does this fellow have a chance to stick with the post-strike varsity? Consider that the Chargers have never had a defensive back in the Pro Bowl game . . . none in recent years even close.

Enough said.

Barry Redden is a missing person when the real Chargers return Monday afternoon.

Quick, someone call him and tell him Elvis Patterson is a defensive back.

Hank Egan, the University of San Diego basketball coach, says he is optimistic about the 1987-88 season.

Mr. Conservative is optimistic? Come on. The Toreros had a magnificent season in 1986-87, but only one regular--starting guard Danny Means--returns. The Chargers had more familiar faces on their replacement squad than Egan greeted at the opening of USD’s preseason practice last week.

So Egan is optimistic? About what? That the West Coast Athletic Conference won’t go on strike? Or maybe that it will?

The Chargers will return home this Sunday to play Kansas City.

All of the Chargers have been gone, in one way or another, for the duration of the strike. Not just the striking regulars, but the irregulars as well. A quirk of scheduling caused all three of the Chargers’ non-union games to be played elsewhere.

Consequently, the replacements, a number of whom have become at least minor heroes hereabouts, will never get a collective curtain call for playing those three games and winning them all.

Should the veterans care to denigrate these accomplishments, they should be advised that the real Chargers have won as many as three road games in a full season only once in the last four years. That was in 1984, when they won exactly three.

Maybe the Chargers should try a new twist to two-platoon football. They could play with the regulars at home and the irregulars on the road.

Of course, should the veterans come back and get bombed by Kansas City Sunday, they might find that the road would be a more comfortable place for them to be. These irregulars may be a tough act to follow.