National Game Holding Court With Rest of Us

President George Bush, who says he wants to end the national obsession with frivolous litigation, could start with the national pastime.

The New York Times’ Murray Chass lists the following recent actions:

--Pete Rose sued the commissioner.

--Two New York Yankee limited partners and Leonard Kleinman sued the commissioner, stemming from the suspension of George Steinbrenner.

--Steinbrenner signed away his right to sue the commissioner so he sued the court stenographer.

--The Chicago Cubs sued the commissioner to prevent them from going to the National League West.

--Now St. Petersburg, Fla., concerned that National League owners might not approve the sale of the San Francisco Giants, says it will sue if anyone interferes with the contractual rights conveyed by team owner Bob Lurie to Florida investors. Chass says a city so eager to seek judicial remedy has already proved it belongs in the big leagues.

“Baseball had the dead ball era, followed by the live ball era,” Chass writes. “This is the litigious era.”

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Replay Replay: Several CBS-TV announcers say they think the NFL will have to reinstitute instant replay reviews, and it might not take long, either.

“One game,” Jim Nantz said.

“I give it half a season,” Randy Cross said.

“I never thought they should quit,” John Madden said.

Other critics wonder why the NFL insisted on reviewing plays that neither team disputed, rather than using a challenge system.

The answer is simple: The USFL, which used TV replays first, had such a system, and the NFL didn’t want to copy it.

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Trivia time: Three schools have had players taken first and second overall in successive years in the NBA draft. Identify them.

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Losing his cool: Rick Sutcliffe, upset that his Oriole teammates were sitting like bumps on the bench while others watched him pitch on TV in the air-conditioned clubhouse, gave them all a lesson you wouldn’t see in a summer cheerleading camp.

“I must have (cursed) everyone on the bench,” Sutcliffe said. “If I could have raised my arm, I might have slapped somebody. I probably don’t have a friend left on the team.

“Look, I’ve got $15 million in the bank. I’m here for one reason--because I want to win. That’s all I have left.”

Sutcliffe left that game tied, 1-1. Baltimore won, 2-1.

“You don’t just flick a switch and change everything during a pennant race,” mild-mannered Manager Johnny Oates said. “We’ve won 66 games sitting in the clubhouse.”

Oates had better proceed carefully. As a Dodger, Sutcliffe tore up Manager Tom Lasorda’s office after learning he was being deactivated before the 1981 postseason.

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Count again: NBC says it has no plans to offer sharp-eyed, sharp-tongued Larry Bird a job.

“We’re very happy with our commentators,” spokesman Ed Markey said. “I think Larry has bigger concerns on his mind than broadcasting.”

A year ago, NBC hired Magic Johnson and gave him plum assignments throughout the playoffs. Johnson now seems to have bigger concerns on his mind too--a possible return to the Lakers--and one of their commentators might be missing.

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Whyizit? Returns are still rolling in on Whatizit?, Atlanta’s 1996 Olympic symbol, and few are favorable.

“Road kill,” Tom Knott of the Washington Times suggested.

“It certainly wins a gold for ugliness,” the London Daily Telegraph said.

The Washington Post dedicated last Sunday’s “Style” front page to the “Dweeby Mascot” and a collection of put-downs from cartoonists.

“A bad marriage of the Pillsbury Doughboy and the ugliest California Raisin,” said Matt Groening, creator of “The Simpsons.” “It will lower the average IQ in America by several points if enough people look at it.”

Said ABC anchorman Peter Jennings: “We did get a little anxious about their planning in Georgia when we saw the Atlanta mascot.”

Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games officials say they aren’t upset.

“People need to step back a little bit and say this is fun,” said Ginger Watkins of ACOG. “This is something to talk about. In four years, they will say, ‘What a clever idea.’ ”

Maybe the committee is the one that needs to lighten up. Watkins’ title is executive vice president in charge of mascot development.

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Trivia answer: UCLA, with Bill Walton (1) and David Meyers (2) in 1974-75; Indiana, with Scott May (2) and Kent Benson (1) in 1976-77, and DePaul, with Mark Aguirre (1) and Terry Cummings (2) in 1981-82.

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Quotebook: Boxing promoter Don King: “Nobody is talked about more than me. I am the best promoter in the world. And I say that humbly.”