Hey, San Diego, Why Not Just Say No?

Listen to yourself, San Diego.

“I think we should turn on our car lights during the day in support of the Chargers,” proposed businesswoman Alice Tana in front of civic leaders Monday.

Listen to yourself, America’s Finest City.

“It is important to support the Chargers,” said city councilwoman Judy McCarty at the same meeting. “There are about 600 people in this room. If each one convinces 10 people to buy Charger tickets. . . .”

Listen to yourself, you smog-free slice of paradise with world-class attractions, renowned intellectual centers and friendly people.

You are pathetic.

The Super Bowl may be the most important and profitable convention in this country. Host one, and you are instantly about $300 million richer.

But is it worth your dignity?

Do you really want a Super Bowl if it means keeping your eyes closed while your city cuts a deal agreeing to risk tax money to help keep a $70-million corporation profitable?

Should it really matter that the corporation is a professional football team?

If Pasadena is required to engage in the same sort of bootlicking to acquire the game after Feb. 20, then Pasadena shouldn’t want it, either.

That’s what San Diego is being asked to do, you know.

Throw money at the feet of Charger owner Alex Spanos, a guy who has led the team to four winning seasons in 13 years. . . .

Or lose the game, which Commissioner Paul Tagliabue correctly described as “the dream of a lifetime.”

Embrace a man who recently allowed the only coach who has taken him to a Super Bowl to walk away. . . .

Or watch Pasadena steal a chance at spending a week on the world stage.

A tough choice for some. But not San Diego civic leaders, who made their intentions clear at a Super Bowl kickoff luncheon Monday at a resort at the end of Vacation Road.

Outside the ballroom, water gently lapped and sea gulls swooped.

Inside, Tagliabue urged San Diego to be more like Kansas City and Buffalo.

And was given a standing ovation for it.

“Those cities did intelligent things,” he said, noting that they used public money to update the stadiums to keep the owners competitive (and happy).

While wondering why San Diego would ever want to be like any city but San Diego, herewith an attempt at a simple explanation of the problem:

--In 1993, San Diego was awarded the Super Bowl, officially contingent only on the installation of temporary seats to increase San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium’s capacity to 72,000.

But Tagliabue also announced that he favored the site because he thought it would encourage the city to renovate the stadium, adding more premium seating that would give Spanos more money.

This has been a common league ploy in recent years, since stadiums began falling into disrepair and owners began making less money.

Take care of our owner, and we’ll give you our biggest game. Don’t, and we won’t.

When it comes to coercion, the NFL has decided that the Super Bowl is a lot less messy than a gun.

--In 1995, in the wake of the Chargers’ Super Bowl season in 1994, the renovation deal was negotiated for $60 million in lease-revenue bonds that would be paid off by stadium users.

But also as part of the deal, the city agreed to guarantee that the Chargers would sell at least 60,000 of 62,000 general admission seats for every home game--including worthless exhibitions--for 10 years.

In the five years before the arrival of popular coach Bobby Ross--who recently quit just before he was fired--they reached that 60,000 figure in seven of 39 games.

And every four years, there is a chance that Spanos can seek a new deal.

--Taxpayer advocates legally fought the funding method for nearly two years before it was approved by the highest court in the state.

--Two months ago, the city completed the original deal, but the delay and a few extras increased it by $18 million.

--Taxpayer advocates immediately fought the new deal, and asked that voters be allowed to decide whether the entire amount was worth it. A judge will hear the case on Feb. 20.

It was then that the city, led by Spanos-supported Mayor Susan Golding, caused the entire problem with one arrogant move.

Taking the stand that the original $60 million had already been approved, and ignoring the nearly 50,000 petition signatures that warned them to stop, the stadium renovators began demolition.

Today, about a month later, they have a stadium filled with roaring jackhammers and masked workers. A process has begun that cannot be stopped, or a Super Bowl cannot be played.

Whatever happened to just installing those temporary seats? Why couldn’t Golding have stalled the renovation deal, asked Spanos to wait one more year and sacrifice a few bucks to insure that this city would host a Super Bowl that would make millions?

Because this was never about a Super Bowl.

In the today’s NFL, Super Bowls are never about Super Bowls.

This was about keeping an owner happy and in town. This was about world-class San Diego really believing that it needs a professional football team to feel good about itself.

Like the stream of cars that floods down Interstate 5 from Los Angeles every weekend isn’t enough.

No telling whether Pasadena and Los Angeles officials are being asked to make similar promises for serving as possible alternate host.

Maybe the league wants them to twist some political arms, call in a few markers, start the process toward building a city-funded stadium while schools rot and police are overwhelmed.

It is hoped that officials will realize their position of strength and just say no.

Pro football has been gone from Los Angeles for two years. Interest in publicly funding a team is nil, and yet its TV ratings for NFL games are still among the country’s best.

It has become increasingly clear that Los Angeles may be the last place on earth that feels the NFL needs it more than it needs the NFL. And Los Angeles may be right.

So grab that Super Bowl, Pasadena, but with no strings attached.

Tell the NFL that you will turn on your headlights at sundown, and not a minute before.

* GOING NORTH?

The NFL told San Diego civic leaders that the city is in jeopardy of losing the Super Bowl to Pasadena. A3

* RANDY HARVEY

Richard Riordan wants the Super Bowl for the Coliseum, but that could sabotage the Rose Bowl’s efforts. C2