Time for Ridley-Thomas to Join O’Malley’s Team

Few politicians would battle as tenaciously against such long odds as L.A. Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas has in an attempt to bring an NFL team to his district, more specifically the Coliseum. His constituents have been well served.

Now, if Ridley-Thomas is considering a future mayoral race, it is time for him to think about the entire city’s welfare and support the Dodger Stadium area as the new home for an NFL team.

That is Los Angeles’ best chance to reclaim a place in the league in the near future, meaning 2000 or 2001.

It would be difficult for Ridley-Thomas to abandon his vision for the Coliseum. I agree with him it’s the best site here for football. I would guess that many among the crowd of 91,350 who attended the USC-UCLA game there Saturday do too.

However, there are too many obstacles, including a state financing plan described even by those who support it as a longshot.

Most discouraging is that NFL officials have little enthusiasm for returning to the Coliseum. The third time holds no charm for them.

The momentum now is with Hollywood Park in Inglewood, a city that no doubt would prove as hospitable for an NFL team as it has for the Lakers and Kings.

But NFL officials could have made that happen at any time since the Raiders left and have chosen to wait. I suspect they’ve been waiting for Peter O’Malley, who, out of civic responsibility, has been deferring to the Coliseum.

Ridley-Thomas could break this logjam. There no doubt would be political issues at Chavez Ravine to overcome, but he and O’Malley would form a formidable team.

They would satisfy the NFL, which, in turn, would satisfy Los Angeles.

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Jack Ramsay says the Clippers are little better than a CBA team. . . .

Clipper General Manager Elgin Baylor protests. . . .

So does the CBA. . . .

What does Ramsay know about basketball, anyway? . . .

Shaquille O’Neal is the NBA’s highest-paid spectator, but no one can say he’s not giving back. . . .

His latest song--”Are You Ready to Fly?”--was released Tuesday. . . .

It’s part of a charity album, “Jive’s Unreleased Masters for the Children’s Health Fund Vol. 1.” . . .

Also, he’s employing 45 people in Compton at his new apparel manufacturing company, Twism Inc. . . .

“The negative images of this city are nothing compared to the good things it has to offer,” he says of Compton. . . .

You could say something similar about him. . . .

With Shaq out of the running, the longest consecutive-game streak by an NBA player in Los Angeles is Clipper Darrick Martin’s 96. . . .

The Laker leader is Eddie Jones at 23. . . .

A.C. Green, who broke the league record Thursday with his 907th consecutive game, played a majority of them alongside Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the Lakers. . . .

But he tells USA Today his inspirations on the team were Kurt Rambis and Michael Cooper because of their work ethic. . . .

At their recent meetings in Arizona, baseball general managers praised the Dodgers’ Fred Claire for his insistence on sticking with his budget. . . .

They were not as kind to the Arizona Diamondbacks, who gave shortstop Jay Bell $34.5 million for five years. . . .

The consensus was that the next-worst deal for baseball budgets was Ken Hill’s three years at $16.05 million from the Angels. . . .

At least golfers have to earn their money. . . .

Without any carry-overs, Tiger Woods, Fred Couples, Tom Lehman and Mark O’Meara will be playing for $100,000 on the 18th hole at the conclusion of this weekend’s Skins Game at Rancho La Quinta. . . .

Does it make you feel old to hear Ryan Haden led Pasadena Poly in interceptions this season with four? . . .

He’s Pat Haden’s son. . . .

We can’t turn back the years, but we can watch Haden quarterback USC again on the Classic Sports Network. . . .

All day Thursday, the network will replay memorable college football games from the last three decades, including, at 7 p.m. and 11 p.m., the Trojans’ legendary 55-24 victory over Notre Dame in 1974. . . .

Fox Sports West 2 has been promoting Laker telecasts with a tape of Cedric Ceballos. . . .

Some memories are better left alone.

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While wondering if the Ducks would seriously consider trading Paul Kariya to Vancouver, I was thinking: The NHL must long for the days when its only ethnic problems involved French and English Canadians, it’s about time somebody gave Tim Johnson a manager’s job, NFL coaches must be glad that saluting is in and Gatorade baths are out.