Kings Should Surprise Kariya With an Offer

The Kings are close to breaking ground for a new arena, which could aid in the revitalization of downtown Los Angeles. They’re planning to alter their colors, bringing back some purple to make them less attractive to gangs. They’re trying to assemble a Stanley Cup contender to better entertain their fans.

Of those three honorable, civic-minded goals, two appear achievable before the end of this century.

But I’d like to see them do something that would benefit hockey in all of Southern California today--sign Paul Kariya to an offer sheet.

They could be responsible and write it for $8 million a year. Or they could have some fun and make it $10 million. Or $12 million.

Why not?

It probably wouldn’t cost them a cent because the Ducks have said since the beginning of the non-negotiations they would match any offer to prevent Kariya from leaving Anaheim.

The worst that could happen to the Kings is that the Ducks would choke on those numbers and allow Kariya to move to Los Angeles. In either case, we’d be guaranteed to see him in a uniform this season other than the one he’ll wear for Canada in the Winter Olympics.

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The Ducks scored points on the public relations front when they questioned why Kariya and his agent wouldn’t even extend the courtesy of responding to their two offers. . . .

But then the team’s management edited Kariya out of the 1996-97 highlight film shown at Friday night’s home opener. . . .

That insulted the intelligence of their fans, who chanted, “We want Paul.” . . .

The Kings also had a highlight film for their home opener Sunday night, but Coach Larry Robinson wasn’t interested. . . .

“I’m trying to block last year out of my mind,” he said. . . .

Seven goals against an Ottawa team that gave up one to the Ducks on Friday night will help. . . .

Just because Florida’s Livan Hernandez is a rookie doesn’t mean he had never pitched under pressure before facing the Braves on Sunday. . . .

Pressure is pitching for Fidel Castro’s team in the World Championships. . . .

The only series I’d rather see than one between the Orioles and Indians is one between the Red Sox and Cubs. . . .

Because of the ballparks, not the teams. . . .

“I take the blame,” John Robinson said after USC’s loss Saturday to Arizona State. . . .

I doubt if he’ll get an argument from Mike Garrett. . . .

Robinson needs a victory over Notre Dame this season even more than he did last season. . . .

USC can’t even claim to be the nation’s best 2-3 team. That distinction belongs to Colorado, which dropped out of the top 25 for the first time since 1988 after losing to Oklahoma State. . . .

Remember 1996, when UCLA fans bemoaned the fact that Rick Neuheisel wasn’t here to replace Terry Donahue? . . .

I haven’t heard any complaints about Bob Toledo in, oh, a month. . . .

UCLA’s best coaching job Saturday was done by defensive coordinator Rocky Long. . . .

Realizing that Oregon was on to their defensive tricks, the Bruins met the Ducks head on in the second half and shut them down. . . .

The Bruin schedule shows only one more game requiring travel of more than half an hour, on Nov. 1 at Stanford. Their other road game is against USC at the Coliseum on Nov. 22. . . .

The NFL is trying to achieve parity, but there’s only one great team, Denver, and a lot that I’m glad won’t be coming to Los Angeles, even for a Sunday afternoon. . . .

I understand when only 17,000 buy tickets to see the Oilers play the Bengals in Memphis. . . .

But I thought the fans would be more manic in Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers lost once, to the defending Super Bowl champions, then didn’t sell enough tickets for the game against Detroit to lift the blackout. . . .

They missed a terrific game, by Barry Sanders. . . .

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While wondering why Dallas is favored at Washington, I was thinking: Dan Marino looks OK to me, Steve Spurrier shouldn’t rush to his mailbox for sympathy cards, we want Paul.