This Sponsorship Could Open a Can of Worms

Winners, losers and coin tosses:

Loser: Major league baseball.

A Native American tribe, Sycuan, paid $1.5 million to become presenting sponsor of the San Diego Padres’ 2000 season, the first marketing agreement of its kind in U.S. professional sports.

Let’s hope it’s the last.

Nothing against Sycuan. After years of seeing Native Americans disparaged by pro teams, such as the Cleveland Indians with their unflattering logo, the Atlanta Braves with their tomahawk chop and the Washington Redskins with their racist nickname, it’s good to see a tribe get in on the action.

Nothing against the Padres. They made a deal with a cowboy, Garth Brooks, last year, Indians this year.

But baseball shouldn’t go down this road because around the next curve I see major league teams following the lead of Little League teams and selling space on the backs of their jerseys to sponsors, like Al’s Hardware and Benny’s Plumbing.

I’m checking now on the rumor that Randy’s (no relation) Donuts off the 405 Freeway has contacted the Dodgers and Angels. It makes sense to me. If the Angels trade Jim Edmonds, both teams will have nothing but holes in the middle.

Losers: Dodgers.

They announced that Wolfgang Puck will provide food service this season at Dodger Stadium.

No, no, no. We said we want Piazza, not pizza.

Losers: Seattle Mariners.

They traded Ken Griffey Jr. and got who in return?

Winner: Bill Stoneman.

Some of the best deals aren’t the ones that you make. They’re the ones that teams like the Mariners and Rangers make.

With Griffey and Juan Gonzalez out of the American League West, the Angels are looking considerably better than they did last season.

Not that Stoneman, the new general manager, has done anything to improve his team. But at least we know now that he’s trying. Keep pitching, Bill. You might have to when the season starts.

Loser: John Rocker.

The Braves aren’t commenting on the report that they are trying to trade Rocker to Montreal for closer Ugueth Urbina. But wouldn’t that be sweet justice, for Rocker to be sent to a place where he’s a foreigner?

Winner: Coach K.

Considering the players he lost, Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski has done a fine job this season, despite the loss Wednesday night at home to Maryland. But I’m not talking about him.

I’m talking about Jason Kapono. Not only is he UCLA’s leading scorer, Steve Lavin calls his savvy freshman from Artesia a “coach on the floor.”

It’s about time somebody began coaching this team.

Coin Toss: Portland Trail Blazers.

Give them credit for their sportsmanship. They spotted the Clippers 18 points Wednesday night.

But the Trail Blazers still didn’t go far enough. They won going away.

Next time, they have to play blindfolded.

Loser: America’s Cup.

There’s no America in the America’s Cup. They should just call it Cup.

Winner: Italy.

One of its boats, Prada, reached the finals with the best Italian sailors in history. Some argue that they’re the best since Christopher Columbus, but I thought he came ashore in the Americas only to ask directions to India.

Winner: Surfside.

At least that’s the way I’d bet, if I bet, in Saturday’s Las Virgenes Stakes at Santa Anita.

The leading lady of Wayne Lukas’ barn is so strong that only three other fillies, one of them trained by Lukas, will be entered against her. For competition, Lukas will have to enter her against colts in the Santa Anita Derby on April 8.

The next stop after that will be Kentucky, maybe in the Oaks but more likely in the Derby.

Loser: Gil Clancy.

Somebody had to take the fall for Oscar De La Hoya’s loss to Felix Trinidad Jr.

De La Hoya, to his credit, said Thursday that he has only himself to blame for the loss of his welterweight title. But no one else in his camp agreed. By a 4-1 vote, with De La Hoya the only dissenter, Clancy was fired as the assistant trainer to Robert Alcazar.

The official reason was that Clancy was arguing in the corner. From what I’ve seen of that corner, there is plenty of reason to argue. The next assistant trainer will do fine, as long as he never speaks.

Coin Toss: Tough men.

On one hand, contestants such as John “the Haymaker” Cobb, Tim “Death Row” Demsey and Gus “Rotten Rudy” Winterland have a chance to win $50,000 in the Toughman World Championships tonight on pay-per-view.

On the other hand, the real reason most of these guys are fighting is because they want to become the next Butterbean.

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Randy Harvey can be reached at his e-mail address: randy.harvey@latimes.com.