Oakland’s Long-Distance Love Affair With the Raiders Becomes a Dial Tone

A few years ago, Oakland seemed eager to have Al Davis return his Raiders to the city. However, according to San Francisco Chronicle columnist Glenn Dickey, there has been a change of heart.

George Vukasin, president of the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum, told Dickey: “Davis would have to make the first move. He’d have to agree to come here before we’d negotiate the deal with him.”

Said Dickey: “That, of course is completely contrary to Davis’ style. He wants cities to come begging to him, and then he’ll take his time in deciding which one to favor.”

Add Raiders: “Davis strings out deals because of his inability to come to a quick decision,” Dickey said. “He made a serious mistake in moving to Los Angeles and compounded that two years ago by deciding to stay.”

Sour grapes?

Trivia time: USC won its first NCAA baseball title by defeating Yale in the 1948 College World Series. Who was Yale’s first baseman?

Insightful: Inside Sports handicapped the Indianapolis 500 in its June issue and listed Al Unser Jr. in the “not-so-solid-bets” category. Unser won the race.

Scott Goodyear was listed in the “no-chance” category. He finished second. Moreover, Lyn St. James wasn’t even mentioned among “leading rookies.” Seven rookies started, but she was the only rookie still running when the race ended, finishing 11th.

Al Unser Sr., who finished third, was ignored in the article.

Trade-in time: Alan Greenberg of the Hartford Courant compares the aging Boston Celtics to a vintage luxury car.

“Change the oil and spark plugs, don’t drive ‘em hard every day, and they’ll give you a nice ride--say, all the way to Game 7 of the second round of the playoffs--but don’t expect more.

“A franchise built around luxury cars this old can’t compete with one stocked with newer models.”

Add Celtics: Larry Bird said he enjoyed doing a potato-chip commercial with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. “I really didn’t know Kareem at all,” he said, “other than the time he tried to take my head off with his elbow.”

Miner skills: Mitch Lawrence of the Dallas Morning News analyzing USC’s Harold Miner: “Likes to score on move, which sometimes leads to bad-shot selection. Defense? Never heard the word. No playmaking skills. Strictly a shooting guard.”

Ice tyrant: Mike Keenan, the Chicago Blackhawks’ hard-driving coach, told the Sporting News that he is a man on a mission. “I’m not obsessed, though, I’m possessed. There’s a difference.”

He sounds like a fun guy.

Bogeyman: Golf Digest organized a tournament in 1985 to find the worst avid golfer in the United States. Angelo Spagnola of Fayette City, Pa., was the runaway winner.

He shot 257 for 18 holes on the TPC course at Sawgrass, including a 66 on the island 17th hole.

Bum rap: Welterweight Buck (Tombstone) Smith is accused of padding his record (110-2-1, 81 knockouts) with a bum-of-the-month schedule.

“But I’m not fighting one bum a month,” he protested. “I’m fighting three or four.”

Trivia answer: President George Bush.

Quotebook: Cincinnati Red pitcher Tim Belcher, on his former teammate, Dodger catcher Mike Scioscia: “He’s like a tree stump with a never-ending root system.”