THE envelope, please. Who will bid
for Rainbow TV rights?Today's announcement as to which broadcast outlet is awarded the television rights for University of Hawaii sports could end up being as one-sided as the recent Academy Awards.
KHNL/KFVE is as heavily favored to retain the rights as "The English Patient" was to collect a mantel full of Oscars.
The bids were due by 2:29 p.m. today and were to be opened at 2:30 p.m. Barring an appearance by Billy Crystal, they may not need those 60 seconds to end the suspense; KHNL/KFVE may be the only bidder.
This afternoon's show at the UH Office of Procurement, Property and Risk Management will be a scene right out of "Jerry McGuire." Show UH officials the money and, for at least $1 million, it's winner take all the Rainbow telecasts for the next five years.
A good deal for UH? Maybe.
All John Fink, KHNL general manager, has to figure out is how much over the $1 million minimum he needs to ante up. (And he hadn't made the decision as of last night). This just in case KGMB makes good on its hints that it was in the bidding war and that no other television station -- such as KITV -- drops into the race from out of nowhere.
It would make things interesting if Fink did not submit an offer. And neither did anyone else.
One only wonders what UH officials would do then.
This decision was to have been made last October. The delay has already cost them one bidder -- Oceanic Cablevision reportedly offered $1.2 million before dropping out of the process six weeks ago.
One thing is for certain if KHNL/KFVE retains the rights it has held for the past 12 years. UH officials got to make the easy and comfortable decision to stay with "The Home Team" which really created the market for Rainbow sports telecasts.
One other certainty. It will be a whole new ballgame five years from now.
THE first signs of Little League seasons are here. Parents calling to complain that baseball is too intense, that the opposing team's parents were out of control, and that it's no longer fun for their youngsters.
One piece of advice. Pick up a copy of Kurt Hohenstein's "The Rules of the Game: Simple Truths Learned From Little League."
It's often been said that baseball is a metaphor for life, that what is learned on the diamond carries over onto the world's playing field. Maybe that's an oversimplification, especially when it's your child that just dropped another fly ball, but the book is worth reading. And maybe give a copy to your child's coach.
Hohenstein has a wonderful way of weaving lessons into his chapters, from "Roughed Up In The First" to "Humbattabattahum" to "Raspberries."
There is one rule that we all need to remember. That of letting the players play their game, not ours.
As Hohenstein writes: "Wish not upon them an age where precision in execution is demanded of them before they demand it of themselves. Let your children grow up with their games, and let them hold fast to their youth that is too soon gone and forgotten."
How many of us promised that, when we grew up, we would be nothing like our "Little League" parents? We would not be the ones in the bleachers being embarrassingly loud or obnoxious?
There is no getting around it. Baseball is intense. It's just the nature of the game, with so much time to think about -- and discuss in the stands -- the next pitch, the play.
But there's also time for parents -- and coaches -- to remember it's just a game.
JUST A THOUGHT: There he was, Fresno State basketball Jerry Takanian, playing himself in the movie "The Sixth Man." Wonder if the NCAA is investigating the Bulldogs shaving points against the Washington Huskies in that game.
Cindy Luis is a Star-Bulletin sportswriter.
Her column appears weekly.