Columnist Tim Graham: Sports anchor — Player or fibber

Tim Graham

Wednesday, June 10, 1998 | 10:58 a.m.

TIM GRAHAM is a Las Vegas Sun sportswriter who did not play college baseball at Baldwin-Wallace, his alma mater, or anywhere else. His media column appears Wednesdays. He can be reached on the Internet at tim@lasvegassun.com

In this space last week, some local stations were knocked for their coverage of the UNLV golf team's national title.

KVBC Channel 3 weekend anchor Brian Lippai was accused of giving the Frank Sinatra charity golf tournament top billing over the Rebels during his sportscast. In truth, the Sinatra event ran first but in the news portion, a circumstance beyond Lippai's control.

Nevertheless, only the second national team title in UNLV history should have led off the entire newscast -- as it did on KLAS Channel 8.

But there is one more clarification regarding Lippai. It centers on his claim that he played college baseball at Seton Hall, which was mentioned in this column two weeks ago.

Lippai had complained about an interview snub from Green Valley High baseball coach Rodger Fairless, stating Fairless was committing "a disservice to his team and players."

To further illustrate, Lippai spoke of his days with the Seton Hall baseball squad, when everyone appreciated media coverage.

Fairless countered: "I would have to question if this guy was much of a competitor ever."

Turns out Fairless knew something. According to Seton Hall sports information director Dwayne Harrison, no one named Brian Lippai played a sport of any kind there.

When presented with Harrison's information, Lippai admitted he never played at Seton Hall. But he claimed to have been recruited there, and at Rutgers, before hurting his arm as a high school senior.

"I don't want to give anyone the wrong impression," Lippai said.

Lippai tried to straighten out the situation by explaining he played at Brookdale Junior College in Lincroft, N.J., in 1981. He said his arm never responded, and his myriad college and pro aspirations dried up.

"He never played for Brookdale, and I've been here since 1970," the school's athletic director, Jack Ryan, said. "I've looked in my records, spoke to the fellow who was the assistant coach and nobody's heard of him."

Another follow-up call to Lippai seemed fruitless.

Gone batty

The ever-increasing power provided by aluminum bats has made a mockery of college baseball. But the ever-increasing power of television dollars has ruined the College World Series.

Lost in the gaudy, 21-14 score posted by Southern Cal over Arizona State Saturday was the fact another game should have been played immediately after. The College World Series is a double-elimination tournament. ASU's loss was its first, while USC was beaten by Louisiana State earlier in the first round.

But CBS tilted the playing field in its favor a few years ago. Because it could not procure a six-hour block in case of a second game, the NCAA simply erased a game.

USC had an unfair advantage because it received an extra chance. But when it came time for ASU to get its reprieve, the tournament was over.

A simple solution: Play the first game three hours earlier than normal and, if the unbeaten team wins, show that game on tape-delay; if the team with one loss wins to force a second game, then show that one live in place of the replay.

Ladies' turn

The WNBA returns for its second season Thursday with loftier expectations.

"That first year under the belt was important," Lifetime play-by-play voice Michele Tafoya said.

"It's like last year was our freshman year in high school. We're in our sophomore year right now and everything is much more comfortable. But we don't think we know everything."

Lifetime airs the first telecast of the season with the New York Liberty at the Cleveland Rockers Thursday at 5 p.m. NBC and ESPN also carry games again this year.

* STATIC: ESPN "SportsCenter" anchor Stuart Scott recently re-signed with the network. The amount was undisclosed and too much. ... American Radio Systems, which counts KSFN 1140-AM among its holdings, officially has been taken over by CBS Radio. ... "Fox Sports News" signed former Los Angeles Dodger Steve Sax as a studio analyst. ... Fox (KVVU Channel 5) airs the NFL Europe title game between the Rhein Fire and Frankfurt Galaxy Sunday at 10 a.m. The broadcast marks the Fox debut of talented analyst Cris Collinsworth. ... CBS named Sam Wyche to its color commentary crew.