He Will Take Short-Term Loss to Win in Long Run

Cable television magnate Ted Turner says he expects to lose $10 million broadcasting the Goodwill Games in Seattle from July 20-Aug. 5. But he isn’t worried.

“Sports are a loss leader to bring you into the (international) network,” he said.

“We will lose less than ABC did on the Winter Olympics and NBC did on the Summer Games. In a world where the network that loses the least is the most successful, we must be considered the most successful.”

Trivia time: Name the four baseball players who have gone through every major league lockout and strike.

Nobody’s fool: Ralph Sampson, the Sacramento King center who has three years and $8 million left on his contract, was asked about rumors that he will negotiate a buyout.

“They can buy me out any time they want,” Sampson said. “But I don’t want a pile of dirt from out behind Arco Arena. I want cash money. I graduated on time with my class at Virginia, and I learned a couple of things there.”

A fast lane no more: The Lakers’ Magic Johnson, on lower scores in the NBA this season: “Detroit won (the 1988-89 title) because of defense, and once somebody wins using a style, everyone wants to use that style.

“You can’t run free through the lane. The last couple of years, you find you’ll be body-checked when you do that. Bodies are bigger now.”

Not tough enough: Larry Bird, on the inconsistency of the Boston Celtics: “One thing we’ve always been pretty famous for is taking advantage of mismatches, not letting any breakdown last too long. Now, when we have breakdowns, it seems like everybody goes along with it, everybody on the team, and it’s been disastrous for us.

“We show signs of being a great basketball team and then the next night we don’t look good at all. We’ve got to be mentally tougher.”

Riding the carousel: Pat Williams, general manager of the Orlando Magic, on the reported five-year, $27.5-million contract recently awarded to NBA Commissioner David Stern: “All I know is that on airplane trips, David’s wallet will be considered carry-on baggage.”

Crystal basketball: Art Hyland, Big East Conference supervisor of officials, would like to see a more stringent penalty than a one-and-one for fouling in the waning minutes of a game. “Make any foul in the last two minutes a two-shot foul,” he says. “Or make it two shots plus the ball. The officials can’t be expected to look into a kid’s mind and know his intention.”

Pete Rose watch: The former manager of the Cincinnati Reds, playing golf daily in Plant City, Fla., says: “I shot 118 last September. I’m high 80s now. You hit as many balls as I do, your scores got to come down eventually.”

Trivia answer: Darrell Evans, Carlton Fisk, Nolan Ryan and Jerry Reuss.

Quotebook: Charles Barkley of the Philadelphia 76ers, complaining to referee Tommy Nunez about the other two referees: “Tommy, you’ve got to make that call. You know Moe and Larry won’t.”