Jeff Lund sports editor

Perfect Valentine's Day?
Valentine's Day: a day of teddy bears, candy and a nice romantic dinner for two. That means just another day of sports, unhealthy food and sports for me. I would do my daily ESPN.com reading while rocking my robe, then off to the driving range. When all my balls get lost, it's time for the horse races. If I make enough money, I can ask the really cute ticket girl that I place my bets with to be my last-minute Valentine. Hopefully, I would have enough to take her to a nice dinner. If not, it's off to the batting cages and then home for ESPN Classic.

Should coaches leave?
When coaches like Dennis Erickson bolt after national signing day, it's an ultimate betrayal. It's a slap in the face to the university, the players and the fans. So next time this happens, the coach should spend a day in the stocks at the center of campus so fans can pelt him with assorted fruits and vegetables. As for the players, they should be able to get out of their commitment to the university, much like forward Andre Iguodala was after the fiasco involving Nolan Richardson at Arkansas. The coach can get richer, the university and fans can get redemption, and the players can go elsewhere.

Paying student athletes?
Athletics departments own the athletes to whom they give scholarships. When all of us are out having fun, the athletes are working as employees of the athletics department. Therefore, rather than trying to cover up or investigate every little article of clothing an athlete is wearing, things should be done Division III style, with no athletic scholarships. But the players should get paid for their services that bring so much money to the university. That way, there is no undermining of the athletics department, and things are more out in the open.

Romantic sports flick?
No love story has hit me so deep as "Happy Gilmore." I can relate with Happy because my skating skills are about as good as his (as my date Saturday night will find out shortly after we hit the ice). Not that I'm trying to frighten her, but just so she can prepare for the worst and I have an excuse to hold her hand for balance. Anyway, this movie has it all: humor, sports, a love story, Bob Barker. What more could you ask for in a flick? It's good for any occasion, with any company and any brand of assorted boxed wine.

Brett Fera asst. sports editor

Perfect Valentine's Day?
This year, Valentine's Day falls perfectly into the month, since it falls at the beginning of a weekend. My perfect date(s) would be a weekend in the snow-covered mountains of Utah. Friday, we'd have dinner and a good movie (see my last staff pick), while Saturday would be spent skiing and snowboarding at Snowbird or Park City. Snow sports still count, right? If you've never tried a run in a scalding jacuzzi while it's 10 degrees outside and snow is everywhere, you're missing out. Another option would be heading to the Florida coast, for the Daytona 500 this Sunday.

Should coaches leave?
It would be difficult to implement policy that tells a coach he is "not allowed" to leave simply because it's a certain day of the year. If Den-Den Erickson wants to bolt a winning program at Oregon State to go drag the 'Niners down, then who really has the right to stop him anyhow? It leaves some programs out in the cold, but there are no teams without players. They deserve the choice to leave if their coach deserts them. The idea has worked so far for UA hoops, after Andre Iguodala was handed to us when Nolan Richardson departed Arkansas.

Paying student athletes?
Did you hear the one about the governor who wants to give Nebraska football players paychecks? This is definitely my favorite sports issue ever. The NBA may be fan-tastic, and the NFL might be as super as its bowl. But nothing öö I repeat öö nothing matches the pageantry and tradition of college football, hoops or golf for that matter. College athletics are special, and despite its problems, the NCAA has had enormous success in keeping the college game as pure as possible. For every Chris Webber, there are 100 Jason Gardners who keep the game real. Paying off athletes will destroy the college atmosphere as we know it.

Romantic sports flick?
No movie has ever produced so many cliches as "Jerry Maguire." Forget showing Tom Cruise the money; "you complete me" ÷ said the gut-wrenched, yet down-on-his-luck super agent who had just recently let his heart get in the way of his shrewd business demeanor ÷ is a real tearjerker, no? What's not to love about that kind of romantic action, mixed in with a little pre-draft effort to sign the No. 1 draft pick? "Days of Thunder" and "All the Right Moves" make Cruise the king of the romantic sports flick. Kevin Costner is a close second in that category.

Maxx Wolfson senior sports writer

Perfect Valentine's Day?
My perfect Valentine's Day would start off on the beach in Malibu. Catch some early morning waves at a private beach and then off to an early afternoon tennis match with my Valentine Anna Kournikova. Of course, I would win, which isn't saying much, and then Anna would take me in her jet to Monte Carlo, and I'm not talking about the hotel in Vegas. A romantic picnic on the waterfront with a couple bottles of Cristale and then off to our penthouse at the nicest hotel the French Riveria has to offer, where we will · Hey, it could happen. Right?

Should coaches leave?
Dennis Erickson walks into some recruit's house just a week ago and tells him, his parents and his crew how happy he will be at Oregon State. Erickson mentions that he's about to sign a contract extension which will show his own dedication to Corvallis. The recruit will be so excited about getting the chance to play for a coach with a national championship that he will sign on the spot. The recruit turns on the news just a few days later and boom, his coach is going to the NFL. College athletes aren't allowed to leave for the pros during a season; why should coaches?

Paying student athletes?
Here is why paying college athletes would never work. First, universities would have to pay every collegiate athlete, not just the ones playing football and basketball. Title IX gives equal rights to both women and men, and not paying women would never be allowed and it would be unfair. Second, where would the money come from? It would cost millions to pay an entire football team, and that would mean many schools would have to raise tuition. Finally, a set amount could never be agreed on. Could one school pay more than another? The cost of living in Tucson is a lot less than in Los Angeles.

Romantic sports flick?
Ahh, the season of love and baseball. There is no better movie that combines the two than "Major League." The love affair of Jake Taylor and Lynn Wells works well enough to make any man not call the movie "Bull Durham." The scene where Jake follows Lynn home in the Indians bullpen car is unforgettable. The movie will never be considered a romantic comedy, but fits perfectly into the category of a sports movie with just enough of a romantic subplot. There is no other movie that I would want to watch with Anna tomorrow night when we spend it together in the French Riveria.