FREE AGENT DATING FRUSTRATED SINGLES COULD TAKE TIP FROM PRO ATHLETES.

Byline: Edward Headington Local View

HAVING spent time on both coasts of the United States and lived with more than my fair share of roommates, I have learned quite a bit about the singles dating scene. And no matter where you reside, single folks are the same everywhere. Finding Mr. Right - or Mr. Right Now, as is sometimes the case - is their Holy Grail, even if it means neglecting their friends, work and studies for a while.

Dating has always been an imprecise science and, inasmuch as the Bard reminds us that the course of true love never did run smooth, Cupid's arrows often miss their mark. With another Valentine's Day upon us, perhaps a different system can be explored.

The tried-and-true methods are finite. Some have tried Web sites that matched them to preferred traits or shared interests. Others tried the club route. Some did the ``friend of a friend'' thing. Others went out with ``the group.'' Still others went along more traditional lines: the grocery store, the coffeehouse, the Laundromat, the gym, the library.

To be sure, some met with success. But the record is mixed, and holidays like Valentine's Day can be a lonely affair absent a significant other. Singles fatigue often sets in. To combat this, perhaps we should combine two key elements of male single-hood - sports and dating - to proffer a new paradigm: Free Agency Dating. Here's how it might work:

Free Agency Dating means that someone who is single is a free agent and thus open to sign with any team. A national database could be set up for anyone who is single. Valentine's Day would be designated as the signing day. The beginning of free agency would start just after New Year's Eve and, in the weeks leading up to February 14th, people would be able to see who is available. It has been suggested that during this training camp period, instead of looking for qualities like ability, speed and power, one might look for attractiveness, intelligence and style. By the time V-Day rolls around, contracts are signed and free-agency status ends. Contracts could be written for six months or up to a year. During that time they would get to know their team and determine whether a contract extension is in order.

If by the next V-Day they decide not to renew the contract, they could slip out the back or hop off the bus as a free agent - no harm, no foul, and no bitter break-up. There would be no need to discuss much, simply to make new plans. Maybe the ref could be blamed, or they could say that the team had no chemistry. By the same token, if there's no need to set oneself free, they could put together a multiyear contract package that includes a signing bonus or other incentive clauses. Marvin Miller awards could be given out to those who best honor the terms of the contract. There might even be opportunities to trade up, sign short-term contracts with multiple teams (for the commitment-weary) or go into binding arbitration.

Dating no longer needs to be such hard work, and being single no longer needs to be a terminal condition. The holidays can become the fun times they once were, and Valentine's Day can again be a day to look forward to, if not one full of romance. Maybe that guy you liked back in college is now free, or that woman you met at the Jaycee mixer a year ago soon will be. As for me, I am a franchise player with a no-trade clause. I live vicariously through free agents.