Notes on a Scorecard - Feb. 1, 1990

It’s amazing that A.C. Green can start for the NBA’s Western Conference All-Stars, but couldn’t for the Clippers. . . .

I mean, would you put him in your lineup at forward ahead of Danny Manning or Charles Smith? . .

Attention NBA most valuable player voters: Look up the word valuable in the dictionary and then consider what has happened to the Lakers since Magic Johnson was bitten by the flu bug. . . .

The 31-9 Lakers suddenly went 0-2. They lost to San Antonio at the Forum without Magic. And they got whipped by the Clippers at the Sports Arena on a night when Magic played only 25 minutes. . . .

The Clippers looked terrific against the Lakers, but I still can’t see them making the playoffs unless they trade for a shooting guard. . . .

Maybe the key to the Kings’ winning at the Forum is having the coach or the owner leave early. The flu sent Tom Webster home in the first period Tuesday, and they beat New Jersey, 5-2. Previous commitments sent Jerry Buss to Palm Springs early on the night of April 10, 1982, before the Kings rallied to beat Edmonton, 6-5, in overtime in the “Miracle on Manchester” playoff game. . . .

Maybe Pat Quinn should consider returning to the bench now that he’s eligible to coach again. His general managing at Vancouver hasn’t been so hot this season. . . .

Great duel at the Sports Arena tonight: USC’s sharpshooting freshman guard, Harold Miner, against UCLA’s tenacious sophomore defender, Gerald Madkins. . . .

The halftime shootout is supposed to match the Trojan play-by-play announcer, Pete Arbogast of KNX, against the Bruin announcer, Paul Olden of KMPC. But Arbogast will be in big trouble if KMPC throws in commentator Ann Meyers, instead. . . .

Dick Vitale picked Oregon State guard Gary Payton as the best player of the first half of the NCAA season. Good choice. . . .

Remember when basketball officials used to wear striped shirts?. . . .

An underrated conference is the Big West. Nevada Las Vegas and New Mexico State are powerful, and Cal State Long Beach beat Big Ten leader Purdue and handed Texas one of only two losses at home. . . .

Whispers are that Texas A&M; is interested in Paul Westhead of Loyola Marymount. . . .

Watch out for the Cleveland Cavaliers now that Brad Daugherty is back. . . .

Clipper guard Gary Grant sticks out his tongue not unlike Michael Jordan. . . .

The players who are pulling out of the Pro Bowl for no good reason at all are making a mockery out of their own game. . . .

Who was the San Francisco 49ers’ leading tackler for the third consecutive year? Linebacker Michael Walter, not exactly a household name. . . .

Poor Willie Randolph. He did everything asked of him by the Dodgers last year, and now there’s a possibility that he’ll be traded. . . .

Baseball season won’t be quite the same without the eloquent commentaries of Cleve Hermann, who has retired from KFWB. . . .

Loyalty always has been a virtue of Bill Shoemaker, who will make his last ride Saturday at Santa Anita. Most jockeys change agents nearly as often as their underwear, but Shoe kept Harry Silbert from the beginning of his career in 1949 until Silbert’s death in 1987. . . .

Whatever happened to the jalopy derby? . . .

Top-ranked USC lost its baseball opener to Cal State Northridge, 4-3, Tuesday, but Coach Mike Gillespie isn’t panicking. The Trojans got 11 hits, and starting pitcher Randy Powers struck out 11 in 6 2/3 innings. Besides, All-American center fielder John Jackson won’t report until after he participates in the NFL scouting combine’s camp in Indianapolis. . . .

Worst seats in most arenas are those on the ground floor behind the basket. Not enough elevation. . . .

Glenn Bassett can become the only active NCAA Division I tennis coach with 500 victories if UCLA defeats Washington Friday on the Westwood courts. . . .

You can laugh, but George Foreman is a hot commodity. Steve Wynn of the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas has entered into the bidding against Bob Arum in a big way for Foreman’s services. . . . The Hector Camacho-Vinny Pazienza fight Saturday would make for a halfway decent network TV show, but pay-for-view? . . .

If you can make 106 pounds, you’re eligible to fight for the straw-weight title. . . .

Asked by Chick Hearn what his handicap in golf is, the Lakers’ Mychal Thompson replied: “Being black in a white man’s sport.”