Notes on a Scorecard - April 23, 1990

It doesn’t look as though the Kings are going to get much more ice time at the Forum this season. . . .

What a difference a year doesn’t make--shock the defending Stanley Cup champion in the first round and then collapse in the second round. . . .

The key to Game 3 Sunday night came early in the second period when King defenseman Marty McSorley committed a foolish roughing penalty after Edmonton forward Martin Gelinas had been cited for tripping. Instead of the Kings having a power play, the sides were even. Edmonton scored a minute later and by the end of the period had turned a 3-1 deficit into a 5-3 advantage. . . .

Don Casey deserved a better fate. It was the injuries to Ron Harper and Gary Grant--not Casey’s coaching--that kept the Clippers out of the playoffs again. . . .

With Andre Ware and Barry Sanders in the backfield, the Detroit Lions might become the most exciting team in the NFL. . . .

USC can tell the Raiders about the benefits of picking someone named Smith from the University of Arizona. . . .

The Rams might need help in the secondary, but it’s no surprise when John Robinson tries to maintain the superiority of his offensive line by selecting a center first. . . .

The Pacific 10 Conference led the nation with six players taken in the first round. The Big Eight--remember Oklahoma and Nebraska? --was blanked in the first round and only guard Keith Sims of Iowa State (39th overall) was taken in the second round. . . .

Tony Bennett was drafted by that city by the bay--Green Bay. . . .

The last time USC had as many as two players selected among the first six was in 1977 when tailback Ricky Bell was taken first by Tampa Bay, tackle Marvin Powell fourth by the New York Jets and defensive tackle Gary Jeter fifth by the New York Giants. . . .

It can’t be long before ESPN televises the Rotisserie League draft. . . .

If you don’t think drafting is an inexact science, try sampling expert opinion on first pick Jeff George. . . .

I always get loads of insight from Beano Cook’s interview with a loudmouth in the gallery wearing a New York Jet jersey. . . .

On television Saturday, Arkansas Derby winner Silver Ending looked like a better Kentucky Derby prospect than Wood Memorial winner Thirty Six Red. . . .

Gary Stevens would have a pretty nice Derby mount in Silver Ending if he weren’t riding Mister Frisky instead. . . .

If he really wanted to make a statement against fighting, NBA Commissioner David Stern would have suspended Bill Laimbeer and Charles Barkley from a playoff game. . . .

Think the absence of Barkley and Larry Bird from the 76er-Celtic game Sunday cost CBS a few rating points?. . . .

News item: The Athletics Congress suspends long jumper Larry Myricks and hurdler Greg Foster three months each for taking over-the-counter cold tablets. Reaction: That will teach ‘em. . . .

If it’s possible for a 24-hour television show to move right along, the Channel 11 special on the 100 years of Dodger baseball did. Well, at least the parts I saw. . . .

Mickey Hatcher gave national anthem singer Susan Anton his bat before the Dodger-Houston game Saturday night, explaining, “It hasn’t been doing me any good.” . . .

Ramon Martinez will make a fortune on his changeup. . . .

A guy holding up a sign outside Dodger Stadium Sunday was trying to scalp tickets--for Tuesday’s Kings-Edmonton game at the Forum. . . .

If you’re an Oakland fan, would you have cheered Ken Phelps’ home run that broke up Brian Holman’s perfect game with two outs in the ninth inning Friday and merely cut Seattle’s advantage over the Athletics to 6-1? . . .

Boston and the Chicago Cubs have new road uniforms. It’s about time the Dodgers changed the lettering on their drab traveling grays to “Los Angeles.” . . .

To bar Pete Rose from the 10th anniversary celebration of the Philadelphia Phillies’ last pennant is crazy. . . .

The WBC super-bantam-

weight title rematch between champion Daniel Zaragoza and Paul Banke tonight at the Forum figures to be one of the best of the recent flurry of world title bouts. . . .

Lightweight Jesus Pimentel Jr., son of the former bantamweight contender, will make his pro debut Sunday on a card promoted by Don Chargin in Sacramento. . . .

Michael Nunn gets most of the attention, but Mike McCallum might be the best middleweight champion. . . .

Just once, I’d like to hear an NFL executive say after drafting a player, “We knew he’d still be around when our turn came.”