Notes on a Scorecard - Dec. 10, 1990

On a Sunday when the fans at Anaheim Stadium were asked to bring toys for underprivileged children, the Rams gave a needy football team from New Orleans a victory. . . .

Whether it was fumbling the ball, having it intercepted or mismanaging their timeouts, the Rams truly got into the holiday spirit. . . .

At least, we won’t have to worry about them being embarrassed in the playoffs. . . .

The longest winning streaks in the NFC today belong to none other than the Phoenix Cardinals and Dallas Cowboys, who each have won three games in a row. . . .

I’m surprised Art Modell, owner of the Cleveland Browns, has stuck this long with Jim Shofner. . . .

Class acts of the 14th week of the season were the San Francisco 49ers and New York Giants. Only six days after reaching emotional peaks in Candlestick Park, they came from behind to beat competent opponents. . . .

That was an old Mike Tyson rerun HBO showed Saturday night--overmatched opponent enters the ring petrified, kisses the canvas soon after the introductions, takes further punishment from a vicious Iron Mike, and doesn’t survive the first round. . . .

If Alex Stewart was able to give Evander Holyfield a good fight, then George Foreman’s chances of upsetting Holyfield improved considerably in Atlantic City. . . .

In his second post-Buster Douglas match, Tyson was physically fit and full of bad intentions, but I still want to see how he reacts when he gets hit again. . . .

Once again, the intermissions during a Don King-promoted card were longer than the bouts. Tyson, Razor Ruddock and Simon Brown all won in the first round, and Julio Cesar Chavez won in the third. . . .

International Boxing Federation junior flyweight champion Michael Carbajal’s knockout of tough Leon Salazar in Scottsdale, Ariz., took only slightly longer, but was the best fight on TV Saturday. . . .

Carbajal, who flattened Salazar with a left hook in the fourth round, can hit and be hit and that makes him perhaps the most exciting fighter in the world. . . .

Larry Holmes, citing Foreman’s comeback, says he will fight again for the right money. The difference, though, is that people want to see Foreman and don’t want to see Holmes. . . .

The Clippers’ chance of making the playoffs improved when Seattle traded away Xavier McDaniel and decided to concentrate on the too-distant future. . . .

In these days of the huge home-court advantage in the NBA, Portland’s 8-0 road record is all the more remarkable. . . .

That was some duel junior forwards Don MacLean of UCLA and LaPhonso Ellis of Notre Dame staged Saturday at Pauley Pavilion. . . .

USC’s victory at Colorado State must rank in the top five of George Raveling’s reign. . . .

LSU sophomore center Shaquille O’Neal, 18, could start for several NBA teams right now. . . .

O’Neal’s actions against Arizona Saturday almost spoke louder than Dick Vitale’s words. . . .

Much-maligned Jim Boeheim of Syracuse must be doing something right when he wins 350 games in less time than any college basketball coach. . . .

Pat Haden, the former USC quarterback, emceed the banquet at Notre Dame, of all places. . . .

I haven’t heard any clamor from NCAA Division I-AA, II or III coaches to junk their playoffs and go to a bowl system. . . .

When the CBS contract runs out in four years, baseball may have to go to a salary cap. . . .

Thumbs up to Kansas City for showing a desire to win and re-entering the free agent market despite getting burned last year. . . .

The new Murderers’ Row is in Wrigley Field. . . .

On paper, San Diego looks good, but that’s nothing new. . . .

Six months ago, I thought the Oakland A’s had a dynasty. If they don’t re-sign Bob Welch, they may not even win their division in 1991.