Notes on a Scorecard - Dec. 27, 1990

While the Raiders are sending a thank you card to Dan Henning for moving rookie quarterback John Friesz from the San Diego scout team to the starting lineup at the Coliseum Sunday, they should also show their gratitude to Mike Ditka. . . .

Good old Iron Mike. He’s going to allow star running back Neal Anderson to play against Kansas City Saturday although the game is meaningless to Chicago and Anderson was sidelined last week with a cracked rib. . . .

Of course, a Chief defeat in Soldier Field would give the Raiders the AFC West championship before they kick off with the Chargers and Art Shell could counter Friesz with Steve Beuerlein. . . .

This is The Longest Season for USC, which opened practice Aug. 10 and won’t close shop until New Year’s Eve. . . .

“It’s too long,” Larry Smith has said about the grind from the Kickoff Classic at the New York City border to the John Hancock Bowl at the Mexican border. “We’re playing 13 games. That’s almost as many as they play in the NFL.” . . .

Make no mistake. Smith is happy to get a payback opportunity against Michigan State, which beat the 1987 Trojans twice. And his players voted unanimously to accept the preseason invitation to face Syracuse. But 12 games a year are enough for the coach, who is opposed to a playoff system that would extend the season even more. . . .

Maybe it’s time to say goodby to the Aloha Bowl. Only 14,185 people showed up in Honolulu to watch Syracuse defeat Arizona. . . .

Not many people found football tickets in their Christmas stockings in Montgomery, Ala., either, where the Blue-Gray Not-So-Classic attracted 17,500. . . .

The scoreboard operator at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium should be getting his fingers into shape. Experts are predicting that Brigham Young and Texas A&M; will put 62 points on the board in the annual score-athon known as the Holiday Bowl. . . .

La Jolla may never be the same after the Aggies conduct their traditional midnight yell at 12:01 a.m. Saturday. . . .

UCLA is tentatively scheduled to play a Thursday night football game next season--Sept. 26 at San Diego State on ESPN. . . .

Tommy Maddox is the only freshman among 10 candidates for the Davey O’Brien Award, which is presented to the nation’s outstanding quarterback. However, I’ve got the feeling that an underclassman from BYU will win the award. . . .

Jim Bonds, who started at quarterback for the Bruins before the emergence of Maddox, hopes to get to pitch more during baseball season. A third baseman in high school, he will try out on the mound. . . .

Reader John Brodhead was impressed by our list of former assistants of Terry Donahue now coaching around the country, but asks us to consider that Bo Schembechler’s products include Larry Smith, USC; Gary Moeller, Michigan; Don James, Washington; Bill McCartney, Colorado; Bill Mallory, Indiana; Jim Young, ex-Army, and Elliot Uzelac, ex-Navy. . . .

Only sixth man in the NBA leading his team in scoring is Milwaukee’s Ricky Pierce. . . .

So much for the notion that Brad Daugherty was soft. He’s been one of the few bright spots in a difficult season for the Cleveland Cavaliers. . . .

The Indiana Pacers can change coaches all they want, but they won’t be a factor until center Rik Smits becomes a force. . . .

The reason why so many NBA players were cut at Christmas time is that anybody still on a roster Wednesday had to be paid a full season’s salary. . . .

The Pac-10 is 57-19 against nonconference opposition in basketball. That’s says something about improvement and something about soft scheduling. . . .

UCLA vs. the state of California: The Bruins play UC Irvine, Loyola Marymount, Pepperdine, St. Mary’s, Fresno State, San Diego State, USC, Stanford and Cal this season. . . .

When his Bruins play host to San Diego State Saturday, Jim Harrick won’t have to be introduced to one of the Aztecs’ assistants, Jim Harrick Jr. . . . Harrick is also familiar with the head coach of tonight’s opponent at Pauley Pavilion, Fresno State’s Gary Colson. Harrick succeeded Colson at Pepperdine after the 1979 season. . . .

Several members of the erman track and field team will practice at UC Irvine beginning next week and some are expected to compete in the Sunkist Invitational Jan. 18 at the Sports Arena. . . .

John Carlos, the former Olympic sprinter, is teaching physical education at Palm Springs High. . . .

It seems to me that tennis’ cup runneth over. There’s the Davis Cup, the Federation Cup, and now the Hopman Cup. Oh well, we’ve no longer got the Wightman Cup to worry about. . . .