Notes on a Scorecard - March 7, 1991

Not even the full-court press of the NCAA investigators can stop Nevada Las Vegas from repeating as national champion. . . .

By the way, does Jerry Tarkanian provide RFB (room, food and beverage) for those guys when they come to town? . . .

Lois Tarkanian sounds as though she wants this to be her husband’s last season in Las Vegas. And Tark’s dinner companions in recent weeks have included Clipper owner Donald Sterling. However, the smart money in the gambling capital says he will stay at UNLV. . . .

UCLA and Washington will tip off at 3 p.m. Sunday at Pauley Pavilion. That’s a half-hour before the NCAA tournament selections will be announced. But it won’t make any difference. UCLA is in the tournament and Washington is out. . . .

A consistent contributor during an inconsistent UCLA season has been sophomore Tracy Murray, who has scored at least 20 points in 14 of 16 Pacific 10 Conference games. . . .

The Lakers’ defeat Tuesday was their first in Minneapolis since 1960. . . .

Of all the Clippers’ negative statistics, the most pathetic is their seven consecutive losses to the Miami Heat. . . .

The team with the best record in the NBA, Portland, doesn’t have anyone in the top 16 in scoring, the top 13 in steals, the top 12 in rebounding or the top 10 in assists. . . .

The hiring of Dave Checketts as president of the New York Knicks means John Thompson isn’t coming from Georgetown. Likely to become director of player personnel is Ernie Grunfeld. . . .

Wayne Gretzky’s playmaking skills never cease to amaze me. . . .

The Great One gives some legitimacy to the archaic NHL rule that an assist counts as much as a goal in the individual scoring standings. He is only one assist away from reaching 100 for the 11th consecutive season. . . .

Calgary, which has a schedule advantage over the Kings the rest of the way, is 14-0-1 in the past 15 games at the Olympic Saddledome. . . .

There were 13 NHL trades just before the league’s deadline, only one in the NBA before its deadline. The difference is that there is no salary cap in hockey. . . .

Global Basketball Assn. founder Mike Storen is the father of CNN sportscaster Hannah Storm. . . .

Oft-maligned Jim Boeheim has done his finest coaching job at Syracuse. . . .

I had almost forgotten that former Chicago, San Antonio and New Jersey head coach and Laker assistant Stan Albeck was at Bradley until he resigned the other day after three consecutive losing seasons. . . .

In the Missouri Valley Conference, Albeck was matched against two of the nation’s better coaches, Tony Barone of Creighton and Charlie Spoonhour of Southwest Missouri State. . . .

Oscar Schmidt, the Brazilian gunner known simply as Oscar, is leading the Italian League in scoring with an average of 41.8 points. Former NBA forward Walter Berry is leading the Spanish League at 34.4. . . .

For the first time outdoors, four giant television screens will be hung above the canopy at the Mike Tyson-Razor Ruddock fight on March 18 at the Mirage in Las Vegas. . . .

Best match on that card could be Simon Brown, the International Boxing Federation welterweight champion, vs. Maurice Blocker, the World Boxing Council champion. . . .

The bad thing about George Foreman’s comeback is that it’s bringing Larry Holmes, 41, back into the ring. . . .

Middleweight contender Reggie Johnson of Long Beach will risk his high ranking Monday at the House of Upsets, the Forum, against Fabian Williams of Emanuel Steward’s Kronk stable. I’ve never heard of Williams. But I had never heard of Rolando Pascua or Greg Richardson, either. . . .

Matador Jorge Gutierrez recently dedicated a bull to Julio Cesar Chavez at Plaza Mexico. . . .

Santa Anita Handicap history: Stakes record--1:58 3/5 by Affirmed in 1979. Biggest win payoff--$118.20 by Bay View in 1941. Smallest win payoff--$2.30 by Round Table in 1958. Most victories by a trainer--eight by Charlie Whittingham, from Corn Husker in 1957 to Ruhlmann in 1990. Most victories by a jockey--11 by Bill Shoemaker, from Rejected in 1954 to Lord At War in 1985. Most victories by a horse--two by John Henry in 1981-82. . . .

A longshot to watch Saturday is Anshan, trained by Whittingham. . . .

Thumbs up to the Rams for signing Karl Wilson, a Plan B free-agent defensive end. Four or five more signings like that and the defense will begin to take shape. . . .

Sprinter Ben Johnson already has made more than $300,000 on his comeback tour. . . .

One reason Oakland didn’t offer Mark McGwire a $3-million contract is that it was afraid Rickey Henderson would complain. Of course, Rickey is complaining anyway. . . .

Early reports from Vero Beach are that the Dodgers are getting an A in chemistry. . . .

Mr. Class: Jim Abbott, who says he’s happy with the contract he signed with the Angels.