Notes on a Scorecard - Nov. 12, 1991

See how much better the Raiders are now that they have the arm of Marcus Allen back? . . .

I cannot recall ever seeing a game before Sunday’s at Denver when the last three placekicks were blocked. . . .

Howie Long is on his way to his seventh Pro Bowl selection. . . .

What a tremendous work ethic those Plan B free agents from San Francisco, Ronnie Lott and Roger Craig, have brought to the Raiders. . . .

What makes the Broncos different this season is that rival defenses have to worry more about the run than the pass. . . .

Art Shell must be a good coach if he is 5-0 against Dan Reeves. . . .

As an NBC commentator, Bob Trumpy makes a heck of an instant replay review official. . . .

If I were playing for the Rams, I would rather have Irv Pankey than Gerald Perry protecting my quarterback. . . .

Robert Delpino’s fumbles Sunday showed that mistakes are contagious. . . .

Hardy Brown, the former San Francisco 49er linebacker who died Friday at 67, was public enemy No. 1 at the Los Angeles Coliseum during the early 1950s because of his rough and sometimes dirty tactics. . . .

When the Indianapolis Colts upset the New York Jets, it marked the end of a 24-game losing streak as a head coach for Rick Venturi. He lost his last 20 games at Northwestern, where he went 1-31-1 from 1978-80, and his first four games at Indianapolis since succeeding Ron Meyer Oct. 1. . . .

It was nice to see the Ickey Shuffle again. . . .

The Atlanta Falcons discovered that it is difficult to beat the Washington Redskins when Mark Rypien averages 27 yards per pass completion and Gary Clark averages 50 yards per pass reception. . . .

Eric Turner, the safety from UCLA, showed why the Cleveland Browns made him the second pick in the draft when he ran back an interception 42 yards for a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles. . . .

The Houston Oilers should have signed Al Del Greco a week earlier. . . .

Indianapolis, Tampa Bay and San Diego won Sunday to improve their records to 5-25. . . .

The Jets are not the only New York team with a quarterback controversy. Ken O’Brien is taking some heat from writers, who wonder why rookie Browning Nagle wasn’t even in uniform during the loss to Indianapolis. . . .

James Lofton, 35, is among the most remarkable performers in the NFL. . . .

I’m not so sure that the Lakers are even the best basketball team in Los Angeles anymore. . . .

After Magic Johnson announced his retirement, the odds against the Lakers winning the NBA championship went from 6-1 to 15-1 at the Barbary Coast Sports Book in Las Vegas. . . .

Since 1955, Gerry Hamilton of La Mirada has asked members of the media and baseball fans to predict the outcome of the major league races. The winner in a field of 223 this year was Times sports columnist Mike Downey. . . .

R.D. Hubbard’s new Hollywood Park is getting newer. . . .

When the autumn meeting begins Wednesday, there will be $15 million in improvements since July 22 when the spring-summer meeting closed. . . .

Among the features are two lakes in the infield, freshly painted grandstands, six barns with 670 stalls and a playground and entertainment center for children. . . .

Michael Wrona, the talented young race caller from Australia, will work the first three weeks while Trevor Denman is on vacation. . . .

Like Jimmy Connors, Martina Navratilova has become a crowd favorite late in her career. Fans were even cheering Monica Seles’ double faults during Navratilova’s victory in the Virginia Slims of California championship match Sunday at Oakland. . . .

One of the biggest college football games ever in San Diego will be played Saturday night--Marshall Faulk and San Diego State vs. Ty Detmer and BYU, the winner going to the Holiday Bowl. . . .

Dave Maggard, who is in his first season as Miami athletic director, can’t take much credit for the Hurricanes’ 8-0 record. But he did hire Coach Bruce Snyder at California, which is 8-1. . . .

Matt Blundin of Virginia, who used to be better known for his basketball than his football, is considered one of the top quarterback prospects for the NFL draft. . . .

Al Davis, who was both humorous and poignant, made a wonderful speech at the unveiling of Jim Healy’s star on the Hollywood Boulevard Walk of Fame. . . .

Now that South Africa has rejoined the world athletic community, promoter Al Franken is trying to rematch Zola Budd Pieterse and Mary Decker Slaney in the Sunkist meet Feb. 15 at the Sports Arena. . . .

How lean is the boxing business? Associated Press reported that no major fights were held over the weekend.