Notes on a Scorecard - Jan. 22, 1992

If Magic Johnson is cleared by doctors, why not allow him to play in the NBA All-Star game and the Olympic Games? . . .

The preponderance of medical opinion is that the chances of Magic, who has the virus that causes AIDS, infecting anyone on the court are infinitesimal. . . .

As a special 13th member, he would not be taking the place of someone else who deserved a spot on the Western Conference team in the All-Star game Feb. 9 at Orlando, Fla.. . . .

His participation in the Olympics this summer at Barcelona would have nothing to do with winning or losing. It is a given that the United States will win the gold medal. If he plays, though, it will be the most convincing argument yet that those who have tested HIV positive should not be treated as pariahs. . . .

The Lakers probably will not make a major trade this season, but they might be able to obtain a guard, such as Rex Chapman or Dell Curry of the Charlotte Hornets, who can provide them with scoring punch off the bench. . . .

For a change, Larry Brown didn’t decide when he was leaving his job. . . .

Brown had problems with Terry Cummings at San Antonio, but that was nothing new for an NBA coach. When he was with the Clippers, Jimmy Lynam didn’t protest the decision to trade Cummings to the Milwaukee Bucks. . . .

Pat Riley will return to Los Angeles Saturday night when the New York Knicks play the Clippers at the Sports Arena. . . .

Oklahoma State’s victory over Oklahoma Monday night on ESPN was terribly over-officiated. It reminded me of the days when the critics of college basketball called it “whistleball.” . . .

What an outstanding coaching job Eddie Sutton of the Cowboys is doing. In a hostile environment at Norman, Okla., his team was able to control the tempo much of the time. . . .

The talents of two of the best female college basketball players in the nation, USC center Lisa Leslie and UCLA forward-guard Rehema Stephens, will be on display Friday night at the Lyon Center on the Trojan campus. . . .

The women’s Final Four will be played April 4-5 at the Sports Arena, perhaps a good omen for the local teams. Two women’s and two men’s Final Fours have been held in Los Angeles, and UCLA or USC has won all four times. . . .

The Bruin women won at Pauley Pavilion in 1978, the Trojan women at Pauley in 1984, and the Bruin men won at the Sports Arena in 1968 and 1972. . . .

There are too many ties in the NHL. If overtime is going to be played, make it longer than five minutes. . . .

The highest-scoring defenseman in the league is the New York Rangers’ Brian Leetch, who played for the United States in the 1988 Winter Olympics. . . .

College hockey was a popular sport in Southern California in the 1930s, thanks in no small part to USC Coach Arnold Eddy, who died last week at 88. “He had never even seen a hockey game when he got the job,” said John Polich, who played for Loyola. “But he studied a few books and eventually became a good coach. We had quite a rivalry.” . . .

It is sad to see the joy of playing tennis already being taken away from Jennifer Capriati at 15. . . .

Nothing against Minnesota, but I don’t like the fact that four-sevenths of the World Series, all of the Super Bowl, and the Final Four are being played in a dome. . . .

Southern California thoroughbred racing will get some much-appreciated exposure when ABC televises the three local portions of the $7.7-million American Championship Racing Series--the Santa Anita Handicap on March 7, the Hollywood Gold Cup on June 27 and the Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Aug. 30. . . .

If not for the Angels’ inability to re-sign free agent Kirk McCaskill, the Chicago White Sox probably would have not gotten Steve Sax. When they signed McCaskill, the White Sox Sox were able to send another pitcher, Melido Perez, to the New York Yankees for Sax. . . .

Former Dodger third baseman Tracy Woodson has signed a contract with the St. Louis Cardinal organization. . . .

Included in the Major League Players Assn.’s agreement to drop its grievance against the Houston Astros regarding the club’s 28-day trip next season was the stipulation that baseball contribute $100,000 to Little League. . . .

The New York Mets should try to make a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers for third baseman Gary Sheffield. He might be better able to fulfill his enormous potential on the same team with his uncle, Doc Gooden. . . .

Free agent Alvin Davis could still help somebody with his bat. . . .

In 1977, Chuck Knox was coach of the Rams and Bill Walsh was coach of Stanford.