Notes on a Scorecard - April 15, 1992

Don’t feel so guilty if you are cheering against the Lakers this week. . . .

Let’s say they qualify for the playoffs instead of the lottery and are whipped by Portland in the first round. That won’t do much for their pride or pocketbook. The playoff pot isn’t expected to be much bigger than last year’s. Members of teams that were eliminated in the first round then got full shares of less than $4,000. . . .

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the difference between an NBA championship team and a conference championship team. Magic Johnson was the difference between a conference championship team and a decent team. James Worthy and Sam Perkins are the differences between a decent team and a poor team. . . .

The Clippers will have played the Lakers three times at the Forum this season under three different coaches--Mike Schuler Nov. 5, Mack Calvin Feb. 5 and Larry Brown on Sunday. . . .

You know things are not going well for the Dodgers when Darryl Kile, not Darryl Strawberry, has two runs batted in on a Monday night at the Astrodome. . . .

John Wetteland would look good in the Los Angeles bullpen right now. . . .

The shutout by Jim Abbott and Bryan Harvey of the Angels against the powerful Texas Rangers at Arlington ranks with Matt Young’s non-no-hitter among the greatest achievements of the early season. . . .

It is not Mark McGwire’s new goatee, but a rigorous off-season conditioning program--including plenty of weight work--that is most responsible for his fast start. . . .

At 6 feet 5, Arci Cianfrocco of the Montreal Expos is the tallest person to play third base for a Canadian team since Danny Ainge of the Toronto Blue Jays. . . .

Dino Voyne, a star defensive tackle at Loyola High, has signed a letter of intent to attend Michigan, where his grandfather, Tom Harmon, won the Heisman Trophy in 1940. . . .

The exploits of Azusa Pacific sprinter Davidson Ezinwa bring to mind the NAIA discus, shotput and hammer throw championships won by another Azusa Pacific performer from Nigeria named Christian Okoye. . . .

You are in the minority if you can identify the last names of decathlon performers “Dan” and “Dave” in those shoe commercials. . . .

The Venice Family Clinic will benefit from a dinner honoring George Raveling Thursday night at the Regent Beverly Wilshire. Among those expected to salute the USC coach are peers Dale Brown, P.J. Carlesimo, Lefty Driesell, Gene Keady, Mike Krzyzewski, Abe Lemons, John Thompson and Roy Williams. . . .

I wonder what Charles Barkley really thinks of Gene Shue. . . .

Buck Williams, who doesn’t come to mind as one of the great marksmen in basketball, has the highest shooting percentage in the NBA. . . .

Shame on boxing if politics prevents a Julio Cesar Chavez-Pernell Whitaker fight now that Whitaker is moving up to the junior-welterweight division. . . .

Congratulations to newly elected Hall of Fame jockey Sandy Hawley, whose greatest triumph was his victory over cancer. . . .

Not since Niatross came to Hollywood Park in 1980 has a pacer made a more impressive debut in Southern California than Prince Brian did Saturday night at Los Alamitos. . . .

In the first leg of the Shelly Goudreau Series, the Florida import smashed the track record for 3-year-olds by coming from last place and winning easily in 1:53. Prince Brian’s next start is the second leg of the series Saturday, and he will be back April 25 for the $250,000 Goudreau championship race. . . .

How important is it to come into the Kentucky Derby on a roll? Only five of the last 10 Kentucky Derby winners won their final prep races. . . .

Trainer Bob Wheeler, who died Sunday at 72, enjoyed his biggest successes with fillies and mares, among them Silver Spoon, Track Robbery and Bug Brush. . . .

The Raiders are among those interested in drafting Chester McGlockton, a 6-4, 337-pound defensive tackle, in the first round. Like William (the Refrigerator) Perry, he is from Clemson. . . .

Also eligible for the draft is wide receiver Roy (the Missile) Ethridge, who played for Pasadena City College and in the Canadian League and beat Rocket Ismail in a high school 100-meter race. Even faster at the scouting combine in Indianapolis was Colorado wide receiver Rico Smith. . . .

When is baseball’s disabled list coming out in paperback?