Notes on a Scorecard - Oct. 26, 1992

The strength of the NFC, winner of the last eight Super Bowls, was demonstrated again Sunday at the Coliseum. . . .

The Raiders had the momentum of a three-game winning streak and the support of the majority of the largest pro football crowd this season, but the Dallas Cowboys had the better players and system. . . .

The Raiders, who are still feeling their way with young Todd Marinovich at quarterback, often depend on fumbles and interceptions to create scoring opportunities, but they couldn’t force the Cowboys into a turnover all day. . . .

If there is a better runner than Emmitt Smith in the NFL, I would like to see him. . . .

NBC got lucky when it chose to televise the Indianapolis Colts-Miami Dolphins game into Southern California. . . .

Teams that kick the ball to USC’s Curtis Conway are getting the same results as those that used to kick to Notre Dame’s Rocket Ismail. . . .

Against the Trojans on Saturday, Washington State quarterback Drew Bledsoe showed why he is expected to skip his senior season and be selected first in the next NFL draft. What touch. What strength. What poise. . . .

An old-time USC touchdown drive was the one during the second quarter when the Trojans marched 82 yards on 10 rushes for 60 yards, three pass completions for 17 yards and one penalty for five yards. . . .

It’s amazing how much better the Trojans run from scrimmage when the offensive line is opening holes. Thumbs-up to Craig Gibson, Joel Crisman, Titus Tuiasosopo, Tony Boselli, Robert Loya, Len Gorecki, Brad Banta and Yonnie Jackson. Helping to improve the pass protection and lessen the health risk to quarterback Rob Johnson was the return of Deon Strother to part-time duty at tailback. . . .

UCLA sure could use Tommy Maddox--or Bret Johnson. . . .

And the next time somebody tells you that the importance of the quarterback is overrated, point out this Bruin team. . . .

The dispirited Bruins were fortunate that most local TV viewers were watching the final game of the World Series instead of their 20-0 loss to Arizona State. . . .

What parity? The nine ranked teams in the Associated Press top 10 that played Saturday outscored their opponents, 357-120. . . .

Most improved conference in the nation, top to bottom, might be the Atlantic Coast. With the addition of Florida State, it is so formidable that Clemson already has three league defeats. . . .

The tightest race in the nation is for second place in the Big Ten, where seven teams are tied at 2-2. . . .

Every time I see a highlight tape of Georgia running back Garrison Hearst, he reminds me of Marshall Faulk. . . .

Faulk’s performance against Miami on Nov. 28 in San Diego might decide the Heisman Trophy election. . . .

Please don’t mention Gino Torretta and the Heisman in the same sentence. The Miami quarterback is putting up great numbers against Texas Christian and Virginia Tech, and poor ones against Florida State and Penn State. . . .

About all Washington is doing this season is winning. . . .

So much for those of us who thought Paul Hackett would be a hit at Pitt. . . .

Lou Holtz’s headlock belongs in the WWF, not the NCAA. . . .

The regular baseball season might have been forgettable, but Game 7 of the National League Championship Series and Game 6 of the World Series made the postseason memorable. . . .

Toronto, with all its Americans, winning the baseball championship is kind of like Pittsburgh, with all its Canadians, winning the Stanley Cup. . . .

The Blue Jays’ chances of repeating will increase considerably if they are able to keep David Cone. . . .

World Series most valuable player Pat Borders isn’t exactly an overnight success story. He spent six years in the Toronto farm system, where he played the outfield, first base, second base and third base and caught. The only league he ever led was the Southern--in passed balls with 16 in 1987. . . .

This was a series marked by good defense and lousy baserunning. . . .

Both managers, Bobby Cox and Cito Gaston, left themselves open to considerable second-guessing in Game 6. Clearly, the lack of a designated hitter rule gives the managers more to think about. . . .

I’m still waiting for Cox to summon Jeff Reardon from the bullpen. . . .

It wasn’t Cox’s decision, of course, but why was Otis Nixon bunting with the tying run at third base and two out in the 11th inning?. . . .

CBS did a great job capturing the tension with its close-ups of players in both dugouts between pitches. And, oh, that smile on Dave Winfield’s face after he took his position for the bottom of the 11th. . . .

The final game nearly became the first to start in daylight time and end in standard time. . . .

Deion Sanders took Sunday off.