Notes on a Scorecard - Dec. 10, 1992

Many USC alumni were disappointed when Pat Haden was named head of the search committee to find a replacement for athletic director Mike McGee. They thought Haden should have been named athletic director. . . .

“Not me,” Haden said. “I’ve got four small kids and I’m coaching three Little League teams. I want to be home at night. Besides, I’m enjoying what I’m doing.” . . .

The 39-year-old former Rhodes scholar and Trojan and Ram quarterback is a general partner in Riordan, Lewis and Haden--a venture capital group that starts companies or invests in them--a pro football commentator for TNT and CBS radio and a member of the USC Board of Trustees. . . .

When first asked by university President Steven Sample to head the search committee, Haden declined. . . .

“I didn’t want to be pigeonholed as a sports person on the board of trustees,” Haden said. “Dr. Sample assured me I wouldn’t be. I had been afraid that heading the committee would reinforce people’s view of me as simply an ex-athlete. I enjoy diversity.” . . .

Haden said there is no time frame in which to name a successor to McGee, who is leaving for the University of South Carolina after nine years at USC, but he will be disappointed if a decision is not made by the end of January. . . .

“Everything else being equal, it would be important for the next athletic director to have a USC background,” Haden said. “Someone with an understanding of where USC has been and is going would be preferable. There are capable USC types who are available. But, on the other hand, I would be doing the university a disservice if I didn’t look outside the USC family, too.” . . .

Two USC people being mentioned frequently are Don Winston, senior associated athletic director; and Mike Garrett, associate athletic director, who became the first Trojan to win the Heisman Trophy, in 1965. . . .

A longshot possibility might be Sam Jankovich, the former Miami and Washington State athletic director who is chief executive officer of the New England Patriots. . . .

Haden will have his first meeting with the members of his committee Wednesday and eventually recommend a candidate, or candidates, to Sample, who will make the decision. . . .

As for a prediction on Super Bowl XXVII Jan. 31 at the Rose Bowl, NFL analyst Haden is picking the San Francisco 49ers. . . .

“The 49ers have dominant players at a lot of positions and a quarterback who is playing as well as anybody, and they are incredibly diverse,” he said. “They don’t take what the defense gives them, they take what they want.” . . .

Todd Worrell is a nice pickup by the Dodgers, but the question is whether he will have many leads to protect next year. . . .

The two most improved teams since the final day of the 1992 season are the Boston Red Sox in the American League and the Houston Astros in the National. . . .

Bob Ojeda, who said he was willing to leave the Dodgers because he wanted to pitch for a contender, signed with the Cleveland Indians. . . .

Isn’t Marge Schott’s apology to the human race too little and too late? . . .

Alex Garcia, the San Fernando heavyweight who is ranked seventh by the World Boxing Council, demonstrated that he could go a distance at a brisk pace when he won a 12-round decision against Jerry Jones on Tuesday night at Tampa. . . .

An interesting possibility in the 1 1/2-mile, $500,000 Hollywood Turf Cup on Sunday at Hollywood Park is Bobby Frankel’s 3-year-old filly Jolypha, who finished third in the Breeders’ Cup Classic despite severe traffic problems. . . .

Whatever happened to card stunts at college football games? . . .

When Larry Smith was at Arizona, he was 0-2 against Fresno State, USC’s opponent in the Freedom Bowl. . . .

UCLA (30-0) continues its bid to become the second unbeaten women’s Division I volleyball team and the first to win three consecutive NCAA championships when it plays host to the NCAA West Regional on Friday and Saturday at Pauley Pavilion. Semifinal matchups are UCLA vs. Arizona State and USC vs. Brigham Young. . . .

Decision facing the Clippers: Is it worth tinkering with the chemistry of a team that is off to a fast start to obtain Dennis Rodman, a potential troublemaker who is the best rebounding forward in the history of the NBA? . . .

When Dominique Wilkins set an NBA record by making all 23 of his free-throw attempts against the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday, his Atlanta Hawk teammates sank 16 of 17. The cold shooter was Adam Keefe, the rookie from Stanford who went four for five. . . .

There is no truth to the rumor that USC Coach George Raveling is trying to line up games against Arkansas Baptist on the same night at the Sports Arena and Forum.