Notes on a Scorecard - Dec. 16, 1992

The Raiders like to boast about being committed to excellence, posting the best won-lost percentage of any professional sports team since Al Davis took control in 1963, being the only team to reach the Super Bowl three consecutive decades, and just winning, baby. . . .

But here is a fact they are not shouting about--they have clinched their fifth non-winning season in the last seven. . . .

And it might get worse before it gets better. . . .

This is an aging team that is coming off a lousy draft and shows little awareness of modern football tactics. . . .

The Raiders don’t even have a style. For better or worse, it used to be bombs away. Don’t ask me what it is now. Continuity is not in their playbook. . . .

Their renowned toughness and cleverness also have been missing since they were humiliated by the Buffalo Bills in the 1990 AFC championship game, 51-3. . . .

Davis, who deserved much of the credit for the Raiders’ three Super Bowl championships and must now take his share of the blame, has some big decisions to make. . . .

Does he bring back Art Shell, who went 12-4 during his first full season as head coach, but has slumped to 6-8? . . .

Shell probably will return, but don’t be surprised if his assistant coaching staff has a new look. . . .

What Davis should do is hire an imaginative offensive coordinator and give him total play-calling authority. . . .

Funny thing about the Davis-Marcus Allen feud is that Allen is the only four-time recipient of the Raiders’ “Commitment to Excellence” award that goes to the “player who best exemplifies the pride, spirit and poise of the Raiders.” The award is voted upon by the players, not the president of the general partner. . . .

Among other things we found out Monday night were that Ronnie Lott can block, but Dan Marino can’t tackle. . . .

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So much for those foolish enough to believe that the injury to New York Jet defensive tackle Dennis Byrd might stop television programs from showing weekly highlights of violent collisions in the NFL. . . .

Indianapolis’ 7-7 record says more about the mediocrity of the AFC than the improvement of the Colts. . . .

While losing to the Phoenix Cardinals, the New York Giants gained 131 yards. While defeating the Seattle Seahawks, the Philadelphia Eagles were penalized 191 yards. . . .

NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue did the NCAA a favor when he ruled that undergraduates must declare their eligibility for the draft by Jan. 6. . . .

I fail to understand all the commotion about Notre Dame, instead of Florida State, playing Texas A&M; in the Cotton Bowl. The winner of the Miami-Alabama game in the Sugar Bowl is going to be crowned national champion. Period. . . .

Gino Torretta’s brother Geoff was the backup quarterback to Vinny Testaverde at Miami in 1986 when Testaverde won the Heisman Trophy. . . .

USC is averaging 10.3 three-point baskets a game. The NCAA record is 10.0 by Kentucky during the 1989-90 season. . . .

The Clippers and Utah Jazz are the only two NBA teams without a player on the disabled list. . . .

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A logical choice to broadcast Anaheim hockey games would be Ken Wilson, who has worked St. Louis Blues’ and ESPN telecasts and is the Angels’ play-by-play voice on Channel 5. . . .

The 1992 Winter Olympic men’s, women’s, pairs and ice-dancing champions will be featured in the $320,000 Challenge of Champions Thursday at the Forum. . . .

Oscar De La Hoya’s next fight will be Jan. 3 against Paris Alexander in a scheduled six-rounder at the Hollywood Palladium. Don’t arrive late. . . .

Youth should prevail when James Toney, 24, challenges International Boxing Federation super-middleweight champion Iran Barkley, 34, Feb. 13 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. . . .

Remember when the golf season didn’t last 12 months? . . .

My votes for the Amateur Athletic Foundation’s Southern California female and male athletes of the year went to Olympic track and field champions Gail Devers and Kevin Young. . . .

How shallow are the Philadelphia Phillies? A member of their organization was picked last in each of the three rounds of the National League expansion draft. . . .

Kirk Presley, a high school pitching prospect in Tupelo, Miss., is the third cousin of Elvis. . . .

Voted the best prospect in the Arizona Fall League was first baseman Ryan Klesko of the Atlanta Braves’ farm system. . . .

In 1973, the average major league baseball salary was $36,566. In 1992, it was $1,082,593. . . .

With all the problems it is facing, shouldn’t baseball be showing more urgency in its search for a new commissioner?