Notes on a Scorecard - Oct. 26, 1993

Jim Everett should be thanking Chuck Knox for all his support, instead of criticizing him for giving the ball to T.J. Rubley in the third quarter of the seventh game of the season. . . .

Most coaches would have made the move earlier. . . .

Late on a Monday night in Chicago in 1977, a veteran Ram quarterback, who had thrown four interceptions, was replaced by a second-year player. That loss left the Rams 2-2, but the replacement led them to an 8-2 record the rest of the regular season and into the playoffs. . . .

The veteran: Joe Namath. The second-year man: Pat Haden. The coach: Chuck Knox. . . .

Incidentally, the Rams’ third-string quarterback that year was a rookie named Vince Ferragamo. . . .

Overlooked in the commotion Sunday at Anaheim Stadium was that Jerome Bettis out-rushed Barry Sanders, 113 yards to 91, on three fewer carries. . . .

It is great to have Ram radio play-by-play announcer Bob Starr, one of the best in the business, back on the job and looking fit after a bout with Legionnaire’s disease. . . .

Why in the world would anybody punt the ball to Eric Metcalf? . . .

The New York Jets are among the best 2-4 teams in years, but I have seen better 0-7 teams than the Cincinnati Bengals. . . .

To go to the Rose Bowl, UCLA probably will have to win nine consecutive games. The Bruins, who will face Arizona on Saturday, have won their last five after losing their first two. But only three times in 75 years have they won at least nine in a row during a season--in 1946, 1954 and 1973. . . .

You have heard about teams that play up or down to the ability of their opponents. Not so USC. The Trojans play well against mediocre teams and poorly against good teams. . . .

I’m going out on a limb and predicting that both Florida State and Notre Dame will be unbeaten going into their game Nov. 13 at South Bend. The Seminoles play Wake Forest this week and then Maryland. The Irish play Navy and then have a bye. . . .

Bye, bye: Not only did eight of the 28 NFL teams have last weekend off, so did five of the 14 top-ranked college teams. . . .

Michigan will not play in the Rose Bowl for only the second time in six years. . . .

Tom Lasorda gave a pep talk to the Miami Hurricanes the night before they beat Syracuse, 49-0. . . .

“Dennis Erickson was really down after the loss to Florida State,” Lasorda said. “I had to pump him up.” . . .

Lasorda also tried to inspire Darryl Strawberry during a recent visit to Arizona. . . .

“I told Darryl that he had an obligation to the man paying his salary and to the fans,” Lasorda said. . . .

Look-alikes: Johnny Podres and Buster Keaton. . . .

Best Pal and Bertrando are on their way to becoming the fourth and fifth horses in the 10-year history of the $3-million Breeders’ Cup Classic to be supplementary entries. . . .

The fee is $360,000, exactly the third-place prize money. First place is worth $1.56 million and second $600,000. . . .

Among those who have been supplemented, Wild Again won as a $64.20 surprise in 1984, Vallandingham was seventh in 1985, and Waquoit was third in 1988. . . .

If you think George Steinbrenner is tough on managers, consider that Billy Connors has become the New York Yankees’ 29th pitching coach during the 21 years that Steinbrenner has run the club. . . . Monday morning wasn’t the same without box scores. . . .

I’m surprised that the Texas Rangers, who are moving into a ballpark favorable to left-handed hitters and no longer have to pay Nolan Ryan, haven’t signed Rafael Palmeiro to a new contract. . . .

Shortstop Alex Rodriguez, drafted first by the Seattle Mariners, has been impressive in the Arizona Instructional League. . . .

Carl Lewis, who didn’t play football or basketball at Houston, was drafted in 1984 by the Dallas Cowboys in the 12th round and the Chicago Bulls in the 10th round. . . .

Chris Mills, the former Fairfax High and Arizona star, looked very much at home playing small forward for the Cleveland Cavaliers during the Forum Shootout. . . .

Marques Johnson, who played two seasons for Gene Bartow at UCLA, will be a limited-earnings assistant to Bartow at the University of Alabama Birmingham this season. Johnson will make trips to Birmingham in between announcing and acting assignments. . . .

From caller Joey on the Steve Hartman-Chet Forte show on XTRA radio: “Tim Hardaway going down clinches coach-of-the-year honors for Don Nelson.” . . .

When sections of the original Forum basketball court were given to former Lakers recently, 51% career free-throw shooter Wilt Chamberlain requested a piece of the foul line.