Notes on a Scorecard - Nov. 16, 1993

It might be time to move the sports capital of the world from the L.A. area. . . .

Smallest crowd in the NBA Thursday was at the Sports Arena, Friday at the Forum, Saturday at the Sports Arena, and Sunday at the Forum. . . .

Smallest home crowd for any top 20 college football team was Saturday at the Rose Bowl. . . .

Smallest crowd in the NFL Sunday was at Anaheim Stadium. . . .

UCLA will make a shorter trip to a road game against USC at the Coliseum than to its home games at the Rose Bowl. . . .

The outcome of the Pacific 10 Conference championship decider could hinge on the performances of two freshman tailbacks from Texas--Bruin Skip Hicks and Trojan Shawn Walters. . . .

Hicks’ second choice last winter was USC. . . .

ESPN anchor Chris Fowler drew some stares from colleagues Lee Corso, Craig James and Beano Cook Saturday night when Fowler said the Pac-10 was the best conference in the nation, top to bottom. . . .

The outlook at Washington is bleak. Husky recruiting will be hurt by probation and Coach Jim Lambright so far has shown that he is no Don James. . . .

Before figuring out your bowl pairings, remember that No. 2 Florida State must play at Florida, No. 3 Nebraska at home against Oklahoma, No. 4 Miami at West Virginia, and No. 5 Ohio State at Michigan. . . .

Thumbs up to Joe Moore of Notre Dame, perhaps the best offensive line coach in the nation. . . .

Clemson fullback Emory Smith is Emmitt Smith’s brother. . . .

The NFC is 15-12 against the AFC after going 22-30 last season. . . .

So much for the Rams having a highly productive 1993 draft. . . .

Back judge at the Raider-Kansas City game was Al Jury. . . .

Remember when the Raiders nearly signed Tampa Bay tackle Paul Gruber? He sat out his first game in six years because of a groin injury Sunday. . . .

Coach Jim Mora’s ultra-conservatism in the second half might have cost the New Orleans Saints a victory against the Green Bay Packers. . . .

The Tim Ryan-Matt Millen announcing team has become one of the best on CBS. . . .

Johnny Johnson is the running back the New York Jets hoped Blair Thomas would become. . . .

Barry Melrose will have had four days to prepare the Kings for their game against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday at the Forum. As you know, Melrose always is tough when he has extra time to get his team ready. . . .

The Florida Panthers have a better record than the Detroit Red Wings. . . .

Five-minute overtime in the NHL simply doesn’t do it. The Boston Bruins have five ties in 17 games. . . .

John Huarte has donated his 1964 Heisman Trophy, George Yardley the ball he shot to become the first 2,000-point single-season scorer in NBA history in 1958, and Alex Maese his 1966 George Woolf memorial award to the Orange County Sports Hall of Fame Museum that will be opened Dec. 3 at Anaheim Stadium. . . .

Hollywood Park officials are hoping the recent opening of the 105 Freeway will take some of the hassle out of getting to the track. The Prairie off-ramp is four-fifths of a mile from the parking gates. . . .

During the 26-day autumn meeting that opens Wednesday, at least one race will be simulcast daily from Northern California without interrupting the normal schedule of live races. . . .

Ann Meyers Drysdale has been tireless in her efforts on behalf of the Don Drysdale Hall of Fame Invitational Thursday through Saturday at Pelican Hill Golf Club in Newport Coast. The field for the event that benefits the Los Angeles Unified School District and children’s wing of Desert Hospital in Palm Springs includes a record 62 Hall of Fame athletes including Willie Mays, Pee Wee Reese, Duke Snider, Yogi Berra, John Havlicek, Jim Taylor, Paul Warfield and Stan Mikita. . . .

This could be a replay of last season for the Lakers, who were humiliated by the Denver Nuggets on Friday and then whipped the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday. . . .

Jamal Mashburn is making the transition from the University of Kentucky to the Dallas Mavericks smoothly although Kentucky might be a better team. . . .

Monday is the 43rd anniversary of the lowest scoring game in NBA history. The Ft. Wayne Pistons defeated the Minneapolis Lakers, 19-18, at Minneapolis. George Mikan had 15 points for the Lakers. John Oldham led the well-balanced Pistons with five. . . .

“The New York Times computer ranking still has Florida State No. 1,” actor George Wendt said. “That’s worse than the Chicago Tribune giving the 1948 election to Dewey.”