Notes on a Scorecard - Nov. 30, 1993

This is the Heisman Trophy ballot I will send to the Downtown Athletic Club of New York City today: 1. Charlie Ward, Florida State quarterback. 2. Heath Shuler, Tennessee quarterback. 3. J.J. Stokes, UCLA wide receiver. . . .

However, Shuler, a 6-foot-3, 212-pound junior, figures to be the first quarterback taken in the draft if he decides to skip his senior year. . . .

He has size and arm strength advantages over Ward, a senior who is an exceptional point guard and hasn’t decided whether to play pro football or basketball. . . .

Another highly regarded passer is Trent Dilfer of Fresno State, a junior who is almost certain to declare for the draft a year early. . . .

The Rams might be in a spot to take the first quarterback. Two of the three teams with worse records, New England and Cincinnati, are starting young first-round picks at that position. . . .

Stokes, a junior planning to stay in school, is a receiver who is more important to his offense than most passers or runners. . . .

If Stokes and Shuler return, they will be matched Sept. 3 at the Rose Bowl when UCLA plays Tennessee in the opener. . . .

Heisman voters are asked to pick only the top three for the award that will be announced Dec. 11, but my fourth choice would have been Notre Dame tackle Aaron Taylor, whose blocking helps to make the Irish power game such a force. . . .

What is 1992 Heisman winner Gino Torretta doing these days, besides sitting on the Minnesota Vikings’ bench? Callers to the Downtown AC are greeted by a message recorded by Torretta. . . .

Next year’s Heisman quarterback candidates from the state of Florida will be Ryan Collins of Miami and Danny Wuerffel of Florida. . . .

No wonder USC Athletic Director Mike Garrett isn’t eager to have the Trojans play in the Freedom Bowl again. They are 1-4 in Orange County. Besides their losses to North Carolina and Fresno State at Anaheim Stadium, they were 1-2 in games at Santa Ana against the local high school and a town team in 1899, 1902 and 1907. . . .

Damon Allen, brother of Marcus and the hero of the Edmonton Eskimos’ 33-23 Grey Cup victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, has signed a contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates’ organization and expects to pitch in the minor leagues next season. . . .

Just about as bad as the Raiders at Cincinnati on Sunday was NBC. The announcing Dans, Hicks and Hampton, were repetitive and some of the action was missed when the network came out of commercials too late. . . .

Nobody is laughing at Jack Pardee--or Buddy Ryan--anymore. . . .

The New York Jets, who used to find a way to lose, now are finding a way to win. . . .

Bill Shoemaker’s misjudgment of the finish line aboard Gallant Man in the 1957 Kentucky Derby cost him the winning jockey’s share of $10,795. When Kent Desormeaux misjudged the finish line aboard Kotashaan in the Japan Cup on Sunday, it cost him a chance for $156,000. . . .

Chances are excellent that Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Brocco will run in the $500,000 Hollywood Futurity Dec. 19. . . .

Former lightweight and junior-welterweight champion Carlos Ortiz, newly hired to help train Oscar De La Hoya, is no stranger in these parts, although he was born in Puerto Rico and fought out of New York City. Ortiz was unbeaten in seven bouts in Southern California, including a knockout of Battling Torres in 1960 on a card that drew more than 30,000 at the Coliseum. . . .

At least Arnold Palmer won’t have Payne Stewart, Fred Couples and Paul Azinger to worry about in the Senior Skins Game Jan. 29-30 at Mauna Lani on the island of Hawaii. All he has to do to three-peat is defeat Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino and Raymond Floyd. . . .

NCAA Division I-AA has the right idea. Settle the football championship on the field, even if it takes two overtimes for a first-round game between Boston University and Northern Iowa.