Notes on a Scorecard - Dec. 2, 1993

What, no farewell tour for Bill Laimbeer? . . .

Over the years, UCLA has played 20th Century-Fox, Caltech, and Glendale High in basketball, but the Bruins’ meeting with Nevada Las Vegas Saturday night at Pauley Pavilion will be their first. . . .

It wouldn’t have come off if Jerry Tarkanian, not the best of friends with Jim Harrick, were still coaching the Rebels. . . .

A turning point for the programs of both schools occurred in 1990, when Ed O’Bannon and Shon Tarver were released from their commitments to attend UNLV and became Bruins when the Rebels were put on probation. . . .

Tuesday was a night to be forgotten by local college teams. USC and Loyola Marymount combined for 57 fouls and 43 turnovers at the Sports Arena, and Long Beach State and Cal State Northridge for 60 fouls and 49 turnovers at Long Beach. . . .

“I wish the game could have been called on account of smell,” Trojan whistleball Coach George Raveling said. . . .

Ted Tollner is the leading candidate for the San Diego State football job, and the coach who replaced him at USC, Larry Smith, is among those being considered by Missouri. . . .

Parity in the NFL means no team leading a division by as many as two games the 14th week of the season and only Cincinnati, New England and Indianapolis in the AFC, and Tampa Bay, Washington, Phoenix and the Rams in the NFC out of playoff contention. . . .

The Cardinals (3-8) have outscored their opponents, 200-195. The New Orleans Saints (7-4) have been outscored, 229-224. . . .

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Versatile Marques Johnson, a part-time basketball coach at Alabama Birmingham, will have a guest-starring role on “Sinbad” tonight on Channel 11 at 8:30 p.m. and then will be the commentator on ESPN’s telecast of the Old Dominion-UC Santa Barbara game at 9. . . .

Los Angeles isn’t the only place where NBA business is off. Despite Atlanta’s fast start, only 8,472 saw the Hawks beat the Celtics at the Omni on Tuesday. . . .

If Houston beats the New York Knicks tonight at Madison Square Garden, the Rockets will try to set an NBA record of 16 consecutive victories at the start of a season Friday at Atlanta. . . .

Notice how inconsistent all but the very best NBA rookies are. . . .

Look-alikes: Chris Webber and UCLA freshman guard Cameron Dollar. . . .

What an eventful November it was for trainer Richard Mandella. He won a track-record four stakes on Breeders’ Cup Day at Santa Anita, his stable became home to Classic winner Arcangues, and his Kotashaan was narrowly beaten in the Japan Cup after jockey Kent Desormeaux misjudged the finish line. . . .

Producer Jerry Gross is seeking a local outlet for Reggie Jackson’s two-hour sports-talk show on Sunday nights that is scheduled to begin in March. . . .

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Aileen Eaton, the late boxing promoter, and former Dodger catcher and Angel manager Norm Sherry will be among those inducted into the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame Jan. 22 at the Westside Jewish Community Center. . . .

A news conference has been scheduled for Dec. 15 at the Olympic Auditorium by Bob Arum’s Top Rank Inc. Oscar De La Hoya is expected to challenge World Boxing Organization junior-lightweight champion Jimmy Bredahl of Denmark at the Olympic on March 5. . . .

Genaro Hernandez, who won the title in November of 1991, finally received his World Boxing Assn. junior-lightweight championship belt this week. . . .

All colonnade seats will be priced at $25 for the Michael Carbajal-Chiquita Gonzalez, Freddie Pendleton-Rafael Ruelas doubleheader Feb. 19 at the Forum. Ringsides will be $250 for the card that should draw the biggest local boxing crowd in years. . . .

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Rickey Henderson, whose home was destroyed in the Oakland fires a few years ago, has donated $25,000 to the Red Cross’ post-fire efforts in Southern California. . . .

Rafael Palmeiro might be headed to the New York Yankees and Eddie Murray back to the Baltimore Orioles. . . .

Seattle fans should be furious that the Mariners are even thinking about trading Randy Johnson. . . .

Former baseball writer Ken Gurnick has been appointed media and marketing director of agent Dennis Gilbert’s Beverly Hills Sports Council. . . .

Projected 1995 state of Florida football ratings: 1. Miami Dolphins, 2. Miami Hurricanes, 3. Florida State Seminoles. 4. Florida Gators. 5. Jacksonville Jaguars. 6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers. . . .

Don’t blame Terry Donahue if he stays at home Saturday night to watch Wisconsin play Michigan State on TV instead of going to Pauley Pavilion to see the Bruins and Rebels.