Notes on a Scorecard - Jan. 10, 1994

The Raiders sure picked a good day to find a knockout punch and score more than 40 points in a game for the first time since 1984. . . .

It was a case of the Mountaineers--Jeff Hostetler and James Jett from West Virginia--beating the Rocky Mountaineers. . . .

If you like touchdowns, passing, fights, noise and penalties, the Raiders’ 42-24 victory over the Denver Broncos was your thing. . . .

Don’t underestimate the importance of the punting game--the Raiders’ Jeff Gossett was terrific, the Broncos’ Tom Rouen lousy during the decisive third quarter. . . .

Remember when the Raiders used to fall apart after halftime? They outscored Denver, 41-6, in second halves and an overtime the last two weeks. . . .

It appeared that the Raiders’ good fortune against the Broncos at the Coliseum might be ending when defensive tackle Chester McGlockton suffered a broken leg on Denver’s first scrimmage play. . . .

The Raiders set a playoff record with 15 penalties, but were lucky not to draw an unsportsmanlike-conduct call when inactive cornerback James Trapp, dressed in street clothes, ran onto the field and fought the Broncos’ Frank Robinson in the second quarter. . . .

Former USC president John Hubbard once was assessed a 15-yard penalty merely for protesting a call during a Trojan-Hawaii game in Honolulu. . . .

In honor of Jeff (Hoss) Hostetler, the Raider band often played the theme from “Bonanza.” . . .

This was the 23rd consecutive time that the team committing the fewest number of turnovers won an NFL playoff game. . . .

It is testimony to John Elway’s scrambling abilities that he was sacked only once in two weeks at the Coliseum. . . .

Those who cheered the appearance of a paraglider over the stadium during the first quarter must not have been in Las Vegas the night the same genius flew into the ropes at the Evander Holyfield-Riddick Bowe fight and endangered many lives. . . .

Despite their biggest scoring explosion since a 45-24 victory at Miami in December of 1984, the Raiders (11-6) have been outscored, 350-348, this season. . . .

Coach Dennis Green might have taken the momentum away from the Minnesota Vikings when he allowed the New York Giants to have the all-important wind advantage at the start of the third quarter. . . .

Attention, Al Davis: Mark Collins, the Giant cornerback from Cal State Fullerton who played well despite a bad knee, will become an unrestricted free agent and wants to leave New York. . . .

The Detroit Lions ought to try a new tactic the next time a game against the Green Bay Packers is on the line: Cover Sterling Sharpe. . . .

That layoff sure hurt Barry Sanders, didn’t it? . . .

There is nothing wrong with Emmitt Smith, but I would love to see what Sanders could do behind the Dallas Cowboys’ line. . . .

It might bode well for the Kansas City Chiefs that they were able to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers on an off-day. . . .

Those campaigning for a return to instant-replay review should present as exhibit A the tape of the incomplete pass that was ruled complete and set up Kansas City kicker Nick Lowery’s 43-yard miss late in regulation. . . .

One reason the New York Jets fired Bruce Coslet and replaced him with defensive coordinator Pete Carroll is that they were afraid Carroll would take another head coaching job. . . .

If you think the Lakers are bad, you haven’t seen the Clippers lately. . . .

College basketball is a wonderful sport except when it is turned into whistleball by officials such as Richie Ballesteros, Jerry White, and Steve Wilson, who called 53 fouls during the USC-Oregon game on Saturday. . . .

As demonstrated against Oregon State, UCLA is a much better team when point guard Tyus Edney is at full strength. . . .

If the Kings had traded Jimmy Carson earlier instead of sitting him down and reducing his value, they probably would have gotten more than Vancouver forward Dixon Ward and a draft choice in return. . . .

This shows you what happens when the coach, Barry Melrose, and team executives, president Roy Mlakar and General Manager Nick Beverley, aren’t often on the same page. . . .

Pity the Mighty Ducks, who must play 13 of their next 17 games at home. . . .

Sports person of the week: Michelle Kwan, 13, of Torrance, who showed uncommon maturity by skating to a second-place finish in the U.S. Figure Skating Championships and applauding the decision to send Nancy Kerrigan, instead, to the Winter Olympics.