Notes on a Scorecard - Jan. 13, 1994

The NCAA presidents, who claim to be so cost conscious about athletics, would be better served by developing such potential revenue producers as a Division I national championship football playoff than by keeping the number of basketball scholarships down. . . .

Maybe the best way the Black Coaches Assn. can call attention to its plight is to stage a boycott. . . .

However, I wonder how many black--and white--coaches want the scholarship limit returned to 14 simply because of the additional educational opportunities that would provide, and how many are concerned only because they feel it would improve their product. . . .

Are they all as sincere as John Thompson and George Raveling? . . .

If you are worried that you won’t get your fill of college basketball this year, be sure to tune in the splendid doubleheader tonight-- California at Arizona at 6:30 on ESPN and UCLA at Washington State at 8:30 on Prime Ticket. . . .

The Cougars were disappointing last week in the Bay Area, but are not easy to beat in the Palouse and could provide the Bruins with their first significant test this season. . . .

Shame on any Hall of Fame voter who ever saw Orlando Cepeda play and didn’t vote for him. . . .

Many pro football fans are dreaming about a Joe Montana-Steve Young matchup in the Super Bowl. . . .

Well, how about Jeff Hostetler-Phil Simms? . . .

It is a longshot, but a Raider-Giant game Jan. 30 in Atlanta would match the two quarterbacks who were New York teammates from 1985-92. . . .

Giant Coach Dan Reeves was widely hailed early in the season for having given the starting job to the charismatic Simms and allowing Hostetler to sign as a free agent with the Raiders. . . .

Now the decision must be re-evaluated. . . .

Hostetler had a terrific season with the Raiders--his competitive spirit makes him far more valuable than even his good numbers would indicate--and he is only 32. . . .

Simms is 38 and hinted last week that this could be his last year in the NFL. . . .

Of course, the Giants believe their young, highly paid quarterback, David Brown, has a future. . . .

Here was the headline on another story on Page 1 of The Times’ sports section on Jan. 21, 1991, the day after the Raiders lost the AFC championship game, 51-3, to the Bills in Buffalo: “Hostetler Gets Up, Knocks Out Champion.” . . .

Hostetler suffered a hyper-extended knee when hit by former teammate Jim Burt in the fourth quarter, but missed only one series, and led two field-goal drives in the final six minutes that gave the Giants a 15-13 victory over the two-time defending Super Bowl champion 49ers in the NFC championship game at Candlestick Park. . . .

The following week, Hostetler and Co. defeated Buffalo, 20-19, in Super Bowl XXV. . . .

Look-alikes: Hostetler and a young Charles DeGaulle. . . .

The Raiders might be interested in drafting a player named Bates for the second consecutive year now that Arizona State running back Mario Bates has become one of the eligible undergraduates. Last year, they selected Texas A&M; safety Patrick Bates in the first round. . . .

Maybe Eric Moore should have been chosen to replace Jumbo Elliott on the NFC Pro Bowl team. The Giants are 6-1 since Moore took over for the injured Elliott at the important left tackle position. . . .

Barbara Russell, the national taekwondo champion and a member of the 1992 U.S. Olympic team, plays the young soprano Cossette in the Pasadena Civic Auditorium production of “Les Miserables,” which opened Wednesday night. . . .

Statistic of the day: The Kings, without Marty McSorley, are leading the NHL in penalty minutes. . . .

Michael Cooper and the New Bethany Outreach Ministry are sponsoring a celebrity basketball game Saturday at 3 p.m. at Crenshaw High. . . .

With the activation of Orlando Magic assistant coach Tree Rollins, the six oldest players in the NBA are centers--Robert Parish, 40; Rollins, 38; Moses Malone, 38; James Edwards, 38; Mark Eaton, 36, and Bill Cartwright, 36. . . .

The NBA would be wise to copy the Continental Basketball Assn. and stage a one-on-one contest as part of its All-Star game festivities. The slam-dunk competition has grown stale. . . .

How important is it to stay injury-free? The only three NBA teams without at least one player on the injured list are the Detroit Pistons, Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers.