Notes on a Scorecard - Jan. 31, 1994

It was a sweet and sour Sunday for UCLA. . . .

Former Bruin teammates James Washington, Troy Aikman and Ken Norton Jr. contributed mightily to the Dallas Cowboys’ second annual Super Bowl victory over the Buffalo Bills. . . .

A few hours earlier, ABC didn’t show the first eight minutes of the UCLA-California basketball game because it was busy with the Senior Skins playoff. . . .

Better yet for Bruin fans if the last eight minutes also had been blacked out. . . .

After rallying and nearly catching up--they were trailing 21-14 when ABC finally left the golf, station breaks, commercials and promos--the Bruins faltered down the stretch. . . .

Blame much of it on Jason Kidd, who won the point-guard showdown with Tyus Edney and took control at crunch time. . . .

Cal exposed the Bruin weakness--their half-court offense, particularly against a zone defense. . . .

The end of UCLA’s 14-game win streak meant that members of the last major college team to complete a season unbeaten--the 32-0, 1976 Indiana Hoosiers--could begin their annual ritual of calling Coach Bob Knight. . . . Now I know why Emmitt Smith held out for more money than Thurman Thomas is making. . . .

The Bills weren’t half bad this time, but it turned out to be still another Super Bowl lacking in drama. . . .

I mean, did you give the disheartened Bills any chance after the aroused Cowboys took the lead in the third quarter? . . .

Only two of the last dozen Super Bowls have been decided by fewer than 10 points. . . .

Another former Bruin, linebacker Marvcus Patton, made one of Buffalo’s best defensive plays when he threw Emmitt Smith for a yard loss on second and four from the Bills’ nine in the first quarter. . . .

It was interesting to see Michael Jordan watching the game from the stands in Atlanta, no doubt preparing to make his NFL playing debut next season. . . .

I felt old when Dick Enberg gave coin-tosser Joe Namath’s age as 50. . . .

The Angels’ signing of Bo Jackson will bring them publicity, home runs and RBI, not necessarily in that order of importance. . . .

Remember, Bo’s 448-foot, leadoff home run over the center-field fence in the 1989 All-Star game at Anaheim Stadium? . . .

Just when Julio Cesar Chavez’s skills are diminishing, he is starting to speak more English. . . .

He shouted, “ . . . . you, King!” at promoter Don King after Frankie Randall was awarded a 12-round decision Saturday in Las Vegas. . . .

If Chavez was blaming King for his first loss, he should have thanked the promoter after the gift draw with Pernell Whitaker. . . .

Funny, too, that Chavez complained about referee Richard Steele deducting two points from his total Saturday because of low blows. It was Steele who stopped the Chavez-Meldrick Taylor fight with only seconds remaining in the 12th round. . . .

The odds favoring Chavez over Randall had been as high as 18-1 and two future Chavez dates at the MGM Grand were announced by Jimmy Lennon Jr. in the ring earlier in the evening. . . .

The main event didn’t begin until 9:50 p.m., meaning 12:50 a.m. in the East for pay-per-view TV customers. The live card started at 3:30. . . .

“Tell Don King to get me a fight,” KMPC’s Big Joe McDonnell said at ringside after watching 290-pound Anthony Wade wade into the ring for his bout against Razor Ruddock. . . .

It is time for Hector (Macho) Camacho to hang up the gloves, but he probably won’t because of financial reasons. . . .

Before the severe damage to the Coliseum was revealed, Bob Arum had planned to promote a tripleheader title show there two days before the World Cup soccer final in July. . . .

Among the highlights of NBC’s long sports day was Kevin McHale’s humorous and poignant speech during the Boston Garden ceremony retiring No. 32. . . .

Fenway Park won’t be quite the same without the voice of Sherm Feller, who died Friday at 75. The public address announcer was to Boston Red Sox fans what Bob Sheppard is to New York Yankee fans. . . . Look-alikes: Tonya Harding and Dana Carvey’s Garth. . . .

That Dallas win Saturday night surprised me more than the one Sunday. . . .

Clones: The Kings and Mighty Ducks each have 44 points in the NHL standings. The Clippers are 15-25 overall, 9-11 at home, and 6-14 on the road. The Lakers are 14-26 overall, 8-11 at home, and 6-15 on the road. . . .

Thanks, Howie Long, for all those seasons when you made my job easier by being such a willing, candid and articulate person to interview. I look forward to hearing your acceptance speech one day at Canton, Ohio.