Notes on a Scorecard - Feb. 17, 1994

I’m glad the NHL has more guts than the U.S. Olympic Committee. . . .

King winger Tony Granato got what he deserved when he was suspended 15 games for his wood chop to the head of Chicago Blackhawk defenseman Neil Wilkinson. . . .

The problem facing the Kings is that without Granato and the two forwards sent to Pittsburgh in the Marty McSorley deal--Tomas Sandstrom and Shawn McEachern--they’re extremely thin up front.

However, McSorley’s return Friday against the Philadelphia Flyers should lift the sagging spirits of his teammates and the Forum fans. . . .

“Marty! Marty! Marty!” will be the chant of a capacity crowd. . . .

The Kings have had 21 sellouts, but the fans, normally among the most vociferous in the NHL, have been as lifeless as the team. . . .

Jim Paek, who also was acquired in the deal, is the only Korean-born player in the league. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound, 26-year-old defenseman, whose name is pronounced “Pack,” has returned to his native country the last two summers to conduct hockey camps. . . .

Those who worry that the Lakers are going to blow another opportunity for a lottery pick should have been heartened by Tuesday night’s 100-89 loss to the Danny Manning- and Ron Harper-less Clippers at the Forum. . . .

There is the feeling of a cross-town NBA rivalry only when the teams play at the Sports Arena. The crowds usually are larger and split in their allegiance. The pro-Laker gathering of 11,954 Tuesday night was so quiet that you could hear the racket from the Inglewood public library. . . .

The Kings’ two McSorley trades bring to mind the time the Cleveland Indians traded catcher Harry Chiti to the New York Mets for a player to be named, who turned out to be Chiti. . . .

Kentucky’s comeback from 31 points down to beat Louisiana State showed what a difference great three-point shooting and lousy one-point shooting can make. . . .

It is important for UCLA to win enough of its remaining games to stay in the West during the NCAA tournament. The first- and second-round games are at Sacramento, the regional at the Sports Arena. . . .

The Bruins’ final home game is March 6 against Louisville, the team USC Coach George Raveling now is picking to win the NCAA championship. . . .

USC opens spring football practice on March 9, UCLA on April 4. . . .

Pacific 10 Conference coaches have picked USC to win the baseball race that begins this weekend with the Trojans at Arizona State. . . .

Third baseman Aaron Boone--brother of Bret, son of Bob and grandson of Ray--is hitting .529. . . .

UCLA’s renovated Sunset Field--complete with sunken dugouts and 1,000 seats--will be dedicated at 1 p.m. Saturday when the Bruin softball team plays the alumni, led by Lisa Fernandez. . . .

Tony Perez is director of international relations for the Florida Marlins, who are trying to become Central and South America’s team. . . .

Among those mentioned as successor to American League President Bobby Brown is Andy McPhail, whose father Lee used to hold the position. . . .

Scotty Olson hopes to beat Jorge Luis Roman early on the card Saturday night at the Forum and then scout the Michael Carbajal-Humberto (Chiquita) Gonzalez light-flyweight title rematch and challenge the winner. . . .

Best Pal is going to the farm for a rest and will sit out the Santa Anita Handicap, which he won in 1992. . . .

In what is a deep year for 3-year-old males, the most promising of the fillies, Lakeway, will try two turns for the first time in the $150,000 Las Virgenes Stakes Saturday. A prospect named Winning Colors finished second to Goodbye Halo in the 1988 race--and then won the Kentucky Derby. . . .

When Jack Pardee is saluted as AFC coach of the year by the 101 Club in Kansas City on Feb. 26, he will be introduced by one of his old coaches, Sid Gillman. . . .

Here’s an all-unrestricted free-agent team, which does not include those designated as franchise or transition players. Offense: WR--Haywood Jeffires, Rob Moore. TE--Jackie Harris. T-Howard Ballard, John Alt. G--Nate Newton, William Roberts. C--Mark Stepnoski. QB--Erik Kramer. RB--Lorenzo White, Tom Rathman. Defense: E--Sean Jones, William Fuller. T--Henry Thomas, Dan Saleaumua. LB--Tony Bennett, Seth Joyner, Ken Norton Jr. CB--Mark Collins, Nate Odomes. S--Jarvis Williams, Greg Jackson. Special teams--Steve Tasker. . . .

If you were flying to Norway and Tonya Harding was in the next seat, what would you have said to her?