Notes on a Scorecard - June 6, 1994

Damn Knicks. . . .

They have been called uncivil, unskilled, uncreative, uncouth and unlovable, but what they must be called now is Eastern Conference champion. . . .

In the most important NBA game of his career, Patrick Ewing turned in perhaps his best performance. . . .

He justified the confidence and courage of Pat Riley, who refused to lift Ewing after he committed his fourth personal foul in the third quarter or after his fifth in the last quarter. . . .

The Knicks needed Ewing every precious moment. A more fainthearted coach might have cost his team the game. . . .

For sure, anti-New Yorkers will unite to complain about the flagrant foul call that deprived the Indiana Pacers of a chance to tie or win in the closing moments. . . .

But official Mike Mathis made the right decision. Reggie Miller went for John Starks’ body, not the ball. And don’t forget that the Knicks were victims of a three-point shot that the replay showed didn’t beat the 24-second clock. . . .

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It’s a pity that the Dodger bullpen is so weak because Darren Dreifort is a kid in his first year of professional baseball who should be learning in the minors instead of being counted upon in key situations in the majors. . . .

Among the prime benefactors of realignment are the first-place Dodgers, who would be in fourth place behind Atlanta, Houston and Cincinnati in the National League West under the old divisional setup. . . .

Remember 1981, when there was a split season because of the strike and four teams in each league made the playoffs? If the players strike early enough this season, maybe eight teams can go. . . .

What made the Dodgers’ double-play combination of Jose Offerman and Garey Ingram unique is that it consisted of players who hit home runs in their first major league at-bats. . . .

Graphic of the Day: Channel 5’s showing the Braves having a 85-35 record since acquiring Fred McGriff from the San Diego Padres. . . .

I kept telling anyone who would listen that the Angels’ signing of Joe Magrane was a stroke of genius. . . .

You can’t accuse the Dodgers, who took a catcher, of drafting for need in the first round. . . .

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French Open runner-up Mary Pierce will participate in the Virginia Slims of L.A., Aug. 8-14 at Manhattan Beach. . . .

This will always be known as the French Open where Pierce defeated Steffi Graf in the semifinals rather than the one where Pierce lost to Arantxa Sanchez Vicario in the championship. . . .

It was also the French Open that was swept by Spaniards in the men’s, women’s, and boys’ singles competition. . . .

NBC commentator John McEnroe said he would like to see a major tournament played indoors, where weather conditions would never be a factor. . . .

The nation’s greatest jockey colony will be out in full force at 6:30 tonight at the L.A. Equestrian Center for team penning rodeo exhibitions and a hoedown that will benefit the Don MacBeth Memorial Jockey Fund. . . .

The Amateur Athletic Foundation of Los Angeles’ minority coach leadership program will offer free training to aspiring soccer coaches June 20-24 and June 27-July 1 at Will Rogers Park and to swimming coaches July 5-22 at Dorsey High. Those interested should call 213-730-9632. . . .

Riddick Bowe might be the most talented heavyweight around, but his career is getting bogged down. First, the loss of his title to Evander Holyfield, then a cut eye in training, and now a bad back. . . .

The New York Ranger-Vancouver championship series means the Stanley Cup will be engraved with the name of a Russian for the first time--Alexei Kovalev, Sergei Nechinov and Sergei Zubov of the Rangers or Pavel Bure of the Canucks. . . .

Bure’s high-sticking penalty that caused his ejection in the first period Saturday might have turned the series around, not unlike the measurement of Marty McSorley’s illegal stick in Game 2 of the King-Montreal series last year. . . .

The Kings lost four in a row after winning the opening game on the road and it won’t surprise me if the same thing happens to the Canucks.