Notes on a Scorecard - July 18, 1994

The right team won for the wrong reason. . . .

A best-of-five penalty-kick shootout deciding the World Cup? . . .

This was a World Series decided by a home run derby, an NBA championship series decided by a free-throw contest, a Super Bowl decided by a punt, pass and kick competition. . . .

The Olympic Games ice hockey championship also was decided by a shootout. That was even worse than Sunday’s Cup final because I’m not so sure that Sweden was better than Canada. . . .

Having developed into a bona fide soccer expert the last few weeks, I am certain that Brazil is better than Italy. . . .

The Brazilians are so adept at dribbling, setting up plays, and controlling the flow of the game that their goalkeeper, Claudio (Two Names) Taffarel, could have taken a side job during his stay in the United States. . . .

However, the Italian defenders deserved enormous credit on a day when they couldn’t count on an injured Roberto Baggio to supply the necessary offense. . . .

The fairest way to decide the outcome would have been sudden death. To prevent exhaustion, unlimited substitution would be allowed during overtime. . . .

ABC’s coverage rarely captured the color and pageantry of the tournament. A pregame show Sunday would have helped. . . .

Naming the Cup all-star team last week was like naming the NCAA basketball all-tournament team before the championship game. . . .

The Dodgers got their wake-up call a few hours late Sunday at Philadelphia. . . .

They made it easy for their old teammate, Fernando Valenzuela. . . .

“The Dodgers are playing as if they’re waiting for something to happen,” Rick Monday said on KABC, long before their seven-run rally in the ninth inning. . . .

They could have used some of the enthusiasm that was displayed at their home park Saturday night by the greatest combination since Tinkers-to-

Evers-to-Chance--Carreras-

to-Domingo-to-Pavarotti. . . .

Even most L.A. fans probably were rooting for Valenzuela to get a shutout when Mitch Webster homered to lead off the ninth. . . .

I mean, who knew at the time the Dodgers eventually would bring the winning run to the plate? . . .

Say what you want about Bo Jackson, but no other Angel brings the excitement to Anaheim Stadium that he does. . . .

Baseball Night in America got off to a slow start on Channel 7 on Saturday when it stuck with Ramon Martinez warming up for 10 minutes after Orel Hershiser’s pregame departure instead of switching to action elsewhere. . . .

It is difficult to imagine, especially this year, that Henry Aaron never hit as many as 50 home runs in a season. . . .

What Homer Dome? The Minnesota Twins have the fewest home runs in the major leagues. . . .

Nick Price won the British Open in sensational style, but a lot of my interest was lost when first Tom Watson and then Fuzzy Zoeller fell out of contention. . . .

Some day, Peter Senior, who finished tied for 20th at Turnberry, is going to be a natural for a certain golf tour. . . .

The difference between first- and second-place money in the British Open is less than you might think. Price got $178,200 and runner-up Jesper Parnevik $142,500. . . .

Pete Sampras, who is skipping the L.A. Open next month, ought to play in his old hometown every year. . . .

A motion picture about the Harlem Globetrotters is in the works. . . .

The Pacific 10 Conference led the nation the past 12 months with seven NCAA team and 36 individual titles. . . .

Notre Dame’s decision to join the Big East Conference will leave Oral Roberts alone as a basketball independent among the 301 NCAA Division I schools. . . .

I was surprised that Winnipeg beat Edmonton, 50-35, the other night in a Canadian Football League game. Teams that pass for 713 yards usually don’t win. . . .

Tom Rathman--who can run, catch and block--will help to bring some needed balance to the Raider attack. . . .

Think the Giants regret having kept Phil Simms instead of Jeff Hostetler before the 1993 season? . . .

The Kings can sign all the journeyman defensemen they want, but they won’t make any progress until they re-sign Rob Blake. . . .

Contrary to reports, the New York Knicks haven’t yet talked to free agent Dominique Wilkins. . . .

Neither Pele nor Maradona must have read the book “No Cheering in the Press Box.”