Notes on a Scorecard - Nov. 8, 1994

The Raiders’ magic number is 1995. . . .

Maybe then they will have a new coach, a new playbook, a new attitude and a new opportunity to fulfill their enormous potential. . . .

What happened Sunday at Kansas City was a disgrace to the silver and black. . . .

A night full of penalties, other fundamental mistakes and poor decisions left the Raiders (4-5) with the same record as the Rams going into Sunday’s game at Anaheim Stadium. . . .

“The Raiders can’t continue to do this,” ESPN commentator Joe Theismann said in the third quarter after either a pass intended for Tim Brown or a run by Harvey Williams. “The Chiefs aren’t stupid.” . . .

But the Raiders continued to do that and finished with a total of three points. . . .

It was a shame that a terrific performance by the defense--led by Chester McGlockton up front and Terry McDaniel in the secondary--was wasted. . . .

Jeff Hostetler was off form again. . . .

The questions to be asked about the quarterback: Was last year an exceptional year that he won’t be able to match again? Is his arm hurt? Is the play calling from the sidelines so predictable that he can’t overcome it? . . .

Enjoying more success Sunday was Chris Chandler of the Rams. . . .

It develops that the Rams’ most important quarterback acquisition might have been Chandler, not Chris Miller. . . .

Chandler hung up some good numbers--19 for 25, 223 yards and two touchdowns--in the Rams’ 27-21 victory over Denver, despite having his bell rung early in the third quarter. . . .

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Last year, Los Angeles universities had perhaps the two best wide receivers in the nation, J.J. Stokes of UCLA and Johnnie Morton of USC. . . .

The same should be true next season with Keyshawn Johnson of USC and Kevin Jordan of UCLA. . . .

Johnson, a junior college transfer who caught three touchdown passes against Washington State, has the smile, confidence and tools of Michael Irvin. . . .

Clearly, the mythical national championship is Nebraska’s to lose now that the Cornhuskers are No. 1 in both polls. Remember, they will be playing a highly ranked team in the Orange Bowl while Penn State will be playing a lesser regarded team in the Rose Bowl. . . .

I guess the problem with Nick Van Exel last season was that he didn’t shoot enough. . . .

The Lakers open their home schedule Friday against Denver, and the Clippers open Thursday against Atlanta. Plenty of good seats are available. . . .

Give the edge to the Golden State Warriors in the deal that sent Billy Owens to the Miami Heat for Rony Seikaly. . . .

Surprise of the rookie crop could be guard Wesley Person of the Phoenix Suns, who scored 23 points against Miami on Sunday. The younger brother of Chuck also attended Auburn and was the 23rd draft choice overall. . . .

What do you think about those unbeaten, Atlantic Division-leading Washington Bullets? . . .

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The only American citizen among the top 26 males in the New York City Marathon was third-place finisher Arturo Barrios, a native of Mexico City who got his citizenship papers in September. . . .

Gary Stevens’ front-running ride on One Dreamer, who won the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at 47-1 Saturday, reminded me of his work aboard filly Winning Colors in the Kentucky Derby six years earlier. . . .

Wayne Lukas saddled eight starters in Breeders’ Cup races and only Cat Appeal, who was eased in the Juvenile Fillies, didn’t bring home a check. . . .

Lukas’ horses earned $1,936,000, lifting the 59-year-old trainer back to the top of the national standings with $10,844,000 in earnings this year. . . .

Lukas says Timber Country is as good as any 2-year-old he has had, which puts the colt in the same company with Grand Canyon. . . .

Horses that finished first or second in each of the Breeders’ Cup races have been nominated for stakes that make up Hollywood Park’s seven-race Autumn Turf Festival. . . .

Santa Anita is hoping to attract Timber Country to its Derby, Concern to the Strub Stakes and Holy Bull to the Big ‘Cap. . . .

A young heavyweight to watch is 6-foot-5, 222-pound Courage Tshabalala of South Africa, who scored his eighth consecutive knockout by flattening Ricky Rice in 20 seconds on the Foreman-Moorer card. . . .

I get a kick out of the boxing purists who say that having a 45-year-old champion is bad for the sport. . . .

Actually, the revival of George Foreman is the greatest thing to happen to the sport since the emergence of Muhammad Ali.