Notes on a Scorecard - Nov. 9, 1994

There will be something new at the NFL and Pacific-10 Conference games in the Southland this weekend--fans. . . .

Not only is the Ram-Raider game at Anaheim Stadium a 67,000-plus sellout, about 63,000 tickets have been sold for the USC-Arizona game at the Coliseum. . . .

Capacity for the current Coliseum configuration is 68,000, but the covering will be removed from additional seats behind the end zones if sales warrant. . . .

The biggest local crowd this season has been 55,385 for the Raider-San Diego game Sept. 25. . . .

On Sunday, bragging rights in Los Angeles, St. Louis and Baltimore will be at stake. . . . On Saturday, the right to remain in the Rose Bowl race will be the prize. . . .

USC, Arizona and Oregon all are 5-1 in the conference, but the Ducks have beaten the Trojans and Wildcats and even a share of the title would be enough to put them in the bowl for the first time since Jan. 1, 1958. . . .

“I said before the season that the Pac-10 would be the best conference in the nation and I still think so,” Arizona Coach Dick Tomey said. “There are more good teams, top to bottom, than anywhere else.” . . .

He must be forgetting about the WAC. . . .

Tomey does acknowledge that the Pac-10 lacks a great team. . . .

Sports Illustrated thought Arizona would be that team, ranking the Wildcats No. 1 and featuring them on the cover of the college preview issue. . . .

It was crazy because the Wildcats obviously didn’t have the offense of a national champion. . . .

“I wish we could have played USC early in the year,” Tomey said. “Their young defense was making mistakes, but it isn’t anymore.” . . .

Arizona has been in the Pac-10 race five of the last six Novembers, but is the only conference team that never has played in a Rose Bowl. . . .

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Those who sat ringside Saturday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas were more impressed by the power of George Foreman’s right hand that knocked out Michael Moorer than those who watched the telecast. . . .

From the second row, I could almost feel it. . . .

This was a 250-pound man with the greatest knockout percentage of any heavyweight champion delivering a short, crunching blow flush to the jaw of a 222-pound opponent who was bent down, leaning in, and distracted by a left jab. . . .

Moorer’s head snapped back, his eyes were glazed, and his mouth was bleeding. . . .

It might not quite match Foreman’s comeback, but unbeaten featherweight Mike Semaza will return to the ring after being sidelined for two years by bad hands when he faces John Ramirez on Thursday in an eight-round bout at the Irvine Marriott. . . .

“Semaza’s quick and exciting,” says Jackie McCoy, who has managed five world champions and now has a two-fighter stable of Semaza and Carlos Hernandez. . . .

Light-flyweight champion Humberto (Chiquita) Gonzalez will have the home bullring advantage Saturday night during his rubber match against Michael Carbajal at the Plaza de Toros in Mexico City. . . .

On the same pay-per-view TV card, World Boxing Assn. junior lightweight champion Genaro Hernandez of East L.A., who hasn’t fought since January because of hand surgery, will defend his title against Jimmy Garcia of Colombia. . . .

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The most underrated sports announcer on network television might be Tom Hammond, who anchored NBC’s Breeders’ Cup coverage. . . .

Hammond is knowledgeable no matter the sport, has a wonderful voice, and doesn’t get carried away with himself. . . .

Thumbs up to the director of ESPN’s telecast of the Raider-Kansas City game. The numerous close-up shots of Neil Smith, Harvey Williams and others were outstanding. On nights like Sunday, it is a pity that ESPN directors aren’t credited. . . .

A combination to watch at the Hollywood Park autumn meeting that begins today--Eddie Delahoussaye on maidens. He won with 11 of the 32 he rode in the Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita. . . .

The USC men’s and women’s swimmers will compete against the U.S. national teams, featuring Janet Evans, Friday at 3 p.m. at the McDonald’s Swim Stadium on campus. . . . Are you a hockey fan in need of a fix? The sixth annual Great Western Bank Freeze-Out will be be played Nov. 25 and 27 at the Forum. The opening games are Notre Dame-Maine and Princeton-Boston University. . . .

There is a school in Pennsylvania that is 7-0, but I’m afraid Penn has no chance to win a national championship.