Notes on a Scorecard - Dec. 28, 1994

Hate to disagree with you, but I don’t think a San Francisco-Dallas rematch in the NFC title game is going to be the real Super Bowl. . . .

That’s because I don’t think there will be such a rematch. . . .

The Cowboys won’t make it that far. . . .

Troy Aikman still hasn’t regained his form, Emmitt Smith is coming off an injury, and Jimmy Johnson’s leadership is missed. . . .

This is our scenario for the playoffs:

NFC first-round games--Green Bay defeats Detroit, Minnesota defeats Chicago. AFC--Miami defeats Kansas City, Cleveland defeats New England. . . .

NFC second-round games--San Francisco defeats Green Bay, Minnesota defeats Dallas. AFC--Pittsburgh defeats Cleveland, Miami defeats San Diego. . . .

NFC championship game--San Francisco defeats Minnesota. AFC--Pittsburgh defeats Miami. . . .

Super Bowl--San Francisco defeats Pittsburgh. . . .

I’ll be surprised if any opponent comes within 10 points of the 49ers during the playoffs. . . .

Can Joe Paterno’s team, which should be considered among the greatest offensive machines in college football history, threaten the Rose Bowl scoring record against Oregon? . . .

Michigan scored 49 in the first Rose Bowl game in 1902 against Stanford, a figure matched by the Wolverines in 1948 against USC. . . .

Those Michigan teams also share the record for fewest points allowed, zero. . . .

The track should be fast Monday. It hasn’t rained for a Rose Bowl since Ohio State beat USC, 20-7, in 1955. . . .

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Running back Barry Sanders deserved to be a unanimous selection on the Associated Press all-pro team, but quarterback Steve Young and wide receiver Jerry Rice also should have swept the balloting at their positions. . . .

Rich Kotite’s 37-29 record as Philadelphia Eagles’ coach compares favorably with Buddy Ryan’s 43-38-1. Kotite’s winning percentage is also higher than that of Dick Vermeil, whose teams were 57-51 in regular-season games. . . .

There is no more gorgeous venue in sports than Santa Anita Park on clear, sparkling days like opening day Monday. . . .

The spill involving three jockeys in the first race was an illustration of why riders, who are threatening to walk out Jan. 1, feel so strongly about the insurance issue. . . .

Chris McCarron was fortunate to escape serious injury and was able to articulate the Jockey Guild’s view of the contract dispute a couple of hours later during a session with sportswriters in the press box. . . .

Later the same day, Marco Castenada, who used to ride locally, suffered head injuries in a three-horse spill during a race at Bay Meadows that was simulcast to Santa Anita. . . .

Laffit Pincay, who will be 48 Wednesday, is 624 winners shy of Bill Shoemaker’s record 8,833. . . .

On his XTRA radio show, Roger Stein has been asking listeners if Pincay should attempt to quicken the pace of his record bid by racing on the lesser Northern California circuit for a couple of years. I say no. Pincay is strictly a major leaguer who should break the record competing against the very best. . . .

A unique Arabian vs. standardbred match race has been proposed for the harness racing meet that begins a 38-night stand at Los Alamitos Thursday. . . .

Few pitchers could start or relieve as well as Allie Reynolds, the former New York Yankee star who died Tuesday. . . .

Reynolds was involved in an important trade on Oct. 19, 1946, when he was sent from the Cleveland Indians to the New York Yankees for second baseman Joe Gordon and throw-in third baseman Eddie Bockman. . . .

Reynolds pitched on six World Series championship teams for the Yankees during the next eight years. Gordon played only four more years, helping to lead the Indians to the 1948 World Series title. . . .

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A quarter of the top 16 teams in the Associated Press basketball poll are Pacific 10 Conference members, the most from any conference. . .

I doubt that Kevin Loughery is going to threaten Don Shula’s record for longevity as a Miami coach. . . .

Without Michael Jordan and Horace Grant, the Bulls are nothing more than a .500 team that got outhustled badly by the Clippers on Tuesday night at Chicago.