Notes on a Scorecard - Dec. 29, 1994

Reason No. 286 for having an NCAA Division I-A football championship tournament: If Nebraska beats Miami on Sunday night in the Orange Bowl, no game on what should be the climactic day of the postseason, Monday, will have a bearing on the mythical national title. . . .

Based on playing style, Nebraska has a good chance to end its seven-game bowl losing streak. . . .

The Cornhuskers’ awesome offensive line could offset Miami’s strength, its defensive line, and the Hurricanes’ offense is not up to par. . . .

However, the only sure thing is that the Orange Bowl halftime show will be the longest of the year. . . .

If Miami wins, Penn State would have the opportunity to become the first team to claim an undisputed national title in the Rose Bowl since USC defeated Ohio State, 42-17, on New Year’s Day of 1973. . . .

Washington shared the title with Miami in 1991 and USC with Oklahoma in 1974 and Alabama in 1978. . . .

Those dreaming about what would probably be the biggest upset in Rose Bowl history like Oregon’s secondary and the vulnerability of Penn State’s defense. . . .

However, the Nittany Lions’ offense, led by quarterback Kerry Collins, is so explosive that 55 of its 78 scoring drives consumed three minutes or less. . . .

Sequels often are duds, but if Florida-Florida State resembles their regular-season game, the Sugar will be the most entertaining of the major bowls. . . .

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Nothing in the wide-open AFC tournament would surprise me. . . .

Both first-round playoff games--Kansas City at Miami Saturday at 1 p.m. and New England at Cleveland Sunday at 9:30 a.m.--should be exceptional. . . .

Al Michaels, who will call the Kansas City-Miami and Super Bowl games for ABC, casts a majority vote for San Francisco and Pittsburgh to play Jan. 29 at Joe Robbie Stadium. . . .

“The question is whether this is the best 49er team of all-time, even better than the 1984 team,” Michaels said. “It would take a fabulous defensive performance to beat them. Pittsburgh might be capable of it.” . . .

Shaquille O’Neal’s overall game might be improving, but not his free-throw shooting. His percentage is 54.3 compared to 59.2 last season and 55.4 his rookie year. Incidentally, Wilt Chamberlain’s career percentage was 51.1. . . .

TV commentator and Hall of Famer Bill Walton is disappointed by the lack of fundamental skills shown by NBA players. . . .

“They should realize that Michael Jordan was better fundamentally than anybody who ever played the game,” Walton said. . . .

Loyola Marymount sophomore point guard Jim Williamson is the son of Duane Williamson, who was an all-conference guard for the Lions during the 1971-72 season. . . .

I’m going out on a limb and picking the 49ers when Long Beach State plays North Carolina Charlotte in the USC Christmas Challenge women’s basketball tournament at the Lyon Center. . . .

Everyone knew that the Stanford women’s team would be strong, but the unbeaten men’s team is the surprise of the Pacific 10 Conference during the preseason. . . .

Don Pierce, 57, says he will return to riding at Santa Anita if the jockeys walk out on Jan. 1. . . .

Trainer Joe Goossen is such a disciplinarian that he not only has Rafael and Gabriel Ruelas and Jeremy Williams working at Big Bear during the entire holiday season, he’s not allowing their families to visit the camp. . . .

The brothers are training for title bouts Jan. 28 at Las Vegas and heavyweight prospect Williams for a match Jan. 6 at the Grand Olympic. . . .

The Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table is sponsoring a benefit showing of “Cobb” on Jan. 9 at the Paseo Nuevo Theatre. . . .

Al Stump, who has written two books on Ty Cobb and is portrayed by Robert Wuhl in the movie, lived in Santa Barbara, and writer-director Ron Shelton was a baseball and basketball star at Santa Barbara High and Westmont College. . . .

Give the edge to the San Diego Padres in their trade with the Houston Astros. . . .

I like Bobby Valentine’s Chiba Lotte Marines to win what is shaping up as the most prestigious baseball pennant race of 1995.