1990 Angels Dominate the Playoffs

L uis Polonia is headed to the World Series, and other glad tidings to brighten the morning . . .

* The 1990 Angels didn’t go anywhere, but their entire starting outfield eventually made it to the World Series. Center fielder Devon White qualified twice with Toronto (1992, 1993), right fielder Dave Winfield joined him in ’92 and now Polonia reaches as a pinch-hitter with Atlanta. Still around with potential to torment the Angels further: Seattle second baseman Luis Sojo (Angels, ‘91-’93), Cleveland first baseman Paul Sorrento (traded to Minnesota for Bert Blyleven before the 1989 season).

* Along the same line, Trent Dilfer, who could have quarterbacked the Anaheim Rams, and Chris Miller, who sometimes quarterbacked the Anaheim Rams, are now first-place quarterbacks in Tampa Bay and St. Louis.

* Enough already? Sorry, one more: Jim Everett won a game Sunday.

* In related news, Chris Chandler had a bye Sunday, T.J. Rubley watched Brett Favre throw for three touchdowns against Detroit, Tommy Maddox watched the Philadelphia defense catch three of his passes, Pat Haden survived an attack by a sprig of killer broccoli in St. Louis and Dieter Brock remained retired.

* Earlier this week, Haden almost choked on a piece of broccoli during lunch in a St. Louis restaurant before being rescued by the Heimlich maneuver, as performed by his broadcast partner, Verne Lundquist. What are they trying to do in that town, kill off all Los Angeles Ram tradition?

* Where, by the way, was Lundquist during the 1989 NFC championship game?

* Steve Young and the San Francisco 49ers are 4-2 and in second place after losing to the Indianapolis Colts in overtime. Maybe they were right about Joe Montana.

* Steve Bono and the Kansas City Chiefs are 6-1 and in first place after routing New England. Maybe they were wrong about Joe Montana.

* Rich Kotite is 1-6 with the New York Jets, who were good enough to accompany the no-longer-winless Carolina Panthers into the history books. Buddy Ryan is 2-5 with the Arizona Cardinals, who had to rally to hold off Gus Frerotte. Meanwhile, Ray Rhodes’ passing offense has longtime Philadelphia fans pining for the good old days of Norm Snead, but really, did the Eagles have a better choice?

* Saw this stat on Fox’s telecast of the Dallas-San Diego game: Gale Gilbert is the only player in NFL history to have played on five consecutive Super Bowl teams, including last year’s Chargers. But all streaks have to end some time.

* The Atlanta Braves swept the Cincinnati Reds, who swept the Los Angeles Dodgers, who just gave Tom Lasorda a one-year extension as manager. What’s wrong with this sentence?

* To put it another way: What would Davey Johnson have done this season with the Dodgers’ talent?

* Or, for that matter, Lou Piniella?

* Two long-standing axioms for major league managers: It’s better to be lucky than good. And it’s better to be employed by someone other than Marge Schott.

* Johnson will be succeeded in Cincinnati by Ray Knight, who so far has impressed Schott in that he managed to marry well.

* How the Braves stack up for the World Series: They will have a full week’s rest heading into Game 1, they will have Greg Maddux available to pitch three games, if necessary. If they lose this time, the Buffalo Bills are off the hook.

* One week into the new more-holds-barred NHL season, red lights are blinding customers and goalies are flinching in their sleep. In back-to-back games last week, the Vancouver Canucks tied the Kings, 7-7, and defeated the San Jose Sharks, 7-6. Sooner or later, you knew that defense had to tighten up.

* Power plays are up all over the league. Just what the Ducks wanted to hear.

* Yet, even the Ducks are scoring more, averaging nearly four goals a game. They’ll need those and more, now that the fleet feet from the East are on the schedule this season. Pittsburgh, 5-2, Saturday night was just a sneak preview.

* Chicago’s Bernie Nicholls on the crackdown on obstruction: “[NHL officials] are screwing up our game. Save the Mickey Mouse stuff for girls’ hockey. Before long, [they] will be taking out the hitting phase, too. I want to play the game the old guys played, [when] the players decided the game.” Bernie Nicholls, Eddie Shore--carbon-copy players, I’ve always thought.

* The Kings are looking for a catchy, “Triple Crown”-esque nickname for their high-scoring (to this point), first line. So something’s wrong with ‘KhristichandGretzkyandYachmenov”?

* It’s Different In Winnipeg: During the Ducks’ 4-3 loss to the Jets last Monday, the Winnipeg Arena scoreboard would periodically plug an upcoming home game against the Detroit Red Wings in bold red lettering: “See Coffey, Yzerman & Grimson.”

* Oh, and those stiffs Fedorov, Sheppard and Primeau, they’ll probably be coming with Grimson, too.