Notes on a Scorecard - Dec. 11, 1995

Wasn’t it just a few minutes ago that everyone outside San Francisco was conceding the Super Bowl title to the Dallas Cowboys? . . .

Now the Cowboys have a two-game losing streak to NFC East opponents and only a share of the best record in the conference. . . .

I don’t think Barry Switzer is in the thick of the coach-of-the-year race. . . .

The Oakland Raiders need to move to a city where the crowds are so supportive that they won’t lose three in a row at home. . . .

Jeff Hostetler’s injury is not the Raiders’ only problem. They no longer can run the ball, and their defense isn’t what it was earlier in the season. . . .

On TV from St. Louis Sunday, the teams looked like the same old Rams and the same old Buffalo Bills. . . .

NBC commentator Cris Collinsworth was right on when he wondered aloud why injury-prone quarterback Jim Kelly was still playing in the closing minutes of the Bills’ 45-27 victory. . . .

Don’t tell me that the New Orleans Saints have been eliminated from playoff contention. . . .

Bobby Ross shouldn’t have been surprised when Buddy Ryan didn’t shake hands with him after San Diego defeated Arizona on Saturday. Ryan never shakes hands with a rival coach, win, lose or draw. . . .

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Look for Eddie George to have the best NFL rookie year of any Heisman Trophy winner since Barry Sanders rushed for 1,470 yards for the Detroit Lions in 1989. . . .

That wouldn’t be too difficult, considering that the Heisman winners after Sanders were Andre Ware, Ty Detmer, Desmond Howard, Gino Torretta, Charlie Ward and Rashaan Salaam. . . .

The Skill Position Trophy: Five running backs, four quarterbacks and a wide receiver, Keyshawn Johnson of USC, finished in the top 10 in the Heisman balloting. . . .

Anyone able to present a ticket from the 1949 Northwestern-California Rose Bowl is invited to join this year’s Wildcat team on a tour of Universal Studios on

Dec. 28. . . .

Universal Studios Hollywood president Bob Gault recommends that those attending the Northwestern-USC game on Jan. 1 save their tickets, saying, “You never know when we’ll do something like this again.” . . .

The Arizona and Arizona State football teams had the same record (6-5) during the regular season. So did Kansas and Kansas State (9-2), Georgia and Georgia Tech (6-5), New Mexico and New Mexico State (4-7), Texas A&M; and Texas Tech (8-3), and Alabama and Auburn (8-3). . . .

Asked if he had ever coached a great shot-blocker before Jelani McCoy, UCLA’s Jim Harrick mentioned Billy Ingram of the 1969-70 Morningside High Monarchs. . . .

“He was known as the Sultan of Swat,” Harrick said about Ingram, a 6-foot-4 center who later played at Oregon. . . .

There are taller and more experienced collegiate shot-blockers than McCoy, but perhaps none who combine timing and quickness better than the 6-10 freshman from San Diego. . . .

The most famous shot-blocker was Bill Russell, but he is without statistical portfolio because the NBA didn’t create that category until the 1973-74 season and the NCAA until the 1978-79 season. . . .

McCoy blocked 11 shots during UCLA’s victory over Maryland in the John R. Wooden Classic on Saturday. The Terrapins made 19 shots. . . .

The 28 NBA scouts watching at The Pond of Anaheim must have been thrilled by Maryland’s 24.7% marksmanship and Purdue’s 27.7% in the opener against Villanova. . . .

Purdue defeated Russia Siberia in an exhibition game at West Lafayette, Ind., last month, but there are no plans for a home-and-home series. . . .

UCLA’s next game after the John R. Wooden Classic is against Stephen F. Austin next Monday at Pauley Pavilion. . . .

Flyweight Mark Johnson, who is among the best uncrowned boxers in the world, opposes Raul Rios in one of four scheduled 10-rounders tonight on the Forum’s last show of the year. . . .

Look-alikes: Heavyweight fighter Butterbean and thoroughbred trainer Roger Stein. . . .

The return of the regular NBA referees Tuesday won’t be soon enough. Saturday night, 61 fouls and 10 technicals were called during Seattle’s victory over Portland. . . .

Only in hockey could a team (the Toronto Maple Leafs), draw up a contract awarding a player (Ken Baumgartner) bonus money for committing a certain amount of illegal deeds (penalties). Thumbs up to arbitrator George Nicolau for declaring it invalid.