Notes on a Scorecard - Dec. 28, 1995

Our guest expert on Northwestern today is Rick Telander, class of ‘71, second-team All-Big Ten cornerback, former Sports Illustrated senior writer, Chicago Sun-Times sports columnist and the youngster on “The Sportswriters on TV” show. . . .

Telander pretends to be surprised by his alma mater’s sudden transformation from meek Mildkittens to ferocious Wildcats. . . .

“I’d always thought that Gary Barnett was a sharp, hard-working guy, but that he was doomed like everybody else who has coached Northwestern,” Telander said. . . .

Telander, who is from downstate Peoria, Ill., said he decided to attend Northwestern because it was the only Big Ten school that offered him a football scholarship. . . .

“I wasn’t even sure where Northwestern was,” he said. . . .

However, the Wildcats were no joke his senior year when they went 6-1 in the conference. Telander might even have made first-team All-Big Ten if Ohio State hadn’t had a cornerback named Jack Tatum. . . .

The only title Northwestern threatened to win after Coach Alex Agase left in 1973 was the Bottom Ten until this year when Barnett turned it around after going 8-24-1 his first three seasons. . . .

Since midseason, Telander’s old purple-and-white helmet has been displayed prominently during tapings of “The Sportswriters on TV,” a wonderful hour of gab and cigar smoke that also features veteran Chicagoans Ben Bentley, Bill Gleason and Bill Jauss and is shown here on Prime Sports on Wednesdays. . . .

That isn’t the only sign that Northwestern football finally has made it big in Chicago. . . .

“The Hancock building is supposed to be lit up purple [tonight],” Telander said. “And for the first time that I can remember, Northwestern has been getting bigger play in the Chicago papers than Notre Dame.” . . .

Telander says he isn’t surprised that No. 18 USC is favored over No. 3 Northwestern in the Rose Bowl. . . .

“Two weeks after beating Michigan at Ann Arbor, Northwestern was the underdog to Wisconsin at Dyche Stadium,” he said. “The oddsmakers still don’t believe this team.” . . .

He thinks Barnett’s coaching is 50% of the reason the Wildcats finished the regular season 10-1, the reduction in scholarships and other reforms in college football are 25%, and an improvement in the talent level is 25%. . . .

“But I still don’t think Northwestern has one player who will start against USC who could start for Ohio State,” Telander said. . . .

“Any time you get to the Rose Bowl, it’s a fluke,” he said. “However, I think Northwestern can stay in the pack indefinitely. There’s no reason why it has to be a doormat again. The school has too much to sell.” . . .

Telander believes Barnett will remain one of the selling points. . . .

“They’re talking about a 12-year contract that would pay him $500,000 a year,” Telander said. “It’s supposed to be just a matter of dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s. Why go someplace where you’re a failure if you don’t win the national title?” . . .

Telander played in the last USC-Northwestern game, a 48-6 Trojan victory at the Coliseum in 1969. . . .

His teammate Mike Adamle recalled seeing the Trojan horse collapse after running around the track following USC’s fifth or sixth touchdown. . . .

“My God, we killed Traveler II,” Adamle said to Telander on the bench. . . .

*

Call me crazy, but I’m picking the team with the best won-loss record in the NFL, Kansas City, to emerge as Super Bowl champion. . . .

What were the chances at the start of the season that Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre and Buffalo linebacker Bryce Paup would be the top offensive and defensive vote getters in the Associated Press’ All-Pro balloting? . . .

It figured that Kansas City’s Marty Schottenheimer wouldn’t win the AP’s coach-of-the-year honor. The coach with the best won-loss record in the league usually doesn’t. . . .

M.L. Carr brings enthusiasm to the Boston Celtics, which is more than can be said about a lot of other NBA coaches. . . .

After suffering disappointing losses, Gabriel and Rafael Ruelas both will resume training soon at Big Bear. . . .

George Foreman is guaranteed $10 million and Michael Moorer $2.7 million for their Feb. 29 pay-per-view bout. . . .

Has Axel Schulz ever been involved in a fight without controversy? . . .

It was surprising that the San Francisco Giants gave up so quickly on shortstop Royce Clayton. . . .

The San Diego Padres needed power more than they did another singles’ hitter such as Wally Joyner. . . .

At last report, Glen Mason hadn’t changed his mind about the Kansas coaching job.