Notes on a Scorecard - Jan. 18, 1996

Two news conferences were held, two media releases were distributed and one hockey game was played Tuesday at the Forum, but nothing was settled. . . .

The Kings and Calgary Flames played to a 5-5 tie. Appropriately, the Kings moved into a tie with the Vancouver Canucks for the most ties in the NHL. . . .

Then there was the grand opening of the Wayne Gretzky talks. . . .

Another tie. . . .

Synopsis: Gretzky’s contract runs out after this season. If he becomes an unrestricted free agent and signs with another team, the Kings get nothing in return. The team’s options are to re-sign him or deal him before the trading deadline March 20. . . .

Both sides indicated that they were optimistic about the chances of the most productive hockey player in history staying in Los Angeles, but that his re-signing was not imminent. . . .

General Manager Sam McMaster spoke to reporters on behalf of the Kings at 5 p.m. in the Laker dressing room, and Gretzky spoke on behalf of Gretzky at 10:40 p.m. in the same room. . . .

The Kings issued a three-paragraph statement and Gretzky’s agent, Michael Barnett, a seven-paragraph statement. . . .

“I really want to stay here,” Gretzky said in the hallway after the news conference. “This is a great city.” . . .

However, he wants the Kings to show their commitment to winning by trading for a high-scoring forward, defenseman or both. . . .

Fine, but what could the Kings offer? . . .

Gretzky should be a bit more patient. . . .

It is unrealistic to believe that any deal this season could turn the Kings, who are 16-19-11, into instant Stanley Cup contenders. . . .

But how about the assurance from new ownership that it will sign at least one important free agent in the off-season? That and the return from injury of the team’s best defenseman, Rob Blake, could make the Kings formidable in 1996-97. . . .

The financial stability of the new ownership, the prospect of playing with Gretzky for two or three seasons and the construction of a state-of-the-art arena by 1999 should make L.A. attractive to free agents. . . .

Funny thing about the Gretzky affair. It might be distracting to his King teammates, but it has people in Southern California talking about something they wouldn’t ordinarily--hockey.

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Kentucky’s 129-97 basketball victory at LSU brought to mind UCLA’s 133-84 triumph over Pistol Pete Maravich and the rest of the Tigers at Pauley Pavilion during the 1969-70 season. . . .

Asked what he thought about the Bruins, who were led by Sidney Wicks and Curtis Rowe and went on to beat Jacksonville for the NCAA championship, Maravich said, “They’re ready for the NBA.” . . .

Digger Phelps had his critics when he was Notre Dame’s coach, but he sure looks good now. . . .

I can’t remember many coaching stints as disappointing as Joe Harrington’s at Colorado after his successful run at Long Beach State. . . .

The George Foreman-Michael Moorer fight, scheduled for Feb. 29 at Madison Square Garden, is hanging by a thread. . . .

TVKO, the pay-per-view network, is insisting that Foreman sign a clause that he must return his $10-million paycheck if he ever fights again. . . .

Foreman rightfully believes the choice is his as to when to retire. I mean, what if he beats Moorer again and a match against Mike Tyson somehow materializes? TVKO is foolish to think that the mere possibility of a Foreman-Tyson bout wouldn’t make Foreman-Moorer more meaningful. . . .

Owner Stewart Aitken wagered $90,000 on Urgent Request to win the Santa Anita Handicap last year. Urgent Request won, but his odds dipped from 9-1 to 3-1 after his owner’s bet. Aitken is back from the British Isles and might get better odds in Sunday’s San Marcos Handicap because Urgent Request has been beaten by a total of 117 lengths in his last four races. . . .

Michael Wrona, the young Australian who has called races at Hollywood Park, would have been a good choice to succeed Trevor Denman at the track’s summer meeting, but he has signed with Arlington International Racecourse outside Chicago. . . .

Keyshawn Johnson caught 102 passes for USC this season. Lynn Swann caught 95 during his three-year USC career. . . .

The argument that interleague play in baseball would take something away from the World Series is ridiculous. Interconference games aren’t exactly damaging the appeal of the Super Bowl, NBA finals or Stanley Cup finals.