Springtime in Seattle Not What It Used to Be

USC began spring football practice on Wednesday in Los Angeles. UCLA will open spring drills April 2 in Westwood. More unusual from a geographical standpoint is that the Seattle Seahawks are conducting a mini-camp in Anaheim. . . .

“Maybe they should call us the Orphans,” a Seahawk player said the other day. . . .

But owner Ken Behring will come up with something more suitable if the courts rule that the Kingdome is unsafe and the NFL allows the move south without as much as a forearm shiver in opposition. . . .

Jim Harrick, who would rather be coaching UCLA in East Rutherford, N.J., on March 30 and April 1, will be a guest analyst for CBS during the Final Four. . . .

Lorenzo Romar, Harrick’s former assistant and new Pepperdine coach, should do wonders for the career of Jelani Gardner, who has decided to transfer to Malibu from Berkeley. . . .

The NCAA regionals appear to be even more competitive than usual, Kentucky vs. Utah looming as the only wipeout in the round of 16. . . .

In eight NBA games Tuesday, five teams scored fewer than 80 points. . . .

Sacramento shot 28%, Dallas 29.1%, Seattle 35.2%, Vancouver 37.1% and Minnesota 37.7%. . . .

Among those needing work on his marksmanship is Maverick guard Jason Kidd, who is 10 for 43 in his last three games. . . .

Eleven former Continental Basketball Assn. players have appeared on the roster of the two-time defending NBA champion Houston Rockets this season. . . .

The best thing to happen to the Philadelphia 76ers this decade was the sale of the franchise by Harold Katz. . . .

For every point Ice Dog winger Todd Gillingham scores, team physicians donate $200 to the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America. So far, $8,200 has been raised. . . .

The Ice Dogs of the International League are the only professional hockey team in the Southland that has a winning record. . . .

More of those clever ESPN SportsCenter promotional spots were filmed recently, including one featuring 7-foot-7 Washington Bullet center Gheorghe Muresan and the Anfernee Hardaway look-alike puppet. . . .

Prediction: Saturday’s match race at Santa Anita between Gary Stevens and Julie Krone will be won by the jockey who draws the better horse when entries are taken today. . . .

After Jeremy Williams stopped Arthur Weathers in 10 seconds at the Pyramid in Long Beach on Tuesday night, ring announcer Mark Beiro called it a “world record.” . . .

After Butterbean stopped Jimmy Baker in 18 seconds in the next fight, Beiro called it “an almost world record.” . . .

What boxing needs is more competitive matches and fewer world records. . . .

George Foreman on his boxing future: “If there’s enough cabbage in the cabbage patch, I’m going for it. Tell Bob Arum to get me Mike Tyson.” . . .

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Michael Chang, who won at Indian Wells last week, will be looking for his first Infiniti Open title July 29-Aug. 4 at UCLA, where he has been runner-up three times. . . .

If he can stay in one piece, running back Tommy Vardell will prove to be a good free-agent signing by the San Francisco 49ers. . . .

Port Vancouver (Wash.) High offensive tackle Travis Claridge, who will enroll at USC in the fall, has bench pressed 475 pounds. His goal is 500. The Trojan record is 480, set by Jeff Bregel. . . .

Vying for the No. 2 spot at quarterback behind Brad Otton during USC spring practice are redshirt freshmen John Fox and Quincy Woods and senior Matt Koffler. . . .

The new Trojan punter, succeeding All-Pacific 10 Conference choice John Stonehouse, will be Jim Wren, a transfer from Fullerton College. . . .

USC, ranked third by Baseball America, will face 10th-ranked UCLA on Saturday at Jackie Robinson Stadium, Sunday at Dedeaux Field and Monday night back at Robinson. . . .

Four potential U.S. Olympians will participate in the series--USC outfielder Jacque Jones and pitcher Randy Flores and UCLA shortstop Troy Glaus and outfielder Eric Valent. . . .

The 40th anniversary of UCLA’s first NCAA track and field championship will be celebrated at a Bruin Track Club dinner Sunday at the Friars Club in Beverly Hills. . . .

Tonya Harding belongs on the World Wrestling Federation circuit, not the U.S. Figure Skating Assn. . . .

Vlade Divac, who takes criticism well, upon hearing the news that Magic Johnson was returning to the Lakers: “Great, great. I can’t wait for him to start yelling at me.”