THE INSIDE TRACK : It’s the Late, Late Show Featuring USC Football

USC’s opener at Hawaii on Saturday will be televised live locally by Fox Sports West 2 at 9:30 p.m., hardly an ideal time to start watching a football game that, considering the Rainbows’ run-and-shoot offense, probably will last 3 1/2 hours. But it could have been worse for Trojan fans. The game might not have been televised at all.

The only chance that the game could have been moved to a more suitable time would have been if the ABC or Fox networks had chosen to televise it as part of their Pacific 10 Conference packages. But USC, which lost in its final game of last season to Texas Christian, versus Hawaii, which has lost 18 consecutive games, didn’t have much appeal outside of Los Angeles and the Hawaiian islands.

That left the game for Fox Sports West 2, which was glad to get it. Its only stipulation was that the kickoff had to be moved from 9 p.m. to 9:30 so that it wouldn’t interfere with coverage of Saturday night’s game at the Rose Bowl between UCLA and Boise State, which begins at 6 p.m.

The only losers are those who don’t want to stay up that late to watch the game but are counting on reading about it in the next morning’s newspaper. Because of deadlines at The Times, only about half of our subscribers will find the final score in their editions. We have been assured, however, that a complete game report can be found Sunday morning in our Internet edition.

For those who aren’t on line, I’ll provide a score in advance:

USC 34, Hawaii 15.

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There was no Mickey Mouse beating around the bush when baseball Commissioner Bud Selig spoke to business students at Notre Dame last Saturday. He said Disney is selling the Angels. Period. . . .

He also said that, “by any accounting standards,” only seven major league teams made money last season. . . .

My favorite quote from one of the out-of-work umpires came from Paul Nauert, who pouted, “I don’t accept them accepting my resignation.” . . .

You could say that the Dodgers are playing better because they’re so far out of playoff contention that there’s no pressure on them. . . .

But that theory doesn’t extend even as far as into the next county. If it did, the Angels would be playing like the Yankees. . . .

If Terry Collins, or whoever is managing the Angels next season, can direct the players’ aggression against the opponents instead of each other, they’ll again be a contender. . . .

When it comes to spending public money for professional sports teams, has there ever been a bigger pushover than Houston? . . .

The city is willing to contribute $195 million for an NFL stadium after already committing about $150 million for the Astros’ new ballpark. Now some city leaders are calling for a vote on whether to provide another $150 million or so for a new arena for the Rockets. . . .

The Rockets hoped to encourage taxpayers to allow their pockets to be picked by trading for Steve Francis, ensuring that there will still be a big-name player in town after Hakeem Olajuwon, Charles Barkley and Scottie Pippen have retired. . . .

The Rockets, however, want the referendum on the ballot this November, before the team folds in the playoffs again.

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When so much attention at the Super Bowl a couple of years ago was focused on the lack of head-coaching opportunities for Green Bay offensive coordinator Sherm Lewis, the Packer defensive coordinator, Fritz Shurmur, was asked if he felt similarly slighted. “For years, I was told I was too young, and then, overnight, I was too old,” he said. “I was never just right.” . . .

Yes, he was. It’s just that no NFL owner was smart enough to figure it out. . . .

In his new book, “Think Like a Champion,” Mike Shanahan wrote that he doesn’t blame Al Davis for firing him as the Raiders’ coach after four games of his second season. He blames himself for taking the job. . . .

Marion Jones’ withdrawal from the last three Grand Prix meets of the season because of her back injury could cost her up to $1.3 million in prize money alone. . . .

She says she’s still looking for five gold medals next summer at the Sydney Olympics. I’d like her chances better if she hired a long-jump coach, someone such as Tom Tellez, Randy Huntington or Ernie Grigoire. . . .

USC has its fastest football team since O.J. Simpson and Earl McCullouch played together. . . .

How about these four for a sprint relay--Sultan McCullough (10.17 in the 100 meters), Kareem Kelly (10.28), Darrell Rideaux (10.30) and Miguel Fletcher (10.40)? . . .

The Notre Dame Club of Los Angeles still has openings for its trip to South Bend, Ind., for the game Oct. 16 between the Trojans and Irish. Call Jim Gillis at (818) 769-3812. . . .

Road games against Florida State, Texas A&M;, Alabama and USC will earn

$1.1 million--and four lopsided losses--for Louisiana Tech. . . .

“Money isn’t the chief motivation for playing these games,” said the school’s athletic director, Jim Oakes. “But we don’t send the checks back. We’ll cash them.” . . .

Including the kicker and punter, 16 of UCLA’s first 24 players will be starting for the first time Saturday night. . . .

Equal time: UCLA 42, Boise State 17.

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While wondering if anyone really believed John Elway could be replaced by somebody named Bubby, I was thinking: Maybe Don Baylor didn’t do such a bad job in Colorado after all, A.C. Green is the anti-Rodman, it’s good to see Aki Berg back in a King uniform--but didn’t the last hockey season end just a couple of weeks ago?

Randy Harvey can be reached at his e-mail address: randy.harvey at latimes.com.