Notes on a Scorecard - Jan. 25, 1994

In boxing, the title rematch is rarely as good as the original. . . .

But I am going out on a limb and predicting that the first Super Bowl rematch will be more exciting than the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Buffalo Bills last January. . . .

Before the inception of the Super Bowl, there were eight NFL and two AFL championship game rematches. . . .

Decisions were reversed five of the 10 times. . . .

One of them was the 1951 NFL title game won by the Rams over the Cleveland Browns, 24-17, at the Coliseum. Each Ram was paid $2,108 after receiving $686 for a 30-28 loss the previous year at Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium. . . .

The Raiders should note that the winning teams Sunday were penalized a total of 29 yards. . . .

Am I the only one who thought Joe Montana got hit late on the play that knocked him out of the game? . . .

Key statistic: Emmitt Smith had more receiving yardage than Jerry Rice on Sunday. . . .

Instant-replay review advocates got more ammunition when the NBC tape indicated that the ball hit the ground on what was ruled a Dave Krieg-to-J.J. Birden completion to the two-yard line that set up Kansas City’s only touchdown. . . .

Buddy Ryan will become the first defensive coordinator ever to be a guest on “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno” on Wednesday. . . .

Robert Fiske, who has been appointed special counsel for the Whitewater investigation, represented the NFL in its case against the USFL in 1986. . . .

The Raiders might be interested in Barry Word, the running back who will not be re-signed by the Minnesota Vikings. . . .

The St. Louis Blues got high-scoring former King defenseman Steve Duchesne from the Quebec Nordiques cheaply enough. . . .

Thumbs up to Riddick Bowe for paying $360,000 to 3,600 people in Washington, D.C., who turned in their guns. . . .

Humberto (Chiquita) Gonzalez is training at Campo for his rematch with Michael Carbajal on Feb. 19 at the Forum. I presume that Gonzalez and another Campo regular, Terry Norris, are working hard to improve the durability of their chins. . . .

Another title bout at the Forum--one of three shows there in 19 days--will match World Boxing Assn. junior lightweight champion Genaro Hernandez against Cocas Ramirez on Monday. . . .

Best fight on the MGM Grand card Saturday night in Las Vegas could be Simon Brown against Troy Waters. Brown knocked out Norris--and Waters knocked Norris down. . . .

Each of the four leading jockeys in the Santa Anita standings probably will be on suspension this week. Co-leader Kent Desormeaux and third-place Chris Antley will begin their five-day suspensions on Wednesday and fourth-place Chris McCarron will begin his on Thursday. Co-leader Alex Solis probably will be set down beginning Friday after being disqualified in the third race Sunday. . . .

Telly Savalas, who died Saturday at 70, was co-owner of Telly’s Pop, the winner of the California Derby and fifth-place finisher in the Santa Anita Derby in 1976. . . .

You could come up with a pretty good basketball team of NBA television and radio analysts--Bill Walton at center, Tom Heinsohn and Walter Davis at forwards, and Bob Cousy and Walt Frazier at guards. . . .

The San Antonio Spurs, who need a point guard to become a strong contender, should trade with the Orlando Magic for Scott Skiles. . . .

One of the better guards in college basketball is B.J. Tyler of Texas, who spent time at John Lucas’ drug rehab center in Houston. . . .

The Dallas Mavericks have seven picks in the next two NBA drafts. . . .

It’s not too early for college basketball fans to circle Dec. 4 on their calendars--UCLA vs. Kentucky and Kansas vs. Massachusetts at the Anaheim Arena. . . .

The last time Kentucky played UCLA, the Bruins won, 92-85, in the 1975 NCAA championship game at San Diego. It was John Wooden’s final game as coach. . . .

Actor Mike Warren, a consensus All-American guard at UCLA in 1968, called to say that he was flattered by the comparison of him to Tyus Edney. . . .

“Edney is better than I ever was,” Warren said. “Remember, I had the big man (Lew Alcindor) and could afford to make mistakes. I was quick, but Edney is also fast. He’s a blur. He’s a born leader and a lot more demonstrative this season.” . . .

The Dodgers, who are generous to most veteran players, should not penny-pinch Mike Piazza simply because he is a sophomore.