Notes on a Scorecard - Dec. 20, 1989

The key to George Allen’s success at Cal State Long Beach will be whether he can recruit well enough. How much does his name mean to kids who were barely out of diapers the last time he coached in the National Football League? . . .

Then again, maybe he can trade some freshmen for older players. . . .

Over-hype of the week: ABC-TV comparing Randall Cunningham with Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky and Rickey Henderson during its billboard for the Philadelphia-New Orleans game Monday night. . . .

If referee Ben Dreith’s microphone had been working the entire night, he would have logged more air time than Al Michaels or Frank Gifford. . . .

Man can walk on the moon but still can’t simplify the tiebreaker system for determining NFL playoff spots. . . .

And it doesn’t make any sense that only four games in the final week are intradivisional. . . .

Y.A. Tittle looks younger now than when he was playing quarterback for the New York Giants. . . .

George Seifert is finding the NFL a lot easier than the Ivy League. He’s 13-2 with San Francisco this season. He was 3-15 at Cornell in 1975-76. . . .

The Ram-New England game could be decided early Sunday. In the first quarter this season, the Rams have outscored their opponents, 119-50, and the Patriots have been outscored, 79-47. . . .

Dick Steinberg, the New York Jets’ new general manager, gets high marks from those who have worked for or against him. . . .

Most of the NBA lottery picks have been disappointing, and the first one, Pervis Ellison, didn’t do much for Bill Russell’s job security at Sacramento. . . .

Penn State will make the Big Ten tougher in football, but the Nittany Lions haven’t been to the NCAA basketball tournament since 1965. . . .

I guess Larry Brown didn’t leave the cupboard so bare for Roy Williams at Kansas, after all. . . .

Clipper guard Gary Grant, who played for Bill Frieder at Michigan, is helping the Arizona State coach recruit Artesia High forward Ed O’Bannon. . . .

Frieder reportedly will receive a $20,000 bonus from the university if his recruiting class is ranked among the top 10 by Basketball Times. . . .

Don’t bad-mouth Bobby Knight in front of George Raveling. When Raveling left Iowa for USC, Knight was the only Big Ten coach to call and wish him well. . . .

One of Laker General Manager Jerry West’s few mistakes was drafting David Rivers over Tom Garrick. . . .

You can catch an NBA doubleheader on Tuesday--the Clippers vs. Boston at 5 p.m. at the Sports Arena, followed by the Lakers vs. Sacramento at 7:30 at the Forum. . . .

Roberto Duran is in great demand by the rest of the middleweight division after his performance against Sugar Ray Leonard. Feet of Stone is still the World Boxing Council champion and is supposed to defend his title next against the winner of the Nigel Benn-Michael Olajide fight. . . .

One reason Jim Lampley is an excellent blow-by-blow announcer on HBO boxing telecasts is that he knows when to let the action speak for itself. . . .

George Foreman turned down a $5-million offer from Don King to fight Mike Tyson. Foreman said he will ask for twice that after he gets through with Gerry Cooney Jan. 15 at Atlantic City, N.J. . . .

Now that he’s healthy, Toronto forward Wendel Clark is the hardest hitter in the National Hockey League again. . . .

Trader Phil Esposito used to be the New York Ranger general manager. Now it’s No Deal Neil Smith. . . .

Well-balanced attack: Notre Dame attempted 48 field goals and 48 free throws against UCLA. . . .

Scott Ross, the spirited USC inside linebacker who missed the UCLA game because of a knee injury, is practicing at close to full speed and is expected to return to the lineup against Michigan in the Rose Bowl. . . .

Overlooked was Oakland’s signing of Scott Sanderson, who is capable of being a solid member of a pitching rotation depleted by the loss of Storm Davis. . . .

New York Yankee owner George Steinbrenner wanted to trade for Cincinnati reliever John Franco--who went to the Mets, instead--and make Dave Righetti a starter. . . .

What do Mitch Webster, Candy Maldonado, Sandy Alomar Jr., Chris James, Keith Hernandez and Tom Brookens have in common? All will be spending the summer in Cleveland. . . .

The Dodgers should find out early if San Diego is a legitimate National League West contender. They play the Padres in seven of their first 10 games. . . .

It’s nice to think that loyalty had something to do with Robin Yount staying in Milwaukee.