Big Games Foreign to Green : Rams: Former UCLA star repeats American Bowl success by rushing for 115 yards in 19-3 victory over Chiefs.

Put Gaston Green on another continent and watch him go. It was sayonara in last year’s exhibition opener in Japan and auf wiedersehen here Saturday as Green led the Rams to a 19-3 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in American Bowl ’90 before 55,429 at Olympic Stadium.

Green rushed for 115 yards in 21 carries, earning him the game’s most valuable player award for the second consecutive summer. He took a similar trophy and assorted prizes in last year’s game at Tokyo after a 116-yard performance.

“Maybe we can get the regular-season games over here,” Green said.

Green is a star in two languages, neither of them English. Except for two flashes in foreign lands, Green’s pro career has been a disappointment. He has gained more yards in two American Bowl exhibitions, 231, than in two complete regular seasons, 190, after being selected as the 13th pick in the 1988 draft.

Green is fighting for his football life in a three-way tailback battle with Cleveland Gary and Curt Warner.

Gary sat out Saturday’s game with a lower back strain, and Warner carried only five times for 12 yards, opening an opportunity for Green. Last season with such a chance, he might have tripped at the line of scrimmage.

Against the Chiefs, Green had runs of 30 and 25 yards, his longest since, yes, UCLA.

“Since I hadn’t done it in so long, I almost forgot how to move out there,” Green said.

Green said all he wants is a fair chance to win the job. And he thinks he’ll get it.

“I do feel like I’m going to get a chance to play a lot, because we really don’t have anyone that’s been playing here that long,” he said. “There’s myself and Cleveland, we didn’t play that much last year. And Curt, he’s been in the league and been a great back, but he has to learn the offense, too, so I think it’s up for grabs.”

The Rams have been talking all summer about the new-and-improved Green, a player who came to camp knowing he had to win a job.

Quarterback Jim Everett said he has noticed the change in Green since mini-camp.

“He seemed very focused at the time, wanting to do the right thing,” Everett said. “In the passing game, he’s 10 times better, and the running game speaks for itself.”

Then again, it remains to be seen whether Green can keep this up in games not needing interpreters.

Green’s two longest runs came in the second half when it was substitutes against substitutes, never the perfect environment for conclusive evaluations.

“But it isn’t just the 115 yards,” Coach John Robinson said. “That’s not the point. It’s the way he ran, the way he’s hitting the holes. He’s not ever going to be a power back, but he’s certainly quick in the hole. He was very impressive.”

Generally, so were the Ram starters in their brief appearances. Everett played only the first quarter but looked sharp on his first drive, completing four of five passes for 34 yards. He finished seven of 10 for 56 yards and one touchdown, a six-yard scoring pass to Buford McGee with 3:48 left to give his team a lead it would not relinquish.

Other summer stories that began to take form Saturday:

--Alfred Jackson. The second-year cornerback from San Diego State, who is being asked to grow up in a hurry this season, made his first start in the NFL and had two interceptions, the second going for 31 yards and a touchdown late in the game.

They were Jackson’s first two interceptions since high school, if you can believe it. Jackson played receiver in college and was converted by the Rams after they took him in the fifth round last season. So far so good.

Jackson said he’s still not completely comfortable on the corner.

“Sometimes I still feel like a receiver when I’m going for the ball,” he said. “Instead of playing the receiver, it seems like there’s times that I’m the receiver. That’s something I’m just used to.”

Is that so bad? Maybe not.

“I can catch like a receiver,” Jackson said.

--George Bethune. With Pro Bowl linebacker Kevin Greene holding out, Bethune has a chance to be noticed, a situation he isn’t comfortable talking about.

Like Greene, Bethune, from the University of Alabama, was a middle-round draft pick who is merely trying to make good. Greene was a fifth-round choice in 1985; Bethune a seventh-round choice last season. Bethune looks up to Greene and respects his right to fight for a competitive salary. Bethune is not after Greene’s job.

“That’s one of those things you don’t want to get into,” he said. “It’s a sticky situation. Kevin is a great outside linebacker, he’s one of the best in the league. I don’t see myself as taking his spot. I just see me as trying to find me a spot.”

For exhibition starters, though, Bethune recorded two sacks for 15 yards in Greene’s place.

--Quarterbacks. Mark Herrmann, seemingly fighting for a roster spot, opened the second quarter and got to work with some starters. He responded by completing five of six passes for 59 yards. Chuck Long, who will switch roles with Herrmann next week against San Diego, was left to fend with the reserves, not the easiest of chores for a former NFL starter.

Long started slowly and warmed up a bit, completing two of seven passes for 30 yards.

“Right now I’m just doing what they want me to do,” Long said. “Don’t forget, I was traded in the off-season (from Detroit), so I’m rebuilding my career.”

Ram Notes

Punter Hank Ilesic, fighting with rookie Kent Elmore for a roster spot, strained his left hamstring on his first punt as a Ram in the first quarter. Ilesic said he suffered the strain when he bent over to pick up a low snap. Ilesic doesn’t think the injury is serious. . . . Saturday’s crowd was a pleasant surprise to NFL officials, who feared the worst after Friday’s rain showers. But when the sun came out Saturday morning, so did the fans. “We sold 15,000 tickets in the last 24 hours,” league spokesman Joe Browne said.

The Rams’ Henry Ellard, Cleveland Gary, Alvin Wright, Darryl Henley, Anthony Sargent, Jim Price and Lupe Sanchez did not dress because of injuries. . . . Last year’s NFL rushing champion, Christian Okoye, had only 12 yards in two carries for Kansas City. Mike Elkins started at quarterback for the Chiefs and completed five of eight passes for 51 yards and two interceptions. Steve Pelluer played the second half and completed 10 of 14 passes for 100 yards and two interceptions. . . . The Rams are 3-0 in American Bowl games. . . . More Gaston Green: After winning the MVP in last year’s game in Japan, he was presented with a video cassette recorder. He didn’t know what he was getting this time. “I wish it was a Volvo,” he said.