Notes on a Scorecard - Sept. 21, 1993

If the Houston Oilers can yank Warren Moon and the Cleveland Browns can yank Bernie Kosar, why can’t the Rams do the same to Jim Everett? . . .

Chuck Knox might not have a replacement the quality of Cody Carlson or Vinny Testaverde, but here is an offense badly in need of a shake-up. . . .

I’m still dying to see what T.J. Rubley could do if given the opportunity. . . .

Taking a safety against the Browns late in the fourth quarter was a wise move by Raider Coach Art Shell. Kicking the ball straight to Eric Metcalf wasn’t. . . .

The Raiders weren’t the only team hurt by going to a three-man rush while trying to protect a lead Sunday. The same thing backfired on the Washington Redskins against the Philadelphia Eagles. . . .

Having a week off this early in the season turns out to be a blessing for the Raiders. By the time they play at Kansas City Oct. 3, Nick Bell should be well enough to give the rushing attack a much-needed lift, Rocket Ismail should be ready to return kicks and catch passes, and Jeff Hostetler should be mobile again. . . .

Emmitt Smith rushed for 5.6 yards a carry Sunday night in his return against the Phoenix Cardinals, a yard more than his average last season. . . .

New Orleans Saint rookie Derek Brown ran for 121 yards against the Detroit Lions on the same day that New York Giant tight end Derek Brown caught two passes against the Rams. . . .

Whatever happened to Desmond Howard? . . .

The way the San Diego Chargers’ offense is stalling, John Carney, who has kicked 13 field goals in three games, is a cinch to break the NFL season record of 35 set by Ali Haji Sheikh of the Giants in 1983. . . .

David Shula does not remind me of Don Shula. . . .

Defensive lineman Jerry Ball of the Cleveland Browns is listed at 315 pounds, but he doesn’t look that small. . . .

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UCLA’s home uniforms are attractive, but the names on the back are difficult to read. . . .

The top-10 rankings look strange without a Pacific 10 Conference team. The last time the Pac-10 finished the season that way was 1983. . . .

Arizona has thrown opponents for minus-67 yards rushing--not bad, even considering that the opponents have been Texas El Paso, Pacific and Illinois. Next up, Oregon State. . . . Bill McCartney, who has a terrific record at Colorado, was thoroughly out-coached by Bill Walsh of Stanford during crunch time at Palo Alto. . . .

Florida State could be one of the great football teams in recent years, but the combination of a good Notre Dame team and cold weather Nov. 13 in South Bend, Ind., might keep the Seminoles from an unbeaten season. . . .

USC used to play the Irish every other year at South Bend the final week of the season, but had the game switched to mid-to-late October in 1961. Not that it has helped the Trojans much recently. . . .

Among the best NFL quarterback prospects in the nation is Steve McNair of Alcorn State. . . .

Any list of great sports accomplishments in 1993 must include Nigel Mansell’s winning the Indy car championship in his first year on the circuit. . . .

The City Council has passed a resolution declaring the week of Oct. 18 “Howard Bingham/ Muhammad Ali Week.” Bingham is Ali’s longtime personal photographer. . . .

Riddick Bowe weighed 290 pounds last Tuesday when he opened training at Caesars Tahoe for his Nov. 6 rematch against Evander Holyfield. . . .

Manager Rock Newman’s master plan for Bowe: A victory over Holyfield, a bout against Michael Moorer, one more title defense, and then a unification title bout against Lennox Lewis. . . .

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The Cincinnati Reds were 20-24 with Tony Perez as manager and are 49-58 with Davey Johnson. . . .

Maybe the Dodgers have their power-hitting lefty of the future in Henry Rodriguez. . . .

The injury suffered by Moises Alou is the latest argument for baseball not being played on artificial turf. . . .

Seattle Mariner flamethrower Randy Johnson has cured his control problems in a manner reminiscent of Sandy Koufax in the early 1960s. . . .

At the beginning of the next-to-last week of the season, John Kruk had more stolen bases than any Dodger except Brett Butler or Jose Offerman. . . .

Pittsburgh Penguin defenseman Marty McSorley to former King public-address announcer Dennis Packer during one of McSorley’s visits to the penalty box Saturday night at Anaheim Arena: “It’s been so long since I’ve seen you at a game, I just wanted to spend some time with you.”