Notes on a Scorecard - Oct. 4, 1994

News item: City officials pooh-pooh talk of the NFL entering into a partnership to build a stadium in L.A. . . .

Reaction: How dare city officials, who have done such a wonderful job of retaining the Coliseum’s 1932 look, criticize any plan to improve the quality of football facilities here. . . .

The run ‘n’ shoot might be the perfect offense for the Raiders, with their fleet of speedy wide receivers and lack of quality running backs. . . .

Sunday was Old-Timers’ Day at Anaheim Stadium, where the subjects of a pregame photo shoot were 17-year veterans Blair Bush of the Rams and Mike Kenn and Clay Matthews of the Atlanta Falcons and 19-year veteran Jackie Slater of the Rams. . . .

Sean Landeta’s tremendous punting exhibition was nothing new. . . .

It was Landeta’s pooch punt that pinned the Buffalo Bills back on their 10-yard line with 2:16 left in Super Bowl XXV on Jan. 27, 1991. The Bills drove against the New York Giants, but could get close enough only for the 47-yard field goal attempt by Scott Norwood that sailed wide right and preserved the Giants’ 20-19 lead. . . .

Linebacker Shane Conlan, who had his first sack as a Ram, is beginning to display the form that earned him three Pro Bowl spots as a Bill. . . .

Atlanta quarterback Jeff George has one of the best arms in the NFL, but has yet to prove himself as a competitor. The Falcons didn’t come alive in Anaheim until he was hurt and replaced by Bobby Hebert. . . .

It will be interesting to see who starts for the Falcons when they return to the Southland on Oct. 23 against the Raiders at the Coliseum. . . .

The Raiders, Rams, UCLA and USC are a combined, not-so-lucky 7-11. . . .

Bill Parcells isn’t the only former New York Giant coach helping to build the New England Patriots into a contender. His offensive coordinator is Ray Perkins. . . .

General Manager Dick Steinberg of the New York Jets could be on the hot seat. . . .

In Wayne Fontes’ sixth-plus season as head coach, Detroit remains one of the least predictable teams in the league. . . .

Emmitt Smith suffering a strained hamstring late in the second quarter when the Dallas Cowboys are leading the Washington Redskins, 24-0, is my idea of a timely injury. . . .

The AFC is 9-7 against the NFC this season. . . .

Time of possession meant something at Candlestick Park, where the Philadelphia Eagles hogged the ball for nearly 40 minutes during their 40-8 victory over the San Francisco 49ers. . . .

Antonio Langham, the rookie cornerback from Alabama, is one reason the Cleveland Browns lead the NFL in fewest points per game allowed. . . .

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Inconsistent USC’s two victories have been against schools ranked in the Top 25 in the USA Today/CNN poll, Washington and Baylor. . . .

That same poll ranks Notre Dame ahead of Michigan, although the Wolverines (3-1) beat the Irish (4-1). . . .

For the record: Jerry Frei coached the Oregon team that beat USC in 1971. . . .

Hockey buffs got a fix Sunday night when ESPN2 showed an IHL game matching two former Kings as coaches--the Denver Grizzlies’ Butch Goring against the Houston Aeros’ Terry Ruskowski. The Grizzlies won in a shootout after overtime. . . .

Cal State Fullerton president Milton Gordon is the latest appointee to the NCAA Presidents Commission. . . .

The Clippers, who will play seven games at the Pond of Anaheim this season, will be honored at a luncheon Oct. 17 at the Anaheim Hilton & Towers. . . .

Soul Of The Matter’s victory in the Louisiana Derby stamps him as a contender in the wide-open Breeders’ Cup Classic Nov. 5 at Churchill Downs. . . .

Former boxing promoter Don Fraser sent word that former lightweight champion Jimmy Carter died last week at 70. Carter fought several times at the Olympic Auditorium and won the title in 1951 when he knocked out Ike Williams, who died last month. . . .

“Major League/Minor League: Photographs of America’s Baseball Stadiums by Jim Dow,” a Smithsonian traveling exhibition, is on display through Nov. 13 at the Fullerton Museum Center. . . .

Reversing a trend, the Angels announced a hiring the other day. Former sports columnist John Hall will fill the new position of director of public affairs. . . .

Stu Black was the kind of friend everyone should be privileged to have. He was real. He was gentle and tough. He did wonderful work trying to improve the lives of gang members in New York. He was a talented sportswriter, actor and contributor to Roy Firestone’s TV show. He died Sunday night after giving cancer a battle for several months. He was 49, far too young for us to lose him.