Notes on a Scorecard - Sept. 13, 1994

I used to think David Stern was hot stuff. . . .

Now I think he is a menace to sports. . . .

It was NBA Commissioner Stern who invented the salary cap. . . .

For this, he was hailed as a genius who was greatly responsible for the unprecedented success of pro basketball. . . .

Sorry, but Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird deserved the credit. . . .

Now the baseball owners think Stern’s salary cap is the solution to whatever problems--real or imagined--they might have. . . .

This is why the most ridiculous labor dispute in history--the billionaire owners vs. themselves and the millionaire ballplayers--is about to shut down the World Series. . . .

It has ruined a great season that was packed with record attempts and other exceptional performances by ballplayers who were on the brink of becoming the Jordans, Johnsons and Birds of their sport. . . .

Meanwhile, a new salary cap is creating chaos in the NFL. . . .

And there is talk of a strike or lockout in the NHL. Why? A proposed salary cap. . . .

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This year’s game of the century could be Penn State at Michigan on Oct. 15. . . .

Wisconsin’s chances to win a second consecutive Big Ten title are heightened by the Badgers not having to play Penn State. . . .

I can just see the mythical national title coming down to Michigan (11-1) and Notre Dame (11-1) and Lou Holtz saying head-to-head meetings shouldn’t be considered. . . .

Florida probably will drop to No. 2 again if the Gators can’t maintain their 71.5-point scoring average against Tennessee. . . .

Disrespect for a defense is having Seattle Coach Tom Flores, never known as a gambler, send Steve Smith up the middle on fourth and one at the Raiders’ seven instead of calling for a field goal. . . .

Smith made the first down and the Seahawks eventually scored a touchdown to extend their lead to 17-3 in the third quarter. . . .

The Raiders should have known about Irving Spikes, the running back who went undrafted and then led the Miami Dolphins to their victory over Green Bay on Sunday. . . .

He is from Northeast Louisiana. . . .

Two years ago, the Raiders took running back Greg Robinson from Northeast Louisiana. He was hitting his stride last year when he suffered a knee injury that required surgery and still leaves him sidelined. This year, they drafted linebacker James Folston from the same school in the second round. . . .

If the NFL wants to add another rule favoring the offense, how about stopping the clock after every first down like they do in college? . . .

That 35-point scoring average just isn’t going to get the job done for the New England Patriots. . . .

Ram scout and former running back Lawrence McCutcheon might have a future prospect in his own family. Son Daylon rushed for 253 yards and scored five touchdowns in Bishop Amat High’s 34-7 triumph over Carson last Friday. It was the first game at tailback for the senior, who had been a receiver and defensive back. . . .

“Breaking Through As a Sports Agent,” a full-day seminar Sept. 30 at the Beverly Hilton, will include speakers Dennis Gilbert and Mike Trope. . . .

Boxing historian Marty Jackson took former lightweight champion Juan Zurita to visit Ike Williams in the Wilshire district recently. Zurita, 77, had lost the last fight of his career on a second-round knockout to Williams in 1945. After gaining entrance into Williams’ apartment, Jackson and Zurita found him dead. . . .

There will be no Mexican or American judges for the Julio Cesar Chavez-Meldrick Taylor rematch Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas. . . .

The six world title matches on the card are believed to be a record. . . .

Oscar De La Hoya has bought $50,000 worth of tickets for his Oct. 8 bout against John Avila at the Grand Olympic and donated them to the Boy Scouts. . . .

Boxing lost a great friend when Bob Myers died Saturday. Myers, who was 87, was a former Associated Press sports editor in the L.A. bureau, but boxing always was his favorite. He boxed in college and was unbeaten in 20 professional fights. . . .

You know there is a lack of depth in the NBA when the services of Ralph Sampson, 34, who hasn’t played the last two seasons, are being sought by six teams. . . .

There was nothing wrong with men’s tennis that Andre Agassi couldn’t fix.