Notes on a Scorecard - Sept. 7, 1994

The Rocket Ismail-to-tailback campaign continues. . . . I’m not advocating a heavy work load for a 180-pounder who might not be durable. . . . Just give the ball to the Rocket a dozen times a game and watch the Raider rushing attack take off. . . .

Of course, it can’t get any worse. . . .

The Raiders’ leading rusher against San Francisco on Monday night was fullback Tom Rathman with 12 yards. Tailbacks Ty Montgomery and Harvey Williams combined for 12. The net was 34 yards in 20 carries for a 1.7 average. . . .

Ismail, who rushed four times for the Raiders last year, would be the equivalent of a rookie running back. But that’s the position where rookies make the biggest impact. Look at Marshall Faulk. Last year, it was Jerome Bettis. . . .

Most of the Raiders’ other problems Monday night probably can be corrected without personnel changes, although linebacker might remain a weakness. . . .

Not having to face Jerry Rice again during the regular season will be a plus. . . .

Thumbs up to ABC for showing the replay of Napoleon McCallum’s ugly knee injury only twice. . . .

Before guaranteeing a victory over the Rams, Atlanta wide receiver Andre Rison had to ask the interviewer what team the Falcons were playing this week. . . .

Based on 1993 won-lost records, Kansas City has the toughest schedule in the NFL and Tampa Bay the easiest. The Raiders have the fourth-toughest among the 28 teams and the Rams the 11th-toughest. . . .

San Diego will have to travel the most for exhibition and regular-season games, 41,712 miles, and Detroit the least--10,832 miles. . . .

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NFL coaches are gambling more on short-yardage, fourth-down plays because of a new rule that puts the ball at the spot of the kick instead of the line of scrimmage after a missed field-goal attempt. . . .

There were some prolific passing performances Sunday and Monday, but nobody threatened the opening-day record of 554 yards set by Norm Van Brocklin of the Rams against the New York Yanks in 1951. . . .

The Minnesota Vikings must have made some kind of history when they cut two Heisman Trophy winning quarterbacks, Gino Torretta and Andre Ware, during the exhibition season. . . .

ABC commentator Bob Griese, on UCLA wide receivers J.J. Stokes and Kevin Jordan: “The fun part is watching them run after they catch the ball.” . . .

Look-alikes: Bruin freshman fullback Greg Ford and Jean Claude Van Damme. . . .

I’m still waiting for the Big Ten, which has 11 teams, to change its name. . . .

Wayne Gretzky told it like it is when he said this would be a horrendous time to have an NHL strike. . . .

What would you have thought a couple of years ago if someone had told you 9,000 fans would show up for a hockey scrimmage in Anaheim on Labor Day of 1994? . . .

Clipper ticket packages for seven games at Anaheim Arena are going a lot faster than for the rest of the home schedule at the Sports Arena. . . .

Among the 32 nominees for the Orange County Sports Hall of Fame are Nolan Ryan, Eric Dickerson, Clyde Wright and Steve Scott. . . .

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Tommy Maddox will be in action next week at Anaheim Stadium--on Tuesday he will be guest speaker at the Orange County Sports Assn.’s newsmakers’ luncheon. . . .

Dan Crowley, who died last week at 87, coached the Crowley All-Stars against the USC varsity baseball team 62 consecutive years. . . .

Among those who played for Crowley were Len Dykstra, Joe Gordon, Bobby Grich, Ralph Kiner, Bob Lemon, Gene Mauch and Darryl Strawberry. . . .

Where They Are Now? Former USC assistant and Cal State Northridge coach Rod Humenuik is defensive line coach at Kansas State. . . .

Steve Valdez, who was a terrific young jockey on the Southern California major league circuit two decades ago before having weight problems, is riding on the Northern California fair circuit. . . .

Jim Healy used to say that Ike Williams, the former lightweight champion who died the other day at 71, was the best all-round fighter he had ever seen. . . .

Williams was a rarity, a slick boxer with enough punching power to knock out 60 of his 153 opponents. . . .

He beat one of Los Angeles’ all-time favorite fighters, Enrique Bolanos, three times here, in 1946, 1948 and 1949. . . .

Soft spoken and gracious, Williams was a regular at the Forum and Grand Olympic fights recently. . . .

Baseball update: Negotiators have met three times during the strike that is in its 27th day.