Notes on a Scorecard - Feb. 4, 1992

The bottom line on Larry Brown is that he is a great basketball coach, and that is why the Clippers should sign him. . . .

If Brown can’t get this team into the playoffs, nobody can. . . .

Coaches aren’t the only Clipper employees who come and go. Since the Clippers moved here in 1984 from San Diego, they have had 79 players. The Lakers have had 46 during the same span. . . .

A pretty fair pro football team could be assembled from those players who were left unprotected from Plan B. . . .

The offense: Quarterback--Steve DeBerg. Running backs--Mike Rozier, James Brooks. Wide receivers--Drew Hill, Emile Harry. Tight end--Don Warren. Tackles--Joe Jacoby, Bruce Reimers. Guards--Bruce Collie, Ken Dellafior. Center--Jeff Bostic. . . .

Kicker--Matt Bahr. Punter--Jim Arnold. Special teams--Steve Tasker. . . .

The defense: Linemen--Tim Krumrie, Sam Clancy, Keith Willis. Linebackers--Mike Singletary, Billy Ray Smith, E.J. Junior, Monte Coleman. Cornerbacks--Jerry Gray, Everson Walls. Safeties--Leonard Smith, Deron Cherry. . . .

Tasker, the Buffalo Bills’ veteran, played in the Pro Bowl Sunday. . . .

All three Baldinger brothers--Brian, Gary, and Rich--were left unprotected. . . .

Now that the Pittsburgh Steelers have hired Ron Erhardt, who was offensive coordinator for Bill Parcells with the New York Giants, look for them to play smash-mouth football. . . .

Ricky Ervins is attending classes at USC and is on schedule to earn his degree in public administration this spring. . . .

Denny Crum of Louisville and John Thompson of Georgetown still haven’t adapted their coaching techniques to the three-point shot. . . .

Highest-scoring European player in the NBA is Drazen Petrovic, the New Jersey Net guard from Croatia. . . .

Not only has Mark O’Meara won the National Pro-Am at Pebble Beach four times, he won the State Amateur there in ’79. . . .

Actor Randy Quaid, who aced the 182-yard 12th hole at Pebble Beach Friday, portrayed a golfer in “Dead Solid Perfect,” the HBO movie that was written by Dan Jenkins. . . .

Andre Cason, who broke the 60-meter indoor record last week, is coached by UCLA assistant John Smith. . . .

Most heavyweights don’t know how to fight inside. Among them is Lennox Lewis, who kept getting tied up by journeyman Levi Billups Saturday night and was forced to go the 10-round distance. . . .

Evander Holyfield is a drag racing enthusiast who attended the Winternationals at Pomona. . . .

Punchers often have trouble with their hands, the latest being World Boxing Council mini-flyweight champion Humberto Gonzalez, who will be out of action for three months after breaking his left hand a third time. . . .

The Vancouver Canucks are the only team in the once mighty Smythe Division that has a winning record. . . .

Brett Hull is in a horrendous slump, having gone two consecutive games without a point. . . .

Former NHL all-star defenseman Borje Salming, 40, will play for Sweden in the Winter Olympics. . . .

Sergei Fedorov of the Detroit Red Wings and Alexander Mogilny of the Buffalo Sabres finished 1-2 in the speedskating contest at the NHL All-Star game. However, Pavel Bure of the Vancouver Canucks reportedly was the fastest skater on the same line with Mogilny and Fedorov in Russia. . . .

At 45, Laffit Pincay is still the guy you want riding your horse in a tight finish. . . .

Since trainer Bill Spawr claimed Exchange for $50,000 last May, the 4-year-old filly has won $325,000. . . .

Pat Valenzuela’s contract with Allen Paulson faces its first major test Sunday when Valenzuela rides Dinard, instead of likely favorite Best Pal, in the $500,000 Strub Stakes at Santa Anita. . . .

The Toronto Blue Jays, who became the first team to draw four million last season, have a waiting list of 8,000 for season tickets. . . .

Four minor league baseball teams are owned by Japanese interests. . . .

Red Patterson, who has been a wonderful goodwill ambassador for both the Angels and Dodgers, will receive the lifetime achievement award at the annual dinner of the Los Angeles-Anaheim chapter of the Baseball Writers Assn. Sunday night at the Sheraton Long Beach. . . .

You’re a pro football fanatic if you still remember who won the Pro Bowl game.