"Lazzari's Sports Roundup" ---- 01-14-06

Former boxing champion Thomas Hearns has been arrested for striking his son during an argument--causing a cut over the kid's eye. Shame on Tommy--just inexcusable. Gotta admit, though--the kid must have guts/no fear to have riled up a guy formerly known as the "Hit Man," huh?..........TRIVIA QUESTION: Six different guards have won the NBA's MVP Award. Name them; answer to follow..........Can you imagine if former Moravian College field hockey star Pam Pike married NASCAR'S Sterling Marlin, divorced, married former pitcher Steve Trout--divorced again--then married former outfielder Randy Bass? Fish lovers would delight in her full name of Pam Pike Marlin Trout Bass..........So I see that Virginia Tech QB Marcus Vick has decided to turn pro after being thrown off the team due to his bad behavior both on and off the field. One thing's for sure after we witnessed his disgraceful physical contact with an opposing player during the recent Gator Bowl: If he doesn't make it in the NFL, he can always get a job with the international percussion group known as STOMP..........This week in sports history, January 15, 1968: Center Bill Masterton of the Minnesota North Stars dies in a Bloomington, Minnesota hospital of a massive brain injury; he had hit his head on the ice just hours earlier in a game vs. Oakland. Masterton, who was not wearing a helmet at the time of the incident, would become the first pro player to die of an injury sustained in an NHL game; he was 29 years old..........The "Unwatchable NBA" Update: In a recent 97-70 blowout loss to Miami, the Timberwolves scored 26 points in the ENTIRE second half. In another "thriller," Memphis defeated Utah 87-65; the Jazz shot 24-for-78 from the field, 1-for-11 from three-point range, and missed ten free throws. For those who continue to witness debacles like these, the initials "NBA" will soon stand for "Need Better Antacids."..........Answer to trivia question: BOB COUSY, OSCAR ROBERTSON, MAGIC JOHNSON, MICHAEL JORDAN, ALLEN IVERSON, and STEVE NASH..........Lazzari's "Lopsided Score of the Week": In a Connecticut girls high school basketball game last week, Prince Tech defeated Capital Prep 44-5; as far as scoring is concerned, four different Prince Tech players INDIVIDUALLY surpassed Capital's entire TEAM total. If I'm the losing coach, I inject a bit of comforting humor when talking to my players after this nightmare and offer this: "Girls, it wouldn't have mattered if we played PRINCESS Tech tonight--we STILL weren't gonna win that game this evening."..........Ancient big-league lefties Al Leiter and Terry Mulholland have just signed new contracts (with the Yanks and D'Backs, respectively)--just further proof that old southpaws never die; they just continue to snag roster spots and cash checks. I have to believe that, somewhere out there, guys like Pete Falcone and Craig Lefferts are throwing snowballs against the side of a barn in hopes of someday making it back to the "bigs" and cashing in..........Happy birthday wishes go out to former major league pitcher Terry Forster--who blows out 54 candles on January 14th. A South Dakota native, Forster played 16 seasons between 1971 and 1986 for the White Sox, Pirates, Dodgers, Braves, and Angels--winning 54 games and saving 127. Forster appeared in his first big-league game for the White Sox in '71 at the tender age of 19 and proceeded to save 29 games for Chicago the following year. Forster led the AL in saves in 1974 (24); he was also a member of the Dodgers’ 1981 world championship squad--having pitched two scoreless innings in the World Series that year vs. the Yankees. Best wishes, Terry..........Finally, condolences go out to the family of former USC baseball coach Rod Dedeaux--who died recently in California of complications from a stroke at the age of 91. Dedeaux won a staggering 11 NCAA titles while at USC--including five in a row from 1970-1974. Altogether, Rod Dedeaux won 1,332 college games; he had numerous players who played for him move on to successful major league careers--including Mark McGwire and Tom Seaver. May you rest in peace, Mr. Dedeaux.

Bob Lazzari

Reprinted by permission of the Valley Times.