"Lazzari's Sports Roundup" ---- 01-21-06

Free-agent outfielder Michael Tucker has just signed with the Washington Nationals--his SEVENTH different team in the last ten years (he played in Kansas City twice). I'd love to see the PR people in Washington play "Travelin' Man" by Ricky Nelson over the P.A. system every time Tucker comes to the plate in 2006..........TRIVIA QUESTION: Since 1985, three British golfers have won the British Open. Name them, answer to follow..........The "Unwatchable NBA" Update: In a recent game in Houston, the Kings beat the Rockets 88-80; the home team shot 9-for-17 from the foul line and a PUTRID 3-for-20 (15%) from three-point range. Looking back, Houston made 12,258 steals that night--six of which were made on the court; they were also credited with 12,252 more thefts after the game was over--one for every fan in attendance that evening who got ripped off after paying to see such a debacle..........This week in sports history, January 22, 1973: Challenger George Foreman--a former Olympic gold medalist--sends unbeaten heavyweight champion Joe Frazier to the canvas a staggering SIX times en route to a dominating, second-round knockout in a title fight held in Kingston, Jamaica. Frazier, making his tenth overall title defense, was floored three times in both the first and second rounds before referee Arthur Mercante mercifully put an end to the one-sided heavyweight bout..........Another sports record that won't be broken--at least in MY lifetime: Wayne Gretzky's NHL record of 1,963 lifetime assists. Why, you may ask? Fathom this: Steve Yzerman, now on the downside of a great career, is the closest active player to Gretzky in lifetime assists--but still currently possesses approximately 900 FEWER than "The Great One;" simply remarkable..........Rumor has it that the New York Giants' locker room attendant opened the team's clubhouse doors at least 4-5 hours before the Giants' playoff game vs. Carolina two weeks ago--but STILL hasn't seen one player show up yet..........Can you imagine if former USC volleyball star April Ross married former big league outfielder Carlos May, divorced, then married Indianapolis Colts linebacker Cato June? Lovers of springtime would then delight in her full name of April May June..........Answer to trivia question: SANDY LYLE (1985), NICK FALDO (1987, '90, '92), and PAUL LAWRIE (1999)..........Lazzari's "Lopsided Score of the Week": In a Connecticut girls high school basketball game played last week, E.O. Smith defeated Capital Prep 52-2; the losing team did not score a point in the ENTIRE second half--having been outscored 19-0 in the third and fourth quarters of this mismatch. In addition, Capital did not even make a FIELD GOAL the entire game--just two free throws. Just HOW bad are things going for Capital Prep this season? Their opposition from E.O. Smith came into the game that evening with a "not-so-spectacular" record of 1-9--and STILL won by 50 points..........Happy birthday wishes go out to former major league pitcher Mike Krukow--who blows out 54 candles on January 21st. A Long Beach, California native, the tall right-hander pitched 14 seasons in the National League between 1976 and 1989 for the Cubs, Phillies, and Giants--winning a total of 124 games. Krukow's best year came in 1986 with the Giants--a year in which he went 20-9 with a respectable ERA of 3.05. He was a decent-hitting pitcher, too--accumulating 139 lifetime hits at the plate. Krukow also pitched a complete game win for the Giants in Game 4 of the 1987 NLCS vs. the St. Louis Cardinals. Best wishes, Mike..........Finally, condolences go out to the families of former major league pitcher Paul Lindblad and ex-NFL wide receiver Jack Snow--both of whom died recently. Lindblad, who died of complications from Alzheimer's disease at the age of 64, was a solid, left-handed reliever who pitched 14 seasons in the AL; he was a member of world championship squads with the A's and Yankees. Snow died of complications from a staph infection at the age of 62. He played 11 seasons for the L.A. Rams from 1965-1975--catching 340 passes for over 6,000 yards; he became a Rams broadcaster after his playing days were over. Rest in peace, gentlemen.

Bob Lazzari

Reprinted by permission of the Valley Times.