"Lazzari's Sports Roundup" - - - - 5-26-07

ITEM: The Cincinnati Bengals' criminal saga continues; LB A.J. Nicholson is arrested AGAIN--this time on an assault charge. I swear, folks, this may be the only team in professional sports history that is deserving of having its OWN "police briefs" section on the homepage of its OWN team web site.......... TRIVIA QUESTION: What NBA player holds the league record for most free throws attempted in a playoff game? Answer to follow..........I'm sorry, but ESPN televising Rogers Clemens' bullpen session AFTER his minor league start in Tampa last week was a little bit over the top; check that--WAY over the top..........If anyone out there heard a loud, collective groan following last weekend's running of the Preakness, be assured it was that of ABC sports executives--lamenting the second-place finish of Street Sense while thinking about the VAST number of people who now will NOT be watching the Belmont Stakes in a couple of weeks..........In preparation of Barry Bonds breaking Hank Aaron's all-time HR record, I am stocking up on Tums, Rolaids and Pepto-Bismol. Hell, just THINKING of it makes me ill, so pardon me while I take a swig of the pink stuff in order to keep today's lunch down..........Lazzari's "Lopsided Score of the Week": In a CT girls high school softball game recently, Hartford Public defeated Weaver 29-4 in five innings; the winning team scored TWENTY-SIX of its runs in just two innings (scoring 13 in both the first and fourth frames) while Weaver made TEN errors during this debacle. The good news for Weaver is that they held their opponent scoreless in the third inning. The BAD news is that, if this game had gone seven innings, HPHS' total score may have resembled the recent, warmer spring temperatures here in New England..........Great line by Ed Randall during the opening of his talk show last Sunday on WFAN: "Baseball is the only game you can SEE on the radio."..........This week in sports history, May 28, 1971: In a player-promoted All-Star game played at Houston's Astrodome, the heavily-favored NBA defeats the rival ABA 125-120. In this nationally televised contest, the ABA had pulled within one point on a Charlie Scott jumper with 58 second remaining; however, two free throws apiece by Walt Frazier and Oscar Robertson in the final half minute sealed the victory for the NBA..........Can you imagine if LPGA golfer Candie Kung married former NFL defensive lineman Charles Mann? Fans of former lefty pitcher John Candelaria would surely delight in her married name of Candie Mann..........Answer to trivia question: SHAQUILLE O'NEAL of the L.A. Lakers--who attempted 39 free throws vs. the Indiana Pacers on June 9, 2000..........Lazzari's "Non-Sports Related Tidbit of the Week": Went to Dunkin' Donuts the other day where they charged me 21 cents to put butter on my bagel. I'm now convinced that this place will soon start timing the length of customer visits and charge a per-second rate for the amount of AIR one breathes..........Did you know that, in 1944, the ENTIRE Chicago White Sox team hit a TOTAL of just 23 home runs? That paltry total was almost equaled by league HR leader Nick Etten of New York (22); Hal Trosky led the Sox that year with 10 while Wally Moses was second on the team with a modest total of 3..........Happy birthday wishes go out to former major league infielder Steve Jeltz--who blows out 48 candles on May 28th. Born in Paris, France, Jeltz played eight seasons between 1983 and 1990 for the Phillies and Royals--hitting a "whopping" .210 lifetime. In four of his eight seasons, he failed to hit the "Mendoza line" (.200); he also had the rare, dubious distinction (in '86 with Philly) of accumulating more strikeouts (97) than hits (96). Hey, at 180 pounds, he can always tell his grandchildren that he hit his weight, right? Best wishes, Steve..........Finally, condolences go out to the family of former Florida and Alabama golf coach Conrad Rehling--who passed away recently in Georgia of congestive heart failure at the age of 87. Rehling coached the Gators from 1956-1963--leading his team to a 66-26-1 record; he guided the Tide from 1972 until his retirement in 1988. During his career, Rehling coached future Tour professionals such as Bob Murphy, Lee Rinker, Jerry Pate and Steve Lowery; may he rest in peace.