"Lazzari's Sports Roundup" - - - - 1-12-08

The main problem I have with the Walter Camp Foundation? This week, the Foundation staged its annual "Stay in School" rally at East Haven High School--aimed at middle school-aged children. However, this is the same organization that has honored football players in the past such as Reggie Bush and Larry Fitzgerald--stars who did NOT stay in school in order to pursue the riches of the NFL. A bit hypocritical? Hmmmm..........TRIVIA QUESTION: In an NFL Wild Card playoff game between the Eagles and Falcons back in 1978, a Philadelphia kicker missed a crucial extra point during a 14-13 Atlanta victory. Can you name this player? Answer to follow..........After last week's loss to San Diego, I'm now convinced more than ever that Vince Young of the Titans is simply a good athlete and not a great quarterback--and can only enjoy a high level of success in the NFL if surrounded by totally superior talent..........I just read that the parking rate at the new Yankee Stadium will be around $30. Trust me: The only way yours truly is paying $30 to park is if actress Sharon Stone is in a car with me and going to a baseball game is not even a REMOTE possibility..........When Roger Clemens appeared on "60 Minutes" last week (in response to steroid allegations) and defended himself by saying his body "never changed" over the course of his career, I immediately thought that he doesn't need a good lawyer, an image consultant, or even sympathy; he needs an EYE TEST..........Best wishes go out to former Olympic gold medalist Dorothy Hamill--who is currently undergoing treatment for breast cancer. The prognosis is good for the darling of the 1976 Olympics--who is being treated at the Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins. Always one of my favorite female athletes of all-time (and cute as a button), the 51-year-old will miss some of the "Broadway on Ice" tour that she is currently involved with, but hopes to return soon. Good luck, Dorothy, to a terrific lady--and one of Connecticut's own (a native of Greenwich)..........This week in sports history, January 13, 1974: Running back Larry Csonka of the Miami Dolphins rushes for a Super Bowl record 145 yards--leading his team to a 24-7 victory over the Minnesota Vikings. Also utilizing running backs Jim Kiick and Mercury Morris in the game plan, the Dolphins' well-balanced offense was too much for the "Purple People Eaters" to overcome as QB Bob Griese guided the team in workmanlike fashion. The win enabled Miami to join the Green Bay Packers as the only two-time Super Bowl victors..........Lazzari's "Lopsided Score of the Week": In a women's college basketball game played last weekend, Louisiana College annihilated Texas Lutheran 92-33; in this "laugher," the losing squad shot a PATHETIC 13-for-61 from the field--a shooting percentage of just 21%. Good news and bad news for Texas Lutheran: The good news is that the 120 people in attendance (yes, 120) appeared to arrive home safely following the game and the sun DID rise the following day. The BAD news is that they lost by a whopping 59 points AT HOME to an opponent that was under .500 in conference play going into the game..........Answer to trivia question: MIKE MICHEL--whose missed extra point in the first quarter proved to be incredibly costly in the long run..........Happy birthday wishes go out to former major league infielder Ron Clark--who blows out 65 candles on January 14th. Have trouble remembering this Fort Worth, Texas native? Maybe it's because Clark played for various teams between 1966 and 1975 (including Minnesota and Oakland) and hit just .189 lifetime (that's NOT a misprint, folks). Yes, Ron Clark came to bat 530 times in his big league career and amassed just 100 hits--putting him well below the famed "Mendoza Line." Hey, they all can't be A-Rod, right? Best wishes, Ron..........Finally, condolences go out to the family of former college football coach Dennis Roland--who died recently after a three-year battle with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma at the age of 51. Roland was the head coach at five different schools--including Middle Georgia College and Southeastern Louisiana (where he later became the school's interim athletic director); he also was an assistant at Texas-El Paso and Kentucky, among others. He is survived by his wife, Diane, and two children; rest in peace, "Coach."