"Lazzari's Sports Roundup" - - - - 10-31-09

How 'bout that college football game played out west last weekend--Nevada defeating Idaho 70-45? In a state where gambling is so prevalent--and where one can bet on almost ANYTHING--I'm now wondering if there are odds in regard to which school's defensive coordinator will be fired first..........TRIVIA QUESTION: Who was the last NBA player to lead the league in turnovers in consecutive years? Answer to follow..........I am TOTALLY convinced that in a previous life, Manny Ramirez was a flying insect that would visit different family picnics every so often--and be a nuisance each and every time..........O.K.--here goes: TV personality/"Dancing With The Stars" beauty Brooke Burke marries former major league catcher Steve Lake, divorces, marries pop singer Billy Ocean--divorces again--then marries San Diego Chargers QB Philip Rivers. Her full married name carries an aquatic theme as she is then known as Brooke Lake Ocean Rivers..........This week in sports history, November 3, 1973: Wide receiver Jay Miller of Brigham Young sets a new NCAA record for receptions in a game--tallying 22 during his team's 56-21 victory vs. New Mexico. Catching passes from quarterback Gary Sheide (who threw for 408 yards and six TD's), Miller caught three in the first quarter, six in the second, four in the third, and nine in the fourth; he broke the mark previously held by Tulsa's Rick Eber--who caught 20 in a game back in 1967..........ITEM: ESPN baseball analyst Steve Phillips has an affair with a 22-year-old production assistant; Phillips has also admitted to having multiple affairs with women when he worked for the N.Y. Mets. Geez, I know his former job as a major league GM gave him LOTS of experience in "making moves," but it seems like Steve has taken that expression to an ENTIRELY different level..........During the Pats/Bucs game last Sunday in London, CBS' Jim Nantz and Phil Simms talked about the degree to which interceptions bother New England QB Tom Brady--how he thinks about them all week. Maybe so, but if I'm going home daily to a wife name Gisele Bundchen, the occasional "pick" becomes a HECKUVA lot easier to swallow..........While covering a high school football game for ESPN Radio last week on a cold, windy, rainy night in central CT, I was also exposed to various other "pleasantries": a long, muddy walk to a small/unheated/crowded press box, a dimly-lit field with difficult-to-see yard-markers, and a loud band/unruly kids next to me--resulting in difficulty phoning in my reports. There's more: I was given no team rosters, there were no bathrooms in sight, there was bench seating in the limited-view, noisy press box that brought new meaning to the term "discomfort", and a fourth-quarter downpour resulting in my own paperwork getting totally soaked. Oh--finally, the parking lot made a sardine can seem roomy--resulting in a half-hour wait while exiting the premises. Yes, folks, putting all that aside, it was truly a TERRIFIC experience!..........Answer to trivia question: JERRY STACKHOUSE of the Detroit Pistons--who led the NBA in turnovers in 1999-'00 (311) and 2000-'01 (326)..........Happy birthday wishes go out to former NBA player Steve Johnson--who blows out 52 candles on November 3rd. A native of Ohio, Johnson played a total of ten seasons in the league (for a variety of teams) between 1981 and 1991--averaging 11.7 points and 5.5 rebounds per game for his career. A power forward/center, Johnson's best year came during the '86-'87 campaign while in Portland--a season in which he averaged 16.8 ppg/7.2 rpg; he was named to the NBA All-Star team the following season. Johnson played collegiately at Oregon State where he was the star of the 1980-'81 squad--a team that spent most of the season at #1 in the national polls. That year, Johnson made 235 of 315 shots for a field goal percentage of 74.6%--a single-season mark which remains an NCAA men's record to this day. Best wishes, Steve..........Finally, condolences go out to the family of former University of Oklahoma softball standout Mariee Mena--who passed away recently from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident; she was just 26. A California native, Mariee was a member of the Sooners’ 2003 and 2004 Women’s College World Series teams as well as Oklahoma’s 2007 Big 12 Championship squad. Mena earned USA Softball and NFCA National Player of the Week honors in February of '07 after leading OU at the Palm Springs Tournament--hitting a blistering .692 with eight RBI's. Mariee Mena is survived by her parents, Adam and Isela Mena, a sister, and two brothers; may she rest in peace.

"Lazzari's Sports Roundup" - - - - 10-24-09

ITEM: The Plainfield (CT) High School football team has scored a grand total of just THIRTEEN points over the course of its first five games this season. Sheesh, this team's offense sees the end zone about as often as pretty women wink at yours truly..........TRIVIA QUESTION: Who is the last NHL player to lead the league in goals scored for three consecutive years? Answer to follow..........I'm not sure what lovely model/actress Liz Hurley does to retard the aging process, but any GM of a big league team with an aging pitching staff should invest a TON of money to find out what it is..........Call me crazy, but isn't there something fundamentally bizarre about the fact that Sammy Wanjiru of Kenya can run the Chicago Marathon in a time (2:05.41) that's about 45 minutes FASTER than the average major league baseball game?..........Lazzari's "Lopsided Score of the Week": In a college football game played last weekend, New York Maritime defeated Becker 68-6; Becker fumbled EIGHT times during this massacre while the victorious squad never had to punt. Yeah--when it come to ugliness, this game ranks right up there with those old AMC cars such as the Gremlin, the Pacer, and the Matador..........This week in sports history, October 27, 1984: Washington State running back Rueben Mayes breaks college football's single-game rushing record--tallying 357 yards during his team's 50-41 victory over Oregon. Mayes broke the record previously held by Georgia Tech's Eddie Lee Ivery--who rushed for 356 yards in a game back in 1978. Amazingly, Mayes (who scored three TD's during the game) rushed for 156 yards in the second quarter ALONE; he would rush for 87 yards in the final quarter--ultimately breaking the record with 1:12 remaining on a four-yard run..........ITEM: Former Kentucky basketball coach Billy Gillispie is busted on a DUI charge after the arresting officer noticed his eyes were red, his speech was slurred, and he had a strong, fruity smell coming from him; Gillispie simply said that he was playing golf all day. Yeah--shame on that officer, Billy; I thought ALL law enforcement people were already aware of how popular Starbust candies and Hawaiian Punch were at most golf courses/country clubs these days..........Can you imagine if actress Lydia Cornell married former BC/Ohio St. basketball star Scoonie Penn, divorced, married Georgia attorney Bill Harvard--divorced again--then married former NFL QB Dave Brown? Fans of the Ivy League would surely delight in her full married name of Lydia Cornell Penn Harvard Brown..........WARNING: The following tidbit may cause intense stomach sickness/intestinal distress; read with caution: Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees came to bat 444 times during the regular season this year and was paid approximately $33 million. Folks, that comes out to more than $74,300 PER AT-BAT. Tums, anyone???..........Answer to trivia question: BRETT HULL of the St. Louis Blues--who led the NHL in goals scored each year from 1989-1992 with totals of 72, 86, and 70 respectively..........ITEM: Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson meet on the "Oprah" Show--almost a dozen years after the infamous ear-biting incident during their heavyweight bout. Call it a coincidence, but I noticed right away that Oprah styled her hair that day in a way where her ears were totally hidden/unexposed--thus fending off any possible auricle-consuming attempt by anyone in attendance..........Happy birthday wishes go out to former major league player Bip Roberts--who blows out 46 candles on October 27th. A versatile infielder/outfielder, Roberts played for six different clubs between 1986 and 1998--the majority of his tenure having been spent as a member of the San Diego Padres. A native of Berkeley, CA, Bip stole 264 bases in his career and batted .294 lifetime; he finished fourth in the NL batting race (.323) in 1992 while with Cincinnati--a year in which he was also named to the NL All-Star squad. Best wishes, Bip..........Finally, condolences go out to the family of former major league pitcher Larry Jansen--who passed away recently in Oregon at the age of 89. Jansen spent nine years in the majors between 1947 and 1956; he pitched for the New York Giants for eight years before ending his career with the Cincinnati Reds. A two-time 20-game winner for the Giants, Jansen is best known for being the winning pitcher in the 1951 playoff game decided by Bobby Thomson’s “Shot Heard ‘Round the World." His career record was 122-89 and he was a two-time NL All-Star. After his playing days were over, Jansen spent many years as a pitching coach for both the Giants and Cubs. May Larry Jansen rest in peace.

"Lazzari's Sports Roundup" - - - - 10-17-09

Terrific cause: Join big league pitcher Craig Breslow and others on Saturday, November 7th at the Omni Hotel in New Haven for the Strike 3 Foundation's First Pitch Celebrity Gala. Proceeds will benefit pediatric cancer research and those in attendance will have the opportunity to meet Andrew Bailey, Jack Cust, Rajai Davis, Shea Ralph, and others; guest speaker will be Nomar Garciaparra. More information can be obtained by visiting www.strike3foundation.org ..........TRIVIA QUESTION: The 1993-'94 Boston Bruins--who finished second in the NHL's Northeast Division--had three players on the team who scored more than 30 goals apiece. Can you name this talented trio? Answer to follow..........Can you imagine if legendary Canadian skier Nancy Green Raine married Kansas City Chiefs WR Dwayne Bowe, divorced, then married former MLB pitcher Steve Trout? Fish lovers everywhere would surely delight in her full married name of Nancy Greene Raine Bowe Trout..........College football: How 'bout Navy annihilating Rice 63-14 last weekend? Speaking of Navy--and water-related vessels in general--I guess Rice's ship never came in during this game. In fact, it appears that the Owls' ship had sunk long before this game even STARTED..........This week in sports history, October 19, 1957: At the Montreal Forum, Maurice Richard of the Canadiens scores the 500th goal of his illustrious career--leading his team to a 3-1 victory over Chicago. "The Rocket's" milestone goal was a 20-foot slapshot at 15:32 of the first period and was scored against Chicago goalie Glenn Hall. The 36-year-old Richard leaped into the arms of teammate Jean Beliveau shortly after the historic goal while more than 14,000 fans at the Forum delivered a long, standing ovation..........I hate to second-guess anyone--especially Red Sox manager Terry Francona--but NO WAY can you walk Torii Hunter to get to a talented, feared hitter like Vladimir Guerrero last weekend in Game 3 of the ALDS; I seriously cringed as soon as the decision was made and was vocal about it to the people viewing it with me. Yes, it ended up sending the Red Sox off to the golf course. Folks, I don't care WHAT the #'s said about Hunter's success vs. Papelbon--or the fact that Guerrero has done little in his career during the postseason. With the bases loaded, it was a 'no-brainer' that the overdue Guerrero--a dead-fastball hitter (and a .321 lifetime hitter)--was going to get a decent pitch to hit. He wasted no time in depositing the FIRST PITCH into center-field, and the Angels AND Guerrero finally had the "monkey" off their backs. Bottom line? I want Torii Hunter beating me in that situation rather than one Vlad Guerrero.........Speaking of the Red Sox: Just thinking that if catcher Jason Varitek and DH David Ortiz had aged HALF as well as actress Diane Lane has over the past few years, Boston would have won the AL East this season by 5 games or more..........Answer to trivia question: CAM NEELY (50 goals), ADAM OATES (32), and BRYAN SMOLINSKI (31)..........How 'bout Cleveland Browns QB Derek Anderson last Sunday vs. Buffalo? He played the ENTIRE game--completing 2-of-17 passes for 23 yards (ughhhh--that's NOT a misprint, my friends)--and his team WINS. This reminds me of the loud, obnoxious, smelly kid in high school who'd show up at dances halfway through and leave with the prettiest girl..........Happy birthday wishes go out to former NBA center Brad Daugherty--who blows out 44 candles on October 19th. The seven-footer--who played at North Carolina--spent his entire career with the Cleveland Cavaliers between 1986 and 1994; sadly, his career was cut short at the tender age of 28 due to recurrent back problems. Daugherty averaged an impressive 19 points and 9.5 rebounds per game during his pro career; he was a five-time All-Star and was a unanimous selection to the "All-Time Cleveland Cavalier" team back in 2000. He has done broadcasting work in various capacities for ESPN since his career ended; best wishes, Brad..........Finally, condolences go out to the family of former NFL offensive lineman Bob Kowalkowski--who died recently in Michigan at the age of 65 following a brief illness. Kowalkowski was a guard for the Detroit Lions from 1966-1976; he started every game for the team during his final five seasons in the Motor City. Kowalkowski was traded to Cleveland in 1977 and would later finish his career playing four games for Coach Bart Starr and the Packers in '77. A tireless worker, Bob was very active in charity work while playing AND in retirement; he founded the "Kowalkowski Open" golf tournament in 1973 with friends in order to help the blind and was also very active with the St. Jude's Children's Hospital. His son, Scott, was signed by the Lions in 1994 and played with the team through 2001; may Bob Kowalkowski rest in peace.

"Lazzari's Sports Roundup" - - - - 10-10-09

Congratulations go out to PGA golfer Kenny Perry--who recently was honored with the 2009 Payne Stewart Award. Celebrating its 10-year anniversary in 2009, the Payne Stewart Award is presented annually to a player sharing Stewart's respect for the traditions of the game, his commitment to uphold the game's heritage of charitable support, and his professional/meticulous presentation of himself and the sport through his dress and conduct. As noted in this column before, there is NO finer gentleman in golf--or ANY sport--than one Kenny Perry. Well done, Kenny; you're truly deserving of such recognition...........TRIVIA QUESTION: The 1995 AFC Champion Pittsburgh Steelers had two players who rushed for more than 500 yards that season. Can you name these two running backs? Answer to follow..........Do you ever wonder why the Yale Precision Marching Band is not quite like your "ordinary" college marching band? For starters, how 'bout some of the unit's song selections from the first couple of home games this season: "Rock You Like A Hurricane" (Scorpions), "Anyway You Want It" (Journey), and "Paradise City" (Guns N' Roses)..........This week in sports history, October 12, 1967: The great Bob Gibson ends the Red Sox' "Impossible Dream" season--pitching a complete-game three-hitter in Game 7 of the World Series at Fenway Park. The 7-2 St. Louis victory was Gibson's THIRD win of the '67 Fall Classic--easily earning him the Series MVP Award. Altogether, Gibson hurled 27 innings vs. Boston--giving up just 14 hits and striking out 26; he also homered to help his own cause during the Game 7 clinching victory.........I used to think that watching Gale Sayers carry the football was a true thing of beauty--that is, until I recently visited the "Gallery" section of Carmen Electra's website.........While watching the Yale/Lafayette football game last weekend at the Yale Bowl, I noticed that the visiting team had a starting tight end on its roster named Michael Bolton. I was almost hoping that the guy would get tackled by a Yale player, stand up immediately, then break into a few lines of "Back On My Feet Again."..........Dick Graham, a true walking baseball "encyclopedia" from West Haven, recently shared the following story with the "Silver Sluggers" weekly baseball discussion group--which holds its meetings in Derby. As Graham is almost ALWAYS serious whenever he speaks, this truly caught EVERYONE off guard: "One time when Joe Torre was catching, he got hit in the mask by a backswing and broke his nose. While recuperating, he became a third baseman. When his nose had healed, he began catching again but the pitchers noticed that he was squatting two feet back farther than normal. When people asked Torre WHY he was doing that, he simply stated that he was scared of getting hit again. This is when Torre earned his nickname. WHAT nickname is that--you may ask? Chicken Catcher Torre"..........O.K.--picture the scenario: Tennis great Virginia Wade marries Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana, divorces, marries former MLB player U L Washington--divorces again--then marries N.Y. Mets pitcher John Maine. Geography lovers everywhere would surely delight in her full married name of Virginia Montana Washington Maine..........Lazzari's "Lopsided Score of the Week": In a college football game played last weekend in the Midwest, Minnesota-Duluth demolished MSU-Moorhead 76-7; the winning squad held a 41-0 lead after ONE QUARTER and led 55-0 at halftime. Seriously, I don't think I've seen anything THAT ugly since the purple leisure suit one of my friends owned back in the 1970's..........Answer to trivia question: ERRIC PEGRAM (813 yards) and BAM MORRIS (559)..........Happy birthday wishes go out to former major league pitcher Andy Beene--who blows out 53 candles on October 13th. Don't get Andy confused with former pitcher Fred Beene; Fred had much more major league success. Andy appeared in just six big league games in 1983 and '84 with the Milwaukee Brewers--pitching only 20.2 career innings. And over that span, Beene gave up a total of 24 earned runs, folks--rendering him with a lifetime ERA of 10.45. Hey--he CAN tell his grandchildren that he DID make the "bigs" and strike out 11 batters during his playing days, right? Best wishes, Andy..........Finally, condolences go out to the family of former NFL coach Monte Clark--who died recently in Detroit from a bone marrow malignancy associated with lung and liver disease; he was 72. Clark was the offensive line coach for the famed 1972 Miami Dolphins--a team that went 17-0. He went on to be the head coach of the Detroit Lions from 1978-1984--leading the team to back-to-back playoff appearances in '82 and '83. Clark also did some college coaching at Stanford and Cal-Berkeley during the 90's; he became a broadcaster in Michigan when his coaching days came to a close. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Charlotte, three sons, and eight grandchildren; may Monte Clark rest in peace.