"Lazzari's Sports Roundup" - - - - 6-5-10

ITEM: Kansas defensive tackle Jamal Greene is dismissed from the team after he and former teammate Vernon Brooks are arrested in connection with an attempted aggravated robbery (Brooks had ALREADY been dismissed from the team before spring practices for violating various team rules). My first thought? This will simply give these 'outstanding' young men more time to work on term papers, visit the school library, take additional/challenging classes, and help old ladies across the street.........TRIVIA QUESTION: The 1979 Chicago White Sox were led in wins by a pitcher whose victory total that season was more than one-third of his CAREER total. Can you name this individual? Answer to follow..........Just thinking: If Ken Griffey Jr. of the Mariners had aged HALF as well as actresses Jennifer Aniston and Sharon Stone, then Seattle would be leading the AL West by 5 games at this juncture..........I'd love to see LPGA golfer Angela Stanford hook up with New Mexico State infielder Joel Cardinal; if they ever tied the knot, fans of a Palo Alto, CA school would surely delight in her full married name of Angela Stanford Cardinal..........This week in sports history, June 8, 1968: L.A. Dodgers pitcher Don Drysdale's 58-inning scoreless streak comes to an end as a fifth-inning sacrifice fly by Philadelphia's Howie Bedell scores Tony Taylor in a game played at Dodger Stadium. Just two innings earlier, Drysdale had passed Walter Johnson's previous mark of 55 2/3 scoreless innings--drawing a standing ovation from more than 50,000 fans in attendance. Philadelphia ended up scoring three runs off Drysdale during the game, but he ultimately improved his record to 8-3 during a 5-3 Dodgers victory.......... Regarding the disaster better-known as Oliver Perez: Don't you think this guy should at LEAST donate a few million bucks worth of Sominex to the Mets--who can then distribute the sleep-aid to fans who've endured so many restless nights since his ridiculous signing?..........Did you know that the 1979 Los Angeles Dodgers had FIVE players with 20 or more home runs apiece--but finished with a sub-.500 record? Joe Ferguson, Dusty Baker, Ron Cey, Davey Lopes, and Steve Garvey all homered at least 20 times, but the team finished 79-83 under manager Tom Lasorda--11 1/2 games behind the NL West-leading Cincinnati Reds.......... Answer to trivia question: KEN KRAVEC--who went 15-13 in 1979 while winning just 43 games over his entire eight-year career..........Just wondering: Do you think a muscled-up "A-ROID" thought of his past steroid use after hitting that scorching line drive off the head of Indians pitcher David Huff last weekend? Wait a second--a member of the MLB player's union with a true CONSCIENCE??? Nahhhhhh............Happy birthday wishes go out to former NBA center Bryant "Big Country" Reeves--who blows out 37 candles on June 8th. While at Oklahoma State, Reeves averaged more than 17 points and 8 rebounds per game over his four-year college career and led his team to the Final Four in 1995. Reeves became the first-ever draft pick of the Vancouver Grizzlies and spent six seasons with them from 1995-2001--averaging 12.5 points and 6.9 rebounds over the course of his NBA career. One of the highlights of Reeves' career was setting a Grizzlies club record in March of 2000 when he converted 11 straight field goal attempts against the Seattle SuperSonics. Sadly, weight and injury problems took their toll on Reeves in the late 90's--causing him to retire at a very young age. Best wishes, "Big Country"..........Finally, condolences go out to former Oklahoma coach Ray Thurmond--who passed away recently at the age of 89. Thurmond was named as OU's golf coach and freshman basketball coach back in 1967; while working under Sooners head basketball coach John McLeod, Thurmond helped develop such star players as Clifford Ray and Garfield Heard. A World War II veteran, Thurmond attended North Texas State and went on to coach FIVE different sports at the high school level (in Texas, Georgia, and California) before joining OU's physical education staff in 1960. Any person familiar with "Sooner Country" will attest to the fact that Ray Thurmond undoubtedly was one of the most popular figures in Oklahoma sports history; he'll surely be missed. Rest in peace, "Coach."