"Lazzari's Sports Roundup" - - - - 9-18-10

Great quote by WDRC-FM's Mike Stevens last week following the Red Sox 14-5 loss to Tampa Bay--a game where Daisuke Matsuzaka gave up EIGHT earned runs in just over four innings: "Dice-K was serving up more meat than the Golden Arches."..........TRIVIA QUESTION: The 1987 Baltimore Orioles--who finished sixth in the AL East under Cal Ripken, Sr.--were led in home runs by a player who hit less than 100 round-trippers during his entire career. Can you name this former outfielder? Answer to follow..........Yes, suffice it to say that yours truly likes baseball just as much as the next guy. But when it comes down to either watching the aforementioned Dice-K start a game for the Red Sox or Christie Brinkley doing an infomercial, the woman in Spandex wins out EVERY time..........*Here goes: Former Citadel volleyball player Ashley Winter marries music superstar Stevie Wonder, divorces, then marries author Jon Land. Her full married name as the cold weather approaches? Ashley Winter Wonder Land..........Ah, yes, it surely seems that many people I know are excited that the pro football season has returned and is now underway. Check out this gem of an equation just submitted to me by a friend of mine, Marcie: " N.Y. Giants football + homemade onion dip with BACON pieces in it + an endless supply of Hoegaarden = The Perfect Sunday..........This week in sports history, September 21, 1985: Larry Holmes' seven-year reign as heavyweight champion comes to an end in Las Vegas as he loses his title to Michael Spinks in a unanimous 15-round decision. Spinks, the light-heavyweight champion who was moving up in weight class, was the busier of the two fighters as Holmes could only offer an occasional weak jab during the bout. Holmes was bidding to tie former heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano's record of 49 straight professional wins; ironically, Holmes' loss to Spinks came exactly 30 years to the day when Marciano won his 49th in a row against Archie Moore. The victory enabled Spinks to claim the title that his brother Leon had held briefly back in 1978..........WFAN's Mike Francesa was discussing the N.Y. Jets last week--specifically how the team will have a target on its back this season due to the continuous "trash-talking" nature of coach Rex Ryan. Francesa talked about opposing defenses and the aggressiveness they will bring while going after QB Mark Sanchez: "These guys (the opposing defenses) are gonna go around the left guard like they're on the L.I.E." He also added: "When Rex Ryan talks, Sanchez better DUCK."..........ITEM: University of Miami baseball player Frankie Ratcliff is arrested for trying to sell marijuana to undercover detectives; officers later searched his apartment and found three more bags of pot and 19 vials of steroids. My first thought was that this guy is probably more familiar with various drugs than 3/4 of the students enrolled in the PRE-MED program at Miami..........Answer to trivia question: LARRY SHEETS--who led Baltimore in home runs that year with 31 while also hitting an impressive .316..........Happy birthday wishes go out to former major league catcher Cesar Devarez--who blows out 41 candles on September 22nd. Few may remember this native of the Dominican Republic--who played just two years in the "bigs" with the Orioles back in 1995 and '96. Devarez appeared in just 16 major league games; he came to bat a total of 22 times in his short-lived career and accumulated just TWO hits--thus compiling a lifetime batting average of .091. However, he CAN brag to anyone who will listen that one of his two career hits was a TRIPLE; hey--not bad for a catcher, huh? Best wishes, Cesar..........Finally, condolences go out to the family of former women's college basketball coach J. Kelly Hall--who passed away recently after suffering a heart attack at his home in South Carolina; he was 51. Hall was the winningest coach in the history of Louisiana-Lafayette--tallying 86 victories during his five seasons there (2002-2007); he was the 2005 Sun Belt Coach of the Year. Hall had previous assistant coaching jobs at places like Louisville, Auburn, Cal State Fullerton, and Alabama; he left the LA-Lafayette program to serve as head coach at the University of Cincinnati from 2007-09. During his career, Hall was known as one of the best defensive coaches in the women's college game--famous for his expertise of the match-up zone. Hall is survived by his wife, Meredith, two daughters, and a son; may Coach Hall rest in peace.