"Lazzari's Sports Roundup" - - - - 1/29/11

Reader Tim Parry chimes in with this classic quip--regarding the T.B. Devil Rays' recent acquisitions: "Well, this should help boost the Rays' attendance figures; no doubt that Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez resonate with senior citizens."...........TRIVIA QUESTION: Looking back at the 1985-'86 NBA season, the San Antonio Spurs had the NBA's top two leaders in field goal percentage. Can you name these two former players? Answer to follow.........ITEM: American Andy Roddick bows out of the Australian Open--losing in straight sets to Stanislas Wawrinka; he had also lost in straight sets in the final of the Brisbane International prior to the Grand Slam loss to Wawrinka. Now approaching the age of 29, one wonders if he'll ever make it to a Grand Slam final again. However, don't feel sorry for THIS "A-Rod"; when you're married to Brooklyn Decker--a Sports Illustrated swimwear model/actress--losses in Grand Slam events and various other disappointments are placed on the "back-burner" VERY quickly..........Interested in a sports-related web site with a little "edge" to it? Go to www.bobsblitz.com --a Bob Mantz, Jr. creation that calls itself "a blitzkrieg of sports, pop-culture, and stupidity." You'll come across some good stories, video content, and interesting "Blitz Picks"; check it out when you can..........ITEM: Irish golfer Padraig Harrington is disqualified from the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship after he failed to replace a ball that had moved a fraction of an inch when he picked up his marker during the opening round. Wow--and they say that BASEBALL is a "game of inches?"..........This week in sports history, February 1, 1970: Backup goaltender Terry Sawchuk of the New York Rangers extends his own NHL record--posting his 103rd career shutout during his team's 6-0 victory over Pittsburgh at Madison Square Garden. The 40-year-old Sawchuk had been acquired by New York to ease Ed Giacomin's work load; he stopped 29 shots and recorded his first shutout since the '67-'68 season--when he was a member of the L.A. Kings. He had started his remarkable career with Detroit during the '49-'50 campaign and would accumulate more than 400 wins during his long NHL tenure..........I was extremely sad to hear about the recent passing of Marcia Heussler--wife of my friend/colleague Bob Heussler (sports anchor on WFAN Radio); she died of cancer at the age of 53. I never had the opportunity to meet Marcia; I'll just say that there's not a finer man in the media biz than Mr. Heussler--and I can only imagine the type of wonderful woman he'd marry. I DO know she was a loving mother, a wonderful nurse, and very devoted to her husband--whose job kept him on the road a lot. My condolences go out to the entire Heussler family; on the brighter side, such a special lady will leave terrific memories for years to come..........ITEM: Relief pitcher Kyle Farnsworth signs a one-year deal with the Rays worth $3.25 million; this is a man who's compiled a 34-55 record and 4.39 ERA with 27 saves over a 12-year career with five different teams. Yes, MLB--an organization where mediocrity surely DOES pay..........Just came across a picture of bikini-clad actress Jessica Biel snorkeling while on vacation in Hawaii. Sheesh--and I used to think that a Magic Johnson "no-look" pass was a pure thing of beauty..........Can you imagine if Colorado wrestler Trinity Plessinger married NFL wide receiver Antonio Bryant, divorced, married artist James Yale--divorced again--then married Washington-based banker Joseph Tufts? Fans of some highly-regarded colleges here in the Northeast would surely delight in her full, married named of Trinity Bryant Yale Tufts..........Answer to trivia question: STEVE JOHNSON (.632) and ARTIS GILMORE (.618)..........Happy birthday wishes go out to former NBA guard Robert Pack--who blows out 42 candles on February 3rd. A native of New Orleans who played at USC, Pack was undrafted coming out of college in 1991, but went on to play for seven different NBA teams in a career that lasted until 2004. Pack played in a total of 552 games during his career, but injuries seemed to always prevent him from playing a full season. He did average an impressive 18.1 ppg/7.8 apg during the 1995-'96 season while with the Washington Bullets--although he appeared in just 31 games. Pack is currently an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Clippers; best wishes, Robert..........Finally, condolences also go out to the family of former major league manager Roy Hartsfield--who died recently at his daughter's home in Georgia at the age of 85. Hartsfield became the first Toronto Blue Jays manager ever back in 1977; players like Jim Clancy, Dave Stieb, and Ernie Whitt all made their debuts under Hartsfield--who was 166-318 in his three years managing Toronto. Previously, Hartsfield had spent many years in the Dodgers organization as a coach and minor league manager. He also spent three years in the majors as an infielder for the Boston Braves from 1950-1952--appearing in 265 games while batting .273 lifetime. May Roy Hartsfield rest in peace.

"Lazzari's Sports Roundup" - - - - 1/22/11

Great analogy by ESPN's Teddy Atlas last week during the network's "Friday Night Fights" coverage--when boxer Daniel Edouard was hurt badly by super-middleweight opponent Peter Manfredo, Jr. and appeared totally dazed: "Edouard's legs are like sticks blowing in the wind."..........TRIVIA QUESTION: A pair of players with the same surname led the 1986-'87 Washington Bullets (coached by Kevin Loughery) in scoring. Can you name this talented duo? Answer to follow..........I came across a picture of lovely actress Sharon Stone the other day--stepping out on the streets of Paris recently. As far as her aging and current looks are concerned, let me use a baseball analogy: She may no longer be a "40-40" player, but she can still hit 35 round-trippers and swipe 30 bases for any team she plays for..........If Brett Favre ever receives an endorsement deal from a cell phone manufacturer/carrier--praising a certain phone's texting capabilities--I'm giving up following sports FOREVER..........This week in sports history, January 25, 1960: Philadelphia Warriors rookie center Wilt Chamberlain enjoys a game for the ages--scoring 58 points and pulling down 42 rebounds during his team's 127-117 victory over Detroit in a game played in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The 7-footer connected on 24 field goal attempts and added ten free throws; 23 of his points came in the fourth quarter when the Warriors were able to put the game away. Chamberlain's 58-point effort was the second-highest single-game performance in league history; Lakers forward Elgin Baylor had set the record earlier that year when he scored 64 in a single game vs. Boston.........."Raven" Update: My good friend Robert "Raven" Kraft of Miami Beach, well, he just keeps on goin'. This past January 1st, this amazing individual completed his 36th consecutive year of running his daily, 8-mile route--WITHOUT ever having missed a day. Yes, folks, that's over 13,000 consecutive days covering a total of over 105,000 miles. Yeah, some accomplishments need no follow-up, editorial input. Find out more about this remarkable man--AND ongoing streak--by logging onto www.ravenrun.net ..........Answer to trivia question: MOSES MALONE (24.1 ppg) and JEFF MALONE (22.0)..........Of the following, which is more likely to be a higher number: the number of times that Celtics color man Tom Heinsohn will complain about officiating on NESN telecasts this year or the total number of recruiting violations at Texas Tech during the 2007-2009 Mike Leach era?..........And who has aged better over the past five years: Mariano Rivera or Michelle Pfeiffer?..........I'll remind my readers about a terrific, non-profit organization out there: Pitch In For Baseball. Have any "gently-used" baseball gloves, bats, helmets, catcher's mitts, etc. that may be collecting dust in a closet somewhere? Your donation will be used to introduce the game of baseball to kids around the globe; monetary funds can also help to store/ship equipment to children internationally as well as purchase new equipment. If you can help, please visit www.pitchinforbaseball.org or email my friend Angela directly at angela@pitchinforbaseball.org ..........Happy birthday wishes go out to former NBA forward Ralph Ogden--who blows out 63 candles on January 25th. The name may not ring a bell--and for good reason: Ogden played just ONE season in the league--appearing in 32 games for the 1970-'71 San Francisco Warriors. A 6'5" forward who played his college ball at Santa Clara, Ogden didn't exactly rip up the nets during his NBA career, either. He had a total of 71 field goal attempts in his career and converted just 17 of them--thus resulting in a lifetime FG percentage of just .239. Hey--they all can't be like the aforementioned Elgin Baylor, right? Best wishes, Ralph..........Finally, condolences go out to the family of Pennsylvania high school football coaching legend Larry Bruno--who died recently at the age of 88. Bruno coached Hall of Fame QB Joe Namath at Beaver Falls High--guiding Namath and the Tigers to a 10-0 season and a WPIAL football championship in 1960. Bruno also served as head coach at Monaca High from 1949-1958; he then led Beaver Falls from 1959-1978--compiling a record of 184-52-9 as Tigers coach. A great running back at Geneva College, Bruno was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1947 but decided to concentrate on high school football coaching instead. In 1985, Bruno was chosen to present Namath at his 1985 Hall of Fame induction ceremony; Namath remarked that day, "Bruno helped me immensely in my life--it has carried over to now. I was heading in some directions that could have been wrong directions. Well, Coach Bruno helped me a heck of a lot--steered me right." Bruno is survived by a son, daughter, sister, two grandchildren, and one great-grandchild; rest in peace, "Coach."

"Lazzari's Sports Roundup" - - - - 1/15/11

O.K.--kudos to the Seattle Seahawks for a huge win last weekend vs. New Orleans--and the run by the 'Hawks Marshawn Lynch was one for the ages. But the tackling on the part of New Orleans' defense was among the worst I have ever seen in the postseason. Quite frankly, I've seen better tackling during courtroom melees..........TRIVIA QUESTION: Who was the last NBA player to lead the league in offensive rebounds FOUR years in a row? Answer to follow..........Speaking of the aforementioned Seahawks: While taping an edition of "Monday Night Sports Talk" recently, the subject of college recruiting violations came up--specifically involving Pete Carroll (current Seattle coach) while he was at USC. I asked my co-host Tony DeAngelo about Carroll and how he would describe him in a short phrase. His sarcastic answer? A "bastion of integrity.".......... If the old Goodson/Todman production "I've Got A Secret" ever makes a comeback, I think newly-appointed Maryland football coach Randy Edsall would make the IDEAL host..........Baltimore Ravens QB Joe Flacco recently told the New York Post that his three favorite dinner guests from any historical period would be Babe Ruth, Jessica Biel, and Vince Lombardi; he also said that his Mom's home-cooked pasta is his favorite meal. And people wonder WHY I like this guy so much?..........This week in sports history, January 17, 1988: The Denver Broncos qualify for their second straight Super Bowl--defeating the Cleveland Browns 38-33 in the AFC championship game. QB John Elway connected on a 20-yard TD pass to RB Sammy Winder with 4:01 remaining to give Denver a 38-31 lead. Browns QB Bernie Kosar ultimately led his team down to the Denver 8-yard line with just over a minute left to play; RB Earnest Byner was then stripped of the ball by Denver's Jeremiah Castille as he crossed the 5-yard line after taking a handoff (with a clear path to the end zone)--securing the victory for the Broncos..........Just thinkin': Can you imagine if Notre Dame women's basketball coach Muffet McGraw married singer Jimmy Buffett--divorced--then married noted sculptor Kim Duffett? She'd be roaming the sidelines with the full married named of Muffet Buffett Duffett..........Answer to trivia question: DENNIS RODMAN--who led the league each year from 1990-1994 as a member of the Pistons and Spurs..........I know that media members have been urged over the past few years to look at race car driver Danica Patrick as being "just another one of the guys." But c'mon--when I see photos of this woman in a bikini, it's TRULY difficult to picture her being affiliated with the same sport as A.J. Foyt and Richard Petty..........O.K--here goes--one more: California physician Dr. Kathy Bak marries Singaporean photographer Ken Seet--divorces--then marries Green Bay Packers WR Donald Driver. Her full married name? Kathy Bak Seet Driver..........ITEM: Reliever Hideki Okajima re-signs with the Red Sox--a one-year deal. Put it this way: If manager Terry Francona doesn't use this guy STRICTLY to face just ONE batter in lefty-lefty situations during 2011, the Yankees automatically gain 3-4 games on Boston in the AL East standings..........Happy birthday wishes go out to former NBA forward/center Larry Smith--who blows out 53 candles on January 18th. A native of Mississippi who played college ball at Alcorn St., Smith spent 13 seasons in the league between 1980 and 1993 as a member of the Warriors, Rockets, and Spurs. Smith made the All-Rookie team in 1981 while with Golden State; he would go on to become one of the best rebounders in the league for years--averaging 9.2 rpg for his career. Smith led the NBA in offensive rebounds during the '85-'86 season and pulled down a total of 8,125 total boards during his career. Smith is currently the head basketball coach at Alcorn State--a position he has held since 2008. Best wishes, Larry..........Finally, condolences go out to the family of former major league pitcher Ryne Duren--who passed away last week in Florida at the age of 81. Amazingly, Duren pitched for SEVEN different teams during his 10-year big league career--pitching mostly in relief. Known for his 100-mile-per-hour fastball and occasional wildness, Duren made his mark while pitching for the Yankees from 1958-1961; he put together back-to-back ERA's of 2.02 and 1.88 in the '58 and '59 seasons respectively while giving up a combined 89 hits in over 150 innings of relief work during that two-year span. In five World Series games, Duren was 1-1 with a 2.03 ERA--striking out 19 in 13 1/3 innings. His problems with alcohol were well-documented; he later spent much of his time helping many ballplayers with their addictions. His name will live on in baseball history as former Cub standout Ryne Sandberg's plaque in Cooperstown includes this note: "Named after former Yankees pitcher Ryne Duren." May Ryne Duren rest in peace.

"Lazzari's Sports Roundup" - - - - 1-8-11

Some things one columnist would like to see in 2011......


* Christie Brinkley develop an obsessive desire to date New England-based sports columnists
* Brett Favre do a cell phone commercial--demonstrating the texting capabilities of a new smartphone
* young athletes be CONSTANTLY reminded of what the word "hustle" means
* yours truly offered personal dance lessons from Paula Abdul
* Bill Belichick do a commercial for a toothpaste that brightens one's smile
* good health for baseball Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew--and ANY person battling cancer
* a "mercy rule" in women's college basketball (i.e. Georgia Tech defeats Tenn. St. 82-11 on 12/30)
* an NFL running back score a TD and IMMEDIATELY remember how Walter Payton and Barry Sanders celebrated
* a $4.00 bottle of water at Yankee Stadium sprout arms and provide a massage, also
* unlimited Kleenex handed out to teary-eyed people exiting the Metro-North platform near the old Yankee Stadium--as they pass the ruins of a once-sacred ballpark on their way to the new "shrine"
* pretzel$ sold inside Yankee Stadium in the shapes of dollar sign$
* aluminum bat advocates get a CLUE
* tattoo parlors adjacent to every NBA locker room
* ushers at Fenway Park hand out Pepcid AC tablets to all fans as soon as Hideki Okajima is summoned from the bullpen
* larger restrooms in the Yale Bowl press box--and ones that remain "in operation"
* technological advancements in "Port-O-Pottys" used at various athletic events
* an NFL replay/challenge that--time-wise--doesn't remind people of the movie "Gandhi"
* not hear ONE kid say "That's BORING!"
* Brett Favre and Andy Pettitte appear in a highly-anticipated ESPN special called "The Indecision"
* Jets coach Rex Ryan do a TV commercial for Curel Foot Therapy Cream
* officials at Glastonbury (CT) High School tear down the fairly-new press box there--and start OVER
* a nice, heated, well-designed press box at ANY CT high school football venue
* high school athletic directors become more receptive/accommodating to media members (didn't I say that LAST year?)
* Evander Holyfield FINALLY hang up the boxing gloves (didn't I say that FIVE years ago?)
* UCONN sports administrators lose the "holier than thou" attitude
* a few hundred more people each night at Connecticut Tigers baseball games
* Larry Brown go into the relocation/moving business
* Yankees play-by-play man John Sterling check his ego before every radio broadcast
* a Victoria's Secret Fashion Show to be held prior to every CT Sports Writers Alliance meeting
* a GPS system that is programmed to find ONLY Hooters Restaurants
* the Georgia football program go SIX months without having a player arrested (this may now be a moot point as I wrote this column a few days ago)
* a University of Georgia football game held at Riker's Island
* more stringent rules/penalties for idiotic parents attending youth sporting events
* Mariano Rivera PROVE that he's human
* Las Vegas oddsmakers provide an over/under date for when Urban Meyer returns to coaching at some level (I'll say 6/1/12)
* Albert Haynesworth do a commercial for fitness equipment
* Albert Haynesworth CARE once again
* Michael Vick donate HALF his salary to the Humane Society and/or ASPCA
* Rajon Rondo become just a 60% free throw shooter
* the Dallas Cowboys MATTER again
* LPGA golfer Natalie Gulbis request a tour of the TPC in Cromwell from a certain, available sports columnist
* a "Straitjacket Day"/giveaway at Citi Field in honor of frustrated N.Y. Mets fans
* the Fordham basketball program MATTER again
* Joe Paterno PROMISE not to coach past the year 2020
* a new Bowl game--called the "Yet Another" Bowl
* Heisman winner Cam Newton's Dad become an auctioneer
* a future Wes Welker born somewhere
* a future Michael Vick NOT born ANYWHERE
* the Carmen Electra 2011 wall calendar included among the media gifts given out at the Travelers Championship
* a Michael Vick voodoo doll sold at all PETCO locations
* a great-tasting, fat-free bacon cheeseburger
* less writer's block (I've said that YEARLY since doing this type of column)
* penalties called for STUPIDITY on football players playing defense who make a great hit on a runner and celebrate wildly--AFTER that offensive player has already made a FIRST DOWN on the play
* coaches to call out those SAME "all about me" dolts who celebrate wildly when their team is TRAILING 35-0
* finally, health and prosperity for readers of this column.

Happy 2011, everyone.