"Lazzari's Sports Roundup" - - - - 8/31/13

What I've Learned..............

*With sports being such a big part of my life for so long, I figured I'd share some things I've learned from observing/covering the sports world over the years...............

~the sporting world is simply fueled by greed
~an athlete can lie, take drugs, and cheat on his wife--but STILL be applauded/adored by clueless fans
~NFL players cannot get THAT big and THAT fast through weightlifting alone
~I can pay the hefty admission price to a major league ball game--but then have to live on Ramen noodles for the next month or so
~golfing is NOT as easy as the pros make it look like on television
~as one ages, 10:00 PM game times become a major problem
~lead-off walks WILL come back to "bite" a big league pitcher
~the Super Bowl is no longer a game--it's a SPECTACLE
~legendary Division III baseball coach Bill Holowaty got a raw deal from Eastern Connecticut
~Don King was as exploitative as it gets
~some athletes are bigger heroes OFF the field; RIP, Joe Delaney
~Bernie Madoff will NEVER be elected to the NY Mets Hall of Fame
~Americans CANNOT run marathons like Kenyans
~some incredibly talented female journalists have been passed over for TV sports gigs--simply because they didn't have "the look"
~NFL kickers CAN'T make field goals much longer than 63 yards
~a human being CANNOT run much faster than Usain Bolt
~the "Phillie Phanatic" will always be in a class of its own
~artificial turf has ruined MANY athletes' careers
~Bill Buckner got a bum rap
~Pat Tillman was one of a kind
~athletes and nightclubs don't mix
~the bigger the athlete, NOT necessarily the bigger the brain
~the sports media biz can be very "clique-y"
~tattoos don't make a player perform better
~Steve Busby had Hall of Fame "stuff"
~J.R. Richard had Hall of Fame "stuff"
~NFL pre-game/halftime shows were much better when there were LESS people in the studio
~major league managing has become INCREDIBLY "robotic" over the past 30 years
~once you view a sporting event in "high-def", there's no turning back
~the business of big-time college athletics has VERY little to do with academics
~baseball players CANNOT legitimately hit more than 61 home runs in a season
~the sports world mirrors society in general: crime, greed, tragedy, daily ups/downs, etc.
~talent AND luck result in championships
~Nolan Ryan's career strikeout total will never be challenged
~Nolan Ryan was a 'freak' of nature
~hockey referees--for the most part--stay "under the radar"
~MLB umpiring has digressed over the years
~bowling a 300 game is EXTREMELY difficult
~many sports media members--who supposedly were trained in communication strategies--ironically remain "stand-offish"
~5 or 6 dollars for a hot dog is flat-out ROBBERY
~Vin Scully will always be in a class by himself
~Roger Federer--at his best--was better than ANYONE who ever picked up a tennis racquet
~it's very difficult to dislike a guy who hustles
~Yogi Berra made a lotta sense
~the thought of Mantle and Namath with good legs STILL scares me
~there's a reason why MLB pitchers don't throw screwballs anymore
~writer's block among sportswriters is more common than one may think
~you can't teach "guts"
~you can't teach speed
~the terms "pitch counts" and "quality starts" will always make yours truly nauseous
~there will never be a more powerful sports slogan than Nike's 'JUST DO IT'
~no boxer ever exits the fight game "unscathed"
~"Pistol" Pete Maravich was WAYYYYYY ahead of his time
~"Pistol" Pete Maravich was misunderstood and SEVERELY underrated
~Mariano Rivera is one of a kind
~I can live without the end zone dances
~young athletes should be shown videos of Pete Rose (that is, how he approached the game ON the field)
~pro football is a game of survival
~MLB players DON'T need the meal money anymore
~MLB players don't need ANY type of "bonus" money anymore
~Walter Payton was one of a kind
~the DP combination of Alomar/Vizquel was BEYOND beautiful to watch
~the average kid of today doesn't possess HALF the passion for sports as the kid of 30 years ago
~the Army/Navy football game will ALWAYS be special
~bunting is now a lost art in baseball
~having long fingers helps greatly when throwing a curveball
*Finally,
~writing a column like this doesn't scratch the SURFACE when it comes to conveying what I've learned about sports over the past few decades; more to come........