"Lazzari's Sports Roundup" ---- 08-13-05

O.J. Simpson was thrown out of the National Sports Collectors Convention in Chicago a couple of weeks ago after organizers caught the uninvited "Gloved One" selling autographs to fans. I'm now wondering if Al "A.C." Cowlings was waiting for Simpson outside in a getaway vehicle just in case police were called to facilitate O.J. exiting the premises..........TRIVIA QUESTION #1: Seven men have won the Heisman Trophy while playing for Notre Dame. How many can you name? Answer to follow..........NBA commissioner David Stern has announced that the league's 2007 All-Star Game will be played in Las Vegas on the campus of UNLV. Calling to mind Jerry Tarkanian's old teams at that "esteemed" institution, the upcoming game won't be the first time that undisciplined thugs appeared on that campus--while not having to worry about attending classes the following day..........From the "Go Figure" Dept.: Why do some of us continue to enjoy the game of baseball (even though it's becoming more and more difficult to follow each day)? Because ANYTHING can happen. Going into last weekend's Cubs/Mets game, Chicago's Greg Maddux had won a staggering 34 games vs. the Mets in his career. His opponent, Jae Seo (just recalled from the minors), had 16 wins lifetime against ALL TEAMS. Final score? Mets 2, Cubs 0; winning pitcher Jae Seo, losing pitcher Greg Maddux..........Disgruntled WR Terrell "Me First" Owens left an Eagles practice last week after injuring his left groin. I truly have to believe that the force better known as "fate" has a very unique sense of humor when it comes to loudmouthed, clueless athletes who have trouble honoring signed contracts..........This week in sports history, August 15, 1993: On the second sudden-death playoff hole, Greg Norman misses a 4-foot putt for par--enabling Paul Azinger to win the PGA Championship held in Toledo, Ohio. Norman had carried a one-stroke lead going into the final round before Azinger's score of 68 forced the playoff--which ultimately led to "Zinger's" first major title..........I was going to comment here about Rafael Palmeiro possibly having combined both steroids AND Viagra at one time, but I thought better of it in the interest of having this sports column continue to run on a weekly basis..........Did you know that, in 1956, the Chicago White Sox had both a 16-year-old AND a 42-year-old on their pitching staff? Youngster Jim Derrington lost his only start that season while an aging Ellis Kinder appeared in 29 games as a reliever..........Answer to trivia question #1: ANGELO BERTELLI (1943), JOHNNY LUJACK ('47), LEON HART ('49), JOHNNY LATTNER ('53), PAUL HORNUNG ('56), JOHN HUARTE ('64), and TIM BROWN ('87)..........When we hear of the death of former QB Jim Kelly's 8-year-old son (from Krabbe disease), doesn't it truly make us put things into perspective--and also render the daily asinine actions of idiots like the aforementioned Terrell Owens all the more ludicrous/pathetic?..........TRIVIA QUESTION #2: In the 1966 World Series, THREE different Baltimore Orioles pitchers threw consecutive, complete game shutouts. Name them; answer to follow..........Count yours truly among those who've been critical of new Knicks coach Larry Brown due to his vagabond ways. But I now applaud the man for being a realist and very appreciative of what he has. In terms of the exorbitant money thrown around in the NBA, he recently remarked, "We're all stealing"--and admitted freely that he's always gotten more than he deserved. Amen, Larry. See, that's the problem, folks--the majority of people in professional sports actually think they DESERVE the riches and adulation thrust upon them by the adoring populace. Thanks, Larry, for showing us that at least SOMEONE involved in sports "knows the deal" and has a working conscience, too..........Pro surfer Anthony Ruffo has been busted after agents recently entered his dwelling and found a trail of methamphetamine on the floor--a path which ultimately led to the bathroom where Ruffo was flushing the evidence. Gotta admit one thing: The way this guy leads visitors to their destinations, he'd be a tremendous employee for MapQuest.com or the AAA Travel Service..........Answer to trivia question #2: JIM PALMER (Game 2), WALLY BUNKER (Game 3), and DAVE McNALLY (Game 4)..........If I see just ONE MORE baseball fan at any ballpark talking on a cell phone while waving to the television camera, I swear I will hurl my remote through my 27-inch TV screen..........Happy birthday wishes go out to former major league pitcher/Connecticut native Joey Jay--who blows out 70 candles on August 15th. Jay played 13 seasons from 1953-1966 with the Braves and Reds--winning 99 games along the way. A two-time 21-game winner (1961 and '62 with Cincinnati), Jay (who was born in Middletown) led the National League with four shutouts in '61--a year in which he was also named to that league's All-Star team. Best wishes, Joey..........Finally, condolences go out to the family of former LSU women's basketball coach Sue Gunter--who died recently in Baton Rouge of complications from emphysema. In a coaching career that spanned 40 years (22 at LSU), Gunter won 708 games overall and appeared in 13 NCAA tournaments with the Lady Tigers. Voted into the Basketball Hall of Fame last March, she will be inducted posthumously on September 9th; Sue Gunter was 66 years old at the time of her death.

Bob Lazzari

Reprinted by permission of the Valley Times.