Lazzari's Sports Roundup 10-24-2008

by: Bob Lazzari | Staff Columnist - NY Sports Day | Friday, October 24, 2008



Ready for a tidbit that may TOTALLY blow your mind? Edinson Volquez and Joey Votto--undoubtedly the Cincinnati Reds' two best players this past season--earned a COMBINED total of a bit less than $800,000 in 2008. In turn, Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees pockets approximately that much for every FIVE games the Yankees play. I know--WHOA!!..........TRIVIA QUESTION: The 1997-'98 Dallas Stars had a impressive total of FIVE players on the team who scored more than 20 goals apiece. How many of these players can you name? Answer to follow..........How 'bout St. Louis Rams OL Richie Incognito--who was fined a total of $35,000 for multiple offenses committed during the Rams' 19-17 victory over the Redskins a couple of weeks ago? Incognito, penalized three times during the game, was fined $25,000 for verbal abuse of an official, $5,000 for a major facemask, and $5,000 for a chop block. Sheesh, with a surname like his, one would think he'd be a bit more adept at concealing his identity and avoiding being singled out in penalty situations..........A friend of mine in North Carolina told me the other day that he had the great Pete Maravich as a basketball camp counselor when he was a kid. He went on to tell me this: "One day at camp, we had an outdoor session and 'Pistol Pete' was telling us that free throws should be automatic. To demonstrate that, he blindfolded himself and started making them--swish, swish, swish. After he had made about eight in a row, he finally missed. Why? Because a mischievous camper snuck up to him and pulled his shorts down--bringing whatever undergarment or jock strap he may have been wearing down with them!"..........I often wonder if a young fellow named Babe Ruth of the Boston Red Sox was on a pitch count when he beat Brooklyn in Game 2 of the 1916 World Series--a game in which he pitched the ENTIRE 14 innings..........Lazzari's "Lopsided Score of the Week": A no-brainer--USC beats Washington State 69-0 last weekend; the winning squad ran up a total of 625 yards of total offense during this massacre. The Cougars have now given up 63 or more points in a game a remarkable FOUR TIMES this year. Question: If they give up, say, 45 points to Stanford during their next game on 11/1, will the Wash. St. coaching staff consider that a stellar defensive effort?..........Yes, the brand new, custom-made LED scoreboard at the Yale Bowl is undoubtedly "easy on the eyes." But let's face it: actress/bikini model Holly Weber takes that expression to an ENTIRELY different level..........N.Y. Giants FB Madison Hedgecock grew up working on his family's farm in North Carolina, where he performed such chores as harvesting tobacco by hand. He told the New York Post last week what that experience was like: "It (tobacco) goes right through your skin--gets in your bloodstream--makes you sick all night long." Geez, kinda what happens to yours truly when I read anything in the sports section about Barry Bonds or Scott Boras..........Answer to trivia question: JOE NIEUWENDYK (39 goals), PAT VERBEEK (31), JAMIE LANGENBRUNNER (23), JERE LEHTINEN (23), and MIKE MODANO (21)..........Happy birthday wishes go out to former NHL right-winger Kevin Dineen--who blows out 45 candles on October 28th. Selected in the third round of the 1982 draft (Hartford Whalers), Dineen played a total of NINETEEN seasons in the NHL with five different teams; almost half of his NHL tenure was spent as a member of the Whalers. Playing in 1,188 regular season games, Dineen tallied 760 points (355 goals and 405 assists) over his long playing career; he also accumulated 41 points in 59 games of post season play. A native of Quebec City, Dineen currently serves as coach of the Portland Pirates of the AHL. Best wishes, Kevin..........Finally, condolences go out to the family of former major league infielder/outfielder Tom Tresh--who died recently of a heart attack at the age of 71. A native of Detroit, Tresh was named the AL Rookie of the Year in 1962 while with the Yankees--a year in which he hit 20 home runs, drove in 93 runs, and hit .286. He also notched nine hits in the World Series that year as the Yankees beat the Giants in seven games. Altogether, Tresh spent nine years in the "bigs." He was a member of the Yankees until he was traded to Detroit early in the '69 season and retired later that year. A three-time All-Star, Tresh also won a Gold Glove as an outfielder in 1965. He later served as an assistant coach at Central Michigan from 1985-1998; may Tom Tresh rest in peace.