"Lazzari's Sports Roundup" - - - - 11-6-10


*Terrific cause: The Yale women's hockey team is dedicating next Friday night's game (November 12th vs. RPI) to Mandi Schwartz--who continues her courageous battle vs. cancer. The "White Out for Mandi"--with everyone wearing white--will be used as a fundraiser; no admission will be charged (donations WILL be accepted at the door) as pledges from various donors have been secured based on the attendance total at the Ingalls Rink that evening. The event will also help raise awareness about the need for bone marrow/umbilical cord donors. Mandi is currently in Seattle recovering from a stem cell transplant after battling leukemia for the past couple of years. More info regarding this special event can be obtained by contacting Sam Rubin of the Yale sports publicity staff at (203)432-1456 or by emailing him at sam.rubin@yale.edu ..........TRIVIA QUESTION: The 1984 Tampa Bay Buccaneers--who finished 6-10 under coach John McKay--were led in rushing yards by a running back who also led the league in rushing attempts. Can you name this former player? Answer to follow..........Now here's a score for you from last weekend's college football action: Gettysburg 61, Susquehanna 50. Yes, the 111 combined points in this shootout was a Centennial Conference record as the two teams combined to rack up a ridiculous total of 1,162 yards. My first thought was simply that I wouldn't expect these teams' defensive coordinators to be in line for any head coaching gig in the very near future. Upon further thought, let me amend that; they BOTH may end up being head coaches soon--yes, in the Suburban Youth Football League in Pennsylvania--if their defensive units don't improve REAL soon..........I used to think that watching Wayne Gretzky skate up and down the ice was a pure thing of beauty. That all changed last weekend when I saw a picture of the stunning dress that actress Eva Mendes was wearing at a Directors Guild of America gala out in Los Angeles..........This week in sports history, November 9, 1946: In a battle between two of college football's offensive powers, #1-ranked Army and #2-ranked Notre Dame play to a surprising 0-0 tie before a capacity crowd at Yankee Stadium. Army (7-0) had come into the game having won 25 games in a row while outscoring its opponents 208-55 so far in the '46 season; Notre Dame had outscored its opposition 177-18 in its five games. The talented Army running back tandem of Glenn Davis and Doc Blanchard was held to just 80 yards rushing while Irish quarterback Johnny Lujack was able to complete just six passes during the hard-fought defensive standoff..........Great quote last weekend by WFAN Radio's Richard Neer while talking about N.Y. Giants punter Matt Dodge: "Like Angelina Jolie, he's got a good leg on him."..........Congratulations go out to my good friend Robert "Raven" Kraft of Miami Beach--who has been named a 2010 semifinalist for the Energizer Keep Going Hall of Fame due to his "perseverance, determination, and unstoppable spirit." "Raven" has now completed his 8-mile daily beach run for over 13,000 consecutive days (dating back to New Year's Day of 1975)--covering a distance of more than 104,000 miles. The Energizer Keep Going Hall of Fame was created in 2006 to recognize unsung heroes who inspire others with their motivation and perseverance. Keep it going, "Raven"; more info on this dedicated man and his unfathomable streak can obtained by logging onto www.ravenrun.net ..........Answer to trivia question: JAMES WILDER--who carried the ball a league-leading 407 times for a total of 1,544 yards..........Happy birthday wishes go out to former NBA guard Anthony Bowie--who blows out 47 candles on November 9th. A native of Tulsa who played at Oklahoma, Bowie spent eight years in the league between 1988 and 1998; he also spent time playing overseas. While in the NBA, Bowie played with the Spurs, Rockets, Magic, and Knicks; he played in a total of 461 games and was a career 82% free-throw shooter. His best individual season came with Orlando in '91-'92--a year when he started 26 games while averaging 14.6 points per contest. Bowie later became a high school coach in Orlando, FL; best wishes, Anthony..........Finally, condolences go out to the family of former Vanderbilt basketball coach Roy Skinner--who passed away recently in Nashville of respiratory failure; he was 80. The winningest coach in school history, Skinner compiled a mark of 278-135 as coach of the Commodores; he was a four-time SEC coach of the year. His 1965 team won the school's first SEC title while advancing to the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament. Skinner was always proud of his home record as his teams went 181-41 at their home gym--the Memorial Coliseum. Skinner also made a name for himself by recruiting Perry Wallace--the league's first African-American scholarship player--who broke the SEC's color barrier back in 1967. May Coach Skinner rest in peace.

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