"Lazzari's Sports Roundup" - - - - 9/10/11

Question: Now that actress Minka Kelly has split from Derek Jeter, do you think she'd be interested in an older man who occasionally writes about sports? I know--I have a better chance of paying $1.50 for a gallon of gas this coming week..........TRIVIA QUESTION: Who was the last member of the New York Mets to lead the National League in singles? Answer to follow..........Scenario: LPGA golfer Karen Stupples marries fellow golf pro Fred Couples, divorces, then marries San Diego realtor Jim Supples. She then walks around golf courses with the full name of Karen Stupples Couples Supples..........ITEM: Two Drake basketball players--Rayvonte Rice and Kurt Alexander--are arrested for stealing $50 worth of socks from a sporting goods store; both men later stated that they were "young and dumb" and sorry for their actions. Translation? "WE GOT CAUGHT"..........This week in sports history, September 13, 1970: Australian tennis star Margaret Court completes the second women's grand slam in history--beating Rosemary Casals 6-2, 2-6, 6-1 at the U.S. Open in Forest Hills, NY. Court matched the feat of Maureen Connolly 17 years before and became the fourth player overall to join the grand slam club (Don Budge-1938, Rod Laver-1962, '69). In this match, Casals actually became the first U.S. Open player to win a set from Court in two years. But the talented Australian ultimately broke Casals twice in the final set--attacking her opponent's backhand on her way to the historic victory..........Sad news regarding the death of NFL Hall of Famer Lee Roy Selmon--who died last week following a stroke at the age of 57. His on-the-field excellence while with Tampa Bay as a defensive end was obvious--as he was enshrined in Canton in 1995. But the statement released shortly after his death by the Glazer family (Buccaneers owners) showed the TRUE greatness of this man--as it read that "his stature off the field as the consummate gentleman put him in another stratosphere." All I can say is thanks for being YOU, Lee Roy Selmon..........My best description of Red Sox pitcher John Lackey? He's a "non-money pitcher" who happens to be earning "money pitcher" money..........Here's a stat for you: Former major league infielder Angel Salazar--who played for three different teams between 1983 and 1988--had 933 career plate appearances and walked just 19 times. Depending on where he was playing, this guy must have swung at anything in the same ZIP CODE..........Lazzari's "Lopsided Score of the Week": In a college football game last weekend, Cincinnati annihilated Austin Peay 72-10; the Bearcats had a 41-0 lead at HALFTIME. My first thought: Was this a lone individual NAMED Austin playing that day vs. Cincy--one who could have used some MAJOR help from ten other guys on defense?..........Answer to trivia question: LANCE JOHNSON--who notched 166 singles for the Mets back in 1996..........Happy birthday wishes go out to former MLB player Pat Listach--who blows out 44 candles on September 12th. Listach, who played college ball at Arizona State, was the AL Rookie of the Year in 1992 as a member of the Milwaukee Brewers--a year in which he garnered 168 hits and stole 54 bases. Sadly, Listach never duplicated those type of numbers again--playing only six seasons and being done with major league baseball by the age of 30 (ending his career with the Astros). He later became a minor league manager in the Cubs system and was named Chicago's bench coach last year. Best wishes, Pat..........Finally, condolences go out to the family of former NBA coach Scotty Robertson--who passed away recently in Louisiana at the age of 81. Robertson was best known for being the first coach of the New Orleans Jazz (1974); he was fired after just 15 games that season after compiling a record of 1-14. He also coached the Bulls and Pistons between 1978 and 1983; as a head coach, his career record was 109-178. Robertson was later an assistant with the Spurs and Suns. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Betty Lou, three daughters, and ten grandchildren. May Scotty Robertson rest in peace.