Playing Six Degrees of Las Vegas
I’ve often said that if you look long and or enough, you’ll find a Las Vegan angle to most major sports stories. It’s hyperbole, of course. But only slight hyperbole.
For instance, there was Texas A&M’s epic comeback from 12 points behind with 35 seconds to play during last weekend’s March Madness — or Northern Iowa’s comprehensive meltdown — depending on how you look at it.
Unfortunately for the Northern Iowa players, most will look at it as the most comprehensive of meltdowns, and who the heck is Ali Farokhmanesh anyway?
Nobody could recall anything like that, but that is what people, especially announcers, say at such a time. But in 2005, UNLV had rallied from 10 points down with 29 seconds to play to win at San Diego State — this obviously was before the mere sight of the Aztec jersey would cause UNLV to have a comprehensive meltdown of its own.
Afterward Curtis Terry, who led the comeback but was more known for slapping his palms on the court whenever Lon Kruger needed a defensive stop, said you’re not supposed to win those type of games. It was that year’s leader in the clubhouse for Understatement of the Year.
Rebels fans still talk about that game every now and again. But I’ll bet hardly anybody recalls what happened at Orleans Arena on Dec. 22 past.
Canisius trailed Louisiana-Monroe by 13 points with 1:02 to play before going on a 14-1 run to force overtime. The Golden Griffins, which is what they call Canisius, would win in three overtimes, 108-96. The overtimes were sort of weird, too — each side missed a free throw, or free throws, with one second to go in the extra periods causing additional overtimes.
CBSsports.com said the Continental Tire Classic thriller between Canisius and Louisiana-Monroe “might have been the game of the season.” Which is what sports websites say at such a time.
At least they only said “might.”
Shunning the books
Anybody who thinks Randall Cunningham’s daughter made an unwise decision by turning pro in track and field instead of going to college should consider what Dick Fosbury — creator of the Fosbury Flop, the style Vashti Cunningham has utilized in becoming one of our nation’s pre-eminent distaff high jumpers — told me a couple of years ago.
We were standing outside the Orleans Arena during an international curling competition — I’m still not sure how we met there — when Fosbury said it was nearly impossible to juggle books while pursuing Olympic gold.
After standing on the top step of the medals podium in Mexico City in 1968, Fosbury did not try for a second gold medal in Munich. He had flunked out of engineering school at Oregon State while training for Mexico City.
He said the the dean was kind enough to take him back in, with one condition: that he focus on surveying the things in his path, instead of jumping over them backward.
“I tried to qualify for the Trials, but the better I did in athletics, the worse my grades became,” said the high-jumping legend.
Tough Glove
This is what Damon Stoudamire, the new basketball coach at Pacific, wrote in a letter to his 12-year-old self for the Players Tribune website about Gary Payton. Payton has a nice home in Summerlin and recently was feted at halftime at the Pac-12 tournament at the MGM Grand Garden for being the greatest guard in conference history. He played in college for Oregon State, as his son does now.
“Wait until you hear how this dude Payton talks,” Stoudamire wrote to his 12-year-old self. “Not just when he hits a big shot. He talks all game. He talks in the warm-up. He’s still talking as he’s walking off the court. This dude would follow you to the parking lot if he could.
“He’ll go at anyone. He’ll go at Scottie Pippen.
“One time you’ll be playing Gary in Portland, and he’ll be in Pippen’s ear. ‘You ain’t nothin’ anymore, Scottie. Where’s Mike? Where’s Mike at? I ain’t scared of you now, Scottie.’
“Mind you, Scottie will have six NBA titles at this point. Gary will have none. And he won’t care. ‘Hey, Scottie! You know what, man? You ain’t top 50 of all time. You want me to show you my list? I had you at 51, Scottie. I had you at 51. I had Dominique ahead of you. You’re 51, Scottie.’ ”
I had at you at 51, Scottie? I had Dominique ahead of you?
That’s Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt in the movies. That’s as good as it gets.
The price is high
This is what it cost a family of four to attend various sporting events in 2015. The bottom line is based on the price of two adult tickets, two child tickets, two beers, two sodas, parking and a program. (Foam “We’re No. 1” finger not included):
— Minor league baseball: $64.18
— Major league baseball: $211.68
— NBA: $333.58
— NHL: $363.58
— NFL: $480.89
It’s no wonder NFL stadiums are replacing yard markers with ATM machines. But at least the pro football season is only eight home games, plus playoffs and preseason. The NHL season is 41 games, plus preseason and playoffs and a game in a football stadium where it might snow, if you’re team is chosen.
At $363.58 per game, if Las Vegas gets a hockey team it’s possible you might have to disown one of your kids to see it play.
Mindless buzzer beaters
Three reasons I don’t bet on sports:
1. I stink at it, and sometimes the R-J’s Matt Youmans doesn’t return my calls.
2. This basket by Frank Mason III at the end of the Kansas-Maryland Sweet 16 game: http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2016/3/25/11303122/kansas-garbage-time-score-maryland-frank-mason
3. This longer basket by Dillon Brooks at the end of the Oregon-Duke Sweet 16 game: https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/713219953038479360
I can almost guarantee that were I a sports betting man, these meaningless baskets would have affected the total and that I surely would have had the other side.
Jr. Knicks get their man
I saw on Twitter where the Las Vegas Junior Knicks have welcomed former UNLV standout Reggie Manuel to their coaching staff.
So at least somebody in town has named a new basketball coach.
Las Vegas Review-Journal sports columnist Ron Kantowski can be reached at rkantowski@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0352. Follow him on Twitter: @ronkantowski
