There is more to the Kruger story

Lon Kruger preached a style of basketball that placed a high value on assists.

He wanted his players to apply the concept off the court as well.

I put in a call Tuesday to D.J. Allen, UNLV's senior associate athletic director of external affairs. Kruger and Allen teamed up a couple years ago on a book titled, "The Xs & Os of Success: A Playbook for Leaders in Business and Life ."

Asked to share his favorite Kruger story, Allen said he had accompanied the Rebels coach to a community event one evening about three years ago.

The evening was over and they were driving down Charleston Boulevard, near University Medical Center, when Kruger asked Allen if they could make a brief stop.

They pulled into a life care center near UMC, and Kruger led them through a side door and into a patient's room.

Nurses acknowledged Kruger like he was a fixture.

As it turns out, he was, Allen said.

The young man Kruger was visiting was a die-hard Rebels fan and a quadriplegic.

"He was able to speak, and he used his mouth to operate a computer," Allen recalled.

Back in the car, Allen asked if he could get the story out.

Kruger declined.

With Kruger heading for the University of Oklahoma job, Allen figures he's not speaking out of turn.

There was more to the story. Kruger took players to the care center, too, "to learn and appreciate all the blessings they had in their lives."

"But he wanted no publicity at all," Allen said.

RAISING THE ROMANTICIST BAR

As a concierge at The Cosmopolitan, Adam Lieberman knows something about treating guests like royalty.

So it figured that when it came to popping the question, he would have all the bases covered.

It happened Saturday when he invited girlfriend and local publicist Jennifer Polito to dinner at Scarpetta's at The Cosmopolitan.

After dinner, he took her to a 32nd floor suite for a late-night view of Bellagio's Dancing Fountains.

When they opened the door, greeting her were wall-to-wall petals from 100 red roses and champagne. On the balcony, Lieberman dropped to a knee and proposed to the young woman he met on a flight to Burbank, Calif., 11 years ago.

Later, on his Twitter site, he tweeted, "she said, 'YES!' "

THE SCENE AND HEARD

Another sign of the times, spotted in the window Tuesday of a once-popular Henderson dining destination: "Due to the failing economy, Kathy's Southern Cooking had to close."

SIGHTINGS

Kelsey Grammer and new wife Kayte Walsh at Wolfgang Puck's Spago (Forum Shops at Caesars) on Tuesday. ... James Taylor, shopping at a Toys R Us after his rehearsal for the Academy of Country Music Awards on Sunday. ... Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, keeping an eye on the Connecticut-Butler NCAA championship game Monday while dining at Lavo (Palazzo). ... Travis McNabb, drummer for multiplatinum, Grammy award-winning act Sugarland, chilling out Monday night at Minus5 Ice Bar at Mandalay Place.

THE PUNCH LINE

"Charlie Sheen's live show bombed so badly in Detroit that President Obama gave him a $4 billion bailout." -- Jimmy Kimmel

Norm Clarke can be reached at (702) 383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com. Follow Norm on Twitter @Norm_Clarke.