Las Vegas teen stirs racket

Asia Muhammad can't help being from Las Vegas.

For the 17-year-old who bypassed a college scholarship to play tennis at Southern California to turn pro, being from here has advantages. For starters, Andre Agassi doesn't financially back just anyone. Two, local jeweler Michael Minden doesn't accessorize just anyone.

Competing at this week's U.S. Open, Muhammad, who lost in the opening round of women's singles but is in the third round of the junior girls singles, where she'll meet fellow American Melanie Oudin today, has caught the media's eye. She's doing lots of interviews, and the topic invariably turns to Agassi, who has helped her through her formative tennis years and sponsors her on tour.

"People are starting to look at Las Vegas tennis a little closer now," she told usopen.org.

As for her ties to Minden, he custom-fitted her racket with a couple of diamond A's above the grip.

"This is the first time I've actually put diamonds on a piece of athletic equipment," Minden said. "We came up with a special process to affix it to the racquet with a special technology that transfers the letters to a new racket when Asia wears out the first one."

Maybe Paul Simon can write a song about her, a sequel to "Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes." How about "Diamonds on the Neck of her Racket"?

• PREMATURE HYPE -- The college basketball season is two months away. But that didn't stop the Long Beach State sports information department from revving up the hype machine.

Inside an envelope postmarked Aug. 28 was a poster of senior guard Donovan Morris, who led the Big West Conference in scoring last year as a junior with a 21.2 average, hyping him as an All-America candidate.

All-America voting doesn't take place until mid-March. But the folks at The Beach figured they might as well be living in the future by getting a jump start on the politicking.

• REAL ISSUES -- As the Republicans wrap up their national convention today in the Twin Cities, the locals there have their eyes on two other races.

In case you haven't noticed, the Twins are neck-and-neck with the Chicago White Sox in the battle for first place in the American League Central Division. On Monday, the Vikings open the NFL season against their hated rival, the Green Bay Packers.

Somehow, you figure Vikings fans are more concerned about quarterback Tarvaris Jackson's knee than about vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin's daughter Bristol's baby bump.

• SCALPING LEGALIZED -- Trying to get a ticket to a game at Lambeau Field likely got more expensive Tuesday as the Green Bay City Council approved an ordinance requiring scalpers to buy permits to sell tickets outside Lambeau.

Scalpers will need $800 permits to sell tickets on game day and must do so in a designated area east of the stadium. The ordinance doesn't affect original ticket holders or anyone selling their tickets at face value.

You can bet those scalpers will be passing on those "overhead" costs to fans.

COMPILED BY STEVE CARP REVIEW-JOURNAL