Bowling for Pigskin

Bang for the Buck

Back in the late 1800s when I was a college student and football was played with leather helmets, and there were no TV contracts and no BCS and Appalachian State would not be allowed to play Michigan. Colleges played 10 football games per year and a few conference winners got to go to a bowl game. There were a handful of bowl games - the granddaddy of them all of course was the Rose Bowl where a team from snow country got to come to the land of milk and honey to get tromped after they woke up and smelled the roses. I can remember reading about the Orange Bowl which offered all the orange juice you could drink for a dime, and the Sugar Bowl, but not many more. Seems they were all played on New Years Day. In those days the guys who completed college eligibility and went on to play professionally made, maybe $ 10,000 per year. Not bad for playing a game. The professional football season didn't end with a bowl. It just ended.

The decades since have become the age of marketing. Ever since that little black and white box was able to broadcast games clever marketers have been figuring ways to squeeze more dollars out of the sporting public. College bowl games making money? Let's add a few. No, a few more. Ok, a few more. Pigskin bowl games began to multiply like rabbits until today when the "Bowl Season" spans three weeks and some 32 bowl games are played. Gone is the conference champion prerequisite. These days a team has to have six wins out of 11, 12, or 13 in order to qualify. The bowl season has been devalued but the money keeps on pouring in. Clearly the saturation point has not yet been reached.

Oh yes, the "Granddaddy" has been replaced with a rotating system. The supposed two best college teams in the country, as determined by the mysterious magic of the BCS (although many sports fans feel the "C" has no place in BCS) now play the last bowl game of the year. This year it will be played January 7.

Wait. Did I say the LAST bowl game of the year? Whoops. No, there are more. Post-season, post-Bowl Game month finds bowls that are played by those who are nominated or elected to play in all-star type games. There are more all star candidates than the year's Democrat and Republican presidential candidates combined.

Oh, and did I mention the so-called "Super Bowl?" That's played by the real professionals. It is played a month after the other "Bowl Games" are completed but only after teams with a record of 8-8 or worse successfully navigate through the playoff season. PLEASE! I'm getting overloaded with bowl games. I think I'll hang my head over the toilet bowl and wretch over this wretched practice.

A little blogging music maestro.... anything but "Take Me Out to the Ballgame."

Dr. Forgot

Only Two Sevens Left

Whoop De-Doo

Although I'm not a numerologist we assign certain to numbers in our society. The number 13 is supposedly an unlucky one. There is even a term for the fear of anything 13, Triskaidekaphobia. Of course, anybody who lived through the 1960s and the drug culture had another meaning for the number 13. Since "M" is the thirteenth letter of the alphabet, the term "13" was code for marijuana.

Twenty one is used as the age of majority and is often considered to be lucky. I'm not sure of the reason. Perhaps because of a blackjack hand that totals 21 is a winner. Eighty-six is a term often used to throw out or get rid of. In restaurant parlance, "86 the corned beef" means that the supply of corned beef has been exhausted. However if you are in a bar and become too rambunctious, you might get "86ed" or thrown out of the bar. Other numbers have sexual innuendos assigned to them.

Three can be lucky or unlucky, but it is often associated with ultimatums - three strikes and you're out. But the third time is often the charm. Four is lucky - not because of the number itself, but only if it is associated with a clover. Clovers usually have three leaves so to find one with four leaves is not only an anomaly, it is considered to be lucky - not for the clover, though because it gets picked and often dried and squished between the pages of a dictionary or other very large book.

Who hasn't heard of "Lucky 7?" A jackpot that aligns 777 is generally the winner. With that in mind, the year that will soon end should have been a lucky year but there are many who will disagree about the state of good fortune in terms of the war in Iraq, the economy, and certainly the housing market. But regardless there remain just two more days counting today in the old year, so I guess that would be 7-7. Not a winner.

Eight is the year to which we look forward. In Chinese cultures 8 is considered to be a lucky number. Since the shape signifies infinity, other cultures also consider it to be lucky.

Until tomorrow, New Year's eve. While waiting perhaps I could get a little blogging music.... Maestro, do you know Meatloaf's "2 out of 3 Ain't Bad?"

Dr. Forgot

Weekend Update

Catching up on Minutia

Who do buy? MGM sales of shares are those some buyers do buy. Sometimes the sales are as sweet as dew buy. Other times selling is what share owners do by. But a recent large purchase made the SEC and other gaming company watchers ask, "Are those the folks from Dubai who do buy MGM stocks?" The sentence might be a tongue twister but the purchase by Dubai investors of nearly half a billion dollars of MGM stock qualifies the investors for a seat on the MGM Board of Directors. That milestone came as a shock to many gaming insiders, not to mention some folks from Dubai where gaming is illegal. There is no truth to the rumor that MGM placed restrictions on the sale of their stock - such as the ability to spell MGM backwards.

Slip Sliding Away: The line from the once popular song, "The nearer you get to your destination the more you keep slip sliding away," seems to capture the sales figures of new home sales nationally as well as in Las Vegas. While new home sales locally are down more than 40% compared to the same month last year, housing prices have not taken that severe a fall. Although those numbers might convince so many Chicken Littles that not only sales but the sky is falling, there is another side to the coin. The only people who point out that a falling market presents opportunities for those in a position to buy seem to be economics professors.

Make it So: Remember Data in the old Star Trek series? He was the android who just wanted to be a real boy even more than Pinocchio. But sadly, unlike Pinocchio he remained a "droid." In several episodes of Star Trek Data wore a poker visor. A Trekkie bought the visor for 6 grand at an officially sanctioned auction. But when he tracked down the actor who played Data for a signature, the real life actor told the hapless collector it's a fake. I smell a lawsuit here.

All Things to All People - Not: Wal-Mart. The place where you can buy nearly anything from HDTVs to lunch no longer offers online movie downloads. As shocking as that might seem to the millions of Americans who are on the edge of their La-Z-Boys, folks who want to rent flix will have to try Netflix or one of its competitors. If Wal-Mart is your huckleberry for DVD rentals, I hope you're already stocked up for New Year's Eve. Otherwise you might be singing, "Should Auld old movies be forgot..."

Gimmee a Break: Tourism folks who talk about New Year's eve in Las Vegas predict that crowds will break 300,000 this year setting another attendance record. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority thinks that number will pump $ 212 million of non-gaming revenue into the economy. There are 10 new clubs in which to party hearty and few new rooms available but they're priced slightly higher than last year's. If you are a steely-eyed gambler you might wait until the last minute to see if the price drops - but if they all sell out you could be sleeping in your car.

Dr. Forgot

What's Happening New Years 2008?

Vegas Wins Hearts in Diamonds With Clubs

Last New Year's Eve celebration in Las Vegas saw well over a quarter million revelers singing, dancing, hugging, and kissing to gamble on a great 2007. This year the trains, planes, and automobiles promise to bring more than 300,000 to try to outdo last year. With all those folks in town, where's a body to party??? Two main public venues will be the Downtown Fremont Street Experience - a seven-block party that begins at Main Street under the dazzling Viva Vision light show canopy, and continues beyond Las Vegas Boulevard to Seventh Street. Two blocks have been added to last year's five-block venue. The intimate setting includes the front doors of the Golden Nugget, Golden Gate, Four Queens, Fitzgeralds, Plaza, and El Cortez and several casinos.

The other and much larger venue will be the famed Las Vegas Strip, which will be closed to motor traffic between Russel Road and Sahara Avenue, a distance of four miles. But most of the action will probably be from Flamingo Road to Spring Mountain - a bout a mile that includes Paris, Ballys, Bellagio, Caesars, Flamingo, Mirage, Treasure Island, Wynn, Venetian and it's new cousin scheduled for a soft opening this weekend, Palazzo.

But if your tastes on New Years eve favor clubbing several new ones join the fracas. The Palazzo boasts the 40/40 modeled after its sister club in NYC, the CatHouse and LAX at the Luxor, Planet Hollywood's Prive and Triq, Tryst or Blush at the Wynn, Body English at the Hard Rock, Jet at the Mirage, Pure at Caesars, Tao at the Venetian, Mix at Mandalay Bay, Rain, Moon, Playboy Club, and the Ghost Bar at the Palms, Risque at Paris, MGM's Tabu or Studio 54, and Tangerine at the TI (Treasure Island). Did I miss something? Probably, but you've just got to be here to writhe in the ambiance.

Lest you feel worried that with all the action going on in the Clubs, girls getting Diamonds, and winning guys Hearts, that the Spades are absent suits in the casinos, fear not. As the revelers revel outside and the clubbers club inside, and tipsy couples exchange diamonds and hearts, spades will be dealt with the other suits in a business as usual fashion inside the Four Queens and all other casinos. The Big Wheel will keep on rolling and some gamblers will win - or lose the hard way.

After the fireworks are fired and all the booze has been imbibed (no bottles or cans allowed outside, thank you very much), and the revelers have all unraveled, and the sun is about to rise in the desert for the first time in 2008, the cleanup crew will traverse Fremont Street and the Strip and do an amazing job making both areas spic and span before the first wave of tourists stagger out of their beds. Tis a sight to behold. Only in Las Vegas.

A little blogging music Maestro... How about "Viva Las Vegas!"

Dr. Forgot

We're Number One! (again)

Nineteen of 20... Not Bad

Ok, I admit it. Although I'm not a member of the Chamber of Commerce or on the board of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, I was bummed last year when I discovered that after a run of 19 consecutive years, Nevada had ceded the title of fastest growing state in the union. To Arizona, no less. Silver Staters felt stepped on, lied to, cheated on and treated like dirt. How could the census takers have given our long-held title away? Could they have missed somebody in the nation's fourth largest state? Perhaps a few aliens living in Area 51. However, this year, despite housing slowdowns and a near recession nationwide, the Valley of the Dollars and other areas of Nevada have regained the title. (add noisemakers here)

Between the two Julys - 06 and 07, Nevada's population grew at a rate of 2.9% to 2.5 million souls while the second place Arizonies grew at a paltry 2.8% according the Census Bureau. Nevadan's take this stuff seriously enough to plan a gaggle of Las Vegas resorts to open beginning in 2009. Even Ivana's ex - the guy with the funny hair has seen the light in the desert and is building a Tower to Trump all others. With the new building and the jobs they create new residents who will continue to flock to the Entertainment Capital should turn the housing slump upside down.

Let's talk for a minute about the so-called housing slump. Historically Las Vegas has had cheap housing, especially when compared to the Earthquake State to the west, reasonably-priced utilities, and decent wages. A couple of years ago housing prices started to boom. It was not unheard of for a development to begin selling homes based on a few models, and buyers selling the homes before they were completed at profits over six figures. Mortgage money flowed easily as "values" continued to increase. That brought in speculators who bought multiple houses with plans to "flip" them. And they did, until the bubble popped and the Ponzi scheme stopped with a few residents and many speculators holding the bag - uh mortgage.

But for resident homeowners of 5 years or more, many saw their home values double, triple, and more. Now that the big city pundits are bemoaning the great sub-prime debacle, they tell us that the average home has slipped in value about 6%, but in California, Phoenix, and Las Vegas the decline could exceed ten percent. HELLO!! It doesn't take a mathematics Phi Beta Kappa to figure that if your has house doubled or tripled in value, then loses 10% of that value, that fact does not send you directly to the soup kitchen without passing Go or collecting $ 200.00. The folks who are hurt are those who bought at the peak of the market - mostly speculators. Save your crying towels for those whose homes were destroyed by Katrina and those who did not have a 4-5 year run-up in prices.

What's the big deal with states such as Nevada, Texas, and Arizona growing in population while others such as Ohio, Michigan, and Rhode Island losing? Well for one thing, the U.S. House of Representatives and electoral votes can be affected. Texas will probably gain seats, Ohio will likely lose seats, and Nevada, Arizona and Utah may well grow enough to gain another. A little blogging music Maestro.... How about Barbara Streisand's "People."

Dr. Forgot

Kennywood Park

Long Ago and Far Away

I often write about the Valley of the Dollars as I call Las Vegas. But I grew up in another valley, one called the Monongahela Valley, or Mon Valley for short. The towns that lay along the Monongahela River from Pittsburgh south to Monongahela and beyond were collectively called the Mon Valley. Homestead, Braddock, Munhall, Duquesne, McKeesport, Glassport, Clairton, Elizabeth, Monongahela, Donora, and Monessen are among the Mon Valley - all steel towns that raged with open hearths and open hearts. Poles, Czechs, Slavs, Italians, Greeks, Russians, African-Americans, Irish, Anglos.... all worked side by side, attended schools together and played together. And at least once each year made the obligatory trip to Kennywood for the annual "Kennywood Picnic."

Kennywood Park is nestled on the edge of West Mifflin, just above the Monongahela River's Lock and Dam #2. It has been standing there for more than 100 years. It predates Disney World, Disneyland, Seven Flags, or any of the other major parks. Each year each community would have their "Day" at Kennywood. Tickets were presold at schools and a train was available to take kids from Clairton, in my case, To the Kennywood station. We'd trudge up a long hill then spend the day at the park riding the Pippin, Racer, and Jackrabbit roller coasters, pitching woo in the "Old Mill," or frightening the younger kids about snakes allegedly found there, rowing on the pond, etc. Each ethnic group also had its designated day at Kennywood. Italian Day, Slovak Day, Irish Day, etc. It was part of the culture of every kid who was lucky enough to grow up in the Mon Valley.

The steel industry began to fade in the 1970s and mills began to close in the 1980s but still family-owned Kennywood Park was a haven to the kids of the area. Through the 1990s and into the 21st century the area continues to struggle economically. Homes can be purchased for less than the price of a new car. Still, Kennywood, albeit a little faded, remains a haven to take the kids and get away, at least for a day, from those economic woes. The Steel industry might have gone overseas and foreign investments might have taken over many of the large businesses in the area, but at least Kennywood Park was still locally owned. NOT.

Kennywood Park was recently purchased by a Spanish firm that also purchased several other theme parks in the area. Quicker than you can say, "Potato Patch Fries," (a Kennywood staple) the bumper cars, merry-go-rounds, and Laugh-in-the-Dark added a Spanish accent.

The park was actually started in 1898 when the Monongehela Street Railway leased a picnic grove from Anthony Kenny. In 1902 Fredrick Ingersoll built one of the first figure-8 roller coasters at Kennywood and in 1906 two families, Henningers and McSwigans bought the park and the families owned it for more than 100 years. In 1910 a second roller coaster, the "Racer" was build at a cost of $ 50,000 and was the world's largest racing coaster at the time. The double dip Jack Rabbit and the other coasters at Kennywood became legendary.

Over the years the park has been updated. Swimming pools, Noah's Ark, dance halls, rides for romance, rides to scare you, and places to picnic are all standards of Kennywood. Multiple generations have enjoyed the park and taken children and grandchildren. As the community has grown and the bi-lingual immigrants have died off, the park has updated and changed. Whether the sale to a European company is simply another change, another upgrade, or a fiasco remains to be seen. But those of us who have enjoyed many a summer's day at the park will continue to treasure those memories.

A little blogging music, maestro.... How about the "Since I Don't Have You," by that old Pittsburgh group, Skyliners.

Dr. Forgot

The Morning After

Vegas After Christmas

Twas the day after Christmas,
And throughout the Strip,
All of the wise guys,
And their molls who were hip.

Walked through casinos,
And into the Malls,
Ignoring the Roulette Wheel,
And other games calls.

They hoped they'd find bargains,
Their glassed-eyes were bleary.
The girlfriends with no jewelery,
Were disgusted and teary.

Etc. etc. etc. There have been so many spinoffs on "The Night Before Christmas" that I thought I'd bring you up to speed on what things look like in Las Vegas the day after. And they look pretty much like Dubuque, Iowa or Winston-Salem, North Carolina, except for the leftover tourists who have not yet departed. That and the casinos and the buffets, and the all the things that make the Valley of the Dollars a unique place to live.

December used to be dead time in the old days. Shows went dark and performers went home to visit with their families. Then some clever marketer thought, "Why don't we take these slow times and bring in some action?" And before you could say, "Yippie Kai-o" the National Finals Rodeo moved from its cramped space in what New Yorkers call the Southwest, to the real Southwest. December has become the real cowboy month with pickup trucks and big belt buckles and lots of hats.

Years ago the December holidays would be used as a "thank you" for locals, especially cab drivers, culinary workers, and the people who make this giant carnival wheel turn. Hotels would provide comps, 2 for one shows, and many other perks and all you had to do is to prove you were a local. In fact, one year, the local school teachers were trying to decide who would represent them - the union or the teachers organization. The union brought in a university - the first ever besides UNLV, and the teachers organization cut deals with the hotels to comp teachers to food and beverages as well as shows. The result? Free food and shows won out over university credits.

This week the community is gearing up for the giant new year's eve celebration. Some 300,000 visitors will come from around the world to celebrate. Local legend says it is second in size only to that ball-dropping experience in New York, complete with fireworks, blocking off the Strip, back-to-back and belly-to-belly crowds, and lots of booze and entertainment.Let's all raise a cup in hopes that 2008 is a better year.

Are you ready for the blogging music maestro? No, I don't think it is too early to start to practice "Auld Lang Sayne."

Dr. Forgot