Wednesday, June 24, 2009 | 12:48 p.m.
NOW
This morning, the Orleans Arena held a news conference to announce the not-so-well-kept secret the Western Athletic Conference is moving its postseason men's and women's basketball tournaments to Las Vegas beginning in 2011.
Then after WAC commissioner Karl Benson was done talking, everybody walked down the hall for another news conference and confirmation of another not-so-well-kept secret: af2 (which stands for Arena Football 2, although there no longer is an af1) will hold its championship game at the Orleans on Aug. 22.
It was sort of like when Bruce Springsteen released two albums -- "Human Touch" and "Lucky Town" -- on the same day.
There even was a "Brilliant Disguise" (although that track wasn't on either of those Springsteen albums but on "Tunnel of Love," which was released all by its lonesome a couple of years before) -- the af2 president bears a striking resemblance to Emmy-award winning actor Hector Elizondo. He even talks with the same cadence and timbre.
When they opened the floor for questions, I had to resist the temptation to ask Jerry Kurz how he thought this new remake of "The Taking of Pelham One Two Three" compared to the original, in which he played Mr. Grey.
Two events. Two press conferences. Two meeting rooms.
One Hector Elizondo lookalike.
Springsteen was right. These are better days, baby.
THEN
When somebody asked about the differences between af2 and the defunct af1, a wise guy in the back of the room said the most essential one is that whereas Jon Bon Jovi owned af1's Philadelphia Soul, Pat Benatar owns af2's Quad City Steamwheelers.
He was joking. I think.
But if the Steamwheelers suddenly change their name to the Shadows of the Night you'll know why.
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