Columnist Sal DeFilippo: When Hizzoner busts out, it’s Wayne Newton to the rescue

Sal DeFilippo

Friday, Oct. 27, 2000 | 10:22 a.m.

Sal DeFilippo's pro football picks column appears Friday. Reach him at 259-4076 or sal@lasvegassun.com

It's about 9 a.m., midweek, when the phone rings.

"Sal, Mayor Goodman is calling for you."

As always, I queue up the theme from "The Sopranos" to play in the background. With a name like DeFilippo, I can get away with it.

"Sal, I'm out of cash. You have to help me," Goodman says. "I can't bear to see BANKRUPT next to my name."

I should disclose that the cash he is referring to is the fake $20,000 he started with in the What's Their Line contest that accompanies this column every week.

"Good thing you're not the state treasurer," I replied. "Well, I've never issued a fake loan before. Let me think about this one. My people will get back with your people, your honor."

Now all I had to do was find some people. But I didn't cause this dilemma. Goodman's style of aggressive wagering backfired when the Rams and Vikings failed to cover the spread last week, draining his imaginary account.

But even pretend money doesn't grow on pretend trees. If I just gave him more money, that wouldn't be fair to the others. Still, I felt the need to help -- after all, the mayor is competing in the friendlier Sportsmen's division, and to force him out at midseason doesn't seem right.

Plus, he's like family to me -- or at least like he's defended some of my family during his pre-public life in the courtroom. But that's another story. So how can I play banker and provide the mayor with more Monopoly money without mortgaging the integrity of the contest? The solution came to me the same way it always does -- somebody suggested it.

"You should get someone else to loan him the money," one of our reporters said.

So who could I get to stage such a loan? Who would entertain such an idea? I think you know where I'm going here.

"Without reservations, I will gladly continue the tradition of the American Indian giving the white man money," Wayne Newton said of the $2,000 that has been transferred to the mayor's account.

Newton has been conservative with his picks, and still has more than $16,000 left from his original stake. The mayor stopped short of proclaiming "Wayne Newton Fake Loan Day," but he was still very pleased.

"Now I know why they call him Mr. Las Vegas," Goodman said. "At least now I don't have to go stand outside Casa de Shenandoah and wait for someone to come to the door.

"I had some real wagers out there, but I was actually more upset at losing the fantasy money, but I feel like I have been publicly disgraced, almost like I am living in infamy."

Newton even insisted that the loan be interest-free, for which I am grateful, because I'm not sure if the vig is compounded quarterly or exactly how that works.

Why 2K?

"This will keep me going for a couple of weeks, and maybe I can turn things around. I know that with Wayne Newton as the benefactor, at least if I welch on the loan my kneecaps won't be broken," the mayor said.

But a good mayor is always prepared.

"I'm already looking at options to see who I can borrow from next. You never know how these games are going to go," he said.

Last week

It took until midseason for me to reach midseason form, but I'm there -- the Jets' miraculous rally to push against the spread on Monday was the only nonloss of the week. The season mark falls to 18-20-2 against the number, the first time I've dipped below .500 since the season's second week, but probably not the last time.

My top five

GREEN BAY +5 at Miami -- The Packers are coming off a bye week, while Miami is six days removed from the biggest collapse in team history. As long as the Pack can stay within four touchdowns or so heading into the fourth quarter ... Miami 17, Green Bay 16.

BALTIMORE -4 1/2 vs. Pittsburgh -- I'm laying points with Trent Dilfer, yet I still wonder why my record is bad. Baltimore has put the O in October, scoring exactly zero touchdowns. Fortunately, this is one of those months with five Sundays, so the Ravens have one more chance. Baltimore 10, Pittsburgh 3.

RAMS -7 at San Francisco -- The NFL could make this game a lot simpler by declaring the first team to hold the opposition to a field goal the winner. Still, that could take a couple of quarters. St. Louis 57, San Francisco 42.

CLEVELAND +3 vs. Cincinnati -- Two words you can't use consecutively when referring to Cincinnati: Winning and streak. The Bengals have still lost every game in which their star running back doesn't set an NFL rushing record. Cleveland 20, Cincinnati 12.

OAKLAND -7 at San Diego -- After a week off, the rejuvented Chargers come out and play the kind of game they are capable of playing. Oakland 28, San Diego 10.