Columnist Ron Kantowski: Let’s bring the Army-Navy game here

Tuesday, May 22, 2001 | 10:21 a.m.

Ron Kantowski's notes column appears Tuesday. Reach him at ron@lasvegassun.com or 259-4088.

Now that the Las Vegas Visitors and Convention Authority has distanced itself from the Las Vegas Bowl, which never has come close to filling Sam Boyd Stadium, perhaps it should consider going after a football game that would, regardless of the participants' won-loss records.

I'm not talking about Rancho vs. Las Vegas High in the annual battle for Sir Herkamer's Bone.

Not when the 2002 Army-Navy game is available.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the City of Brotherly Love has forfeited its right to hold the 2000 Army-Navy shindig (still college football's best rivalry in the estimation of this reporter) because of a scheduling conflict that resulted in a lack of hotel rooms.

Did somebody say hotel rooms?

A large medical convention apparently has booked so many rooms that the Navy goat can't even get a room at Motel 6 in Conshohocken. Philadelphia convention authority officials said the scheduling conflict also could hurt the city's chances to sign a new long-term agreement to host the Army-Navy game.

I say let's give it a shot here and see what happens.

There are at least two potential snags: The game traditionally is played on the first weekend in December and would have to be moved to stay out of the way of the National Finals Rodeo. And given these teams practically filled the cavernous Rose Bowl several years ago during a one-off rivalry renewal in California, Boyd Stadium is a bit on the smallish side.

But if it's rooms the Cadets and Midshipmen require, we can provide them. If the LVCVA could erect some portable grandstands and the various generals and admirals (and broadcast partner CBS, which probably outranks both in this instance) are willing to compromise on the date, then why not Las Vegas?

Before you dismiss the idea, consider the Army-Navy game pumps about $10 million into the local economy during a single weekend.

And if the Navy goat isn't welcome at the Bellagio or Mandalay Bay, he can always stay at my place, where the backyard always needs trimming.

That would probably hurt the gate but improve the ratings. While the Aloha Bowl was poorly attended, it did boffo TV numbers on a day where virtually everybody stays home and there are few live sports from which to choose.

But his mother wasn't the only one who was proud to see Carter be handed the sheepskin in person rather than receive it in the mail. Yours truly also was on the five-year college graduation plan -- only I never had to deal with Allen Iverson outside of the classroom.

Zimmerman claims that all those people made it difficult for him to attract a lunch crowd. Huh?

Unfortunately, it appears Zimmerman takes his cue from Yogi Berra instead of A.J. Foyt, as veteran driver John Paul Jr. could not get Zimmerman's car up to Indy 500 qualifying speed over the weekend.

It probably never has dawned on the NCAA that by seeding the entire basketball tournament, it also is handicapping the games. They could take every game off the board in Las Vegas, and if a No. 2 seed plays a No. 15 in the first round, every Average Joe with 11 bucks to bet knows who is supposed to win and by how much.

Let the betting ban lobbyists chew on that for a while.