Columnist Ron Kantowski: Supercross fills up Boyd again

Tuesday, May 7, 2002 | 9:56 a.m.

Ron Kantowski's insider notes column appears Tuesday and his Page One column appears Thursday. He can be reached at ron@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4088.

In an annual development that must drive John Robinson and anybody associated with the marketing of the UNLV football program absolutely crazy, Sam Boyd Stadium was filled to capacity Saturday night for the EA Supercross season finale.

A throng of 39,227 motorcycle enthusiasts -- none brandishing pistols, switchblades, pipes, sweat socks filled with quarters or any other "souvenirs" from the previous weekend's Laughlin River Run -- jammed into the football home of the Rebels to watch the supercross riders wear out a little more knee cartilage.

About the only thing that Saturday's race had in common with last year's UNLV football team is that neither mattered in the standings. Hot shot Ricky Carmichael had clinched the 250cc riding championship prior to Las Vegas, which makes the record turnout even more remarkable.

In other notes:

Had you invested a little somethin'-somethin' on Kentucky Derby winner War Emblem when oddsmaker Frank Minervini posted the original Derby odds for Coast Resorts back in August, you certainly would be feeling your oats today. War Emblem opened at 80-1. ... According to the National Thoroughbred Racing Association's own figures, the average age of its 3 million committed fans (those who attend multiple races every year), is now 55 years old, which would seem to indicate two things: modern medicine is more marvelous than ever and the racing industry has failed in an effort to cultivate a younger audience, despite annually spending $30 million on a promotional campaign to do so. ... In a semi-related note, I recently turned 45 but still can't get enough of "Mr. Ed" reruns on Nick at Nite. ...

Speaking of sports on the decline, according to a Sporting Goods Manufacturing Association study, the number of Americans who played tennis as least once dropped by 31 percent during the last decade. But the number of young men who purchased this month's Penthouse magazine to see if those nude photos of Anna Kournikova were the real deal increased by 5,000 percent. ... Cavalcade of Sports Media, Inc., plans to launch a new vintage sports channel in early winter that is expected to compete for nostalgia buffs with ESPN Classic. Calvacade's library of historic footage includes sports and athletes from 1940-79. That already sounds more interesting than ESPN Classic, which relies too much on the 1990s and sometimes even games you watched last weekend -- it passes them off as "Instant Classics" -- for much of its programming. ...

Former Las Vegas Posse (CFL) standout Tamarick Vanover is threatening Darryl Strawberry's record for second chances. Vanover, who spent two months in jail for his role in a stolen car case and also admitted to once giving former Chiefs teammate Bam Morris $40,000 to buy marijuana, has agreed to a one-year, $525,000 contract with the San Diego Chargers. ... According to a Bloomberg news report, Mandalay Sports Entertainment, whose minor league sports holdings include the Las Vegas 51s, is trying to raise $25 million to buy five more franchises. I wish it would spend a little of that money on a facelift for Cashman Field. The place needs a fresh coat of paint and a little sprucing up. ...

Early nominee for Worst Acting Job by an athlete: Kerry Earhhardt in that 10-10-220 (his sponsor) telephone spot. He's stiffer than the suspension in his Busch Series racecar. Honorable mention: Giants second sacker Jeff Kent, in a monologue for ESPN The Magazine. He sounds about as sincere as a loser on Jeopardy thanking Don Pardo for his lovely parting gift.