Columnist Steve Addy: ‘First annual’ tourney has a tough sell

Steve Addy

Wednesday, May 22, 2002 | 8:50 a.m.

Steve Addy covers college basketball for the Las Vegas Sun. Reach him at addy@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4087.

Years ago, a crusty old editor imparted lots of useful advice to this fledgling writer, most of which I've forgotten. But I knew it was useful at the time.

Among the nuggets that stayed with me: "eager" and "anxious" don't mean the same thing, nor do "convince" and "persuade." Also, dummy, the abbreviation for average is avg., not ave.

But there was one more bit of wisdom I recalled Tuesday. "There's no such thing as a first annual event," he would instruct, crinkling his nose at press release puffery. "It's not annual until they hold another one next year."

That's why I cringed during a press conference to announce the World Pro Challenge, an international basketball tournament that will land -- quite unsolicited -- on our doorsteps June 24-29. Someone on the seven-man dais (seven!) called it the "first annual," and I thought, "You hope so, pal."

Until we see how the first one turns out, perhaps we ought not give it the "annual" treatment just yet. Over the years, we've hosted countless New, Wonderful and Exciting events that came to town with grand plans, but never quite made it to "second annual" or much past that.

This one sounds like a decent enough idea. Gather eight teams from around the world -- three from the U.S., the others from China, Japan, England, Israel and Brazil -- at Cox Pavilion for a week and see who's best.

Anything Dr. Brad Rothermel puts his good name behind deserves a fair shot.

Will it succeed? I have no idea. Like so many other would-be fixtures on our sports landscape, it's up to the locals. If we support it, the World Pro Challenge will get to call itself "annual." If Las Vegas hoop junkies find a six-day event too drawn-out or too pricey, the thing is doomed.

As if the tournament weren't already facing a tough sell, it got off to a wobbly start Tuesday for reasons that still aren't clear.

Local media were advised that Magic Johnson would attend the press conference because his All-Stars are one of the teams and he intends to play. When a 42-year-old living legend who quit basketball because he's HIV-positive plans to suit up for anything more grueling than a Rec league game, that's news.

But Magic did a disappearing act. His name card was on the table and there was a seat for him, but Magic's handlers told tournament officials he was heading straight to the airport after giving a talk at the Hilton.

Instead of Magic, we were left to interview a bunch of guys in suits. All fine people, but none of them won five NBA championship rings.

Egg-faced officials blanched when someone (me) suggested the media was summoned on false pretenses. Considering the track record of said officials, maybe my assertion was out of line. But I had been eager to see Magic again, having covered the NBA from 1987-00 after watching him play for Lansing Everett H.S. and Michigan State in my Michigan youth. It would've been fun to name-drop.

The fact that Magic Johnson couldn't be coaxed into detouring to the Thomas & Mack Center on his way home doesn't cast doubt on the tournament's chances of success. It's still a month away and there will be plenty of promotion time.

But it doesn't send a good message, either. If the World Pro Challenge intends to be anything more than a "first annual" event in this town, better planning and execution will be required to get the rest of us as excited as organizers need us to be.