Tuesday, July 13, 2004 | 9:43 a.m.
Ron Kantowski is a Las Vegas Sun sports writer. Reach him at [email protected] or (702) 259-4088.
In that he was only there to pick up a new network card for his daughter's computer, Las Vegas Events president Pat Christenson was only talking extemporaneously last week when told a reporter at a local electronics store that the NBA would be the first of the four major sports to establish a franchise in our sometimes fair city.
But he's not the only one who believes the NBA will be first to wager on Las Vegas once all the elements for a franchise are in place and one very important roadblock -- pro sports' backward views on legalized gambling on the games -- is removed.
Quoting "a source with knowledge of the situation," pro basketball writer Sam Smith reported on the Chicago Tribune's Web site Monday that if Shaquille O'Neal goes to the Miami Heat, Michael Jordan could wind up joining him in an ownership capacity.
That union, at least in Smith's mind, could trigger a domino event that might even include Las Vegas.
Smith, who wrote the best-selling "Jordan Rules," admits to having no other knowledge of discussions Jordan supposedly has had with Heat principals. But as Smith wrote, in that NBA commissioner David Stern has been trying to get Jordan back into the league, such a scenario seems plausible.
What may or may not be plausible, as Smith speculated in his story, is Shaq and Mike joining forces and leaving for Las Vegas to play basketball.
I'd put the percentage for that happening in the forseeable future somewhere below Shaq's at the free-throw line.
But if you're talking about those two dropping what they're doing to hang out at Rain or play for some serious skins on the golf course, Rick Barry's free-throw percentage might apply. Which is why Smith believes the long shot of the Heat moving to Las Vegas still has a chance to draw iron, provided A (O'Neal) leads to B (Jordan) becoming his boss with LV as a possible option.
"South Florida isn't the greatest place for an NBA franchise," Smith wrote. "Pro basketball has never been big there. With the lure of Las Vegas, O'Neal and Dwyane Wade in Heat uniforms, and Jordan in an ownership position, it would be no problem for him to put together a major ownership group. Jordan would have a chance to run the first major-league sports franchise in Las Vegas. And what a draw that would be for the players."
But then Smith began throwing water on his own idea by reiterating that Stern has rejected the idea of putting an NBA franchise here because of the gambling component. And never mind that the Heat's current owners say the team isn't for sale.
In closing, Smith said that while he believes Las Vegas will one day be home to a pro sports franchise and that the NBA traditionally ranks ahead of other leagues in maverick thinking, that day is "probably some time away."
Agreed.
So if you were thinking about trading in tickets to tonight's NBA summer league games at Cox Pavilion for Las Vegas Heat seats in the nosebleed section of Steve Wynn Arena, I'd hold off.
At least until the Expos arrive for batting practice.
Around the horn
I see where Reno City Councilman Pierre Hascheff said he won't mind paying a new $6,000 surcharge on his four courtside seats at Lawlor Events Center for Nevada-Reno basketball games. City councilmen never mind surcharges. But you have to wonder how the season ticket holders up there who wear flannel shirts to work will feel about paying the premium on the not-so-cheap seats at Lawlor and Mackay Stadium, which is expected to generate close to $2 million in additional revenue for Wolf Pack sports. ... If the Cowboys are still America's Team, then the Broncos are ESPN's Team. That would be the Boise State Broncos, who have moved a Sept. 24 game against BYU -- and two others against Oregon State and Hawaii -- ahead to Friday night, so they can appear on national TV. Again, it's a great move for BSU athletic department, but a bad idea if your kid plays quarterback for Pocatello High. ...
Champ Car Series racing drivers Paul Tracy and Alex Tagliani, both natives of Canada who reside in Las Vegas, took shots at each other in print and on TV prior to Sunday's race in Toronto, following the NASCAR blueprint for creating interest in their sport beyond the checkered flag. Las Vegas Motor Speedway would be wise to capitalize of their simmering feud in promoting its recently announced NASCAR trucks/Champ Car doubleheader on Sept. 25 -- provided Tagliani and Tracy don't trade paint in the produce section at the Summerlin Albertson's beforehand. ... Tracy, who is to open wheel racing what a bull is to a china closet (and thus remains the sport's biggest attraction), was penalized twice for running into other cars during the Toronto race -- as was Tagliani. As pit lane reporter Derek Daly (who still runs a driving school out of L VMS) said in his postrace remarks, "Paul Tracy hit everything except the (TV) helicopter." ...
Action Performance, which designs and sells auto racing clothing and memorabilia, has signed a five-year deal with NASCAR's Hendrick Motorsports team, which means you'll soon be able to purchase a diecast car, cap, T-shirt, lunch pail, cigarette lighter, can cooler or humorous cummerbund with Las Vegan Kyle Busch's name, number or picture on it. "This give us a whole team exclusively and will help us build new channels of distribution,"said Action exec Fred Wagenhals, who envisions taking Busch's likeness and those of his more famous teammates Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Terry Labonte to sporting goods and department stores, a la the NFL. "NASCAR hasn't done a good job at the level above Wal-Mart and Kmart." On a semi-related note, the Henderson Wal-Mart where I shop moved the entire line of Tony Stewart collectibles to the aerosol cheese section on Monday, following his run-in with Kasey Kahne that triggered yet another big pileup! in the most recent Nextel Cup race and hootenany. ...
Rodger Ward, a two-time Indy 500 winner who used to promote those crazy open road races on Nevada highways, died last week of natural causes at age 83. Many years ago, I remember asking Ward, a warm and friendly man, to predict the next big star of open wheel racing. "I'd watch out for this Paul Tracy kid," he said. ... If you're looking for something to do with your discretionary dollars, the Las Vegas Hilton already has posted UNLV as a 3 1/2-point underdog for its October game at Brigham Young. Or, you could just take those discretionary dollars and throw them out an open window. ...
One of the highlights of my day is listening to the Phil Hendrie Show on KSFN 1140-AM on the way to the office, but the station could have been a little more creative in promoting its Dodgers baseball games. Hearing Vin Scully describe a base hit over shortstop to give the Dodgers a 1-0 lead doesn't exactly make me want to tune in for a three-game series against the Expos. ... And finally, until Sunday, when I saw Steven Jackson's No. 39 replica St. Louis Rams' jersey hanging in a window in the mall with a $69 price tag dangling from the sleeve, I thought throwback jerseys were all the rage in sports. But given Jackson, a Las Vegan who starred at Oregon State, has yet to carry the ball for the Rams in so much as a preseason game, there must be a demand for "throwahead" gear as well.
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