Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Duly Noted

BRONZED BOMBER

Attention, Dr. Lonnie Hammargren: Has the International Institute for Sport and Olympic History got a deal for you.

As someone who has a replica of the space shuttle and a monorail system in his back yard (aka "The Hammargren Home of Nevada History"), the retired Las Vegas brain surgeon is pretty close to being a man who does, indeed, have everything. But for a cool $1 million, he can add the bronze statue of Rocky Balboa, used as a prop in "Rocky III," to his collection of useless souvenirs and artifacts.

The statue apparently is so tacky that the Philadelphia Art Museum board of directors had it removed from the famous steps that Rocky ascended before fighting Apollo Creed in the original "Rocky" (you know, the good one).

The Spectrum didn't want it, either.

I heard the sculpture was going to serve as Joe Frazier's hat rack before the Institute for Sport, based in State Park, Pa., acquired it. Maybe that explains why Rocky threw his motorcycle helmet at it in the movie.

Harvey Adams, the institute's president, called to ask if I thought Caesars Palace or one of the other hotels that hosts major prizefights would be interested in purchasing the work of semiart created by A. Thomas Scholberg.

"Not in your mini-Eiffel Tower life," I told him.

ANDY'S IN, ANDRE'S NOT

Last month, when plans to move the Tennis Channel Open from Scottsdale, Ariz., to Las Vegas were announced, a spokesman at Agassi headquarters told me it wouldn't be possible for Andre the Tennis Giant to pull out of a commitment to play in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, that same weekend at such short notice.

Then this week, at even shorter notice, Andy Roddick (who is ranked even higher in the ATP computer than our man Agassi) said he was pulling out of the Middle East to play tennis in our desert instead.

Roddick's presence, provided he can avoid an early upset and center court doesn't fall apart, should make the event a success right out of the box. But not as big a success were he and Agassi to trade thunderous ground strokes in the final.

T&M SQUARED

I heard from Jaymie Morris, the daughter of longtime UNLV benefactor Bill "Wildcat" Morris, who wanted to make sure her late father received credit for his part in making the Thomas & Mack Center a reality in the early 1980s.

Although a $1 million donation by bankers E. Parry Thomas and the late Jerome Mack got the project going, it was Morris' 10-year lobbying effort to return a federal slot tax to Nevada that provided the balance of the funds.

So let me amend my suggestion last week that the arena be renamed the Thomas & Mack & Tarkanian (as in legendary coach Jerry) Center, or TMT for short. Perhaps we should just call it the Thomas and Mack and Tarkanian and Morris Center.

Or T&M&T&M.

The ampersand folks would love it.

HOLDING ANOTHER COURT

Sometimes, it's funny how the college basketball gods work.

Last Saturday night, the court at the Thomas & Mack Center was named in honor of Jerry Tarkanian, UNLV's all-time winningest coach.

Tonight, the court at the Western New Mexico Fieldhouse in Silver City, N.M., will be named in honor of Dick Drangmeister, WNMU's all-time winningest coach.

In 1981, Western New Mexico, then a tiny NAIA school, lost a competitive season opener to Tark and the Rebels, 83-70, at the old Las Vegas Convention Center.

It was good to see Tark enjoy another moment in the sun. Unfortunately, Drag, as my uncle was called by all who knew him, died in July after a lengthy bout with cancer.

If Jim Valvano is looking for an assistant, I can recommend a pretty good one.

MULLIGAN

Because of an editing error, I referred to the late PGA Senior golfer Mike Austin as Mike Evans in a column on Austin's record 515-yard tee shot in 1974 -- and was immediately assessed a penalty stroke by one of his former pupils.

"He was a gruff, old Scotsman and did not suffer fools gladly, even then," wrote Michael O'Leary in an e-mail. "Somehow, I feel that he'd be glad that someone took you to task."

29-43-361

Former Las Vegas Posse quarterback Anthony Calvillo's passing completions, attempts and yards in Sunday's Canadian Football League Grey Cup. Calvillo's Montreal Alouettes lost 38-35 in overtime to the Edmonton Eskimos.

35,275

The Mountain West's average football attendance for 48 home games this year, a conference record.

9

The number of consecutive wins by Mountain West member TCU, the nation's third-longest football winning streak behind USC (33) and Texas (18).

UNR basketball star Nick Fazekas:

"It's a good feeling, but we're not surprised by it."

on the 20th-ranked Wolf Pack's 72-70 victory at Kansas Thursday.

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