Saturday, July 15, 2006 | 7:50 a.m.
BRICKTOWN SHOWDOWN
Las Vegas is such a great live sports town that the last time the Triple-A World Series was held here was the last time it was held at all.
We killed it. Our collective lack of interest bludgeoned it to death in front of the ESPN cameras. At least there weren't many witnesses to the heinous crime of playing minor league baseball in Las Vegas in September, long after the last free bobblehead doll had been handed out.
But after going five years without crowning a champion, which nobody seemed to mind, Triple-A baseball has announced it will rejoin the cheap champagne business on Sept. 19 with a one-game, winner-take-all championship pitting the International League champion against its Pacific Coast League counterpart.
The game will be played at Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City, home of the PCL's Oklahoma Redhawks, and will be carried live by ESPN2.
Provided the Oklahoma Sooners aren't holding an open-to-the-public scrimmage that day, the one game should do better than the best-of-five that were held here.
Record crowds turned out for the Big 12 baseball tournament held at Bricktown Ballpark, which also attracted a throng of 11,343 to the 2002 Triple-A All-Star Game.
If you were one of the 19 baseball fans who bought a ticket to the last Triple-A World Series at Cashman Field, you may remember a slugging Indianapolis Indians infielder named Albert Pujols. Other Las Vegas Triple-A World Series alumni include Mark Mulder, Barry Zito, Lance Berkman, Terrance Long, John Halama and Darryl Ward.
On second thought, what was happening that week that seemed so darn important?
PETRI-DISS
Four days after it was announced that Kevin Kruger, son of UNLV coach Lon Kruger, would be transferring to UNLV thanks to some convoluted NCAA rule that makes NASCAR's "lucky dog" provision seem like sound logic, it was similarly announced that Jason Petrimoulx, who plays the same position as Kruger the Younger, is leaving school.
The official word from Kruger the Elder is that Petrimoulx is leaving because of an academic situation.
But isn't that what summer school is for?
That's why the skeptic in me wonders if Petrimoulx, who averaged 10.1 points last season as a junior, didn't also see the handwriting on the wall while the dog was eating his homework.
5
Number of Los Angeles Dodgers who have done rehab assignments in Las Vegas this year (Nomar Garciaparra, Eric Gagne, Cesar Izturis, Dioner Navarro and Jason Repko, who joined the 51s Thursday)
14
Number of UNLV softball players who made this year's Mountain West All-Academic team, a league high
54
UNLV's 1997-98 Sports Academy Directors Cup rating, its highest ever
MOVIN' ON UP
UNLV finished 72nd in this year's Sports Academy Directors Cup (formerly the Sears Cup), an award that is presented annually to the nation's best overall sports program. It should be a big deal but isn't, perhaps because Stanford wins it every year.
While 72nd among a field of 320 may not seem that earth-shaking, it's certainly better than 131st, the Rebels' ranking just two years ago. But it's not as good as 62nd, their standing last year.
"In the last two years, we've improved our standing dramatically, which is proof positive that this athletics program is headed in the right direction," UNLV athletic director Mike Hamrick said in a statement.
But not as positive, I might point out, as last year.
Hamrick can thank his postseason-qualifying women's soccer, men's swimming and diving, women's indoor track and field, and men's and women's golf teams for making him look good.
He'll look even better if and when football and men's basketball join that list.
Jimmy Spencer:
"This guy will win in NASCAR."
ARENAS BALL
Of all the millionaires who will be rolling into town next week for USA Basketball training camp, I think I'm going to like Gilbert Arenas the most.
The Washington Wizards' guard wants so much to make the U.S. national team that he called coach Mike Krzyzewski to tell him he would do whatever it takes to achieve that goal.
"I told him, 'You don't have to worry about me. I'm not one of the egotistical players. If you want me to dive on the floor and run into walls, I'll do it," Arenas said.
You've got to admire the attitude. If Coach K can drag four more guys like that away from the craps tables at the Palms, maybe we'll even beat Argentina.
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