Saturday in Vegas: Oh My!

Saturday, 8 am

There is nothing better than an early morning walk in Vegas. (And by early, I mean Vegas early - 8, 9 am , not 5 or 6 where it is still the previous night). I stepped out of the Palazzo heading to the Mirage on a bright sunny day, facing a completely isolated strip - for whatever reason, it cleanses the mind and the body.

After texting everyone to see if they wanted action on the Lady Iowa State Cyclones at 9 am that morning - and only getting 2 takers - I headed to the Mirage to place the wager and met Layup there. An open craps table - well hello! However, it didn't go so well and my losing streak continued, and I was reminded why the dealers at the Mirage are substandard. We felt like we were imposing on them as we gambled at the craps table.

I introduced Layup to the tablue Ultimate Texas Hold em game - I started with 100, and left with....120; Layup started with 200 and left with...about 600. He started betting the sucker bonus bets and hit. Good for him.

Back to the Palazzo and the cabana that we reserved for the day. Got there in time with about 4 minutes left in the Iowa State game. We turned it on and for 10 continuous minutes yelled at the TV, imploring the Cyclones (line: -2.5) to cover. There was plenty of foul language there as we yelled for every foul shot to go in as the Cyclones had a slim lead. Some lady named Alison hit 2 free throws with 10 seconds left to go up 3; Ga Tech did nothing and we were all winners in the first game of the day. I went upstairs to put on my swimsuit, and more importantly, my Iowa State Golf T-shirt in celebration.

Sad note: As we were yelling, the guys in the adjacent cabana came running over.

"What are you watching??" they inquired.

When seeing it was women's basketball, they said "Ohhh... and slithered back. I'm sure we were discussed as the degenerate cabana for the rest of the day.

The next 5-6 hours were spent in the cabana, and that was wonderful. Girlie drinks all around! I had at least 5 Banana Daiquiris (with vodka, I said proudly). My only regrets were that 1) I wish I put more on West Virginia (over Duke), and 2) I wish I started making the ref calls earlier in the day. (But that would mean drinking earlier as well). God, I miss referreeing.

Embarassing moment of the trip #42: We all loved Cal -16 vs. UC-Santa Barbara in the first round, so Wiz, Leland and I had money on that game as well. I left with about 2:00 to go in the game in order to place the next round of men's bets.....well, I got lost in the spa and somehow found myself in the offices of the gym at the Venetian. My phone rings as I am trying to find the stairs.

E: "Hello?"

Wiz: "Final score....Santa Barbara 50...."

E: [half drunk, crouching down waiting breathlessly...]

Wiz: "Cal 67!"

E: [yelling] "It's a cover! Woo hoo!"

At that point, 2 staff members come running out of their offices. "May I help you?"

E: "Um...just trying to find the elevator and get to the main casino!"

Random comment: There is nothing more .... exhiliarating? Pathetic? ....than screaming at the top of your lungs seeing the Marist Lady Red Foxes hit three after three and cover a game for you....while you are naked in the shower.....

Dinner is at 7:30 at the MGM; it is 6:45 and I still have to place a bet over at the Mirage. I tell Don and Mike I will meet them there; Layup calls and berates me because "I can't be late".

Boy, I wish Wiz/Leland put a line on this one. Eric leaving the Palazzo at 6:45, having to place a bet at the Mirage and then head down to the MGM.....over/under on the arrival time?

I get to the Mirage at 6:57..... place the bets (LSU -37.5! It's a LAYUP!)

I leave the Mirage at 7:02......

better pick it up a bit... so I jog for a couple of minutes in my golf shirt and Dockers....

I cross Flamingo at 7:10....ok , time to walk....

I am in front of the Bellagio at 7:14...not good, let's jog.....

I'm across from P.H. around 7:18.....let's jog some more....

In front of the Monte at 7:21......ok, let's cool down.....

Enter the MGM casino from the front at 7:26......can I make it?

Jog through the casino, get to the restaurant (in the farthest place in the back!) at 7:29. Success!

Layup immediately offers everyone a shot of Tequila. Out of breath, I thank him, then ask the waiter for a glass of water IMMEDIATELY!

Wow, what a meal. When the first course is lobster and the second is a perfectly-done scallop, it's a wonderful meal. I can't even remember courses 3 and 4.

We said our goodbyes to Kermit, unsuccessfully trying to convince him to "miss" his flight; Layup and company drove to the MGM, so they drove back; Mike, Don and I decided to take the Monorail.

Bad idea.

After getting on, the monorail stopped at the Flamingo. And never restarted. The announcement on the PA system was not good:

"There has been a malfunction with the train. All passengers should please exit immediately."

Well, then. A maintenance worker walked toward the train: we asked him how long this might take.

"It might be a little while." We all got the hint and started walking.

After a 20-minute delay at the Flamingo since someone disappeared into a restroom - remember, Kermit already left, so Mike and I were stuck watching "Mini-Pai Gow" for 20 minutes as someone took his sweet time, we get back to the Palazzo after about an hour.

Layup was nowhere to be found - as he has said, he had a reaction and had to go to bed. Leland also took a short nap that night. But the five of us gambled the rest of the night.....and there were numerous highlights:

- a winning craps session at a $15 table, interrupted by a phone call; I cashed out after that phone call with a purple chip. Should have gotten a picture of that one.

- a blackjack session with all of us and a great dealer, C.C. I had many questionable hands, such as 6,6 vs a 3; a 9 vs. a 2; soft 18 vs. a 9.........she guided me correctly each time. The reason? "I wrote the card!" she exclaimed proudly.

- Saturday nights at a casino are full of random cheers. Wiz and I started grading them like a golf tournament. A mild holler from the 3-card poker table was a Thursday birdie by Carlos Franco; a bust by a blackjack dealer was compared to a Saturday birdie by Phil....and then there was the hot craps table, whose cheers ended up sounding like a 1986 Nicklaus charge.

We all were doing well at the BJ table, so there was no need for any of us to think about moving.

_

After a while, we got up winners; Don and Mike went to bed and Leland reappeared. So Wiz, Leland, Micah and I were roaming the casino around 3 in the morning.....

and a $25 open craps table was there staring us in the face. Why not?

Wow - that's not for the faint of heart. Every roll was a $100 or so roll. Wiz hit an 8 - and we went into a Tiger/Steve Williams high five routine. Micah actually hit a point (a 5, I believe - Wiz's favorite number!), but that was about it for the highlights. It was a cold table, with a couple of hits here and there, but $500 went down the drain. It may be a while before I jump into that pool again.

At 4:30, I could barely keep my eyes open at the BJ table - even when texting Kermit who arrived safely at his house in Cleveland - and I went to bed. I left Wiz, Leland and Micah alone- what kind of trouble could those three get into by themselves?