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Decrepit Boxers Holyfield & Botha Prance in Las Vegas Ring Tonight

The “reveal” update:  Last night the 47-year-old Holyfield (43-10-2, 28 KOs) knocked out 41-year-old Frans Botha with 2:05 left in the eighth round Saturday night. Holyfield (43-10-2) knocked the defending champion down 31 seconds earlier with a right to the old guy’s chin.

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Some professional boxers just refuse to give up- or, perhaps, they can’t afford to.  

American heavyweight boxer Evander Holyfield, left in photo, 47, squares off tonight with almost equally aged foe Francois “White Buffalo” Botha, 41, of South Africa at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas.  At stake is the WBF heavyweight championship belt- and best, if you want to watch the fight, to pull out the No-Doz.

Holyfield, the former four-time heavyweight champion, apparently, wants to who wants to prove he stills has the skills to be a world champion, even though he last held a belt nearly 10 years ago and has lost two fights in a row. 

Holyfield has a professional boxing record of 47 wins with four losses, two draws and 27 KOs. 

Botha (47-4-3, 28 KOs), has had a relatively distinguished career as a heavyweight boxer with top contenders, but has fought several world heavyweight champions including Mike Tyson, Shannon Briggs, Axel Schulz, Michael Moorer, Lennox Lewis and Wladimir Klitschko. 

Even so, Botha is named the current World Boxing Foundation World Heavyweight Champion. (Although he won the International Boxing Federation World Heavyweight title in the ring the fight was declared a no contest and he was never officially recognized as champion.) 

Probably feeling that long-term boxing is not good for the brain cells, Botha had some smarts and turned entrepreneur for a short time, corning the market on some magical champagne glasses. All you had to do was twist the stem and, voila!, the fluted glass supposedly lit up like Grand Central Station at rush hour. 

Promoters are literally begging the fight sales light up.  By Friday afternoon, only 2,000 tickets had been sold, leaving promoter Crown Boxing, which is paying Holyfield $150,000 plus a pay-per-view percentage, to hope for a large walk-up crowd. Even $25 lower-bowl seats are going unsold. 

Holyfield currently has the odds of minus-360, Botha plus-280

If you’re into comedy and want to save gas money, turn on the fight at 8 p.m. (PT) on pay per view (Cable 502, DirecTV, Dish Network) and shell out $29.95.

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Aging Mike “Ear-Biter” Tyson Throwing Gut Back into Ring? Not yet. He’s PIGEON RACING!

Recent sightings of a slimmed-down Mike Tyson added fuel to reports of a rumored rematch between Tyson and Evander Holyfield. 

Tyson, who hasn’t fought in five years and was known for his paunchy gut as of late, is clearly getting back in shape, losing 50 pounds, according to those who have spotted him taking regular long walks near his Anthem home in Henderson, Nevada. 

When Tyson, now 43, lost to Kevin McBride in 2005, it was his third defeat in four bouts over three years. 

His arch nemesis, Evander Holyfield, 47, has been cleared for a tentative April 17 fight in Las Vegas against Frans Botha.

Promoter Don King, likely wanting to keep his trump card, is trying to squash news that a Tyson-Holyfield fight reunion is not true.

But while biding his time for this to occur, we’ve learned that the eccentric one will soon star in an Animal Planet series that will feature — are you sitting down? — pigeon racing.

The show, titled “Taking on Tyson”, will showcase amateur pigeon racer Tyson against “serious competitors.”   

We’ve all known that Tyson has  bats aplenty in his belfry, but many probably are not aware that Tyson has apparently also raised pigeons all his life — squab anyone? — but is just now getting into the glamorous world of racing them.  (Hopefully, he won’t toss them around in their cages.) 

The show is on track to be taped this spring in New York City and will air early next year.

“Tyson’s passion for his pigeons takes my breath away,” says Animal Planet Media President Marjorie Kaplan.

If you’d like to bone up on your knowledge of this parlor sport, Las Vegas Backstage Access suggests visiting the American Racing Pigeon Union Web site, where you will find all you need to know- and probably lots you wish you never read.

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Jimmie Johnson Wins NASCAR Shelby American in Las Vegas

Four-time defending NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, driving the No. 48 Lowes car, cheered on by an almost sell out crowd, won his second-straight race Sunday, as he took the checker flag in the 2010 Shelby American from Las Vegas Motor Speedway. 

Oddsmakers from online sports book SBGGLOBAL.com gave Johnson 9/2 odds to win the Shelby American, meaning a bet of $100 on Johnson paid out $450. 

A late pass of teammate Jeff Gordon led to Johnson’s victory, as he led just 18 laps in the race while Gordon led 219. 

Kevin Harvick finished second as he also slipped past Gordon late while Gordon finished third, Mark Martin took fourth and Matt Kenseth was fifth. 

Kyle Busch, the pole sitter, came in 15th place and led one lap. 

Johnson moves up to fifth in the standings while Harvick maintains his spot in first place, 47 points ahead of Clint Bowyer.

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Las Vegas NASCAR Complete Schedule

Everywhere you look this week it’s NASCAR all over Las Vegas. Here’s the definitive NASCAR meet and greet schedule: 

First, click here for the complete schedule for what’s happening at NASCAR only at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Next, here are the sequential driver events occuring BEFORE the Las Vegas NASCAR events:

Thurs., Feb. 25  

Noon – Martin Truex Jr., Kurt Busch, Marcos Ambrose, Michael Waltrip, crew chief Pat Tryson at Martin Truex Jr. Foundation’s No-Limit Texas Hold ‘em Poker Tournament at the Monte Carlo Resort & Casino. Spectator admission is free; $225 to play. 

2-4 p.m. – Raybestos Rookie drivers Terry Cook and Kevin Conway (and others TBA) from the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will participate in a cooking competition at the ESPN Zone in the New York New York Hotel & Casino. 

4-6 p.m. – Tony Stewart at Office Depot, 1435 W. Craig Road 

4 p.m. – Brad Keselowski at Discount Tire, 6565 E. Lake Mead Blvd. 

4 p.m. – Dale Earnhardt Foundation Poker Tournament, Stratosphere Hotel & Casino: Kerry Earnhardt, Kenny Wallace, Kirk Shelmerdine, Casey Mears, Matt Crafton, Regan Smith, Aric Almirola, Eric McClure, Todd Bodine, Mike Bliss, Scott Lagasse Jr, Andy Ponstein, Danny Efland and car owner Tommy Baldwin. Spectator tickets are $20. 

5 p.m. – Sam’s Town Live! inside Sam’s Town Hotel & Gambling Hall – 12th annual AutoTrader.com NASCAR Driver Auction. Drivers scheduled to appear include: Greg Biffle, Bobby Labonte, David Ragan and Kyle Petty. Event also includes silent auction, appearance by Home Improvement TV star Mickey Jones and music by Skid Rodeo. Admission is $20. 

5:30 p.m. – Kasey Kahne at PT’s Pub, Interstate 215 at Decatur Blvd.   

6 p.m. – Kurt Busch at Pole Position Raceway, 4175 S. Arville 

6:30-8:30 p.m. – Kyle Busch at M&M’s World on Las Vegas Blvd. 

6:30-7:30 p.m. – David Reutimann at NASCAR Café at Sahara Hotel & Casino 

8-9 p.m. – Trevor Bayne at NASCAR Café at Sahara Hotel & Casino 

FRIDAY, FEB. 26  

7-9 p.m. – Bobby Labonte, Terry Cook at the Stratosphere Hotel & Casino 

7-7:30 p.m. – Trevor Bayne at The Pub at the Monte Carlo Hotel & Casino 

7:30-8 p.m. – Michael McDowell at The Pub at the Monte Carlo Hotel & Casino 

8:15-9:15 p.m. – Kurt Busch at Indigo Lounge in Bally’s Hotel & Casino 

Show cars only:

Friday, Feb. 26
10 a.m.-5 p.m. – Joey Logano’s No. 20 at Home Depot at Lamb Blvd. at E. Charleston 

SAT., FEB. 27  

5 p.m. – Tony Stewart, Ryan Newman at Lagasse’s Stadium in the Venetian Hotel & Casino. Stewart will be honored as part of The Venetian and The Palazzo’s Legends of the Sport series. An $89 package is available for purchase which includes premium seating in Lagasse’s Stadium for the Q&A session, meet-and-greet with Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman, and autographed photo by both drivers. 

5:30-6 p.m. – Marcos Ambrose at The Pub at the Monte Carlo Hotel & Casino 

Race Tickets 

Tickets for the Feb. 28 Shelby American NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, the Feb. 27 Sam’s Town 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series event and the fabulous Neon Garage fan experience may be purchased by calling the LVMS ticket office at (702) 644-4444 or online at www.LVMS.com. Follow LVMS on Facebook and Twitter.

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Where are the Super Bowl Parties in Las Vegas? Everywhere!

Why spend thousands of hard earned dollars to go to Miami when you catch all the action literally everywhere in Las Vegas for a comparative mere pittance? 

Apparently, thousand of people are of the same persuasion. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority anticipate 278,000 people to visit Las Vegas this weekend- that’s a whopping 13.5 percent increase from last year’s visitor totals.  The nongaming impact from all those visitors is expected to be up 2.4 percent to $89.7 million. 

So, why don’t you see advertising on Las Vegas’ Super Bowl activities?  It’s simply because of the National Football League’s half-baked and business-choking stance against sports betting, the league has threatened legal action against Las Vegas casinos that use the Super Bowl name in their promotions of parties and events surrounding Sunday’s game. But that hasn’t deterred casinos from promoting “Big Game” activities at their properties or kept Super Bowl bets from becoming a major draw at local sports books. 

Station Casinos, South Point and The Orleans, for instance, will show the game in a ballroom that is open to the public. NFL rules do not allow companies to charge admission to rooms where the game is being shown. 

Las Vegas casinos also can have free but private viewing parties for invited guests and VIPs away from the sports book. 

Station Casinos, which owns 10 Las Vegas casinos, are holding viewing parties for invited guests and are offering $1 hot dogs and $1 Budweisers. 

The Las Vegas Hilton is also having a huge viewing party. 

The Palms will hold its football viewing party for VIPs in its Fantasy Suites, including the Hardwood Suite where guests can relax and shoot hoops during breaks in the game. 

The Hard Rock Hotel, which just opened 824 new hotel rooms and 40,000 square feet of new casino space, is having a public party in Wasted Space and a party for invited guests at The Joint. 

For Boyd Gaming Corp., whose properties include Sam’s Town, The Orleans and Suncoast, this weekend is one of the biggest on its winter calendar. 

“It’s far more than just the sports book,” Boyd spokesman David Strow said. “On Sunday, you’ll be able to see the game pretty much in every nook and cranny of the casino.” 

MGM Mirage is also expecting a big weekend even without a lot of extra hype. The gaming company said it has sold out or is near selling out at its 10 Strip properties even though it is not holding any special game-day parties or promotions, other than offering free T-shirts at Paris Las Vegas and Bally’s with $25 parlay bets. 

Nothing boosts business at Las Vegas sports books like the Super Bowl.  With a record haul predicted for the contest (previous article on Feb. 4, 2010 by Las Vegas Backstage Access), still wagering has never reached the elusive $100 million mark.  It has steadily increased over the years, from around $50 million in 1989 (when the San Francisco 49ers nipped the Cincinnati Bengals) to $71.5 million in 2002 (when the New England Patriots upset the St. Louis Rams) to a record $94.5 million bet on Super Bowl XL in 2006, when Pittsburgh beat Seattle.   Maybe this will be the year?

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Harlem Globetrotters Dunk Into Las Vegas

In their 84th consecutive season touring the world, the venerated Harlem Globetrotters bring their basketball hi-jinks as part of the 2010 Magical Memories World Tour to the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas for one-night-only, February 10 at 7:00 p.m.. 

Also known as the Magicians of Basketball® and the Ambassadors of Goodwill®, the Harlem Globetrotters entertain audiences with a dose of slapstick comedy and a unique mix of trick shots, high-flying dunks and basketball handling wizardry. 

The legendary team has played more than 25,000 games in their nearly 85-year history.  They have played in 120 countries, on six continents and for more than 130 million fans—including everyone from Presidents of the United States to the Pope. For the North American leg of their 2010 Magical Memories World Tour, the team will play nearly 270 games in more than 215 cities in 44 states, five Canadian provinces and in Puerto Rico. 

Tickets are on sale now and are priced at $21.00, $29.00, $36.00, $56.00, $76.00 and $114.00, inclusive of tax and fees. Tickets can be purchased at the Orleans Arena Box Office by calling 702-284-7777 or by visiting www.orleansarena.com.

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Las Vegas Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Brings 27,000 Runners; Caroline Rotich Wins

Last year, only about 13,000 runners took part. This year, organizers say an international field of elite athletes helped round out and expand the registered runners, bringing out 27,000 racers on a brisk and wintry day today in Las Vegas.  

Runner Caroline Rotich led all runners, finishing with a kick and crossing the finish line with a time of 2:29:49 to win the Rock ‘n’ Rock Las Vegas Marathon today, Sunday.  She took home $25,000 for her win. 

The festive marathon started at 6:15 a.m. today on Las Vegas Blvd. north of Russell Rd, near Mandalay Bay parking lot.  And, for the first time ever for the marathon, nearly 7 1/2 miles of the Strip was closed to traffic.   

As the name Rock ‘n’ Roll suggests, there were more than 35 live bands, cheerleaders and themed water stations set up along each line of the Las Vegas Strip course. There were also be hundreds of running Elvi and 85 couples taking part in the Run through Wedding. 

Event organizers expect the Las Vegas economic boost to be around $30 million. There is a strong international presence of athletes who have come from 39 countries and all 50 states.

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Tiger Woods – Las Vegas wants you to weigh in with your opinions…

News is rolling in like a broken water spicket on the reported Tiger Woods scandals since his car accident last week.  It’s all Tiger, all the time.  In the blinding media onslaught, the US Weekly tabloid feature that hits newsstands today alleges Woods had a 31-month affair with Rachel Uchitel, who was once a TAO VIP hostess in Las Vegas, having the voice mail smoking gun panic message from Woods and photos to prove it, and stories about a brief affair Jaimee Grubbs, a Las Vegas cocktail waitress and actress on VH1 Tool Academy, who claims she has over 300 text messages from Woods and also his voicemail which suggest his wife suspected the affair.

Undoubtedly, the iconic Woods will be flailing his nine irons until the unfortunate mess is resolved- if it is ever truly resolved.  Not only will there undoubtedly be microscopic scrutiny of his actions, but security will be beefed up at the events he attends and participates.

Las Vegas Backstage Access requests you to weigh in with your beliefs and comment on our post, below.  We’ll keep your contact details confidential. Do you think his private life and transgressions should be his own, secured from prying eyes and ears?  And, if you don’t like what he did, just don’t watch the golf matches or by his endorsed products?  Or, since he makes booku millions in public endorsements of products, there is a level of public trust and truth at issue here and honesty should be maintained on all personal fronts?

We’d like your opinions.  Thank you.

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“Cowboy Up” in Las Vegas – National Finals Rodeo Buck into Las Vegas

On Dec. 3-12 the Wrangler National Finals rodeo — the sport’s answer to the Super Bowl and World Series — is back with latigo and spurs at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas– with some huge numbers to celebrate. 

This is the silver anniversary of the rodeo’s move to Las Vegas, and it comes with plenty of gold — a rodeo-record purse of $5.75 million. 

The move from Oklahoma City to the Entertainment Capital of the World in 1985 has worked out beyond all expectations for rodeo — and for Las Vegas. Every performance has been sold out for more than 20 years, and telecasts of last year’s 50th anniversary edition of the rodeo drew 15.4 million viewers. 

The non-gaming economic impact of the rodeo to the region last year was $54.7 million, according to figures compiled by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. 

But those numbers are just the by-product of the rodeo’s real business of determining world champions. Eleven months of crisscrossing the country in trucks and planes, going short on sleep and subsisting on fast food only qualifies a cowboy to compete for a gold buckle. Every world title is decided on Las Vegas’ big stage. 

If that’s enough cowboy action, the NFR Cowboy Christmas gift show also starts on Dec. 3 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, running through Dec. 12. 

The Las Vegas Backstage Access calendar lists some of the many events.

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NASCAR’s Season-Ending Events in Las Vegas

Well, after nearly three decades of trying, it finally happened:  NASCAR moved its season-ending party to Las Vegas after being in New York.   This week the season-ending NASCAR events will be showcased. 

NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Champion Jimmie Johnson showed his untiring racing mastery throughout they year, garnering first place honors for his efforts.

 Befitting champions aplenty, the Sprint Cup Championship Week will kick off its inaugural visit to Las Vegas on Wed., Dec. 2 with a fan fest and driver roast.

On Dec. 2, NASCAR will host the Chasers for Charity Fanfest at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. This event includes a free-admission fan event, plus a charity roast of the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion. Gates open at 9 a.m. Access to the speedway’s Neon Garage begins at 11 a.m. This portion of the event includes a red-carpet walk by the champion and the other drivers in the 2009 Chase for the Sprint Cup, car displays, live music, reduced-price concessions and a raffle drawing. 

The Charity Roast will take place in the speedway’s Blackjack Club, located in the infield media center. Doors open at 1:30 p.m. The roast includes a private reception with the Cup champion and Chase participants, plus reserved seats and parking. It will be shown on closed-circuit television in the Neon Garage. 

Because of space considerations, it’s limited to the first 300 people who respond. Cost is a $250 tax-deductible donation to Speedway Children’s Charities. Additional information is available at www.lvms.com

On Dec. 3, the drivers will participate in the Victory Lap Parade. All 12 Chase participants will drive a lap in their show cars on Las Vegas Boulevard known as “The Strip.” This will begin at 3:30 p.m. at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino and proceed north to Spring Mountain Road before returning to MGM Grand. It will include a pit stop and a “burnout” at the Spring Mountain Road intersection. 

The week culminates with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Awards Ceremony at the Wynn Las Vegas on Dec. 4. Frank Caliendo will host the season-ending roast and banquet on Dec. 4 at Wynn Las Vegas.  As Caliendo puts it: “I’m on the pole, but don’t worry. Even though we’re in Vegas, I’m not dancing.” 

Caliendo, a noted impressionist, was featured in several videos at last year’s awards ceremony. He has appeared at postseason events for the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. 

Noted singer David Gray and female electric string quartet Escala will also reportedly perform at the banquet. 

Speed will televise the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards Ceremony live, from 9 p.m.-1 a.m., EST. It will reair from 1-5 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Dec. 5, and from 1-5 p.m., on Sunday, Dec. 6. The awards ceremony is the series champion’s formal celebration.

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Bone-Jarring Off-Road Desert Race Planned outside Las Vegas, Dec. 4-5

The Henderson Fabtech Desert Classic off-road 60-mile race for cars, trucks and utility vehicles will be Dec. 4-5 in Henderson, Nevada, located just south of Las Vegas. 

In its eighth year, the event marks the final race for this year’s Best in the Desert Racing Association calendar. 

Racing on BLM land, an estimated 15,000 people are anticipated to attend the event, including about 800-people who make up the driving teams. 

On the line is $10,000 for winning the Ford-sponsored event. 

The race is as much for the racers as it is for the onlookers.  Pit areas for onlookers are set up along the course, off Highway 604 south of Sloan. 

The free Henderson Fabtech Desert Classic off-road event kicks off at 11 a.m. on Dec. 4 with vehicle inspectons and an off-road race expo until 6:30 p.m. on Water Strret, near the Henderson Events Plaza, 200 S. Water Street in Henderson, Nevada. 

The first race, for the lower horsepower vehicles, is from 7 a.m. to noon on Dec. 5, followed by the larger horsepower vehicles from noon until about 7 p.m. 

Fans can watch from a spectator area or two pit areas along the course off Highway 604 south of Sloan. 

For more information, please call 702-267-2171, or visit www.hendersonlive.com or www.bitd.com 

Las Vegas Backstage Access plans to be there.  If you need a professional article and/or professional photography, please send us a note.  Just complete a reply to this post and we’ll be right back to you.

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Major Rugby Tournament comes to Las Vegas

A huge sporting event is coming to Las Vegas starting early next year. The USA Sevens Rugby Tournament is moving to Las Vegas from San Diego, California. Rugby

Tournament organizers have just signed a multi-year commitment. 

Officials say they chose Las Vegas for a number of reasons, including its name recognition and its ability to attract visitors of all kinds. 

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman expects thousands of fans from around the world to come for the tournament each year. “You pick your favorite team, your favorite player, and they play in great spots. They come from all over the world. They’re going to be coming here to Las Vegas,” he said. 

Goodman also says he expects rugby’s popularity to grow now that it’s been added to the Olympics starting in 2016. 

The first tournament will be held in Las Vegas in February.

 

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Snow Skiing in Las Vegas? Setting U.S. Record?

The Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort on Mt. Charleston may be able to open earlier this year than ever before thanks to recent cold temperatures. If it opens this weekend – plans call for possibly opening this Thurs. or Friday – it will be their longest season ever.   And, if that happens, it may just well mean that this usually hotter than hell climate will be part of a new national record for winter snow– beating out every other ski resort in the country and open first. snow2

The staff at the resort says recent cold weather has allowed them to make plenty of manmade snow and that means the slopes can open early and they can hire more employees sooner- very good news for a very stale Las Vegas economy with unemployment running nearly 11 percent. 

The dip in temperatures this week is allowing snowmakers at the resort to create fresh powder sooner than ever before.   In order to pull it off and open sometime this week, the resort needs one more night of cold temperatures. He says snowmakers have been able to create all the snow in the last two nights when temperatures on Mount Charleston dropped to about 18-degrees at the 8,600-foot mountain elevation.

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Chicago Loses U.S. 2016 Olympics Bid? It can’t be! Recount!

Celebrities and politicians chimed in at the last moment and tried to convince more Olympic voters that Chicago is the only way to go for the 2016 Olympics.  Celebrities?  Barack Obama, the guy that’s the President of the United States whose trying to iron out healthcare?  RiodeJaneiro

Las Vegas Backstage Access wonders why so many writhed their hands and were in such a shock and awe tizzy when Rio de Janerio, right, received the city nod.  I mean, after all, didn’t we collectively spend over $200 million to attract the judges?  

Some argue that the upfront earnest marketing money spent could have been better applied to help feed the homeless or other socially viable programs.  After all, didn’t the unchecked national chicanery wipe out the life savings of thousands? 

Get a grip, people.   The U.S. didn’t just lose, it came in last place.   How could that be?   Maybe a contributor is that the U.S. has and is still suffering from the most devasting financial crisis and loss of consumer confidence on record. It’s not like the hotbed of high morale.  For a long time, charlatans, thieves by another name, ran the henhouse.  And it’s not over yet.   With each passing day new schemes are being discovered that rob people of their hard earned savings.

Ironically, on the same day of the Olympic city announcement, the national unemployment rates were also announced- which rose once again rose to 9.8 percent. 

The Olympics is all about having world competitive sporting games and crowning the winners at that moment in time. Nothing more and nothing less.  

Perhaps now some of this same fervor, if anybody cares, could be claimed and channeled into higher ROI projects, with a quicker return to a U.S. society that is crumbling with each passing day and on the potential verge of withering away due to misaligned priorities and just plain neglect. 

The U.S. didn’t really lose the Olympics bid– unexpectedly, we’ve just had a godsend infusion of good old fashioned common sense.  Thomas Paine is probably joyously rolling over in his grave.

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Las Vegas Scores Some ‘Love’ in Tennis Contest

Las Vegas was one of the finalists in the United States Tennis Association’s Best Tennis Town contest, but did not finish in the top three. tennis

The winner was Midland, Mich., with the first runner-up going to Ojai, Calif., and Independence, Kan., was named second runner-up.  The announcements were made earlier this month at the U.S. Open. 

As one of seven honorable mentions, Las Vegas will receive $2,000 worth of tennis equipment.  No word on when the equipment will be received or where it will be used. 

The competition was organized to spotlight towns that demonstrated a commitment to promoting the sport.

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‘Bloodless’ Bullfighting Catches Kitschy Las Vegas Off-Guard

Bullfighting1875sFace it:  Every day is really a crap shoot in Las Vegas.  Some days are great.  Others are so-so.  And yet still others are pure hell.  But imagine your worst nightmare of waking up to face-to-face to a grunting, over one thousand pound drooling bull – the epitome of True Mean reincarnated – staring you down with flaming red eyes, refusing to budge an inch.  And yet you’re tasked to make him “play” with you, armed only with a bright red or pink cape and a Velcro-tipped stick.   Goliath had it better.  And, if this isn’t bad enough– you don’t wake up. Bullfighting1861s

That nightmare became a real sweaty and death defying reality for some of the world’s greatest bullfighters yesterday when a sparse, but extremely enthusiastic crowd of approximately 500 people, most of whom were Hispanic and spoke Spanish, paid from $60 to $650 each to see a very rare “bloodless” bullfight at the South Point hotel-casino south of the Las Vegas Strip. 

The event, staged in part to celebrate Mexico’s Independence Day, which is this Wednesday, was reportedly the first bullfight staged in the Las Vegas Valley since 1965, when one was staged outside Las Vegas, near what today is Primm, Nevada. 

Bullfighting1834sHow does the new sport work?  A patch of Velcro is fastened to the bull’s back and, rather than using a killing sword, the matador tries to deftly attach a Velcro-coated stick to the bull’s withers.  Though it appears they’ve stabbed the bull, the animal is unhurt and walks away to fight another day, as does the bullfighter.   Win-win.  Or is it?

For the matadors this emerging style of bullfighting is extremely dangerous when compared to regular bullfighting because the animals are not injured or first weakened by the placing of metal spears in the bull before the final kill. 

The matadors, wearing the traje de luces, or the colorful sequined suit of lights, included several who are the cultural icons in their home countries of Mexico and Spain, made quite a show of taunting the bulls.   Some made $500,000 just for an afternoon appearance. 

Las Vegas, the City of Kitsch, would normally have gobbled up this type of event up with fans ya-hooing it from the rafters. But the small crowd in the events center that holds thousands testifies not only to our sour economy but  the combination of the limited event marketing and having the event kickoff on non-prime weekdays.  

Bloodless bullfighting has just started to take hold throughout the U.S., becoming popular elsewhere, including California. 

In Mexico, Spain, and Portugal – the home of bullfighting – bullfights are huge events; parties can go on seemingly endlessly before and after the event. 

Outside the event, a handful of PETA members voiced objections to the event, saying that the bulls were in danger and at risk for injury and that promoting bullfighting in general was not a good thing. 

The event continues at 2 p.m. today and will return to South Point on Sept. 27-30.

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Muay Thai Boxing Comes to Las Vegas

Six of China’s most popular Muay Thai boxers are in Las Vegas in advance of this Sunday’s USA vs. China Championship Fights at the Las Vegas Hilton. MuayThaiboxing

The fight card is an historic event that marks the first co-promotion between America and China on American soil since the widespread professionalization of sports in China. 

China’s team captain Wang Hong Xiang promises that he and his countrymen will deliver a display of martial arts skills rarely seen by American audiences. 

“I have a different style of fighting than Americans fighters,” Xiang said through translator and Chinese promoter Tony Chang. “It’s a style Americans never get to see.” 

Headlining the card is the long anticipated rematch between native Las Vegan Kevin Ross and WBC Muay Thai super lightweight international champion Kang En.  En won China its first WBC international Muay Thai championship during his and Ross’ clash Jan. 19 in Beijing.  However, the fight ended controversially as a miscommunication between Ross and the fight’s non-English speaking referee proved to be a crucial factor in En’s unanimous decision victory. 

The card also features 2006 King’s cup champion and Xtreme Couture trainer Shawn Yarborough. Yarborough will take on WBC Chinese national light heavyweight champion Xu Hou for the IKKC light heavyweight championship. 

Las Vegas’ Christine Toledo, ranked No. 1 by the Women’s International Kickboxing Association, will also see action against China’s Wu Lin Feng women’s champion Zheng Yenan. 

While the event will not be broadcast live in the U.S., Chinese broadcast company Henan TV expects the event will be seen by a whopping three million viewers in China.

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Chuck Liddell Gets Tough for “Dancing With The Stars”

It won’t be Tito Ortiz, Rashad Evans, Wanderlei Silva, or Randy Couture ready to bite and/or tear off his head in the steel octagon, but, rather, on Monday, September 21st, UFC Hall of Famer Chuck and frequent Las Vegas visitor Liddell will makes his debut in a new ring–  ABC’s “Dancing With The Stars” chuckliddell

“I want to win,” Liddell told UFC.com. “I don’t like losing in anything, so I’ll work as hard as they’ll let me.” “The Iceman” will join 15 other celebrities on the hit series, in the process becoming the first mixed martial artist to compete on DWTS. But Liddell, the sport’s first true crossover star, is comfortable with being an ambassador for MMA, and looking forward to having some fun in the process. 

“I’m gonna go out, be myself, and show what kind of people we do have in this sport,” he said. “I’m sure the reaction will be mixed (among fight fans).”

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Baseball’s Bryce Harper’s Frustrating Day at Work

The recent Sports Illustrated cover boy from Las Vegas (previously reported in Las Vegas Backstage Access article) is, apparently, facing hard times.  In an all-star baseball game last Sunday in San Diego, the high school turned college prep star grounded out twice and struck out three times in five plate appearances. 

“He could not catch up to a decent fastball and was fooled by every curve,” Dave Perkins of Baseball America wrote.  “Harper’s swing, sound previously, has gone backward.”

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Locomotives Steam into Las Vegas

The Las Vegas entry in the new United Football League will be called the Locomotives.

UFL commissioner Michael Huyghue recently announced the name and unveiled team uniforms of silver, blue and white. The name was selected after reviewing more than 30,000 fan entries.

Former New York Giants coach Jim Fassel will coach the Locomotives, who will play San Francisco in the league’s first game on October 8.

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Sports Illustrated Las Vegas Baseball Star Bryce Harper Slotted for ESPN Show

Former Las Vegas High baseball standout and Sports Illustrated cover athlete Bryce Harper will be featured on an episode of the ESPN network sports magazine “E:60.” 

The profile will deal with Harper’s controversial decision to forgo his final two years of high school to play at the College of Southern Nevada next season. 

The show airs at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, August 11.

[Las Vegas Backstage Access has written prior articles on Harper. Please use search feature.]

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Andre Agassi Laces His Tennis Shoes Once Again

Professional tennis player Andre Agassi says he’s through with laying around the house, so to speak- he wants to get back on the tennis courts.  AndreAgassi

After retiring following the 2006 U.S. Open, Agassi says his back is fine and he really misses playing competitive tennis.  Which is why, at age 39, the Las Vegan will return to the court this month and play a limited schedule in the World Team Tennis (WTT) league for the Philadelphia Freedoms. 

“It’s been a few years since I retired, and that’s been a little unsettling for me,” Agassi said.  “It took some time to try to figure out the best way to say connected to tennis, and that’s hasn’t been so easy. 

“But before I got too far away, I wanted to re-engage, and World Team Tennis seemed like the perfect opportunity.” 

Agassi is scheduled to play two matches for the Freedoms, the team owned by league founder and longtime friend Billie Jean King.  The first match is July 10 vs. Boston in Philadelphia, followed by a July 17 match at Newport Beach, California. 

Although his wife and former tennis star, Steffi Graf, will not play, several big-name tennis players have committed to playing in WTT this summer:  Venus and Serena Williams, John McEnroe, Michael Chang, Anna Kournikova, Kim Clijsters, Sam Querrery, and Mike and Bob Brian.

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Las Vegan Lady Cage Fighter Gina Carano Ready to Rumble

Las Vegas fighter Gina “Conviction” Carano is a 27-year old role model for female mixed martial arts fighters.  She’s a superstar with a perfect fighting record and a penchant for marketing herself, being named to Yahoo’s “Top 10 Most Influential Women” and Maxim’s Hot 100 list. GinaCarano

“One day, I’m going to look on back on it and be so proud because I know that women’s MMA is going to do nothing but get bigger from here on out,” says Carano. 

On August 15 she is having a title fight with Brazilian Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California, headlining the Strikeforce tournament. Carano is undefeated (7-0), trying to make history by being Strikeforce’s first-ever 145-pound women’s title holder. 

“Cyborg” is no pushover– her record is 7-1, her first loss coming from her debut fight.  

As beautiful as she is dangerous, Carano, who is also famous for starring in the remake of the American Gladiators as “Crush,” will be in for the biggest test of her fighting life, carrying women’s MMA future on her back.

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Hockey Pros, Celebrities Skate to First NHL Awards Ceremony in Las Vegas

Team sports businesses haven’t been exactly brimming with kindness to Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman.   Try as he might – bless his ever-loving, gin-drinking pickled heart – efforts to bring a pro major league team to Las Vegas throughout his tenure have not produced results.   Apparently, for now at least, the long established Las Vegas gambling brand doesn’t mix well with courting pro sports teams in the City of Entertainment. 

The good news, though, is that the National Hockey League will at be having their prestigious 2009 NHL Awards in Las Vegas and the NHL Players’ Association will also hold its annual North American summer meetings here around the awards show. NHLawards

It marks the first time the annual awards show is being held in Las Vegas, an event usually reserved for Toronto,  coinciding shortly after completion of the Stanley Cup playoffs. 

For the Las Vegas Wranglers, a minor league hockey farm club of the Calgary Flames of the NHL, it will undoubtedly be a a dream come true to conveniently head down the Strip and perchance rub elbows with the best pro players in the game. 

In the twilight of the Las Vegas mayor’s last term, the biggest names in major league pro hockey will  assemble in Las Vegas on June 18 at 4 p.m. at The Pearl Concert Theater in George Maloof’s Palms Casino & Hotel in Las Vegas, opting to briefly trade their rink ice for lots of ice to chill their drinks in the hot box of a town.   

For many Las Vegans, however, the event may be akin to witnessing a UFO experience of a different kind. Las Vegas denizens don’t bet on hockey games, let alone who is going to win the MVP Trophy or Coach of the Year. They have way to many other things to do these days- like worrying about their jobs and paying their mortgages. 

And, if you’re an Ordinary Joe, you’ll need to really dig deep in your tattered wallet to be a part of the history-making hoopla– attending will set you back $504 at least per seat. 

But, from most accounts, for those that are fortunate to attend (or go in hoc trying), it should be a pretty good bash, inasmuch as owner George Maloof knows a thing or two about sports and Las Vegas since he is the owner of the NBA’s Sacramento Kings. 

“We are so thrilled to be the host of the 2009 NHL Awards,” Palms Owner George Maloof said in a statement. “Working with the National Hockey League in bringing this event to Las Vegas is something that will be great for our community.”

At the ceremony the league will announce top performers in a variety of categories including valuable player (Hart Trophy), outstanding goaltender (Vezina Trophy), outstanding defenseman (Norris Trophy), outstanding rookie (Calder Trophy), and best coach (Jack Adams Award).

To sweeten the attendance draw, award-winning multi-platinum recording artist Robin Thicke and Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Chaka Khan will perform, and Saturday Night Live bandleader Katreese Barnes will head up the NHL Awards house band.

Celebrity hockey-loving fans Snoop Dogg, Michael Buble, William Fichtner, Tricia Helfer, Lauren Holly, Colin Ferguson and others are scheduled to appear alongside such NHL stars as Alex Ovechkin and Mike Green of the Washington Capitals, Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Pavel Datsyuk and Nicklas Lidstrom of the Detroit Red Wings, Kris Versteeg of the Chicago Blackhawks, Zdeno Chara and Tim Thomas of the Boston Bruins, Mike Richards of the Philadelphia Flyers and many more planning to attend.

Past and present NHL stars are also scheduled to participate in the 2009 NHL Awards include Tony Esposito, Sergei Fedorov, Ron Francis, Doug Gilmour, Kelly Hrudey, Pat LaFontaine, Igor Larionov, Brian Leetch, Reggie Lemelin, Mark Messier, Stan Mikita, Andy Moog, Joe Nieuwendyk, Luc Robitaille and Jeremy Roenick.

Athough it’s the inaguaral event for the City of Entertainment, it will be more than a one-night stand for the City of Entertainment.  The NHL and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitor’s Authority (LVCVA) have inked a three-year agreement to continue to bring the NHL awards to the Pearl Concert Theater at the Palms Casino & Hotel.

The awards will be broadcast live from the Pearl Concert Theater inside the Palms Hotel Las Vegas on high definition VERSUS in the United States and CBC in Canada.  NHL.com will provide streaming Internet coverage of the red carpet arrivals.  The Canadian band Arkells will perform.

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Boxing Match of the Year Moments Away in Las Vegas

The long-anticipated and sold out boxing match promoted as “The Battle of East and West,” pitting Filipino Mannyhattonpacquiao Pacquiao (48-3-2,  36 KOs) against Brit Ricky Hatton (45-1, 32 KOs) will start at approximately 8 p.m. (PT) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. 

With the betting line Pacquiao minus 270, over/under 9 ½ rounds and tickets priced at $150 to $1,000, the slugfest royale will undoubtedly be one for the record books.  Hatton’s IBO and The Ring magazine junior welterweight championships will be at stake.  Some contend Hatton is one the best British fighters ever, comparing  him to Ted “Kid” Lewis, who won nine titles in multiple weight divisions after turning pro.  For Pacquiao, at stake is the claim to be boxing’s pound-for-pound title, having already won three major fights in three weight divisions last year. 

Closed-circuit viewing for $50 is available at Mandalay Bay, Mirage, TI, Monte Carlo, Circus Circus, Luxor, and New York-New York.  HBO is offering on Pay-Per-View for $49.95.

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UNLV’s Frank Summers Selected in NFL Draft by Pittsburgh Steelers

BREAKING NEWS- – The NFL Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers have just chosen UNLV running back Frank Summers in the 5th round of the NFL Draft. franksummers

Summers, nicknamed “The Tank,” is the first Rebel runner drafted since 1988 when Ickey Woods was the 31st pick to the Cincinatti Bengals.  Summers did not lose a fumble during his UNLV career and holds both the longest rushing score and longest receiving score records in UNLV history (2007).    

Named the “Toughest Player to Bring Down in the Mountain West Conference” in 2008, Summers selection by the Steelers didn’t come as a surprise to most analysts.  During the March Pro Day at UNLV, the Steelers had two scouts and a running back coach keeping track of Summers’ performance – including several pass-catching drills part-way through the workout.  And just a couple of weeks ago Summers flew out to Pittsburgh for an organizational meet and greet. 

Summers was the 169th pick in the current NFL draft and is expected to step in as a short-yardage specialist for the Steelers – a position previously held by Gary Russell and Jerome Bettis.

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Michael Phelps Swims Upstream for Miss California USA Carrie Prejean

Despite all the flap and fallout arising from Perez Hilton’s question and Miss California USA Carrie Prejean’s truthful carrieprejeananswer about legalizing same-sex marriage during the Miss USA Pageant on Sunday in Las Vegas, it appears that the record-breaking eight Olympic gold medal swimmer Michael Phelps is taking to the blond bombshell like a beached fish out of water. 

Seemingly not able to get enough of each other, they met last September at the Palms Casino & Hotel in Las Vegas and Phelps became instantly hooked with line and sinker when seeing her hook when the two played basketball in the Hardwood Suite at the Palms, according to Jon Gray, assistant to Palms owner George Maloof. 

Prejean, captain of her Vista (California) High School varsity basketball team, continues to clandestinely roll with Phelps and “he always calls her when he is in town and they go out,” says Prejean’s grandmother, Jeanette Copolla when recently talking with Radaronline.com 

A photograph of Prejean, with a drink in her hands, and smoke-loving Phelps, who looked like he just came off a 24-hour flight from China, appeared in Radaronline yesterday. 

Meanwhile, Phelps continues to bait yet another fish, Carolynn “Caz” Pal, a cocktail server at Moon nightclub in the Palms.

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