Gab Session: The First Vegas All-Star Game

In every sport, All-Star Games have long sinceYawn. No thanks. Let the fellas party it up in Vegas
outlived their usefulness. Need proof? Do you thinkthis weekend. I'll be busy cleaning the gutters and
the basketball world is abuzz because its constituentseating Velveeta on toast. Now that's living.
are thrilled to be playing the NBA All-Star Game in theWhat do you think of the Wade Phillips hiring by the
Thomas & Mack Center on the campus ofDallas Cowboys? Are you as under-whelmed as much
UNLV? Does the drinking water at that venue tasteof the rest of the sporting world?
particularly good there? Uh, no.BoDog Bookmakers, BoDog.com: It was worth a big
The NBA is dancing in the streets because its starsyawn at most. It seems that Wade Phillips is likely
and its celebrity hangers-on get to rub elbows in ajust holding this spot for Jason Garrett.
city where sin is the norm. Since most of theseDuke lost its fourth straight game, against Maryland,
multimillionaires already live their lives adorned byon Sunday evening. Obviously, they'll make the
ostentatious jewelry, grotesque tattoos, $10,000NCAAs, but do you see them as a candidate for a
sunglasses, bottomless bottles of Kristal, andfirst-round upset? Why?
hot-and-cold running women, this just means thatBDB, BoDog.com: Considering the results they've
these guys can finally debauch in a city that reflectsbeen getting lately, Duke could go out in the first
their true values. What happens in Vegas stays inround. Coach K has done a tremendous job bringing in
Vegas, except when an NBA player leaves. Then itnew recruits and maximizing their potential; however
travels around with him like a three-ring circus, perthis may be the year that he looks like somewhat
usual.less of a genius.
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, a.k.a. theI may have written a stupid piece about how the
Midsummer Classic, used to be the only chance weColts couldn't win the Super Bowl, but I also wrote
got to see stars from the AL and NL bang heads,an NBA preview piece telling folks that the Boston
but inter-league play has ruined that. The Pro BowlCeltics would be the worst team in basketball. Do
happens one week after the Super Bowl, and is soyou think they go on to top the worst losing streak
anticlimactic, Godfather 3 looks entertaining byever? They're at 19, and the record is 23.
comparison. Hockey's All-Star Game allegedly tookBDB, BoDog.com: Boston plays the Bucks and then
place a couple weeks ago, but that's just a rumor.starts a trip out west. They'll be hard-pressed to
Meanwhile, Michael Wilbon jokingly refers to the NBAcome up with a streak-breaking win on the road.
All-Star Game as "black Thanksgiving," but given thatThey almost had it in Minnesota, but former Celtic
the game will take place in Sin City this year, it shouldRicky Davis hit a game-winner to hand the Celts yet
probably be called "Saturday." The drunken nonsense,another loss. I'm predicting the losing stops
the booty-squeezing, the limo-cruising, theWednesday against Milwaukee.
exclusive-nightclub hanging, theSunday is the Daytona 500, the "Super Bowl" of
Playboy-Bunny-schtupping, the all-hours partying...why,NASCAR. Is this an event you'll see a lot of action
that's exactly what these guys do on an averageon? Whom do the bettors favor most?
weekend, right? What's so special? Okay, so ShaqBDB, BoDog.com: The Daytona 500 is the one race
gets to live it up with Gilbert Arenas and Kevinwhere non NASCAR bettors will put some serious
Garnett, an opportunity regularly afforded these guysaction on the race. We expect to have record handle
only in the offseason. But rookie Tyrus Thomas hason the 500 this year. Casual fans will follow the
already come out and said the Slam Dunk Contest isdrivers with whom they're familiar: the Dale Jr.s and
only interesting because of the money it'll pay him,Jeff Gordons. However, the avid fan will do there
and the game itself will feature about as muchresearch and make the best choice based on their
defense as the French army on the way to Paris.findings.