Like it is: Las Vegas Bowl not biggest but has its benefits

WALLY HALL
ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

LAS VEGAS -- Let's face it, this Vegas Bowl doesn't have the sports glamour of the last two bowls the Arkansas Razorbacks played in.
Certainly, Vegas has its own version of glitz. Didn't the Convention and Visitors folks bring two showgirls with them to Fayetteville and Little Rock for receptions last week?
Weren't there similarly dressed, or undressed, young ladies there to meet Arkansas' official party when it stepped off the charter plane Saturday morning?
Yes, and if the early effort was an indication of the week, the Razorbacks are going to have a fun stay.
However, New Year's Day games are every team's goal. No one ever starts the season by saying, "We're aiming for that Dec. 21 game in Vegas."
Even out here, the Vegas Bowl, with UNLV as host, was not hot news.
In the local newspaper, it was on page 8 of the Saturday sports section, and the main thrust of the story was that tickets are available for the low price of $50 through UNLV.
Arkansas officials have admitted they will lose some money on this postseason trip, unless Frank Broyles gets lucky at the craps table.
So why is a 6-5 team in a bowl game?
Obviously, it will help recruiting to say the Hogs have a threepeat going for postseason play.
It also gives the Hogs 15 extra practices, which is like an extra spring session.
Plus 7-5 sounds tons better than 6-5, but on the other hand, 6-6 doesn't sound anywhere close to as nice as 6-5.
Perhaps every 6-5 team in the country doesn't deserve a bowl game, but these Razorbacks finished the season by knocking off two ranked teams.
Both were in the hunt for a piece of the SEC Western Division title, and both finished behind Auburn.
Mostly, though, this bowl is a reward for the players.
Judging by their excitement Saturday, they have no kicks about it either.
Of course, as typical young men, the first thing most asked after they had checked in was, "Where can I get something to eat?"
Also typical was most were taking the afternoon off and waiting for night to start checking Vegas out.
Not Houston Nutt and his family.
Not Bill Johnson and his family.
Just over an hour after they arrived at the Golden Nugget, an old but nicely remodeled hotel, that group was headed for taxis and the New York New York hotel-casino.
The purpose was to ride the Manhattan Express roller coaster.
Houston III was excited, but his dad, when he learned the ride included a 360-degree loop, started to have second thoughts. Something about motion sickness.
The girls apparently didn't inherit that from their dad. They were ready to ride.
They were going to have to see the roller coaster atop The Stratosphere before deciding to ride it.
The Razorbacks were going to check out both roller coasters before making a decision about riding.
They are here to have fun, but it appears it won't be close to their downtown location.
You can only look at the largest gold nugget ever discovered, which weighs 61 pounds, 11 ounces, so many times, even if it is free.
Outside of the Lady Luck and Golden Gate offering 99-cent shrimp cocktails (an extra packet of crackers is 5 cents), The Horsehoe a $5 libation of your choice in a horseshoe-shaped glass and two girlie shows within 40 yards, the area is very senior-citizen oriented.
Most players were talking about visiting the Strip instead of hanging out in the hotel.
With no curfew Saturday night, and possibly tonight, there was plenty of time to find the fun.
Which is the main reason the Razorbacks came to a bowl, as a reward.
This is an experience the Razorbacks will never forget, plus, and this is no small thing, when they take the field Thursday, they'll be the only football game on the tube that night.
That's a captive audience.
Join Wally live from Las Vegas, Ron Crawford and Marcus Elliott at 6 tonight, 374-9255, Comcast Cable channel 18.

This article was published on Sunday, December 17, 2000

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