Heading home from Vegas

[USFCollin]

I was going to do a blog type thing like I often do while traveling with the Bulls on here, but along the way I realized two things.  One is that since we are in Vegas, there might be some things I wouldn't want documented.  Since I always make it a point to be completely honest when I do these things, complete transparency might not be in the best interests of all parties involved.  The second is that I'm in FREAKING LAS VEGAS!!  Therefore spending time in front of a laptop is time wasted.  However, right now me and my homies are so completely exhausted we're not going anywhere.

So instead of a blog type thing (can I trademark that term?), I'll just throw some random observations:

The Thomas and Mack Center might be the best place I've ever seen a college game.  Perfect sightlines, comfortable chairs, great soft pretzels, just a great venue.  Now they just need to fill it like they did when Tarkanian was cheating his way to Final Fours.  The announced 8,819 wasn't close to that.  With no pro teams in the area, this team should really draw better despite the recent lack of NCAA appearances.  I hope the city embraces this year's team, they deserve it.  UNLV is good.  Top 20 type of good.  White is a wonderful player on both ends, and they play great team defense especially in the backcourt.  Kruger has himself a ball club.  

Saturday night we headed out to party at (redacted) and we met (redacted), and then we (redacted).  So then we (redacted).  Holy crap that was the (redacted).  

I know nothing about the Southland Conference, but I would think TAMU CC should win every game in the league by 30.  Not a Top 25 team, but I'll be very surprised if they're not on the bracket in March if nobody gets hurt.

It snowed on the strip.  People in Vegas drive in the snow drive like people in Florida would drive in the snow.  Yikes.

Sunday night we headed out to party at (redacted) and we met (redacted), and then we (redacted).  So then we (redacted).  Holy crap that was the (redacted).  

Bellagio 2-5 nl.  I get two 10's.  With two limpers in front, my right makes it $20 to go, I'm in the cutoff so I call.  Six of us see the flop of K 10 7 two hearts.  Checked to my right who bets $50.  I don't even want to goof around 6 handed, so I make it $125 instantly.  First position then moves in for my $125 + 37 more.  My right calls.  I try to move in for the balance of my stack (around $300), but the all-in was $1 short of 50% of my raise.  If I raised to $124, I could have protected my hand.  Of course I had no way to know that.  Turn comes Q hearts.  My right immediately moves me all in.  I take my 3 minutes to calculate the pot odds down to the dollar, knowing my middle set just exploded in my face on the worst possible turn card, and I need a board pair.  I figure the all in for a set of 7's, but at least two pair, reducing my outs even further.  He calls a clock on me.  I show 3 10's... and do the right thing and fold.  With the all-in, I see the river anyway, which was a blank.  My right had j9, the all-in raiser had the monstrous 5 6 of hearts.  So both donkeys hit their miracle, and I lose $183 with far and away the best hand, and I played it perfectly.  God I hate being this good at poker.  

Monday night we headed out to party at (redacted) and we met (redacted), and then we (redacted).  So then we (redacted).  Holy crap that was the (redacted).  

Corona is the official beverage of VegasCollin, but Washington Apple retains the presenting sponsorship.  Ghostbar and Light are in the running for official hosting location.  

I'm giving up craps forever.  I knew I was just giving money away, but it was so much fun to play with friends.  However this trip is five times in a row I've lost at the game, and that's too much.  The tribe has spoken.  I'll miss you, pressed 6's and 8's.  

Terrible's Casino has a totally beatable $5 double deck blackjack game.  They offer a sidebet that pays 4-1 on any player 20, 10-1 on any suited 20, 25-1 on two of the exact same cards that make 20 (i.e. two jacks of spades), and 200-1 for two queens of hearts.  So all you have to do is count cards and only make the sidebet when the count is +7 or so, and the cut penetration is like 2/3 of the deck.  I'm going to run the math on this thing when I get home, but it has to be to +ev.

Women shouldn't ever be allowed to bring cameras to Vegas.  I took more pictures in four days than Annie Leibovitz does in a year.  But at least if I ever disappear, Homeland Security will have plenty of selections to put on the missing persons poster.  

You know what's worse than turning 30 and watching your team lose?  Turning 30 and having your phone ring off the hook all day, but being incapable of talking to anyone back because your cell phone broke and no one can hear you when you talk, even though you can hear them fine.  I should have a callous on my thumb from all the text messaging I've done.  But thanks to everyone (including several board members) who said happy birthday.  

And with that, I'm off to bed.  Off to McCarran for a 1pm flight tomorrow... I could gush forever, but God I love this town.  The first thing I always think when I leave is when I'm coming back.  And next time, I'll look to improve on the 5-2 career Vegas record... unless I head down to the poker room now, in which case I can still salvage 6-1... hmmm

[Knight_Light]

Fun story...thanks.

Here's a poker tip for you:

Stay away from CA$H Games...where you might end up short in making a strong bet to run everyone off (like how you came up a $1 short in doubling the raise).

Stick to Tournament style poker (no limit, no rebuy)...as the Strip has $30-$60 games all over.  Believe one of the popular poker mags has the times/$$$ of all the tournaments, plus, visit all the poker rooms you can and grab a sheet of all their upcoming games.

You can win a ton of $$$$, plus, if you are on a set...you can go ALL IN...and usually win best hand right there....or on any hand, even pre-flop (if blinds are HIGH). Take the chips...and move on to the next hand.

Glad you had a blast...Vegas is the best city to visit in the USA...bar none.

[bullman3]

USF Collin, what did you think of UNLV's pregame intros?   I have been to several unlv games over the past 5 yeas, and they do an awesome job with their pregame, pyrotechnics, lights, music, etc.  

[USFan]

Thanks for the story...

I need to make a trip over there.