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PART VI : VEGAS |
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Vegas baby! We finally touched down in Sin City from Phoenix, via LA on Christmas Eve ready to win all our money back that we'd spent on the trip! This is the world famous strip looking south. It's 4 miles long (with a bend off to the left in the picture). Needless to say - it's a hell of a lot of fun! |
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The casinos / hotels are utterly amazing. We were shacked up in New York, New York which effectively is a NY skyline built to a third scale with a rollercoaster on the outside! Inside there is so much to do you could spend a couple of days without venturing outside! From a miniature Greenwich Village to a ESPN Sportszone bar this was simply awesome! |
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Christmas Day and we had the 7th and final football game to attend - the USC Trojans vs the Utah Utes in the Las Vegas Bowl at Sam Boyd Stadium (home to ex Claymore coach Jim Criner's short lived Outlaws). Here the Trojan band managed to spell USC upside down - which didn't bode well for the rest of the game ... |
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Coin toss appeared to be performed by a couple of showgirls. No word on the rumour that it was Jim and Anne Criner making ends meet for Xmas ...
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The Trojans were coached by Pete Carroll, ex coach of the New England Patriots. Boy that New England team sure went downhill after he left ...
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The Utes from the Mountain West Conference (like Colorado St who we saw win the NO Bowl), were heavy underdogs, but produced a methodical rushing attack that dominated most of the day. Led by MVP RB Adam Tate (#5) who had 103 rushing yards and a 1st quarter TD the Utes jumped to a 10-0 half-time lead. |
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USC were QB'd by Carson Palmer (#3), a one time blue chip prospect (and potential #1 draft pick). He was simply awful, displaying little pocket presence or much accuracy. After being shutout in the 1st half they got an early TD in the 3rd Q, but missed the extra point, and never threatened the rest of the way - ending up with only 151 yards total offense. |
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So the Utes ran out 10-6 winners on a sunny Christmas day in the desert. But the highlight of the game was probably the Trojan Marching Band to be honest! After our 3rd limo of the trip back to Vegas, we failed to find any Xmas dinners anywhere, and settled on seafood & steak in a mob restaurant! |
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Boxing Day. If you're in Vegas, then you gotta go see the Grand Canyon of course! We went up to the West Rim which is actually on an Indian Reservation. The Indians started letting some tourists on their land about 10 years ago and because of this its much quieter than the South Rim and is a better day trip for for it! |
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The tours are pretty good fun. First get a private plane to the reservation (flying over the Hoover Dam). The a helicopter to the bottom of the canyon. Then a boat tour along the Colorado River. Then helicopter back up. The lunch with the Indians. Then bus back to Vegas. Good way to spend Boxing Day really! |
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Either side of the road back from the canyon and out of the reservation were Joshua Trees as far as the eyes could see! |
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We actually saw Elvis while in Vegas! This is him. He's a retired / rescued Lion who used to work the shows. Sadly he was abused by his owners (he had his mane shaved off). The charity organization that looks after him now and other animals with similar sad tales is called Keepers of the Wild - and is worth checking out and supporting. |
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The End of the Road! We had another successful 2 week trip, and met a lot of good people on the way. NFL Europe's profile has never been stronger and its great to see so many former players enjoying success now. Sadly we did not do the same on the slots or tables at Las Vegas and will have to beg for free drinks again in the 2002 NFL Europe season! |
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