Feeling sorry for Nevada casinos. Don't. State regulators reported that the gambling houses raked in $990 million in winnings from gamblers in April, a 12.7% increase over the previous year and the highest amount ever for the month. The double-digit increase was unexpected because of the Easter holiday and a lack of special events. For the fiscal year that began July 1, statewide casino winnings total $10.1 billion, an increase of 12.5% over the same time last year. Resorts on the Strip, pictured above, accounted for more than half of the statewide win total in April. Casinos on Lake Tahoe's south shore reported the biggest increase in percentage, nearly 22%.
Saturday, June 10, 2006
There Are a Lot of Losers Out There
Feeling sorry for Nevada casinos. Don't. State regulators reported that the gambling houses raked in $990 million in winnings from gamblers in April, a 12.7% increase over the previous year and the highest amount ever for the month. The double-digit increase was unexpected because of the Easter holiday and a lack of special events. For the fiscal year that began July 1, statewide casino winnings total $10.1 billion, an increase of 12.5% over the same time last year. Resorts on the Strip, pictured above, accounted for more than half of the statewide win total in April. Casinos on Lake Tahoe's south shore reported the biggest increase in percentage, nearly 22%.
Reporters' Notebooks
Tony Barnhart and Jeff D'Alessio, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: The last thing Southeastern Conference coaches want is another conference game. Plus, here is how Georgia Tech can beat Notre Dame in the Sept. 2 opener (registration).
Clifton Brown and John Eligon, New York Times: Notre Dame safety Tommy Zbikowski will make his pro boxing debut Saturday night at Madison Square Garden (registration).
Dan Collins, Winston-Salem Journal: Wake Forest receiver Demir Boldin, the brother former Florida State and current Arizona Cardinal receiver Anquan Boldin, and cornerback Brandon Ghee were declared academically ineligible for the 2006 season.
Paul Finebaum, Mobile Press-Register: It only seems like yesterday that Tennessee's Phillip Fulmer was the safest coach in the land.
Ray Melick, Birmingham News: It's nice to see coaches squirm over the new rule that allows players who have graduated before their eligibility runs out to transfer to another team without penalty.
Berry Tramel, Oklahoman: Maybe it is time for the NCAA to allow all athletes to transfer without having to sit out a season (registration).
Russ Brown, Lexington Herald-Leader: Louisville coach Bobby Petrino says his team will not be looking ahead to a Sept. 16 signature game at home against Miami.
Clifton Brown and John Eligon, New York Times: Notre Dame safety Tommy Zbikowski will make his pro boxing debut Saturday night at Madison Square Garden (registration).
Dan Collins, Winston-Salem Journal: Wake Forest receiver Demir Boldin, the brother former Florida State and current Arizona Cardinal receiver Anquan Boldin, and cornerback Brandon Ghee were declared academically ineligible for the 2006 season.
Paul Finebaum, Mobile Press-Register: It only seems like yesterday that Tennessee's Phillip Fulmer was the safest coach in the land.
Ray Melick, Birmingham News: It's nice to see coaches squirm over the new rule that allows players who have graduated before their eligibility runs out to transfer to another team without penalty.
Berry Tramel, Oklahoman: Maybe it is time for the NCAA to allow all athletes to transfer without having to sit out a season (registration).
Russ Brown, Lexington Herald-Leader: Louisville coach Bobby Petrino says his team will not be looking ahead to a Sept. 16 signature game at home against Miami.
Friday, June 09, 2006
More Kernels of Corn From Nebraska
No, we're not quite done talking about Nebraska. The Kansas City Star's excellent series on the 10-year anniversary of the Big 12 Conference rolls along with a look at Cornhusker fans who have aimed their wrath at athletic director Steve Pederson. He's the guy who made the difficult decision to fire Frank Solich as coach after the team went 9-3 in 2003. It took 40 days to find Solich's replacement and tensions escalated each day until Bill Callahan arrived in Lincoln. Despite his glossy record, Solich's firing was not surprising because the creation of the superconference has upped the stakes, with veteran coaches Larry Smith (Missouri) and R.C. Slocum (Texas A&M) among those who have been fired. While Callahan seems to have won over the fans for the moment, he lost one of his stellar recruits in offensive lineman Rodney Picou, who is academically ineligible (some registration).
Reporters' Notebooks
Brian Dohn, L.A. Daily News: UCLA and Kansas State are close to announcing a two-year home-and-home series that will begin in 2009.
Bob Condotta, Seattle Times: Washington's star-crossed recruiting class of 2002 — none of whom has participated in a winning season — will hear nothing but cheers on Saturday.
Susan Miller Degnan, Miami Herald: Miami has lost another quarterback recruit. Daniel Stegall will pursue a career in baseball after being drafted by the New York Mets (registration).
Ted Lewis, Times-Picayune: Louisiana State coach Les Miles is preparing for a USO tour of Kuwait and Iraq.
Jacob Messer, Charleston Daily Mail: Tailback Jason Gwaltney, who left West Virginia last winter, is reportedly interested in returning but appears to have academic issues at Nassau Community College.
Mike Kaszuba, Star Tribune: The architectural firm that designed Camden Yards, the home of the Baltimore Orioles, was hired by Minnesota to draw up plans for the Golden Gophers' new stadium. Also, a look at other Big Ten stadiums.
Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State and Toledo will play a two-game series beginning in 2009, with the first game at Cleveland Browns Stadium (subscription, so story is in comments).
Terry Hutchens, Indianapolis Star: Indiana coach Terry Hoeppner is rediscovering his family five months after having surgery to remove a brain tumor.
Bob Condotta, Seattle Times: Washington's star-crossed recruiting class of 2002 — none of whom has participated in a winning season — will hear nothing but cheers on Saturday.
Susan Miller Degnan, Miami Herald: Miami has lost another quarterback recruit. Daniel Stegall will pursue a career in baseball after being drafted by the New York Mets (registration).
Ted Lewis, Times-Picayune: Louisiana State coach Les Miles is preparing for a USO tour of Kuwait and Iraq.
Jacob Messer, Charleston Daily Mail: Tailback Jason Gwaltney, who left West Virginia last winter, is reportedly interested in returning but appears to have academic issues at Nassau Community College.
Mike Kaszuba, Star Tribune: The architectural firm that designed Camden Yards, the home of the Baltimore Orioles, was hired by Minnesota to draw up plans for the Golden Gophers' new stadium. Also, a look at other Big Ten stadiums.
Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State and Toledo will play a two-game series beginning in 2009, with the first game at Cleveland Browns Stadium (subscription, so story is in comments).
Terry Hutchens, Indianapolis Star: Indiana coach Terry Hoeppner is rediscovering his family five months after having surgery to remove a brain tumor.
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Why Nebraska Failed to Make the Grade
So what's the real story behind the collapse of the Nebraska dynasty? When the Big 12 was formed 10 years ago, a new set of rules were put in place. Nebraska wanted unlimited partial qualifiers — players who did not meet either minimum grade-point average or standardized test score requirements. Texas was against such a rule and was prepared to join the Pacific 10 or Big Ten if Nebraska got its way. The Longhorns won, and because of that, the Cornhuskers went from mythical to mediocre in the new superconference. ... And this terrific story out of Texas: Longhorn quarterback Colt McCoy is being credited with helping to save the life of a seizure victim last month. ... Nebraska is installing a new video screen in Memorial Stadium. ... The Big 12 appears to have a backup plan should the financially strapped Houston Bowl cease operations. Officials from the Poinsettia Bowl want to talk with the league about establishing an affiliation if the situation in Houston collapses (some registration).
Reporters' Notebooks
Eric Crawford, Louisville Courier-Journal: Quarterback Brian Brohm should be fully recovered from ligament surgery on his right knee when Louisville opens camp this fall.
Bob Condotta, Seattle Times: Washington quarterback Isaiah Stanback was selected by Baltimore in the 45th round of the Major League Baseball draft.
Aaron Fentress, Oregonian: An Oregon recruit who has been charged with first-degree sex abuse and first-degree burglary could be nearing a plea bargain deal.
Pete Thamel, New York Times: The NCAA has drawn up an initial list of 15 secondary schools it considers invalid and will no longer accept transcripts from the so-called "diploma mills." (registration)
Ray Melick, Birmingham News: What is behind the creation of "diploma mills," which are designed to give eligibility to prospective college athletes? It's called money.
Joe Starkey, Tribune-Review: There's only one place left in Pennsylvania where you can find Pittsburgh and Penn State players engaged in competition.
Steve Ellis and Jim Henry, Tallahassee Democrat: Brent Brewer, a receiver who had signed with Florida State, decided to take a bonus believed to be around $500,000 and continue his baseball career with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Bob Condotta, Seattle Times: Washington quarterback Isaiah Stanback was selected by Baltimore in the 45th round of the Major League Baseball draft.
Aaron Fentress, Oregonian: An Oregon recruit who has been charged with first-degree sex abuse and first-degree burglary could be nearing a plea bargain deal.
Pete Thamel, New York Times: The NCAA has drawn up an initial list of 15 secondary schools it considers invalid and will no longer accept transcripts from the so-called "diploma mills." (registration)
Ray Melick, Birmingham News: What is behind the creation of "diploma mills," which are designed to give eligibility to prospective college athletes? It's called money.
Joe Starkey, Tribune-Review: There's only one place left in Pennsylvania where you can find Pittsburgh and Penn State players engaged in competition.
Steve Ellis and Jim Henry, Tallahassee Democrat: Brent Brewer, a receiver who had signed with Florida State, decided to take a bonus believed to be around $500,000 and continue his baseball career with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Big 12 Conference: Ten Years After
Ten years ago, the Big Eight Conference became the Big 12 Conference, with Baylor, Texas, Texas A&M and Texas Tech leaving the Southwest to create a superconference. The Kansas City Star is marking the anniversary by examining the pros and cons of the union. Revenues are up, but fat paydays have not arrived without problems. The conference's South Division has dominated football and that trend is likely to continue. Could it force a breakup of the union? Officials say no, but a team such as Colorado could find it difficult to resist an overture from the Pacific 10. The league has suffered from many scandals, but a top offender has been Colorado. The person in charge of cleaning up the mess in Boulder is athletic director Mike Bohn, who did an extended interview with the Denver Post (some registration).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)