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As I See It, by Jimmy Vaccaro
August 25, 2001
Not-so-Innocent Gambler Gets
A Rude New Age Wakeup Call
Talk about how our world is evolving. Just the other day, I received a rather rude awakening into the New World Order and how things have changed from when I was a young sharpie.
Let me precede my cautionary tale with an admission that puts it in perspective. To be blunt, butter never did melt in my mouth, and in my youth I never claimed to be the poster child for how to do things on the straight and narrow. You know what I mean.
Back in my era, mainly the early ‘60s, before sports tickers or sports websites gave out up-to-the-minute news and scores, the gang I ran with wasn’t averse to playing fast and loose with society’s rules.
For instance, past posting some sleepy b.m. or putting a cooler in the local card game to try and knock out the local pros in one hand was just part of the game.
Now past posting wasn’t a guaranteed payoff, but it sure felt good trying. Those were the crimes of the day for those of us who did not follow the Commandments. I’m not trying to soft soap what we did, but it was simply part of the script of growing up in a gambling environment.
Of course, what goes around comes around. There were times in my career when I was on the other end of a past posting scheme. And I took my medicine without belly-aching.
But recently I was victimized by a petty crime which I had heard about, but never thought I would experience. It hit home in a way that made me realize how times have changed, and not for the better.
As most of you know, I have been playing hoops my entire life, including pickup games during the 26 years I’ve lived here in Las Vegas. The local haunt that most of us patronize is a place called the Sporting House, which has health club facilities and a basketball court.
A month ago, my brother Sonny, a rep for Adidas, got me a pair of KOBE’s. I was wearing them just as the major ad campaign unveiled the new shoes to the public.
Thanks to Sonny, who works with Kobe among others, I always have these items a little earlier than everyone else. And when I started wearing the shoes on the court, I was rather startled by the commotion they caused.
Anyone who knows me is well aware that I am the antithesis of a trendoid. But motoring up and down the court in those shoes made me a trendie, whether I liked it or not.
Of course, I am not naïve and fully realize the jealousy that being first with such a hot product creates. I remember the to-do caused by Michael Jordan and his signature shoes when they hit the market in the ‘80s.
Well, by now you’ve probably figured out what happened. Yep, my neat, new KOBE’s were stolen out of my private locker in a VIP section of the club.
Someone who just had to have them broke into my locker and thoughtfully left my ankle braces, my original Sidney Green summer camp t-shirt and blue sweat pants.
It is shocking and sad to realize that there is a thief in our midst as we play our games of pick-up hoops.
But there have always been thieves. In my day, they went for the cash … now they go for the shoes.
NCAA Top 10. Here’s my top 10 list in the race for the national championship. This is where they will finish, not where they should be ranked today.
1. Nebraska
2. Florida
3. Georgia Tech
4. Tennessee
5. Texas
6. Oklahoma
7. Miami – FL
8. Ohio State
9. Florida State
10. Virginia Tech
Stay tuned and stay well,
Jimmy Vaccaro
August 25, 2001
Not-so-Innocent Gambler Gets
A Rude New Age Wakeup Call
Talk about how our world is evolving. Just the other day, I received a rather rude awakening into the New World Order and how things have changed from when I was a young sharpie.
Let me precede my cautionary tale with an admission that puts it in perspective. To be blunt, butter never did melt in my mouth, and in my youth I never claimed to be the poster child for how to do things on the straight and narrow. You know what I mean.
Back in my era, mainly the early ‘60s, before sports tickers or sports websites gave out up-to-the-minute news and scores, the gang I ran with wasn’t averse to playing fast and loose with society’s rules.
For instance, past posting some sleepy b.m. or putting a cooler in the local card game to try and knock out the local pros in one hand was just part of the game.
Now past posting wasn’t a guaranteed payoff, but it sure felt good trying. Those were the crimes of the day for those of us who did not follow the Commandments. I’m not trying to soft soap what we did, but it was simply part of the script of growing up in a gambling environment.
Of course, what goes around comes around. There were times in my career when I was on the other end of a past posting scheme. And I took my medicine without belly-aching.
But recently I was victimized by a petty crime which I had heard about, but never thought I would experience. It hit home in a way that made me realize how times have changed, and not for the better.
As most of you know, I have been playing hoops my entire life, including pickup games during the 26 years I’ve lived here in Las Vegas. The local haunt that most of us patronize is a place called the Sporting House, which has health club facilities and a basketball court.
A month ago, my brother Sonny, a rep for Adidas, got me a pair of KOBE’s. I was wearing them just as the major ad campaign unveiled the new shoes to the public.
Thanks to Sonny, who works with Kobe among others, I always have these items a little earlier than everyone else. And when I started wearing the shoes on the court, I was rather startled by the commotion they caused.
Anyone who knows me is well aware that I am the antithesis of a trendoid. But motoring up and down the court in those shoes made me a trendie, whether I liked it or not.
Of course, I am not naïve and fully realize the jealousy that being first with such a hot product creates. I remember the to-do caused by Michael Jordan and his signature shoes when they hit the market in the ‘80s.
Well, by now you’ve probably figured out what happened. Yep, my neat, new KOBE’s were stolen out of my private locker in a VIP section of the club.
Someone who just had to have them broke into my locker and thoughtfully left my ankle braces, my original Sidney Green summer camp t-shirt and blue sweat pants.
It is shocking and sad to realize that there is a thief in our midst as we play our games of pick-up hoops.
But there have always been thieves. In my day, they went for the cash … now they go for the shoes.
NCAA Top 10. Here’s my top 10 list in the race for the national championship. This is where they will finish, not where they should be ranked today.
1. Nebraska
2. Florida
3. Georgia Tech
4. Tennessee
5. Texas
6. Oklahoma
7. Miami – FL
8. Ohio State
9. Florida State
10. Virginia Tech
Stay tuned and stay well,
Jimmy Vaccaro
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