West Coast Conference tourney rolling to Vegas in 09
That means it's only 51 weeks until the next WCC tournament, when the fun should really begin. The WCC is moving its league playoff to ... bring up the orchestra ... a Las Vegas casino! Or at least an arena next to a Las Vegas casino.
That's right; this pack of mostly Catholic schools from Saint Mary's to San Francisco is headed for the Strip, presumably in search of a neutral court and 24-hour buffets.
The Gonzaga fans didn't seem to appreciate having to play the finals in San Diego this week, though it is unclear what was more difficult: trying to beat the home team Toreros on their own court, or the nutritional guilt one endures when buying two hot dogs, popcorn and a soda in a place called the Jenny Craig Pavilion.
So the league is off to Vegas, and talk about pulling one over on the big conferences. The snooty ACC plays this week in Charlotte. How could that ever top Engelbert Humperdinck appearing nightly in the Orleans Room?
OK, maybe this seems something of an odd, uncertain marriage. But then, Las Vegas sees lots of those. One can only imagine the questions next March when so many Catholics show up in Nevada.
"What time does our team play, and where's the Bingo?"
Nevada, by the way, includes deserts and mountains and lakes but not one school in the West Coast Conference.
But remember, what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Except for maybe at confession.
It should be quite an experience for a league that doesn't get a lot of exposure back east, because speaking of Las Vegas so much of its action takes place in the middle of the night.
To get an idea of what lies ahead, we can take this year's pre-tournament press release and imagine what it will be next year.
"With the conclusion of the regular season, conference squads now turn their attention to the WCC Tournament, which begins Friday in the Orleans Arena.
(Don't miss our 35-table poker room, named the best in the area by Casino Player magazine! Twenty-four hours of Texas Hold 'Em, 7-card stud, and Omaha High-lo!)
"Gonzaga secured the top seed, posting a 13-1 record to win its eighth consecutive WCC regular season title, and the Bulldogs' 10th in the past 11 seasons.
(Plus all your favorite table games craps, roulette, baccarat!)
Saint Mary's owns the No. 2 seed and, like the Zags, will earn a bye into the semifinals.
(3000 generous slots, video poker and keno machines!)
San Diego earned the No. 3 seed while Santa Clara finished fourth in the conference standings to earn the No. 4 seed.
(Our Race and Sports Book has seating for 125 people and 13 windows for pari-mutuel betting!)
The Toreros and Broncos earn first-round byes and will play in the quarterfinal round.
(Now appearing in the Orleans Show Room ... Don Rickles!)
San Francisco, led by the legendary Eddie Sutton, is the tournament's No. 5 seed.
(And coming soon, Sinbad!)
Somewhere, new UCLA football coach Rick Neuheisel must be slightly amused at how the world turns. He was once fired by the University of Washington for getting involved in an NCAA Tournament betting pool, officials wanting to send a message about the scourge and dangers of gambling staining the purity of intercollegiate athletics.
Now one of the tournament bids will be decided next door to 3,000 slot machines.
And the NCAA's appetite for such a thing, since it refuses to make Las Vegas a host tournament site?
"These types of decisions are made by conferences and their members, and NCAA rules do not preclude such a change in location for a conference tournament," NCAA spokesman Erik Christianson answered in an e-mail. "NCAA policies prohibit NCAA championships from being held in venues where sports wagering occurs."
Meanwhile, because San Diego was an upset champion, the league will probably get three spots in the NCAA bracket with at-large invitations for Gonzaga and Saint Mary's. Bad news for a bubble team from another conference.
So the WCC probably gets three bids this year and Kenny Rogers on stage next year. It's a conference on a roll.
***
Contact Mike Lopresti at mlopresti@gns.gannett.com
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