Some of my favorite places to be are places or venues where people are just people..
Ballgames, the beach & yes, the sportsbook..
People can be just people..
Famous, rich, smart, sexy, doesn’t matter..
Today, I woke up & heard that Larry King died..
and it reminded me of a story..
Back about 14 or 15 years ago, I was working an opening shift in the book downtown at the Golden Nugget..
It was a Wednesday and it was me and Marissa, my Filipino co-worker who was a Keno writer turned sportsbook writer..
Marissa didn’t like..
sports, mornings or people, so she wasn’t exactly a ray of sunshine when you worked with her..
There were times I know she was asleep sitting up, and she perfected the art of not speaking English like Sammy Sosa did at the steroid senate hearings..
For as long as I can remember, I have been asked the question “who do you like?”
This goes back to the days before I ever worked in a sportsbook, but even more so over the last two decades in the book..
I don’t ever claim to know anymore than anyone..
else because I have seen “sharp” money lose and “squares” win..honestly, I am and have been over that talk for a long time..
I am no longer surprised by the “who do you like” question, and, in fact, I love it. I love talking to people about it, and I love hearing what people..
say. Sports brings people together, and making plays or having opinions can be fun..
Occasionally, it’s where I get asked the question that is the real story..
On the phone, on the radio, on podcasts, on text or DM, even in the pisser..
In case you have not seen or heard, I got to co host a couple of shows this week on VSIN and SiriusXM on Tuesday and Wednesday this week.
Two hours each, in studio, from the sports book at the South Point in Vegas..
The book is a magical place for me,
and it is truly a home away from home..
The studio is amazing, the staff is top notch, and the production is professional..
But the “show” is truly outside the glass walls and sitting in the book, socially distanced of course..
After the show Wednesday, I was watching the..
rare Wednesday NFL game between Ravens and Steelers, and I caught the eyes of a guy walking towards the counter.
Nobody recognizes anybody right now with the masks on, but I knew right away. I slid mine down to reveal my face and yelled out, “Man, they haven’t chased you outta..
Every week during football, Monday is spent asking “how did the book do?”
It’s the Monday morning column that gets a lot of views every week. I was lucky enough to be a part of that call when I worked in a book.
It was fun talking to all of my guys..
writing the columns like Purdum, Fawkes, Micah Roberts, Dewey and Everson, to name a few.
I still talk to them, but now the conversations have expanded to other parts of the business, as well as how is the family, how is your health, and always, who do you like..
And now...
I’m doing shows on the radio or videos with my guys Perrault, Brad Howe, Kevin Rogers, Teddy and Prez every week, along with my own podcast with Mo, Reynolds and HB..
The calls and texts are priceless, and it all starts with the sports and the gambling..