A SURPRISE IN LAS VEGAS

As I said in my last post, for my last full day in Las Vegas before I went back to the cold of New York City, the plan was to visit as many casino hotels as possible and take in everything else happening in Las Vegas for that weekend.

Not only were hockey players invading the home of the Vegas Golden Knights, T Mobile Arena, but over at Allegiant Stadium, home of the Las Vegas Raiders football team, the NFL All Star game, the Pro Bowl, had football players invading Las Vegas also.

It was the first time in sports history that two sports leagues were having their all star games in the same city, and not only was Las Vegas more than ready for it, the Sports Diva was in her element.

This is what I came for, to see all the hockey goings on in town.

I didn’t go to the Fan Fest on Friday because I was trying to rush back to my hotel in Downtown Las Vegas and pack for a 6am flight the next day.

Plus I wanted to see my favorite part of any sports all star game.

Not the all Star game itself, but the festivities before like the Home Run Derby in Baseball, The Slam Dunk and 3 Point Contest in Basketball and in hockey, Fastest Skater, Hardest Shot, Most Accurate Shooter, Mascots Dance Off and the Breakaway Competition in which players from the different teams come up with creative ways to score on the goaltender .

As for the football all star skills competition, nope, sorry not a fan of that.

Anyway, as I said, I had plans for Friday.

My Vegas Golden Knights friends had other plans for me.

My friend LB: “Jo Ann where are you now?”

“I’m just walking into Resorts World now.”

My friend LB: “Lisa and I are staying at Park MGM.”

Park MGM Hotel and Casino are across the street from T Mobile Arena, but I figured we were going to watch the Skills Competition from the girls room.

“Okay, I was going back downtown to my hotel and watch the Skills Competition.”

My friend LB:”Lisa has an extra ticket to the Skills Competition, you wanna go?”

I didn’t know if half of Las Vegas Boulevard could hear me screaming, but the Sports Diva screamed as though one of her teams had just won the championship or something.

Oh hell yeah, I wanted to go.

Packing could wait, the Sports Diva had a hockey All Star Skills Competition to go to.

Need I mention that LB and Lisa are Vegas Golden Knights seasons tickets holders so we sat in their seats watching the mascots act the fool with fans, dancing with the Vegas Bellas, who are the showgirls who preform at Golden Knights games.

The mascot dance off was won by the Pacific Division mascots from Vancouver, Los Angeles,Anaheim, San Jose and of course, Chance from Las Vegas, who did a routine with the showgirls to a song by The Weekend, “Blinded By The Lights.” Very appropriate for Vegas if you ask me.

The Metropolitan Conference mascots, led by Gritty from Philadelphia, Sparky The Dragon from The New York Islanders, Iceburgh, the Pittsburgh Penguins mascot, and The Eagle from the Washington Capitals, came in second dancing to The Harlem Shuffle.

Outside of the Fastest Skater and Hardest Shot Competition, which was won by Jordan Kyrou of the St. Louis Blues (and really is one of the fastest skaters I have ever seen and I’ve seen some pretty fast hockey skaters in my time)and Victor Hedman of the Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning, everyone was waiting for the Breakaway Competition.

The event was won by Alex Pietrangelo of the home town VGK, but even the Vegas fans were booing this decision.

Like me, they thought it should have gone to Trevor Zegras of the Anaheim Ducks, who shot into the net blindfolded while the mascots threw dodgeballs at him.

It could have even gone to Alex Debrincat from the Chicago Blackhawks, who dressed like Alan from the movie The Hangover.

You can’t get any more Las Vegas than that.

Debrincat brought the house down when he came out with Derek Carr, the quarterback of the Las Vegas Raiders who threw a football , which Debrincat caught and then shot it into the net.

It got really crazy when the All Stars were announced and the loudest boos weren’t for players from the Los Angeles Kings or San Jose Sharks, the rivals of the VGK, no it was reserved for Tom Wilson of the Washington Capitals, who believe it or not is the second most hated man in hockey.

After the competition was over, it was time for me to go get something to eat and finally pack because the shuttle van was coming to take me to the airport at 3:30am.

I always love my 30 Plus Teams Tours of Las Vegas, but this one was really good and what a surprise.

Youpi and SpartaCat, the Ottawa Senators mascot, meeting the crowd

Blades the bear, the Boston Bruins mascot

NHL FAN FEST AND A HISTORY LESSON PART TWO

The Fan Fest on both days started at 3pm, Las Vegas time.

I didn’t expect to stay long after seeing the exhibits and playing games.

The game sponsored by GEICO, I won another stuffed animal, a camel.

If you’ve ever seen the GEICO commercial, you know this is kinda funny.

“HUMP DAY!”

I was going to stay maybe an hour or so, but I noticed they were doing an interview with former players so I stayed.

But then I heard a lot of noise coming from the other side of the hall near where the DJ was playing music.

It wasn’t the music, it was the mascots from most of the 32 teams.

Some teams like New York Rangers, Seattle Kraken and Detroit Red Wings don’t even have mascots, and I didn’t see the mascot from the Calgary Flames, Harvey The Hound, either.

But other mascots were there, including the mascot that seems to be the one everyone knows, Gritty from the Philadelphia Flyers.

The mascots played dodgeball, which got the crowd going and just mingled with the crowd.

Hunter the Lynx, the Edmonton Oilers mascot, got just a little too up close and personal with the Sports Diva and I was behind the glass.

As I said, the plan was to stay maybe just an hour or so.

So much for plans.

I ended up staying until 7pm and it started at 3pm.

I had one more full day in Vegas and I had a whole day of exploring Vegas on my list of things to do that Friday before I left to go back to New York, so I wasn’t going to go to the second day of Fan Fest.

Or at least I THOUGHT I was going to do other things in Vegas on my last day in the city.

My Vegas Golden Knights posse had OTHER plans for the Sports Diva.

Finn, the Vancouver Canucks mascot, Wild Wing, Anaheim Ducks mascot, Victor E Green, Dallas Stars mascot and Hunter, Edmonton Oilers mascot

Tommy Hawk, the Chicago Blackhawks mascot

Manitoba Moose, the Winnepeg Jets mascot

Bailey, the Los Angeles Kings mascot

Sabertooth, the Buffalo Sabres mascot and Carlton the Polar bear, Toronto Maple Leafs mascot

Louie, the St. Louis Blues mascot with Chance, the Vegas Golden Knights mascot

Nordie, the Minnesota Wild mascot

Howler, the Arizona Coyotes mascot

It’s Youpi, the Montreal Canadiens mascot. If he looks sort of familiar, it’s because Youpi was the mascot for the Montreal Expos baseball team

Louie saying hi to the crowd, S. J. Sharkie, the San Jose Sharks mascot is close by

Poor Bernie the St. Bernard, Colorado Avalanche mascot, got hit by a dodgeball from one of the Eastern Conference mascots. SpartaCAT, Ottawa Senators mascot and Lightning Bug, Tampa Bay Lightning mascot aren’t showing any sympathy for Bernie. Victor E Green had to help up the poor baby.

Ok back up, Hunter. You’re a little too close up and personal to the Sports Diva

NHL FAN FEST AND A HISTORY LESSON PART ONE

This was one, no the main reason why the Sports Diva did a 30 Plus Teams Tour of Las Vegas.

Usually my trips to Las Vegas are twice a year, February and June.

This year there was a real reason to go to Vegas at this time and it had NOTHING to do with gambling.

If you know the Sports Diva, you know that my mottos are, “Staying home is NOT an option”, and my favorite one, “Have a hockey team, will travel.”

Las Vegas does have a hockey team, the Vegas Golden Knights and from February 4-5, they and the city of Las Vegas hosted the NHL All Star game and Fan Fest, which was at the Las Vegas Convention Center and ran from Thursday February 3 until Sunday February 6.

The All Star game was on Saturday February 5, but by the time it came on at 4pm, Eastern time, the Sports Diva was back in New York City.

The Skills Competition has always been my favorite but more about it in another post.

I was ready for two days at convention center for Fan Fest.

It didn’t happen, I only ended up seeing one day of Fan Fest, but that was okay by me.

It was fun seeing all things hockey, including the antics of the mascots from many of the teams including the host mascot, Chance, who is a lizard or as they call them in Nevada, Gila Monsters.

What I didn’t expect, though, was a history lesson on hockey.

The first exhibit as you walked into the west hall of the convention center past the banners of all 32 NHL teams was the exhibit showing the contribution to hockey by not just blacks but women and Native Americans (or First Nations, as they’re refered to in Canada as well.)

I saw names of players that I remembered watching over the years and players that I didn’t even know were black or Indigenous.

I wish this exhibit had been bigger or had as long a line as the line to see the Stanley Cup did.

SHENANIGANS OUT WEST

In a few hours God willing, the Sports Diva will be on a Delta Airlines jet from JFK.

As usual, it’s for a 30 Plus Teams Tour.

I’m really excited about this particular 30 Plus Teams Tour.

There is a game going on but that’s not it.

It’s the NHL All Star Weekend, and that means not only will I be in the host city but also some of my favorite and not so favorite hockey players as well.

Did I forget to mention that also in my suitcase are two sharpie pens for autographs?

Besides the All Star game, there’s the four day Fan Fest from February 3-6, culminating on Saturday, February 5 with the NHL All Star game.

There’s going to be a few posts about all the fun and not so fun stuff going on, so you just KNOW that the Sports Diva is going to be acting the fool along with everyone else.

Did I mention where all this craziness is going to happen?

VEGAS BABY!

FAN FEST TIME WITH THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS

This is a 30 Plus Teams Tour after all, and the Sports Diva is making the most of it.

On the last day of February , the Vegas Golden Knights hockey team had their annual Fan Fest at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center.

This year was different , though

Normally, the players meet and greet the fans.

Not this year.

Even though they never mentioned it, concerns about the Coronavirus might have had something to do with why the players didn’t interact with many of the fans , even seasons ticket holders.

However, fans did interact with the team mascot, Chance, the cheerleaders , known as the Vegas Vivas, the team play by play broadcasters and the in game entertainment people.

There were some Golden Knights players though, and while they were on stage, many of us loved the games that they played.

How well do you know your teamate, Vegas Golden Knights Family Feud, and other games were played by the players as well as a Question and answer session with the coach and new players .

Now what would a fan fest be without some swag and of course, the Sports Diva was happy .

A Team Sports Apparel Fashionista ALWAYS needs new swag.

Even though this fan fest was different, a good time in Vegas was had by all .

FAN GIRLING AT THE PLAYERS LOCKER

It’s located in Downtown Summerlin, a suburb of Las Vegas, right near the City National Arena, practice arena of the Vegas Golden Knights hockey team.

The restaurant, called The Players Locker, is owned by renowned chef Wolfgang Puck and five of his closest friends in Las Vegas named Deryk Engelland, William Karlsson, Alex Tuch, Reilly Smith and Shea Theodore.

Did I mention that his five closest friends just happen to play for the Vegas Golden Knights?

When you first walk into the restaurant, which opened for business in early February, not only will you see the five jerseys of the players, but this is a sports bar after all, so expect to see a big screen tv right in the middle of the restaurant showing some kind of sporting event.

The food, which isn’t expensive at all, are foods that you would find at a sports bar, but with a twist.

Some of them are named for the players or are foods that the players enjoyed either at home in Canada, Sweden, or the United States.

However, bring your appetite with you because the portions are HUMONGUS!

I couldn’t finish my loaded Nachos.

Thank God I didn’t order them with Chicken or Steak.

Someone would have had to carry me out of the restaurant.

I went with three of my Vegas friends right after we left practice.

Imagine our reaction when one of the players came in.

Talk about the Sports Diva and her posse losing their ever loving minds.

#MajorFanGirling

All of us were fanning ourselves after we left the restaurant.

Did I mention that he was one of the owners and just happened to be the favorite player of all four of us?

#TeamAlexTuchAllDay

If you happen to be in the Summerlin area while in Las Vegas, (Red Rock area is also nearby), have lunch, dinner or Sunday brunch at The Players Locker.

Who knows, you might just see one of the owners there.

Just don’t be that Fan girl or Fan guy.

SOME PICTURES FROM THE NHL AWARDS

This is one of the main reasons that I come to Las Vegas in June.

No, who am I kidding?

This is THE only reason I come to Vegas in 100 plus temperatures Fahrenheit in June to see the NHL honor the best players for the whole season.

The Sports Diva isnt the only one who marks this date on her calendar every year.

Other hockey fans make their own 30 Plus Teams Tour of Las Vegas to do this and you don’t have to dress up.

Those Minnesota Wild and Las Vegas Golden Knights jerseys that you’re wearing are just fine.

Represent your hockey team, especially if they have a player nominated for best goaltender , best defenseman, best coach or even for their dedication to hockey.

(That dedication to hockey award is real not just a made up name. It’s called the Masterton Trophy and it was named for Bill Masterton , who unfortunately , lost his life while playing hockey for the Minnesota team . )

I normally get pictures with the players who were nominated , but not this time .

You had to have a bracelet to do what’s called the Red Carpet this year.

Thank you to those fans who bring all that stuff to be autographed by the players and then you sell them!

Because of y’all , the Sports Diva and other hockey fans can’t get up close and personal with our favorite and definately not so favorite hockey players at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

At least tickets were inexpensive enough to attend the awards ceremony , something that I hadn’t done in 2 years.

Pictures are worth a thousand words, so get your money’s worth by checking out some of the action from the NHL Awards .

MY FAVORITE MEMORY FROM THIS YEAR

The  year isn’t  over yet ,  and I’m  sure  that I’ll  have  many other favorite  memories  to talk about . 

At this time  though ,  at the middle  of  October ,  my favorite  memory  from this year so far occurred in a five day span, June 18th  until June 23rd . 

This was my annual  trip to  Las Vegas  for the NHL  Awards  and  red carpet  ceremony.

This year was an extra  special  one though.

Las Vegas  was getting  a  brand  new  hockey  team, the Golden  Knights.

(You know what  that means ,  right? Las Vegas  has become  a stop on the 30 Plus  Teams  Tour . )

Not only was the city hosting  the awards, something  that they had done for the  past few years at some theater in one of the many casino – hotels in  town, but they were going to hold the ceremony  and  the Expansion  Draft  at the T-MOBILE  Arena ,  home of the team.

Everyone  who attended  the  awards ceremony  also got to see and hear just what players would  be  wearing  that black hockey jersey trimmed  in gold and red with the gold Knights  shield  on the front.

I was really  excited  because  for once not only was I  going to  the red carpet  ceremony  and take pictures  with hockey players nominated  for  awards, but I  could  actually  afford  tickets to  the  awards  for once.

$25 for a seat in Section  13, row 9 sounded awfully  good to  me.

The only thing  that  I  didn’t  like was the unbearable  heat.

The  city does get wicked  hot in the months  of  June, July ,  and August ,  but maybe because  I’m  getting  older and hadn’t  lived in  Vegas in 7 years, the heat did bother me a lot this time and  I  was wearing  a  sleeveless  dress.

I can never forget how excited  I was when five of the newest members of  the  team came on stage and greeted the crowd.

They were wearing  their jerseys without their names or numbers on the back.

I wasn’t  the only one  who  was excited . 

The crowd in the arena was electric  and this wasn’t  even a hockey  game  that was being  played . 

There was even a question  and answer period after the ceremony  was over with not only the same five players, but the coach of the team as well.

It was something  that  I’ll  never forget . 

Vegas was ready to  show the world  that the newest member  of “The Shield  ” could  put on a show worthy of “The Entertainment  Capital  of  the  World  ” when their first inaugural  home game happened on October  10th . 

Yes, this was definitely  my favorite  memory  of  the  year ,  if not the summer.

I couldn’t  wait to  see  them play, and it’s  even part of  my bucket list to see a game at the  T-MOBILE  Arena . 

Who would  have  known  or even  thought  that  just a few  days  before  October  10th ,  someone  would  make  my favorite  memory  of  the  year very bittersweet ? 

I  will  still  remember  in spite  of  everything those days, June 18-23, 2017, and how they will be my favorite  memory  of  the  year.
#VEGASSTRONGFOREVER