The Future of Football | Vegas Seven Magazine | Aug.25-31, 2016 by Vegas Seven

JUST ANNOUNCED SATURDAY • OCTOBER 8

jessie james decker SATURDAY • OCTOBER 22

THE FRAY WITH SPECIAL GUEST

AMERICAN AUTHORS UPCOMING SHOWS SUN • SEPT 4

ROGER CLYNE

FRI • SEPT 16

& THE PEACEMAKERS

BOYCE AVENUE

THU • SEPT 22

SAT • OCT 15

garbage

alessia cara

FRI • OCT 21

FRI • NOV 4

SAT • NOV 12

FRI • NOV 18

bad religion ms. lauryn hill

bush

lukas graham

L AS VEGAS’ WEEKLY CITY MAGAZINE

FOUNDED FEBRUARY 2010

PUBLISHER Michael Skenandore

EDITORIAL Melinda Sheckells Genevie Durano DEPUTY EDITOR Paul Szydelko SENIOR EDITOR, DINING, BEVERAGE & NIGHTLIFE Xania Woodman ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Mark Adams SENIOR WRITER Lissa Townsend Rodgers ASSISTANT EDITOR Ian Caramanzana EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

MANAGING EDITOR

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Michael Green (politics), Al Mancini (dining), David G. Schwartz (gaming/hospitality)

ART Benjamin Ward Cierra Pedro STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Krystal Ramirez CREATIVE DIRECTOR

SENIOR DESIGNER

VEGASSEVEN.COM Zoneil Maharaj Mike Grimala EDITOR, DTLV.COM Jessie O’Brien DIGITAL PRODUCER & WRITER Amber Sampson DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL CONTENT

SENIOR WRITER, RUNREBS.COM

PRODUCTION/DISTRIBUTION Marc Barrington Jimmy Bearse

DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION/DISTRIBUTION ADVERTISING MANAGER

SALES Christy Corda Nicole Scherer ACCOUNT MANAGER Brittany Quintana ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Robyn Weiss DIRECTOR OF SALES, BILLBOARD DIVISION John Tobin BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL SALES

INTERN Ally Tatosian

Ryan T. Doherty

| Justin Weniger

Michael Skenandore CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Sim Salzman VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING AND EVENTS Keith White CREATIVE DIRECTOR Sherwin Yumul TECHNICAL DIRECTOR Herbert Akinyele CONTROLLER Jane Weigel PRESIDENT

Comments@VegasSeven.com Sales@VegasSeven.com DISTRIBUTION Distribution@VegasSeven.com

LETTERS AND STORY IDEAS ADVERTISING

PUBLISHED IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE OBSERVER MEDIA GROUP Vegas Seven, 702-798-7000, 701 Bridger Avenue, Las Vegas, NV 89101 Vegas Seven is distributed each Thursday throughout Southern Nevada c 2016 Vegas Seven, LLC. Reproduction in whole or in part without the permission of Vegas Seven, LLC is prohibited.

THE LATEST

News, deals and how the Riv is leaving a blank slate.

Seven Days This week in your city

Micro Homes, Big Community Concept hopes to find solution to affordable Downtown housing woes ➜ Any twenty-something who has hunted for an apartment knows finding a home in Downtown requires compromising on either quality or affordability. Solving that conundrum is the goal of WE, a concept for micro housing on Casino Center Drive and Utah Street set to open next year. Christina Roush (co-owner of Portfolio Investments, whose property includes Prickly Pear Apartments) has enlisted the Bunnyfish Studio architecture firm (Inspire Theater, John E. Carson Hotel, Gold Spike) to design the complex. She is seeking a tenant base of young people fresh out of college or renting their first apartment. “The product [will be] modeled after markets in the West like L.A., Seattle and Portland,” Roush says. “Las Vegas, like with many other things, is late to the race.” The micro-housing trend is seen more in big coastal cities where space is limited and rent is expensive. The average rent for a one-bedroom unit in Las Vegas is about $800 a month. Few Downtown options hit the pricing sweet spot

for young renters, between $750 and $850, and are in a good condition, Roush says. The monthly rent for WE micro homes, which will include utilities and Wi-Fi, has not yet been determined. Communal amenities will make up for the lack of space in individual units, she says. The animal-friendly, gated WE will have 48 units, each about 350 to 450 square feet, surrounding a courtyard with a pool, cabanas and barbecue pit. A large central kitchen, a common room and laundry room are featured. Similar to Downtown Project’s 211, each space will have a small bathroom and kitchen area. The bottom floor will have large patios about the same size as the units themselves. Roush is uncertain whether she will renovate the old youth hostel where WE will be located or start from scratch. But she’s certain of this: Whether they’re small, smaller or micro, more residential spaces will be welcome in Downtown. –Jessie O'Brien

By B O B W H I T B Y Let’s start the week with a good scare. Report to Henderson’s Green Valley Library at 6 p.m. for a free showing of The Conjuring, purportedly based on the true story of a dark presence in a rural farmhouse. Egads. HendersonLibraries.com.

THU 25

FRI 26

How’s your martial arts training coming along? Need some inspiration to get to the next level belt? The International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation’s World Master Championship is in town, Thursday through Saturday at the Convention Center. IBJJF.org

SAT 27

If you’re looking for some good, clean, all-American fun, it’s off to Las Vegas Motor Speedway with you. There you’ll be enveloped in the Drag Racing Nationals Battle of the Imports & Domestics, 3-10 p.m. In addition to drag races you’ll find a car show, bikini contest and other goodies. Street2Track.net. Beach party! Wait, where’s the beach? At the Reflection Bay Golf Club on Lake Las Vegas, in this case. It’s the annual Country in the Cove beach shindig, noon to 6 p.m., featuring some fine country music, good food, giveaways, stuff to do on the water, etc. Proceeds benefit the Lake Mead Yacht Club. LakeMeadYC.org.

SUN 28

Wheels Up for China

August 25-31, 2016

VegasSeven.com

Nonstop air service a win for Vegas By David G. Schwartz

Despite Macau’s slowing economy and a multiyear slowdown in gaming revenue in both Macau and Las Vegas traceable to the Chinese government’s ongoing anti-corruption campaign, China remains a potential tourist powerhouse. Hainan Airlines’ nonstop flights from Las Vegas to Beijing’s Capital Airport in December is a key to unlocking that potential. The addition of nonstop air travel is no small consideration. Flights from Shanghai currently have two

or more stops and take from 26 to a whopping 36 hours, depending on the length of the layover. Flights from Beijing are slightly better—22 hours seems to be the norm. And that’s if everything goes right; unexpected delays can add hours or even days to the trek. The time spent in airplanes and waiting for airplanes is doubtless limiting Las Vegas’ potential as a Chinese tourist destination. Compared with Europe: a nonstop from London’s Heathrow

airport takes about 11 hours, with no switching planes. Nonstop from Frankfurt, Germany? About 12 hours. Twelve hours from taking off in Beijing to landing in Las Vegas shaves at least 10 hours and massive hassle for Chinese tourists. If Las Vegas is to continue growing its tourist base, better access to the rapidly growing Chinese middle class is a necessity. Even if the high-roller faucet is susceptible to shut downs, the argument goes, there are simply so many potential Las Vegas visitors that even if they aren’t gambling more than the average visitor, the sheer mass of Chinese tourists will make any investments in them pay off. Just like the Asian high-end market bolstered Las Vegas during the worst of the recession, the Asian mass market will set the city up for future growth—at least that’s the plan.

MON 29

If you see parents high-fiving in the streets, perhaps on their way to pick up some wine, it’s because it's is the first day of classes at the county's public schools. Congratulations to parents for surviving the long summer! Condolences to kids; only nine more months to go! Everyone else, watch those school zones and buses.

TUE 30

Local artist Austine Wood Comarow uses cellophane, polarized filters and light sources to create sparkling works of art. Her work is at Springs Preserve’s Big Springs Gallery through Sept. 18. SpringsPreserve. org.

WED 31

Be inspired as we send you to The Smith Center for the Zappos for Good Speaker Series, 5:30 p.m. Speakers will be Dr. Brené Brown, a research and author who studies courage and vulnerability, and singer/ songwriter Jewel. TheSmithCenter.com.

Jail Is an Awful Place

J A M E S P. R E Z A

And other shocking revelations from the Bundys By Lissa Townsend Rodgers

What’s the best place left to experience neon’s magic?

Life Savers Donating blood has never been easier ➜ During the lazy summer months and in the harried back-to-school week,

perhaps the last thing we’re thinking about is donating blood. Supplies dwindle during the hottest months, so the need for donations is greater than ever. “Donations decline around summer holidays like Labor Day,” American Red Cross regional spokeswoman Tammy Nakamura says. “Whether blood is needed for a chronic condition such as sickle cell disease, a routine surgery, a traumatic accident or a large-scale emergency, it’s important to have blood already on the shelves to help save lives.” Registration is easy at RedCross.org: Type in your zip code, scroll through upcoming locations and pick a time. With the Red Cross Blood Donor App, you can track local drives, set up your next blood donation appointment, track how much you have donated so far and more. United Blood Services (BloodHero.com) has a quick three-step process as well. Among this week’s opportunities to donate: August 26, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Findlay Acura, 315 Auto Mall Drive; August 26, 2 p.m. (The Human Rights Campaign Stop the Hate Blood Drive), The Center of Southern Nevada, 401 S. Maryland Parkway; and September 1, 9 a.m. to 1:50 p.m., Enterprise Rental Car, 6855 Bermuda Road. Coming this fall, the process of becoming an organ donor will be easier than ever. Apple will be releasing a donorregistration app that will be connected to the Health App on every iPhone. The registration will allow users to learn about organ, eye and tissue donations and choose to become a donor. Registration information will be sent directly to the National Donate Life Registry, managed by Donate Life America. Those in emergency rooms and on waiting lists can live to see another day thanks to those who donate. Those relaxing poolside, a fruity drink in hand, can learn how to make a difference by checking out where the next blood drive will be. –Ally Tatosian

VegasSeven.com

be getting to at least one of the brothers. When guards searched Ryan Bundy’s cell in July, they found hidden food, clothing and a rope made out of sheets and towels. Bundy claims that he was just a “rancher trying to practice braiding rope.” (The rope was only about 12 feet, and the tower from which he was trying to escape from is more than 200 feet tall: Maybe they should have let him go for it.) Three weeks later, he began struggling with U.S. marshals during transport and had to be restrained. Ryan Bundy has now been moved into more restrictive accommodations. It should only be another week or two before he starts whining about how “disciplinary housing” doesn’t have enough towels and no one will give him the Wi-Fi password.

➜The hyper-organic glow of charged neon, flowing gracefully through glass tubes artfully bent into letters, Space Age Googie shapes and Mojave icons, once acted as Las Vegas’ preternatural beacon in the pitch-black desert. Long before Interstate 15, the internet and smartphones made our world smaller, long before two million people turned our tiny irreverent town into a big, confused city, neon was king. Imagine bending around the hill south of Las Vegas along the old Los Angeles Highway at night to emerge upon a concentration of multicolored hues bursting from the darkness like some bizarre, year-round holiday party. The scene promised all-night frolicking and a clean place to lie your head while the sun crept overhead. Modern methods of lighting and signage—more efficient, sturdy and animated, but infinitely less romantic— have emerged, and neon's usage has dimmed. Thanks to so much visual noise, spotting neon signage other than the obvious locations has become difficult. Connecting us to our past and helping Las Vegans grasp a sense of place make our Neon Museum invaluable. Yes, most of the museum's signs remain in a "boneyard" state, but others have been restored for display in all their technicolor glory. Meanwhile, the museum's Instagram feed celebrates classic signage wherever it’s found. A recent post of the Riviera's original Miami Moderne porte cachère was both beautiful and heartbreaking. Those wanting to take home a piece of midcentury modern Las Vegas might pick up one of native-born artist Jerry Misko's iconic, neon-inspired paintings. And, they might visit the Neon Museum's gift shop for a new, limited-edition Fossil watch whose Space Age shape is inspired by the famed "Welcome to Las Vegas" sign of designer Betty Willis. That sign is subtly etched into the watch face, but when in darkness, a hidden image of it glows, reminding us of a breathtaking Vegas moment long lost to progress.

thrown at the judges like monkeys fling poo: • Ammon Bundy filed to dismiss all charges on the basis that the federal government has no authority over the refuge and, thus, no standing to prosecute him. Incredibly, the court did not agree. • In July, Ryan Bundy filed “legal” paperwork declaring that “I, ryan c, man, am an idiot of the ‘Legal Society’; and; am an idiot (layman, outsider) of the ‘Bar Association’; and; i am incompetent.” No, our copy editor didn’t just have a stroke: It’s part of sovereign-citizen theory that randomly scattered semicolons can bring the entire legal system to a grinding halt. • In the same filing, Ryan Bundy demanded $100 million to play the “role” of “defendant” during the trail. Shit, for that kind of money, they could hire Johnny Depp to play him, Leonardo DiCaprio as Ammon and have enough to bring them both back for the sequel. Incarceration does seem to

Have a question about Las Vegas, past, present or future? Send it to askanative@VegasSeven.com.

August 25-31, 2016

Whether from personal experience or basic logic, most of us know that jail isn’t vacation and you can’t make up your own rules in a courtroom. Yet those realizations still elude Ammon and Ryan Bundy. The brothers are members of Nevada’s notorious Bundy family and led the occupation of the Malheur Wildlife Ranch in Oregon earlier this year. Awaiting their September 7 trial, the pair has been incarcerated for several months at Multnomah County Detention Center, which they seem to believe is a Motel 6 that isn’t quite earning its 2 1/2 stars. It began in May, when the Bundys complained about not having internet access in their cells, citing a need to post on Facebook and send emails. They also demanded a printer, scanner, video editing software and comfortable chairs, as well as permission to socialize with each other and their co-defendants whenever they wished. Ammon Bundy declared that he was going to sue the jail for violating his civil rights, especially his Second Amendment rights. Because people in jail should be allowed to keep their guns. After all, the place is full of criminals. That’s not the only ridiculous legal action the Bundys have

August 25-31, 2016

VegasSeven.com

UNLV head coach Tony Sanchez continues to be inspired by the Rough Riders (right).

GRIDIRON ANGST As safety-related rule changes are implemented, those who love the game worry about its future B Y R O B

MIECH

VegasSeven.com

| August 25-31, 2016

SANCHEZ AND DEDEAUX BY KRYSTAL RAMIREZ

➺ To learn of football’s supposed feral state, the president beckoned some stalwart gridiron guardians to the White House. POTUS relayed his concerns in a conference that lasted nearly three hours. However, it isn’t a framed photograph of Barack Obama that UNLV coach Tony Sanchez prizes with pride of place on a table opposite his desk in the Lied Athletic Complex. Obama did convene such a meeting, in May 2014. But the one in 1905, arranged by Teddy Roosevelt, is what led to further discussions and the preservation of the game, and Sanchez’s precious regard for the 23rd president. The image shows Teddy with three of his Rough Riders, all on horseback, before the Alamo. Several steps from that iconic edifice stands another, the three-story Victorian-era Menger Hotel, in whose solid cherry-wood bar Teddy recruited cowboys, ranchers, miners and collegiate athletes. When Sanchez is in San Antonio, he never fails to toast—with a shot of whiskey—Teddy Roosevelt. “He fought for the game and thought it was the most important thing to our young men in America. That’s a tough son of a gun,” Sanchez says. As documented by the The Washington Post, the unsentimental Roosevelt, in his football chats, harbored hearty contempt for anyone who counted a broken arm or collarbone as serious consequence or displayed low cunning … of base and dishonorable action. He celebrated hardihood, physical address and courage … gallant and upright men. Sanchez says, “He got it. Football is everything that is American. I love it.” That unabashed pigskin ardor, machismo cubed, is a fitting introduction to an array of Las Vegas figures who are, or have been, close to the game and their visions of what it might look like in 30 years. Constant rule changes compelled one to envisage a National Flag Football League (NFFL). Another foresees an ultra-violent form of Rollerball—Roller Prolate Spheroid Ball?—that will only be available on pay-per-view. Ethan Dedeaux loathes the future. A 5-foot-9 speedster at Liberty High who has committed to San Diego State, he abhors the non-stop wave of alterations and tweaks. He says football will be molded into an unrecognizable spectacle. “I think they’ll dumb it down so much it won’t really be football. It will not be a man’s game. It won’t be football anymore … it won’t be a man’s sport, as it is now.” Few felt its Darwinist disposition more than David Humm, whose throat might still bear lineman Gene Upshaw’s fingerprints. Humm matriculated from Bishop Gorman High to the University of Nebraska to an NFL career as a reserve quarterback, from 1975-84. Clotheslining was legal. The Wedge was a gorgeous anvil. “It was pain,” says Humm, who neither suffers pansies or wussies, nor apologizes for the primal behavior of his time. As a rookie with the Raiders, in a huddle in Kansas City, Humm barked at Upshaw, who charged Humm and lifted him off the ground with both hands to his throat. Referee Jim Tunney begged Upshaw to lower Humm. “Shaking me like a leaf,” Humm says with some pride. “He said, ‘I’ll tell you when to talk!’ I love this game!” Upshaw, Lyle Alzado, Otis Sistrunk, George Atkinson, Ted Hendricks and Jack Tatum, et al, comprised one of the game’s most ferocious band

of brothers. A 2010 book about them by Peter Richmond was entitled “I’M WEARY AND LEERY AND CONBadasses (Harper). Tatum CERNED. IT KILLS ME WHAT WE’RE DOING wrote the 1980 best-seller They Call Me Assassin (Avon TO IT; IT’S CHANGING SO MUCH. IN HIGH Books). In a 1978 preseason SCHOOL, THEY’RE TALKING ABOUT TAKgame in Oakland, Humm watched Tatum launch a ING THE KICKOFF OUT. COLLEGES WILL vicious shoulder pad at New BE NEXT. WHAT DO YOU DO THEN? YOU England receiver Darryl Stingley, who was left a PAY FOR PLAY.” quadriplegic. No penalty David Humm was called, but the incident led to restrictions on spearing and helmet contact. Stingley died, at 55, in 2007. At 61, Tatum died in touch him. But when teammates peacocked about 2010. Humm was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis the different colors on their helmets, as badges of in 1988. Nine years later, the ravages of the disease courage, Pritchard shrugged. He grabbed his Crayforced him into a wheelchair for good; the malady olas. See, he told his pals, I’m tough! They bought also afflicted an uncle and a younger sister. Says the ruse. Humm, “MS can kiss my ass.” Now, at youth clinics and kids’ leagues, Pritchard He remains close to the game, in a broadcasting uses that anecdote to preach against such foolishcapacity with the Raiders, and he, too, despises its ness, to avoid head contact. Keep that helmet clean, mutations. Humm predicted it would morph into he tells the lads. Of his three concussions, the worst Rollerball, the title of a 1975 film starring James Caan was with the Atlanta Falcons. He satisfied trainers by that was based on an aggressive, global roller-dercounting backward from 100, by threes, to 91. But he by-like sport on a circular, tilted floor featuring mosat on a Georgia Dome bench and shivered, and that torcycles and an outer gulley in which a heavy steel night in a hospital a nurse awoke him every hour to ball is fired at high speed. “Death Balls,” Humm calls keep him from slipping into a coma. his version. “I’m weary and leery and concerned. As part of last year’s concussion-related legal setIt kills me what we’re doing to it; it’s changing so tlement of $765 million with the NFL, former players much. In high school they’re talking about taking undergo intensive annual physicals and mental exthe kickoff out. Colleges will be next. What do you Liberty’s Ethan do then? You pay for play.” Dedeaux says he The flurry of red opposes further challenge flags, official modifications to the game. reviews, ever-increasing hands-off legislation for defenders, growing confusion about the definition of a catch, maybe a narrowing of the goalposts … it’s all base and dishonorable to Humm. “Who decides where the game goes? Mom,” he says. “Moms run our country. If mom says Junior can’t play, brother, Junior is not going out [for football]. They’ve got to keep making that effort to make the game safe for mom, but you don’t want to take everything out of it. We’re on that slippery slope already.” Mike Pritchard’s mother probably looked on in amusement as he took crayons to his silver Raiders helmet. Red streaks here, yellow blotches there. The former Rancho High standout would star at the University of Colorado and play receiver for three NFL teams from 1991-99. When he was 8 or 9, however, in a Pop Warner league in Las Vegas, he became disenchanted that his helmet was so clean, too clean. He had speed to burn, so nobody could

ams. So far, for Pritchard, so good. Older ex-NFLers endure that regimen every six months. He noticed this summer when offensive tackle Eugene Monroe became the 12th pro player, age 30 or younger, to prematurely—ostensibly—retire this offseason to preserve their health and welfare. Pritchard sees that trend continuing. An NFFL, or something with high scores that highlights relentlessly bigger, stronger and faster athletes, would not surprise him. However, he does believe rugby-style tackling will make football safer and preserve the fundamental look of the game. To some degree that method of wrapping, with the head to the side and a gator-rolling of the ball carrier to the ground, can be attributed to Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, who had espoused it at USC. In a popular YouTube video narrated by Carroll, he calls it the Hawk Tackle. The Seahawks won the Super Bowl to cap their 2013 season. That tackling style trickled to coach Urban Meyer who, in ’14, coached Ohio State to a national championship. It’s what Brian Noble tutors at Liberty High. He played linebacker for Green Bay from 1985-93, when the Packers most definitely were not Badasses. Still, football’s fabric was far different. Noble (see Seven Questions, Page 74) experienced three-a-day practices, in full pads, under coach Forrest Gregg. Today, two-a-days have been eliminated and NFL players only practice in pads twice a week. The late tight end Todd Christensen once told Noble he

could have played another three seasons were it not for the punishment of nine training camps. This is Noble’s seventh season as a volunteer prep coach in the Valley, his first at Liberty for head coach Rich Muraco. Growing up in Southern California, Noble was taught to keep his eyes up and aim for the numbers of his foe. “Head across the bow,” Noble says. Today it’s about the tack“THERE WILL NOT BE WHOLESALE ler aiming his head behind the ball carrier, rugby-ish, CHANGES IN THE GAME. I DON’T SEE IT to avoid neural damage. But BECOMING FLAG FOOTBALL. COACHING constant changes exasperate him, too. TECHNIQUES ARE IMPROVING. HEAD Noble and Pritchard know SMART AND HEAD SAFE, THAT’S THE NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is fueled by a quest APPROACH.” Steve Stallworth to double league revenues, to $25 billion, by 2027. Perhaps the relocation of a certain franchise from its Oakland slumlord to a domed Mormon,” Sanchez says. “And you know what? We stadium here in the “Entertainment Capital of the all love each other. Imagine if everybody could World” would hasten that goal. Goodell, though, has spend an afternoon in a locker room with us. What a more-pressing conundrum—how to mitigate the a better country this would be.” physicality of a sport whose wild popularity can be On the eve of another season of tackle football—a attributed to that very trait, while pandering to the sport that continues to unite us as we celebrate three-headed beast of exorbitant TV ratings, exorbirivalries, analyze hits in high-def slo-mo and tally tant ad fees and exorbitant revenue? those precious fantasy points—questions about What will give? long-term solutions to limiting catastrophic injuries “They have to continue to look as if they’re makfigure to grab headlines and affect the very future of ing the game safer for the players,” Noble says. “It’s the game.

PHOTO BY KRYSTAL RAMIREZ

August 25-31, 2016

VegasSeven.com

Mike Pritchard is among former NFL players who undergo testing as part of last year’s collective legal settlement.

advantageous for them to give the appearance that it will be safe. How much are the fans going to allow them to change the game, from what everybody knew to what the game is going to be … [and] keep watching? It’s predicated on offensive success and that’s what puts butts in the seats, [but] I try to watch games and I get mad when I see some of these penalties. It’s not the game I grew up watching or that I played.” Steve Stallworth, the South Point Arena general manager who played quarterback at UNLV 30 years ago, is optimistic. Football is too popular to mess with too much, he says. “I’m no doom-andgloomer.” He is buoyed by Adams State, a Division-II program in Alamosa, Colorado, where his son, Stetson, is playing quarterback and where Jay Staggs is defensive coordinator. Sporting a Hey Reb! tattoo on his left shoulder/ biceps and, on the right, the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign, Staggs played and coached at UNLV, and he champions the rugby style of tackling. Eyes through the thighs is one aspect of the Grizz Tackle he details in a five-page outline for his charges that the elder Stallworth praises. Defenders then discern the near hip to the inside lower portion of the number of the ball carrier for the takedown. Head injuries and concussions dropped from 19 to none after the emphasis shift. “Things like this lead me to believe that there will not be wholesale changes in the game,” Stallworth says. “I don’t see it becoming flag football. Coaching techniques are improving. Head smart and head safe, that’s the approach.” Tony Sanchez acknowledges the efficacy of rugby tackles, but it’s only part of his repertoire. To solely rely on that method, he says, grimacing, is impractical, like when a bull rusher is stomping head-on at you. He has Teddy Roosevelt for inspiration and a sassy, incredulous edge for anyone suggesting his livelihood, his passion, should be tempered. “Are you kidding me?” Eye contact becomes steely. He had just hiked from his weight room, a thumping, rousing, howling mass of humanity and clanging metal that can be heard in the next ZIP code. He is a purveyor of hardihood, physical address and courage. “And think about what’s going on in the country right now? Come hang out with me in that locker room; we’re black, white, we’re Hispanic, we’re rich, we’re middle class, we’re poor … we’re average. We’re atheists. We’re Catholic. We’re Jewish. We’re

BUILD

Of the 16 players surveyed, 13 said a new practice facility would make them more interested in UNLV as a destination. Twelve of 16 said a new stadium on or near campus would make them more interested in attending UNLV. One uncommitted recruit said a new practice facility “would definitely persuade me to go there.” Another said, “I would consider UNLV to be a top college” if they built a new practice facility. Erecting stadiums is tricky business, so a new gameday home isn’t likely to happen soon. But a practice facility can probably break ground as soon as the financial considerations are shored up. And players are just as responsive to the promise of a fresh facility, since that’s where they spend most of their free time. Look for Sanchez to kick his fundraising efforts into overdrive until he has a shiny new practice field to show off to potential recruits.

PHOTO BY CARLOS L ARIOS

BY MIKE GRIMALA

Inside the football offices at UNLV, the program’s massive rebuilding process enters Year 2 under head coach Tony Sanchez. The first season was a modest success, with some exciting victories on the field (winning back the Fremont Cannon at Nevada-Reno was a particular high point) and some positive signs off the field, but there is still a lot of work to be done before the program can be considered a winner (or anything close to it). To win at a high level, UNLV and Sanchez are going to have to recruit at a higher level than the program has ever operated at. And that effort is going to have to start close to home. Geographic recruiting is old-fashioned in some sense, considering the way the country is shrinking because of the internet and social media, but college football teams are still largely built on local talent. Among the 120 players listed on Florida State’s 2016 preseason roster, 77 are from the Sunshine State. USC counts 71 California natives among its 107 roster players. Even a downtrodden program such as Syracuse still collected 34 of its 101 players from Northeast states. Despite the fact that Las Vegas pumps out a decent amount of Division I prospects, UNLV lags behind,

with only 20 Nevada prep products among the 90 players on the preseason roster. Sanchez has made some progress on the local front, as 13 of the team’s 20 Las Vegans are freshmen and sophomores who have committed in the past two years, but because of the program’s lack of cachet, it’s going to take some time to turn on the pipeline. “UNLV has to recruit their hometown Vegas kids,” Arbor View High School head coach Daniel Barnson says. “In some parts of the country, kids grow up wearing the T-shirts and their dads wear the T-shirts, and they’ve known that’s where they’ve wanted to play since they were little kids. UNLV is not like that. Tony has done an unbelievable job in his 18 months of pushing the local kids. Now, are the local kids magically going there after one year? Not yet. But it seems like he’s getting a couple more. It’s like if you take the top 25 kids in Vegas, and you’re UNLV, you say ‘OK, let’s go get three of them this year.’ Next year, get five. The year after that, get six. You’re not going to get all of the top 25. Even at USC, there are kids leaving. So UNLV has to chip away.” To that end, Sanchez has ramped up the Rebels’ presence on the local scene. His brother, Bishop Gorman

HERE’S WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY: WIN

Seven of 16 players surveyed said their biggest concern about the UNLV program was a lack of winning. “Poor legacy, no winning tradition,” one respondent wrote. Another respondent was worried that there was “Only a so-so chance of turning the program around.” More wins on the field would go a long way toward calming those fears, so it’s important for the Rebels to improve on last year’s 3-9 record, at the very least. Six wins and a bowl game appearance in 2016 would be a huge step forward for the program and help secure commitments from some of the top local talent who are currently hesitant to sign on with a longtime losing program.

WHAT LOCAL PROSPECTS ARE LOOKING FOR BEFORE THEY COMMIT TO UNLV

This is where Sanchez has already made the biggest impact. He has hit the local recruiting trail and built positive momentum among the tight-knit fraternity of the Valley’s top prospects. Twelve of the 16 surveyed said their opinion of UNLV has changed for the better in the past year, with almost every respondent attributing their positive perception to Sanchez. “They have a new coach who I believe will turn the program around,” one player said. Sanchez’s next task will be channeling that increased enthusiasm into hard commitments. The good news is that momentum is building. Thirteen of the 16 players surveyed said they had a friend who has committed to UNLV, which in turn makes it more acceptable to consider the Rebels as a college choice. “These kids, with all the combines and clinics nowadays, they hang out,” Desert Pines head coach Tico Rodriguez says. “The top 20, 30 players, they all talk. There are group texts with a bunch of kids. They ask where they’re going and talk about their top fives. With social media, they’re always communicating with each other … [UNLV] is building that relationship with local players. Once you get one, then you can get two or three. When you already have kids that are [on the team] from Vegas, that really helps.” If UNLV can continue to make progress in all of those areas, the local recruits will come to see the Rebels as a true hometown team. “It’s a combination of everything,” Rodriguez says. “It’s winning, it’s facilities, and then having winning players already on the roster. Building up their facilities and winning six, seven, eight games would really help with the local talent.”

August 25-31, 2016

RECRUITING NEW REBELS

head coach Kenny Sanchez, says the effort has been obvious. “The thing I’ve noticed is they’ve reached out to all the local high school coaches, trying to get them more involved, inviting them to practice,” Kenny Sanchez says. “The UNLV assistant coaches have been out here [to Bishop Gorman] more than any other UNLV staff has in the eight years I’ve been here. And I’m hearing that from other coaches, that they’re really getting on campus and trying to put their footprint across the city and trying to recruit our local kids hard.” How can UNLV go about locking up more Las Vegas recruits? Vegas Seven surveyed 16 local Division I prospects to get their anonymous thoughts on the process and UNLV’s presence on the recruiting trail.

VegasSeven.com

MOMENTUM

HOW THE JAGUARS MAY SURPRISE

AND OTHER PICKS FOR THE SEASON

August 25-31, 2016

VegasSeven.com

Martell hones skills with Gaels

➜ Senior quarterback Tate Martell of national powerhouse Bishop Gorman High School has been highly recruited by a host of top-tier colleges, and after backing out of a couple of verbal commitments, he announced in June that he’ll be attending Ohio State next year. Martell, who passed for 2,608 yards and 32 touchdowns and ran for 604 yards and nine TDs as a junior, is ranked by 247Sports.com as the No. 2 dual-threat quarterback in the country’s Class of 2017 and the No. 56 prospect overall. He’s listed at 5-11 and 200 pounds, slightly undersized for his position, but several scouts are high on his ability. He can throw on the run, which is important because of his height limitation in the pocket. Martell’s size has never been a problem at Bishop Gorman, Gaels head coach Kenny Sanchez says. He led Gorman to its seventh straight state title and the fifth spot in the USA Today/Super 25 high school football rankings in 2015. “He’s always done a phenomenal job of reading the defense,” Sanchez says. “With as many (scholarship) offers as he has, they obviously seem to think there’s no issue. It depends on the kind of player you are. If you can make it work, you make it work. Look at Drew Brees and Russell Wilson. And there’s been 6-5 quarterbacks that didn’t make it.” Martell is hard to tackle, he makes people miss and he’s got a strong arm, along with all the “intangibles” and attributes that make a good quarterback, Sanchez adds. At the Elite 11 passing competition in July in Beaverton, Oregon, Martell caught the eye of Barton Simmons, scouting director for 247Sports. Martell showed great touch and timing, Simmons said, and was very efficient at guiding team Alpha Pro to a perfect 3-0 record in the 7-on-7 competition. Martell was offered a scholarship to Washington while in junior high in 2012, but last year said he was committing to Texas A&M. He was also looking at USC, Alabama, Michigan and Oregon. “My first commitment was when I was in seventh grade,” he said. “My second one, it obviously wasn’t a good fit. I’m so happy I’m here (at Ohio State). I’m glad that I’m here and not Texas A&M.” He spent July 22 working out at the Friday Night Lightscamp in front of Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer and offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Tim Beck. “It’s fun getting out there and being able to throw in the stadium in front of people. It was a good time,” Martell said on 247Sports.com. “It was great to have a chance to see your future teammates and the guys you’re recruiting face to face and be able to talk to them.” Bishop Gorman players have had a lot of success going on to Division I schools over the years, and Sanchez sees no reason why Martell won’t excel at Ohio State. “He’s one of the hardest workers on the team. He’s always here on time and he shows up with a good attitude, all those things that you want in a player,” Sanchez says.

—Hubble Ray Smith

JAGUARS OVER 7.5 WINS: It may seem crazy on the surface to expect a team who was 3-13 just two seasons ago and 5-11 last year to reach the .500 mark, but Jacksonville coach Gus Bradley has this team ready to turn a corner. The Jags have lots of young talent and play in a favorable division. Wouldn’t surprise me to see them toying with a playoff berth in December. DOLPHINS UNDER 7 WINS: The Fish aren’t brutal—but their schedule is. Three of their first four games are on the road against Seattle, New England and Cincinnati. A tough start plus a new coach is a recipe for midseason turbulence. They also travel to three cold weather sites in December (at Ravens, Jets, Bills). Have fun with all that, Ryan Tannehill. FALCONS UNDER 7.5 WINS: No team imploded like the Falcons last year. After a 5-0 start and six wins in its first seven games, Atlanta limped to an 8-8 mark. This year doesn’t figure to be any easier. After a road game at improved Oakland in Week 2, the Falcons also have this slate from Weeks 4-6: reigning conference champion Carolina, and road games in Denver and Seattle. They also play the Packers, Cardinals, Chiefs and Panthers again later in the season. TITANS OVER 5.5 WINS: Sure, the Titans only won three games in 2015, but that was with a rookie quarterback, a coaching change midseason and a running game that, well, wasn’t. The Titans didn’t average 100 yards a game as a team, and Marcus Mariota was the team’s second-leading rusher. However, 2016 could be a much different story with the addition of Demarco Murray and another potential power runner in rookie (and Heisman Trophy winner) Derrick Henry. If Tennessee can get decent play at the receiver position and play consistent defense (they were 12th best in the league in 2015), six wins certainly seems within the realm of possibility. TEXANS UNDER 8.5 WINS: Unless J.J. Watt can also play quarterback, it’s hard to envision the Texans as a better-than-.500 team. Brock Osweiler held down the fort for Peyton Manning last season but still has a lot to prove at the NFL level, and I’m not sure he’s ready. I also think the rest of the AFC South has gotten stronger, which makes reaching 9 wins even more of a challenge. What about college football, you say? Yes, there are over/under win totals to examine there, too. My favorite selection: MISSISSIPPI STATE UNDER 9.5 WINS: This math is simple. They play 12 games. One at Alabama, one at LSU, one at Ole Miss. Dak Prescott is gone. If they somehow manage to win one of those games, and I don’t think they will, they still have games at BYU and home games against Texas A&M, Arkansas and Auburn. This is the SEC folks. Ten wins here seems like a tall order. —Sal DeFilippo

For the Toughest Las Vegas Football Quiz You’ll Ever Take, see VegasSeven.com/footballquiz

TATE MARTELL COURTESY OF TWIT TER

Future Buckeye

➺ My obsession with football was pretty apparent at a young age. Just ask my second-grade teacher, whom with I once got into a fairly heated debate over what she considered to be an incorrect test answer. “Look, young man, the four seasons of the year are not preseason, postseason, midseason and offseason,” she said. To this day, I challenge her reasoning. How is that wrong? Offseason is so grim and dreary, isn’t it? I don’t care what it’s like outside—the climate inside my living room changes drastically once football returns from its annual hibernation. Good news, folks. Offseason is over. Bring on football. Fans everyone are eagerly awaiting the dawn of this new season … assuming the NFL has finally figured out which paint is safe to use on the fields that is. Preseason is really only good for two things—fantasy football drafts and assessing each team’s chances for success. Today, we’ll tackle the latter. With the caveat that NFL futures wagering can be tough because of the volatile effect that injuries can have on a team, both positively (think Drew Bledsoe’s injury in 2001 that opened the door for some guy named Brady in New England) and negatively (think of the combination of injuries that forced Ryan Lindley on the field for the Cardinals in 2012), let’s get to it. We’ll start with some picks on how NFL teams will fare against the line with their 2016 win totals:

NIGHTLIFE

You wanted to know. We wanted to know. So we phoned him up and asked him. By Robert Spuhler

VegasSeven.com

‘Who the Hell Is Wade Martin?!’

➜ “I’M SORRY THAT I have a tendency of being a little bit cryptic in my responses,” Wade Martin says toward the end of our phone conversation. Of course, nearly everything about the man most recently seen posing muscular-arm-first on billboards around the city could be defined as cryptic. According to his website, the 36-year-old DJ, producer and songwriter has worked with Britney Spears, Will.I.Am and even the Rolling Stones, but his name does not appear in any credits. He doesn’t spin live yet, choosing to wait instead for bigger gig offers. Just how big? “My goal is to receive a residency offer from one of the mega-nightclubs in Las Vegas,” he says.

August 25-31, 2016

PHOTO BY KRYSTAL RAMIREZ

Your city after dark, photos from the week’s hottest parties and MSTRKRFT’s master plan

NIGHTLIFE 26

The origin story for Martin goes like this: A 19-year-old Englishman moves to Louisville, Kentucky, stays briefly with his godfather, and then moves to Los Angeles with just a motorcycle and sleeping bag to his name. While there, he says, he made the connections necessary to act as a ghostwriter for major music acts, making enough money to eventually build his own studio in Las Vegas. “I was given large amounts of cash from major celebrities who were paying me to ghost[write] for them,” he says. “In essence, my hustle to get my foot in the door was to write a section, or gift this thing I’ve created to you so you can put it into your stuff, and you’ll pay me lots of money.’” Of course, the “ghost” part of “ghostwriting” is exactly that: Martin says he can’t divulge the names of those with whom he’s worked. And the lack of clarity here seems to have led to some online mythologizing. His Wikipedia page—which he says he’s had no part in and is neither accurate nor up-to-date—claims “production credit” for the Rolling

“It’s a small community, and everybody knows that if you want that multimillion-dollar huge sound, you go see Wade or a handful of other people in the country who are able to create that.” Stones’ “Bridges to Babylon” (he says he was getting work experience with a London music company) and Mandy Moore’s “Coverage” for which “I was a fly on the wall,” he demurs (though a press release from 2013, supposedly authored by his company JWM Enterprises, claims he is “known for his work with” among others, Moore). Those are in addition to non-credited work with Spears, 50 Cent, R. Kelly (“I can’t go into that. I want to, but I cannot right now”). At a time when he is trying to launch his own career, one would think that being able to name-drop the artists he’s worked with—and have

them corroborate the claims—could open a door or two. But Martin has a more sanguine viewpoint. “I don’t take it personally,” he says. “I honestly don’t care, because of the simple fact that these people know my capability. … It’s a small community, and everybody knows that if you want that multimillion-dollar huge sound, you go to see Wade or a handful of other people in the country who are able to create that.” In 2002, Martin moved to Las Vegas and opened up the first version of his studio before heading to Phoenix to build an improved model in 2005. It was 2013 when he opened his current

home base, back in Las Vegas, and started building toward his own solo career. In the last two years, Martin has released songs with hip-hop icons Coolio and Flava Flav and the duo Millionaires (alumni of TV’s Bad Girls Club), each hewing to that bigroom EDM style: easy-to-chant hooks and drops that segue into dubsteplight breakdowns. It’s his latest single, though, that has seen the most success: A collaboration with Norwegian singer Jadelle, called “Done,” has hit the No. 2 spot in Billboard’s Hot Singles Sales chart, which counts purchases of physical singles and their digital “single bundle” equivalents. More electro-pop than dance floor banger, it’s radiofriendly fare, the type that seems meant to attract crowds big enough to justify, say, a club residency. And in the end, it is in those three- and four-minute songs—not billboards, Wikipedia entries or résumés—where Martin wants to be judged. “I just stick to what I know,” he says. “Create music, make it as good as you can, put it out and see if it takes.”

PHOTO BY KRYSTAL RAMIREZ

August 25-31, 2016

VegasSeven.com

Wade Martin at home with his piano.

LABOR DAY WEEKEND THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1

ALUNAGEORGE

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2

ALUNAGEORGE

WYNNSOCIAL.COM

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 3

KIESZA

@INTRIGUEVEGAS

NIGHTLIFE

Seven Nights

Luke Shay.

Your week in parties By I A N C A R A M A N Z A N A

grab some “Shots” to get into the mood. (In MGM Grand, 10:30 p.m., HakkasanLV.com.)

SAT 27

FRI 26

SUN 28

Tupelo, Mississippi, trap/hip-hop duo Rae Sremmurd released its highly-anticipated sophomore album, Sremmlife 2 nearly two weeks ago, so you’ve had time to properly digest the new material. In short, it’s aural junk food: Two riffs over booming beats with charismatic punchlines that we’re sure will stick around for years. One of our favorite songs from the LP is “Set the Roof (featuring Lil Jon).” The DJ Mustard-produced banger features Jon’s signature yelled vocals on the hook, and it’s catchy enough to cap off the season as a summer anthem. Even though Jon is simply featured on the song, it’s hard for him to not steal the spotlight. Hear the tune when he drops it during a DJ set at Hakkasan, and be sure to

The weekend ends today, so cap it off with some good vibes at Drai’s Beachclub where new Las Vegas

DJ Snake.

August 25-31, 2016

VegasSeven.com

THU 25

resident Luke Shay spins. By “resident” we mean that he exclusively spins at Drai’s and that he actually lives here—in his lifetime, he’s called Virginia Beach, Los Angeles and Las Vegas home. We hope the progressive house spinner and our award winner for “Best Rising Star DJ Who Now Calls Vegas Home” doesn’t decide to leave soon, especially when he’s cranking out some infectiously catchy tunes, such as his dance-y remix of ODESZA’s “Say My Name.” You can say his tonight. (In the Cromwell, 10 a.m., DraisNightlife.com.) Baauer.

MON 29 With so much music being released on a weekly basis, it’s hard to keep up. Thankfully, streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music have dedicated “New Music” pages where music fans can quench their insatiable thirst. It’s easy to overlook some of the stuff being released by smaller artists, but one album, DJ Snake’s Encore, definitely stuck out like a sore thumb. The French DJ/producer’s debut album features some of the biggest names in today’s musical landscape including Skrillex, Travis Scott, George Maple and Migos. Beyond that, Encore also marks DJ Snake’s departure from nightclub tunes to easily accessible pop songs with an EDM backbone. We’ve got to give it up to him for taking risks, and creating some catchy tunes to flesh out the season. Demand an encore when he hits Encore tonight at XS. Yeah, we went there. (In Encore, 10 p.m., XSLasVegas.com.)

TUE 30 Good news! If you missed New York EDM duo the Chainsmokers

rock Omnia, you have a second chance. And if you already caught them, you should still hit the club because Boston-based electronic artist Goldroom spins on the Terrace. It’s hard to describe what kind of his music Josh Legg makes, but that’s what makes it so enticing. Goldroom’s tunes take elements from disco, deep house, tropical house and electro, and fuses them into one groovy platter. Get a taste of it tonight, and if you’re not diggin’ the dish, hit up Heart of Omnia for a set by Ikon. (In Caesars Palace, 10:30 p.m., OmniaNightclub.com.)

WED 31 Baauer’s been on the road lately, relentlessly touring in support of his debut album, Aa. Even so, we can still depend on his monthly Studio B parties at Light. The New York-based producer is known to bring surprise guests every time he hits the venue—in the past he’s brought some big names such as Pusha T, Fat Joe and Lil’ Yachy—so expect to get woo’d. (In Mandalay Bay, 10:30 p.m., TheLightVegas.com.)

BA AUER BY JOE JANET

Looking for some good karma? Party with a purpose at Oddfellows’ Thursgays event. You’ll get to see and dance to the hottest indie electro hits from artists such as Shamir, Crystal Castles and M83 among others, and proceeds from that hefty bar tab go straight to a charity that helps the LGBTQ community. Just make sure you take an Uber home in case you get carried away. (150 Las Vegas Blvd. North, 8 p.m., OddfellowsVegas.com.)

That was a quite the party, wasn’t it? Postmates some grub and let the Netflix roll for a lazy day in to recover, then prepare yourself for another wild extravaganza. No need to change, though: Playboy’s Midsummer Night’s Dream at Marquee encourages attendees to don their finest sleepwear in what’s a pretty upscale setting. This is no snoozer, though; “Bricks” producer Carnage will man the decks, so expect some rambunctious tunes to keep you energized throughout the evening. And don’t let the name of the party fool you—this one’s going to be far from the Shakespearean tale of fairies in the forest. Instead, expect some of the most beautiful up-and-coming models. Guests in sleepwear enjoy an open bar from 10:30-11:30 p.m. To answer your question: No, you’re not dreaming. Let’s hope a massive pillow fight breaks out in the club! (In the Cosmopolitan, 10 p.m., MarqueeLasVegas.com.)

PARTIES NIGHTLIFE

NIGHT-LITES

AFAN’S 30TH ANNIVERSARY BLACK & WHITE PARTY

August 25-31, 2016

VegasSeven.com

August 20, Pinyon Ballroom in Aria

See more photos from this gallery at SPYONvegas.com

➜ Organized and soundtracked by Pei Maeder, Thursgays at Oddfellows pub and video bar (150 Las Vegas Blvd. North, Suite 190, 702-336-3225, OddfellowsVegas.com) features indie and pop music from Shamir to Hercules and the Love Affair. This selection of music and their accompanying videos can be enjoyed with $3 well drinks and PBR tall boys. An import from the Austin, Texas, flagship, Barbarella, the event is geared toward the bar’s considerable LBGTQ following. “If you come on our Saturday night you might even see more of a gay audience than you’ll see on our Thursday night,” Pei says. Thursgays is distinct, however, as a portion of each week’s proceeds benefit local LBGTQ entities such as The Center and Gender Justice Nevada. Nearby, at the Golden Nugget, Sugar Sundays provides an upscale LBGTQ experience with a flexible dress code that allows people to come right from another bar or casual event such as Luxor’s Temptation Sundays. Promoter John “Ducky” Slaughter has collaborated with the Nugget’s nightlife operations director, Sean Charsley, and Back Bar USA to ensure a safe space for the gay community to party following the Orlando nightclub shooting. Gold Diggers nightclub (702-385-7111, GoldenNugget.com) is “opulent and luxurious, but [with] a welcoming atmosphere, and easy to access either from Fremont [Street] or the Golden Nugget valet,” Slaughter says. Enjoy $20 all-you-can-drink Modelo Especial beers and $100 bottles of Absolut, Malibu and Perrier-Jouët. Behind the decks are Piranha nightclub resident J. Diesel and international male model/DJ Nick Ayler, also known for spinning at The Abbey in L.A. and Rich’s in San Diego. Slaughter is also collaborating with nightlife organizers the 33Group’s Ryan Klassen, Joey Pintozi and Steve Kennedy on Gloss, a new lesbian night at Fizz Champagne lounge in Caesars Palace (702-776-3200, FizzLV.com), set to launch in September. –John Carr

PHOTOS BY BOBBY JAMEIDAR

THREE NEW LBGTQ NIGHTLIFE EVENTS FOR YOUR RADAR

NIGHTLIFE

PARTIES

FOXTAIL SLS

[ UPCOMING ]

See more photos from this gallery at SPYONvegas.com

PHOTOS BY JOSH METZ

August 25-31, 2016

VegasSeven.com

Aug. 26 DJ Wellman spins Aug. 27 DJ Hollywood spins

DINING

Hyper-local Festival Dining

One month out, here’s who Life Is Beautiful is bringing to feed you

August 25-31, 2016

VegasSeven.com

By Al Mancini

➜ LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER. And while most attendees plan their weekend around the music and the art, many also go for the food. The dining options have been a major draw for the festival owned by Vegas Seven parent company WENDOH Media since 2015. And this year’s show will once again offer a delicious culinary lineup. Perusing the list of participating food vendors, three things are likely to strike you. First, it’s a long list, with more than 40 food trucks and booths planned for the show. Second, it’s locally focused. In previous years, the dining attractions leaned heavily on celebrity chefs, many of whom had no full-time presence in Las Vegas. That trend has been diminishing over the years. And this year, nearly everything you eat at the festival will be something you can enjoy in our Valley year-round. “We have an unbelievable platform to show off what is available in Las Vegas,” the festival culinary director Eve Cohen says. “There are so many options out there, with so many different types of festivals, that we should be highlighting what is amazing about Las Vegas—both to locals, to make them feel excited about what’s hap-

pening in their hometown, and also for guests that come in. Because a lot of times all they see is the Strip. And there’s so much more to the city than just that.” The third thing you’ll notice about this year’s food lineup is that it’s more accessible, even—dare we say?—populist. At this point the schedule includes no fancy private dine-arounds, and the various cooking demonstrations appear to have been left in the past. There’s no denying the cooking demos were a blast, but few people got to try what was being prepared. This time around, every chef is cooking for the general admission audience, and offering dishes at the prices you’d expect to pay at any concert. So if you were planning to spend the cash on special events, this just leaves you more to spend eating on the concert grounds. So who, exactly, will be feeding you from September 23-25? Representing the Strip environs will be Sushi Samba, Nobu, RM Seafood, Rx Boiler Room, N9NE Steakhouse, Buddy V’s and Fleur by Hubert Keller. The Downtown contingent will include booths from the Plaza, El Cortez, Downtown Grand, Park on Fremont and Nacho Daddy. Food

trucks include 50 Shades of Green, Buldogis, Dragon Grille, Sausagefest, Stripchezze and Oming’s Kitchen. And from the ’burbs, you’ll find Origin India, Eatt Healthy Kitchen, Grouchy John’s Coffee and Honey Salt. Restaurateurs Kim Canteenwalla and Elizabeth Blau, who will bring two of their restaurants to the festival footprint this year, have been with the festival from the beginning. They’ve participated in some of its most posh private dinners, and have also sweat out the Las Vegas heat in the booths. To represent Honey Salt, Canteenwalla says he’ll bring back a favorite he introduced last year at a cooking demo: a Biloxi chicken sandwich. “It’s just the type of thing people want to eat out there,” he says. “So we’re staying with that. In the past we did banh mi, and they didn’t move as well.” From Buddy V’s in the Palazzo, Canteenwalla promises “a meatball grinder/slider sandwich with some hot peppers and mozzarella.” If Canteenwalla and Blau represent the type of culinary all-stars who have been supporting Life Is Beautiful from Day One, the team from Eatt Healthy Kitchen is the other end of the spectrum. They participated for the first time last year, when they were a simple catering company still dreaming of opening a brick-and-mortar restaurant. Co-owner Nicolas Kalpokdjian says they were unprepared for how popular their booth would be, and on the first day were sold-out by sunset. That success, he says, “really inspired us to move forward with our business.” With a restaurant now open on West Sahara Avenue, they’ll be back this year with the same brightly colored juices and iced teas the crowd loved last year, and are also promising at least one fresh vegan dish for those who want a break from animal products. Clearly, there’s going to be something for everyone. So be sure to show up at Life Is Beautiful hungry.

PHOTO BY KRYSTAL RAMIREZ

Honey Salt’s Biloxi chicken sandwich was introduced during a 2015 Life Is Beautiful cooking demo.

DRINKING

A Full-Bodied Vodka

is more about embracing your adventurous spirit than tuxedos and baccarat. “I wear a tuxedo way more than your average 36-yearold. I get it. It’s a dream. But it’s unrelatable,” Tatum says.

“You should be able to drink Born and Bred in a tuxedo or sitting on the back of your truck with all your friends in the backyard. Or out in the woods. Or out on a New York rooftop chilling out in the

summer. I wanted to make something that I would be proud to take home to Alabama and that would be affordable and high quality.” Part of that approachable vibe is reflected in the design

VegasSeven.com

Actor Channing Tatum wasn’t afraid to step up behind the bar at Libertine Social.

of the packaging of his smallbatch potato vodka, which more closely resembles what you would expect to find on a brown spirit. “Larry Vincent and his team at UTA [United Talent Agency] did all the branding and creative. They helped build what has now become Born and Bred,” Maloney says. “The goal here was to come up with an American story for vodka that was very authentic and original,” says Vincent, UTA’s chief branding officer. “We started with who Channing saw drinking this: the people who he grew up with. People who go to a lake house and open a bottle of vodka. The whole idea was focused on local legends. That led to the creation of the jackalope [character that is on the bottle]. When you think about local legends, it’s a great [part of] American folklore. It gave us a surrogate character for Channing without putting him on the bottle. All of the branding emanated from that. We borrowed a lot from the visuals of brown spirits because we wanted to [give our drinkers that notion that] this feels like my brand.” Although not planned, the timing has proved to be perfect with Magic Mike Live scheduled to make its debut next spring in the space formerly occupied by Body English. The production will feature a menu of cocktails made with Born and Bred. And since a Las Vegas presence is more typically the reward for succeeding elsewhere, the men are thrilled to get their start in a headlining role. “[It is a] Playboy Club for women,” Tatum says. “It will [challenge] any idea of what you think [of as] a male revue.” “We will do cocktails throughout the resort,” Maloney says. “There will be some souvenir things. We want to have some fun, be cheeky— that whole experience.” So, how does Channing take his Born and Bred? “Straight,” he says, “with the tiniest hint of lemon.”

➜ CHANNING TATUM LIKES booze. And he likes Las Vegas. So it was a win-win to launch his new Born and Bred Vodka in the same city where he will direct the cabaret/nightclub/stageshow Magic Mike Live at Hard Rock Hotel, debuting in March. He did the deed at an intimate event hosted by Breakthru Beverage at Mandalay Bay’s new Libertine Social on August 12. “Bourbon and vodka are my favorites,” says the Alabama-born actor and dancer who has starred in many blockbuster films including both Magic Mike and its sequel Magic Mike XXL, as well as Step Up and Hail, Caesar! While he’s experienced all the European and Russian labeled vodkas, Tatum says there wasn’t a brand out there with which he truly identified. So he and his former assistant, Jack Maloney, decided to come up with their own. “We had no intention of being in the spirits business,” Tatum says. “I also had zero intention of being an actor, as well. Somehow, I found my way.” The idea came to him and Maloney, now business partners, after they made four films in a row and were traveling all over the country. The duo contacted more than 50 distilleries in America that were making vodka. “We started to ask why there wasn’t a really great American vodka,” Tatum says. “We went on a search. We found Grand Teton Distillery in Idaho. They were collaborative, and they said they would love to do something with us.” They decided on Grand Teton, Maloney says, because it felt so mom-andpop. “There are about six people working there everyday. We fell in love with their story. Channing invested in the distillery. He owns the brand; it is not an endorsement deal.” Grand Teton’s ethos matched the duo’s vibe, which

August 25-31, 2016

PHOTO BY CARLOS L ARIOS

Channing Tatum brings Born and Bred booze to Las Vegas By Melinda Sheckells

A&E

PAGE 64

A writers’ workshop, country music and Britney vs. Céline

Remembering The Beat

PHOTO BY CIERRA PEDRO

the place since she was in high school, around the time she started learning how to sing and play guitar. “This is one of the only venues that welcomes all ages. [The Beat] was one of the first places I was able to perform, and that was a long time ago. I’m 23 now. I’ve grown so much as a performer, and that wouldn’t have been possible if there weren’t places [like this] that allowed me to play.” The budding musician is just one of many repeat customers The Beat attracted since opening in 2010. On any given day you’ll see Claus Schmidt, a filmmaker and German transplant, working on his laptop at the space that naturally lent itself to a coworking environment. “When I first came to Las Vegas after a week or two, I thought, ‘Oh, my God. What have I done?’,” he says. “Then I came to The Beat, and I met cool people. No other place has the same vibe. You meet people for life, for social connection, [and] for sharing ideas.”

The Beat’s people-watching opportunities rival McCarran, and a performance space routinely featured comedy, poetry and live music. And all that creativity has seeped into the walls hiding behind retro posters (once including a coveted one of Frank Zappa), making it a special place that will become a memory come September 25. “There are countless moments and stories The Beat has given me,” Jennifer Cornthwaite says. “So many friends, early mornings, bingos, and emergency trips to Restaurant Depot. One time I saw a couple taking their engagement pictures at a table in the front window. I started crying and asked if I could take [a] picture [of them] having their picture taken. I was super touched that our place had a special place in someone’s life and love.” Michelle Watts, manager/barista and one-half of local band Sunrise Manor, has only been working at The Beat for seven months. But she has visited

August 25-31, 2016

FOR SIX YEARS, THE BEAT COFFEEHOUSE provided locals their morning buzz and afternoon pickme-ups, steadily morphing into a true Downtown hub and providing a gateway to the creative spaces in the Emergency Arts building. But its prime location—and the growing Downtown scene—made it a target for more lucrative business, and in early July, Downtown trailblazers and Emergency Arts/ Beat owners Jennifer and Michael Cornthwaite announced the coffee shop’s September closure. The announcement came shortly after the Small Space Fest art festival, which was inspired by the building’s history and its boutique studios, attracted hundreds to explore the former medical center, with The Beat anchoring the artistic endeavor. Homespun events such as these, and a DIY vibe, gave the cozy coffee shop its charm. The furniture and bathrooms are old. Napkin doodles, newspaper clippings and stringed lights with burnt-out bulbs adorn the place.

➜

VegasSeven.com

The coffee shop that became a creative community hub closes next month By Jessie O’Brien

A&E August 25-31, 2016

VegasSeven.com

The coffee shop and its entrepreneurial patrons aren’t the only ones getting the boot. While the building’s second-floor occupants can keep their doors open, the first floor’s Smash! Studio Art, Jeff Knox Photography, and Satellite Contemporary will also have to find other homes. Satellite owners Nicole Langille, Christopher Kane Taylor and Dennis K. McGinnis, who opened their gallery in October 2014, said the space was ideal for their team from Flagstaff. The price was right, and interns could watch over the modest exhibit area while the owners were gone. While they hosted regional, national and international artists and are proud of what they accomplished, they will not

continue to rent at Emergency Arts on the second floor. “We all came into [this] arts community with an ambitious proposal. The shows we did were very strong. The shows we had lined up for next year were very strong,” Taylor says. Other independent businesses, such as the Burlesque Hall of Fame and the Las Vegas Zine Library, have plans to continue on somewhere else, while upstairs occupants wonder if they’ll see less foot traffic without the inviting, creative space downstairs. Feetish Spa Parlor on the second floor plans to stick around and see what happens. “The whole reason I opened my own day spa [here] was because The Beat existed,” aesthetician and Feetish owner Andrea Lipomi says. She moved to Las Vegas from Rochester, New York, in 2007, and the coffee shop is what introduced her to the spaces available. “The Beat reminded me of so many cool things on the East Coast. Even with its flaws, I still feel at home here. I have nothing but love for Jennifer and Michael.” A true gathering place, the Downtown hangout regularly hosted community events. The Human Experience open-mic night ran there every Monday—even on holidays—for four years, before outgrowing the space. Co-founder and local DJ Miss Joy says the event’s performers and audience members have been nostalgic for the old location since they had to move. “I have such an appreciation for that corner,” she says. Although she is sad to see The Beat go, she is certain the same energy can flourish somewhere else. “I’m not married to the venue,” she says. “I’m married to the people and community that make the space what it is.”

PHOTOS BY CIERRA PEDRO

It’s time to order one last latté from The Beat, which is slated to close September 25.

DEFTONES WITH YELAWOLF AND SISTER CRAYON

A&E

Aug. 30, 7 p.m., The Joint, $44-$179, 702-693-5000, HardRockHotel.com

we still try to make records, and that’s a really conscious thing when it comes down to directing the songs. We start arranging things—see if there are any little interludes or connectors or outros. It’s so important: the ﬂow, you know, and we always hope that whenever we make an album that someone will put it on and not take it off until it’s over.

[ MUSIC ]

Metal Musings

Talking musical inspirations and lucky charms with Deftones drummer Abe Cunningham By Lissa Townsend Rodgers ➜ Most bands making music for more than two decades tend to become trapped in amber, playing past hits for longtime fans. But the Deftones are in their 28th year performing shows packed with fans both over-40 and under-20, who greet cuts off of their newest and eighth album, Gore, with the same enthusiasm as classics from the band’s 1995 debut. The Deftones’ sound continues to evolve and is still rooted in metal, but proudly displays the inﬂuences of other genres, from shoegaze to hip-hop to hardcore. Drummer Abe Cunningham recently spoke to Vegas Seven about the writing process, album ﬂow, and where he keeps his lucky horseshoe. The band's music draws from a variety of

genres. What music inspired you when you were younger?

My dad was a bass player and my stepdad plays drums, so I grew up going to gigs, a total hippie child on the Northern California coast. All of these great shows, ﬂatbed truck gigs in big, old meadows. I was programmed early on. When I started wanting to do my own thing, San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, the Bay Area was close by, so everything that came out of that scene from the ’60s and ’70s, the ’80s with thrash, the ’90s with Primus. It was such a fruitful, magical musical world.

Your latest album, Gore, seemed to have a longer recording process than past albums …

It’s sort of, you have your whole life to

SONGS FROM THE LINEUP: LEON BRIDGES, ‘RIVER’

Songs From the Lineup is a review series that unpacks the musical lineup of Life Is Beautiful through individual songs by the featured artists. Look for weekly installments at DTLV.com, right up through the festival in September. ➜ I’m an Indian who was born in Fiji, raised in a semi-religious

August 25-31, 2016

VegasSeven.com

[ LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL ]

Hindu household in Northern California and now resides in Sin City. I couldn’t tell you much about Christianity or the South. Yet, the song I’m most excited to see/hear at Life Is Beautiful is true Southern gospel-blues. Let that be a testament to the power of Leon Bridges and his “River.” The first single from Bridges’ highly praised 2015 Coming

write and you make your ﬁrst record … After that, you get in this groove of writing, recording, writing, recording, touring. It just goes and goes and goes. We’ve done that for so many years, but this time around, we got together for a couple of weeks and tried writing a little bit, then did maybe a week of shows. So that was the way we approached it this time. Before it was always like: Here’s your two months, go write a record. Today, a lot of music is about the single. The Deftones' albums really work as a whole and stand up to repeated listening. Do you do that deliberately?

We come from that era of trying to make complete albums. Things change, but

Home debut, “River” is beautiful in its simplicity. While the rest of the album has a brighter, retro-soul bounce, “River” is a stripped-down, solemn prayer. It’s just Leon, strumming his guitar, with a backup vocalist, a choir and a tambourine. It’s chilling, mesmerizing and healing. More than novel nostalgia, “River” is transportive. If you close your eyes while you listen to it, you might witness a baptism in the Mississippi. Its message is even simpler. In his best channeling of Sam Cooke, the 27-year-old Texan tells us who he is: “a man with many crimes” desperately seeking salvation. He doesn’t list his sins, just that “there’s blood on my hands, and my lips are unclean”—but he doesn’t need to. We’ve all done dirt that Purell can’t clean. Although the song is filled with Biblical references, Bridges isn’t preaching to us or trying to convert us, and maybe that’s why I’m drawn to the track. I heard it at a time when I was trying to find inner-peace and strengthen my relationships with those around me. Bridges found atonement in the waters of religion. I’m still searching for that within myself, but each listen of “River” brings me closer to it. -Zoneil Maharaj

Jerry Cantrell of Alice in Chains plays on your album. How did that come about?

We obviously are huge fans of Alice in Chains, and have become friends over the years. “Phantom Bride” was the last song we recorded—the record was pretty much done and the song could have been ﬁne as it was. But we felt like there was a … gap, if you will. So we’re having a barbecue, celebrating the end of the session, and we were like, ”Man, what if we have somebody come in and do a badass solo on that song?” So we’re hanging out, drinking beers and getting loose, and we made this 30-person list of potential guitarists, and at the end of it all, we’re like, “You know what: How about Jerry?” Called him and he was in the next day and knocked that thing out. The Deftones have played Vegas a number of times over the years. Do you enjoy visiting?

I remember playing the Huntridge back in the day. A few of the guys in the band love gambling; they play everything. I play slots—I don’t gamble much, but when I do, I play slots. I’ve been told I was born with a horseshoe up my ass; my ass gives me luck. I’m not saying that’s really what’s happening, but I’ve been told that. But I try to dip into more of the town than just the Strip and all of that shit. There’s more to it. So I try to get in and dig it out.

DEFTONES BY ERIK K ABIK/ERIKK ABIK.COM; LEON BRIDGES BY RAMBO

Where will you find the Deftones after their show at The Joint? Our guess: The casino floor.

MUSIC

COUNTRY CONNECTION Boots on Stage wants to expand country music’s reach By Kayla Dean ➜ LAS VEGAS HAS ITS

fair share of great country music shows, but the number of country venues and radio stations can be counted on one hand. While most country acts sell out at mainstream concert halls, without the right promotion it’s easy for a smaller show to get lost in the collective noise. That’s what spurred Boots on Stage, a marketing and promotions company that aims to connect country music fans with artists they’d love to see live. After establishing itBoots on Stage Presents kicks off at Brooklyn self in Southern CaliforBowl with openers Jill nia in September, Boots & Julia (above) and on Stage expanded to headliner Eric Paslay (below). Las Vegas this spring by assisting the promotion of shows at the Foundry at SLS, The Joint at Hard it was really hard for me to see counRock Hotel and the Cosmopolitan’s try music,” Abramson says. “When Chelsea, through ticket giveaway shows were happening, the marketcontests on its social media pages. ing wasn’t reaching me. The bigger Next up is the Boots on Stage Presshows [I was aware of] were taking ents concert series (in conjunction place at the Staples Center and Holwith Bud Light), which kicks off lywood Bowl, but I would miss all the August 25 at the Linq’s Brooklyn smaller acts.” Bowl with headliner Eric Paslay and After success in L.A., Abramson support from SmithField and local recognized the potential for Boots duo Jill & Julia. on Stage in other cities not traditionBefore starting Boots on Stage, ally known for their country music founder Ricky Abramson was vice scenes. The company now is pubpresident of talent buying for the licizing country shows all over the Light Group, booking artists for Southwest, in cities such as Phoenix some of the Strip’s top nightclubs. and San Diego. Abramson says the Shortly after returning to his native organization has grand plans for Los Angeles in May 2015, he noticed its second year of business—namely, country enthusiasts in the area were opening a venue in the Hollywood vastly underserved. area with the aim to be “the go-to “Being a country music fan in L.A., country music venue in SoCal.” While the Southern California market is important to the industry vet, Abramson is committed to growing Boots on Stage as an important name in country music in Las Vegas. The company is hoping to partner with promotional companies on concerts during the National Finals Rodeo, held in Las Vegas every December, and also is negotiating to expand its reach into other nontraditional venues around town. “What we’re aiming for is that a country music fan in Las Vegas will think of Boots on Stage as synonymous with a country music experience,” he says. “When you hear the name connected to a concert, you know what to expect.”

MARKETPLACE

MARKETPLACE C O M I N G U P AT B R O O K L Y N B O W L L A S V E G A S AUG 26

+ SPEARHEAD > WED 10/12 MON 10/24

THU, AUG 25 SAT, AUG 27 FRI, SEP 2 SAT, SEP 3 WED, SEP 7 FRI, SEP 9 FRI, SEP 9 WED, SEP 14 THU, SEP 15 FRI, SEP 16 SAT, SEP 17 SUN, SEP 18 TUE, SEP 20 SAT, SEP 24 WED, SEP 28 THU, SEP 29 SUN, OCT 2 MON, OCT 3 TUE, OCT 4 WED, OCT 5 FRI, OCT 7 SAT, OCT 8 FRI, OCT 14 FRI, OCT 14 SAT, OCT 15 SUN, OCT 16 TUE, OCT 18 THU, OCT 20 FRI, OCT 21 SAT, OCT 22 SUN, OCT 23 THU, OCT 27 - SAT, OCT 29 SUN, OCT 30 - MON, OCT 31

MON, OCT 31

AUG 28

EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY

J U S T

A N N O U N C E D

BIG SAM S FUNKY NATION ON SALE 8/26 S E V E N D U S T ON SALE 8/26

BUD LIGHT + BOOTS ON STAGE PRESENTS ERIC PASLAY WITH SMITHFIELD // JILL + JULIA

ISLANDER JULIETTE LEWIS KILLSWITCH ENGAGE ANDY FRASCO AND THE U.N. B A Y S I D E WITH THE MENZINGERS EMO NIGHT BROOKLYN LATE SHOW >>> CENTRAL LIVE <<< DUMPSTAPHUNK /// O.A.R. \\\ ST. PAUL + THE BROKEN BONES CHANCE THE RAPPER SOLD OUT THE AVETT BROTHERS 40oz. TO FREEDOM - SUBLIME TRIBUTE BAND THE SOUL REBELS SOUND SYSTEM FT. TALIB KWELI <<< PHANTOGRAM >>> DWEEZIL ZAPPA PLAYS WHATEVER THE F@%K HE WANTS CONOR OBERST TYCHO \\\ GROUPLOVE /// THRICE WITH LA DISPUTE DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT / BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME YELLOWCARD EMO NIGHT BROOKLYN LATE SHOW CLUTCH SCHOOLBOY Q WITH JOEY BADA$$ OPETH WITH THE SWORD MESHUGGAH ::: THE FAINT ::: GHOST - POPESTAR DIZZY WRIGHT THE DISCO BISCUITS GREENSKY BLUEGRASS TWIDDLE LATE SHOW

TUE, NOV 8

||| KALEO ||| THE WONDER YEARS + REAL FRIENDS

THU, DEC 1

ASKING ALEXANDRIA

TUE, NOV 1

MICHAEL FRANTI

CENTER STRIP AT THE LINQ || BROOKLYNBOWL.COM || 702.862.BOWL

MARKETPLACE

When did you feel you belonged in the NFL?

We played Chicago in Green Bay. Rookie season. We were winning, 10-9, late. Walter [Payton] gets the ball. He breaks to the right, I go over the top; it’s Walter and me. I knocked him back three yards; he stayed on his feet and ran it 27 yards into the end zone. None of our veterans had beaten Chicago. They were dog-cussin’ me; they hated me. I was ready to quit. I was crushed. [Packer linebacker] John Anderson pulls me into the bathroom, to a long mirror. He says, “Ask yourself if you did everything you could do to prepare for that moment; if you did, that’s all you can ask. This is the NFL. You’re not going to win every battle.” That changed everything. At 6-foot-4, 255 pounds, how did you stop the 6-2, 340-pound William Perry, a.k.a. “The Refrigerator,” on a goal-line stand?

Brian Noble

August 25-31, 2016

VegasSeven.com

The former NFL linebacker on the best player he ever saw, stopping the Fridge and coaching on the prep level By Rob Miech

You started 110 of 117 games for the Green Bay Packers from 19851993. What was your welcometo-the-NFL moment?

Rookie year. First preseason game. At Dallas, [which was] my team growing up. I lined up to rush a point-after attempt. Across from me was Ed “Too Tall” Jones … I looked up and saw the hole in the [old Texas] Stadium, and there’s

my hero standing across from me. I went to rush 6-foot-9 “Too Tall,” and he hit me with a hand before I got out of my stance. He went, poof, hit me right in my chest, and I was like, Yes! I called my dad, and said, “You won’t believe this.” He said, “Welcome to the NFL.” Who was the best player you ever saw?

[Chicago Bears running back] Walter Payton. I could knock the sh- … snot out of him, and he’d hit me on the hand. “C’mon, Nobes, let me up!” That little voice. “C’mon, Nobes!” I’d be hanging onto his feet. Half the time I didn’t know where I was—my helmet was on sideways. Walter always wanted to be the ﬁrst off the ground. And he would never run out of

[Bears coach Mike] Ditka called timeout and out comes the fat guy. [Fellow linebacker] Johnny Holland looks at me. “What do you want to do?” I didn’t care. I lined up over Fridge. And it was just me and him, right in the hole. Low man is gonna win, and I hit my helmet in his chest, maybe the neck. They got a tight shot of him walkin’ off and he’s twitchin’ his neck and shoulder. I was 15 yards from Ditka, and I just gave him both birds. He laughed his ass off. But I felt bad, so I apologized to Ditka afterward. We walk out of their locker room. He has his arm around me and he says, “Brian, you’re one of the best football players over there. Just keep doing what you’re doing. You’ll be all right.” We turn the corner, and there’s our bus, [Packers coach] Forrest [Gregg] and his wife, Barbara, right there! What happened on that careerending right knee injury at Lambeau Field against Philadelphia in 1993?

I was chasing [running back] Herschel Walker. He ran outside, to his right. He cut back. I planted my foot; my [anterior cruciate ligament] went out when the bottom part of my leg slipped forward. I turned back to grab him, and

[Eagles guard] Mike Schad hit me [laterally]. The leg was already sublexed; when he hit me, I went [down], my foot was right under my elbow. The team doc, Pat McKenzie, threw me a towel and said, “Bite on this, Brian. I have to put your leg back into its socket. If I don’t, you’ll lose the leg.” I remember it being so silent. Then I heard a scream. It was me. Afterward, in the locker room, they were icing it down. I was pumped full of drugs. I asked Pat, “What are we talkin’? Season over?” He says, “Brian, let’s concentrate on getting you to walk; your career is done. Over.” [Offensive lineman] James Campen threw his helmet through a glass window. I’ve had 26 total surgeries and procedures, and two staph infections, one of which almost killed me. You’ve lived in Henderson since 2008 and have been a volunteer assistant coach at Coronado High School for five years, Desert Oasis last season and now Liberty. Any trepidation coaching at this level?

Man, it’s brutal. I have a very difficult time watching football. Two years ago, one of my linebackers, a guy I love, comes around the corner, leaves his feet as he grabs the quarterback and his feet fly around and [whip] a lineman’s leg, like a Joe Theismann [hit]. I was bawlin’ for that kid. I see stuff like that, and it takes me back to my knee. I know what that kid will have to go through; it’s not fun. That said, I have no control over it … the same thing can happen on a soccer field. That said, are you glad you and your wife, Cindy, have four daughters?

Yeah. Having a son play football … that would be difﬁcult. I would support whatever he wanted to do. If he chose football, I would let him do it, but … in the back of my mind, I’d be going, what am I doing? It’s not something … you really want your kid to do. Fame and fortune, they’re great. But [a major injury is] a life-altering moment that stays with you and changes the way you go through the rest of your life. Do I want my kid limpin’ around? Do I want my kid not being able to play golf? There’s that hesitation. The game gave me a lot, but I gave the game a lot, as well.

PHOTO BY KRYSTAL RAMIREZ

SEVEN QUESTIONS

bounds; you had to knock his ass out of bounds. A great competitor. I played against Emmitt Smith, Eric Dickerson … none compares to Walter.