thependulumswings

BBR’s staff is taking a trip down memory lane in the mid south of the U.S.  Last night we decided to rest our dogs in the downtown Marriott Little Rock Hotel (formerly well known as The Excelsior Hotel).  The Excelsior is infamous as it was the hotel where Paula Jones claims then Arkansas Governor William Jefferson Clinton forced himself on her on May 8th, 1991.

But nearly six years prior on November 18, 1985, in the same hotel, another event lead to an infamous moment or three all be it on a smaller scale.  This writer was checking in on that Monday evening on business.  Earlier on the way to the NOLA airport, on 50,000 watt WWL 870 a local sports radio host spoke, as he did every football season Monday, with Las Vegas football betting guru Tony Salinas.  Tony’s Monday call in reviewed his picks from the week prior.   Late in the ’85 college season he was 25 of 33 against the spread on his announced on the show picks.  At 50k watts the channel had a big, multi state following.  It only grew larger as his picks hit and hit and hit.

As I entered the airport Salinas signed off and would be back for his usual Thursday spot to make his three weekly picks.  After a flight and a connector flight and a rental car I was checking in at the empty front desk of the hotel.  It was empty until a guy put his gaudy metallic silver briefcase on the counter down a ways from me and announced that he was checking in.  “Your name sir?”  “Salinas.”  “Tony Salinas.”  I swung my head to the left.  With a Dallas Cowboys Starter jacket, a metallic briefcase, and a watch bigger than his wrist stood Tony Salinas.

I had to, I just did.  So I did.  I introduced myself and explained how I knew him and had just listened to him a few hours earlier.  He laughed and said that we should meet for a drink and watch the second half of the Monday Night Football game as he had another radio gig till then.  “Sure.”

The Washington Redskins were playing the New York Football Giants.  I explained to Tony how big a fan many of my friends, biz associates, family members and other gambling degenerates were and that hung on his every word of gambling advice.  “Theismann, back to pass….”  SNAP.   Lawrence Taylor broke Theismann’s leg like a match stick effectively ending his career.  Wow.  “I took the Giants on the halftime line,” he boasted as Theismann was carted off.  Wow.

“Tony, before I go, can I get the best of you best picks this week?”  “Walt, not only will Pittsburgh cover the seven, they are going to beat no. 1 rated Penn St. straight up.”  Wow.   I couldn’t wait to share this scoop with one and all.  Tony actually shared the story of us meeting in Little Rock on air as he made his picks on Thursday to the “common people,” not “insiders” like me.  I was riding high on what is called today “street cred.”

In fact this was so big that a Saturday night party was in order to watch the game and celebrate our winnings.  Come one, come all.   Bets for big dollars (back then) were placed with great confidence by one, by all.  The anticipation of big winnings, laughter, and the smell Salem Lights and Jack Daniels filled the house.

Penn St. blocked a punt and returned it for a touchdown late in the first half to go up 21-0.  “Don’t worry, Pitt will come back.”  At least thrown popcorn and peanuts don’t hurt much.  Ten more points in the second half  added to the drubbing that the Nittany Lions put on the Panthers.  The final was 31-0.  I considered entering the witness protection program if only it could be offered to me.  My fifteen minutes of fame was long gone as was my street cred.

Oh.  What’s the moral of the story?  There is no sure bet, so don’t.   And, if you do, pay off your gambling debts so that no one snaps your leg in two like Taylor did to Theismann.