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By Rhett, June 11, 2009 1:56 am

Driving down the street a few weeks ago listening to the only sports radio channel in town that doesn’t shove gambling down your throat, UNLV Basketball coach Lon Kruger was on the air plugging an upcoming event he sponsors every year – Coaches vs Cancer. He gathers up all the college basketball coaches he can find to play in a golf tournament here in town, invites everybody, and sends all the proceeds to cancer research. It’s a good deal. This year, a “Party at the Palms” was held before the golf tournament teed off for those of us who are fairway challenged. As soon as the interview was over, I was on the phone with the ladyfriend and Sam. The former for permission, the latter to talk me into realizing that it was worth it to plop down a few hundys to rub elbows with some college basketball coaches. Lindsey bought in, Sam did his job, and I bought the tickets.

The event was scheduled for Sunday May 31st. The week leading up to the party, I was under the impression it was Saturday instead. Just so happens that I have relocated to a different part of Las Vegas, and it lined up perfectly with this weekend. That’s the last thing I needed to do, move and get all sweaty wrong and tired, then go shake hands with basketball coaches. Saturday we move, show up to the party, and it’s a bunch of elmo 13 year old girls for a birthday party. Dar. All done up and no where to go. Stumble back home and get ready for Sunday night.

The Palms has a room called “The Hardwood Suite”. This features a half court basketball venue inside the hotel suite itself. Of course it’s the perfect place to host this event. The party also featured all you can drink and eat, a silent auction, and a “skills” competition with any of the coaches you select (I use skills loosely as all of the participants were half in the bag, with big money hustlers paying off playboy bunny girls to shoot against a coach of their choice. I’ll get into that later). The list of the coaches on site was as follows:

• Mike Montgomery – California
• Frank Martin – Kansas State
• Jim Boylen – Utah
• Heath Schroyer – Wyoming
• Dana Altman – Creighton
• Bill Grier – San Diego
• Tim Jankovich – Illinois St.
• Max Good – Loyola Marymount
• Jerry Tarkanian – UNLV Coach
• Charlie Spoonhour – UNLV Coach
• and of course, Lon Kruger, current coach at UNLV

There were several players I recognized including Curtis Terry, Greg Anthony, and I think Brian Shaw. Place was packed.

Kicked it off with a little thanks from all of the coaches to those in attendance. I was standing right in front of Lon Kruger. Afterwords it was a mix and mingle atmosphere. I tested my “skills” vs Jim Boylen from Utah, making all of my shots but one and forcing Boylen to sink a FT with the pressure squarely on his shoulders, or he’d lose to some clown like myself. Guy is from Grand Rapids, former MSU assistant and long time NBA assistant. Shook my hand. Seemingly good guy. He was at this event, after all. Who likes cancer anyways?

So after that I had a few more pops and got into some of the silent auction gear. A ton of items and experiences were donated by various local busnieses or celebrities. I had my eye on two items: Dinner with Coach Kruger at some high brow joint on the strip, and a miniature basketball signed by all the coaches at the event. After a little haggling with another guy interested in the same items, we agreed to split the donation and the dinner between us, he let me win the bidding on the mini basketball, and that was that.

So the night ends up with me shaking hands and meeting with Lon Kruger for a few mins, an introduction before we dine together in the near future. I interrupted a conversation between Tark the Shark and Coach Jankovich from Illinois State so I could grab a picture with Tark. He wasn’t wearing a crazy sweater, but he obliged, tho it didn’t stop me from feeling shitty for interrupting their convo. I also had a picture with Jim Boylen after he nailed a FT. Jimmy, I needed your reminder to keep my elbow tucked in man. This story would be better if I was good at basketball. Overall, it was an awesome experience, one I will replicate next year of Kruger keeps up his tradition. I’ll be sure to let you all know what I have for dinner when we meet up later this month. In the mean time, enjoy a few pictures.

Me with Tark. He lives Sirus Radio.

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Kruger and I setting up plans for a recruiting dinner some time later this month. Jimmy, Kruger says he needs a few short guys from the midwest, he’s hoping you can “help him out”.

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Boylen after nailing a buzzer beater FT to upset me. Cool mural above us, signed by the players from the Nike commercial. For that matter, there are signatures all over the place from various players who’ve stayed since they opened this suite. I peed in the same urinal Gilbert Arenas peed in. I think.

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Me doing what I do best.