Jerry Tarkanian’s ‘recruit’ was Michael Jordan
FREDDIE Glusman’s idea of a prank phone call once involved a hoops legend, a Vegas icon and his stepson.
About 35 years ago, the Piero’s owner took a call for a random favor from his good friend and well-known sports marketing executive Sonny Vaccaro. At the time Glusman also owned and operated The Sporting House athletic club, a favorite workout facility on Industrial Road.
Vaccaro had just signed Michael Jordan to an endorsement contract with Nike.
That deal would forever lift the fortunes of Vaccaro and Jordan … and satisfy millions of feet.
Vaccaro had asked if Glusman could set up a couple of rounds of golf for Jordan at Las Vegas Country Club. This was just after Jordan left the University of North Carolina in 1984, on his way to starring for the Chicago Bulls. Jordan’s playing career has returned to the fore in “The Last Dance,” the ESPN documentary focused on his final season with the Bulls. Episodes five and six in the 10-part series air at 6 p.m. Sunday.
Before Jordan won any of his six NBA titles, Glusman had arranged for him to play two rounds at LVCC. Jordan tooled around the course with Glusman’s son, Evan Glusman, and his stepson, Charlie Skinner. (This is the trip where Las Vegan Trent Othick also met Jordan and wound up with a signed painting of the hoops legend).
Jordan was shooting hoops at The Sporting House when Glusman called another of his famous friends, UNLV Runnin’ Rebels coach Jerry Tarkanian.
“I called Tark and told him, ‘I have a fabulous recruit for you. He’s at The Sporting House now and you have to see him,’” Glusman said this week. “I didn’t tell him who it was. Everyone in the place knew what was going on. So Tark came over, saw Jordan shooting baskets and said, ‘The recruit! I think I know him!’”
Skinner, 14 years old at the time, remembers feeding Jordan alley-oops during the shoot-around.
“I got to spend the entire day with him, including playing basketball at The Sporting House,” Skinner recalls. “I threw him a lob at the top of the square. I remember thinking I threw the pass too high, but he caught it and dunked it. I will never forget it.” Postponement a possibility The Stadium Tour co-starring Motley Crue, Def Leppard,
Poison and Joan Jett and The Blackhearts seems all but postponed. The four bands collectively announced they are awaiting “further direction” on the highly anticipated U.S. tour. An announcement for how the tour will proceed is due June 1.
The series has been scheduled to open June 18 in Nashville, Tennessee, ending Sept. 5 at Sofi Stadium in Inglewood, California. There have been no Las Vegas dates booked, but all of the acts have either performed in residency or headlined in town over the past few years.
Also, Motley Crue front man Vince Neil has a home here and property in Nashville. He said a show at Allegiant Stadium was “a possibility” given the open dates on the schedule.
Neil declined to say Friday what fans could expect, referring to the June 1 announcement being issued by tour promoter Live Nation. Neil is currently sidelined at his ranch in Nashville, where he says he can “ride horses and shoot guns!”
Neil said in a text message, “It’s ‘Quarantine Bonanza!’”
As for The Stadium Tour, the bands’ collective announcement on social media informed:
“Our priority during this unprecedented time is to make sure that we are being as thoughtful and responsible as possible in the decisions we are making regarding The Stadium Tour and that we are putting the fans’ health, well being and safety first and foremost. We are currently weighing all options and are awaiting further direction from the powers that be.”
Trends indicate the tour will be pushed back, possibly to 2021. Similarly, Taylor Swift’s tour of the U.S. and Brazil, which was set to open July 3, has been moved to 2021. Swift made her announcement April 17.
The only concert scheduled at Allegiant Stadium is Garth Brooks’ show Aug. 22, which was intended to be the first concert at the facility. The show reportedly sold out in 75 minutes, but its status is also uncertain amid COVID-19 concerns.
Brooks, a former Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas headliner, and his wife, Trisha Yearwood, are live-streaming a show from the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday night with guest Scotty Mccreery and host Bobby Bones. That event starts at 4:30 p.m. on Brooks’ and Yearwood’s Facebook pages.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His Podkats! podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/ podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal. com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @Johnnykats1 on Instagram.
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