So how about that Mountain West Conference Tournament, eh?
For those who missed it, I’m sorry you weren’t there to storm the court in Las Vegas. If only someone had advised you to make plans to be there … oh wait, that’s right, I totally did two weeks ago. That’s what you get, ingrates.
Being in Vegas for four nights last week combined with seeing both San Diego State basketball teams cut down the nets made for one of the best times of my life. I’ve been to Vegas on quite a few occasions before, but I still learn new things every trip.
For instance, did you know the Hooters Casino Hotel has $3 blackjack? Did you know that from midnight to 6 a.m. it also has 25-cent chicken wings? Because I didn’t; but I sure as hell do now.
I know what you’re thinking, “Hooters? $3 blackjack? Cheap wings? That sounds like it would attract the absolute dregs of society.” Well you are correct. It’s like a white trash mecca in there. That place had more backward hats and clothes with Monster Energy Drink logos than a motocross competition. These are my least favorite kind of people — mainly because I grew up with them in the Inland Empire.
Speaking of meth-addicted, trailer trash, prostitute-soliciting people, New Mexico had quite a few fans in attendance last weekend (see: Snake, Lobo super-fan). And by “quite a few fans” I mean they completely took over the entirety of Southern Nevada. It says a lot about the city of Albuquerque when 75 percent of the population picks up and heads out to another desert city just to have something to do during a weekend in March.
As far as MWC allegiances go, Lobo fans make BYU fans seem cool. Ironically though, UNM’s student paper, the Daily Lobo, was made up of some of the cooler student journalists you’ll ever meet. Granted, that’s like being the smartest girl in a sorority, but it’s worth mentioning. We ran into a couple of those dudes one night at the Excalibur, but we were too busy trying to jump off the moving sidewalk’s railing. Another lesson learned: That is hard to do whilst drunk.
Anyway, back to the New Mexico fans. They have the stupidest chants you will ever hear. Chief among them is, “Everyone’s a Lobo, woof, woof, woof.” Seriously, grown men shout that. That’s almost as embarrassing as being named “Jimmer.” And before this column gets plastered all across every MWC message board, I’d like to state that I am rooting for every MWC team in the NCAA Tournament. Yes, even you New Mexico, despite the fact that I’ve never seen a whinier player than Darrington Hobson. But I digress.
I was feeling high and mighty about how classy SDSU fans were by comparison until, on the way to the arena one day, we found ourselves behind an early ‘90’s Ford Thunderbird with a license plate that said “FRAAANK” and a vanity plate that read “SDSU ALUMNI.” Sweet. That’s who we have representing our university? Fraaank? Well that shut me up — for a while at least.
Later that day, after the basketball action had wrapped up, we decided to hang out with people outside of our tax bracket. So we made our way to Encore. In reality, Glenn’s mom was in town and staying there on business, so she offered us two rounds of drinks to come say “Hi.” Done and done.
I had actually been to XS at Encore once before, but it was my birthday weekend and you could have told me we were at Circus Circus for all I can remember. Sitting at one of the bars in the casino while observing the sheer ballin’-ness of the whole place and the ridiculously hot women walking around, I couldn’t help but think that if my dad had brought me here four years ago, there’s no way I would have majored in English. Instead, I’m stuck staying at the Tropicana whenever I go to Vegas for the rest of my life.
Still, the proudest moment of the weekend, even more so than the Aztecs sweeping the tournament, came at Encore as I was asking myself what the odds were that anyone in town for the MWC games is actually staying at this hotel. Just then, a guy with an SDSU Alumni sweatshirt and a super hot blonde girl walked by us with suitcases in tow, headed up to their room. If that doesn’t justify this school as a legitimate institution, I don’t know what does.
So there is hope, fellow students. We’re not all destined to be Fraaank.
Fight on and on, ye Aztec men. Tennessee sucks.
Did you love this column? Did you hate it? Are you a suddenly enraged New Mexico fan? E-mail me at dpope@rohan.sdsu.edu with any comments, suggestions or out-right insults about my writing ability. After all, the BYU fans already did that last month. You can be just like them!
—David Pope is an English senior
—This column does not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Daily Aztec.
14 comments