Monday, February 26, 2007
PTSD
Over the last month or so, as I was making preparations for a trip to Las Vegas, a number of co-workers and friends lamented that it was too bad I was going to miss out on the craziness of the NBA All Star Weekend since my trip was scheduled for the weekend after the festivities. But after hearing reports about how bad traffic was and how crowded all the casinos were because of the All Star game, I was thankful that I didn't have to deal with any of that crap. After talking to a number of dealers, pit bosses, and cab drivers I didn't realize just how thankful I should be.
I first asked how the All Star Weekend was to a personable dealer named Jim at the Imperial Palace just to make some conversation.
"Oh my god, they were the worst!"
At first I assumed that he just misspoke and meant to say it was the worst, meaning the weekend, and not they. But no, he meant they.
"They were the absolute worst. Never again. Never again. They were all thugs, drug dealers, or gangsters. They didn't tip, they were rude, they abused us. These poor waitresses worked harder than ever for less money that weekend. None of us made anything. We would've all made more if they never came to town. In fact, if they ever have that thing here again, I'm refusing to work it. No one should have to go through what we had to."
At this point I assumed Jim's flair for the dramatic was kicking in. I mean it couldn't have been that bad. But then his pit boss stepped in: "Last weekend was the worst thing that's ever happened to this city." She then assured her dealer that there would be no way the All Star game would return to the city. "If there is any kind of vote involved, there is no way the locals would put themselves through that again. And an NBA team coming here? Not if anyone who lives here has anything to do with it."
Now when I asked the question, I was expecting to hear common complaints about traffic and crowds, or a scripted reply that they've used on the thousand people before me that asked the same question. I wasn't prepared to see how emotional and honest the response was. It was great. So I made it a point to ask as many dealers as possible how they liked the All Star weekend.
Every single person I asked had the exact same initial response to my question. They all immediately closed their eyes and shook their head back and forth. It was like just thinking brought them back to the misery of the weekend previous, and were suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. Apparently talking is part of the healing process because all the dealers I talked to were happy to regale the table with their own personal accounts of the weekend. Here are some of the more memorable responses:
I first asked how the All Star Weekend was to a personable dealer named Jim at the Imperial Palace just to make some conversation.
"Oh my god, they were the worst!"
At first I assumed that he just misspoke and meant to say it was the worst, meaning the weekend, and not they. But no, he meant they.
"They were the absolute worst. Never again. Never again. They were all thugs, drug dealers, or gangsters. They didn't tip, they were rude, they abused us. These poor waitresses worked harder than ever for less money that weekend. None of us made anything. We would've all made more if they never came to town. In fact, if they ever have that thing here again, I'm refusing to work it. No one should have to go through what we had to."
At this point I assumed Jim's flair for the dramatic was kicking in. I mean it couldn't have been that bad. But then his pit boss stepped in: "Last weekend was the worst thing that's ever happened to this city." She then assured her dealer that there would be no way the All Star game would return to the city. "If there is any kind of vote involved, there is no way the locals would put themselves through that again. And an NBA team coming here? Not if anyone who lives here has anything to do with it."
Now when I asked the question, I was expecting to hear common complaints about traffic and crowds, or a scripted reply that they've used on the thousand people before me that asked the same question. I wasn't prepared to see how emotional and honest the response was. It was great. So I made it a point to ask as many dealers as possible how they liked the All Star weekend.
Every single person I asked had the exact same initial response to my question. They all immediately closed their eyes and shook their head back and forth. It was like just thinking brought them back to the misery of the weekend previous, and were suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. Apparently talking is part of the healing process because all the dealers I talked to were happy to regale the table with their own personal accounts of the weekend. Here are some of the more memorable responses:
- A dealer at the Flamingo: "They were horrible. They stayed 12 in a room and they stole all of our linens."
- A dealer who spoke only broken English at the Barbary Coast: "They mean. They cheat. We all need security when we leave. Everyone hookers and..." (At this point she starts pointing up with her index finger.) I try filling in the blank: "Pimps?" "Yes! Pimps! Everyone only hookers or pimps. It very bad.": She then made a face like she needed to spit out a rotten piece of food.
- A lady dealing pai-gow at New York, New York said she was just glad that only seven of the shootings that took place actually got reported.
- A dealer and pit boss and the Hard Rock agreed that it was the worst weekend they've ever seen. Lots of abuse, lots of fights and no tips. "They don't tip, you know," the dealer informed us. "I'm taking the week off if they ever come back."
- Many of the Asian Dealers (or as one hillbilly sitting next to me called them: "The Orientals") would initially close their eyes and shake their head like the rest of them, but would recover quickly and did their best to hide their feelings. It took a few more questions to pry it out of them. "Was it fun?" I'd ask. They would nod yes. "Lots of tips?" I'd ask. They would nod yes. "Are you lying to me?" I'd ask. They would laugh in embarrassment and then nod yes.
- A blackjack dealer at O'Shea's summed up the weekend for us: "Walking through the crowds was like walking through the yard at a maximum security prison. You didn't want to make eye contact with anyone because you were afraid you'd get shivved."
Comments:
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I used to live in Vegas and here's the thing:
Anytime you bring in a huge group of "non-locals" to the city, there are going to be problems. People just don't get it when they're in Vegas. It's those stupid-ass commercials that offer to ensure that what happens there stays there. If you haven't been regularly, you just don't get it I guess...
Anytime you bring in a huge group of "non-locals" to the city, there are going to be problems. People just don't get it when they're in Vegas. It's those stupid-ass commercials that offer to ensure that what happens there stays there. If you haven't been regularly, you just don't get it I guess...
I think its safe to assume the last dealer you quoted is a Jason Whitlock fan:
"Walking The Strip this weekend must be what it feels like to walk the yard at a maximum security prison. You couldn't relax. You avoided eye contact."
(from http://sports.aol.com/whitlock/_a/mayhem-main-event-at-nba-all-star/20070220103009990001)
"Walking The Strip this weekend must be what it feels like to walk the yard at a maximum security prison. You couldn't relax. You avoided eye contact."
(from http://sports.aol.com/whitlock/_a/mayhem-main-event-at-nba-all-star/20070220103009990001)
My thing is "what the hell was the NBA thinking?" I live in Houston and had the All-Star Gamme here in 2006, and it was nothing like what I'm hearing came out of Vegas. Why? We have rules. Clubs closed at 3 or 4 and there is no way you can get away with carrying alcohol around on the street. Why would the NBA have it's All-Star Game in a place where "anything goes". Next year, the game is in New Orleans and you can't shake the feeling that someone is going to die
Great report.
If you had replaced LV with Houston, All-Star Weekend with Hurrican Katrina, and hookers & pimps with refugees, I don't know if I'd have been able to tell the difference.
If you had replaced LV with Houston, All-Star Weekend with Hurrican Katrina, and hookers & pimps with refugees, I don't know if I'd have been able to tell the difference.
i was in vegas the weekend after as well to watch the pride fight. limo driver said it was horrible... charles barkley is cool though, tips like a champ. dwayne wade doesn't tip at all, because apparantely you should be honored just to meet him. rapper mike jones didnt tip a buck after contracting a limo service for 18 hrs...
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