Notes From Your Friendly Local Sportsbook, Day 2

By Spencer Hall
--The vibe could not be more different today than yesterday. With Western Kentucky and American remaining competitive, you can turn around and see the faces of those who bet on the teams to beat the spread and those who didn’t. They alternate between glum acceptance and jittery glee depending on who made the last shot. Upsets, by the numbers, have to be in the works after a by-the-line day of games yesterday.
--Many mumbles about Drake, the haute couture mid major of 2008 for many. They’re struggling against WKU right now (Ed. Note: We now know Drake lost in extremely dramatic fashion; more on that soon) and making many stogie-chomping men very, very nervous here. Blame the staring specter of Big Red for the Bulldog’s lack of focus.
[img=http://i.tsn.com/i/photos/20080321/87841.jpg]
--Alyssa, who runs PR here at Caesar’s, said she wants to push the idea of a ladies’ night at Caesar’s due to the astonishing gender imbalance in the sportsbook during March Madness. (I count four women in the seating area right now. Sausage party doesn’t describe it.) It’s a fine idea, but the table should come reserved, the drinks should be free, and each female guest should receive a cattle prod on check-in.
--Pointed out to me by my female companion: fanny packs are in the building and representing to the fullest.
--The entire state of Wisconsin is here: the jerseys are walking around the strip, the flags are stuck in the windows of cars in the garage, and their fans are all over the books. You have officially had it with winter when you drive from Milwaukee to Vegas to get away from the cold. Given how pig-in-wallow happy they look tanked on beer and reclining in Caesar’s plush chairs, the state may have lost some dutiful taxpayers to Nevada this weekend.
--American University prepared for this game by handling heavy, slippery balls made of pure butter to improve their grip. Unfortunately, they did not wash their hands before taking the court.
--The weather looks perfect on the weather update on my iPhone, but I can’t verify it myself. I’ll peek my head out in 72 hours and let you know how it looks then, if my eyes are still working and haven’t shriveled into little mole-pupils by then.↵