We Scramble this morning coming off a week of anniversaries and celebration. Last Tuesday, August 18, was the ninth anniversary of my Cinco de bypass in Birmingham, Alabama. Four arteries 100% blocked and one at 80% precipitated boarding the express into surgery. If I’d waited a month or so longer, you wouldn’t have anything to read with this morning’s coffee and I certainly wouldn’t have been here to celebrate Andi’s and my 35th wedding anniversary the day before. If you wagered under 34.5 years, well you can now toss the ticket. For our special anniversary dinner on Monday night, we visited a restaurant we hadn’t been to since 1990 but we’ve thought about it often. We were hosted that memorable evening 36 years ago at Michael’s, then at the old Barbary Coast hotel and casino on the Strip next to the Flamingo and across from Caesars. The Barbary Coast was owned by Michael Gaughan as was his namesake restaurant. That first experience, a business dinner with no holds or menu items barred, was over the top. Since that evening, I’ve recited it often as the best dining experience we ever had. But we never went back despite dozens of subsequent Vegas visits and now Vegas residents for the last eight years. The memory was too good to jeopardize with another experience that may not live up to the original. That was, until Monday past. For our 35th we wanted to do something special—we said we always talk about Michael’s, let’s go. Michael’s is no longer in the Barbary Coast as Gaughan, 83, sold the property over twenty years ago. He then bought the South Point in 2006 and brought Michael’s with him. The South Point isn’t an easy-to-get-to-destination located seven miles south of Mandalay Bay on Las Vegas Blvd. Primarily a place for locals and cowboys and their cowgirls with its equestrian center, the hotel won’t knock you over with its decor, charm, or secondhand smoke. That’s left to Michael’s. The restaurant, tucked neatly into a corridor, is now in its 42nd year. And honestly it wasn’t as good as the first visit. It was better. And a hell of a lot more expensive which is probably why the ladies are given menus without prices. Its continental offering features steaks, chops and seafood served in a red velvet supper club style throwback room that only seats 50. It has the wonderful old-style Vegas feel. Service takes a back seat to none. They anticipate what you are about to ask for. Food was outstanding and plenty of it. We actually ordered a bit in excess. It’s not for the slight of wallet but definitely worth it as a one-off for something special or clients you want to impress, which got us there for the first time back in the day. We won’t wait another 36 years to go back, maybe not even 36 days.
Once a season, we go to see a WNBA game. The Las Vegas Aces are the defending champions with the best player in the league, A’ja Wilson. And yes, she was named after the Steely Dan hit. And yes, she is among the classiest players in the league keeping her head down and playing ball. WNBA games are fun. They move quickly, over in an hour and 45 minutes to two hours, tops. Ten-minute quarters and no need for replay on every possession unlike their NBA brethren. But the league is in trouble and needs to stop the nonsense and just play the game. Petty jealousy runs amok which results in some needless on court pushing, shoving and fouling that weakens the brand but makes for good national highlights. Post-game press conferences are by and large gripe sessions. Racism boils like a hot cauldron. Complaints about officiating are almost nightly. Now there are cultural standards, not the least of which being how to properly categorize who or what is a female for eligibility. It’s all a bad look. The WNBA suffers from a lack of leadership and standards that govern other professional sports in this country. Its commissioner, Cathy Engelbert, has become reclusive when she needs to be a leader. Her contract expires after this season and it will do the league well to identify a successor that can take hold of this ship and navigate back onto a course for success. Wouldn’t be the worse thing to look at an NBA headquarters underling ready for the big time. It really is a great product that needs to refocus on playing basketball and away from the pettiness that is rampant and holding it back.
Bill Rasmussen died on Tuesday at age 93. Back in 1979 Rasmussen and his son Scott changed the course of global sports television forever. The former communications director for the then Hartford Whalers of the NHL, the senior Rasmussen maxed out his credit card by purchasing space for $9,000 on a communications satellite. The plan was to develop a Connecticut-only sports channel. Yada, yada and yada, ESPN was born on September 7, 1979. The first show broadcast, and I remember watching it, was something it called SportsCenter hosted by George Grande and Lee Leonard. Other original anchors were Greg Gumbel, Bob Ley, Sal Marchiano and Lou Palmer. Chris Berman joined the roster a month later. The first SportsCenter was followed by an American Professional Slow Pitch Softball League World Series game between the Kentucky Bourbons and Milwaukee Schlitz. I had Kentucky +3.5 runs not to get schlitzed. Skeptics, and there were plenty, said the idea would never last. And in true American business fashion, the Rasmussens were forced out a year later by then majority ESPN owner Getty Oil whom dad and son brought in originally to finance their dream.
Speaking of sports television, even the most casual of NFL watchers are familiar with Michele Tafoya, the very classy and knowledgeable Emmy Award-winning former broadcaster. She covered the gamut working for CBS, ABC, ESPN and most recently NBC where she was a staple as the sideline reporter on Sunday Night Football. Ms. Tafoya retired in 2022 for a career change—she became a political advocate. That was rewarded on August 11 when she won the Minnesota Republican primary for the U.S. Senate with an impressive 52% of the vote in a three-person race. Now she advances to the general election in November to face Democratic nominee and current Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan. Ms. Tafoya, 61, will be tested as Minnesota voters have not elected a Republican to statewide office since 2006 and never a Hispanic candidate.
A couple of music anniversaries and sports birthdays: Woodstock turned 57 years old on August 15th; on August 16 it was 67 years since John, Paul and George very unceremoniously kicked original drummer Pete Best to the curb and brought in a 22-year-old who went by the name of Ringo. It turned out to be the most dramatic roster cut in music history. And a very happy 98th birthday to the prototype of NBA point guards, the legendary Bob Cousy the “Houdini of the Hardwood.” Cousy played for the Celtics and took the game to another level with his passing and dribbling that today is prehistoric, but when he played from 1950-63 in Boston it was revolutionary. The Celtics won six NBA championships with Cousy as the floor general. He retired with just shy of 7,000 career assists combined with an 18.4 scoring average. At 6’1”, he pulled down over five boards a game. Cousy’s off-court contribution to the sport keeps giving. In 1954 while earning $8,000 Cousy formed the National Basketball Players Association and became its first president. Steph Curry will be paid $62.5 million this season. Thank you, Mr. Cousy. And never to be outdone nor silenced, boxing ringmaster Don King celebrated his 95th birthday on Thursday.
Wow, man! New York City legal sales of cannabis increased by 20% during the Knicks playoff run. It was up 30% on June 18, the day of the NBA victory parade. And 18% for the Spain-Argentina World Cup Final across the Hudson in New Jersey. Meanwhile, Jets fans await wiping out the entire Colombian stash when, more importantly if, that green and white parade ever happens.
It’s been seven years but has anyone heard anything recently about that fried chicken sandwich at Popeye’s that in 2019 had people waiting hours, lined up around the block for lunch?
I’m a Hard Knocks fan on HBOMax but disappointed with this year’s installment featuring the Seattle Seahawks. It’s a little sleepy. And a bit late to the party but loved the thriller What/If on Netflix with Renee Zellweger. One season, ten episodes, it’s been out since 2019 but is tracking once again.
StubHub, which owns about half of the $18 billion North American secondary ticket market, has seen a rash of unhappy customers over the past couple of months. High profile, high demand events like the World Cup and Knicks playoff run brought massive complaints from customers who got swindled—paid exorbitant prices but never received the promised tickets. SMC reader Alan Alperin of Park City, Utah, bought two tickets to a UFC fight in Las Vegas last month for $1,300 each. They never arrived. He came to town anyway hoping for the best with StubHub promising they would be sent. “I decided to make the trip assuming I’d get the tickets,” he said. He never did. As the UFC event was about to start, and no StubHub tickets, he purchased two more from another platform at a higher cost. According to The Wall Street Journal, in 2022 the company spent $73 million on operations and support personnel; last year it was down to $63 million. Over that same period, StubHub revenues rose by 68% to $1.75 billion. Is that any way to run a consumer-oriented business? At least Mr. Alperin was lucky. He finally got a refund but hundreds and hundreds of others still await.
It used to be if you wanted to make money you didn’t do government work. Now it appears after you make your money you go into government. There are 57 officials serving in this Trump administration who have net worths in excess of $100 million. Included are 17 ambassadors and 40 in senior positions across the executive branch of U.S. government. The 57 represent a total that’s more than four times the combined amount of those who served the three previous presidents.
If you read Mike Vaccaro in the New York Post you might know the answer to this. Otherwise, I don’t think you have a chance. Since its inception what is the only Major League Baseball franchise to never lose 100 games in a season? I’ll give you a few minutes to knock that around.
And loved the Post’s inside story headline about Harry, Meghan and the kids returning to live in the U.K.— ‘The British Are Leaving.’
From the international travel department of SMC, we are on the road more than ever. Last year, Americans took a record 24 million trips to Europe, a number that is expected to increase another 5% this year. In 1990 fewer than 5% of United States citizens had a passport; this year it’s up to 50% including 27 million new ones issued in 2025. The U.K. continues to be the most popular destination with Italy and France second and third. And good news from Israel. According to its Ministry of Tourism, Americans are returning once again with over 70,000 visiting the holy land over the past two months.
The shortest off-season in sports has concluded with the English Premier League beginning 2026-27 play on Friday. Last season concluded on May 24 and then a good portion of the league’s stars played in the World Cup tournament from June 11 to July 19. And of all the coaching gigs in sports, the Premier League is undoubtedly the most tenuous. Nine of the 20 teams begin this campaign with new field bosses.
Through ‘its inception’ becomes the key word in the above baseball trivia question. The Yankees lost 103 games in 1908 and 102 the next season playing as the Highlanders. The Dodgers franchise lost 104 in 1905 playing as the Superbas, strangely named after a popular touring vaudeville and acrobatics troupe. And the proud tradition of the Cardinals suffered that indignity in 1907 and 1908 with 101 and 105 defeats. Ed Braunger, an SMC reader, is a former racetrack industry colleague of mine and the only Los Angeles Angels fan I ever met. So, if he didn’t come up with the Angels as the franchise never losing a hundred or more games in a season, who could? Born in 1961, the Angels lost 99 games two years ago but never triple digits in a single season. This year they are tempting fate once again with 78 losses through yesterday and 32 games to play.
And finally, if any of the prediction markets offer a prop bet on when the Social Security fund will be depleted go ahead and short it. Every eight seconds another American turns 65.
I’m proud that Medjet is sponsoring Sunday Morning Coffee. I spent 20 wonderful years with Medjet in Birmingham, Alabama, and can tell you unequivocally they are the standard-bearer for medical assistance membership programs. A talented staff, who cares about its members, is at the forefront of the company’s success. Whether you are traveling for business or pleasure, domestic or international, a Medjet membership should be an important part of your travel portfolio before you leave home. Check out the Medjet website at medjet.com or just tap on the Medjet logo and you’ll be able to get a look at Medjet’s services, rules and regulations, pricing, and an overview of the organization. And remember, any opinions expressed in Sunday Morning Coffee content or comments belong to the author and not the sponsor. Safe travels with your Medjet membership! — Roy Berger