The Elevator: Fists (and feet) of Fury

By Ron Kantowski

Saturday, July 11, 2009 | 2 a.m.

Who’s going to the penthouse in local sports — and who’s getting the shaft:

GOING UP

Fists (and feet) of Fury: If you don’t believe the UFC’s brand of mixed martial arts is going mainstream as it reaches the century mark in fights that can be purchased on DVD for the low, low price of $17.95, tonight’s UFC 100 at Mandalay Bay has generated nearly as many column inches as Michael Jackson’s passing and memorial service. And tickets are just as hard to come by.

'Allgood' all the time Avione Allgood, a sophomore-to-be at Las Vegas’ Legacy High, won the javelin and shot put at last week’s USA Youth Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Rynearson Stadium on the campus of Eastern Michigan University, which isn’t exactly the Olympic Stadium in Madrid or Chicago or whatever international destination winds up sliding the most swag under the table to International Olympic Committee members. But if she keeps this up, she just might get there.

Basketball in July: In the summertime when the weather’s high, you can stretch right up and touch the sky ... especially if you’re one of the first-round draft picks who will be hooping it up at NBA Summer League 2009, tipping off this weekend at the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion. With apologies to Mungo Jerry, when the weather’s fine, you got Blake Griffin, you got Blake Griffin on your mind. Chh chh-chh, uh Chh chh-chh, uh ...

GOING DOWN

Taxation without bowl game: The Mountain West caved big time this week when it said it would continue to pay dues to the omnipotent and heavy-handed Bowl Championship Series despite not being a guaranteed part of it. It’s a good thing the Colonists showed a little more backbone back in the powdered wig days or we’d all be watching soccer and drinking tea this weekend.

Three-and-one wonders: One more reason why old elevator operators don’t really understand the UFC: Its heavyweight champion, Brock Lesnar, sports a record of 3-1. That’s the same record as left-hander Renyel Pinto of the Florida Marlins. Lesnar is fighting in the main event of UFC 100 tonight. I doubt very much that Pinto is going to start in Tuesday’s All-Star Game in St. Louis.

Blame it on Vegas: No news is good news. Bad news is our fault. In the aftermath of the apparent Steve McNair murder-suicide, a report surfaced that the former quarterback was supposed to meet his girlfriend-on-the-side in Las Vegas, and when he didn’t show, she got upset. I wouldn’t be surprised if one day we also are held accountable for New Coke and the Pittsburgh Pirates’ all-yellow uniforms during the Dave Parker-Richie Hebner era.