I have a ton of newspapers and blogs in my RSS Feeder. Obviously I go to some more than others, and one I've hit on a lot this week is the Las Vegas Sun (for some reason I LOVE the NBA All Star Game and it's festivities). Well I've been keeping track of the goings-on through the LVS and too my surprise I touched on an article that I'm surprised hasn't been touched on at all.

With any large event there are security issues and questions raised. Well LV Mayor Oscar Goodman thinks they stem from one source.

“I don’t want to see some gangbangers or hip-hoppers knocking over a jewelry store at Fashion Show mall.”

Wait what?!?!? How has this not been brought to light in mainstream media? First Wilbon calls the ASG "Black Thanksgiving", and now this? Why in the world does the city want an NBA Franchise then?

Everyone knows by now what they are getting when it comes to the NBA. The Sport is a collision of Hip-Hop Culture and Marketing Genius, but odd things have been happening lately. From the orange roundie, to the age-limit, to the dress code......the NBA is acting funny. Maybe David Stern is just protecting his investment as the NBA heads over seas, but Goodman should be questioned on this.

Abigail Goldman from the LVS sums it up perfectly....

The strain of marrying such contradictory objectives manifests itself in amusing ways: brawling basketballers forced to button up in suits, an All- Star Game so corporate most fans can't even sniff a ticket, a mayor who welcomes the NBA with one hand and pushes away the inner-city demographic that defines the game with the other.

That's just not going to fly. I'll be keeping a close eye on Vegas this week/weekend, and I hope you'll join me. I'll be live-blogging Saturday with the Dunk Contest/3 point Contest/H-O-R-S-E/Pimp WNBA In Any Way Possible Contest, and I'll be doing the game Sunday. Let me know your thoughts and I'll keep you posted on any new comments from Las Vegas' Good Mayor.

NBA Fans Pose Unique Security Challenges (Las Vegas Sun)