Las Vegas 2000
We came, we saw, went home knackered!!

Now heading for my third convention in Las Vegas, I was a bit worried that it would not live up to the others. However, I can tell you all it was something very special, that has left me with memories that I will keep for a long, long time. (AND CONSIDERING THE AMOUNT OF BOOZE I CONSUMED, I AM SURPRISED I HAVE ANY).

15 people ended up going from Windsor to join another 1800 or so Tims in the Nevada desert for this year’s convention. The convention dance venue had to be changed three times because of increasing numbers and the dance eventually ended up being held in a car park!

We arrived Thursday lunchtime and you could feel the buzz as soon as we went into the hotel. It was a case of throwing the bag in the room and getting down to the bar. The various bars were already packed with a sea of green and white and there were a few ex players wandering around the hotel, Danny Mc Grain being the first I noticed. They all made time to speak with us and seemed interested in what we were saying, made you feel like you were talking to an old friend.

Thursday night was the welcome night for all the clubs that had arrived that day, and was held outside at the pool area. There was a stage put up and Hugo (Windsor dinner dance) compared the night; introducing players and getting the crowd wound up with his gags and stage show. This was followed by Patricia Ferns with the Crooked Reel leading a night of singing that went into the early hours of the morning. I had various conversations with people that I had met at previous conventions and a few of the players. Trying to get a word with a player was a real feet, they were just mobbed with people wanting pictures and autographs. I spoke to Allen McDonald. I do not think many people recognized him to begin with, as he was just wandering around with a drink in his hand soaking in the atmosphere. I cannot say enough about this man. He never shirked a question and he gave detailed answers to them all. I must have had a conversation with him for about 15 minutes or so and then stood back and listened to him speak to others. This guy seemed interested in what people had to say and answered everything (Details to follow).

Friday morning was a meeting with the various supporter club reps and a question time with McDonald. The most shocking news we got there, was that Setanta did not have the rights to games for the coming season and that the company that does have them are not showing them live. This has since all been sorted out with Setanta and they will be showing games until Christmas and from then on its up in the air, at the moment. However, Martin Barry appears to have a "mole" informing him that Star Choice, a cable company in Toronto, will be showing it as "pay per view". McDonald arrived and stood up there for an hour and a half easy, answering everything asked and more. I really have a feeling that we are on the right road with this guy. He left the whole room gob smacked with his frankness and went with a standing ovation, normally reserved for a winning team, not a board member who the fans have become accustomed to not trusting for years.

Friday night was the dance. Hugo entered on a Horse (not a white one) and started the show. All the national anthems were sung with a flag bearer from each respective country at the front of the stage. Each Guest of Honor was welcomed to the stage with roaring applause. Billy McNeil, John Fallon, Sean Fallon, John Clark, Bobby Murdoch, Tommy Coyne, George McCluskey, Dixie Deans, Danny McGrain, Tommy Gemmel, and Vic Davidson were all given a hero’s welcome and kicked balls out from the stage to the adoring crowd.

A great floorshow from Hugo was to follow and a fantastic meal. This man excelled himself again. He did a Tom Jones skit to accompany his usual DJ’ing and jokes. I can’t imagine what he is going to charge the next time he comes to Windsor. He must have felt like Frank Sinatra, with the amount of praise he got there! The night finished off with a big "sing song". It just seemed like a big massive house party. Over 1800 people dancing around with each other, people on the tables, chairs, shoulders, just belting out the tunes. All these strangers together, pissed out of their heads, giving it laldy and not one bit of trouble, in fact I never even heard one cross word. Unbelievable really. How a bunch of about 6 volunteers pulled this off is beyond me. I really don’t think even Vegas had seen an event like this before. I think I collapsed at about 6-7 in the morning, knackered and a smile from ear to ear. What a night!

Saturday morning was the AGM, 10am. Missed the first hour, and spent most of it flogging cd’s and shirts. So here is what I got from it, but you guys will probably get a better report from the old guys that went to bed early!

Current number of clubs in the federation is up 62. The North American rights have been sold to a Florida based Spanish cable company (IFC network). This is a new company not intending to broadcast until January 2001. N.A.F.C.S.C is currently working with Celtic FC and Sentanta to repurchase rights, as this violates the agreement between the SPL and the CSI regarding North American rights. The 2001 convention to be hosted by the Bramalee CSC in Bramalee, details to follow. It was proposed that the NAFCSC start a charitable fund for Kevin Reynolds a Celtic fan beaten after 2000 cup final by huns. $1000 was donated from NAFCSC and another $1700 was collected at the meeting. Individual clubs are to make donations later. Bermuda CSC asked the federation to investigate the possibility of a NAFCSC cruise from New York to Bermuda as a future convention center.

Jim McKay received prize for longest ride on mechanical bull in hotel (much to Colm’s disgust). He hobbled on stage to collect trophy!

After the federation business was finished McDonald took the stage for a question time. Much of the same stuff was brought up from the day before, but McDonald had to be commended once again. This was open to everyone and a few that came were a bit worse for the wear from all the bevvying. However I don’t want you to get the idea that it’s a rabble, because it’s not and it’s very well run by the committee. McDonald showed much patience, I know the old board would not even of entertained the idea. The hall in which the AGM was held must have looked like the Barra’s on a Saturday with all the clubs selling their stuff. They really are getting imaginative now. The first one I went to, a few clubs had t-shirts, but now everyone has something- t-shirts, jackets, mugs, cd’s, Henrik dolls, posters, programs, key chains, hats, the works. The Celtic Superstore would have a job keeping up with this lot. We did pretty well with out mobile shop!!! Most of the gear is away and a few dollars have been made for the club. I had one bloke from Glasgow threaten to come to Windsor personally if the cd did not work!!!

The bhoys from the club took John Fallon, Ronnie Simpson, and Sean Fallon out to dinner on the Saturday evening. Most are now looking for a second mortgage! I made the fatal mistake of telling Martin Barry to go and book a restaurant. He came back a while later and told me he had found a nice little place down the road in the Venetian Hotel. So we rounded everyone up and headed off. I did not realize how far it actually was. By the time we got there most of us were on our last leg and you would have thought we had just come through the Mohave desert and we lost Steve Craig on the way. As soon as we went in I thought to myself, this is an expensive place. But I thought we were on holiday and we were treating a few of the Lisbon lions, so it would look good for the club. I had the pleasure of sitting next to Sean Fallon and when he got his breath back, he turned out to be a very interesting man. He kept me thoroughly enthralled through the meal, a real gentleman, one of the old school.

We had a fantastic meal, but the real shock was to follow with the bill. The word came around that it is $800 US so I think that’s not too bad for both tables and someone pipes up that it is just for our table and the total bill is about $1600 US between 13 of us. Well, the look on everyone’s face was just a picture. I nearly had to ask the waiter to bring a couple of paper bags, as there were a few beginning to hyperventilate. You could see the same thought going through everyone’s head, will we do a runner, will they let us wash the dishes? Colum pipes up that he has not had a meal in 2 days and the last one was $7.99 "all you can eat". I was only glad that I had not booked it as Martin was doing some quick talking, trying to justify the bill to everyone, but the hole was only getting deeper! The Venetian hotel had some beautiful architecture and upon leaving John Fallon points out a replica of the Bridge of Sigh, in the front of the hotel and begins to tell us the history of its name and how prisoners were hung from it way back. Well I can tell you if the rope had still been there, a few of us would have had Martin over the side!!!

When we arrived back we stumbled across a wee sing song starting up in one of the lounges with Patricia Ferns on guitar. We just got there to hear Bobbie Lennox singing the "Fields of Athenrye" which was fallowed by the 90 year old mother of Dallas man John MacAloon singing Danny Boy. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house, absolutely fantastic. It was kind of an open mike thing and all the classic Celtic songs were covered.

Saturday night was also the last chance for Colum to beat the mechanical bull. He was now walking like a cowboy and had bruises all down the inside of his leg. Unfortunately, even with the help of the poison dwarf (Steve Craig) heckling the operator it was not to be and he lasted about his usual 0.5 seconds before being thrown about three-table length across the room. There was a rumor that he once fell off before the bull even started, however I am not one for spreading rumors!

Sunday it was all over and time to go home. Nursing hangovers, knowing that the weekend had probably taken 10 years off our liver, we spent the flight figuring out how we were going to explain to the wives how we had spent all that money on booze!!!

I could honestly write a book about things that happened that weekend, with all the gossip and stories. I have included a few, but most are much funnier being told rather than read. A few to ask people who were there about are :"The lady in red", "The Exposer", "Near death experiences", "Poisoned Dwarf", "Cleaned out in a day", "Who needs poker when Martin is around?", "Vegas to Colorado in 30 minutes", "First holiday in 7 years", "Does anyone know what time zone Tommy is in?".