TORONTO — Mixing among fans and sports heroes such as Dr. J and Dan Marino in a large suite booked for the Joe Carter Classic at the Toronto Blue Jays game Thursday afternoon were a trio of comedy legends: Cedric the Entertainer, Chris Tucker and George Lopez.
As the Jays were defeating the Arizona Diamondbacks, the National Hockey League announced it was expanding to Las Vegas. Stand-ups know Vegas.
We asked the three comedians — big sports fans, all of them — for their thoughts on the NHL heading to Sin City, and then chopped it up some more about sports fandom.
Cedric the Entertainer
How should a professional athlete approach working full-time in Las Vegas?
This is truly a thing where the athlete has to become even more disciplined. The pitfalls of Vegas are what makes it Vegas. The thing about Vegas is, you go there to let off all your steam. To have to live in it, I think these athletes have to be really motivated to win. For the younger ones, it will be hard. That’ll be the key: getting veterans on your team first, building it with solid guys who can teach the younger ones, “Look, we’re about winning and integrity. Then, when our season’s over, you can go do Vegas.” Most athletes are like that, except for the rookies. They keep to themselves when their season’s going. It’s very rare that they mix in with the people.
I know the NFL is thinking about coming in as well, so maybe hockey could use some support by having another pro team there. That way, the hockey players won’t be only ones. So when they do go out and get drunk and get caught with strippers, they can say, “It’s not just us.”
Is Vegas ready to be a sports town?
It’ll be a great sports town. A lot of people live there now. The threat of players gambling, I’m not concerned about that. It’s more the desire to mix in when people come to town. It’s easy for your homeboys to come to Vegas say, “Hey, we’re out. Come join us.”
“Nah, man, I got a game tomorrow.”
“C’mon, bro. I’m hardly ever here.”
“All right. One hour.”
But that could happen in Toronto as well, I must say.
How many times have you been to Vegas? A million?
I can’t count. I live in L.A. now, so it’s a 40-minute flight. That’s something we do spur of the moment: “It’s boring. Let’s go to Vegas.” I’m not a big gambler, so I just go when my friends go, mainly for the energy.
Are you a hockey fan?
I’m from St. Louis originally, so I’m with the Blues, man.
They had a great run this year.
They did, man. I went to a couple of games when they were playing the Dallas Stars, that series.
When did you first get hooked on the Blues?
They were big back when they had Brett Hull. They had a couple runs at the Cup, and the city would just be behind them. Our school took us to a game during a field trip. I never liked to watch it on television, but once you’re in the environment, you get it, and it becomes that much more exciting. All right, now I’m hooked. Now I’ll watch it ’cause I know what’s going on.
What’s your go-to sport on TV?
If I’m going to watch something, it’s gonna be football or basketball. I love them both. Game 7 [of the NBA Finals] was so awesome.
You’re a LeBron guy?
I’m a LeBron guy. I enjoy watching the Warriors play, but I love the story of LeBron, the path he was on. I love the idea of someone growing up in an area, being drafted by the local pro team, becoming frustrated, leave, come home and get the ring. I love all that. A great sports tale.
What are you working on these days?
Touring. The Comedy Get Down. Me and George Lopez, D.L. Hughley, Eddie Griffin and Charlie Murphy are on a big arena tour. The BET network is going to make a TV show out of the tour — a lightly scripted reality show of the antics that happen to us while we’re on tour. Got another movie, Johnson Family Vacation 2, coming out that I produced, with Vanessa Williams. We’ll probably shoot that in the fall. It’s poppin’ off, man.
Chris Tucker
So the NHL just announced they’re putting a team in Vegas.
Whaaaaat? The NHL? They beat the NFL?
Yes. So what do you think of a hockey team in Vegas? Will it work?
Well, we need more ice. It’s hot as hell as out there. So that’s good. We need more cold places.
Do you think it’ll be a problem for pro athletes to work in that environment?
When you’re young, temptation could be a problem. But there’s other things to do in Nevada. Nevada’s a great place. I have a house there. I’ve lived there for years, near Vegas. When you live there, you find those other things instead of getting into trouble.
Being a local, do you think Vegas can turn into a hockey town?
Yeah, definitely. Like I said, people want to get out of the heat. It’s another form of entertainment, and people always want to be entertained. I think hockey fans will fly in and go to the game.
What’s your favourite sport?
I like basketball, so I hope one day there will be basketball team out there. And I hope there will be a football team. I think it’ll work. The NHL will really help by breaking the seal.
What NBA team do you root for?
The Atlanta Hawks. After that, I love everybody who’s playing good. I love LeBron. That [final] game was great. Me and my son were there. We had a great time. It was the best Finals ever. I was here in Toronto for All-Star Weekend, too.
Describe the atmosphere at Game 7.
It was like the Super Bowl and everything else balled up together. And it was tense. So it was really good. Whoever won, I would’ve been cool with. I love the Warriors, I love Cleveland, I love LeBron, I love Coach Lue. So I was happy.
Have you ever been star-struck meeting an athlete?
Yeah, a lot of athletes. You admire their courage and their will, so a lot of guys I see, I’m like, whoa. Jim Brown—there’s so much history with him.
Which athletes did you admire as a kid?
So many. Tony Dorsett, Walter Payton… running backs that were iconic. Lynn Swan and Willie Gault, too.
What are you working on?
I’m touring standup all over the place, which is great. I have a movie coming out in November called Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, directed by Ang Lee. I think it’s coming to the Toronto International Film Festival also.
George Lopez
The NHL just announced that it’s putting a team in Las Vegas.
That’s a good idea. There’s a huge amount of fans that love hockey in the United States, but it still needs a little help. So I’d say that an NHL team in Vegas brings a lot of attention to the NHL. Also, it’s better than putting an NBA team in Vegas.
Why?
It’s a sport more people will enjoy if they saw it live, and Vegas is a great place for people to get exposed to it.
So you’re a bit of hockey fan?
Yeah, I like hockey.
Do you remember your first live game?
You know what? I saw Guy LaFleur’s last game at the Forum.
Nice.
Yeah, Guy LaFleur. Luc Robitaille was still playing for the Kings then. I knew LaFleur’s name, and they announced that was his last game, so that was pretty special.
Any advice for an athlete living in Vegas?
Never miss a practice. And make your cheques direct deposit.
What sport do you follow closely?
I go to a lot of Lakers games. In 2010, the Lakers gave me a championship ring. It’s one of my most prized possessions. I went to that Game 7. I went to Kobe’s last game, the 60-point game (photo above, with Arsenio Hall). I’ll have to see how the Lakers are this year without him. We lose Vin Scully from the Dodgers this year, then we get football. A lot of action going on in L.A.
How would you describe the atmosphere at Kobe’s last game?
Nobody knew what to expect. We were watching someone who was kinda struggling near the end. He goes 0-for-6, then he just turned it on. And Utah couldn’t just lay down. If they won that game, they were going to the playoffs, so they played him pretty hard. That Mamba, that competitiveness just took over. Nobody saw 60 points coming. As much as I hated to see him leave, to leave with 60 points made everybody in L.A. feel a lot better about it.
What would you say to the people who think of Kobe as selfish?
Well, he’s been selfish his whole career, but we got five championships. So if there’s another guy who just wants to chuck it up that wants to come to L.A. and bring me five championships, I’d be happy.
Who should the Lakers chase this summer?
I think your guy out here, [DeMar] DeRozan, a Compton guy, he’d be interesting. But I don’t think we should get in business with guys that are older, like [Kevin] Durant. We got the No. 2 pick. I think we got a strong nucleus with D’Angelo Russell, [Jordan] Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. We have some pretty good guys, so I don’t think we should do anything earth-shattering.
You pay much attention to the Raptors?
Yeah, man. I’ve actually seen the Raptors play [live in L.A.] the last two years, and last year when they played, I mentioned to my friend how young and how fast they were. I mean, they beat the hell out of us. They were really fast and young. I thought, this team is going to be good. They ran us out of the gym.
(Photos: Cedric the Entertainer – Luke Fox; Chris Tucker and George Lopez – AP)
