Daily Archives: December 25, 2021

New York and L.A. may be putting a damper on New Years Eve revelry in light of the Omicron surge, but it seems as if nothing will dim the lights of the Las Vegas Strip on Dec. 31. It might be the only place on Earth where, for 24 hours, depending on your tolerance for risk, you can forget the realities of COVID-19, supply chain shortages and the labor crisis and live like its the good old days all over again. The only difference between now and the before times is that the festivities will be masked whether the face covering be leather, sequin or feather by order of Clark County.

Pre-pandemic, an estimated 300,000 people flocked to Las Vegas for New Years Eve, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Bureau. This year, it is anyones guess as to how many will show up. But no matter the number, the city is buzzing with new residencies, palatial suites, celeb-backed cigar bars, power-broker steakhouses and even a whole new way to fly. Heres how to say goodbye to 21 Vegas style.

Getting There

Private jets shuttling between Los Angeles and Las Vegas have long formed a celebrity superhighway in the sky. Now, a semi-private luxury jet service called Aero is opening this style of travel to mere mortals. Aero was created by Uber co-founder Garrett Camp to fill the gap between charters and business-class, flying between L.A. and exclusive destinations such as Aspen, Colorado; Sun Valley, Idaho; Jackson Hole, Wyoming; and, most recently, Salt Lake City in conjunction with the 2022 Sundance Film Festival.

Leaving every Thursday, Friday and Sunday from Van Nuys Private Terminal to Atlantic Aviation in Las Vegas, flights start at $950 each way for a hand-stitched seat on Aeros custom-designed, 16-seat ERJ-135LR jet.

People are looking for alternatives to premium travel because, one, they value their time more; two, they obviously want the safety and security of avoiding crowds, says Zain Richardson, Aero chief marketing and customer officer and former CMO of Aman Hotels & Resorts. But also the way people live has changed [due to the pandemic].

The perks of jet-setting apply here from wheels up to wheels down, including no lines or crowds, private lounge, concierge service, curated cocktails and snacks, and, of course, a driver to meet travelers as soon as the airstair touches the red carpet.

Where to Stay

At the epicenter of the action is the new Resorts World Las Vegas, the first ground-up casino resort to open on the Strip in more than a decade. With three Hilton brands involved Hilton, Conrad and Crockfords there is a range of luxuries available. The perfectly appointed Conrad one-bedroom out-classes others in the category up and down the boulevard. It features floor-to-ceiling windows and Strip views, an open living area with sofa bed for party crashers, wet bar and dining table for entertaining, a spa-inspired bathroom with freestanding bathtub, rain shower and walk-in closet with vanity, so theres no competition for the mirror.

This being Vegas, the most luxurious accommodations are reserved for casino guests and celebrities. Resorts World recently unveiled its Palace suites at Crockfords with three to four bedrooms at around 7,000 square feet each, as well as a private pool, a manicured garden, and media and game rooms. (They start at $15,000 per night.) A two-night stay in the 6,500-square-foot Chairmans Villa the resorts only room with a balcony and a view from the 65th floor includes a private chartered flight, Rolls-Royce access and other bonuses like your own chef and photographer, at a cost of $300,000.

For a stay outside of a casino, high rollers can opt for a top-shelf package that hits both the Strip and Cabo in one weekend. The Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas + Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal $200,000 New Years Eve Package offers a presidential suite at the LV Waldorf, transportation in an Aston Martin, a Louis XIII tasting, a helicopter ride over the Strip and a countdown celebration with up to 20 friends, among other activities. Afterward, a private jet flies guests to Mexico to recover with a floating breakfast, tequila and oyster tasting, and seaside spa treatments.

Where to Dine

Carversteak at Resorts World, the first venture from Carver Road Hospitality, helmed by former Wynn and MGM Resorts executive Sean Christie, hosts a VIP party Dec. 29 and opens its doors to the public Dec. 30. It features what could be one of the citys most expensive cocktails at $40,000. The B Signal cocktail is a dialed-up version of Carvers house Old Fashioned, typically made with Clase Azul Reposado and Amaro Montenegro. The five-figure iteration of the drink is prepared with Clase Azul Ultra and includes the bottle of tequila and decanter and a Rolex GMT Master II Batman two-tone watch.

Carversteak hopes to stand out among a plenitude of superlative steakhouses in Las Vegas. Chef Daniel Ontiveros serves dry-aged American slabs, Wagyu cuts and a 42-ounce Tomahawk rib chop with the Carversteak logo etched onto the bone, alongside old-school classics like Lobster en crote and new-school classics like Hamachi Crudo. A standout experience here is The Knife Room, curated by the Portland Knife House, which showcases knives from Japan and the United States, including champagne sabers, a tuna sword from Yu Kurosaki and other rare blades. The restaurants knives were also sourced by Portland Knife House, and a selection will be presented to diners at the table.

Across the street, inside Encore at Wynn, newcomer Casa Playa from chef Sarah Thompson toasts the new year with tequila cocktails, flights of hyper-rare mezcal, and a $195 three-course prix fixe menu of dishes inspired by the coastal cuisine of Mexico, including Hokkaido scallop and cucumber aguachile, and beef barbacoa para la mesa. Designed by Todd-Avery Lenahan, the creative mind behind the interiors at the new Delilah Las Vegas and Overlook Lounge at Wynn, Casa Playa is an ideal spot to take your final selfie of 2021, drenched in dangling marigolds.

A new addition to The Venetian Resort dining collection, the local outpost of New Yorks Greek seafood temple Estiatorio Milos invites diners to bid 2021 adieu with a holiday cocktail made from pomegranate, lemon, rosemary syrup and egg white. A few dollops of Royal Belgian Ossetra Caviar make it a real celebration. Next, guests can indulge in fresh fish flown in from the Mediterranean, pick out fruits and veggies in the market, peruse the raw bar, watch the straining process in the yogurt room or sample the well-curated list of Greek wines.

This fall, celebrity chef Todd English rebooted his legendary Olives formerly of Bellagio at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. On New Years Eve, the prix fixe menu ($100 per person from 5 to 8 p.m. and $150 per person from 8:30 p.m. to late) pays homage to the dishes that made him famous, from beef carpaccio and fig and prosciutto flatbread to cast-iron scallops and veal parmesan. English plans to bring Olives to Los Angeles as well.

Who to See

After a hiatus in 2020, fireworks will launch from the rooftops of eight Strip casinos, extending from MGM Grand to The STRAT Hotel, at midnight Dec. 31.

At Resorts World, another type of Firework goes off in the theater as Katy Perry debuts her Play residency Dec. 29. Front-row VIP packages which are now sold out went for up to $3,720. Tickets start at $79.

Usher returns to The Colosseum at Caesars Palace to close out the first chapter of his residency, which opened in July. New Years Eve veteran Bruno Mars sprinkles 24K Magic all over the crowd at Dolby Live at Park MGM.

Maroon 5, whove made Vegas their year-end home for a decade, play The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan on December 30 and 31.

At the new Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, Lizzo counts down to 2022, while Kehlani captivates the crowd at adjacent venue, Money, Baby!

Theres even something for Broadway fans as Kristin Chenoweth sings from her latest album, For the Girls, on the stage of Reynolds Hall at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts.

Crossing over from the world of television, Americas Got Talent Live drew back its curtain at Luxor in November. With two performances on New Years Eve, the show brings audiences up close to the winners, finalists, runners-up and fan favorites from the hit television show.

We got offers [to put on the show in Vegas], but they werent very exciting, says Simon Cowell, executive producer and creator of the Got Talent franchise. And then we got a call from MGM Resorts, and they said the Luxor Theater was available, Cowell adds. When I first started making these shows, everybody wanted a record contract, and now most of these artists aspire to a residency in Vegas.

Hosted by comedian Preacher Lawson, whom Cowell calls one of our favorite contestants, the show will include performers such as Dustin Tavella, Brandon Leake, Deadly Games, The Clairvoyants, Duo Transcend, The Silhouettes with Jimmie Herrod and Light Balance many of whom have a cult following.

Cowell says to look out for season 14 winner Kodi Lee. He has an unbelievable gift, says Cowell. Hell listen to a song, and within two minutes, he will send you back his version. He cant read music, so its all in his head.

As the proverbial ball drops, trumpeter and singer Brian Newman, bandleader of Dolby Lives LADY GAGA JAZZ & PIANO residency, sounds the horn on his late-night show Brian Newman: AFTER DARK inside the NoMad Library at NoMad Las Vegas. The breakout superstar, who co-produced Lady Gagas version of La Vie En Rose for A Star Is Born and was also the bandleader/trumpeter on Cheek to Cheek and Love for Sale, with Gaga and Tony Bennett, brings New York City jazz club vibes to the Strip. With guest performers that have run the gamut from Ashanti to Robby Krieger of The Doors to Gaga herself, you never know who will show up maybe even Newmans wife, burlesque star Angie Pontani, also known as the Italian Stallionette.

Where to Party

In Vegas, the entertainment starts in the theaters and ends in the nightclubs. With major acts canvassing the Strips mega clubs.

New Years Eve weekend at XS in Wynn features a trifecta of A-list talent: Diplo, The Chainsmokers and Marshmello and if you want a prime dance-floor table, the bill starts at $30,000.

Across the street, DJ Zedd sets the soundtrack for the evening at Zouk Nightclub at Resorts World.

Down the boulevard, Steve Aoki will step back into real life after a gig headlining a Christmas party in the Metaverse and closeout 2021 at Omnia Nightclub in Caesars Palace.

Positioned on the corner of Flamingo Road and Las Vegas Boulevard, Drais Nightclub atop The Cromwell offers a spectacular view of the fireworks. It also features 50 Cents Kings Table, which offers an equally spectacular view of Drais Live headliner, rapper Rick Ross. There is a $30,000 beverage minimum for the stage-side seat developed in partnership with 50 Cent and Le Chemin du Roi Champagne. 2 Chainz follows Ross at Drais on January 1.

And the Afterparty?

For the cigar and spirits lover, the recently opened Eight Cigar Lounge at Resorts World from celebrity attorney David Chesnoff, entrepreneur Giuseppe Bravo and Clique Hospitalitys Andy Masi puts a $5,000 price tag on its private rooms on New Years Eve. Each accommodates up to 12 people. Inside these rooms are personalized lockers complete with gold nameplates (Michael Jordan and Luke Bryan have theirs), but all are sold out for the upcoming year.

The New Years Eve celebration begins at 9 p.m. with a hosted bar until midnight. Tickets for the evening are required, starting at $150 per person. The humidor in the retail shop will remain open to the public. Eights cigar list includes more than 150 cigars, priced from $18 to $1,500, by Drew Estate, Arturo Fuente and Ashton. Cocktails and spirits are paired with the tobacco flavor profiles. Clients include Mike Tyson, The Walking DeadsMichael Cudlitz, Wayne Gretzky, Alex Rodriguez and Phil Ivey.

And, of course, it wouldnt be Sin City without some sin. Las Vegas e-tailer Pepper, a connection company, delivering solutions to consumers through sexual wellness, education and intimate products, founded in 2020 by Sarah and Lincoln Spoor, set up its first brick-and-mortar location in Resorts World. The Pepper store is a 6,000-square-foot boutique focused on intimate products ranging from home decor and lingerie to pajamas and adult toys and the first of its kind in a casino. Theres a Touch Bar, where you can get a feel for the products, as well as tutorials. More discreet guests can hit the Foreplay Corridor, which leads to a hidden VIP room for an exclusive shopping experience and aphrodisiacal amuse-bouches like strawberries and Champagne, figs, chocolate, honey and almonds.

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Las Vegas Moves Ahead With New Years Eve Parties Amid Omicron - Hollywood Reporter

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) Hospitals in the Las Vegas valley are preparing for another wave of COVID-19. They have seen an increase in the number of patients and are close to hitting maximum capacity.

Dr. Domenic Martinello is the chief medical officer at MountainView Hospital, and he says we are seeing very similar patterns to the big wave we hit around this time last year, but he says this time the virus is spreading at an unpredictable rate.

RELATED: Unvaccinated people 20 times more likely to die of COVID, CDC says

Even compared to delta which is already more infectious than the native strain. Omicron is unfortunately even more infectious, Dr. Martinello said.

Dr. Martinello says their hospital is close to reaching maximum capacity, but if its necessary they will make room for more patients.

Everybody is at capacity or over capacity and they have been for some time," he said. "We in the healthcare industry find spaces to put those patients that are ill because we still have to care for them. We are not at the point of rationing care or turning them away."

RELATED: What makes omicron different from past COVID-19 strains? And what can we do to slow the spread?

During this surge, Dr. Martinello says the biggest challenge is finding staff. He says his hospital has been preparing for another surge for a while now. Theyve stocked up on personal protective equipment (PPE) and received more ventilators and supplies for patients. They just dont know how hard and how soon we will be hit.

If we wanted one single most effective intervention that would save the most lives and give us the most capacity in hospitals is to get vaccinated, said Dr. Martinello.

He says patients should not turn away from going to the hospital. If you need care or a particular surgical procedure, he says they still have room. They start to see issues when there is a heavy volume of both COVID patients and other patients.

RELATED TO COVID-19 IN LAS VEGAS:

Its when the combination of those two come together and we are already strained for resources, and we have to find ways to care for patients in alternative spaces so that may be a hallway bed or prolonged care in the emergency room, Dr. Martinello said.

He recommends the booster shot as studies have shown it does strengthen the protection against the omicron variant.

A lot of people are asking if they test positive how will they know if it is Omicron. Dr. Martinello says it is difficult to distinguish the variants but because omicron is currently the predominant variant we can assume if you test positive then you have it.

The nine that have been reported here in Nevada by the state lab were positive tests that were selected for further study, but Dr. Martinello says there could be many more cases out there and we just dont know it yet.

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Las Vegas hospitals react to Omicron surge in the Silver State - KTNV Las Vegas

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Unlicensed driver faces multiple charges after hit-and-run crash involving Las Vegas officer - FOX5 Las Vegas

Arizona Department of Transportation

U.S. 93

Arizona authorities are stepping up enforcement on a rural highway known for deadly crashes.

The Yavapai County Sheriffs Office is directing its deputies to increase patrols on U.S. Route 93 near the community of Congress, and the state Department of Public Safety in recent months has conducted special enforcement details, abc15.com reported.

The roughly 200 miles of U.S. 93 between Wickenburg and Hoover Dam are part of the main travel route between Phoenix and Las Vegas.

Sheriffs Sgt. Daniel Moralez, who grew up around Congress, estimated he has responded to at least 100 bad crashes on U.S. 93 since becoming a deputy nine years ago.

Many involved travelers or truckers who are speeding or passing in prohibited areas, Moralez said.

Theyre not familiar with how narrow the road is and with the general amount of traffic they have on the road, Moralez said. Especially at nighttime, its very dark out there.

In 2020, nine people died in crashes between Wickenburg and Wikieup, Arizona, compared with at least 13 in 2021, KNXV reported.

Most of the fatal wrecks, including one that seriously injured a DPS trooper this year, happened on the 30 miles (48 kilometers) of highway that remain two lanes.

Ive been with my wife and my daughter, and Ive been driving the way you should be, and theres a car in my lane heading my way, and we have to slow it down, go off the road, said Bagdad resident Daniel Gradillas, who started a Facebook group called US93 AKA Bloody Alley.

With nearly 900 followers so far, Gradillas hopes the Facebook page can put pressure on state officials to fast-track widening the two-lane sections to a four-lane divided highway.

The state Department of Transportation plans to widen 5 miles (8 kilometers) of U.S. 93 in 2022 between Wickenburg and Congress. No widening projects have been approved for the other 25 miles (40 kilometers), but transportation workers plan to add centerline rumble strips.

ADOTs website says the agency has dedicated nearly half a billion dollars to widening and improving U.S. 93 from Wickenburg to Hoover Dam over the last several years.

It added: ADOTs long-term vision is to transform this highly traveled route into a four-lane divided highway through the entire 200-mile stretch. The U.S. 93 series of projects is a priority for ADOT and has significantly improved our state highway system to move people, goods and services more efficiently.

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Arizona police step up enforcement on the route to Las Vegas - KJZZ

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CLEVELAND, OHIO DECEMBER 20: Daniel Carlson #2 of the Las Vegas Raiders reacts after defeating the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium on December 20, 2021, in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)

So many things need to change within the Las Vegas Raiders organization, and here are a few things to add to their Christmas wish list.

The Las Vegas Raiders once again find themselves in the situation where there will be far more questions than answers this coming offseason. The 2021 campaign has been a roller coaster for sure, with issues arising both on, and off the field.

The abrupt end of the Jon Gruden era could have this Raiders team looking very different by the start of 2022. And the thought of another retooling or rebuild just strikes at the heart of the fanbase. Sure, there is always the hope of the NFL Draft or free agency, but this team has struggled to get it right in both.

We wish nothing more than to see the Raiders reclaim a spot atop the AFC and make the Silver and Black prominent once again.

But to do that, it will require a change of mind, not just a change of personnel. And with the holiday season here, everyone has their wish list of things they want to see done to fix the Raiders.

Here are four things we feel should be on the Raiders wish list this Christmas.

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4 things that should be on the Las Vegas Raiders Christmas List - Just Blog Baby

37-year-old woman faces murder charge

by: David Charns

(Getty Images)

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) A man using a shotgun to play with a 1-year-old child and then doing the same with his girlfriend led to his death Sunday, documents obtained by the I-Team said.

Officers took Shanika Smith, 37, into custody on Sunday night for the murder of Jahmal Rogers, who police said was her boyfriend.

Police said officers were called to an apartment in the 900 block of East Twain Avenue for an accidental shooting just after 10 p.m., they wrote in Smiths arrest report.

When officers arrived, she told them she had accidentally shot a man, later identified as Rogers.

Rogers died of a gunshot wound to his torso and was found in the apartments kitchen with a gunshot near him, officers said.

While speaking with witnesses, neighbors told officers Rogers and Smith had been arguing before the shooting. After hearing the gunshot, one witness went into the apartment and spoke to Smith, who said she had shot Rogers during a struggle for the shotgun, police said.

While talking to police, Smith told investigators Rogers had hit one of her children earlier in the day, pointing the shotgun at his head, police said.

Later in the day, Rogers reportedly punched Smith in the face for smoking their last cigarette, police said. That argument escalated and police responded to the area, but left.

Soon after, Rogers retrieved his shotgun and stood with it at the window, police said. Rogers also pointed the shotgun at the couples 1-year-old child in an act of play, police said, believing the shotgun was not loaded.

Following [Rogers] play pointing the shotgun at their child, [Smith] stated both her and [Rogers] began to play with the shotgun by pointing it at each other and taking it away, police wrote. Their game continued for approximately 5-10 minutes until the shotgun accidentally discharged because [Smith] had her finger on the trigger when he attempted to take it away from her.

Smith then changed her story, saying she had pointed the gun at Rogers after he had taken it away from her and pointed it at her.

Smith then changed her story again, saying she accidentally shot Rogers while he attempted to grab the shotgun from her while on the phone with an ex-girlfriend.

Smith was charged with open murder with a deadly weapon and child endangerment.

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I-Team: Las Vegas woman kills boyfriend after he points shotgun at 1-year-old while playing game - KLAS - 8 News Now

Q: I had some holes in my drywall that I patched. I then sprayed on some texture and it looked pretty good. My problem is that I used some paint to touch up the patch and I can see exactly where the patch is. What can I do?

A: You can have the best patch in the world but if the paint doesnt match, its going to stand out like a three-legged racehorse. Youve got a couple of problems with touching up the paint: One is the color and the other is the sheen.

Many people have the original paint that was used on the walls and they expect it to match perfectly. Unfortunately, it does not. We run into this quite a bit. We can do a perfect drywall patch, but if the paint doesnt match, the customer wont be happy, even if he or she supplied the paint.

Maybe the number of years that the bucket sat in the garage changed its shade slightly, or maybe the sunlight shining on the wall bleached the old paint. Whatever the reason may be, you have a problem.

The simple solution is to paint the entire wall from corner to corner. Even if your paint is slightly off-color, when it is spread out over the entire wall, you wont be able to tell. You will be left with two slightly different colors at the corner where the new paint meets the old, but the difference will be imperceptible.

The bigger problem comes when you just want to do a little touching up. This could be a drywall patch or even scuffs on the walls from the kids.

Touching up a small area will be noticeable from some vantage point. When the paint dries, you may look at it straight on and it may blend in perfectly, but when you stand to the side you can tell, or it may look flawless in the morning but be noticeable in the afternoon. With touch-up painting, you have to be prepared for not-so-perfect results.

If you dont have any original paint, you can cut out a sample from an inconspicuous area. You can try a closet, but if the wall being touched up was beaten up by the sun, it may not match since the closet didnt have the same exposure. You will need to take a sample to a paint center for a color match.

The sample should be at least the size of a quarter, but I would cut one about 2 inches square. Use a utility knife and cut a square from the wall by pressing just hard enough to get through the paper face of the drywall.

Pry up one of the corners and peel it off of the wall.

When you get a color match, you can apply a little drywall mud to the back of the sample, stick it back on, and then blend it back in.

Apply the paint sparingly. Use a paintbrush and dab the paint on instead of brushing it. You want to use the least amount of paint necessary to achieve the least noticeable touch-up. As you approach the edges of the area, almost wipe the brush dry and feather the paint out. Wipe the brush several times along the rim of the paint can and with small strokes in an outward direction only, feather the paint out.

You also can use a mini-roller to feather out the paint. Use the roller dry and roll it outward from the new paint to the old and it will help to blend it in. You will get good results from either method, but if you are picky, then paint the entire wall.

Mike Klimek is a licensed contractor and owner of Las Vegas Handyman. Questions may be sent by email to handymanoflasvegas@msn.com. Or, mail to 4710 W. Dewey Drive, No. 100, Las Vegas, NV 89118. His web address is http://www.handymanoflasvegas.com.

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Touching up a small area with paint will always be noticeable - Las Vegas Review-Journal

Las Vegas Raiders punter A.J. Cole signed a four-year contract extension early in December and now he receives the news that fans and peers have voted him to his first Pro Bowl selection.

As the Raiders were preparing to take on the Cleveland Browns last Saturday, Cole was told he was selected to this years Pro Bowl for the first time in his young career.

I found out right before the game started. It was funny because you got to hear it, process it, and then just forget about it. Focus on the game, and then after the game, I kind of rethought about it. I kind of forgot about it completely during the game.

Im glad I was able to do that just because it is, its a lot. Its a cool thing to hear but it was awesome to go out there and get the win and then be able to celebrate the win and be able to celebrate that as well.

Coles journey to the NFL has been nothing short of an NFL dream. A four-year letterman at North Carolina State (2015-18). He finished his college career ranked second in program history in punting yards (9,288) and third in the program record book with a 42.2-yard punting average.

In 2019, Cole attended the Raiders rookie mini-camp to try out for the team, and it resulted in the Raiders finding a gem.

Yeah its crazy, its definitely not something, five, however many, years ago, I would have thought I would be here. Especially having to come to rookie minicamp and come on a tryout basis, Cole said.

The 26-year-old punter is having the best season of his career, he leads the NFL in punting with a league-best 50.6 yards per punt but it's the impact he has had on the field as a punter and place holder.

Its just a cool, cool journey. Its a cool experience. And Im so thankful for everybody thats just helped me along the way, for the people in this organization for believing in me and sticking with me, Cole added after the Raiders gave him a chance that paid off.

The Raiders will have the best punter in the league for the next four years and one less worry on this team.

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Raiders Cole Has Had A Cool Experience in the NFL - Sports Illustrated

There are 17 NFL officiating crews with eyes on the same players playing the same games in the same stadiums for the same 18 weeks every season.

But how is it that they see the games so differently?

Let me spotlight two crews, those of Carl Cheffers and Bill Vinovich.

Vinovich became an NFL referee in 2004 but suffered a health scare and did not return to full-time duty as a crew chief until 2013. Cheffers has been an NFL referee since 2008.

Cheffers has a high-penalty crew and Vinovich has a low-penalty crew. And the difference between the two is stark.

Since 2013, the Cheffers crew has finished first among the NFLs 17 officiating crews in penalties twice and leads again in 2021. It has finished second in penalties twice more and third once. This crew also finished seventh in penalties once and ninth twice. During the same nine-season stretch, the Vinovich crew never finished higher than 12th in the league in penalties. This crew has finished last in penalties twice and again ranks at the bottom in 2021.

The Vinovich crew has assessed 128 penalties for 1,076 yards this season. The Cheffers crew has assessed 202 penalties for 1,709 yards. How is it possible there could be a 74-penalty difference between the two crews? How is it that one crew can assess 600 more yards in penalties than another crew? Thats walking off six complete football fields.

When Cheffers has shown up in NFL stadiums this season, his crew has assessed an average of 14.4 penalties for 122.1 yards per game. When Vinovich has shown up, his crew has assessed an average of 9.8 penalties for 82.7 yards. Again, how and why the disparity? The average of the NFLs 17 crews is 12.3 penalties for 106.6 yards per game.

Cheffers has assessed 106 penalties for 888 yards on the home teams alone this season. It bears repeating that Vinovich has assessed only 128 penalties for 1,076 yards on both teams in his games this season.

After finishing second in the NFL in penalties in 2020, Cheffers was rewarded with the coveted Super Bowl assignment as referee for the game between the Chiefs and the Buccaneers. Even with an all-star officiating crew, we got what we expected penalty flags.

The Chiefs were assessed 11 penalties for 120 yards and there were a combined 15 penalties for 159 yards in the game. Kansas City was assessed a Super Bowl-record eight penalties for 95 yards in the first half alone, helping pave the way for an insurmountable 21-6 Tampa Bay lead.

On the flip side, Vinovichs crew worked the 2018 NFC title game between the Rams and Saints when there was no penalty flag on a late and obvious pass interference that cost New Orleans a trip to the Super Bowl.

The Vinovich crew will let calls go. The Cheffers crew will not. Its officiating to the extreme in both cases.

Cheffers has assessed at least 200 penalties in each of the last eight seasons, including 2021. No other crew has more than a current one-season streak of 200 penalties. The most penalties a Vinovich crew has ever assessed in a season was 188 in 2014 and still finished 12th among the 17 crews in penalties that season. The Cheffers crew, by the way, led the way that year with 237 penalties.

These two crews are the aberrations in 2021. The Cheffers crew has assessed 13 more penalties than the next highest crew (Shawn Hochuli). The Vinovich crew has assessed 16 fewer penalties than the next lowest crew (Ron Torbert). That said, theres still a 45-penalty and 369-yard disparity between the Hochuli and Torbert crews.

Ive been tracking officials since 2002 and it remains a mystery to me why crews watching the same players on the same fields playing the same games on the same days can see them so differently. There needs to be greater consistency in calls but the NFL seems clueless about how to attain that. And that hurts the game.

Rick Gosselin has covered the NFL for 49 years for United Press International, the Kansas City Star, and the Dallas Morning News. He has covered the Detroit Lions, New York Giants, Kansas City Chiefs, and Dallas Cowboys. He has been a Hall of Fame voter for 26 years and, in 2004, won the Bill Nunn Award for "long and distinguished reporting on professional football."

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NFL Officiating...Why the Disparity? - Sports Illustrated

Tuesday nights game in Las Vegas was anything but ordinary.

The Lightnings three-game road trip out west ended up being just one because of mass postponements triggered by teams hamstrung by COVID-19 issues. Less than 90 minutes before the start, the Lightning announced that head coach Jon Cooper wouldnt be on the bench because he had entered the NHLs COVID protocol. Until the puck dropped, there was question about whether the game even would be played.

Aside from the uncertainty, the game featured two teams leading their respective divisions that are potential Stanley Cup contenders.

Steven Stamkos scored on the power play midway through the third period, giving him a franchise-record 65 game-winning goals, as the Lightning (20-6-4) rallied from two down to beat the Golden Knights, 4-3.

It certainly wasnt the recipe that we want to continue, Stamkos said. But given the circumstances and whats gone on here the past week, we found a way to win a game that we probably shouldnt have, and well certainly take it.

Tampa Bay has won eight of its last nine games and heads into the holiday break with a league-high 44 points.

Here are three things we learned from the game at T-Mobile Arena:

For most of the first two periods, the Lightning were overwhelmed by Vegas speed. The Golden Knights dominated puck possession by executing their forecheck, taking away passing lanes and forcing the Lightning away from the front of the net.

After falling behind by two goals, Tampa Bay rebounded by slowing the game down and keeping things simple, resulting in not only its first stretch of sustained offensive zone time, but also two goals over a 43-second stretch late in the second period to tie the game at 3.

The Lightnings third line sparked the turnaround by controlling the tempo, forcing the puck deep and getting to the scoring areas.

Corey Perry parked behind the net and pinpointed a pass to Pierre-Edouard Bellemare for an open look in front of the net to cut the deficit to 3-2. The Lightning then used the boards, bouncing passes off them, to establish zone time and create space in front. Alex Killorns shot from above the right circle was rebounded into the net by Anthony Cirelli to tie the game with 2:10 remaining in the second period.

One shift can change momentum of the game, Stamkos said. (The third line) went out there and had a good typical grind shift, made a great play and scored a goal, and we score the next shift, I think. Its a game of momentum.

When Vegas Nicolas Roy danced through two Lightning defenders and beat Vasilevskiy with a forehand shot over his glove, the star goaltender showed a rare sign of frustration. But the reality was his teammates were allowing too many chances. Roys goal, which put the Golden Knights up 3-1 just over eight minutes into the second period, came on Vegas 26th shot of the game.

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Vasilevskiy made 38 saves, stopping the final 15 shots he faced, to improve his road record to 8-1-1. He got help from defenseman Ryan McDonagh, who cleared a puck that was heading into the net during a third-period penalty kill, but remained poised through a chaotic 6-on-5 in the final two minutes. During that stretch, Vasilevskiy faced nine shot attempts and four on goal.

It all starts with elite goaltending, so thats what a guy can do like Vasy, Stamkos said. He can keep you in a game. And when youre not playing well, he keeps it within one or two and gives us some hope at least when youre not playing well. So we saw that (Tuesday).

Rookie forward Gabriel Fortier had been a healthy scratch for the two games before Tuesday, the odd man out when Cirelli returned to the lineup. But Fortier drew into the lineup Tuesday, playing in the fourth-line spot typically occupied by rookie Boris Katchouk.

Fortier took advantage, scoring his first NHL goal 6:05 into the game. Mikhail Sergachev took possession of the puck in the Vegas zone and found Fortier on the left side, giving him an open slap shot at the left dot that beat Vegas goaltender Laurent Brossoit to give the Lightning a 1-0 lead.

Its awesome, Fortier said. Everyone talks about your first goal, and it was was just fun to get one (Tuesday), and Ill remember this moment for the rest of my life.

A side note: Just because Fortier wasnt playing, it didnt mean he wasnt getting valuable ice time. In Sundays practice, he had Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point as his linemates. Fortier held his own playing the rush with two of the leagues most dynamic offensive players as they work their way back from injuries.

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3 things we learned from Lightnings win in Las Vegas - Tampa Bay Times