Casino and arena atmosphere present at athletics fund-raiser

by Adam Burns

Daily Cougar Staff

At Thursday's Fun & Games Houston Athletics Foundation fund-raiser in the Athletics/Alumni Center, guests had the choice between participating in sporting events with Houston Cougars athletes or playing mock casino games.

The guests, many of them UH alumni, started out with a certain amount of casino dollars, depending on which ticket they purchased, and tried to increase their winnings, and how much they could buy in the silent auction, by playing the casino games or sporting events.

Most, it seemed, took their chances with the casino games more often than the sporting events.

The auction included items such as fishing and golf trips with UH coaches and autographed Phi Slama Jama paraphernalia.

"A couple of people have been asking about the golf trip with (Houston basketball coach) Alvin Brooks," said Tony Charlene, a volunteer working at the auction item display table.

"I've been concentrating on the silent auction," said B.Z. Levy, a UH alumnus.

Had he been increasing his winnings?

"My wife has been doing that for me," he said, pointing to his wife at one of the blackjack tables.

Most of the blackjack, craps and roulette tables had a decent gathering around them.

At the pitching cage, mostly kids were trying their luck against the Cougar baseball team, said Cougars outfielder Dustin Carr.

In the pitching cage, guests threw a pitch after two warm-ups and won casino dollars if members of the UH baseball team couldn't guess the speed of their pitch.

Apparently, the Cougars hadn't been guessing well.

"Not close," said pitcher Jon McDonald. "Not even close."

One guest was able to get the best of sophomore swimmer Mindy Reinhold in the dunking booth, although he had an unfair advantage.

"This little kid missed three times," a damp Reinhold said, "and then he ran up and hit the target."

Francine Rachal was able to connect on two short field goals after missing her first as members of the Cougars football team gave her pointers.

"(After missing the first) they told me to put more leg into it," Rachal said.

Guests didn't fare as well at the basketball hoops, where they tried to hit shots from different distances for chips that could be turned in for casino cash while members of the Cougars men's and women's basketball teams gave pointers.

UH interim President Glenn Goerke tried his hand at shooting free throws, with little success, he said.

"(The Lady Cougars) tried to help, but it didn't work," he said.

How well did the rest shoot?

"Like that," said guard Shunta Hart, pointing to a woman hitting nothing but air on her shots. "Mostly bricks and airballs."