Monday, July 4, 2016
Here is how Las Vegas star players, coaches, execs will be celebrating USA’s July 4 birthday…..
ARTURO CASTRO, PRESIDENT, UNLV REBELS HOCKEY – “July 4 is an awesome holiday that reminds us to celebrate this nation’s independence. Being from Mexico, when we moved here our family and I adopted the tradition of celebrating the freedom this country has given us. Although Mexico also has its independence it doesn’t give you the tranquility that living in the states does. I will most likely be with family and friends just BBQing and lighting off some fireworks. This year I think we are also going to go down to Lake Las Vegas to watch the fireworks show.”
RICHIE CROSSLEY, STAR LAS VEGAS DEFENSEMAN – “All of this means our independence and I will probably be spending July 4 by the pool with my family. I may be trying to recover from the night before because July 3 in my birthday.”
MATT EDLIN, LAS VEGAS HOCKEY EXEC – “I will reflect on our country’s independence and our history. We will be flying to Cape Cod to spend time with family and friends. BBQ, fishing and fireworks. I read Vegashockey.net all of the time. (Matt this fall will be playing men’s league hockey for a team called Slime on Thursday night in Frank Salcido’s pickup league at the SoBe Ice Arena. The Slime wears bright green jerseys)
GOAL SCORER CHRIS FRANCIS, ECHL QUAD CITY MALLARDS – “The 4th of July used to be great for me celebrating with friends and family but in the last five years my fiance and I have our black lab to look after. She is not a fan of fireworks so we make a little family travel to places which are are more quiet for our dog and that is how we celebrate our 4th of July – and I couldn’t ask for anything else.”
GABE GAUTHIER, GM/HEAD COACH WSHL LAS VEGAS STORM AND VEGAS HOCKEY HOF – “The 4th means honor, pride and sacrifice. And I will spend the day with my family – my wife and child along with my parents who will be driving up to spend some time here.”
MATT JOHNSON, FORMER NEVADA STORM COACH NOW WORKING ON HIS MASTERS DEGREE AT AT TUFT’S UNIVERSITY – “July 4 is a time for we Americans to celebrate our freedoms and our rights. Spend time with families taking a break from the chaotic world we live in. I am going to Maine to be at our families lake house and spend some time up there.”
ZEE KHAN, GM, UNLV REBELS HOCKEY – “Celebrating our country with family and friends. We usually do some BBQ and watch fireworks. This year I plan to head home to Southern California. In years past I would go to Beaver Lake in Wisconsin to a former teammate’s lake house to celebrate with a group of former teammates at ASU.”
WILL ‘MONEY’ MUNSON, TEAMMATE OF EDDIE SAMUELS OF LAS VEGAS ON THE NAHL BILLINGS JR BULLS: “Well I am going to be literal here since I love history but the 4th of July means a day of celebrating how great our country is, our freedom, and how lucky we are to be born in such a technology/industrial/progressive country compared to most of the world. My wife and I plus another couple are planning a weekend trip to Paso Robles to do some wine-tasting and relax.” (This fall Will will skate for the Snafu men’s league ice team at Icetown Riverside)
ADAM NAGLICH, LAS VEGAS GOAL SCORER IN ICE AND ROLLER – VEGAS HOCKEY HOF – “My family and I are heading to San Diego for the weekend. We had to beat the heat in Las Vegas so we decided to rent a beach house in SD for the weekend.
HOCKEY DAD STEVE POCHIRO OF LAS VEGAS – “The 4th means a lot to me. I’ve had a family member fight in every war since the conception of this country. In my life my grandfather fought in WW1 and three uncles in WWll and another uncle in Korea. My father fought in Vietnam. I served during the Gulf War but did not see any action. My brother also served. We respect the flag and our country’s history. We will be at our house BQ and then swimming with the family and friends followed by fireworks. You are more than welcome to join us.”
NICK ROBONE, COACH, UNLV REBELS – “I love July 4th. I usually head to a friends house to BBQ and celebrate our country’s freedom.”
HOCKEY DAD TONY ROBONE, LAS VEGAS – “This is a time to be thankful and celebrate our Liberty and Freedom. I like to what Americans do best at this time…spend time with the family and cut loose!”
SKATER JIMMY SAMUELS, LAS VEGAS – GOING TO KANSAS UNIVERSITY THIS FALL: “The 4th of July provides a few moments for me to feel a strong sense of patriotism, proud to be a part of such a great country. Moments are thought of our troops, thoughts of our freedom. I will be celebrating with my good friends – the last holiday until I part with my friends of the last 12 years and meet new people in Kansas.”
MICAH SANFORD, HEAD COACH, AAA LAS VEGAS STORM 16U AND VEGAS HOCKEY HOF – “Our whole family is spending the 4th in Hot Springs, Arkansas on the lake. Lots of good Southern food there. We are going early Monday morning to go bass fishing – me, my brother and Dad.
STAR DEFENSEMAN AND VEGAS HOCKEY HOF MIKE TRIMBOLI WHO JUST GRADUATED FROM UTAH STATE – “It is a fun day to celebrate America with friends, family and fireworks. Every year on this holiday a big group of us drive about an hour up into Idaho and go floating on the Oneida River, then return to Logan, Utah and have a BBQ that night. We all have fun celebrating together.”
HOCKEY DAD PETE TRIMBOLI OF LAS VEGAS – “For Terry and I, it will be a day to celebrate the freedoms we have and why this is the greatest country in the world. We will BBQ with some friends.”
GREG YOCHUM, LAS VEGAS HOCKEY DAD – “It makes you realize what a great country we live in, despite all of the craziness. We are going to BBQ at home with the family and watch the fireworks.”
We want to hear from all – If you want to send your July 4 plans, send to leesamuels07@aol.com