There was this club near my hometown called Mr. C's. It was a place where secondary rock acts went to die.  Many nights we were wedged shoulder to shoulder watching, pushing and drinking. But there was nothing like Thursday nights. Thursday nights they brought in local acts. You'd see all manner of bands: some could play, some couldn't and some didn't care. And to boost attendance they introduced four-for-one vodka drinks.

Everyone understands the concept of buy one and get one free when purchasing clothes or shoes or a loaf of bread. But buy one and get three free when purchasing vodka drinks... this was the Cirque du Soleil of promotions. And the crowds were wild; a combination of Wild West bar room brawls, prison riots and Woodstock "99."

That's what Las Vegas can be like during a big weekend. And we're coming up to a big weekend - Super Bowl Weekend.

Most of us celebrate the Super Bowl by hunkering down to a couple beers, a bowl of nachos and too many slices of pizza, mmmmmm.... pepperoni. But there was a time when we'd leave the loved ones behind and head for points unknown where lawlessness was the law. We'd return unwilling or able to speak of what we'd seen or done. Well before the "What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas" ad campaign we knew that what happened on the trip to (fill in the blank) stayed there. It's almost that time again. Time to get the band together and ride. But before you do we have a few tips to make sure everyone has the type of time worthy of keeping one's silence.

Alone - This doesn't mean you go toVegas by yourself, this means you leave your loved one at home. We don't care if it's a wife, girlfriend, partner (our political correctness is showing) or pet raccoon, leave them home. It's you and the Band of Brothers. Show up sporting a handcuff and be left in the desert to die. Forget showing up with them, you don't speak of them. They exist in another part of the sphere.

Pace - This is a marathon. Going out the gate guns blazing is death. Friday night is the opening act, Saturday night the main event and Sunday the encore; blow your wad Friday night and you'll be worthless Saturday night. We've seen too many people left by the side of the road Saturday nights having blown what's left of their energy at seven o'clock in the morning. Have fun Friday night, stay up late, drink, gamble, do whatever, but keep the speedometer at 90, not 125.

Food - Drinking, gambling and getting little sleep strips a person of all their energy and fast. There are two legal ways to keep your energy level up: sleep and food. We're blowing off sleep, which means we can't blow off food. When we're talking food we're not talking shoveling down $150 worth of steak, potatoes, appetizers and dessert. That not only will knock you on your behind. It will make you slow. And this is not the weekend to be slow. This is the weekend for a slice of pizza here, a burger there, a good breakfast at wtatever time breakfast is helps, too.

Team - This is most important. For a successful trip everyone needs a role. There has to be the planner. A person that knows where to go, gets everything done ahead of time and understands who to speak to when. There has to be someone willing to play defense. When there's trouble they pull people out of the fire. You need a player. They can talk the groups out of and into anything. Finally, each group needs Spock. Someone with a sixth sense for fun and trouble. Someone that can spy the good and bad tables with a quick sweep of the room.

The planner puts you in the right hotel, Spock notices the four girls in the corner, the player gets you in the door, the defender keeps you from pissing off the bartender and when you're in a huge hot tub in a nice suite with one of the young ladies on your arm you can thank them all.

Big weekends in Las Vegas aren't conquered, they're survived. Be a survivor, not road kill.