Miracle catches turn football into religious experience for PR executive
College football turned into a religious experience Saturday for Las Vegas public relations executive Melissa Warren and family members.
She and husband, Clark Warren, were watching the end of the BYU-Nebraska game at home when her nephew, freshman backup quarterback Tanner Mangum, connected on a 42-yard Hail Mary pass to Mitch Mathews to shock Nebraska, 33-28, in Lincoln.
Then a crazy day for the family got crazier.
Mangum's brother, Madison, a wide receiver for Idaho State, made a one-handed circus catch for one of his three touchdowns in a 55-0 rout of Black Hills State.
ESPN's "SportsCenter" was so impressed it rated Tanner's miracle touchdown No. 1 on its "Plays of the Day" and Madison's catch No. 2.
"The more interesting nugget," Melissa Warren said via email, "is my brother, Michael, father of Tanner and Madison, along with his wife, Karen, attended Madison's game in Pocatello. Given their sons' football schedules, they have meticulously divided the season to attend half of each son's games.
"When they heard Tanner got into the game, they started watching it on a cell phone, which died right before Tanner's Hail Mary pass!"
Tanner Mangum, who was an LDS missionary in Chile in June, had replaced Taysom Hill, who injured his foot during a touchdown run. Mangum, a true freshman, was not your average inexperienced backup. Four years ago, he and Jameis Winston were co-MVPs of the Nike Elite 11, representing the top high school quarterbacks in the nation.
"So we always knew he was a super talent," said Melissa Warren, a managing partner of the PR company Faiss Foley Warren.
The Mangum family story has an interesting twist.
"I grew up in Salt Lake City and graduated from the University of Utah," Warren said.
"My immediate and extended family are divided into two camps: red and blue (think Jack Mormon and Mormon)," she said. "We more rebellious Jack Mormons attended the University of Utah while the more devout of the family attended BYU."
Throughout the BYU-Nebraska game, she received text messages from friends. Among them was one from former Channel 3 anchor Kendall Tenney, a BYU grad, moments after BYU's epic finish.
"Melissa Warren, fall to your knees! You might have to go back to the Church after all!"
Probably not, said Warren, "but I will go as far as to wear BYU blue on game days."
When Terry met Angie
Moved-up wedding plans didn't stop Terry Fator from keeping a commitment to his fans.
The Mirage's headlining ventriloquist got hitched to Angie Fiore on Thursday at the Hilton Lake Las Vegas and brought her on stage to announce it at his show. Then they headed off for his weekend engagements at state fairs in Pueblo, Colo., and Grand Island, Neb.
The unofficial honeymoon weekend in Pueblo and Grand Island will be trumped by the official honeymoon in Europe in January, he said.
The couple's Nov. 28 wedding got moved up when Fator came up with a sentimental touch. Upon learning the wedding anniversary of his wife-to-be's late parents was Sept. 3, Fator brought up the idea of having the wedding sooner.
They fell in love with the Tuscan-themed chapel at the Hilton Lake Las Vegas and decided to have the wedding within a week.
Angie asked Fator if he would like to wear her father's wedding ring. "Her parents were married 66 years," said Fator, who came up with another special touch. Angie's father was a singer and "one of his favorite songs was 'You'll Never Walk Alone,' " Fator said. He sang the song at the wedding.
A difficult year that began with a divorce from his wife and stage assistant, Taylor Makakoa, took an unexpected turn in the spring when he was introduced to Fiore, a Dallas caterer, at an event honoring him in Corsicana, Texas. A theater was named after the "America's Got Talent" winner.
A few nights later during their first dinner "literally, lightning struck," Fator said. "We had opened the window and lightning struck."
The big wedding is still on Nov. 28. "I didn't want to wait that long," he said.
"It's like that line in (the movie) 'When Harry Met Sally.' When you meet the person you want to spend the rest of your life, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible."
The Scene and Heard
Alan Stock, who was a guest on Jim Villanucci's talk-show on KNXT-AM 840 last week, will fill in for him Tuesday through Friday (3 to 6 p.m.)
On this day
Sept. 7, 1996: Rapper Tupac Shakur is fatally wounded in a drive-by shooting on Flamingo Road near the Strip after attending the Mike Tyson-Bruce Seldon fight. Shakur, who died six days later, was riding in a car driven by Marion "Suge" Knight. Despite widespread suspicion that the murder is linked to a feud among rappers, no arrests were made.
Sightings
Houston Rockets star James Harden, with friends in a cabana at Encore Beach Club (Wynn) on Saturday. ... "Orange is the New Black" breakout star Ruby Rose and her fiancee, Phoebe Dahl, taking photos backstage with DJs Diplo, Major Lazer's Jillionaire and Zedd. ... Trey Songz, with guests at Hakkasan restaurant (MGM Grand) on Saturday. ... Comedian Russell Peters, with a group of 20 that included UFC announcer Bruce Buffer at N9ne Steakhouse (Palms) on Saturday. ... "Jersey Shore" stars Pauly D and Ronnie Magro, reuniting at Rehab (Hard Rock) on Saturday. In the crowd: "Chumlee" Russell of "Pawn Stars," celebrating his 33rd birthday, and Michael Pericoloso of "Dating Naked." ... Ron Yuan of "Sons of Anarchy," with actress Cindy Chiu of "Bring It On: All or Nothing," dining at Andiamo Italian Steakhouse (The D) on Saturday. Also in the restaurant: UFC girls Arianny Celeste and Britney Palmer, sharing wine, oysters and lobster risotto.
The Punch Line
"I saw that during a town hall in Miami this week, Jeb Bush attacked Donald Trump in both Spanish and English. And later that night, Donald Trump responded in both English and much, much louder English." — Jimmy Fallon
— Norm Clarke's column appears Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. He can be reached at 702-383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find more online at www.normclarke.com. Follow him: @Norm_Clarke
