Season 3 of HBO’s "BALLERS" continued last night, with the second episode continuing the story line of possible NFL expansion to Las Vegas. DWAYNE JOHNSON's character, Spencer Strasmore, spends time playing golf with the mayor of Las Vegas, who tells Johnson's character, "It’s not easy convincing the taxpayers and the stadium committee to pay for something they see as the most expensive tourist trap on the planet." Strasmore then wines and dines a local councilman who is reluctant to spend local taxpayer dollars on a stadium. He takes the councilman to Sam Boyd Stadium for the Monster Jam World Finals, where Strasmore drives and then flips one of the trucks. Footage for the HBO show was shot at the actual event back in March.
TIME TO SHINE: The episode also had its usual roster of cameos from those in the sports world. FS1 NFL analyst CRIS CARTER appeared on the program at a casino in Las Vegas, where he was involved in a room booking mixup with Strasmore. Fox' JAY GLAZER also reprised his role on the show, this time advising a character in the Dolphins front office. Glazer tells the character, who previously played in the NFL, "You are still playing the game. It just feels better on your body on Mondays, doesn’t it? You’re in a different type of trench now: Front office politics."
SPONSOR OPPORTUNITY? Another developing plot line in the show is a cannibis company endorsement for a character who plays defense for the Cowboys. After an Instagram photo gets out with the player wearing a sweatshirt with a marijuana leaf, the fictional Cowboys owner, played by actor CHRISTOPHER MCDONALD, in a very JERRY JONES-like manner calls the player's financial advisors to voice his concern. Strasmore's agency partner, Joe Krutel, played by ROB CORDDRY, tells the player and his friend/manager that he is "not a quarterback, and he’s not J.J. (WATT) or (NDAMUKONG) SUH, and even if he were, (McDonald's) isn’t handing endorsement deals to a DT tied to a weed company" ("Ballers," HBO, 7/30).
