Theme: "A Storm Is Brewing*"- The first words in starred answers all lightning and thunder- related.
23A. *Vegas visitor's hope : STREAK OF LUCK. See The Mirage on the back? This is outside Caesars Palace. No streak of lightning, but it rained two days while I was there this year. Highly unusual.
25A. *Seemingly impromptu public performance : FLASH MOB. Isn't flash of lightning same as streak of lightning?
45A. *Classic 1974 sports contest : RUMBLE IN THE JUNGLE. Odd that they held the match in Africa.
68A. *Solution for a forgotten combination : BOLT CUTTERS. Lock.
92A. *Historic 20th-century disaster : CRASH OF TWENTY NINE. 20th should not be in the clue.
115A. *Bama rallying cry : ROLL TIDE
118A. *Arrange hastily : CLAP TOGETHER. Never heard of this phrase before.
I feel there's a slight sequence. Argyle is not fully convinced.
Matt stacked his 8-letter themers with two more 8-letter entries. Pretty daring. Those chunks of whites in the upper right and lower left are hard to fill cleanly.
Across:
1. Office alerts : MEMOS. Smooth start.
6. Lubricate : GREASE
12. Golfer for whom the original web.com Tour was named : BEN HOGAN. Unknown trivia to me. Wiki said it's originally named Ben Hogan Tour. Minor league for golfers.
20. Vols' school : U Tenn
21. Family reunion attendees : NIECES
22. Baja tourist city : ENSENADA. Google shows it means "bay" in Spanish. Sure it's a long word.
26. Brief and on point : SUCCINCT
27. Corn serving : EAR
29. Buffalo NHLer : SABRE
30. Director Jean-__ Godard : LUC
31. Formal opening : DEAR SIRS
36. Troon turndowns : NAES. Troon is known for its golf course. Host of many British Opens.
37. Greek earth goddess : GAIA. Or GAEA.
41. Caught in __ : THE ACT. Rare 6-letter partial. The norm is 5-letter.
43. Frisbee golf starting point : TEE PAD
48. Word to a restaurant host : TWO
51. Barcelona bye : ADIOS
52. Chargers linebacker Manti __ : TE'O. I remember the girlfriend hoax story a few years ago. So cruel.
53. Unusual : ODD
54. "Honest!" : I SWEAR
56. Sales chart, e.g. : VISUAL AID. Thought of Husker Gary, my very first Facebook friend! (Can you spot my mystery friend in the group?) Also 59. Sales chart metaphor : PIE
60. Attic function : STORAGE
61. Reputed UFO fliers : ETS
62. Arcade no-no : TILT
63. Where to find "The Blacklist" : ON NBC. I thought it's ON HBO.
65. "Mr. __ Passes By": Milne play : PIM. Learned from doing crosswords.
66. Time fraction: Abbr. : NSEC
72. USAF noncom : TSGT. Never know which one to choose: MSGT, SSGT, or TSGT.
75. Driver's lic. info : DOB
77. Aired for binge-watching, say : RE-RAN
78. Film princess : LEIA
80. Screened leader? : PRE. Pre-screened.
81. Nestlé candy with a white covering : SNO-CAPS
84. "Another thing ... " : AND
85. Old-style delivery man : TOWN CRIER
87. Exotic pet : IGUANA
88. Bermuda hrs. : AST
89. Word in discount store names : SAV
90. Long-eared critters : HARES. Not ASSES.
91. Base bed : COT
97. "Frankenstein" genre : GOTHIC. Not HORROR.
98. Cause to be : RENDER
99. Old Roman road : ITER. Root for itinerary.
100. Word from a doll : MAMA
103. Extreme folly : INSANITY
105. 120-Down source : TAP. 120. Scottish __ : ALE. How is it different from the Irish ale, Steve?
107. 2003 NBA Rookie of the Year Stoudemire : AMAR'E. Forgot. My computer showed that I googled him before.
109. Brian of ambient music : ENO
110. Fish pond treatment : ALGICIDE. New word to me. Wiki said it can also be "algaecide".
122. It established Congress : ARTICLE I. Also 83. Saga opening : PART I
123. Ancient serfs : HELOTS
124. Dental treatment : CROWN
125. Box for bags : TEA CHEST. Like this? I just call them tea boxes.
126. Plant swellings : EDEMAS
127. Best Game and Best Upset : ESPYs. Easy in retrospect.
Down:
1. Disarray : MUSS
2. Words to a traitor : ET TU
3. Grand Marquis, for short : MERC
4. 100 smackers : ONE C
5. Mail modifier : SNAIL
6. Ristorante dumplings : GNOCCHI. Need good sauce, TTP! What's your handicap, by the way? Boomer shot 103 in his first round of golf, about his average.
7. Break : RIFT. And 35. Breakup : SPLIT
8. Anago or unagi : EEL
9. Start to pressure? : ACU. Acupuncture.
10. Champagne label word : SEC
11. Glacial ridge : ESKER. The mountain ridge is ARETE.
12. Get close to : BEFRIEND
13. Photo lab svc. : ENL
14. DOD intel arm : NSA
15. Company with toy trucks : HESS. I see lots of rusted Tonka trucks at the flea market. Not many Hess. Tonka is based here in Minnesota.
16. Available : ON HAND
17. Viola da __ : GAMBA. Learning moment as well.
18. Cherish : ADORE. And 64. Cherished : BELOVED
19. Theaters in the area, briefly : NABES. Know the word. Never used it in real life.
24. Immortal coaching name : KNUTE (Rockne)
28. Dean's list topper : A STUDENT
31. Not exactly new : DATED
32. Repeat : ECHO
33. Picked at, say : ATE
34. Coffee order: Abbr. : REG
37. Second Commandment word : GRAVEN. "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image". Difficult clue for me.
38. Annual reviews : AUDITS
39. Rueful words about an opportunity : I MISSED OUT. And 48. It may be affected by a tough loss : TEAM SPIRIT. A pair of 10's.
40. "__ Ben Adhem" : ABOU. Also learned from doing crosswords.
42. Give the right : ENTITLE
44. Legendary storyteller : AESOP
46. Future D.A.'s hurdle : LSAT
47. Like some custody : JOINT
49. Tail movement : WAG
50. Salem home: Abbr. : ORE. Where our Melissa Bee now lives.
55. Lawyer's petition : WRIT. Got via crosses.
57. Women's __ : LIB
58. Then, in Toulouse : ALORS. Et alors...
59. Egyptian currency : POUND
60. Hardware fastener : SCREW
67. Half a soft drink : COCA
69. Place for deleted files? : TRASH CAN. On your PC.
70. Spanish song : CANTO. Spanish for "song"?
71. Offense : SIN
73. "The Quiet American" author : GREENE (Graham)
74. Not so wordy : TERSER. Argyle knows I'm in trouble if I send him long emails.
76. Baccarat call : BANCO. Never played Baccarat.
79. Sore : ACHY
81. [Originally shown this way] : SIC
82. Park __: airport facility : 'N GO. Google shows that we have a Park 'N Go here in Minneapolis. Never used their service though.
85. Like a lion's coat : TAWNY
86. Hindu royal : RANI
88. "In my opinion ... " : AS I SEE IT. Nice entry also.
89. Editor's mark : STET
93. Master Kan portrayer on "Kung Fu" : AHN. Felt guilty using it in our Squad puzzle last Sunday.
94. Part of TGIF: Abbr. : FRI
95. Disappointing result : NET LOSS. Great clue.
96. "Perry Mason" lieutenant : TRAGG. Stranger to me.
97. Spaghetti sauce staple : GARLIC. Have you tried Hasselback Potatoes, D-Otto?
100. Corday victim : MARAT
101. Luigi's love : AMORE
102. European island nation : MALTA
104. Night in Nogales : NOCHE
106. Composition : PIECE
108. Engrave : ETCH
110. "__ boy!" : ATTA
111. Part of CDC: Abbr. : CTRS (Centers)
112. Rooty Jr. server : IHOP. Never had Rooty Jr.
113. __-eyed : DEWY
114. Sea eagles : ERNS
116. Key for Ravel? : ILE. Last time Rich clued it as "Key for Debussy?" for mislead. Nothing musical.
117. __ Moines : DES
119. Played the first card : LED
121. Fluffy toy, briefly : POM
C.C.
