Ron Kantowski

Sports Columnist

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Larger stadiums, better teams?: Ron Kantowski speculates on the relationship between college football teams and the size of their stadiums; Thursday, Aug. 7, 2008; If Kansas and Kansas State, which used to be every bit as awful as the Rebels, can win in football, why can’t UNLV? Good question. Maybe it’s just a matter of the size of your stadium.
Peeking into Sanford's secret zone: Ron Kantowski suspects coach’s closed practices might mean the backfield’s in motion at UNLV; Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2008; At first, I thought closing practice was just Mike Sanford’s way of reaching out to potential new fans. I mean, what better way to attract new blood to the program than throw it out of practice?
He’s still the same Edi who made local Legion ball what it is today: Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2008; Hold an American Legion State Tournament in Las Vegas without Edi Gomez? Surely, you jest.
A tradition preserved: Ron Kantowski reflects on his days playing American Legion ball and on how little the wholesome program has changed; Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2008; It was the stroll down 119th Street that I enjoyed almost as much as playing baseball in the summertime. People you didn’t even know would see you in your crisp white uniform with the American Legion logo and wish you luck.
The Elevator: Saturday, Aug. 2, 2008; Who’s headed toward the penthouse on the local sports scene — and who’s getting the shaft.
Ron Kantowski says boxers will put on a show, but nothing short of fireworks will top last weekend’s bout: Friday, Aug. 1, 2008; After the fireworks generated by Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cotto in the real welterweight championship bout at the MGM Grand last week, Zab Judah and Joshua Clottey had better come with something special.
Creating his own buzz: Ron Kantowski finds an answer in Lon Kruger’s contract for why the coach is taking on team PR; Thursday, July 31, 2008; A few weeks ago Lon Kruger, the Swiss Army Knife of the UNLV athletic department, added another blade to the screwdriver, wire stripper and corkscrew. He took over the marketing duties of his own program.
Looking for a few good big men: Ron Kantowski glimpses college hoops recruiting at the grass roots with a Clark High grad and his equipment manager turned boss; Tuesday, July 29, 2008; They make an odd couple — the old equipment manager and the former college star scouting players among the many high school basketball prospects who descend on Las Vegas each summer.
The Elevator: Saturday, July 26, 2008; Who’s headed toward the penthouse on the local sports scene — and who’s getting the shaft.
Ron Kantowski ﬁnds 32 reasons to watch Saturday's fight: Friday, July 25, 2008; Miguel Cotto fights Antonio Margarito at the MGM Grand on Saturday night, which means all of Puerto Rico and Mexico will be watching.
Team USA's Canada tune-up won’t be much to talk a-boot: Ron Kantowksi foresees gold, even if observers are tuning in for an implosion; Thursday, July 24, 2008; Our Olympic basketball team is going to play Canada at the Thomas & Mack Center on Friday night in an exhibition game that might be interesting only if the Canadians were allowed to play on skates and Wayne Gretzky weren’t busy.
Ron Kantowski thinks it’s swell The Mtn. finally has a national TV hookup, but wishes the wind would stop knocking the camera around: Wednesday, July 23, 2008; In keeping with the spirit of the weekend, I thought it would have been really cool if Mountain West Commissioner Craig Thompson had made his annual State of the Conference address dressed as the Joker.
Pro hoops with a little Seoul: That's what Ron Kantowski found after traveling all the way to Paradise Road to take in the Korean Basketball League draft; Monday, July 21, 2008; It is 5,983 miles from Las Vegas to Seoul, so I suppose holding the Korean Basketball League draft in Las Vegas, which they did Saturday afternoon, makes perfect sense.
Ron Kantowski creates a quiz to test whether fans are tuned in to the NBA’s Vegas Summer League: Friday, July 18, 2008; Summer League, Summer League, Sum-Sum-Summer League. Twenty-one teams. Ten days. Fifty-three games.
Ron Kantowski says for him the 2008 All-Star Game, Yankee Stadium’s last, will be most memorable for the appearance of a Las Vegan and UNLV alum: Thursday, July 17, 2008; This is what I will remember most about the final All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium. That Ryan Ludwick, a kid — make that a 30-year-old man — from Las Vegas made the All-Star Game, and Joe Buck, the son of a Hall of Fame broadcaster and one of the best in the business himself, couldn’t explain that development any better than the rest of us.
Contented, yet still hoping for another shot: Ron Kantowski says former Wyoming star has had quite a run, even if he doesn’t get back into the NBA; Wednesday, July 16, 2008; “If it ended tomorrow, I’d be satisfied,” said Josh Davis, a former Mountain West standout now playing in the Vegas Summer League. “I got to play in the NBA ... And yet I’m not satisfied, because I want to get back there.”
Practice packs them in: Ron Kantowski sees interest in pro basketball growing in Las Vegas, as evidenced by Summer League crowds; Monday, July 14, 2008; A funny thing happened on the way to the mini-Forum — er, Cox Pavilion — Saturday afternoon.
If only he had a heart: Ron Kantowski catches up with Gondo, who’s waited more than 100 days for vital transplant; Saturday, July 12, 2008; It has been more than three months since they put UNLV basketball Hall of Famer Glen Gondrezick's name at the top of the list of those requiring a heart transplant.
An event where you can see hotshots, and even hot shots: Friday, July 11, 2008; “The Endless Summer” is considered one of the most influential films of the surfer movie genre. It was one of the first great sports-related documentaries and spawned a movie category that still exists.
Taking glee out with crowd: Ron Kantowski watches most of the fun seep out of Cashman as fans squeeze in; Thursday, July 10, 2008; It’s Thursday, which means it’s dollar-beer night at Cashman Field. But unless the Chicago Cubs show up on short notice or there are leftover fireworks from the Third of July or Christie Brinkley’s divorce proceedings, you should still be able to find a parking space.
A fight night homage to the Hilt: Ron Kantowski recalls an epic bout as the hotel welcomes boxing back; Tuesday, July 8, 2008; When I heard the Las Vegas Hilton was getting back into the boxing business — tonight is the debut of Tuesday Night Fights, with loquacious 41-year-old Kevin Kelley stepping out of the broadcast booth to throw jabs in the main event — it rekindled two memories.
Planetary pillar in the post: Ron Kantowski drops by a team tryout to see 7-foot-9, 370-pound Sun Ming Ming of China; Thursday, July 3, 2008; Sun Ming Ming is a walking solar eclipse. He stands 7-foot-9. That’s a lot of inches, centimeters or cun, which is how they measure people — at least most people — in China.
Ron Kantowski lifts an idea from UNLV golf and Arizona State wrestling that could save endangered programs: Forget the ADs and legislators, find donors: Wednesday, July 2, 2008; A year after Arizona State hired football coach Dennis Erickson and approved a contract that would pay him $5.6 million over five years, the Sun Devils dropped three men’s sports.
Their Hoop Dreams won’t die: Ron Kantowski finds a place where those compelled to play the game as pros get a chance; Tuesday, July 1, 2008; The Centennial Hills YMCA is where Hoop Dreams refuse to die, where the little-known Las Vegas Stars of the equally little-known International Basketball League hoop it up from time to time.
Eclectic mix of events: Friday, June 27, 2008; Over lunch at the Coronado Cafe at the South Point, Michael Gaughan and Steve Stallworth were asked to put together a list of favorite events they brought to Orleans Arena when they owned (Gaughan) and ran (Stallworth) it.
Call them the 'Suns': Ron Kantowski has hit on a new name for the 51s. Not only is it a money-saver, but it works equally well in Vegas and Florida; Wednesday, June 25, 2008; Last week, the 51s announced a contest to rename the 51s. According to the ad, “you could win season tickets for four for the 2009 season.” Ron Kantowski has a few suggestions. (Vote in our poll on what to name the team.)
Who’s out of style and whose duds are in: Ron Kantowski lists his five best-dressed college football teams, as well as his bottom 10; Tuesday, June 24, 2008; College football players come in all shapes and sizes. College football uniforms come in all colors and styles. Here’s our look at some of the best — and worst — college football uniforms you’re ever going to see.
Is the Thomas & Mack half empty, or half full?: Ron Kantowski applauds the creative marketing acumen of Daren Libonati, who goes to extreme lengths to fill the seats; Monday, June 23, 2008; If, as Forrest Gump said, life is a like a box of chocolates, then Daren Libonati would be the raspberry truffle on the outside of it.
For the long term, there’s optimism about sports arena: Sunday, June 22, 2008; Last summer, two groups were rushing to be first to build a Las Vegas arena.
PBA U.S. senior open: Thursday, June 19, 2008; According to an anonymous quote, one advantage of bowling over golf is that you never lose a bowling ball.
Too much money, lots of temptation: Ron Kantowski wonders whether Javon Walker’s behavior might give teams considering Vegas pause; Thursday, June 19, 2008; First Tupac, then UNLV football player Randy Brewer, now Oakland Raiders wide receiver Javon Walker.
Ron Kantowski applauds Tiger Woods’ little-known U.S. Open challenger, but doubts we’ll remember him: Wednesday, June 18, 2008; It was late Monday evening, hours after my co-workers had retreated from the office TV sets to go about their business.
A painful roller derby wreck: Ron Kantowski on how Mother Nature gave the Outhoummountry family a cross check to the gut; Monday, June 16, 2008; It was about 4 p.m. on that windy Wednesday when the pilot of Southwest Airlines flight 2001 originating in San Diego landed the Boeing 737 in which I was riding in the manner of a bank shot in billiards.
Vick chew toy not so valuable to terrier or Shih Tzu: Monday, June 16, 2008; It was almost a year ago when I sent away for “The World Famous Vick Dog Chew Toy.”
The ﬁght for a shot at the gold: Ron Kantowski says amateur wrestling can lead athletes to the UFC, but this weekend, it’s about Beijing; Saturday, June 14, 2008; If there’s an equivalent of the cover of the Rolling Stone for athletes, it would have to be the front of a Wheaties box. I mean, how cool is that, having your picture plastered on that orange box, right under the words “The Breakfast of Champions”?
Free fishing day: Friday, June 13, 2008; Saturday is Free Fishing Day in Nevada, which means you can hook, line and sink without buying a license.
Bad contracts costing Rebels: Ron Kantowski on how foolhardy five-year deals are putting UNLV in dire straits; Thursday, June 12, 2008; Sometime today or Friday, after university system Chancellor Jim Rogers checks the coffee can buried in his back yard for $96 million that it won’t be getting from the governor’s office, UNLV is going to offer Kathy Olivier, its new women’s basketball coach, a lucrative five-year contract.
Heating up the diamond: Ron Kantowski braves the desert temps to find out what fans, coaches and players think of day games at Cashman Field; Tuesday, June 10, 2008; It was a few minutes past noon on a Sunday afternoon brighter than the T-shirts of the Cashman Field parking lot attendants when the No. 3 hitter from Tucson took a mighty swing and lifted a pop fly straight up the chute.
Ron Kantowski explains why hockey skipped the weekend: Monday, June 2, 2008; Well, they finally found somebody who could stop the Wranglers’ power play and slow down those pesky Cincinnati Cyclones. The Charlie Daniels Band and a miniature schnauzer.
Ron Kantowski watches the consonants fly, and miss, at a spelling bee of sports names: Friday, May 30, 2008; To celebrate the Scripps National Spelling Bee — or perhaps to hammer home that the finals will be broadcast on ESPN today — six ESPN Zone restaurants, including the one in New York-New York on the Strip, held sports spelling bees Wednesday night.
Ron Kantowski says Las Vegans can’t let soda-drinking Cincinnatians show them up on the ice, or at the turnstile: Thursday, May 29, 2008; C’mon, Las Vegas. We’re not going to let Jerry Springer and Bo Donaldson & the Heywoods beat us, are we?
Why high school coaches are quitting: Tuesday, May 27, 2008; When I was in high school, most of my coaches looked like Coach Buzzcut from Beavis and Butt-head. They were Marine drill sergeants in short pants and sweat socks. They yelled a lot and made us run. Sometimes, they let us get a drink of water. But only sometimes.
Barkley’s gambling debt makes you wonder ...: Monday, May 26, 2008; I see where TV ratings for the NBA playoffs are up over last year and the Cavaliers and Celtics even played a pretty exciting game last week.
Takin’ it to the (Alabama) turf: Ron Kantowski says this weekend’s racing card not limited to the Indy 500 and NASCAR’s longest run; Friday, May 23, 2008; Two of my dad’s favorite Memorial Day pastimes were mowing the lawn and listening to the Indy 500 on the radio. He would have absolutely loved the U.S. National Lawn Mower Racing Association.
Ron Kantowski says high-sticking in June is just weird, but Wranglers will take it: Thursday, May 22, 2008; It was 108 in the shade Monday — and the Wranglers were getting ready to play another hockey game. One hundred eight degrees. Hockey. That had to be the strangest convergence of diametric entities since Julia Roberts married Lyle Lovett. Human Torch, meet Mr. Freeze.
Just what sports needs: More Triple Crowns: Monday, May 19, 2008; It might come as a surprise to you — I know it did to me — that Pimlico is a famous residential area in central London known for its 19th century architecture and quaint hotels.
Technically, they’re a success: Ron Kantowski on how the Wranglers have become Las Vegas’ model sports franchise; Monday, May 19, 2008; The other day the Las Vegas Wranglers issued a news release that said the ECHL team had exercised a three-year option on its lease at the Orleans Arena.
One tough guy, even when he lost: Ron Kantowski explains why the guy who’s been training one of the boxers on the undercard of tonight’s bout is his all-time favorite fighter; Friday, May 16, 2008; Greg Haugen just might be my favorite fighter ever, not because he threw punches like old Buicks throw engine rods and had more courage than a division of Marines.
Embrace the role of the villain: Ron Kantowski applauds Kyle Busch for not following in his older brother’s footsteps into NASCAR irrelevance; Thursday, May 15, 2008; Nearly five years ago Kurt Busch — that would be the Busch brother from Las Vegas who doesn’t win races anymore — was feuding with Jimmy Spencer and trying to win back NASCAR fans who never liked him in the first place.
Bearded look cuts no ice: In most cases, on these faces, it produces anything but the ‘meaner and tougher’ image that’s desired; Tuesday, May 13, 2008; During their five-year existence the Las Vegas Wranglers have found themselves in any number of hairy predicaments.