Four local men will receive awards at banquet of champions

Although he didn't set foot west of the Mississippi River until he was nearly 30, Ron Meyer has never been accused of being poorly traveled.

From Dallas to Boston to Indianapolis, Meyer's lifelong career in football has taken him across the country and back again.

But when asked which of the cities he's lived in truly captured his heart, it takes him only seconds to respond.

"I love the Las Vegas community and the association of good friends we've had there over the years," Meyer said from his current hometown of Dallas, where he is a regional director of marketing for the Rio hotel-casino.

"My wife, Cindy, and I eventually plan to retire there," he continued. "That's how much we like it."

And who can blame them? After all, three of Meyer's most successful years in football came between 1973 and '75, when he inherited a UNLV program that finished 1-10 in 1972 and turned it into an instant winner.

In his three seasons at the helm, Meyer compiled an impressive 27-8 overall mark, including a perfect 11-0 regular season in his second year.

"The three years at UNLV were probably my most rewarding," Meyer said. "I enjoyed coaching at all levels, but those three will always stick out."

On Thursday, Meyer will return to the site of those memorable seasons for the annual All-American Football Foundation Banquet of Champions.

Meyer and three other individuals with Las Vegas ties -- UNLV football booster Tom Weisner, former UNLV football coach Tony Knap and UNLV broadcaster Bob Blum -- will be honored at the event, which will be held at the MGM.

Meyer, who went on to become a two-time NFL Coach of the Year during his stints with the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts and also spent a year as the coach of the short-lived Las Vegas Posse of the CFL, will receive the group's Lifetime Achievement Award.

And the man whose run-oriented offense spawned the nickname "Runnin' Rebels" said he's looking forward to his return to town.

"I still know everyone in town," he said. "The UNLV family was so good to me. And they have such tremendous loyalty from people."

Knap, who succeeded Meyer as the Rebels' head coach in 1976, finished his six years at the helm with a superb 47-20-2 mark. Like Meyer, he will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at Thursday's banquet.

Under Knap, UNLV moved from Division II into the Division I ranks. His pass-oriented offense was a major departure for the program, and helped produce one of the biggest wins in school history: a 45-41 upset over No. 8 Brigham Young in 1981.

"The offenses he ran were way ahead of their time," said Bill Purcell, a receiver and defensive back for Knap from 1979 to 1981.

Wiesner, who has been instrumental in the growth of the UNLV athletic program for the past 30 years, will receive the Unsung Hero Award at Thursday's banquet.

The owner of Big Dog's Hospitality Group, Wiesner is on the selection committee for the annual Las Vegas Bowl and was a recent inductee into the UNLV Hall of Fame.

"He's been an outstanding supporter for UNLV athletics," said former UNLV athletic director Bill Ireland. "He's always done everything he can for the program."

Blum, a legendary sportscaster best known for his play-by-play work for the Oakland Raiders, will receive the Sports Broadcaster Award on Thursday. He has called nearly every UNLV sport over the years and continues to be the school's women's basketball broadcaster.

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