Ray Brewer

Story Archive

NHL says no credibility to report of Las Vegas expansion team

Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2014

National Hockey League officials today denied a late Tuesday report suggesting Las Vegas is one of four teams in line for ...

Developers want the city to pay $127 million toward stadium

Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2014

A proposed $200 million soccer stadium at Symphony Park in downtown Las Vegas would require 41 percent public financing through public infrastructure funds and ...

Mo’ne Davis, Las Vegas Little League showdown brings big TV ratings

Thursday, Aug. 21, 2014

Mountain Ridge Little League’s game Wednesday was the most watched in the history of the Little League World Series on ESPN, the network announced today. ESPN has ...

Is it finally Las Vegas’ time to get a major pro sports team?

Sunday, Aug. 17, 2014

We’ve heard the pitches for years. One year it’s basketball, the next year it’s hockey, or baseball. So you can hardly blame Las Vegans for being skeptical about our ...

UNLV football guaranteed $1.3 million for 2017 game at Ohio State

Thursday, Aug. 14, 2014

The UNLV football team will play at Ohio State during the 2017 season, the schools announced today. The Rebels will play Sept. 23, 2017, in Columbus, earning the largest payout in program history with ...

Nick Day no longer Bishop Gorman's baseball coach

Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2014

Nick Day is no longer the Bishop Gorman High baseball coach, school officials said Wednesday. Gino DiMaria, a Bishop Gorman graduate and assistant football coach, has been named the new baseball coach.

First look: Proposed soccer stadium for downtown will have retractable roof, air conditioning

Friday, July 18, 2014

On game days, the roof will be closed during the day with air conditioning blasting to keep the facility cool. The playing surface will be turf and the sides of the stadium are open. It’s similar in look to …

Back and forth with ‘The Machine,’ a Korean table tennis master

Sunday, July 6, 2014

Nestled away in Chinatown, down a back alley, the Nevada Table Tennis Center isn’t a high-visibility place. There is no storefront for the center, just a miniature replica table hanging by the entrance and some hard-to-spot signs on the window. But take a quick listen from outside and ...

US soccer falls to Germany, still advances to World Cup’s next round

Thursday, June 26, 2014

The United States soccer team got the results it was looking for today at the World Cup. There’s another game ...

‘Ms. Susan’: Rancho team’s hero

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Susan Spencer, the only female general manager in NFL history, has become the de facto general manager ...

Could this be the first major pro sports team to call Las Vegas home?

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Justin Findlay has the respected last name in Las Vegas. The Cordish Companies has the track record nationally of building entertainment and sports venues. Together, they hope to build ...

Las Vegas could get pro soccer team, downtown stadium

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Las Vegas could be getting a Major League Soccer franchise. Findlay Sports and Entertainment and The Cordish Companies today announced plans to build a 24,000-seat stadium downtown at Symphony Park designed specifically for a Las Vegas MLS team...

MGM’s new arena won’t stop Goodman from pursuing facility downtown

Mayor feels centers can co-exist, saying, ‘We aren’t here to compete, to challenge anybody’

Thursday, May 1, 2014

As ground is broken today on a privately funded arena on the Strip, Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman remains adamant that a downtown stadium will be built and that both venues could...

Former UNLV coach Jerry Tarkanian in hospital

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Former UNLV basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian has been hospitalized in Las Vegas after he started having breathing difficulties Saturday while in Dallas for the Final Four. He was tested for pneumonia before the trip, but the results were negative and he was cleared to travel, his son Danny Tarkanian said. Jerry Tarkanian was in Dallas to cheer for...

Race day in Las Vegas: Kobalt Tools 400

Sunday, March 2, 2014

The biggest single-day annual sports event in Sin City occurs Sunday.

Playoff live blog: Teams must win 3 games in as many days to punch ticket to state tourney in Reno

Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2014

The two-time defending state champion Bishop Gorman High basketball team is the favorite to win it all again. But with the playoffs beginning tonight, the Gaels aren’t the lone team capable of winning the championship.

UNLV's football reject recruits could have the last laugh

Sunday, Feb. 9, 2014

College football recruiting experts don't think too highly of UNLV's program at this time of year, but coach Bobby Hauck isn't listening to them.

Why Manny Pacquiao is coming back to Las Vegas

Sunday, Feb. 9, 2014

When Manny Pacquiao fought last November in Macau, he kept every penny of his $18 million purse. It wasn't taxed. Which might explain why he'd refused to fight in Las Vegas or any other American city in 2013: Uncle Sam's sizeable tax bite.

New CSN athletic director is eager to pursue adding sports to the junior college

Saturday, Jan. 11, 2014

When the College of Southern Nevada launched its athletics department in the late 1990s, the goal was simple: to give Las Vegas athletes a place to play junior college sports without leaving the area. Some 15 years later, CSN isn’t exactly accomplishing that mission. Sure, the rosters of its baseball and softball teams are loaded with locals. But new Athletic Director Dexter Irvin says they aren’t fully servicing all the valley’s athletes because they offer just two sports. He hopes to change that.

Keith Kizer steps down from post as executive director of commission

Kizer helped implement stronger drug-testing policies; saw Nevada set live gates records

Friday, Jan. 10, 2014

Keith Kizer never saw a long-term future regulating fighting in Nevada. His passion was always practicing law.

Live blog: Gorman downs Reed 48-14 for fifth straight state championship

Randall Cunningham II has more than 200 rushing yards, five total touchdowns in victory

Saturday, Dec. 7, 2013

The Bishop Gorman High football team is the last team standing — for the fifth straight season. Randall Cunningham II accounted for five touchdowns today for the Gaels, leading them to a 48-14 victory against Reed of Sparks in the Division-I state championship game at Sam Boyd Stadium.

One suggestion for sports books officials in their football pick ’em contests

Monday, Aug. 5, 2013

I couldn’t believe my eyes. There had to be a mistake. A poster hung in the sports book at this local casino congratulating the winner of its NFL pick ’em contest, in which patrons paid $25 to select games each week of the regular season with no point spread. Winners could pocket up to $30,000 each week, or six figures for the overall winner at the end of the year. The champ wasn’t someone I expected — it was an elderly woman, someone who is usually stationed at the penny slot machines at the casino, not a handicapping specialist cashing for thousands at the sports book.

Slow week for handicappers and sports book officials isn't so slow anymore

With football on the horizon, some are using MLB all-star break to recharge for upcoming football season

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Ted Sevransky considers the next two days the end of summer. From professional handicappers such as Sevransky to recreational gamblers who put in parlays on their lunch break, this is the slowest week of the year because Major League Baseball is dark until Friday for the all-star break. That gives handicappers and sports book officials a chance to take a much-needed break.

Main event of Silva, Weidman at UFC 162 helps break record at sports book

Friday, July 12, 2013

Last weekend’s UFC 162 set a mixed martial arts handle record at William Hill sports books with gamblers combining to wager more than six figures alone on the main event between Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman.

For 1993 champ Jim Bechtel, Main Event always stirs up memories of competing at Binion's

Sunday, July 7, 2013

Jim Bechtel was assigned to table No. 393 Orange Saturday during the first day of the World Series of Poker Main Event. Yes, it’s fair to say much has changed since Bechtel won the tournament in 1993.

Mayor Goodman on 51s in downtown: 'Baseball staying there would be terrific'

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

The new owners of the Las Vegas 51s plan to build a new stadium for the Triple-A baseball team in Summerlin, abandoning their downtown location. It’s being labeled as a family-friendly facility complete with the player and fan amenities lacking at Cashman Field. Still, there have been some vocal opponents of the move.

How those hoping to build a baseball stadium in Summerlin can learn from the hype of UNLV Now

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

New Las Vegas 51s owners might want to take a page out of UNLV football coach Bobby Hauck’s playbook when talking about their plans to build a state-of-the-art Triple-A baseball stadium in Summerlin.

New Las Vegas 51s owners plan to build 'finest Triple-A facility in the country'

Owners looking for public money for Summerlin village that would include shopping and dining

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

This stadium proposal could be different. That’s the message Don Logan, the Las Vegas 51s executive vice president and the longtime face of the Triple-A franchise, delivered Monday when talking about the 51s moving from Cashman Field to a new facility in Summerlin.

Group buys Las Vegas 51s with plans to move team to Summerlin

Monday, May 13, 2013

The sale of the Las Vegas 51s to the Howard Hughes Corp. from the Stevens Baseball Group has been finalized, Howard Hughes officials announced Monday.

Jim Livengood's 'retirement' doesn't feel right

Thursday, May 9, 2013

It doesn’t make sense that Jim Livengood’s successful three-and-a-half-year run at the helm of the UNLV Athletic Department is suddenly ending. Instead of celebrating the man who nearly tripled the department’s fundraising efforts, a spur-of-the-moment news conference is held in his office to address his retirement. Strange, right?

In Las Vegas, this is how we do proms

High school students take to the Strip for nice dinners and shows, turning their prom nights into an extravagant affair

Friday, May 3, 2013

It’s 6 p.m. Saturday at one of the busiest restaurants on the Strip. On most weekends, the tables at Maggiano’s Little Italy at the Fashion Show mall would be packed with tourists in kicking off an evening in Las Vegas. But this night, nicely groomed young men in suits and tuxedos and lovely young ladies with styled hair and perfect nails are poring over menus and abuzz about the evening ahead.

Hoping Cashman Field's days are numbered for greener pastures of Summerlin

Friday, April 19, 2013

My routine following Thursday’s Las Vegas 51s baseball game surely resembled that of several fans in attendance for the club’s popular Dollar Beer Night promotion.

Uneasy rider: Sports editor takes his first turn in the saddle

Thursday, Dec. 6, 2012

The goat outside the UNLV rodeo team’s practice arena was no bigger than our family’s lap dog, but it scared me half to death. With the 2012 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo about to begin, I’d been assigned to attend a team practice and let them teach me how to ride a horse. The idea came from some editor who, knowing I was a city slicker who knew nothing about farm animals, thought it’d be funny to see how I’d do on horseback.

Controversial call results in $15 million swing at Nevada sports books

Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2012

With three decades in the sports handicapping industry, Jimmy Vaccaro, one of Nevada’s top bookmakers, has never seen anything like this. The controversial ending to the Monday Night Football game between the Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers not only made Seattle the winners on the field, it gave them the victory at Las Vegas sports books, thanks to an apparent blown call by officials.

Little-known sport of team handball offers a path to Olympics

Friday, Aug. 3, 2012

Are you watching this summer’s Olympic Games in London and dreaming of one day representing the red, white and blue on sports’ biggest stage? Bernhard Schneider is confident he can help you become an Olympian. But you’ve got to like handball.

Michael Hunter hopes to fulfill dreams — his and his father's — with Olympic gold

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Michael Hunter has had his hopes set on becoming an Olympic boxer since he was a kid; he even promised his dad he would win a gold medal. The time has come.

Rebels AD envisions transformed game days with on-campus stadium

Sunday, July 15, 2012

The prospects of an on-campus, domed football stadium at UNLV have created an buzz throughout the community since plans were announced about 18 months ago.

Competing bouts on Mexican Independence weekend could knock out promoters' profits

Friday, June 22, 2012

In a town that considers itself the boxing capital of the world, the prospect of separate fight cards on Mexican Independence weekend, each featuring popular Latino fighters, is fueling a heavyweight showdown between competing promoters.

Whether playing concierge or steward, 51s' clubhouse manager has the bases covered

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Steve Dwyer stands in relative silence in the Las Vegas 51s clubhouse at Cashman Field, plotting his next move and enjoying a rare minute of down time. With the exception of radio play-by-play man Russ Langer’s voice lightly coming through speakers in the background, there appears to be little activity in the clubhouse midway through the home game against Colorado Springs.

Floyd Mayweather might have hoodwinked the judge had he thought outside the box

Thursday, June 14, 2012

So the jailed Floyd Mayweather Jr. was crying uncle, and who could blame him? To believe his court papers, his boxing career is at risk of collapsing because he’s withering away in jail, serving a 90-day sentence that began June 1 for domestic violence against his ex-girlfriend.

Manny Pacquiao makes a grand entrance at MGM, formally 'arrives' for fight with Timothy Bradley

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

The scene in the lobby of the MGM Grand Tuesday resembled one of the Las Vegas Strip property’s popular nightclubs. A disc jockey was stationed near the back of the lobby playing trendy music, dancers performed to a scripted routine and roughly 1,000 patrons jammed into the small area, several documenting the afternoon with pictures and video from their smart phones.

Father Ben Franzinelli: Monsignor, social activist, baseball lover

Friday, June 1, 2012

After missing a religion class during my elementary school days in favor of playing in a Little League game, the teacher asked me why I was absent. I told her I had a baseball game. And then it came: “What do you like more: God or baseball?” I told her, in all innocence, baseball. That resulted in a trip to Father Ben Franzinelli’s office and expectations of a stern lecture.

Coach helps students overcome life's obstacles off the field

In the afternoon, Hunkie Cooper works on football skills. But most of his day is spent helping students deal with life.

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

If you think you know how a high school football coach spends his day, you’ve never met the likes of Hunkie Cooper, whose contributions to high school students extend far beyond the gridiron. Most of his school day is spent as site coordinator for the nonprofit Communities in Schools, which provides community support to students so they will succeed in school and in life.

Coach helps Chaparral's softball playoff dreams come true

Monday, May 7, 2012

A.J. Coleman had no previous experience in the sport, and had never coached a girls team or held the job of a head coach. But it was three weeks before the season was to begin, and with the Cowboys still not having their first practice, Coleman couldn’t pass on a chance to mentor a group of teens he’s become passionate about.

How the name of Western's baseball field became a major source of team pride

Friday, May 4, 2012

When Jeff Sylvester saw a Facebook post from Western High School alumni seeking donations for a baseball scoreboard dedicated in his brother’s memory, he made a phone call and said he’d pick up the cost. The Gregory Sylvester Memorial Field had been dedicated in the early 1980s with a small sign behind the backstop honoring the former Western player who was stabbed to death months before his senior season in 1981.

Five from Las Vegas taken Saturday in NFL Draft; none from UNLV

Saturday, April 28, 2012

After two days of waiting to hear their names called in the NFL Draft, five players with ties to Southern Nevada were selected on Saturday.

Palo Verde's Jordyn Martin will continue family legacy at Northern Arizona

Thursday, April 26, 2012

College basketball coaches from Drake, Idaho State and Montana State were recruiting Palo Verde High senior Jordyn Martin over the past months, telling the 6-foot-7, 210-pound forward how much potential they believed he had.

Red Rock Resort patron wins $53,300 in 'Last Man Standing' handicapping contest

Friday, April 20, 2012

Correctly handicapping 10 college basketball games against the point spread takes a little bit of luck. That’s something Las Vegas resident Amnon Cohen admits he had plenty of during last month’s NCAA Tournament, correctly selecting winners on the 10 days of the tournament to win the Station Casinos “Last Man Standing” contest.

Palo Verde, not Bishop Gorman, invited to prestigious Arizona football game

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Palo Verde and Moapa Valley highs have accepted invitations to open the high school football season Aug. 18 at the Sollenberger Classic in Arizona, which breaks a trend of having the defending large-school state champion represent Nevada.

Together at last, brothers make the most of opportunity with Rebels

Thursday, April 19, 2012

The journey of half-brothers Tajh and Tim Hasson becoming teammates on the UNLV football team wasn’t always easy. The brothers, who have the same father and are six months apart in age, never competed on the same athletic team despite spending parts of their childhood together in Los Angeles.