From the Pressbox - Las Vegas Sun News

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Photo: Field of dreams: A rendering of the proposed $800

How those hoping to build a baseball stadium in Summerlin can learn from the hype of UNLV Now: Wednesday, May 22, 2013; ray brewer:; By Ray Brewer; 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.

Photo: UNLV Athletic Director Jim Livengood details the c

Jim Livengood's 'retirement' doesn't feel right: Thursday, May 9, 2013; ray brewer:; By Ray Brewer; 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?

Photo: Chaparral Cowboys head back to the dugout after lo

How one high school baseball team went from a two-win season to the playoffs: Wednesday, May 8, 2013; ray brewer: Chaparral baseball is thriving in the newly formed Division I-A, having one of the best seasons in recent memory and building confidence with players; By Ray Brewer; There is more to high school sports than just winning. It’s about learning to become a reliable teammate, developing lifelong friendships, staying productive and playing for the name on the front of the jersey — that school you grew up following and hoping to one day compete for in a varsity sport. But winning sure makes the experience more memorable. That’s something players on the Chaparral High baseball team can attest to after their Division I-A playoff game Monday.

Photo: UNLV guard Anthony Marshall pounds the court duri

Anthony Marshall still doing his job as an ambassador for UNLV basketball: Thursday, May 2, 2013; from the press box:; By Ray Brewer; About 20 students at Clifford O. "Pete" Findlay Middle School were peeking through the windows of the school’s theater Wednesday afternoon hoping to get a glimpse of Anthony Marshall. For children of the North Las Vegas school, the former UNLV basketball guard is a rock star and someone whose path in life they strive to duplicate.

Photo: Findlay Prep forward Matt Willms reacts after Nige

In his words: Findlay Prep star says farewell, thanks Las Vegas community for support: Saturday, April 27, 2013; ray brewer: Nigel Williams-Goss was the first four-year player in Findlay program history, went on to become a McDonald's All-American; By Ray Brewer; Nigel Williams-Goss, the first four-year player in Findlay Prep basketball history, certainly made his mark on the powerhouse program. The point guard was a McDonald’s All-American this past season and helped Findlay win a pair of ESPN National High School Invitational championships. He contacted the Sun asking if we’d publish a farewell column. He said he couldn’t leave Southern Nevada for the University of Washington without thanking the community. I couldn’t think of someone better to take over my column space. Here’s Nigel in his own words:

Photo: Baseball fans fill the stands at Cashman Field dur

Hoping Cashman Field's days are numbered for greener pastures of Summerlin: Friday, April 19, 2013; ray brewer:; By Ray Brewer; 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.

Photo: Former UNLV coach Jerry Tarkanian, front, sits in

Ray Brewer: Jerry Tarkanian enjoys final victory with selection for Hall of Fame: Monday, April 8, 2013; from the press box:; By Ray Brewer; This doesn’t validate Jerry Tarkanian’s career. He’d already taken care of that, because his contributions to the game have long spoken for themselves. Sure, having the title Hall of Famer before a coach’s name is an extraordinary honor and one some strive for as the crowning achievement of their contributions to sport. Tarkanian was officially announced Monday for induction for Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in September.

Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates left fielder Starling Marte los

The MLB Extra Innings package is great, but you won't see every one of your team's games: Monday, April 1, 2013; ray brewer:; By Ray Brewer; Buyer beware. If you are a Southern Nevada resident planning on purchasing the MLB Extra Innings package from cable providers such Cox Communications, DirecTV, or the MLB.tv version to be streamed to a tablet or smart phone, make sure you understand what you are buying. For us in the Las Vegas area, it’s not what’s being advertised.

Photo: UNLV guard Anthony Marshall yells as time out is c

Making four straight tournaments is nice for UNLV duo, but there is more to achieve: Monday, March 18, 2013; By Ray Brewer; Not to take anything away from the accomplishment of making four straight NCAA Tournaments, but UNLV seniors Justin Hawkins and Anthony Marshall still have more to achieve.

Photo: UNLV guard Anthony Marshall drives to the basket a

Instant Analysis: The better team won the Mountain West tournament, and that team wasn't UNLV: Saturday, March 16, 2013; ray brewer:; By Ray Brewer; The first instinct is to assign blame. If they didn’t make just 33 percent of their shots, or if a few of the 22 3-pointers they missed would have fallen, then the UNLV basketball team might not have lost 63-56 to New Mexico on Saturday in the Mountain West tournament championship game.

Photo: UNLV guard Katin Reinhardt directs his teammates d

Instant Analysis: Katin Reinhardt might have found his shooting stroke in leading UNLV past Colorado State: Friday, March 15, 2013; ray brewer:; By Ray Brewer; Just think if Katin Reinhardt played like he did in the first half Friday all season. Two days ago, the freshman shooting guard nearly put up a bagel in the Mountain West Conference tournament quarterfinals, finishing 1 for 10 shooting in a game that would have destroyed the confidence of most young players. Just not this young player. Friday night, he had arguably his best game for UNLV.

Photo: UNLV's Mike Moser yells after teammate Bryce Dejan

Instant Analysis: Could the Rebels have their swagger back after 16-point league tournament win against Air Force?: Wednesday, March 13, 2013; By Ray Brewer; Moments before the start of the UNLV basketball team’s Mountain West Conference tournament quarterfinal game Wednesday against Air Force, one of my media colleagues asked for a prediction. With a straight face, I told him the Rebels would win by double digits. Not just against Air Force, but in the Rebels’ other tournament games, too.

Photo: Former Western HS baseball player and local attorn

Western High baseball team gets it right with tribute to fallen player: Wednesday, March 13, 2013; ray brewer:; By Ray Brewer; Last year I wrote about the Western High baseball team’s improbable upset against local power Sierra Vista. Western is located in one of Las Vegas’ worst neighborhoods. The school’s athletes don’t enjoy the financial backing of the teams they compete against, and most people in town are dismissive of the school and its students. But I couldn’t help silently cheering for this group of seasonal players. Turns out that game was just one of the many good things happening each afternoon on the Western diamond. I wish everyone could have seen what happened at Western’s game Monday against Faith Lutheran.

Photo: A UNLV fan rests his chin in his hand in the final

Instant Analysis: UNLV's loss to 11-win Fresno State unexpected, unacceptable: Saturday, March 9, 2013; ray brewer: The Rebels go scoreless the final 9 minutes, 52 seconds of the game in one of the worst home defeats in program history; By Ray Brewer; Before the disaster that was the UNLV basketball team’s second loss of the season to lowly Fresno State, a script read by the public address announcer during the Rebels’ Senior Day celebration raised a red flag. When introducing Justin Hawkins and Anthony Marshall on Saturday at the Thomas & Mack Center for their final game, making four straight NCAA Tournaments was listed in each of their accomplishments. OK, I get it, the Rebels are 99.9 percent guaranteed to have their name called next Sunday. It’s just a pair of defeats to 11-win Fresno State will surely be a gigantic black ...

Photo: UNLV forward Quintrell Thomas celebrates his offen

Don't forget to cheer loudly for Quintrell Thomas on Senior Day — he's earned it: Friday, March 8, 2013; ray brewer:; By Ray Brewer; Quintrell Thomas, UNLV’s 6-foot-8, 245-pound power forward with a daunting physical stature and a look that is downright intimidating, seems like the last person on the Rebels’ team you’d want to start a fight with. But looks are deceiving.