THE READERS SOMETIMES E-MAIL

Friday, Dec. 21, 2007 | 7:24 a.m.

Readers have opinions and fill my e-mail box, letting me know when mine are right (sometimes) and wrong (often). From time to time,I'll share their comments.

As the Las Vegas Marathon organizer and director since 1982, until transferring the event to Devine Racing in 2005, I feel a need to elaborate on your Las Vegas Sun article (" ... ways to expedite winners' pay," Dec. 1).

In 1982, I acquired the event and set (out) to build it into what I felt was worthy for our city. I envisioned a world-class marathon with tens of thousands of runners from around the globe. The first few years were, indeed, difficult, and though it was not an "Asics" box, I did operate out of very limited facilities ... my house.

The Las Vegas Marathon gradually grew to where we attained in excess of 9,000 participants just before its transfer to Devine Racing. Devine, through fine efforts and at great expense, has managed to do what I could not - bring the event to the Las Vegas Strip, where it belongs.

Al Boka

Las Vegas

Al: You will always be the father of the Las Vegas Marathon as far as I - and so many others - am concerned. The new owners of the marathon should bronze your Asics box.

I'm glad you singled out Tim Goins for praise in your item about offensive linemen (The Elevator, Dec. 15) who play hard. But you could just as well have mentioned Michael McKiski, No. 74, UNLV's starting right offensive guard. He was awarded the Rene Arceneaux Award for his scholarly effort and he is graduating this week with honors.

Did I mention that he is my grandson, and all of us in his family are very proud of him?

Rich Mundy

Henderson

Rich: The Rebels need more guys like Mike and anybody else who played hard. But at the end of the day, that degree and those honors are going to count for a lot more than those two wins and 10 losses.

Thanks for the great article on Northern Arizona coach Mike Adras ("Vegas native wins with less," Dec. 11). He was my coach at Bishop Gorman, where we won a state championship. He was a great teacher and a great coach. He was the foundation for Gorman's program and has been instrumental in a lot of our lives.

Chris Keil

Los Gatos, Calif.

Chris: Some people think guys at smaller schools are the best coaches, because they do so much with so little. Plus, in coach Adras' case, he's got more time for the X's and O's because you can't play golf when it's snowing outside.

It's all gone, the last remnant of Formula One racing in the Las Vegas Valley. I'm referring to the garage area in the back of Caesars Palace. They called it the tennis pavilion, then used it for boxing. But in 1981 and '82 it was the paddock and garage for F-1 races held in the parking lot north of the property. Now it has been demolished and carted off for scrap, and another chapter in Las Vegas motor sports history has been closed.

Scott Bottomley

Las Vegas

Scott: Somewhere, the engine in Michele Alboreto's Tyrrell-Ford is singing a sad song.

Please tell the thousands of disappointed Brits who came for the Ricky Hatton fight that boxing is rubbish. There's nothing that beats an afternoon of cricket played in the sunshine on some idyllic village green in the company of a few stalwart chaps. I remember my days as a keen leg spinner. I could deliver googlies, top-spinners and flippers, yes sir, and as a batsman I used to be able to stonewall for hours, for a plucky three not out, but lately I've lost some of that ability. Now I'm afraid I thrive more on the sting of an ale at tea break.

James Price

Henderson

James: I can relate to the ale part but I'm afraid the rest of what you said has turned my wicket sticky. So you will have to deliver your googlies to some other bloke.

I find it interesting that Colorado State fired longtime coach Sonny Lubick. After 15 years with a record of 108-74, school officials couldn't overlook that the team was getting less competitive. They certainly couldn't overlook that this year's 3-9 team was awful. Yet as bad as the Rams were - and they were bad - they manhandled the Rebels at Sam Boyd Stadium. There is no light at the end of the UNLV tunnel.

Terry Cox

Henderson

Terry: Here's another fact: CSU's football budget is actually less than UNLV's. In fact, it's the smallest in the Mountain West. Maybe they should have given Sonny a lifetime contract and a deed to one of the brew pubs up there instead of forcing him out.

I just read your article on the Oakland Raiders ("Black and Silver state," Nov. 13) and being a Raider fan since 1985 it really helped. These past five years have been horrible and your story made me laugh.

Mike Rinehart

Toledo, Ohio

Mike: And to think, I didn't even mention Marc Wilson or Todd Marinovich.