THE READERS SOMETIMES E-MAIL

Saturday, Jan. 13, 2007 | 7:13 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.

Three points: 1) You are good at what you do. 2) Your comments about Rick Barry's negativity in Wednesday's Elevator were right on. 3) How can you rate UNLV's Ryan Wolfe as a going upper this week? He will be arrested shortly for his involvement in a multistudent theft ring at the Forum Shops.

Stan Johnson, Boulder City

Stan: Like Meat Loaf said, two out of three ain't bad. In the long run, I think Wolfe will say he's sorry for using his five-finger discount card. Then he will go on to be remembered more for his sticky fingers on the field than his sticky fingers off it.

It's interesting that UNLV's dismal 1-for-18 3-point shooting performance against Air Force brought attention to its long streak of games with at least one 3. I'm beginning to wonder if these various streaks in sports are a positive thing. Wouldn't Cal Ripken and the Orioles both have benefited from a day off now and then? I hope we don't see the day when UNLV is firing up desperate 3-pointers in a close game they need to win, just to keep the streak alive.

James Price, Henderson

James: I don't think Lon Kruger will let that happen. In fact, after Wednesday's 2-for-14 effort on 3s at Wyoming, I think Cal Ripken should start at shooting guard.

I'm glad you pointed out how negative Rick Barry was on the Air Force telecast. I was thinking the same thing. The worst was when Joel Anthony made a nice shot in the lane and Barry was quick to say something along the lines of: "All of you people at home should know that Anthony is left-handed, so when you see him make that shot with his left, it's nothing special." What a (jerk).

Mike Kovac, New York, N.Y.

Mike: I guess a left-handed compliment from a Hall-of-Famer is better than a right-handed criticism. But at least The Rick could make a 3 now and then. Just ask him.

If UNLV started basketball games at 8 p.m. many more people would attend. I have been in the casino business for a long time and always made the games during the Tarkanian era when they started at 8:05. All my buddies from work would speed over to the T&M and make it by early in the first half. Somebody at UNLV should drive behind the Mirage at 7:55 at shift-change time and watch the cars stream down the exit ramp.

Robert Worthern Jr., Las Vegas

Robert: Somebody at UNLV should drive down behind the Mirage at shift-change time and stand in front of the stream of cars for agreeing to this new TV deal.

I also work in a casino and was able to go to the Utah game after work due to the 8 p.m. start. Due to the early starts of the remaining games I will not have the opportunity to be a Rebel fan at the games again this year, because I work from 12 to 8 p.m. and cannot get to the games before the start of the second half.

Mike DeMunda, Las Vegas

Mike: I hope somebody at UNLV is reading this. Or having it read to them.

Your article on UNLV's budget, and the short-term solution for an increase in football ticket sales by playing Hawaii and Wisconsin at home, was a good read. But how could you forget BYU? Almost every team the Cougars play on the road has its biggest attendance for the BYU game. I know I will be coming from Utah to attend the UNLV-BYU game.

Hugh Dearden, Salt Lake City

Hugh: I was referring to nonconference games, which UNLV has control of. As much as UNLV fans would like to forget BYU, all those Cougar fans that made the Las Vegas Bowl famous won't let them.

The truth in advertising people should have shut off former world champion bull rider Tuff Hedeman's microphone before he embarrassingly announced that the Championship Bull Riders tour was composed of the 45 best bull riders and the 45 best bucking bulls in the world. Unless there was some horrific tragedy where the plane carrying the Professional Bull Riders crashed into the bull holding pens, wiping out all concerned, prior to a PBR event - and it didn't make the newspapers or TV broadcasts - then Tuff was just plain lying or in need of a lot more, or a lot less, medication. The bulls I saw at the South Point looked more like Big Macs than Bodacious.

Rick Rosen, Las Vegas

Rick: Sounds like a load of bull to me.