Columnists

Give credit where it’s due: Harry Reid saved jobs: Sunday, November 8, 2009; WHERE I STAND: Stimulus provision he’s taking heat for was a safety net for Nevada; By Brian Greenspun; We have a credit problem in the United States. The same is true in Nevada.

Jon Ralston laments the campaign spin from members of both major parties: Sunday, November 8, 2009; By Jon Ralston; There is a distinction between stupidity and ignorance.

Freddie Roach talks tough; Manny Pacquiao backs it up: Saturday, November 7, 2009; BOXING: Boxing trainer a master of getting under the other guy's skin, says he'll take any advantage he can get; By Jeff Haney; Freddie Roach has earned a reputation as boxing’s finest trainer. More than this, in recent years Roach has become a master of psychological gamesmanship. Roach has developed a knack for making just the right remark to get into the heads of his opposition before a fight, for playing those mind games — “pushing the barriers, planting seeds,” as ringside color commentator John Lennon put it.

Nevada’s bizarro political world: Friday, November 6, 2009; By Jon Ralston; Some end-of-the-week musings from your favorite pundit:

Miguel Cotto turns up heat readying for Manny Pacquiao: Friday, November 6, 2009; By Jeff Haney; On orders from Miguel Cotto, the heat was turned way up inside the Pound 4 Pound Gym on La Cienega Boulevard this week.

A venue for all types of pros: Thursday, November 5, 2009; Ron Kantowski: Even if a big corporation does build an arena downtown, that’s no reason to pursue a sports team. Is it, Mayor?; By Ron Kantowski; One more reason why I love Las Vegas: I can get the mayor on the phone even when I don’t leave a message.

GOP in disarray won’t assure Dems an easy ride here in 2010: Wednesday, November 4, 2009; By Jon Ralston; By now, the instant post-mortems on Election 2009 results will have been written, either overstating (most likely) or understating their significance for Campaign 2010.

The biggest stories in World Series of Poker: Wednesday, November 4, 2009; A win by the World Series of Poker’s chip leader would rival that of Moneymaker’s breakthrough, but Ivey is also compelling; By Jeff Haney; Before the start of the 2003 World Series of Poker, I recall seeing Chris Moneymaker’s name on the list of entrants at the old Binion’s Horseshoe downtown and marveling that someone would have the temerity to compete in the tournament under such an outlandish pseudonym.

Letting the good ol’ times roll: Tuesday, November 3, 2009; Roller derby on banked track returns to valley, bruises and all, after decades-long hiatus; By Ron Kantowski; They got started late, and when the recording of “The Star-Spangled Banner” kept malfunctioning, I thought the couple sitting in the front row dressed out of “A Clockwork Orange” was going to sing Jim Croce’s “Roller Derby Queen” — the roller derby national anthem — so the match could get under way. Or assault somebody.

Mike Tyson shows talent ringside, on the mike: Monday, November 2, 2009; The former champion turns in a surprising performance as a commentator for TI bouts; By Jeff Haney; The most surprising and delightful performance of Saturday night’s fight card at Treasure Island was not Yonnhy Perez’s upset victory against Joseph Agbeko in an outstanding bantamweight title bout in the main event.

Here’s hope for a smarter future for Nevada: Sunday, November 1, 2009; BRIAN GREENSPUN: WHERE I STAND: Kids today are thinking for themselves, not just parroting their parents; By Brian Greenspun; This month the Las Vegas Sun Youth Forum will bring 1,000 of the best and brightest high school students together at the Convention Center to discuss Nevada and other topics on peoples’ minds. They will do it in a setting where what they have to say is more important than what the adults in the community who think they know all the answers have to say.

Why it’s too early to be ’10 election know-it-alls: Sunday, November 1, 2009; COMMENTARY:; By Jon Ralston; One year before the 2008 election, GOP Rep. Jon Porter seemed like a good bet for reelection. Stories written at the time focused on Porter’s untested opponent, Robert Daskas, who was well behind in fundraising and not ready for prime time. One year later Porter was out of office, but not because of Daskas.

The Elevator: Halloween edition: Saturday, October 31, 2009; By Ron Kantowski; A special Halloween edition of who’s going to the penthouse in local sports — and who’s getting the shaft: One stale Zagnut bar — To Mayor Oscar Goodman, who is and always will be the one Las Vegan I would most like to party with. That said, the next time he pitches an idea about a 20,000-seat downtown arena during an economy that is softer than the University of Florida’s nonconference football schedule, he must do it wearing fake nose and glasses, lest somebody take him seriously.

Ralston can see where local right-wing radio is heading: Friday, October 30, 2009; By Jon Ralston; Just another day on talk radio:

Don’t sleep on Manny Pacquiao, trainer warns: Friday, October 30, 2009; BOXING:; By Jeff Haney; The term “to throw out” in sports prognosticating means to dismiss a particular result as fluky.