Rob Miech

Reporter/ Sports

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Las Vegas still in running for MLS expansion: Thursday, July 24, 2008; At his State of the League address Wednesday in Toronto, Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber said Las Vegas remains on a short list for expansion.
Team USA knows its Achilles’ heel: Using the pick-and-roll, international teams hope to force the Americans into an Olympic checkmate; Thursday, July 24, 2008; Greece, Spain, Yugoslavia, Argentina, Lithuania and Puerto Rico are not the words around Team USA, despite beating the Americans in recent major international tournaments. No, the dirty words are the ones in pick-and-roll.
Catching up with Tark: At 77, former Rebels coach given to musings on opponents conquered, lives and programs turned around, lasting friendships minted; Tuesday, July 22, 2008; Jerry Tarkanian sits on a decades-old green vinyl couch near the front desk of the basketball academy that bears his name and plops his sore feet on a coffee table. His three granddaughters yell from a balcony. Poppa! He glances up and smiles.
Momentous trade finally took shape behind scenes at Summer League: A year later, Minnesota’s McHale says he’s OK with loss of Garnett; Saturday, July 19, 2008; Kevin McHale and Danny Ainge sat in a corner of the Thomas & Mack Center a year ago as Phoenix Suns guard Marcus Banks torched the Cleveland Cavaliers for 42 points.
Kruger adds ‘pitchman’ to his unofficial titles: Deciding Rebels need boost, he hires PR guy, lands on phone book cover; Friday, July 18, 2008; Barely rested from trips to Australia and Florida, UNLV basketball coach Lon Kruger was back at the Thomas & Mack Center this week — hawking the Yellow Pages.
It’s U.S. against the world: American team has a lot to prove in Beijing; Tuesday, July 15, 2008; Doesn’t FIBA watch its own sport? The international governing body of basketball lists the United States atop its latest world rankings. To whom it may concern in Switzerland: The Americans are mired in their worst international slump.
Running of — and from — the bulls: Monday, July 7, 2008; The second rocket burst. My buddy RT and I looked at each other. We had talked about running with the bulls in Pamplona for months in 1997. Now was the moment of truth.
Culture as part of the game: Kobe Bryant’s international background and curiosity are assets to Team USA as it prepares for the Summer Olympics; Friday, July 4, 2008; Kobe Bryant leaves the Thomas & Mack Center court after a FIBA Americas basketball game and speaks Spanish to his wife, Vanessa, whom he calls Mamacita, and two young daughters.
When Cubs’ wall-scaling outfielder was ‘Jimmy’ Edmonds: Monday, June 30, 2008; Twenty years and $86 million ago, he was Jimmy Edmonds.
Rebels reloaded and (mostly) ready: Essential parts — even big guys — in place as UNLV uses Down Under stint for fine-tuning; Thursday, June 26, 2008; Many Rebels followers envy the Aussies for getting a sneak peek at the latest edition of coach Lon Kruger’s program in a competitive environment.
Deep local talent pool: Monday, June 23, 2008; It might not happen tomorrow. It might not happen next month, or next year. But when Mike Hamrick eventually moves on from his post as UNLV’s athletic director, there are solid candidates within earshot who would do credit to the position.
Team USA, if we were in charge: To regain world glory, we’d invite a few Celts and youngsters, give Melo the summer off; Saturday, June 21, 2008; For the first time, the Americans have not played in three consecutive international finals. With that in mind, who should be a part of Team USA at the Beijing Olymics in August? The Sun offers its own 12-man roster.
Down Under trip also a tryout: Rebels’ Willis plans to show he's ready to be point guard; Friday, June 20, 2008; Opponents will read new UNLV point guard Tre’Von Willis before they even play against him.
Scholarship or not, Rougeau aims to give boost: Friday, June 20, 2008; Rene Rougeau moved from the shadows of the UNLV basketball team into the spotlight last season as a junior.
Even practice drawing fans: As UNLV Rebels prepare for Australian trip, loyal following turns out to cheer; Wednesday, June 18, 2008; It’s standing room only at UNLV basketball practices, multiple TV crews accumulate B-roll footage and some Rebels conduct several interviews a day.
UNLV ticket flap may escalate: Hamrick, no stranger to Rogers’ wrath, to explain freebies at regents meeting this week; Wednesday, June 11, 2008; Jim Rogers promises he won’t skewer UNLV Athletic Director Mike Hamrick so publicly this time around.
Wranglers’ Mr. Everything: One of the ECHL’s most successful teams has Glen Gulutzan’s fingerprints all over it; Monday, June 9, 2008; Hockey coach Glen Gulutzan is on the ice, softly sliding pucks to a trio of tykes balancing on shaky skates five feet from the net.
Vegas quietly removed from consideration: Monday, June 9, 2008; USA Basketball nixed Las Vegas from its list of potential sites for a new headquarters in March and didn’t tell many about it.
The Elevator: Saturday, June 7, 2008; Who’s going to the penthouse in local sports and beyond — and who’s getting the shaft:
Take Five: Triathlete Andy Potts: Friday, June 6, 2008; Andy Potts usually makes an impression wherever he goes, and that’s how it was at UNLV in 2000 and 2001, when he assisted Rebels swim coach Jim Reitz.
He’s a star, if inconspicuous: Local rugby player lending his skill to the U.S. national team; Wednesday, June 4, 2008; If he played rugby abroad, Vahafolau "Vaha" Esikia, a husband and father of two, could be famous. But his ties to a local team and his work assisting elderly clients for a nonmedical home health care company might keep the U.S. national team member in Vegas.
No pro titles for Vegas since 1988? You’re forgetting the Dustdevils: Monday, June 2, 2008; John Kennedy, a longtime soccer referee in the valley, couldn’t hide his enthusiasm about the Las Vegas Dustdevils’ championship season of 1994.
Wranglers feeling the pressure: Performance crumbles before Flames chief’s eyes; Monday, June 2, 2008; The one time Calgary Flames General Manager Darryl Sutter comes to Las Vegas this season to check out the kids, call them the Flickers, they just about trip over themselves.
Playoff excitement building: Two Wrangler veterans say they’re out to win it all for Las Vegas; Thursday, May 29, 2008; As veteran Wranglers Shawn Limpright and Marco Peluso inch closer to lifting the first ECHL championship trophy in the five-year history of the Las Vegas franchise, they are content with a stark realization: These are likely the golden days in their careers.
Despite cheap shot, ECHL no goon league, former chief says: Thursday, May 22, 2008; Teams fought during warm-ups. There were line-on-line brawls. A goalie conked a referee over the head with his stick. A beer-fueled fan hopped onto the ice to battle a player. The infant days of the ECHL or the filming of “Slap Shot”?
Take Five: Tyler Mosienko: Thursday, May 15, 2008; The pocket rocket of the Las Vegas Wranglers has been pushed around the ice in the playoffs.
The globe-trotting basketball: It’s been to China, Easter Island and ESPN, and touched by 5,000; Wednesday, May 14, 2008; From a small idea after shooting a basket at Desert Breeze Park in Las Vegas in 2001, a minor movement was born. Noel and Angelina Andreoni shared the ball as they traveled to 28 countries. It has been touched by more than 5,000 people.
The Elevator: Saturday, May 10, 2008; Who’s going to the penthouse in local sports and beyond — and who’s getting the shaft:
Has he made the grade?: Mike Hamrick, UNLV’s athletic director, is no stranger to scrutiny, but a closer look reveals it hasn’t been all bad; Thursday, May 8, 2008; Mike Hamrick has been UNLV athletic director for five years. Has he turned around Rebel athletics?
They’ll always be champs: In 2003, Southern Nevada won it all at the NJCAA World Series. Five years later, some of those champions still suit up while others have left the game.; Wednesday, May 7, 2008; Every day, College of Southern Nevada baseball coach Tim Chambers thinks of his 2003 NJCAA World Series championship club. He said his program would win it all within its first five years; it took four. So, where are those Coyotes now?
It’s Barkley’s bag (maybe), but it doesn’t say much about him: Monday, May 5, 2008; What could possibly be in Charles Barkley’s bag?
Mending, one day at a time: Ferraro struggles to beat debilitating effects of a punch that could end his career; Saturday, May 3, 2008; Since Robin Gomez sucker-punched him two months ago during a game in Victoria, British Columbia, Wranglers right wing Chris Ferraro has struggled to regain his stability, stamina and sanity.
Motocross weekend: Thursday, May 1, 2008; The weekend motocross extravaganza starts small Friday night inside Orleans Arena and ends with a bang Saturday night outside at Sam Boyd Stadium. Rob Miech breaks down what, and what not, to expect.
A sad saga: horse racing in Las Vegas: Dream of first-rate track here hit snag after snag and died, but not before captivating Sun founder and countless others; Tuesday, April 29, 2008; Las Vegas Park might have become one of the premier Kentucky Derby prep races. Maybe Big Brown or Z Fortune would have raced here in a Las Vegas Handicap or Silver State Stakes in recent months.
The Elevator: Saturday, April 26, 2008; Who’s headed toward the penthouse on the local sports scene — and who’s getting the shaft.
With mom’s help, a born goalie: From a young age, the Wranglers’ Kevin Lalande was obsessed with the guys who protect the net; Friday, April 25, 2008; Las Vegas Wranglers rookie goalie Kevin Lalande credits a call to his mom with helping him bounce back after a rough game in the team's first-round playoff series.
Back in the swing of things: CSN slugger recovered from physical, mental and emotional injuries; Thursday, April 24, 2008; His rotator cuff required surgery. Chronic lung disease forced his father into early retirement. He quit attending classes.
A beautiful version of fantasy football: Monday, April 21, 2008; Cheers, Joleon Lescott. Gracas a Elano. Those two English Premiership footballers powered my SheringHammers to the quarterfinals in the Knockout Cup of the only fantasy league in which I participate.
Cutting a path from Finland: Wranglers center proving potential shown at young age; Thursday, April 17, 2008; If not for his buddy’s mother, Las Vegas Wranglers center Aki Seitsonen might be repairing electrical monitors high atop utility poles in Helsinki or specializing in installing custom residential saunas instead of playing hockey.
‘I think I have a bright future’: Former UNLV running back Dominique Dorsey chasing success in Canada; Saturday, April 12, 2008; As a diminuitive running back, Dominique Dorsey has constantly had to prove himself. Now Dorsey, UNLV’s last 1,000-yard rusher, will begin his fourth season in the Canadian Football League in June, and has been making a name for himself north of the border.
The Elevator: Saturday, April 12, 2008; Who’s going to the penthouse in local sports and beyond — and who’s getting the shaft.
On thick ice: With Peter Ferraro leading the charge into the playoffs, the Wranglers have only added to their winning tradition; Thursday, April 10, 2008; Peter Ferraro didn’t come to Las Vegas thinking he would rule the ECHL, the lowest level of professional hockey in his 14-year career. But he did dominate, with a Wranglers franchise-record 36 goals. His eight game winners were second in the league, and he was 11th with 73 points.
The Elevator: Saturday, April 5, 2008; Who’s going to the penthouse in local sports and beyond — and who’s getting the shaft.
Wranglers give Idaho cold shoulder: Hard feelings remain after Steelheads needed cash to persuade them to reschedule 2007 playoff games; Friday, April 4, 2008; The Las Vegas Wranglers tallied 100 points for a league-record third consecutive season, and they again own home-ice advantage throughout the National Conference playoffs that start next week. Enmity with conference rivals Alaska and Idaho, however, promises that potential postseason showdowns with either will produce friction that could melt the ice.
Silver State rivalry heats up: College of Southern Nevada finding worthy opponent in Western Nevada; Wednesday, April 2, 2008; As Southern Nevada prepares for a series this weekend at Western Nevada College in Carson City, the Silver State junior college baseball rivalry isn’t simply simmering. It’s beginning to boil.
The Elevator: Saturday, March 29, 2008; Rob Miech finds out who’s going to the penthouse in local sports and beyond — and who’s getting the shaft.
There's a man behind the mascot: Thursday, March 27, 2008; Meet The Duke. He works every Las Vegas Wranglers game, and his days are numbered. When the postseason ends, Dave Romleski — the man inside the costume — will hang up his green fur and join his family in Germany.
If you thought this season was good for UNLV, wait until next year: Monday, March 24, 2008; Beas Hamga has been itching to play in a game that matters. The 7-footer from Cameroon has pushed UNLV teammates around, swatted their shots with impunity and mostly growled in practice this season.
Going up, going down: Saturday, March 22, 2008; Who’s going to the penthouse in local sports and beyond — and who’s getting the shaft.
Big clan backs UNLV forward: Junior Joe Darger grew up jostling with 17 siblings, |nine by his mother and eight by his father’s other wife; Thursday, March 20, 2008; Fending off 7-foot centers has been child’s play compared with the jousting UNLV junior forward Joe Darger did while growing up around 17 siblings.