Ron Kantowski

Recent Stories (view all stories)

Grey Cup stirs memories of Posse: With the old Las Vegas team’s quarterback finally getting a championship, a few looks back at that brief, amusing run; Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2009; It seems like a lot of years since Anthony Calvillo made his pro football debut with the Las Vegas Posse of the Canadian Football League.
Now, Rebels must build on big Louisville win: Happy but humble team that beat Cardinals has another test coming in Arizona; Monday, Nov. 30, 2009; Most everybody agrees UNLV’s 76-71 come-from-ahead victory over No. 16 Louisville at the Thomas & Mack Center Saturday was big. But how big? It was big enough game that the student body was in full force despite it being on a holiday weekend. But when it was over, when Oscar Bellfield finally put his foot on Louisville’s collective throat, there was a hesitation. Do we rush the court or not?
Make a bid in Sun holiday auction, help a youth: These unsolicited gifts to the Sun could be yours; Friday, Nov. 27, 2009; ’Tis the holiday season, a time for giving and receiving. It’s time to make a bid (or two) in the 12th annual Las Vegas Sun Holiday Auction, which helps teach kids arts and crafts and the words to campfire songs through the auspices of the Sun Camp Fund.
Thankful for a post-Thanksgiving feast of sporting events: UNLV-Louisville hoops the main course of a bountiful weekend; Friday, Nov. 27, 2009; If there’s one thing that Tonto, Tarzan and Frankenstein could agree upon on the old “Saturday Night Live,” it was that Thanksgiving was good, and that fire was bad. They said so in so many words. Actually, they said so in few words. “Thanksgiving, good. Fire, bad.”
NASCAR running an uphill race with seasons that are too long: Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009; Counting his days in stadium and other forms of off-road racing and the time we rented a convertible to travel to the NASCAR race at California Speedway “in style” (snowed on while going over the Cajon Pass near San Bernardino), I probably have seen Jimmie Johnson race an off-road truck, buggy or full-fledged Cup stock car about 25 times in person.
The Elevator: Sanford edition: Saturday, Nov. 21, 2009; Sounds like an old Saturday morning cartoon, doesn’t it? When Steve “Chopper” Jones and freshmen Anthony Marshall and Justin Hawkins checked into the game in the second half against Nevada-Reno on Wednesday night, UNLV trailed by 12 points. When they went back to the end of the bench, the Rebels led by seven. Heavens to Murgatroyd, Snagglepuss!
Schumacher adds star power to go-kart finals’ horsepower: Saturday, Nov. 21, 2009; When I heard from an old racing pal that Michael Schumacher would be racing go-karts on the parking lot at the Rio this weekend, I told him I wasn’t interested, because I was covering Tiger Woods’ putt-putt match against Phil Mickelson. Then it was over to the Laughing Jackalope where U2 was playing a benefit for a school chum who had lost it all by hitting a hard 16. And after that, Pele said he’d give me a chance to get even on the foosball table.
Tina Kunzer-Murphy won't be next UNLV athletic director: Kunzer-Murphy might make a great athletic director for UNLV, but now is not the time; Thursday, Nov. 19, 2009; Tina Kunzer-Murphy is out of the running to become UNLV’s next athletic director before the real running even begins.
Two paths to improvement for UNLV's football team: One way, but maybe not the only way, is to spend millions more; Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009; The hills are alive with the sound of ... well, that isn’t exactly music now, is it? It’s the cacophony of UNLV football fans suggesting cures for what has ailed the program since the advent of the face mask and two platoons.
The Elevator: Arum back on top of boxing after being written off: Saturday, Nov. 14, 2009; Who’s going to the penthouse in local sports — and who’s getting the shaft. For those who wrote Las Vegas promoter Bob Arum off boxing’s relevant list a few years back, do you know he has the contracts of both Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto, the antagonists in this year’s Fight of the Century, in his hip pocket? Don King would be proud. And envious.