LAS VEGAS —It by no means ceases to amaze me today, my random whereabouts masking an occasion in Las Vegas.
Could possibly be Allegiant Stadium for a Raiders recreation, possibly Michelob Extremely Enviornment for an Aces recreation.
Saturday night time, it was T-Cell Enviornment for Sport 3 of the Stanley Cup Closing.
What a recreation!
What a life, for that matter!
From Rat Pack/Mob City/Leisure Capital child, to skilled sports activities city journalist.
It appeared solely becoming, as I wrapped up this introductory column Monday morning, I flipped on the tv to observe Unsportsmanlike, and the final channel I used to be watching occurred to be displaying the Las Vegas, Mafia-related film „On line casino.“
The story of bookmaker Frank Rosenthal, whose rise in Las Vegas aligned together with his mob ties predominantly within the Seventies. The story is all too acquainted.
I imply, I went to elementary college with Rosenthal’s son.
From a time within the 70s, when my hometown had roughly 350,000 individuals, and all we cheered for was UNLV’s athletic groups, and any highschool group enjoying Bishop Gorman.
Now, in June of 2026, there are NFL cities the place crickets are the loudest roar.
The opposite night time at T-Cell, greater than 18,000 screaming followers poured into Toshiba Plaza after the Golden Knights beat the Carolina Hurricanes, 5-4, in double extra time to take a 2-1 sequence lead within the Cup Closing.
We have come a great distance, this city of mine and I.
Perspective, an instance I’ve overly shared and can by no means cease utilizing: we used to drive the size of Las Vegas Boulevard in about quarter-hour – 10 in the event you caught each inexperienced mild. Now it takes that lengthy to journey between site visitors alerts.
Yep, an extended, great distance.
Rising up Vegas
I nonetheless bear in mind sitting contained in the Las Vegas Conference Heart’s Rotunda, which regarded like a spaceship parked on Paradise Street, watching UNLV’s Runnin‘ Rebels. The Hardway Eight introduced a highlight to Las Vegas, particularly in 1977, after they made it to the Closing 4.
And in the event you weren’t watching the Rebs, you have been ready for the annual go to from Meadowlark Lemon and the Harlem Globetrotters.
Roughly 10 miles away, at Sam Boyd Stadium – which I nonetheless name the Silver Bowl – we acquired to see UNLV’s soccer group. Carrying Pop Warner jerseys to the video games hours after enjoying in them was a ritual.
Personally, I liked soccer.
I may need been a self-proclaimed all-pro huge receiver in light-pole soccer on the Palms Flats on East Sahara.
„Go lengthy, I am going to hit you on the entrance finish of that Cadillac,“ have been the directions most occasions. My fingers have been magnets.
My adoration for the game carried into Sunday mornings, watching NFL At the moment with Brent Musberger each week. Notepad in hand, I saved observe of every little thing. Scores, highlights, stats.
Level spreads, too.
I used to be going to highschool with a greater information of the numbers than the academics and would’ve liked to play bookmaker if I may. I can consider at the least 4 academics from Package Carson Sixth Grade Heart who have been placing in parlay playing cards.
By the point I used to be at Clark Excessive College, I used to be hopping in my candy-apple pink 1968 VW Bug at lunch, and sneaking off to the Frontier Resort to place my very own parlay playing cards in for Sunday’s video games.
It wasn’t that for much longer after my senior yr, I used to be working cash for a betting group out of New Orleans, making $1,000 and $2,000 bets on school basketball video games.
I did not go to varsity. So whereas I used to be honing in on a writing profession by doing odds and ends earlier than taking on because the sports activities editor on the state’s solely Black newspaper, the now-defunct Las Vegas Sentinel-Voice, I used to be hustling within the streets of Las Vegas.
I’m not ashamed to say it in any respect.
There are elements of me, now, that know I might have benefited from a school diploma. However I would not commerce in my avenue diploma.
I would not commerce in something for rising up in Vegas.
Writing Las Vegas
As a lot as I miss good ol‘ Las Vegas, racing round city on my FMF bike (BMX was our mode of transportation again then), I am baffled and amazed practically each time I go away my home for an occasion.
And never as a result of I bear in mind the realm I reside in being nothing however desert once I was a child, of the eerie thought there may very well be our bodies out right here, however due to the infiltration {of professional} sports activities. Nicely, all sports activities, to be fairly sincere.
Since 2017, I’ve now lined three Stanley Cup Finals, three WNBA championships, the NFL, quite a few NBA Summer time League seasons, March Insanity in each sense, NASCAR, UFC… you get the image.
Speak about coming a great distance.
I went from the Rotunda and the Silver Bowl within the 70s, to UNLV sports activities and championship boxing within the 90s, to the place we’re in the present day.
See, I bear in mind when the NFL would not even flirt with the thought of enjoying a preseason recreation right here or permitting the Las Vegas Conference and Guests Authority (LVCVA) to purchase a industrial in the course of the Tremendous Bowl.
Now, we now have a storied franchise right here.
The CFP nationwide championship will probably be performed right here in 2027.
The Closing 4 is coming in 2028. Are you able to think about the look on the late, nice Jerry Tarkanian’s face?
The Athletics and Main League Baseball will even be right here in 2028. Heck, they’re enjoying right here this week, giving locals a style of what is coming.
We have now to imagine the NBA will verify that Las Vegas and Seattle would be the latest cities.
Chennedy Carter was added to the Las Vegas Aces roster this week. Despite a checkered historical past, @williegramirez stated @cofieldandco that he thinks the LVA construction and management is ideal to get Carter’s WNBA profession again on observe. pic.twitter.com/K6gqHWU80h
— ESPN 1100/100.9 FM (@ESPNLasVegas) April 17, 2026
I complain virtually each day about companies and their relationships with the LVCVA, and what they’ve finished to the locals in what is generally an overpriced city. Watching Las Vegas Boulevard rework from the nostalgic skyline of Caesars Palace, the Dunes, Sands, and Desert Inn, right into a suffocating artery with Lego-like fitted casinos that cater to vacationers whereas ostracizing locals has been disheartening.
However, it is that progress that is additionally turned Las Vegas right into a sports activities city each league and group is dying to name house.
It is that progress that has me starting my week at Lotus Broadcasting for a promotional photoshoot in an Athletics jersey with on-air personalities (oh yeah, I sometimes co-host a radio present on ESPN Las Vegas) and likewise to do a radio spot on Raider Nation Radio to debate the Golden Knights and Aces. It is that progress that has me leaving there and heading to T-Cell Enviornment to cowl the Hurricanes‘ media availability. It is that progress that may have me again at T-Cell on Tuesday for Sport 4 of the Cup Closing.
It is that progress that has me wanting ahead to writing batches of recent tales for the Ballislife household. From league-wide WNBA tales, an perception into sports activities betting, and NFL protection this Fall. I’ve you lined.
The powers-that-be have additionally stated I can share a weekly column, and it is there you may not solely learn a rant about one thing, however maybe an occasional story that compares previous Vegas to the brand new.
I imply, who would not wish to hear about my interactions with a few of the most nefarious characters from previous Vegas, or nights on the previous „Tramps“ nightclub with members of the 1986-87 Runnin‘ Rebels, or about leaving a few of these nightclubs at 6 a.m. and heading to early-morning breakfasts that have been by no means greater than $1.99?
Sheesh! I do not assume I can get a facet of avocado for $1.99 today.
We have come a great distance, this city of mine and I.
W.G. Ramirez is a veteran sports activities author from Las Vegas and a Senior Workers Author at Ballislife.com. Comply with him on X at @WillieGRamirez
