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Mitch Moss On UNLV Football, The Raiders And VGK

UNLV wide receiver Kendal Keys celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Southern California, Saturday, Sept. 1, 2018, in Los Angeles.
(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

UNLV wide receiver Kendal Keys celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Southern California, Saturday, Sept. 1, 2018, in Los Angeles.

What a weekend for UNLV football. 

And then, there was the soon to be Las Vegas Raiders. Not so magical.

But the Vegas Golden Knights made a huge buy. Does that mean good things for hockey, which starts in a few days? 

 

Here for that and more is Mitch Moss, a longtime local sports commentator and the host of "Follow the Money" on the Vegas Stats and Information Network. 

DISCUSSION HIGHLIGHTS:

On whether UNLV is going to win eight games:

“It is still so early in the season. I like that they had a lead at USC in the second half at the end of the third quarter that was a good sign,”

He is also happy to see that they ran for more than 300 yards in the USC game. In the end, UNLV lost that game but the Rebels did have a definitive win against UTEP.

However, Moss notes that the Mountain West Conference is strong this year so for the team to win eight games and gain a bowl invitation they would “really have to go above and beyond expectations.”

On the UNR Wolfpack:

“I’m not going to tell you they’re good. Their expectations at the beginning of the year here in Las Vegas was about six on the win total. I don’t think they’re that good. But I don’t know yet if they’re going to be horrible or not.”

Moss said the Pack faces Oregon State this week, which he says is “one of the worst Power Five football teams in the entire country.” However, Nevada is favored by just one field goal.

He said if Nevada does not win this game it could be a look at what’s to come and a sign of a very long season ahead.

On whether legalized sports betting in other states hurt Nevada:

“Of all the people I talked to who are in this crazy racket here in town, they said business is up, handle was up.”

Moss admits that it is only the first week of the NFL season but the impact was positive. He said all of the betting windows at the South Point were open and they still had to open three more in the racebook. He said that is usually only done during Super Bowl.

On the Colin Kaepernick and Nike controversy:

“I’m not surprised by the overall reaction that we had. The people that were so upset that they actually made videos burning their Nike gear. And I’m not surprised that sales actually online jumped 31 percent the week Nike announced this.”

Moss said Nike is going after a younger audience that might be a little anti-establishment and apparently, they accomplished their mission because of the spike in sales.

On the Vegas Golden Knights and whether Max Pacioretty is worth it:

“From what I gather and the people I talk to in circles around the NHL, they like the move a lot for the Golden Knights,”

Moss said Pacioretty has been a “perennial 30 goal scorer” in his career. He expects the former Canadien to be on the Knight’s second line and perform even better with them than he did with Montreal.

Moss said Marc-Andre Fleury played a large role in pitching Pacioretty on how great Las Vegas is and on convincing him that the city is a great place for his family.

 

Mitch Moss, VSIN

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Casey Morell is the coordinating producer of Nevada Public Radio's flagship broadcast State of Nevada and one of the station's midday newscast announcers. (He's also been interviewed by Jimmy Fallon, whatever that's worth.)