Murray: Reno versus Vegas

Reno Gazette-Journal sports columnist Chris Murray loves to tweak Southern Nevada.

He publishes a top-10 list every week, and Friday’s posting should go over really well.

Murray’s list is why Reno is better than Las Vegas. Before you fall over from astonishment or laughter or both, here are his reasons:

1. Lake Tahoe. OK, can’t argue with that one.

2. The weather. June, July and August are tough to take in Las Vegas, but our weather generally is outstanding. Or would you rather be driving in snow four months out of the year?

3. Traffic. Our traffic isn’t bad. It’s the drivers themselves.

4. Skiing. For those who are into that sport, skiing unquestionably is better near Reno.

5. Better university. UNR has its pluses academically, but don’t make it out to be Harvard.

6. “Reno has heart, history.” No doubt, Reno feels like much more of a community, but don’t say its history is better. Can’t remember anyone making movies about Reno’s past.

7. Truckee River Walk. Really?

8. Jack Johnson’s famous victory over Jim Jeffries. Keep in mind that controversial fight occurred in 1910. Nothing of significance has happened up north since then?

9. “Reno has a real football team.” Guess he forgot the score of last season’s game.

10. “No card slingers.” Even Southern Nevadans agree that it’s annoying to walk on the Strip and have to dodge those passing out sleazy cards.

Murray offered a second five as well, with No. 14 hitting Leftovers where it hurts by claiming to have the better newspaper. Today’s Leftovers writer left that paper for this one, so that’s all you need to know on that front.

He ended the list by saying it was meant in good fun. You have to feel bad for Murray, though, living in a place where there isn’t much to do and visitors don’t flock in from all over the world.

So we in Las Vegas shouldn’t worry about some silly top-10 list, but UNLV football fans might want to get worked up over a column Murray wrote three months ago regarding the Rebels’ 27-22 victory at UNR.

“UNLV didn’t win the game; Nevada lost it,” Murray wrote.

Would love to see his top-10 list explaining that argument.

■ THE LAST WORD — Some in Tampa Bay didn’t take the news well of ace pitcher David Price being dealt to the Detroit Tigers.

TV station Fox 13 tweeted out side-by-side photos of a run-down Detroit neighborhood and a Tampa Bay beach, with the words “Good luck David!”

Detroit’s Fox 2 didn’t let the slight go unanswered, tweeting a photo of an almost completely empty Tropicana Field, where the Rays play. Pictured on the bottom was a packed Comerica Park.

The Tampa Bay station apologized. Sort of.

“We wish David the best of luck no matter where he is!” the station tweeted.

Better be careful about ticking off the fine folks in Detroit. Not that Floridians are soft, but Detroit is one tough city.

The truth is it means more in Detroit. Austin Jackson was traded in the seventh inning of a game Thursday and immediately replaced in the lineup. Tigers fans, quickly picking up on what happened, gave Jackson a standing ovation as he jogged off the field into the dugout.

It was a pretty cool scene.

In St. Petersburg, Fla., people are more concerned with getting to the blue-plate special on time.

COMPILED BY MARK ANDERSON LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL