EDITORIAL: Big goal for Hall of Fame
It’s easy to say sports really aren’t that important, that they’re just games. But special individuals, coaches and teams do so much more than provide us with entertainment. They rally and unite a community like almost nothing else. It’s all too rare when everyone has something in common to support, regardless of their politics or their economic fortunes.
The Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame recognizes this region’s most accomplished athletes, coaches and teams, but not just to give them one more honor, one more plaque. It’s about creating a place where everyone can see the greatest sports accomplishments in this region’s history, where anyone can go to recall those great, goosebump-inducing moments we all cheered together.
The hall, created in 1997, has 79 inductees and is displayed at Findlay Toyota. But longtime resident Rob Portaro, who starts Sunday as the hall’s new executive director, has bigger plans, the Findlay family’s generosity notwithstanding.
“What I’m hoping we can do is be part of one of the new projects — whether it’s MGM’s arena or UNLV’s stadium — and see if we can make a home for ourselves there,” he told the Review-Journal’s Steve Carp. “I want people to know who we are.”
It’s a goal worthy of the valley’s support.
