It must have been a couple of years ago when James Dean Leavitt, a member of the University of Nevada Board of Regents, invited me to lunch.
It was the only time I remember breaking bread with a regent, unless you count the (late) night in St. Louis during March Madness when Mark Alden jumped in the backseat when he overheard that Matt Youmans, Ed Graney and I were headed out for White Castle.
James Dean Leavitt seemed like a nice guy who was passionate about UNLV sports. Even football.
On Friday, he was sort of front and center at the Ad Hoc Committee on Athletics during which Chris Beard’s contract to coach basketball here was approved at long last by a 9-4 vote.