The Las Vegas Raiders get accused of the ridiculous and the Golden Knights could be in danger of losing their top star. All this and more last week in Las Vegas sports (May 6 – 12).
#5 Kyle Busch is confused about driving the next-gen car
Since its introduction in 2022, NASCAR drivers have had many comments about the next-gen car. Two years later, the complaints aren’t fixed, and no one is happy. Fans despise the car for producing some of the worst on-track racing in years. Drivers are also struggling to figure out the new car, creating a sort of learning curve for them.
One such driver is Kyle Busch, a Las Vegas native who is 14th after the first 18 races of 2024. While Busch does have a win this season, he is still experiencing trouble with the car. He outright called driving it confusing during an interview.
“I feel like I’m fighting many more balance issues,” Busch said at Darlington Raceway. “And on top of fighting those balance issues by yourself, throw in the aero deficiencies that you have in traffic and now you’re just confused. You think that you’re going to expect it to do one thing, and it does something else and you lose a tenth of a second because you’re trying to garner that feel of what it is.”
#4 Raiders sign Brock Bowers to an $18 million rookie contract
Brock Bowers is a wealthy man after the Las Vegas Raiders decided to sign him to a four-year, $18.1 million deal. The contract keeps Bowers with the Raiders until 2027.
The news comes one year after the Raiders selected Michael Mayer in the draft. Some described the move as a luxury pick that the Raiders didn’t need. Despite this, seeing how Mayer and Bowers mesh in the new offense should be interesting.
Raiders General Manager Tom Telesco discussed the decision in a statement.
“We’re looking to add more playmakers to the offense, and they come in all shapes and sizes, in all different positions. And we love Michael Mayer—I love Michael Mayer—and he’s a really good player. He’s going to take another big jump this year.”
#3 Las Vegas Golden Knights could lose several top players to free agency in 2025
Every Las Vegas Golden Knights fan knows the horrors of the offseason. This offseason, they have six unrestricted free agents that may be shuffled out. These include Alec Martinez, William Carrier, and Jonathon Marchessault, all critical team parts.
Rumors are starting to circulate that Marchessault might be the one to go due to the trade deadline acquisition of Noah Hanifin. This leaves the Golden Knights with little cap room to sign their key players.
According to The Hockey News, the team has $1.797 million, with an extra five million available if Robin Lehner stays on long-term injury reserve. Complicating matters further is that both Marchessault and Hanifin will likely want more money due to their success throughout the season.
It’s worth mentioning that the Golden Knights have made controversial off-season moves before.
More: Everything you need to know about WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas
#2 Las Vegas Aces upset after three-hour flight delay while visiting President Biden
The Las Vegas Aces are angry following their three-hour flight delay to Columbia, South Carolina. Their flight didn’t take off until 1 AM and didn’t land until around half past two local time. While the WNBA has changed its policy on chartered flights for teams, the Aces weren’t approved for one during their trip.
The Aces complained about this on X, making many funny comments about the situation. They even quipped that they could have driven to Columbia by now. Despite the delays, they did get to celebrate their championship at the White House.
“It matters to girls and women, finally seeing themselves represented,” President Biden said during the celebration. “It matters to all Americans. That’s why, as a nation, we need to support women’s sports.”
#1 Las Vegas Raiders accusing of using a coin toss to choose Brock Bowers
The 2024 draft was supposed to be different. Unfortunately for the Raiders, they’re accused of using a coin flip to decide a draft pick. The team ultimately chose Brock Bower, but according to Terrion Arnold, a different flip of the coin could’ve sent them another way. The defensive back states that he was called by the Raiders and told the news afterward.
“(The Lions) knew that the Raiders were a possibility,” Arnold told “The Next Round” podcast this week. “And the Raiders coach, they called me after the draft, and they were like, ‘We actually had a coin toss between you and Brock Bowers. It landed on him.’ I was like, ‘Oh wow.'”
This organization is only one year removed from firing Josh McDaniels and has now allegedly selected a draft pick via coin toss. Pierce spoke with the media last week and denied the rumor.
“No call, and no coin flip,” Pierce told ESPN’s Ryan Clark. “As soon as the last two quarterbacks went off the board, we said Bowers all the way.”
Next: 5 greatest moments in Las Vegas sports history
