Ron Kantowski is a Las Vegas Sun sports writer. Reach him at [email protected] or (702) 259-4088.
As I was sitting there Monday, listening to Lon Kruger make a nice first impression as the savior of the Rebels' basketball program, it occurred to me that if weren't for three buzzer-beating shots -- two that went in and one that didn't -- the UNLV basketball program probably wouldn't require the services of a savior.
Think about it. Had Lou Kelly's desperation heave against San Diego State in the 2002 Mountain West final found the bottom of the net instead of the back of the rim, had Colorado State's Brian Greene not received an ice water transfusion before time ran out last year, had Utah's Nick Jacobson not tossed in a 25-footer just before the horn Saturday night while falling away to Fort Collins with Demetrius Hunter all over his grill, the Rebels would be reveling in three consecutive NCAA tournament appearances.
Considering the last time that happened around here was 1991, when the Rebels qualified for their ninth consecutive berth in the Big Dance under Jerry Tarkanian, maybe the chat room Termites would be hailing Charlie Spoonhour as the savior of the Rebels' program, rather than Lon Kruger or George Carlin or whoever else they believe would make a better coach than the one they had.
That's not to say that Charlie Spoonhour wouldn't have gotten sick, anyway. But coaches coming off consecutive NCAA tournament appearances usually don't get as stressed out by a loss or two as those who haven't been there in a while.
My second thought upon seeing the rows and rows of folding chairs that were set up for Kruger's news conference at the Thomas & Mack Center board room was that if all the bandwagon jumpers -- er, UNLV boosters, fans and administrators -- who showed up to greet Kruger would only come to the games, the Rebels wouldn't have been exiled to Boise for their NIT opener.
Practice makes perfect -- and breaks Rebels hearts.
Lady Rebels coach Regina Miller said when the UNLV women showed up for one of their shootarounds at the conference tournament in Denver, the Utah men were still on the floor, practicing the exact double screen and curl play for Nick Jacobson that would beat the Rebels in the championship game.
She said Jacobson didn't miss in the practice gym, either.
It's one thing when somebody like Digger Phelps or Jay Bilas sings your praises, but when the other team's school president refers to you by name, now that's a compliment.
"That Jacobson's been in our life too long," UNLV president Dr. Carol Harter said before introducing Lon Kruger on Monday.
Harter then had some advice for the Rebels' new coach.
"I read what Odartey (Blankson) said," she added. "We need to get going and get us a big man."
I don't know how that new wing on the library is coming, but at least Harter knows her hoops.
The Utah women's basketball team, which was snubbed by the NCAA tournament selection committee despite a solid No. 38 RPI ranking, made a statement by turning down a WNIT invitation.
A bigger statement would have been to accept the bid and win the four games, then leave the trophy on selection committee chairman Cheryl Marra's front porch on the way home to Salt Lake City.
Let's see, the past two years, playing on their home floor, the Rebels made it to the Mountain West tournament championship game, only to lose in the closing seconds. This year, playing on a neutral floor, the Rebels made it to the Mountain West tournament championship game, only to lose in the closing seconds.
So why the heck did they have to move to the tournament to Denver?
Seeding the Mountain West Conference basketball fans, based on volume, knowledge and longevity:
1. Wyoming. Like the song says, in heaven there is no beer. That's why Cowboys fans drink down here.
2. New Mexico. 18,000 at a women's game says it all, but Lobos fans prefer Elvis to John Denver.
3. BYU. Cougars fans make 7-Up theirs at the Pepsi Center.
4. Utah. NBAers Andre Miller and Michael Doleac were leading the cheers in Denver.
5. Air Force. Cadets jumped on the bandwagon but furlough didn't last.
6. Colorado State. Still a football school.
7. UNLV. The only ones cheering for the Lady Rebels against BYU were the UNLV pep band and the Utah men's team.
8. San Diego State. The entire Aztecs cheering section -- Bill Walton and his wife -- arrived in the same taxi.
Less than a week ago in this space I wrote that once UNLV named its new coach, Rebels fans would probably forget Jay Spoonhour faster than their mother-in-law's birthday. Well, I'm not forgetting. At least when it comes to Teaspoon.
One of the rumors making the coaching rounds is that Jay Spoon could wind up as the head man at Southwest Missouri State, which had another middling season (19-14) under fourth-year coach Barry Hinson -- although the Bears did make it to their conference championship game before running into Ben Jacobson (Nick's brother) and Northern Iowa.
Given his father's history there, Jay Spoon to SWMS would be a better fit than Pam Anderson's tube top.
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