A Matt Update…

Took my boy to his first UNLV Runnin’ Rebel Basketball game on Sat.

We handled the Utah Runnin’ Utes (yes, they stole our cool nickname) in front of over 10,000 fans.

Notice I did not take Lorelai. That is because I have heeded the unintentional warning of Devin Hudson (6 junior high girls basketball games in 4 days!) and decided she will be taken to ballets instead.

All in all life has been pretty crazy lately. I have a lot to write about but very little time to write. I plan to write a post later this week about my church on this blog, and a post about Family Legacy on my family blog.

Please keep us in prayer as Vicky and I learn how to emotionally and physically handle caring for 2 infants.

Oh, and Ryan has a seminary degree now (congrats!!!) but refuses to use it (booooo!!!). Pray that he will repent. Also, feel free to rebuke him if you feel led.

matt

36 Days

Some links to wet your appetite:

Schedule

Adams Relishes the Feeling

Recruiting Update

Kruger Book in the Works

Bleacher Report: #20

matt

This Is Huge. UNLV Gets Top Guard Anthony Marshall

I know that no one cares about UNLV basketball posts, except for Matt and I, but I believe this is arguably the biggest recruit signing for UNLV this decade.  Not because Anthony Marshall is a LeBron James or something, but this signing is the exclamation point that UNLV has arrived.  Now some may point to Wink as being our biggest get this decade, and I would agree that based on his performance that could be the case.  But I am strictly talking about recruiting here, and recruiting is all about momentum and image.  UNLV has now demonstrated that it can get quality transfers, and big name recruits.  After this year’s recruiting class, it will no longer be laughable to think that UNLV can compete with UCLA or Arizona for the best players in the west.  Marshall in many ways is a tipping point, that places UNLV on a larger stage in the recruiting world than it has been on in a long time.  Lon has truly got this program back on track.

Here is the story in the Las Vegas Sun.

Marshall is a top 50 recruit and a Las Vegas local, he has a high basketball IQ, great leadership ability, and all the physical skills you could ever want in a point guard or shooting guard.  But more than that is what Marshall symbolizes for UNLV.  UNLV has quickly been climbing back onto the national stage in the last few years and carving out an identity of a well coached, high energy, defensive team.  Big name recruits all around the country have begun to take notice and want to play for the basketball guru Lon Kruger.  They have seen how he can transform raw, mediocre talent into solid NBA players.  And getting to the NBA is what really attracts top high school talent.  When a coach demonstrates that they consistently know how to make that happen kids want to play there.

Marshall, who was being recruited by all the top programs in the country decided to stay home and play for UNLV (which is a major accomplishment in keeping top LV high school players in town) because he knows what Lon can do for him, and for his future.  Factoring in that UNLV has also pulled in UCLA 4 star transfer Chace Stanback, and 4 star Kentucky transfer Derrick Jasper in the last few months, UNLV is primed to become one of the dominant west coast basketball programs in the country.

I could not be more excited for the upcoming season, as we will get to finally see Beas Hamga and Willis, but the future looks even brighter!  Go UNLV.

ryan

I just peed a little

“We’re trying to get to the Final Four. I definitely think we have that
type of team. We’re capable of beating any team we play,” Rougeau said.
“We’re in some preseason top 25 polls, and we can sneak up in that top
10.”

Sleepy Rougeau sets this Blog’s Priority of Thankfulness

From his article in today’s Las Vegas Sun, thanking the people who made the trip to Australia possible:

When I was a little kid, I never would have guessed that I would be taking a tour of Australia to play basketball. I would like to thank God before anyone else because without him nothing is possible.
After him, I have to thank my head coach, Lon Kruger.

I love that so much, it is now the tagline for this blog, and will remain so forever.

matt

Cage Leaves the Rebels

In a move that doesn’t really hurt the team, and could possibly be better for the player, back-up forward Troy Cage has left the UNLV Men’s Basketball team.

Although I am not thrilled with the Sports Editor’s choice of a title, here is the the article explaining the leave. It was nice to see the coach and teammates speaking well of a guy as he left; for once. I am saddened that many fans will lump Troy in with the last three who left/kicked off the team (your title to the article didn’t help RJ sports editor).

Troy gave the Rebels some good hustle minutes off the bench last year and seemed to be on the same developmental track as “Sleepy” Rougeau. Understandably his playing time was not looking good with the additions of Massamba, Hamga and Santee.

Good luck Troy on the rest of your basketball career and thank you for the work you put into the program the last few years.

matt

I Love Lon

Yesterday was the first day of the Spring signing period for college basketball recruits. Kruger had this to say about UNLV’s incoming class, as well a a commentary on the hoopla of the whole thing:

“I really like these guys,” he said.
“The only significant ranking is how they’ve done two to three years
down the road. That’s the only thing that’s accurate.”

This guy’s awesome.

matt

SCREW YOU ESPN – and notes on today’s game

I hate ESPN. I am now officially going to CBS for all my sports needs. They have turned into the cool kid at school who uses his popularity to make his friends look better and marginalizing if not making fun of those he doesn’t like. I could point out all the ways that ESPN has refused to be an objective news source and has blatantly blacklisted all MWC teams for backing refusing to sign a contract with them (note: CUSA and Memphis knows exactly how I feel), but I will simply use one example:

UNLV v. Kansas game preview

Not one mention of UNLV in the game preview.

SCREW YOU ESPN. YOU AND ALL YOUR EAST COAST BIASED, UNC/DUKE SYMPATHETIC, GAWD AWFUL ANALYSTS (except for you Doug Gotlieb, you’re cool).

Now for some game notes:

- How cool is it to see Larry Johnson wearing red rooting for UNLV?

- Listened to Lon Kruger talk with Doug Gotlieb on The Herd yesterday. Seriously, is it possible to excite Lon Kruger? The guy is stoic and laid back at the same time. He is inspiring and boring all at once. This guy is amazing.

- Seven years ago as a college freshman I hapened to be in Chicago for the first round of the NCAA tourny. Before the UNLV/Tulsa game I talked up the Rebels to a large crowd at the Downtown ESPNZone (SCREW YOU ESPN), then proceeded to watch Bill Banyo be absolutely out coached by Bill Self. Well Mr. Self, that isn’t Bill Bayno on UNLV’s sideline anymore.

- ESPN is a member of the Communist Party and a Nazi sympathizer. Just thought it should be mentioned.

- Bill Self replaced Lon Kruger at Illinois.

- Ten years ago Kansas defeated a Lon Kruger coached Kansas State en route to a National Championship.

- For date night last night I took Vicky to a sports book. It was her first time. In order to ensure that she would care about today’s game as much as her husband she put 10 on UNLV straight up.

- In order to ensure myself that I would care about the game more than my wife I also put 10 on UNLV straight up.

- Guys, if you want to have the most fun in your life, take your wife to a sports book. Give her no instructions and sit back quietly and enjoy her asking the pissed off man at the counter 25 questions about making a 10 bet on a 13 point dog.

- ESPN hates black people and is the largest conglomerate of underground dogfighting.

matt

note: so I don’t get sued by an overcompensating bully of a alleged sports network – all references to ESPN have not been confirmed and probably aren’t true.

Lon Kruger Is 25,000 Dollars Richer!

This is the bonus he recieves anytime the UNLV wins an NCAA Tournament Game.  And today UNLV did just that, by beating Kent State 71-58.  In the process UNLV set a tournament record by holding Kent State to 10 points in the first half.  I do not know if this means UNLV is officially back on the national scene but its close.  We have an incredible crop of talent ready to infuse next year’s roster but right now I could not be happier of what this program has accomplished this year.  I am truly proud to be a UNLV grad.

Now if we could somehow pull the monster upset and beat Kansas on Saturday then there would be no question about UNLV has taken the leap back to national promience, regardless of what every East Coast ESPN talking head says…

ryan

Mountain West Conference – Day 2

So normally I don’t like to acknowledge women’s college basketball, but in light of EXTREME circumstances I feel obligated to.

CONGRATULATIONS COLORADO STATE MEN AND WOMEN

Looks like both the women’s and men’s teams took a cue from the San Antonio Spurs and mailed in the regular season and only show up for the playoffs.  While neither team managed to win a single conference regular season game (0-32, yeah 0-32), they are a combined 3-0.  Last night the Lady Rams (wait isn’t a lady Ram a sheep?) CSU Sheep defeated 12 ranked Utah. Perhaps an omen for BYU tonight? Let’s hope not, that will hurt our RPI. So for the first time ever on this blog: go COUGS!?!

Today’s Match-ups:

Colorado State vs. BYU (-18.5) @ 12pm

Air Force vs. San Diego State (-5.5) @ 2:30pm

Texas Christian vs. UNLV (-13.5) @ 6pm

Utah vs. New Mexico (-4) @ 8:30pm

Here are my picks, feel free to add yours Ryan.

Colorado St. +18.5
- This game will be close, CSU will be all geeked up after their first win in over 20 games, and BYU will come out sluggish. The Sheep Rams will run out of steam around the 8 minutes timeout in the second half and loose by 14-15.

Air Force +5.5
- Once again I bring up Steve Fisher’s quote from yesterday: “We’re going to put in a
whole new offense and hopefully that will trick them a little bit.” I would take Air Force even if I had to give up points. They will win by 12.

UNLV -13.5
- Don’t tell me UNLV doesn’t have chip on it’s shoulder for everyone bad mouthing the tourney, plus we own TCU. Rebels by 25.

New Mexico -4
- This is my absolute lock for today. New Mexico is playing out of their mind in both the half-court set and the transition. They will neutralize Plaisted and easily beat the Utes by 17.

matt

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