The Runnin' Rebels, 20 years later

Fair enough. This rumor has been out there for 20 years.

I'll simply stand by the fact that Vegas was up five with two minutes to go. Can't make anyone score six points down the stretch. Wouldn't the Rebels have put themselves in a safer spot - i.e., trailing at that point instead of up five - in the waning moments if it wanted to point-shave?

If Vegas wanted, wouldn't it have been easier to come from behind late instead of hanging on to a lead? Funny how the Vegas apologists who still can't believe they lost that game want to claim the Rebels threw the game?

 

Don't throw me in with the Vegas apologists. I was pissed they beat Loyola Marymount.

 

I didn't lump you in with anyone, Piotr. You're trying way too hard to read between the lines ... and I'm not usually cryptic.

 

What the hell did you just say about my mother?!?!?!?!?!

 

?

 

Does anybody remember a story coming out then about a T-shirt deal that went awry and tore apart the team? Something like the players designed and sold bootleg T-shirts. The profits didn't get spread around properly and some players were pissed at other players. I think Greg Anthony was in the middle of that, but I couldn't be sure.

 

A couple of memorable moments from that 1990 tournament. As a Minnesotan, that was a big year for the Gophers. They upset Syracuse, then lost a close one to Georgia Tech, which shouldn't have been there except for a horrible call on Kenny Anderson's jumper against Michigan State. I wanted Tech to beat UNLV but in the second half they just wore them down.

In 1991, I still remember watching UNLV crushing Arkansas on the road. I think it was played on like a Sunday afternoon on CBS. Number 1 vs. Number 2.

 

It's in the middle of the archived story:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1140709/index.htm

Anthony had a T-shirt business and was making money off of it. The NCAA, of course, objected that an athlete was making money, even though he was doing something that a regular student could do as well, and made him get rid of the company. Supposedly, Anthony parted ways only officially, but at the same time, some players were unhappy over the money split.

 

In 1990, there was no such thing as legal betting on UNLV sports. Nevada Gaming Commission would not allow it at the time.

 

Not two weeks ago, I saw a cool show on "The Mountain" network, or MTN or whatever it's called, that showcased in each episode a great championship team. That night it was UNLV, and they had Tark and an assistant, Larry Johnson, Anderson Hunt, Greg Anthony, Moses Scurry and one other player, all in chairs on the set, discussing with the host various hi-lite clips. Very cool to watch.

 

Hmmm ... big reach by The Mtn, seeing that UNLV was then a member of the PCAA/Big West. The Mountain West Conference school at the time were still in the WAC.

 

That certainly doesnt stop the Fat 10 Network from showing the Penn State -Alabama Sugar Bowl from the 1980s even though PSU was an eastern independent at the time.