Commentary: Bayno going along for UMass’ ride

Thursday, March 28, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

THINK HOW HARD it must be trying to coach two teams at once. Imagine what the emotions must be like.

Bill Bayno knows how it feels. The UNLV basketball coach spends his time these days trying to revamp the Rebels while simultaneously following his old school, Massachusetts, as the Minutemen prepare to march on the Meadowlands this weekend in the school's maiden Final Four voyage.

Bayno, who was part of the building process nine years ago when he joined John Calipari, has been on hand to watch UMass' quest for the national championship. He was in Providence two weeks ago to watch the win over Stanford and he was in Atlanta last weekend to view the dismantling of Georgetown.

"It's amazing being there watching history being made," Bayno said of the Minutemen advancing to the Final Four. "When we first started, we never talked about the Final Four. The goal was to make the NCAA Tournament."

UMass has long since eclipsed that goal. The fans in Amherst have become spoiled. Now, nothing short of a national championship will suffice, even though this is the furthest the program has gone.

"In watching them play, I think everything is the same," Bayno said of his former team. "Believe it or not, they've had their ups and downs. They've struggled at times."

And Bayno has shared the ups and downs. When you are one of the architects of a project, you become part of it, regardless of how long you stay. Bayno has stayed in touch with many of the UMass players since he has been at UNLV.

"It was like a homecoming, seeing them," he said. "I didn't go into the locker room after they beat Georgetown, but they waved to me in the stands after they won and that meant a lot to me.

"I got with them at the hotel and it was great to see them. Marcus (Camby) put his arm around me and told everyone I was his white father."

Bayno originally wasn't planning on going to the Final Four. He was going to take a few days off before making the final push to secure his 1996 UNLV recruiting class. But with UMass in it, there's no way he's missing Saturday's semifinal against Kentucky.

"I've got people calling me from everywhere trying to get tickets," he said of the scarce Final Four ducats, going for as much as $10,000 a pair at courtside. "It's crazy back there right now.

"But I'm proud of the guys and John and the staff and I'm so happy for them."

Bayno said he has no regrets leaving UMass when he did. In fact, today is his one-year anniversary of being named the coach of the Rebels after spending four days sequestered at the Tropicana Hotel.

"How can I have any regrets?" he said. "I've got one of the best jobs in the country. I'll always have a special place in my heart for UMass and those guys. But I'm the coach at UNLV and my goal is to eventually get us back to the Final Four."

But Bayno admits he'll be coaching from his seat in the stands Saturday. Once you've been there, it's hard to stay away.