Columnist Ruthe Deskin: Decision on Bayno too hasty

Ruthe Deskin

Thursday, Dec. 21, 2000 | 9:52 a.m.

Ruthe Deskin is assistant to the publisher. Reach her at deskin@ lasvegassun.com.

For those who might say "enough already," as a UNLV basketball fan for many, many years, I feel I have earned the right to comment on the precipitate firing of coach Bill Bayno.

Done in haste, it was not a class act. If Bayno deserved to be fired it should have been based on his coaching ability. Coaches lose their jobs if they can't produce winning teams.

Was Bill Bayno a good coach? I leave that to the experts, although I admit there were times when I did second-guess some of his coaching decisions. But Bayno should not have been hung out to dry as the culprit in the NCAA investigation that brought down severe restrictions.

There are others who should have been monitoring the program closely. What about Athletic Director Charles Cavagnaro? Or UNLV President Carol Harter, who has close ties with the NCAA and is well aware of the organization's strict rules and regulations.

By dumping Bayno, does the university hope to ease some of the sanctions? For the record, I think Bayno should have been shown some compassion. The manner in which he was "dumped" was heartless.

This is the time of the year when I join animal rights organizations in warning against giving a playful puppy or cuddly kitten as Christmas gifts without considering the consequences.

Animals are often frightened and overwhelmed by all the excitement. Puppies and kittens grow into dogs and cats. The cuteness is gone and adjustments must be made. Often these pets land in animal shelters as new owners realize they don't fit into their lifestyles.

When the urge to own a Dalmatian was fostered by the movies "101 Dalmatians" and "102 Dalmatians," thousands of Dalmatian puppies were sold, and many landed in pounds and had to be destroyed.

If a Christmas pet is chosen, check out the breed. Make sure you have the heart and facilities to accept the pet into your home when it reaches adulthood.

Or consider: Wrap up a promise to visit an animal shelter or pet store to choose a puppy, kitten or other animal, and do your pet shopping after Christmas.

Bruce Banke's death came as a shock to longtime Sun staffers. We recall with fondness the bashful young kid from Oregon, who was the Sun's sports editor before becoming one of the city's most capable and respected public relations directors on the Strip.

He was a man of integrity.

From the response to a recent column, I gather there are still a large number of us who recall the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Dec. 7, 1941. Thanks to Bob McNutt and Leo Tafolla for some specially poignant memories.

This bit of traffic humor was passed on by a friend.

A woman was stalled in traffic. The man in the car behind her persisted in blowing his horn every few seconds. Finally the lady walked by to his car and said, "I'm having some difficulty in getting my car started. If you'll go and see if you can start it, I'll honk your horn for you."