Columnist: UNLV, CSU are right to wait

Thursday, Sept. 13, 2001 | 10:05 a.m.

Ron Kantowski's column appears Thursday. Reach him at ron@lasvegassun.com or 259-4088.

On Tuesday, the Mountain West Conference was one of many that put off making a decision on whether to play college football this weekend in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on the U.S.

It was one time where deferring to the second half made a lot of sense. Thankfully, there isn't a lot of precedent for how to react when hijacked jetliners plow into world landmarks, killing thousands, and the MWC wanted to make sure it made the right response.

Although in this case there really was no wrong response.

That's not to say it wasn't a difficult choice.

On Wednesday, commissioner Craig Thompson and his athletic directors used all their timeouts and probably a couple they didn't have before advising its home teams not to play.

Had they decided to tee it up, I would have understood. But I applaud the decision not to.

Forget about the emotional part of the equation for a moment. On second thought, strike that. Never forget the emotional part. Those who perished deserve at least that much.

But in addition to heavy hearts, also consider the logistics of playing football this weekend, and the ramifications of compromising them.

Even if the Rebels and Colorado State wanted to play their game, scheduled for Sam Boyd Stadium at 5 p.m. Friday (the declared national day of mourning), time was running out. McCarran Airport remains closed as of this writing, meaning that even if the Rams could get in the air in Denver today, there is no place to land here.

That would mean a 15-hour bus ride for CSU. Ever try to execute the triple option after spending more than half a day on a bus? Of course, that's provided the bus arrived in Las Vegas with the shiny side up. The Greyhound that missed the off-ramp in Glendale in July didn't quite make it.

And just think what the fallout would be if some zealot smuggled an Uzi past the yellow jackets (security crew) at the stadium and went postal during the middle of the fourth quarter.

Don't think it could happen? What were you watching Tuesday?

Sources said the decision to reschedule Friday's game to Oct. 20, an off weekend for both the Rebels and the Rams, was due more to logistics than safety concerns or paying respect to the departed. In fact, the borderline insensitive official UNLV press release said as much.

But those in his inner circle said Rebels coach John Robinson just didn't have his heart in playing. Neither did many of his players. It probably wasn't much different for Sonny Lubick and the Rams.

After the game, somebody would say as much. If that somebody happened to be on the losing side, it might be interpreted as just another excuse for losing a football game.

A trivial, meaningless, insignificant football game that can wait.