Loss leaves Rebels playing for pride

Steve Guiremand

Monday, Nov. 18, 2002 | 9:40 a.m.

After losing to Air Force 49-32 in their home finale Saturday afternoon at Sam Boyd Stadium, the UNLV Rebels have two weeks to sit around before ending their season with a Nov. 30 game at Colorado State.

Which raises the question: What do the Rebels have left to play for?

UNLV (4-7, 2-4) was long ago eliminated from Mountain West title consideration. The loss to the Falcons officially squashed any bowl hopes. And now even finishing with a winning record is out of the question for the second straight year.

So what's left? Might the Rebels just be ready to pack it in?

"People who might think that are people who don't play," senior quarterback Jason Thomas said. "You play for pride. Before there ever was a bowl game to play for or anything like that, all the way back to when you played Pop Warner, you just played to win. That's always the main motivation."

Sophomore linebacker Adam Seward, who finished with 12 tackles against the Falcons, agreed.

"We just love football. Period." Seward said. "That's why we're out here. If you don't love football, you might as well pack yourself up and go. At this level it's basically a full-time job, anyway."

"That's going to be the last game for (24) guys here," senior tailback Joe Haro said. "I don't think we're going to pack it in like that. I think we're going to come out and play hard.

"Things haven't gone our way this season but we're still going to be playing the conference champions, so lets go make some noise. If we beat them, great. We have nothing to lose. We're going to put our butts on the line and play for pride and see what happens."

"We'll just have to wait and see," senior offensive guard Tony Terrell said. "I know a lot of guys here have pride left to play for. That's one thing nobody can ever question is your pride. We'll see."

"I didn't want to leave," Haro said. "Through it all I had a great experience here.

"I know this program has come a long ways in my time here. Maybe we haven't done all the glory things like win a conference championship and go to a bowl game year in and year out. But I think we're a lot bigger (program) now and not the pushover we were in years past. Coach (John) Robinson has established that here.

"Yeah, it was emotional in the locker room. Coach got a little emotional. I know he really cares about us seniors. We laid it on the on the line and although things haven't gone our way this year, we do have a special bond with Coach Robinson."

Said Terrell: "It's been a long time. Coach Robinson came here and the whole stadium changed, the program changed. It really hasn't hit me yet. It probably will in a couple of days."

Brisco was shot and killed by a security guard outside a Las Vegas nightclub club in August. The shooting is still under investigation.

The Robinsons are extablishing a foundation for Brisco's family, which includes a young daughter. "He's one of our family," Robinson said. "We see ourselves as a family here, the coaches, the players and the school. When something happens to a member of the family, you step up.

"My wife and I are starting the foundation for (Brisco's daughter). We're putting $5,000 in right after the first of the year. I think our team will contribute and (also the) coaches. Ultimately we'll build it up so that 20 years from now she'll be able to graduate from college."

The old mark was 24,799 set in 1981.