THE ELEVATOR

Wednesday, July 5, 2006 | 7:20 a.m.

Who's headed toward the penthouse on the local sports scene - and who's getting the shaft.

GOING UP

James Loney and Wilson Valdez

The 51s offensive leaders have been named to the Pacific Coast League squad for next Wednesday's Triple-A All-Star game. Unfortunately for them, the game is in Toledo, Ohio. Well, there's always Jamie Farr's childhood home.

UNLV football GPA

The Rebels' 2.649 cumulative grade-point average for the spring semester was their second-highest ever. But it was significantly lower than their cumulative MBTA - missed blocks and tackles average - during a 2-9 season.

UNLV media guides

Five Rebels sports media guides (football, basketball, men's golf, women's golf and men's and women's soccer) finished among the top 25 in the nation. So it can be done, Rebels fans.

GOING DOWN

NASCAR postrace celebrations

There's nothing wrong with celebrating a victory with a wheel-smoking "doughnut" or by climbing the fence at the start-finish line. Provided it was your idea. While NASCAR's TV ratings dwarf those of its open-wheel cousins, blatant postrace rip-offs, such as Tony Stewart miming two-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves' fence-scaling Spiderman routine, shows that somebody is still watching the Indy Racing League.

Greg Estandia

Remind me not to listen to the so-called NFL draft experts, either. Two months ago, we were told Estandia, the Rebels' 6-foot-8 tight end, was a good bet to be drafted. He wasn't. Then over the weekend, he was cut by the Jacksonville Jaguars after being cut by the Cincinnati Bengals during a free-agent tryout. Like Louis Amundson, Estandia was a good player. Just not that good.

Louis Amundson

Having watched the Rebels' big man's dramatic improvement over the past five years, I can safely say his work ethic is second to none. Having also watched him attempt to shoot free throws and baskets from beyond 10 feet, I also can safely say that the so-called experts who projected him as a first-round NBA draft choice know even less about pro basketball than I do.

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