DULY NOTED

Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2006 | 7:37 a.m.

HAMRICK SAYS NO TO WISCONSIN CHEESE

The way Mike Hamrick sees it, playing a college football game on field turf is better than playing one on frozen tundra.

The UNLV athletic director recently received multiple offers from University of Wisconsin representatives, asking if he would consider selling next year's Wisconsin-UNLV football game set for Sept. 8 to the Badgers, so it could be played at the "neutral field" site of Lambeau Stadium in Green Bay. The first offer was for $1 million. The second offer was for $1.3 million. Both times, Hamrick told the Wisconsin officials to take a Lambeau Leap. (Actually, he just politely said "no.")

"I just think that sends the wrong message," Hamrick said, adding that it wouldn't be fair to UNLV players and fans to move the game to the Wisconsin Dells, even though the Rebels won there, 23-5, in 2003. Selling home games back to big-time opponents is a fairly common practice among mid-major schools, because it can help pay bills.

Next year's game will be the fourth between the Badgers and the Rebels at Sam Boyd Stadium since the teams starting knocking helmets semi-regularly in 1985.

They are also scheduled to play in 2010 in Madison and again in Las Vegas in 2011.

LAS VEGAN SAVES THE DAY

Former Bonanza High standout Lyndsay Gensler saved the seventh penalty kick of a sudden-death shootout, lifting Idaho State to a 4-3 victory against Sacramento State in the Big Sky women's soccer championship game and into the NCAA College Cup for the fourth consecutive season. It was Las Vegans front and center during the shootout as Gensler's dramatic save came against the Hornets' Katie Burton, a Bishop Gorman grad and Gensler's teammate with Las Vegas Premier, a women's summer league program. Gensler was a prolific basketball scorer at Bonanza and one of only three Bengals athletes to earn 12 letters. Curiously, none was in soccer.

National junior college champions won by Dixie State College in basketball. The Rebels, who played the bigger and quicker Rebels of UNLV in an exhibition game Tuesday night, are in their first year in NCAA Division II.

BYU's ranking in this week's Associated Press football poll, the first time since 2001 the Cougars have been ranked.

10-08-05

The last time UNLV beat a Division I football opponent. (We're sitting on this flagpole until the Rebels win.)

RIDING THE PINES

The inaugural "Almost Original Ten Bowl" - not a real bowl game, but my way of honoring two of Southern Nevada's best inner-city high school football teams - lived up to its billing as Desert Pines edged Canyon Springs 28-26 Friday night. Kudos to the "bowl committee" (that would be me) for settling on such an entertaining matchup. Jayson Washington rushed for 207 yards on 50 carries before his legs fell off to pace the Jaguars. But the victory wasn't secure until Eric Tuiloma intercepted a pass from Pioneers quarterback Devonte Christopher in the end zone during the game's final minute. Both teams advance to the Sunrise Regional playoffs with 7-3 records.

"Today, I could have ridden Godzilla."

upon winning an unprecedented third PBR world title at the Thomas & Mack Center on Sunday

AROUND THE HORN