THE ELEVATOR

Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2006 | 7:07 a.m.

GOING UP

Rocky Hinds

The much-maligned UNLV quarterback passed for 351 yards to lead the much-maligned UNLV football team to a 42-39 victory against Air Force on Friday in the season finale. See, I told you he could play.

Las Vegas Bowl

Gets a dream matchup with BYU facing those fashion-plates from Eugene. Oregon was ranked as high as No. 11 this year, but stumbled through its Pac-10 schedule and winds up eating pies on Fremont Street. No word on what uniform scheme the Ducks will wear .

Kansas 82, Florida 80 (OT) at the Orleans

Thanks to the Jayhawks and Gators for reminding us what big-time college basketball looks and feels like. It has been so long (15 years) since we had that around here that we almost forgot. As Dick Vitale would say, "You were awesome, K-U fans, with a capital 'A.' "

GOING DOWN

Las Vegas Venom

Our semi-pro basketball franchise apparently has folded for the umpteenth time, lasting a grand total of five games in this latest reincarnation. The team's phone number has been disconnected and its entry on the Wikipedia online encyclopedia has been updated: The Las Vegas Venom is an American Basketball Association (ABA) expansion team located in Las Vegas, Nevada. The team folded in November 2006.

Canned goods for admission

It literally cost a can o' corn (or other nonperishable canned good) to get into the Rebels' game against San Francisco on Saturday. That's fine if you're Greg Maddux (who, being no dummy, chose to watch Kansas play Florida at the Orleans instead), but doesn't say very much for the current state of the men's basketball program.

Home games in Utah

Saturday's UNLV vs. Northern Arizona game that will be played in St. George, Utah, while the National Finals Rodeo permeates the Thomas & Mack Center, doesn't say much for the Rebels' athletic brain trust, either. Not when there's a perfectly ideal arena (the Orleans) for displaced college basketball teams sitting unused on the other side of town.

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