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twitterRON KANTOWSKI:
If UNLV’s athletic department really wants to save money, here are some ways
Saturday, May 23, 2009 | 2 a.m.
Sun Archives
- UNLV athletics not alone in facing financial difficulties (5-20-09)
- Spare the outrage over UNLV team junkets (8-18-2008)
- Ron Kantowski lifts an idea from UNLV golf and Arizona State wrestling that could save endangered programs: Forget the ADs and legislators, find donors (7-2-2008)
- Ron Kantowski wonders which corners much be cut in UNLV athletics (2-11-2008)
- Ron Kantowski on how UNLV's athletic department can help Gov. Gibbons close the state's budget gap (7-25-2008)
I see where to makes ends meet during a sluggish economy, the UNLV athletic department is going to have to do away with free coffee (and a few other non-essentials).
I think the Rebels will manage.
I also see where UNLV is going to eliminate the pregame media meal.
On second thought, somebody call The Guard and man the lifeboats. This is an emergency of Biblical proportions.
Some people don’t know what to make of the announcement that UNLV is cutting 10 percent across the board for sports. Other people, like the ones who work for big car companies, probably don’t give a darn. My take is that if all the other schools in the Mountain West — and across the nation, for that matter — are reducing their budgets, it’s still going to be a level playing field, isn’t it?
But just in case UNLV wants to put a little petty cash in the coffee can in Athletic Director Mike Hamrick’s office, here are a few other ways it might save a buck:
• Stop playing Sacramento State in football and South Carolina Upstate in basketball. People do not want to buy tickets to watch these games. Try scheduling South Carolina Downstate (the one in Columbia) instead.
• Make the baseball team use wooden bats. A good aluminum bat costs about $399. A good Louisville Slugger costs about a quarter of that. Plus, with wooden bats, the final score would be 3-1 instead of 19-16, and the games would be over in 2 hours and 20 minutes instead of 4 hours and 20 minutes. Then you could save even more money by turning off the lights.
• Do not waste scholarship money on 6-foot-11 basketball players who can’t play.
• Instead of buying new uniforms every year, trade for Ole Miss’ old ones. You wouldn’t even have to change the name on the front of the jerseys.
• If the football team insists on scheduling Sacramento State, then both teams should have to line up on motorcycles. Why is it that motorcycle races can fill Sam Boyd Stadium, and the Rebel football team can’t?
• Coaches who go 2-9 or 7-20 must give money back to the university, instead of stealing it — I mean, renegotiating their contracts.
• Ask Rollie Massimino for an interest-free loan on that secret contract money.
• Bring back the old end zone scoreboards at the Thomas & Mack Center. Take down the new ones that don’t have the players’ names and the numbers that don’t line up and see if you can get a refund.
• Three words: Steve Wynn Stadium.
Discussion: 9 comments so far…
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* Fire Sanford and give the job to the Bishop Gorman coach who was fired for not taking bribes. He couldn't be any worse and he'd be a hell of a lot cheaper.
* Fire Hamrick for not firing Sanford last year (or the year before) and for not hiring George Karl when he had the chance.
Maybe this is the year Coach Sanford has a winning season? Then again Sanford could be a Billy Bayno....great recruiter, but not meant to be a Head Coach.
As far as George Karl, that would have been interesting. But lets keep in mind Karl is a career NBA coach. There is no telling how long he would of stayed at UNLV.
I have a better idea for you, Ron. Maybe our fans should put their money where there mouth is. Some many of our fans love to complain, but many are unwilling to support the Rebels other than going to games when they have a winning season. Do you know how much donations university's like North Carolina, hell, even South Carolina bring in? I can tell you that it's exponentially more than UNLV. If you cannot donate then at least fill up the stadiums. That is how you can build a true athletic program. Recruits don't want to come to a fairweather fan base. And advertisers won't pay (which ultimately goes to university) for weak crowds who love to leave with 4 minutes to play just to beat the Paradise traffic.
I can't imagine a person with a college degree writing this article. Maybe Mr. Kantowski just does not understand the world of collegiate athletic administration. I may only be a student, but I think I have a better grasp. I hope he was kidding throughout 95% of this article.
Of course he's kidding.
But it is sad though how so many students go to the football tailgate just to get drunk and then leave as soon as the game starts.
The bottom line is if you put a quality on the field people will show, if not, you are SOL. The fact that so many kids even drive that far just to tailgate is impressive.
LVRebel2009, check your sarcasm meter, pretty much the whole thing was tongue in cheek.
Well... maybe the dig at the Sanford contract isn't too far off. Can we all just agree that he was riding Urban Meyer's coattails and he's just not that good of a coach? It is clear that Urban was the one that designed the offense and was the one running it at Utah.
And also... those end zone scoreboards are awful. I spent the entire MWC Tournament trying to cursing those things.
not your best work bud... i know how the SUN can save some money...
Steven and Russell:
Thanks for getting it.
Everybody else:
Thanks for reading and writing.