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Associated Press
The Fremont Cannon sat in the corner of Sam Boyd Stadium on Oct. 2, 2010, as UNR defeated UNLV 44-26 and kept the trophy. The teams get together Saturday at noon in Las Vegas with the Rebels trying to snap a seven-game losing streak in the series.
Thursday, Oct. 11, 2012 | 2:05 a.m.
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If there is any doubt as to which of Nevada’s two state universities has superior athletics, consider the following:
At Lawlor Events Center, banners boast of the UNR basketball team’s appearances in the postseason NIT. At UNLV’s Thomas & Mack Center, a banner acknowledges the 1990 national championship team — alongside the retired jerseys of legends Larry Johnson, Stacey Augmon and others.
Celebrating a NIT appearance is a clear indicator that mediocrity is acceptable for UNR. Competing for a national championship, which is arguably obtainable this spring for UNLV basketball, is not on the UNR radar. Not for any sport. Not ever.
UNR, located in small-town Reno, has small-time goals. There’s nothing wrong with that, and every now and then, it produces a memorable season or notable victory — especially the past few football seasons.
The UNLV-UNR comparisons are more relevant this week because Saturday is the annual Fremont Cannon football game. To the winner goes a year’s possession of a life-sized cannon, which it gets to paint in its school colors.
Yes, UNR has won a record seven straight seasons in proving it has the better football program. In fact, UNLV has one of the nation’s worst teams with just five wins the past three seasons, while UNR beat Cal of the Pac-12 conference this year, won a league title two years ago and regularly competes in bowl games.
It pains me, a UNLV graduate and proud hater of all things Northern Nevada, to write that, because it’s mind-boggling that UNLV football is consistently that bad in a game with such significance to its fan base. The games aren’t even close with UNLV losing by a combined 90 points the past three years, keeping the cannon Wolf Pack blue. So ugly.
“If it’s a real rivalry, one of them’s got to win it once in a while, that being us,” UNLV coach Bobby Hauck told media Monday. “We need to win this game.”
Aside from the football domination, it’s tough to find ways UNR is superior to UNLV. Sure, I’m a Rebel, and this might not be my most objective stab at journalism, but let’s compare the universities:
• UNLV, located in a worldwide destination of Las Vegas, has one of the nation’s top hotel schools, a ranked law school, and a dental program. U.S. News and World Report ranks it as the 13th most popular university, based on the number of students who annually apply; UNR comes in at No. 28.
UNR does have a medical school, which is considered the nation’s 86th best by U.S. News in its 2012 rankings.
• UNLV students spend their leisure time at world-class resorts such as the Cosmopolitan and Bellagio on the Strip. UNR students have the Eldorado in downtown Reno, which has blackjack tables, a sports book and women who look good only after a few drinks of Crown Royal and cola.
• We have “CSI,” they have “Reno 911!”
• Las Vegas residents kept the 702 phone area code; Reno changed to 775. Reno, after all, is Nevada’s fourth most populated city behind Henderson and North Las Vegas.
• The UNLV mascot, Hey Reb — based on a frontiersmen — can win a fight against a Wolf. He is smarter, can trap him and shoot him.
This rant is familiar to UNLV fans this time of year, when UNR supporters point out the obvious (the team in the blue always beats the overmatched players in red) in the debate over which university is better.
The series will never reach the madness of Ohio State-Michigan or Alabama-Auburn, but for us passionate about the Silver State, it’s an event long circled on our calendars.
When I graduated from Chaparral High School to UNLV, several of my classmates left for UNR, bragging they were getting away from home while ragging on us for attending the University of Never Leave Las Vegas. Funny, right?
Leaving Las Vegas for Reno (or the cheapest option to leave home to party in dorms) is no bargain. Aside from the football rivalry, red is better than blue. Always has been. Always will be.
Ray Brewer can be reached at 990-2662 or ray.brewer@lasvegassun.com. Follow Ray on Twitter at twitter.com/raybrewer21.
Lake Tahoe versus Lake Mead, no comparison! Hates everything about Northern Nevada, the Sun needs to hire a mature professional writer rather than this high school kid.
Red is the color of deficit spending, communism, the devel and UNLV. PS: In sports the team is called Nevada. Otherwise,it's cool to say UNR.
LMAO.....UNR blows and all they have to be proud of is the cannon....*golf clap*
UNLV will always be better than UNR....for all of the reasons Ray stated and the fact that we have more hot chicks @ UNLV than they do @ UNR....
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Football and the money it receives from television contracts is the life blood of universities. To say anything other than that the writer needs to go back to school. UNR has a better track to getting out of the sad MWC and possibly going to a BCS conference. PAC 12 could come calling on UNR or even the Big East, look at BSU and SDSU. If that ever happens UNLV will be on the outside looking in. This year each MWC school will receive 1 million in TV money. All you have to look towards is TCU which moved to the Big 12. The Big 12 signed a Billion dollar plus contact with ABC,ESPN and Fox and each school now receives over 20 million a year. TCU won the lottery.
Ray, you can take your hotel and dental schools, Cosmo, and the other trivial things you mentioned but until UNLV gets on track in Football the University will be second class city college.
After reading this article I think UNLV should invest some money in its journalism school. A weak editorial at best from someone who knows nothing about college sports today.
Hmm -- another "we're better than Reno!!!!" article from the Sun. It seems to me that they're somehow trying to convince themselves that it's true, but really can't get there.
Oh relax, people! This was just meant as humor I'm sure. Having lived in both Southern and Northern Nevada both are great places to live. Don't drive down Virginia St. Expecting Las Vegas BL. And don't move to Vegas and expect anywhere near the community you will find in Reno. Ray stated good reasons to love Vegas. Let me defend Reno: Reno didn't experience the explosive growth of Las Vegas because they controlled growth. They don't want to be Las Vegas. The population is better educated and will rebound from the recession much faster than Las Vegas because of that in addition to not being the transitory town Vegas is. My husband got his bachelor's from UNLV and master's from UNR so we are always torn as to who to cheer for in our house. (My degree is from an out of state university) We are just pro Nevada I guess. Have a good game everyone. Fun article :)
Good job Ray. You got the Pack howling.
Hahahahahahahahahaha!! You got the UNR fans soooo mad. It's hilarious. Guess what Wolf Pansies? Nobody calls it Nevada but you, but go ahead, keep telling everyone.
I love the Tahoe area, Reno not so much. I have good friends from Reno, but I will rag on that school every chance i get. The only reason I really don't like the place is I've experienced racism like I've never seen in Vegas (which still can be a racist place) from those wannabe mountain men up North.
Commuter School...Concrete Jungle...Recruiting Nightmare (Parents watch CSI apparantly)...Off Campus Stadium...Rather than Bricks and Ivy, Nevada Southern has a hodge-podge of tacky mid century attempts at art deco...
Even those glorious years of the early 90s, Nevada Southern Basketball was riddled with controversy in that typical Las Vegas style.
As for football (the main revenue generating sport for colleges)...Chris Ault vs. Sanford (16-43), or Hauck (5-21). Laughable! In fact UNLV has a total of 224 wins as a college football program dating back to 1968. Chris Ault has 231 wins by himself as a coach.
People need to relax, this is just a joke smack talk article. Both the Sun and the RJ do one, but so do the newspapers up north. it's rivalry week, that's what you're supposed to do, trying to attack Ray personally is unfair. Also since when (according to some of these comments) did UNR all of a sudden become an Ivy League school? Anyways, I'll be cheering on my Rebels this Saturday wearing my scarlet and grey! Go Rebels!
Not an Ivy League School...An Ivy League School by contrast.
Love Tahoe don't like Reno...Vegas mucho mucho mucho nicer-take it any day over UNR.But UNR offense really good.They will put points on board.If we can put 35-42 we could win. UNR campus is really nice.Plus coaches & players are really good people..They are class act but I'd choose UNLV over UNR for the mentioned.Someday soon UNLV could be great football.
Ivy league by contrast? Oh wow, I didn't know those mining degrees carried so much weight.
Funny when UNR types say red is associated with communism. Reno and UNR have been mooching off the Southern Nevada teat for years. We would rather you just thank us for funding that terrible school and that horrible city. Reno needs Vegas (and UNLV) to do well in order to survive. To us, however, both entities are just parasites who constantly take our money then try to act superior.
"We would rather you just thank us for funding that terrible school and that horrible city."
Who is us? The 10s of 1,000s like you that moved to Nevada to park cars and cook soup in the last decade?
Haha. I have no need to insult UNLV, the content of this article and the comments from the UNLV kids have already done it for me. All of your IQs (or lack thereof) have done wonders, so thank you.
"hurr durr r mascot culd kil a wolf" Hahahahaha. Nice argument, plebians. Until you learn where your proper place is, please sit down or go back to mommy and daddy's house (which, let's be honest, is probably just right down the street).
pack4life
Oh, nice try. Born here, dad born here, grandpa even born here. Also, educated and pay lots of sales taxes to fund you whiny little people.
Nothing like a Reno person denigrating the Southern Nevada economy ("park cars and cook soup") that keeps their local government and terrible college afloat. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you.
"People need to relax, this is just a joke smack talk article. Both the Sun and the RJ do one, but so do the newspapers up north. it's rivalry week, that's what you're supposed to do, trying to attack Ray personally is unfair."
-----------------------------------------------
Really? Care to point us to any article from a northern newspaper this week that is stooping to the childish level that the Vegas papers are?
Trickdaddy, you couldn't explain how the tax code works in the state of Nevada if your life depended on it. You know that, and I know that. People in Vegas wanna blame its problems on everything but the truth, and the simple truth is that Vegas problems are directly associated to an ignorant society comprized of uneducated people who park cars and cook soup... and most of them moved here in the last two decades. Your very own Pat Coolican basically tells you that every week in his articles, it's just that your average Las Vegan is not smart enough to understand his back-handed delivery. Not sure why you're getting mad at me.
The intelligent vote with their feet. Ask every med school dean why they consistently choose Reno to live in, even though Nevada Southern bought a $700k house for the dean as an incentive.
The Las Vegas culture can be described in two words: "porn slappers".
And thanks for the new highway. It's a beaut.
Sorry NorNev, but I'm a CPA. I know the tax code. Two attacks, two fails. Typical Reno. I know you'll try (and fail) again, so knock yourself out.
Meanwhile, again, you really should stop making fun of the southern Nevada economy (whatever it may be) since 1) it sustains your way of life up there and 2) Reno is just a smaller version of our economy anyway. You make fun of ours, but you try to copy ours and fail. Typical Reno - our little sister.
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A CPA from Las Vegas who goes by "Trickdaddy." LOL. Sure you are. And for you history majors, Reno is copying Las Vegas??? You gotta love the Vegas attitude... they're keeping us down! Too much envy.
"Errrr uuhhh, well you're probably a CPA for a soup company. Eeerrrr uuuhhhhh or a CPA for a car parking company. ::picks nose and eats it::" Signed NorNev-
Pathetic Journalism Today Ray. You probably never took a Nevada History class in High School or College and it shows Can you sing The Nevada State Song most likely you don't even know the name of the song
The University of Nevada Southern Regional Division it's first name then Nevada Southern University to me will always be Tumble Weed Tech
Comment removed by moderator. Name Calling
Comment removed by moderator. Name Calling
NorNev, instead of attacking trickdaddy, you should attack his assertion that Southern Nevada contributes significantly more to the Nevada economy than Northen Nevada. Feel free to comment again once you have done some research and find data that shows that Northern Nevada has more corporations and contributes more in taxes. If it wasn't for Las Vegas, Nevada would be as relevant as Idaho, Montana or Wyoming. Feel free to thank us when you have a minute.
Hey UNR grads sorry for calling you a term found in the King James Version of the Holy Bible. Really I am. However, understand that it was with the deepest sympathy for your lack of a clue. Like any good angst ridden juvenile your braggadocio is looked upon by your parents down here in Las Vegas with much understanding that with age and maturity you will one day rue the words you use to disparage your progenitors. Everyone here in Las Vegas understands where your psudo-angst originates, self loathing can be torture to overcome, just know your parents down here are all pulling for you, one day you can tearfully apologize for all the scathing mockery you have inflicted on us. In true parental fashion we will pat you on the head pronounce our forgiveness for your passionate juvenile prattle and move on. UNR will rue the day they talked smack about those that foot the bill and enable their ability to act petulant toward those that make them possible. UNLV Football will one day raise like a phoenix from this 30 year nightmare and apply some good ol' fashioned retribution and UNR can once again slip back into obscurity from whence it came. Singed lovingly, your Daddy
Is it basketball season yet?
Ahh UNR, that little red-headed step child to the north. Is football really the best you got? Last I remember we have a team that has won an NCAA national championship. We also have a leading hotel college because why? We bring in nearly 39 million visitors to our city every year. How many does Reno get..a measly 5 million. Not too popular are we?
It's okay though, at least you moved your team from a failing conference to one that kept your sports teams relevant. Although if you didn't have football you may be in the Big West or Big Sky right now. Someone said you may be invited to the Big East or Big 12 some time soon. That was a joke right?
UNLV is ready for RENO, and once we win just know you'll have made our season regardless of how many wins we have at the end. Time to paint that cannon scarlet red!
Go Rebels!
Wow... This article makes me ashamed to be a UNLV student. Also, this comment below (I copied and pasted) makes me and a few of my fellow classmates, embarrassed to be rooting for the same team. Shameful... just shameful. For the record every time I've been to Reno, Everyone has been so nice, and I've never, EVER heard racist comments. I apologize to the wolf pack fans for this article and for our fans rude uncalled for comments. Sincerely, a UNLV student
"Hahahahahahahahahaha!! You got the UNR fans soooo mad. It's hilarious. Guess what Wolf Pansies? Nobody calls it Nevada but you, but go ahead, keep telling everyone.
I love the Tahoe area, Reno not so much. I have good friends from Reno, but I will rag on that school every chance i get. The only reason I really don't like the place is I've experienced racism like I've never seen in Vegas (which still can be a racist place) from those wannabe mountain men up North."
As a graduate of the 86th ranked medical school, methinks you protest too much. I apologize for the school being ranked ahead of OK State, Texas Tech and Tulane. It pains me that we are on the same page as Arizona, Michigan State and Texas A&M. Well at least we didn't have medical students that had to forge their transcripts to graduate like they did at UNLV's dental school. All kidding aside, my diploma reads University of Nevada School of Medicine, not UNR. I consider it an asset of the State not Reno since I spent clinical rotations in LV as well as other locales. As an aside, you generally won't find Nevada graduates or newspapers spending much time debating the qualities of Nevada/UNR vs UNLV because well, like on the gridiron, there is no contest.
The icey windy dangerous bridge with many high drops was a gift from Las Vegas to Carson City. Enjoy.
Case702 - walk around the UNLV-UNR game in Reno with a black person and you'll know what I'm talking about. As for your shame, you must have no concept of what a rivalry is and I don't know what to tell ya.
As pointed out by a Reno blogger for the Gazette, in response to Mr. Brewer's pot-stirring commentary, UNLV would have won the Governor's cup last year if it had been in place.
http://www.rgj.com/article/20121011/SPOR...
JerryWayne,
I'm actually a black male and like I said above, I've never heard a racist comment while being in Reno. I wish I could say the same for here in Vegas. Also, I do have a concept of what a rivalry is. I just wish the fans for my school would have a little more respect, that's all.
UNR has absolutely: no class, no personality.
Most UNR students are not from Reno/Sparks and
look down on the people in this city. The people
in this city have no pride, and are very cold
and mean spirited. Most of the students are a
bunch of snobby ex-Calfornia bay area transients,
who aren't even from this area. This city is also
very racist in overtones. Compared to Las Vegas:
I would give it a F in every category.
To debate which school is better is futile; however to debate which school has the best fan base and truest alumni support is a much clearer picture. I was born and raised in Las Vegas and made the best decision of my life when I decided to go away to school at Nevada. I truly feel bad for students of UNLV as they have absolutely no idea what it is to attend a college that the community 100% supports. UNLV fans and the rest of Las Vegas are only Rebel fans in the basketball season, the remainder of the time they could care less. If you go anywhere in Reno (or anywhere close in Northern Nevada) you will find Wolf Pack paraphernalia aplenty - grocery stores, restaurants, casinos, bars, and every store is decked out in Nevada gear. The support of the school from the Northern Nevada community is second to none. People don't just say they love the Wolf Pack, they mean it. We bleed blue year round, not just when our sports teams are doing well.
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Case702 - Count yourself lucky. I've been to 4 games in Reno and I've heard people directly use the N-bomb towards my friends at every single one. I've seen Reno fans throw full bottles of beer at UNLV fans. As far as respect, when dealing with individuals I always use respect. In relation to the UNLV-UNR rivalry, we talk smack. That's part of what a rivalry is.
JerryWayne,
People in Reno are not the only people that do things like that. You act like Vegas is so great. I live here, I know what it's all about. I've seen a girl pour beer down a Reno girls back then pull her hair and push her to the ground, for doing nothing. I've seen a dude from UNLV key a Reno fans car a few years ago. Vegas has no room to talk, they play just as dirty, if not dirtier. I understand what rivalry is all about, but what I have seen it just ridiculous and way out of line. I get that we can joke with each other, but people in Vegas always take it to far. That's all I have to say. May the best team win.
Reference to 1973 WSOP video (You can find it on YouTube). Puggy Pearson tells Amarillo Slim "If it weren't for Tennessee there'd be no Texas!"
Simply put...If it weren't for Tark, UNR would still be in the Stone ages with regards to it's athletic dept. I can only imagine how much $$ generated down here during the glory days was funneled up there.
If it weren't for Thomas & Mack, they'd be no Lawlor either.
But with that said, it really isn't going to matter much on Saturday. The cannon will still be Blue when it's over and most likely it will stay that way for some time to come.
Lots of class in these comments. Good luck to both teams. I'm looking forward to watching it.
Fact: the state flag is blue, so is NEVADA.
Fact: your students spend their leisure time at casinos. Ours spend their leisure time at world class ski resorts.
Fact: Wow, you dominate us in womens sports. Fact: nobody cares.
Fact: We were the first university in the state. The University of Nevada.
Fact: Nevada is ranked 189, nothing to be proud of, but Nevada Southern is not ranked.
Fact: We have a beautiful campus with beautiful historic buildings. You have..... well you have a lot of strip clubs.
Case702 - I worked for the team when JRob was hit in head with a beer bottle and they threw batteries at our players in Reno. I've also seen UNLV fans do some asinine things, it happens with every rivalry, especially when liquors involved. Not once did I say that UNLV didn't have bad apples when it comes to sportsmanship, however, I know that Vegas is so great. I enjoyed my college experience, so much so I never moved back home after i graduated. I have a good job and many friends from my time at UNLV. Sounds like you should take your apologies for UNLV fans, turn in your rebel card, and put in your application for that transfer you seem to desire.
May UNLV Win!
Southern Nevada does not pay for Northern Nevada. If anyone should have a problem its those out of the small north Eastern counties of the state that pay incredible amounts of mining taxes compared to the actual number of people that live their, or Stateline/Incline/Glenbrook people who fund way beyond their share through property taxes.
And really, if we did not have you guys pushing a Southern California, Jr. agenda, plus growth that fueled a housing collapse, we'd probably be doing alright as a state. I wish the sinkhole that is Southern California would just annex the wannabe next door in...Ah, but I digress.
The point is that on Saturday, the cannon stays True Blue.
I lived in Las Vegas and Reno. Reno is
a joke. It is a dump. The people have
no pride in their city. It is made up
of arrogant cold people who look down
on everyone else here. As for UNR: It
has ugly brick buildings. I have never
seen so many rude and cold people at such
a small city and which permeates the
atmosphere at UNR. Like I said: No Class
or Personality. There are also more dogs
than people in Reno. People who idolize
dogs are anti-social and and don't like
other people. Reno and UNR....suck period!!!
Look who got the last laugh on UNLV!
Mike Sanford is entering his first season as Utah State's assistant head coach after officially joining the staff in March, 2012. At USU, Sanford will coach the Aggies' running backs and tight ends.
Sanford and Andersen will be reuniting after being together on the University of Utah staff in 2004, when Andersen was the Utes' defensive line coach and Sanford was offensive coordinator and running backs coach.
sour grapes..... oh yea, you win the area code competition: congrats!