Wow Rob, easy Buddy. I didn't mean to ruffle any feathers with my comment. If anything, it was a tongue'n cheek comment that was posted while I chuckled. I couldn't care less if the word is changed or not, and quite frankly I'm a bit disappointed to see how little you think of your readers' intelligence. I am quite aware of the fact that not many Persians read these articles, and the little word is not going to cause any problems. I did not "twist or read" anything into the word (as you implied), nor did I think twice about it. As a person who is fortunate to speak five languages, I am quite aware that a word in one language can mean something different (and in this case "offensive") in another. So in the grand scheme of things, it is not me who needs to "relax".
And BleedRebelRed? Grow up... :) What are you? 12 yo?

Lenny, I wish and hope you are right, and the Rebels pull off the upset in Provo. But I just don't see BYU losing two in a row, especially at home. It will take a miracle. Rebels have to play their best, and BYU has to sleep walk for UNLV to win this one. If the game was in Vegas, I'd be bit more optimistic. But I got the feeling BYU is going to come out to prove a point. The loss at the Pit just made them that much more hungry. Mix in the 20,000 fans ... I donno man, I hope you are right, and I am wrong.
It sure would be nice tho.

Hey Rob? You may want to find out what the word "Kir" means in Persian (Farsi), before posting it as the coach's favorite drink. The literal translation is, ummm let's say, unflattering.
You may want to change the story back to just "Cure"...

And kudos to Rebel fans who did not abandoned the team in time of need.
17,190 is a respectable crowd size in any arena. But after the last two games, I didn't think we would have more than 10,000 at the Mack tonight. What the heck do I know?

Go, Fight, Win !!!!!

A much needed win, indeed. This was "fun".
It is amazing how a little leadership from the seniors, a lot of focus and intensity from the team, and restored confidence can turn a team around. 4 starters scoring in double digits, 78% free throw shooting, stingy defense, penetration offense ... where were these guys in the previous three games?
By the way, who was that #44 guy throwing his body around, and scoring in the paint? Mark this as the game that turns Santee's game around. While his lack of rebounding can be compensated by that of Rene and Joe, Santee's inside game can add a whole new dimension to our offense.
There is still alot of work to be done, but let's hope this was the turning point. I, for one, will be sleeping a little better tonight.

One more thing, what is up with all the missed 2 or 3 foot lay ups?

Go Rebels!!!

UNLV has had ONE good game this year where both offense and defense seemed to click, and that was the Arizona game. Sure we beat Louisville, but the Louisville team on Dec 31 played like the UNLV of the last two game. In each game since then, UNLV has shown flashes of brilliance, but the problem is they have only been "flashes". There is no sustained intensity. Players can talk and try to hype themselves and teammates up off the court, but when they step on the court the intensity disappears. That is where coaching comes in. Lon and his staff have not motivated these guys enough for the last two games, PERIOD. Honestly, at times Lon himself looks lost with some questionable decisions he makes. Don't get me wrong, I am sure he is still trying to find the right chemistry on the team, but when the coach is still looking for that chemistry this late in the season, the real focus of the team simply gets lost. The entire team, including the coaching staff, seem to be without a focus right now.
Right now, the problem of this team is not their skills, talent or effort. Their problem is lack of Leadership, Focus, and CONFIDENCE. The moment the other team shows guts and makes a run, we roll over and die. There is no "fight" in them.
Unless that focus and confidence is restored in them, I expect a blow out in the Mack tonight. Wyoming is playing really well as of late, and brings an offense that LOVES to penetrate and attack. UNLV has not had an answer for this type of offense all year, so this is gonna be a do or die time for us.
I think the "false optimism" about this team is starting to give way to "realism". And the reality is that this team is less than average. A good team like Wyoming will toy with our defense.
I will be there tonight, and pray that I am wrong.
GO REBELS!!!

No,no ,no ,no Rob. If you are gonna tell us that Coach and Maxson are best friends, and play golf every weekend, PLEASE DON'T. You may cause a revolution in Vegas.
I can't take this anymore: Coach likes Lute, Coach K, Duke... and now Maxson????
What's next? Coach thinks BYU is the best team in the land?

Say it ain't so maaaan.

If I scratch my head anymore about the strategies involved in this game, I will bleed. I have no idea what Lon was thinking, but I have to respect his decision as a coach and live with the loss AS A FAN. So rather than being negative about this game, let's look at some positives:
1) for a stretch of about 5 minutes, UNLV came out of the half time, and played some stingy defense. We took the lead and went up by 7 or 8 points. Only to collapse back to our bad habits, and let TCU score 15 unanswered points. That 5 minutes shows the guys STILL GOT IT. The question is how do you make them play like that for 40 minutes?
2) Kendall Wallace is emerging as a serious clutch shooter. How many huge threes has he nailed when we needed it in the last two games? He reminds me of a short Travis Bice. Get him involved more. His threes will open some lanes for Wink and others to penetrate.
3) this team seems to play better when it's back is against the wall. In a way, I am glad we won't be ranked. And the TCU loss? That may just be the moment we got our backs against the wall. Maybe they will start playing like we KNOW they can play now.

A loss on the road in the MWC this early in the season is NOT the end of the world. This team needs our support more than ever before. Let's "pack the Mack" every night, and help them protect the home court.

As far as benching the big men? That type of punishment/incentive works for home games. But on the road, when we need all the help we can get, all that does is shoots us in the foot. And leaves fans like me scratching my head ... Damn, I am bleeding...
GO REBELS!!!!!!!!

I agree. TCU and New Mexico looked good because we made them look good. Hell, my old High School team could give UNLV a run for its money at this time. There is a lot of talk about "raising the bar", but talk is cheap. Let's see some action.

I hate to say this, but a team that can't shoot free throws, can't rebound, has no penetration offense, and lacks in defensive intensity is BELOW average and less than "mediocre". This particular UNLV team, at this junction of the season, is at best 4th or 5th in the conference. And that is being optimistic.
It's time for the team to step up.
It's time for fans to bring extra support for the team.
And it is time for the coaching staff to come up with a new plan... FAST.