There are early stage discussions going on that UNLV should adopt the “Runnin’ Rebels” for all sports. Because, that’s the perception of UNLV in all sports and the “ Runnin’ Rebels is iconic. What do you guys think?

The Women’s team is playing in the NCAA Championship but
UNLV was playing without its best player. Toa Yokoyama, ranked 63rd in the nation and the anchor of a senior-heavy team, opted to turn professional on the eve of the tournament and is instead playing in the Epson Tour event in Hurricane, Utah, this week.
She really couldn’t wait a week? They all worked hard for this moment and she abandoned her teammates. UGH

Its been a couple of days now,

but from my interview with Coach Paster I took away a couple of things

1. We cant add any more players, until there's more clarity on the House Settlement, the scholarship limit is at 13, that is where we are at.

2. Coach Pastner has 2 guys, 1 big man in particular, who would love to fill in a spot in our roster, but just cant commit publicly. If the House Settlement doesn't allow more scholarship spots, our front line rotation could be in trouble. Kimani, Ladji and Stephen are not enough for a full frontline rotation.

3. Coach really gets it, but this first year is going to be the key. This team needs to be an NCAA Tourney team, year 1 for Coach to be set up for success. We have the talent, but were going to lose most of our best players after year 1 for Pastner. Obviously, he will have more than 1 year here, but I really think the only way this works is if he can establish some serious positive momentum.

4. If he wins, the town will get behind him pretty quickly. I don't think its going to take multi years of serious winning for people to rally back to the program. End of next year we could have a really respectable Mack.

5. I think were gonna run a fast space and half court pace system. From our convo, I don't think this group is a Princeton style team, like Pastner has run in the past. Not sure were going to be a team that spends the whole time running the break, but we will shoot a lof threes, zoom action, High PNR, but he might player "slow or fast", regardless of the modern half court principles he will run.

6. Hes willing to be gimmicky, and creative with his schemes. If he thinks an adjustment will help us win, hell try it out, even if it goes against something you would think is his "principle" He gets the best players he can, and then molds his system to fit the best talent he can get. I really like that approach.

7. Pastner is a perfect personality for THIS job. He can take his lumps, not super prideful, he is a hard worker and I like how he approaches player development. Hes a good dude to talk to, and Im really impressed.

This first year is absolutely key. We're about to transition from a strong basketball conference to a more mediocre one, so winning now is big. We need to pump the program up to give it the boost it needs before transitioning into our new weaker conference at the expense of our Student Athletes and fans. This year is key.

Coach is a great dude, I'm very happy to have him as our Coach, and I wish we coulda hired him when we hired Menzies, I think the program would be healthy if we had.


Heres the interview! Check it out Login to view embedded media

The universe of name, image and likeness continues to alter college athletics at every turn. NIL has changed the game.

It’s mostly an incentive by collectives to raise money for the purpose of enticing recruits to sign with a respective school.

Some of these deals have reached astronomical levels, with the best of the best athletes receiving millions of dollars.

But that might change if and when the House vs. NCAA antitrust case is decided, if schools are allowed a revenue-sharing system to compensate athletes directly.

It could also have important implications for the future of NIL. It could include a central clearinghouse to review and assess all NIL deals. But make no mistake, NIL in some form or fashion is here to stay.

And it could remain the same for years depending on the appeals certain to come with the House decision.

Friends of UNILV is the collective for the Rebels, the outside arm that raises money for the purpose of earning the interest of recruits who have UNLV on their list of prospective schools.

Bill Paulos leads the NIL efforts for UNLV. The Review-Journal recently chatted with Paulos about his role and that of NIL at the university.

RJ: What is the overall goal for NIL specific to UNLV?

Paulos: The goal of UNLV NIL is to get into a power conference like the Big 12. That’s the goal. If we want to do that, we need to act like a power conference school. That’s UNLV’s goal. That’s my goal. That’s everyone’s goal here.

But these power conferences need to know we can raise money for NIL, that we can compete at that level.

RJ: Is that plausible? What have you seen in your numbers to make you believe that level of resources can be raised?

Paulos: It is absolutely plausible. We’re having more success this year than we’ve ever had. Major companies in town are supporting us. And in order for us to get coaches of the stature of (Dan Mullen in football and Josh Pastner in basketball), we had to assure them we could raise NIL money so they could compete.

If you go out and hire a coach today, the first question isn’t necessarily how much money they’re going to make. It’s about how strong is your NIL.

RJ: How have you been selling your top programs to donors?

Paulos: Basically, it’s like this: You may not like what NIL is today, but we need to explain to everybody it’s going to morph into a much better situation. It’s giving back to the university through the athletic department.

We know in the 1980s and 1990s UNLV became UNLV because of Jerry Tarkanian and Runnin’ Rebel basketball. The last two years, when we had incredible national exposure with our football team, our registrations with the university went up 6 percent. That’s real money.

Should we get into a conference like the Big 12, we now get millions of more a year through television revenues, and Las Vegas gets a tremendous amount of exposure. That’s what we sell — it’s a major economic benefit to Las Vegas and UNLV.

RJ: What in your mind will change with NIL at UNLV should the House vs. NCAA settlement end with schools being permitted to provide direct financial payments to student-athletes?

Paulos: It’s not going to eradicate the use of outside funds and collectives like NIL in order to help the university raise money. It will just help schools monitor their payments to report outside NIL agreements. There will be more regulation when it comes to NIL deals. I believe you’re not going to see the $5 million quarterback for much longer.

RJ: You earlier said it was a goal to double the $1.5 million raised for basketball last season and to increase the $3 million for football. Will you make those numbers?

Paulos: We haven’t missed yet, and we don’t intend on missing this year. There is new wealth in Las Vegas, small companies that are doing very well. We’re getting more and more people interested in helping UNLV succeed.

You look at stories of (Power Four) conference teams, when their athletic departments became the front porch of their universities. They’ve all exceeded their wildest expectations, That’s our hope — 100 percent.

This is a passion for me and, quite frankly, those we sit down with and ask to donate. They’re doing it to get recognition for the university and to get us into a power conference, Which would mean so much to the city as a whole.

RJ: Has the NIL collective at UNLV gone the way you first imagined?

Paulos: It’s hard to believe, but this is our fifth year raising funds. We have doubled our fundraising almost every single year, and this year we’ll triple it. We give to all sports — any sport that signs up with the collective. We’ll help anybody. You tell me where the money goes. I don’t tell you.

We’re the most attractive person at the dance right now. If you want your athletic department to be successful and competitive and keep moving forward, there is no choice. You have to pay. The horse has left the barn. This is here to stay.

If you want something to happen like UNLV getting into a power conference, this is what you’re going to have to do.

23. UNLV (11-3) (23)​

UNLV looks to build on a recent surge under new coach Dan Mullen. The Rebels have been very active in the portal, where they’ve signed maybe the best class in the Group of Five. To get past Boise State and to the top of the Mountain West and reach the playoff, Mullen has to get the most out of Michigan QB transfer Alex Orji and rebuild at WR around several Power Four transfers. The defense played very well down the stretch of 2024 and looks to build on that strong close.

I met 3 women at Spazmatics at Red Rock and this woman said let’s go to Whisperer’s ..I’ve never heard of it before, I thought she was Bullshitting. I had like 4 vodka seltzers from the house,..


Anyways they singled Me out in my blue hello kitty outfit. I didn’t bring my phone..

Lisa bought 6 pack of vodka lemonades 2 waters for Alexis class of 1995 and Kim and they drank two aquafinas at the gas station. I didn’t pay for that. All courtesy of Lisa.


Anyways, Kim coached us on what to do be sober etc. be normal. we walk in with the 6 pack and a lady greets on the back and says “you gotta check in” so we walk in the front way and we keep going to the left, and there’s orgy rooms whatever..


I have my blue hello kitty outfit and blue fan and me, Alexis and Steph we walk and a bunch of people without their cell phones just like the movie Boogie Nights…big f’n deal. So the bouncer “you gotta check in the front” so we make our way to the dance floor and I’m hello kitty’d out dancing to f’n Pitbull.. and I told the Kim and Alexis, I saw him..big deal. I’m drunk as f*ck, I spill into a couple of people who are talking on the dance floor.. I apologize and they don’t give a shit.


But the bouncers wanted 70 bucks from me as a guy. Alexis and Kim were kinda turned off because we’re not voyeurs..

So we circle our way to the back which had a pool and parking..


I totally apologize to them for not appearing sober.. what f’n ever.


70 bucks nah…hell no anyways, Lisa thought Inwas gay but I told them I’m down to eat pussy..so that’s a mental note…


The long drive home. Because 215 east was closed off so we took Tropicana to rainbow to Warm Springs Valley View. What a kill joy .
I told the girls, I don’t even get boners..shit happens at 47. They were totally cool with it.
Like dude you gotta have switch..perform when necessary.

I guess it’s like Rooster’s or Green Door. Big deal levels…


So it’s 140, take the bus home. eZ pZ

oh dude I snuck in a seltzer..

Dog, I sat in the front holding hand with Lisa.

Should have sat Bitch in the back seat with Alexis and Kim at the sides…


2 dollars bus one way 2 dollars bus other way, 1 dollar tip at convenience store cause she looked she had bruises on her face.

4 waters 12 bucks..5 dollar tip at Red Rock Lounge. I know too much..but take care of the waitresses..


F*ck..

Game one tonight.

Updates?

Major losses : Marchy, Stevenson, Martinez, Amadio and Carrier?

Gains: oloffson?

Sorry, haven’t kept up.

Visit is happening for formalities. He's already locked.

Let’s be honest, people don’t think UNR exist but they believe he’s from UNLV.

You get those people..

Rick White #59
Jackson Woodard #75

Great to see Rebels on the list!

Jackson and ricky gonna be teammates. Woodard signs as a free agent.

On UNLV to the Big 12. IMO UNLV’s wins on the road at Houston and Kansas and finishing ranked 23rd in the county has opened up some eyes on a Big 12 invite down the road.

From what I’m hearing.

Overall, more athletic, more speed, more overall talent. Better units.

It always is a main determinant of success or failure, but more so this season than any probably since Rice, the chemistry is going to be tough. Let’s face it, we’ve had too many of our most impact players recently that are “nice guys”. Nice guys finish last as Leo says.

We have some strong personalities, which is great from a toughness standpoint, but if they don’t coalesce, it won’t be the season people are hoping for. I think it’s Pastner’s primary challenge, getting that unified buy in. There are some characters in the squad.

First time since before COVID they have qualified as a team I think.

Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol​

Who you got?
I am thinking Beterbiev by late round KO.

I have questions about his speed. But after seeing what Jackson Woodard did maybe he'll be fine.

1

Login to view embedded media
Good interview that’s gets into some detail on CJP’s history. He definitely has quite the coaching pedigree and his enthusiasm is a rather stark contrast to KK. I wasn’t planning on renewing my season tickets but now I may have to reconsider. Only negative is he gushed a bit too much about Arizona and Lute Olsen for this Tark era Rebel fan.

Dude, Trump said I’m gonna make Syria great again with Saudi backup..lol.

This is the grown man table, if you can’t discuss accordingly, STFU.

I don’t think Americans know geopolitics too well. What do you guys think?

Login to view embedded media
Dude forget the stupid, 100 men vs 1 gorilla argument 2025.

How long would you last in a street fight?

Is R2-D2 the best robot of all time?

what a way to end The Mandalore.

Rebel-Net, what are your thoughts.

You know..when we used to win at basketball.

Post ‘em!!

Login to view embedded media

From CDM.....

"Mullen first became impressed with UNLV while in Las Vegas in 2023 to attend former Florida quarterback Tim Tebow's College Football Hall of Fame induction. He couldn't believe the $35 million Fertitta Football Complex that opened in 2019 and knew the Rebels spent gamedays at an NFL stadium.

“This (practice) facility was so much better than anything I had when I took the Mississippi State job,” Mullen said. “I had to build the facility there. Florida had nothing like this. Not even close to this.”