Good game thus far 14-14

I’ve been texting folks, reading articles, looking on twitter (something I had given up in November 2022), posting here, and “working.”

I need to just back away for a while. Need to get some work done.

If any of you need me, just page me on this beeper I just bought from some Israeli company.

Coach BO’s salary is currently $1.75 per year which isn’t too bad for a G5 program. In fact, it’s near the top of G5 coaches. But with the signing bonus with the MWC UNLV can now afford to pay Coach BO $3+ mill per year which is lower end P4 football coaches salary. IMO the short term is most important and the retention of Coach BO is critical if UNLV is going to have any shot of a Big 12 invite. The future now!

While the PAC is busy playing checkers, it appears UNLV is playing 3D or 4D chess!

I typically don't beleive Arrigo, but the details are so specific I am inclined to believe him. This also makes a little more sense.
We basically shut the door on the PAC forever, but leave it open for the Big 12. Still very risky, but we have to take advantage of the next 2 seasons ( including this one) to really have a shot. After that, it gets much, much more difficult.

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How about a little more game prep discussion with Fresno 48 hours away. What should expect from Hajj? I’ve only seen him in his limited appearance against Utah Tech when CBO “took the air out of the ball” and didn’t run many pass plays. Still Hajj didn’t look at all comfortable and didn’t run very well as I recall against a very poor defense. Presumably he wasn’t playing with the first string OL in front of him. Very interested to see what kind of arm he has. If he can hit our receivers at a 60% clip and run even half as much as our former QB then we should have a decent shot at taking this game. Anyone see this kid in action during spring ball or otherwise?

Nationally, this has been a PR disaster for us. If he was shaking us down we should have paid. If we promised him we should have paid. Either way, the down side of not paying was far....... greater than just writing the check. Sometimes in life if you are right or wrong it doesn't make any difference. Sometimes the truth doesn't matter and our sports leadership ( be it the University or the collective) can't give flamethrowers like Finebaum etc. gasoline to go after us. The entire thing was FUBAR.

for coach Odom to speak directly to the Sluka issue and set the record straight. imo, that’s what leadership and smart PR calls for in these moments when accusations are flying around.

Hard to criticize anything the man has done so far as coach but this is problematic for me. we are getting crushed in the media and makes me wonder if an assistant coach did make a promise we couldn’t keep.

He’s gotta speak up and get his message out in this situation - carefully crafted department, NIL collective and university statements just don’t cut it

Regarding the B12, which has always been my hopes, even above a undepleted P12.

There have been talks in the past and recent past, there has been member support. But Iowa State is adamantly against it. Don’t know that it will ever get real legs, but if it does, ISU is going to be against it.

I do know our alligator arm boosters really wanted the P12 this go around. They scream and demand, but they don’t want to open the wallets.

One of the more balanced discussions about Sluka. An interesting issue. They say every NIL deal is to be in writing and filed with the NCAA. Pretty damning comment at the end.

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Take nearly every last cent you think you can actually afford and give it Odom as a long term extension. Let him decide how much to give his staff, but we want as much going to Odom as possible. And we should do it now. Before the end of the season when the coaching carousel really starts. 3 mil a year for 8+ years maybe

Typically I am not a fan of doing this for 1 season and a quarter of success, but I am sold.

This does a few things...

It shows the Big 12 that we aren't messing around with football. We are committed.

We make good with Odom, and we raise his buyout even more. So if a school comes in with an offer we just can't match or afford to match, we at least get a large windfall of cash from his buyout to hire another really good established coach. Or if we feel good enough with Marion or Scherer save some of that cash and maybe used it elsewhere (yes, that means B ball coach for you pitchfork holders).

Football is the only salvation at this point. Our B ball is good enough to be a bottom dweller in the Big 12, they need more quality football schools.

Big12 means way more annual revenue and we will be able to afford upper tier football and basketball coaches. But we have to get there first to even have a shot.

The risk is that Odom sucks and we fall off a cliff. I just can't see that happening. Not the way he operates.

So:

If the MWC is locked down. And the AAC is locked down. Just what football teams does the PAC 7 go to build up their conference? Won't they be looking at the same teams the MWC wants? It will be the battle for the Montana Twins.

This, big news if true!

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Sluka just quit on his team. Plans to redshirt and transfer. States commitments weren’t met. AKA NIL is the issue and he is being poached.

This came out 11 months ago, but I didn’t have it show up on my radar. I’m not sure if this crew has seen it- so I thought I’d share.
I’ve been wanting something like this for decades! Thank you Randall!!!

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UNLV got a few in the past like Jermaine "Sunshine" Smith, Boobie James, H Waldman.
Other schools have them too: Boogar McFarland, "Skip to my Lou", Bonzi Wells (Ball State that nearly beat UNLV in 1990)
Wyoming Coach may take the cake: Sundance Wicks. Hot dang. Who can beat that?

I'm interested in what the MWC and Temu7's tv deals will be. It will be more interesting to see who each add in order to fill the sports prior to negotiations.

I think a guarantee for the MWC is NMST; the Aggies and UNLV back together like the Big West days.

Other than that, I could see us dipping into Montana to revive UNLV vs. Hauck and add Montana State.

Did Hawaii sign the pledge to stay? I'm too lazy to look, m'friends.

Anyway, I think someone hit the nail on the head with CBS with slots with ESPN, as well TNT/TBS. I'm hoping Temu7 get Apple or Amazon. Damn, that would be hilarious.

This will be a madhouse/circus.

For me, personally, I don’t expect this to stand for everyone.

I look back at why I liked sports so much as a kid. It was just the pure competition, may be best man/woman/team win. The periphery was light noise, not even a distraction. Or maybe it was always there when I was a kid but I didn’t understand it, pay attention to it.

I swear the current state of money, greed, self interest, disloyalty … talk about sapping nearly every ounce of joy from what was once pure …

I really want to see their best against our best … both give all they got, the victor rises to the top. Competition, no noise.

It’s why I gravitated away from my favorite sport, baseball, back in the early 90’s … the cancellation of the WS was the final straw, but even before that, the heavy free agency … and later … I need to feed my family (Sprewell) …. It just pulled me away from professional sports. I’ll admit, Jeter drew me back not because the Yankees were winning but I liked his style, what he stood for, he was “old school”, what I admired about athletes.

Does anybody else find all this outside shit sapping them?

This has to be the most lame athletic department. EVER.

They try to go to Big East and are eventually rejected. They try to go to PAC 12 and the PAC 12 basically disbands rather than accept SDSU. They finally pay to go to PAC 2 and the PAC 2 is no better than MWC. Plus SDSU pays $10M-$20M for a lateral move.

• I was reminded by a former conference commissioner, however, that there’s a precedent to divide the schools. UNLV joined the WAC and left Nevada behind in the Big West in 1994. Also, the current governor of Nevada, Joe Lombardo, is a UNLV alum.

• If UNLV and Air Force don’t land in the Pac-12, I’ll bet the American Athletic Conference would take them both. I’m told there has already been contact between those sides.

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How do you not get paid enough at Georgia and USC? Is Texas your only other option at this point?

Won’t support this.

No interest in any future matchups

Leadership rolled over and doesn’t want to compete

I’ll keep my sub here to support YOU guys

“Turns out HMW sucks - put in Friel” - Rod the Rebel

“Now we know why Sluka got the nod.” - Rosegreen1

“Turns out or was obvious because we brought in Sluka after signing him? He is to pocket shy,” - Masked Rebel

“Looks like he has no idea what’s going on” - Rod the Rebel

“Yeah he immediately looks to run as soon as first read isn't there. Feet just dance and then he's gone” - Masked Rebel

“Looks like HMW has been told not to pass.” - Warthhog Rebel

“Has been told or just isn't confident in passing... they clearly called several passing plays and he tucked and ran after a short look to his first read” - Masked rebel

I know, I know, who cares, it's ESPN...but still, UNLV is at least getting national notoriety.