I Am Positive

[Pistol Pete 1]

This win pissed a lot of people off. I was at the game (that’s what fans do) and the attendance was maybe the best of the year and it was enjoyed by everyone there except for the Rivals Posters and San Jose fans but even they had a good time and cheered loudly.

So at the beginning of the year we were a team that was going to have the 3 point streak broken to having multiple players hitting multiple 3’s in games and last 2 games we are hitting almost 50 %. I am really looking forward to the upcoming games and really think we can beat anybody on our schedule. I was definitely disappointed with the AF game but the;y can give anybody fits. But even in that game the offense was showing signs of continued improvement. Hard to talk about the D though. Watching the Reno vs AF game last night I think that AF wins that game in Colorado.

Okay you guys can go back to the SOS sucks, coach sucks and needs to be replaced with Pitino, Conference sucks,, attendance sucks oh but we support the guys. Kind of reminds me of the Democrats a few years back, we support the troops but not the war. Sorry, it doesn’t work that way!

 

[j. spilotro]

This win pissed a lot of people off. I was at the game (that’s what fans do) and the attendance was maybe the best of the year and it was enjoyed by everyone there except for the Rivals Posters and San Jose fans but even they had a good time and cheered loudly.

So at the beginning of the year we were a team that was going to have the 3 point streak broken to having multiple players hitting multiple 3’s in games and last 2 games we are hitting almost 50 %. I am really looking forward to the upcoming games and really think we can beat anybody on our schedule. I was definitely disappointed with the AF game but the;y can give anybody fits. But even in that game the offense was showing signs of continued improvement. Hard to talk about the D though. Watching the Reno vs AF game last night I think that AF wins that game in Colorado.

Okay you guys can go back to the SOS sucks, coach sucks and needs to be replaced with Pitino, Conference sucks,, attendance sucks oh but we support the guys. Kind of reminds me of the Democrats a few years back, we support the troops but not the war. Sorry, it doesn’t work that way!

This win pissed a lot of people off. I was at the game (that’s what fans do) and the attendance was maybe the best of the year and it was enjoyed by everyone there except for the Rivals Posters and San Jose fans but even they had a good time and cheered loudly.

So at the beginning of the year we were a team that was going to have the 3 point streak broken to having multiple players hitting multiple 3’s in games and last 2 games we are hitting almost 50 %. I am really looking forward to the upcoming games and really think we can beat anybody on our schedule. I was definitely disappointed with the AF game but the;y can give anybody fits. But even in that game the offense was showing signs of continued improvement. Hard to talk about the D though. Watching the Reno vs AF game last night I think that AF wins that game in Colorado.

Okay you guys can go back to the SOS sucks, coach sucks and needs to be replaced with Pitino, Conference sucks,, attendance sucks oh but we support the guys. Kind of reminds me of the Democrats a few years back, we support the troops but not the war. Sorry, it doesn’t work that way!

I wasn’t happy we won because it was a shit team. But I’m happy that I’m not pissed because we didn’t lose a team that’s won a couple games, has an RPI in the 300’s and has no business being in D1. So I guess I’m “happy” an unfathomable disaster was avoided. Actually, I guess I truly should be happy it was avoided since they’ve happened too frequently.

We have shot the ball incredibly well, so I guess there’s that.

And you might be right? This may have been the best crowd of the year. Actually, you’re not right, Cincy had more fans. Maybe this is second best? Very nice crowd.

 

[Pistol Pete 1]

Oh yeah I left that out, we played a shit team. Be happy and enjoy the good stuff. We kicked the shitty team’s ass like we are supposed to.

 

[j. spilotro]

Oh yeah I left that out, we played a shit team. Be happy and enjoy the good stuff. We kicked the shitty team’s ass like we are supposed to.

Exactly. We did what we were supposed to.

It’s like not getting a failing grade in PE.

 

[j. spilotro]

Oh yeah I left that out, we played a shit team. Be happy and enjoy the good stuff. We kicked the shitty team’s ass like we are supposed to.

In terms of you being positive about people being pissed about wins, I concur. I can take snapshots off my cell phone with people hoping the Rebels lose. These are friends, many are guys that used to go to games.

They want this current tenure over ASAP. I do too, there’s no progression. But in the meantime, I can’t root against the Rebels. He’s a dead man walking, the clock started ticking before our loss to Marymount to start the season. Winning, losing, unless at an exceptional rate, isn’t going to change that. So may as well hope they win.

And if we stick with the guy, hope he does well next season but if it’s more of the expected same, so be it. If they give him a 5 year extension after this year, so be it. I still intend on being at games but it’ll be like now, without hope, just going through the motions until he shows he can do something of even the tiniest significance. For every “Ntambwe is going to be great”, there are a couple of AFA, Sucknell losses or three turnovers in a row to finish the Cincy game. In my eyes, the negatives have greatly outweighted the positives. We beat nobodies. And we lose to many nobodies. Because we stock up on nobodies. It’s just a really bad formula with a complete lack of understanding what is required at UNLV. If slow growth is the claim, growth is still part of the claim. And slow isn’t allowed in Vegas anyway. This isn’t just me speaking, I’m sure some are fine with the philosophy. But I can show you 7K unused tickets every game that aren’t biting into the slow growth argument.

 

[MonsterJam]

Me an Rebel-Luv was there! I don't give a sh!t who we beat by 30 - I want to win by 30 every time. We aren't good enough to complain about wins.

 

[Rebel1986]

I am not sure what you are trying to say Spilotro? " In my eyes, the negatives have greatly outweighted the negatives"

 

[j. spilotro]

I am not sure what you are trying to say Spilotro? " In my eyes, the negatives have greatly outweighted the negatives"

Thank you, corrected. The negatives have greatly outweighed the negatives.

Easiest way to tell that? We’ve never seen so few warm bodies in the Mack.

Yet somehow, last night’s crowd size was lauded. Look at that thing. It’s a Scarlet and Gray intrasquad sized crowd.

Nobody is buying, nobody has faith. Nobody cares.

 

[j. spilotro]

Me an Rebel-Luv was there! I don't give a sh!t who we beat by 30 - I want to win by 30 every time. We aren't good enough to complain about wins.

No. Not anymore. I’m not complaining about the win, I’m just not going to celebrate it as something significant.

But we used to get pissed off about losing to a ranked UNM or ranked SDSU or Arizona, Cal, losing a buzzer beater at Boise State....

Now those not only don’t piss us off, they are a job well done while we celebrate beating SJSU and rationalizing a double digit loss in our own house against LMU. Those things used to put you on a hotseat, now they get you Coach of the Year in some minds.

That is what we’ve become.

The bar for expectations have never been lower. Never. Not in the 30+ years I’ve watched.

If the current bar is where it’s going to remain, hire a coach for 150K and play the games at Cox or add a few hundred seats to the Mendhenhall. And make just cracking the field in the CITBI our ultimate goal.

 

[Pistol Pete 1]

Me an Rebel-Luv was there! I don't give a sh!t who we beat by 30 - I want to win by 30 every time. We aren't good enough to complain about wins.

Me and my 3 pals are at every game. I see lots of improvement with this team and I fully expect them to be playing in the championship game of the MWC Tourney and win it.

And so no one else has to say it, the conference, sos, coach etc etc etc and so on suck and please hire Pitino now.

 

[j. spilotro]

Me and my 3 pals are at every game. I see lots of improvement with this team and I fully expect them to be playing in the championship game of the MWC Tourney and win it.

And so no one else has to say it, the conference, sos, coach etc etc etc and so on suck and please hire Pitino now.

You and your 3 pals x 450 is what our attendance is, tops.

Was the lots of improvement against Air Force with the 106 points? Or being down 40 vs Sucknell? Or was the improvement last night vs one of the worst teams in the nation? The goaltending at the buzzer vs CSU? Was that the improvement? Record? RPI? I just don’t see it. Ntambwe, great strides. Noah has settled down a bit. Hardy has improved. Maybe that’s the magic?

You can see it that way and maybe you are right, stranger things have happened. But the 7K no shows don’t believe that and I don’t think half of the 2K in attendance see it either. And I know the university administrators and major boosters don’t see it either.

And it’s not about being right or wrong. But at this point, it’s a very heavily stacked deck that isn’t going to be overcome, IMO.

If they lose in the first or second round of the MWCT, will it piss you off?

 

[BornRebelRed]

Joe, give me your honest opinion on the percentage that we terminate Coach Menzies at the end of the year. 25%? 50%$ 90%? I truly have no gage on this.

 

[j. spilotro]

Joe, give me your honest opinion on the percentage that we terminate Coach Menzies at the end of the year. 25%? 50%$ 90%? I truly have no gage on this.

I’ll hit you up.

 

[DaUwillRiseAgain]

Menzies is gone. 3 years is enough time to show something. He has not, he is done.

 

[rebelwithacause]

If Menzies can go on a nice winning streak at this juncture of the season and maybe win the next 5 out of 6 games, than he will be making a great case to keep him another year. GO MENZIES.. WIN THE MW !!! GO REBELS !!!

 

[MonsterJam]

I think its 80% we keep him.

 

[Rebel_Luv]

I think its 80% we keep him.

I think there's a 80% chance that I shed a tear and take one step closer to completely giving up.

 

[MonsterJam]

80% LOL

We would have to have an epic collapse, which could happen, but I think there are more wins ahead since there are more bad teams ahead.

That's the MWC for you - and all the more shocking that UNR ranking increased from 10 to 7.

 

[LuvMeSomeRebs]

As I've said before, there's zero excitement about this program right now, the attendance is abysmal like Joe said and I don't see any of that changing anytime soon. The Rebels are looking at probably going 10-8 in MW play at best and a second round MW tourney loss. That scenario would most likely keep the pathetic attendance numbers in place for next year. At this point, the only way to get the excitement level and attendance up is to win big for an extended period of time and I just don't think Menzies is the guy to orchestrate that, I have a feeling Desiree doesn't think so either.

 

[j. spilotro]

As I've said before, there's zero excitement about this program right now, the attendance is abysmal like Joe said and I don't see any of that changing anytime soon. The Rebels are looking at probably going 10-8 in MW play at best and a second round MW tourney loss. That scenario would most likely keep the pathetic attendance numbers in place for next year. At this point, the only way to get the excitement level and attendance up is to win big for an extended period of time and I just don't think Menzies is the guy to orchestrate that, I have a feeling Desiree doesn't think so either.

Crowds typically wax and wane over the years and one season typically starts off based on the previous season’s results and a great incoming recruiting class can help get some people in out of curiousity.

But we aren’t waxing. We aren’t waning. We are at bare bones minimum attendance. We have 3x as many people who have purchased tickets and not showing than people showing. Our scalpers look like Ethiopians and they’re living off the dollar menu at McDonalds.

If this year ends pedestrian, you aren’t going gain any new bodies and you’ll probably only lose a small handful. I think the mass exodus is done.

For arguments sake, let’s say the crowds are similar to this year, call it even +10%. That’s still a huge money loss. Huge. And I suspect UNLV would be forced to play a couple more OOC games on the road (you don’t take the money loss at the home gate and you get paid to play there) to help defray costs. Which is a bugaboo in itself, because as you’ve noticed, there’s zero preference to playing on the road because 20 is an important number in the minds of some people.

But UNLV cannot afford the money sink. Sure, buyouts and new hires cost a ton, but that’s an investment and attempting to reinvigorate a fanbase with hope. A money sink with continued shattered faith of a long scorned fanbase is very difficult to survive.

Even though I don’t see it happening, there is still time to get things done this year. It’ll be tough because UNR is in the league but that’s the only thing that makes it tough. The rest of the league is mostly bad, some mediocre. So you need to play well, get some bounces, hope for the best, look for a little bit of magic .... or you have a big decision to make.

 

[Rebel_Luv]

Crowds typically wax and wane over the years and one season typically starts off based on the previous season’s results and a great incoming recruiting class can help get some people in out of curiousity.

But we aren’t waxing. We aren’t waning. We are at bare bones minimum attendance. We have 3x as many people who have purchased tickets and not showing than people showing. Our scalpers look like Ethiopians and they’re living off the dollar menu at McDonalds.

If this year ends pedestrian, you aren’t going gain any new bodies and you’ll probably only lose a small handful. I think the mass exodus is done.

For arguments sake, let’s say the crowds are similar to this year, call it even +10%. That’s still a huge money loss. Huge. And I suspect UNLV would be forced to play a couple more OOC games on the road (you don’t take the money loss at the home gate and you get paid to play there) to help defray costs. Which is a bugaboo in itself, because as you’ve noticed, there’s zero preference to playing on the road because 20 is an important number in the minds of some people.

But UNLV cannot afford the money sink. Sure, buyouts and new hires cost a ton, but that’s an investment and attempting to reinvigorate a fanbase with hope. A money sink with continued shattered faith of a long scorned fanbase is very difficult to survive.

Even though I don’t see it happening, there is still time to get things done this year. It’ll be tough because UNR is in the league but that’s the only thing that makes it tough. The rest of the league is mostly bad, some mediocre. So you need to play well, get some bounces, hope for the best, look for a little bit of magic .... or you have a big decision to make.

had a guy come into my work last night wearing a Reno hat. Told him you're in enemy territory he just chuckled and said that'll they will probably win 100 to 20. Then told me that Musselman gets at least a dollar a head for every person in a stadium. Wish we could do that in football with 65,000 seats that could attract a very high caliber football coach and in basketball also of course

 

[Rebel1986]

A dollar a head for football wouldn't get anyone. Even at $65K per game, that would be under $400K.

 

[Rebel_Luv]

A dollar a head for football wouldn't get anyone. Even at $65K per game, that would be under $400K.

More 4 FOOTBALL! Less games! You get them $5 a ticket.

 

[EastSideRebel]

Decent crowd tonight, very loud and into the game. Students showed up and was even lucky enough to sit next to some Lobo fans who left early in disgust! Good freaking night

 

[1Tripoda]

Decent crowd tonight, very loud and into the game. Students showed up and was even lucky enough to sit next to some Lobo fans who left early in disgust! Good freaking night

The crowd look decent, I thought

 

[JTthe2nd]

Kind of reminds me of the Democrats a few years back, we support the troops but not the war. Sorry, it doesn’t work that way!

Actually I think people can support the troops without supporting the war they're being ordered to fight in. I don't see anything wrong with that. I wouldn't want my son to die in a war I didn't believe in and I'd protest against it but that doesn't mean I wouldn't support my son or the other soldiers.

Back on the subject of basketball...

As pissed as I am with the way the team lost to AF and Bucknell I'd still like to wait till the end of the season to say whether it's been a total failure or if we're seeing solid signs of progress. We aren't going to win the MWC tourney so forget about the NCAA tournament. We all laughed at Reno for winning the CBI three years ago. No one's laughing at them now. If we can get into the NIT(or any postseason) and get two or three wins that would be enough for me to be hopeful for next year. We have a very nice core of players returning and they're young. We get Shakur healthy to go along with our two signees in Anderson and Pierre-Louis and we'll be in great shape. Reno loses 3 or 4 key players, Fresno loses their 2 leading scorers, SDSU is not looking like a major threat and we somehow have New Mexico's number. Next year with all that going for us we can't get in the conversation for an at-large NCAA bid then I'll join that 'Menzies sucks' Express that Scrub is talking about.

 

[1Tripoda]

Juice is already 24, I am not certain he’ll return?