Rebels in the Bahamas

[Rebel Chi-girl]

Coach Menzies is planning to take the Rebels on a team building trip to the Bahamas. The Runnin' Rebel Club is underwriting the trip. The Rebels are playing 3 games in August. 8/14 against University of Toronto, 8/16 against CTG Knights, & 8/17 against Providence Storm. Could be good to get the team unified as well as the extra practice time.

 

[LVKryptonite]

I agree that it could be great for "this" team and current roster. When I was reading the article, it said that we could only take international tours once every 10 years. I think the tour is a great recruiting tool. I think we should have saved the trip. I feel that it was wasted on this team. For example, if we were recruiting some 5 star commits and to sweeten the pot.

On the bright side, these guys are getting in a lot of extra practice and burn. Anyway, good and bad about this. I think that we are cashing in a nice tool way too early. Maybe it will help, but when we can only use it every 10 years that sucks. But if I were the coach here or a player, I would want to get everything I could also as even though you have a contract, the future is very uncertain per recent history. So...strike while the iron is hot.

 

[Doubleyew]

I think the length between trips is 4 years, but not 100% sure. I could have sworn they went to Canada last.

 

[khokhol8]

It's every 4 years, that way the prototypical 4 year player should get to go at some point. Canada 4 years ago. Australia 8 years ago was the first look for many at Beas Hamga and I remember he had all the hype going into that trip and that season. After the Australia trip the buzz was that he was terrible.

 

[j. spilotro]

I think the length between trips is 4 years, but not 100% sure. I could have sworn they went to Canada last.

Canada 4 years ago, Australia the four years before that, Canada (Vancouver) the four years before that, which was Kruger's first year. None under Spoonhour and I don't recall any under Bayno, Grg or Massimino....don't know with Tark, though I know he had some... I specifically remember the '87 FF team went somewhere (New Zealand maybe?).... plus, I don't know when the every four years thing was instituted by the NCAA's.

 

[calvegas04]

man this group of kids he has strung together really hit the jackpot then

 

[YellowSpinE]

Canada was a great trip. Was hoping they might do the trip next year. All booked up for vacations this year already.

 

[rebel lover]

Is there going to be a stream? I'd love to watch these games.

 

[LVKryptonite]

They lost the first game because we can't hit free throws again. Poyser missed which was surprising to me.

 

[calvegas04]

lol losing to U of Toronto

 

[YellowSpinE]

Yea read that RJ or Sun article, whichever it was. Sounded like they had the game, then blew it down the stretch.

Hopefully this trip is a good learning experience. This could be a painful season.

 

[j. spilotro]

Canada was a great trip. Was hoping they might do the trip next year. All booked up for vacations this year already.

Would have been better for next year, IMO.

Let's say the added practices/experience/time together is good for a couple extra wins per year.

Better tacking those on to next year.

 

[UNLVFansincebirth22]

They lost the first game because we can't hit free throws again. Poyser missed which was surprising to me.

I thought the exact same thing in regards to hitting free throws. UGH. Maybe having "UNLV" emblazoned across the chest makes free throw shooting more difficult.

 

[MonsterJam]

Im not worried about the short term. Lets give Coach a few years to right the ship.

 

[Ernie Baer]

Canada 4 years ago, Australia the four years before that, Canada (Vancouver) the four years before that, which was Kruger's first year. None under Spoonhour and I don't recall any under Bayno, Grg or Massimino....don't know with Tark, though I know he had some... I specifically remember the '87 FF team went somewhere (New Zealand maybe?).... plus, I don't know when the every four years thing was instituted by the NCAA's.

In the early part of the summer of 86 the team took a couple of weeks trip to Tahiti, Australia and concluded in New Zealand. Tahiti was for R&R/team building while the Rebels played club teams in Australia and New Zealand.


In the spring of 77 the team took an almost two week trip to Israel and England to play club teams. Trip was arranged by the great Dave Pearl and a lot of fun. The program had an arrangement at the time with a company called People to People Sports. UNLV agreed to go overseas while they arranged for Yugoslavia and China to come to Las Vegas to play the Rebels in exhibition games.


International trips back actually took place in the late spring/early summer so not quite as beneficial, and were not nearly as prevalent as they are today for a variety of reasons.

 

[j. spilotro]

In the early part of the summer of 86 the team took a couple of weeks trip to Tahiti, Australia and concluded in New Zealand. Tahiti was for R&R/team building while the Rebels played club teams in Australia and New Zealand.


In the spring of 77 the team took an almost two week trip to Israel and England to play club teams. Trip was arranged by the great Dave Pearl and a lot of fun. The program had an arrangement at the time with a company called People to People Sports. UNLV agreed to go overseas while they arranged for Yugoslavia and China to come to Las Vegas to play the Rebels in exhibition games.


International trips back actually took place in the late spring/early summer so not quite as beneficial, and were not nearly as prevalent as they are today for a variety of reasons.

Remember speaking to several of the guys on the '86-'87 team over the years about that season and about that foreign trip.

Until I talked to these players, given how that team played, I figured they were best of buds, there were no issues or clashes. But in speaking with them, yes, they got along, but there were a lot of very strong personalities on that squad cut from different cloths. Some cliques, but not divisive. I figured it to be one big happy clique. I was told that trip specifically helped greatly with team bonding, that many potential issues were put to bed early. In the end, even if teammates didn't see completely eye to eye, they had each other's backs on the floor. When it was time to go to war, they were one.

It was one of the first times I had the innocent images of this mystical entity being smashed. The team, the players - larger than life, perfection, untouchable... Not true. Frailties, struggles, normal people with a unique gift that have the same problems as everyone else.

 

[calvegas04]

Im not worried about the short term. Lets give Coach a few years to right the ship.

Im not sure UNLV would give him more than 2 years if they are both losing seasons.

 

[MonsterJam]

Im not sure UNLV would give him more than 2 years if they are both losing seasons.

I think that depends on exactly how these losing seasons transpired and what we saw on the floor from him as a coach. If he looks completely incompetent and lost and it appears he is outside of his league, then yeah a third year wouldn't seem likely. But if the team looked better with close losses to good teams at the beginning of the year and reasonable losses during conference play and bright prospects with returning players and better recruits (albeit losing seasons), I think we stay with him.

 

[calvegas04]

I think that depends on exactly how these losing seasons transpired and what we saw on the floor from him as a coach. If he looks completely incompetent and lost and it appears he is outside of his league, then yeah a third year wouldn't seem likely. But if the team looked better with close losses to good teams at the beginning of the year and reasonable losses during conference play and bright prospects with returning players and better recruits (albeit losing seasons), I think we stay with him.

That sounds like Rice's team