Some teams not so special
Next to the Bowl Championship Cartel, games that last 3 hours, 45 minutes, and those horrid uniforms Virginia Tech wore against Boise State on national TV, my pet peeve about college football is coaches who say special teams are just as important as offense and defense — then populate their ranks with backups, walk-ons, squadsmen and freshmen.
Young teams such as UNLV can’t avoid it. Veteran teams such as Utah have the luxury of putting bigger men on campus in those positions.
Or did you not catch the number on the jersey belonging to the helmet that separated the football from the grasp of UNLV punt returner Sidney Hodge just before halftime Saturday, when the Rebels were still very much in the game against No. 20 Utah at Salt Lake City?
It belonged to senior Eddie Wide, a product of Cimarron-Memorial High, who rushed for 1,069 yards last season. Hodge fumbled, Utah recovered, the Utes scored on the next play to go ahead 17-3 and that was that.
It was 24-10 in the third quarter after — get this — one of the Rebels’ veteran linebackers (Nate Porter) blocked a punt and a walk-on freshman (Tim Hasson of Cimarron-Memorial) ran it in for a touchdown. But then it became 31-10 on a 72-yard punt return by Shaky Smithson, who faked four Rebels out of their athletic supporters.
Two of the four — Starr Fuimaono and Calvin Randleman — are starters. The other two were freshman defensive tackles wearing jersey numbers 57 and 97.
To make matters worse, UNLV’s Bradley Randle returned the ensuing kickoff to the Utah 11-yard line. It was erased by a holding penalty on a sophomore squadsman.
THREE UP
■ MIKE WINTERMUTE: The UNLV football fan and his crew have reprised their annual tradition of pooling their money to print a souvenir T-shirt commemorating the Rebels’ football season. This year’s model features an inspirational quote (but no swear words) from new coach Bobby Hauck’s first news conference. I’d have one by now, but the UNLV tailgating area was a ball of confusion before the Wisconsin game (how much spray paint would it cost to mark the parking spaces?), with people movin’ out, people movin’ in … and people gettin’ absolutely stewed on Red Bull and vodka.
■ REBELS IN THE PROS: Four former Rebels are playing on Sunday (and sometimes Monday, Thursday and Saturday) in the NFL: offensive lineman Johan Asiata (Bears), tight end Greg Estandia and defensive back Eric Wright (Browns) and offensive lineman Joe Hawley (Falcons). Utah, which beat the Rebels 38-10 on Saturday, has 20 guys in the NFL, followed by San Diego State (15), Brigham Young (14), Texas Christian (11), Colorado State (9) New Mexico (7) and Wyoming (5). (Air Force has a lot of guys playing on Sunday for Uncle Sam, but none for Roger Goodell.)
■ DeMARCO MURRAY: The former Bishop Gorman standout, who gained 208 yards on 35 carries in Oklahoma’s 31-24 opening victory over Utah State but was held to 51 yards on 16 carries in a 47-17 blowout of Florida State on Saturday, is ESPN college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit’s pick to win the Heisman Trophy. Provided they can get it back from Reggie Bush.
THREE DOWN
■ KATHY OLIVIER: “I’m excited about the chance to have our TV games in a packed house in the Cox Pavilion,” the Lady Rebels coach said. If Barack Obama debates Hillary Clinton at halftime and John Wall reprises his NBA summer league debut as a Lady Rebels guest star — these were the last two times I recall Cox Pavilion being anywhere close to a “packed house” — it could happen. Meanwhile, Dennis Kucinich is still standing under the basket, wide open, waiting for somebody to ask him a question about the economy.
■ WORDS FROM SPONSORS: I read where 82 percent of advertising revenue on The Mtn. is generated by Utah-based sponsors. With Utah and Brigham Young departing the Mountain West Conference, that means there will be plenty of opportunity for Laramie Livestock Feed and Supply, Ed’s Conoco in Fort Collins and Danny’s Slot Country on Boulder Highway to jump on board.
■ REVERSING THE CHARGES: First UNLV basketball star Tre’Von Willis, now boxer Floyd Mayweather. Fellas, the next time you get into an argument with your girlfriend, do not put her cell phone in your pocket. This is considered grand larceny — unless your girlfriend is one of those “cougars” who uses a cell phone shaped like a brick. In that case, rather than press charges, she might thank you in the morning.
Las Vegas Review-Journal sports columnist Ron Kantowski can be reached at
rkantowski@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0352.