Home subscribe manage Las Vegas Review-Journal
  Jobs Cars Homes Shopping Travel Weddings Golf Best of Las Vegas Photo   Search:

RECENT EDITIONS
Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue

Sports
Aug. 31, 2008
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

BACKING UP THE HEARSE ... FOR A PARTY: 'Die-hard' UNLV fans show spirit

Supporters optimistic in wake of two-win seasons

By STEVE CARP
REVIEW-JOURNAL
More Info

Only a few cars were in the Sam Boyd Stadium parking lot two hours before the kickoff to UNLV's football season, but John Rice and some friends were already in a partying mood.

Rice and 30 friends gathered around his silver and red hearse before Saturday's UNLV-Utah State game. That's right, a hearse, complete with an ice-filled coffin holding four kegs of beer.

Newsvine Digg Fark Technorati reddit StumbleUpon del.icio.us Slashdot Propeller Mixx Furl Twitter MySpace Facebook Google Bookmarks Yahoo! Bookmarks Windows Live Favorites Ask MyStuff myAOL Favorites

Most Popular Stories
  • ED GRANEY: Sanford, LV Bowl have calls to make
  • 'WE DESTROYED THOSE GUYS': Cal humbles Rebels at home
  • UNHAPPY AT HOME: Rebels on losing streak
  • Pacquiao hungry to make statement
  • UNLV BASKETBALL: Rebels shoot for more fans
  • ED GRANEY: Defeat shines light on UNLV weaknesses
  • 2008 improvements not nearly enough
  • LAS VEGAS INVITATIONAL: Gillispie tackles challenge
  • De La Hoya seeks return to his peak
  • GLOBAL SPORTS CLASSIC: Campus comfy for Cal coach



    • Given the Rebels' futility in coach Mike Sanford's first three years -- a 6-29 record, with two victories each season -- perhaps it was ominous that UNLV fans would come to a football game in a hearse. But this was opening night, and Rice, a UNLV graduate and a fan since the mid-1980s, wasn't ready to cave in to negativity.

    "We're all die-hards," he said, excusing the pun as he leaned on the hearse. "We'll always come out. Regardless of how they do, we'll still show up."

    He didn't have much company, as only 18,815 made the trek to watch the Rebels defeat the Aggies, 27-17.

    Bradley Mayer was among those accounted for inside. The 2005 UNLV graduate rarely misses a home game, and he said he's looking forward to the day when football can achieve a modicum of the success basketball has enjoyed the past couple of seasons.

    "A solid athletic program can define a university," he said. "I think any fan would be frustrated with the lack of success football has had. But that doesn't mean you give up. You still have to be supportive."

    His friend Jack Buchanan is among the frustrated faithful. He's tired of losing, especially to UNR.

    "We shouldn't be a laughingstock," Buchanan said. "The fact we've lost to Reno three years in a row is a disgrace. If we lose to them this time, he (Sanford) should be fired on the spot."

    Rice isn't ready to can the coach just yet.

    "I don't think he's a bad coach, but he's got a lot going against him," Rice said. "It seems like it's always one little thing every game -- a missed field goal, a fumble, a penalty -- some tiny thing that does them in. We can't seem to put two and two together."

    A few feet from Rice, Jaymie Morris and Dawn Dudas were setting up their RV to tailgate. Their dad was Bill "Wildcat" Morris, a longtime booster who helped Bill Ireland start the UNLV program in the late 1960s. They wouldn't dream of missing a game.

    "It's frustrating, watching them lose, but we have to support them," Dudas said. "But we need to turn it around."

    Her sister said: "We've never missed a game. It's a legacy my father started. But sometimes people forget these are 18- to 21-year-olds. They're not professionals. They're trying hard."

    Still, it's hard to support a perennial loser, as evidenced by the sparse turnout. But for those who did show up, they believe Saturday was the start of better days for the Rebels.

    "Too many UNLV fans accept the fate of football losing and look forward to basketball," Mayer said. "But this is the year to turn it around. The time is now."

    Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.



    Leave Your Comment 12 Reader Comments
    Terms & Conditions
    The following comments are provided by readers and are the sole responsiblity of the authors. The reviewjournal.com does not review comments before publication nor guarantee their accuracy. By publishing a comment here you agree to abide by the comment policy. If you see a comment that violates the policy, please notify the web editor.

    Some comments may not display immediately due to an automatic filter. These comments will be reviewed within 48 hours. Please do not submit a comment more than once.
    Current Word Count:

    Go Rebels wrote on August 31, 2008 09:40 PM: Fans like you command more respect than you get from the UNLV leadership. Live long, and prosper. - Use Firefox if you're not. Have a great night.


    RebCam wrote on August 31, 2008 09:30 PM: That makes me wonder who does click on Post Comment more than once. Yes, I go through all those procedures every post and I understand internet and network connections. However, it is to no avail sometimes.

    We're almost on the same page....I am also for high expectations and a glorious program and yes I agree that the administration is too blame for many of the program's problems. However, Sanford is here now, they are not going to fire him tomorrow. So, simply put...support what we have now. Screamin' for his head will not put money in the UNLV budget to hire another coach. Besides, if Sanford does win only 2 games again, no one of prestige will want to coach here. Spurrier was available the same year Sanford was hired and why didn't he come here....he didn't want a rebuilding project in a bad conference in a small stadium with little fan support. Not to mention we could never pay him what he would've wanted.

    Look at Kruger, everyone wanted his head after only two years and those were winnings seasons, albeit not great ones but now look at the basketball program. Football will be longer to rebuild from practically nothing which is what was given to him.

    That is some of the reason I support him and UNLV. Plus I believe he can still get it done, call me sappy if you will. Can't help my feelings of loyalty. Sorry Go Reb, that's me for better or worse.


    Go Rebels wrote on August 31, 2008 08:51 PM: You'll find me here every week counting down the loses and tallying up the excuses. I am sorry that you feel like this program needs support from fans to succeed. That is the point. It needs support from the university administration to succeed. They need to fire Sanford, get their expectations up, and commit to excellence and stop excusing mediocrity. Way too many excuses. Look up the word Myopia.

    As far as posting is concerned, slow down. Click on Post Comment once and close your browser or the tab. It takes a while for the post to submit to the server. Come back to the page in about 60 seconds. If you continue to have troubles posting, verify that your internet connection is stable or that your browser does not go into offline mode. Good luck.


    RebCam wrote on August 31, 2008 08:25 PM: I'm simply a fan that wants to see the program succeed. So I feel it's my duty to knock those down that knock the program down.

    A Democrat.....that's good. That's actually almost as offensive as you're awful opinion of UNLV.

    I swear only one out of five of my comments actually posts, so although I've smashed you several times in the last 15 minutes that no one will ever get to read, we'll have to continue this some other time.


    Go Rebels wrote on August 31, 2008 07:50 PM: RebCam, you are either a paid RJ columnist, an unpaid RJ volunteer, a democrat. You have a lot of excuses for why the program is in the state it is in. None of them include 7-29 Mike Sanford.


    RebCam wrote on August 31, 2008 03:56 PM: I didn't say UNR was great, I said that we HAVE to play them every year. Another words Idiot, we can't replace them with LSU, FLORIDA OR ALABAMA. I said nothing about moral victories and Wisconsin is a top tier program contrary to your ignorant thought process.
    If you were a rebel fan you wouldn't be fighting against those that truely care bout the program anyhow.


    Rebinreno wrote on August 31, 2008 02:53 PM: GOOD GAME REBS!
    Just wish they would have finished a little stronger. They need to toughen up in the 4th quarter!


    Go Rebels wrote on August 31, 2008 11:04 AM: Hey RebCam, UNR every year! Unreal. I stand corrected. That shows how much I know. I am glad that none of those SEC or Big Twelve teams...actually, they are glad that they do not have to play mighty UNR. Wisconsin? Hawaii? Those are flash in the pan programs. Hold on to the Wisconsin (did they even win?) moral victories as long as is necessary. Arizona State will be good to show that UNLV should pack it up, pack it in..I came to get down, and jump around.


    RebCam wrote on August 31, 2008 10:29 AM: Hey moron, they only get to schedule 4 games every year. Last time I checked Arizona State was ranked, we have to play UNR every year, Utah State was already put in by John Robinson and how could've MS known that Iowa State was going to be this bad. But I guess last season Wisconsin and then a good Hawaii team doesn't count for real football.


    Go Rebels wrote on August 31, 2008 08:56 AM: Why do the Rebels always schedule such weak opponents? I had to look up the fact that Utah State is in the WAC. Who wants to see Utah State. Can't they schedule some SEC teams so that we can see some real football?


    Read All Comments