Marshall reacts with courage to cowards’ harsh tweets

UNLV had yet to make its way off the basketball court in chilly Laramie, Wyo., yet to make the slow walk up that long ramp inside Arena-Auditorium, yet to stroll past the sign that welcomes visiting teams to 7,200 feet above sea level and asks, "How's Your Oxygen?" when the harsh words found their way to Anthony Marshall's Twitter account.

"make a damn layup … you suck"

"(bleeping) Marshall! I swear! How do u miss a layup? And moser just sucks!!"

"IT'S A LAY-UP. FINISH AT THE RIM. You're a great player but (expletive)"

The Rebels had just concluded the first half of Mountain West Conference play by losing to the Cowboys, dropping a game behind the first-place San Diego State side that visits the Thomas & Mack Center today.

One UNLV fan telephoned a local sports talk radio show this week to say he would be bringing his children to the game, sit behind the San Diego State bench and spend the entire time cursing at Aztecs coach Steve Fisher in a way that would make Chris Rock's comedy appear wholesome.

Uh, really?

Nice life.

To begin understanding the disturbed nature of many who profess their devotion to a specific team is to hope you might solve the mystery of those Egyptian pyramids. Examining lunacy isn't worth the effort.

UNLV basketball is defined by high and often unrealistic expectations from those who watch and follow and cheer and tweet and post, certainly not a foreign truth to most programs ranked among the Top 25 and even countless ones that aren't.

But the fervor of most UNLV fans that theirs is a team destined for March greatness has been even more aggressive this season, as a first-year head coach in Dave Rice returned the program to its running roots, and wins against the likes of North Carolina lit an early fire among some who feel supporting a team entitles them to post negative and cruel tweets and messages, often hiding behind the cowardly and gutless camouflage of Internet monikers.

"I believe a lot of that stuff comes from a (small majority)," Rice said. "For the most part, people care. Sometimes, they cross the line and forget our players are trying very hard and we're not always going to be successful. I would hope in those times people would place the blame on me. When fans react as some do, it doesn't help anything. It doesn't help our current players and it certainly doesn't help recruiting."

Marshall wasn't the only UNLV player whose Twitter account was blasted with rude comments following the Wyoming loss, but is by far the team's most active of social networking athletes. He immediately took blame for the defeat and even thanked those who sent along tweets of profanity, adopting a kill-them-with-kindness approach while even re-tweeting many of the negative arrows sent his way.

"You have in the back of your mind that if they were truly fans, that stuff wouldn't come out," Marshall said. "I understand people react emotionally. Some guys wouldn't reply or just delete their Twitter account. I use it as motivation. It fuels me to get better. If you put yourself out there among the marquee programs, you'll be loved when you win and the haters come out when you lose. Comes with the territory. It's a gift and a curse."

The reactions should turn all positive later today, because there might not be a team nationally that offers a bigger discrepancy than UNLV when it comes to how it performs at home compared to elsewhere.

San Diego State likely will need an effort much like or even better than what it offered in winning at New Mexico to have a chance at extending its win streak against UNLV to seven. That's how dominant the Rebels have been here this season.

"(UNLV) is appreciably greater offensively at home," Fisher said. "I know we'll be ready, and I'm sure they'll be ready also. They're very good, immensely talented at every spot, and it will be a huge crowd. This is what everybody wants to play in, though, these kinds of games and this kind of environment."

It tends to bring out the best in teams. And, depending on the outcome, the worst in some who hide behind the safety of a keyboard and catchy little monikers.

"I'm sure if we win (today), everyone will be back behind us," Marshall said. "But it doesn't mean you don't make those mental notes about who wasn't in the tougher times."

Las Vegas Review-Journal sports columnist Ed Graney can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4618. He can be heard from 3 to 5 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday on "Monsters of the Midday," Fox Sports Radio 920 AM. Follow him on Twitter: @edgraney.