Runnin' Rebels of UNLV

[seniorsooner]

Anybody catch the special on HBO? Pretty good stuff. I had no idea that Tark actually sued the NCAA for "harassment" and the NCAA agreed to pay him $2.5 mil in an out of court settlement.

 

[SoopaSooner]

Yea I caught it last night. I thought it was very well done. Larry Johnson, what a beast. It's sad back problems derailed his career.

 

[StatGeek]

good show, I had forgot about Greg Anthony breaking his face.

 

[SoonerTraveler]

That is a good show. It brings back some great memories. OU and UNLV (Billy and Tark) had a bit of a rivalry going in the late 80s.

OU actually beat UNLV twice in the 1988-89 season:

> Won 83-81 ... Semi-Finals of Maui Classic
> Won 90-88 ... at UNLV (great road win as Stacey King had a great game)

I can still see Tark sucking that towel inside the LNC.

:OUbball-logo:

 

[Sid]

That is a good show. It brings back some great memories. OU and UNLV (Billy and Tark) had a bit of a rivalry going in the late 80s.

OU actually beat UNLV twice in the 1988-89 season:

> Won 83-81 ... Semi-Finals of Maui Classic
> Won 90-88 ... at UNLV (great road win as Stacey King had a great game)

I can still see Tark sucking that towel inside the LNC.

:OUbball-logo:

Yes. At one time the Runnin' Rebels were the hottest ticket in Vegas.

 

[red recluse]

wish it had been longer and that larry johnson had participated. loved the perspective jimmy kimmel brought.

someone want to give me the history of the fight that broke out? i don't remember anything about it. they showed it in the trailer, and figured they would go in a little more in-depth about it. but no.

the final shot of the tark's check was most excellent.

 

[NMSooner'80]

Yes. At one time the Runnin' Rebels were the hottest ticket in Vegas.

Yep, they had that set of seats on the floor that was nicknamed "Gucci Row," because you had to be rich enough to buy Gucci to also afford those tickets.

OU has only played UNLV twice in Norman in men's basketball. The first was still the greatest game I've seen in person (1987 game, which OU won, 89-88, and was played in front of a huge crowd despite a foot of snow being on the ground outside). The second was in '90, when they ended up winning the title but were missing a couple of guys who were strong rebounders (ineligibility).

The OU media guide, after Dave Bliss left, incorrectly listed the '77 game as being in Norman. It was in a tournament out there, and a Final Four-bound UNLV team beat our kiddie corps by a score of 100-89. It was a five-point game in the last two minutes, so that was no blowout. That was the OU team that started two freshmen, two sophomores and a senior (and had no juniors). I think then-frosh Aaron Curry had about 28 points in that game.

 

[Sid]

wish it had been longer and that larry johnson had participated. loved the perspective jimmy kimmel brought.

someone want to give me the history of the fight that broke out? i don't remember anything about it. they showed it in the trailer, and figured they would go in a little more in-depth about it. but no.

the final shot of the tark's check was most excellent.

Here you go.

http://articles.latimes.com/1990-02-02/sports/sp-1316_1_utah-state

 

[WTSooner]

I don't get HBO. Gonna have to find a way to watch this.

 

[Sawyer]

Didn't get to see this, but have read Tarkanian's book ([ame]http://www.amazon.com/Runnin-Rebel-Benefits-Sinatra-Winning/dp/1596700181/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpi_1[/ame]). For those who haven't read it, it's absolutely worth it. His story is one every college basketball fan would love.

Wish I were old enough to have seen him in his prime.

 

[Big Old Booger]

Yep, they had that set of seats on the floor that was nicknamed "Gucci Row," because you had to be rich enough to buy Gucci to also afford those tickets.

OU has only played UNLV twice in Norman in men's basketball. The first was still the greatest game I've seen in person (1987 game, which OU won, 89-88, and was played in front of a huge crowd despite a foot of snow being on the ground outside). The second was in '90, when they ended up winning the title but were missing a couple of guys who were strong rebounders (ineligibility).

The OU media guide, after Dave Bliss left, incorrectly listed the '77 game as being in Norman. It was in a tournament out there, and a Final Four-bound UNLV team beat our kiddie corps by a score of 100-89. It was a five-point game in the last two minutes, so that was no blowout. That was the OU team that started two freshmen, two sophomores and a senior (and had no juniors). I think then-frosh Aaron Curry had about 28 points in that game.

We also played UNLV in Norman in 1984 when Tarks son played for the rebels.

I was in Vegas this weekend and LV people love Tarkanian.

 

[Sooner04]

Tark never forgave Tubbs for a bad scouting report. Billy told the Shark that Terry Evans was a big weak link on the '90 team and Evans promptly went out and hit six threes.

We were lucky in that we got UNLV's great teams in Norman. If we had played them in Vegas in either '87 or '90 we probably get smoked. As it was we went out there and got one of their lesser teams, '89, and won a close one. We were visited in the locker room after the game by "Iron" Mike Tyson.

 

[Sid]

We also played UNLV in Norman in 1984 when Tarks son played for the rebels.

I was in Vegas this weekend and LV people love Tarkanian.

But not enough to vote for his son. Did you get a good deal on a hotel?

 

[Sooner04]

We also played UNLV in Norman in 1984 when Tarks son played for the rebels.

That game cost us Mark Wade. Mark went to Tark's hotel the night before the game and informed him he wanted to transfer from OU to UNLV. Mark Wade STILL holds the Final Four record for most assists in a game ('87 National Semifinal against Indiana. I think he had 13.)

 

[Big Old Booger]

But not enough to vote for his son. Did you get a good deal on a hotel?

Yep. We stayed at the Winn for $200 per night. 59th floor overlooking the strip.

We were there for a wedding. The groom had the rehearsal dinner at Tao...12 people with a total bill of over $1800 and best food I have ever eaten.

 

[Big Old Booger]

That game cost us Mark Wade. Mark went to Tark's hotel the night before the game and informed him he wanted to transfer from OU to UNLV. Mark Wade STILL holds the Final Four record for most assists in a game ('87 National Semifinal against Indiana. I think he had 13.)

I remember that too. Wade was a short dude too. I didn't think we lost much when he transferred out. Guess I was wrong.

 

[playmakr]

Yep. We stayed at the Winn for $200 per night. 59th floor overlooking the strip.

We were there for a wedding. The groom had the rehearsal dinner at Tao...12 people with a total bill of over $1800 and best food I have ever eaten.

Was Garth Brooks still playing at the Winn? I stayed at the Winn in November and saw him perform. Very good show.

 

[Sawyer]

Reading threads like this really makes it obvious how depleted the college game is with the best players playing 1-2 years max. There's no going back, but it'd be great if we could.

 

[Big Old Booger]

Was Garth Brooks still playing at the Winn? I stayed at the Winn in November and saw him perform. Very good show.

He is but he wasn't there while we were. I think his next show is next week.

 

[NMSooner'80]

We also played UNLV in Norman in 1984 when Tarks son played for the rebels.

Can't believe I forgot that one. That was the first year that I ever had a VCR, and I forgot to tape it while on a trip from rural New Mexico to Albuquerque that weekend (then I moved back to Oklahoma a couple of months later).

From what I do recall about it (a friend of mine showed me his recording of the game), William Tisdale had the game of his OU life that day.