Friday, March 7, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.
They love him in TV land, bay-bee.
And it doesn't matter if his team ends up playing on CBS or ESPN, national analysts hold UNLV men's basketball coach Bill Bayno in high regard. Prior to Thursday's quarterfinal loss to Tulsa in the Western Athletic Conference tournament, Bayno was being lauded as the program's savior.
Tulsa's victory virtually dashed the Rebels' hopes for an appearance at the NCAA Tournament, which is aired on CBS. But the team's hopes for a bid to the National Invitational Tournament, broadcast by ESPN, are considered a lock.
"Billy Bayno, you're doin' it the right way, baby," ABC and ESPN hoops savant Dick Vitale sang.
His thoughts were echoed, although more quietly, by broadcasting neophyte Dale Brown. The soon-to-be-former Louisiana State head coach, who joins Vitale for ESPN's March Madness coverage, places Bayno in select company when considering his handling of former UNLV coach Jerry Tarkanian's ghost.
"I think he's done a great job," Brown said. "How many legends are immediately replaced? How many did it take to replace Casey Stengel, Vince Lombardi, John Wooden, Red Auerbach?
"After 727 coaches at UNLV and 11 hundred one year it seemed like, he came in and did the job. He's legitimate."
But to guarantee the ultimate postseason goal next season -- the NCAA field of 64 -- Vitale claims Bayno needs to improve the Rebels' nonconference slate.
"They have to increase their schedule, get a few more big, marquee names on that schedule and they'll be able to take the next step," Vitale said.
Vitale claims he was a Bayno fan even when the Rebel boss was an assistant under John Calipari at Massachusetts.
"Billy Bayno has proven again to me there are a lot of great assistant coaches out there -- second lieutenants -- who can be great coaches," he said.
"But I want you to tell him right now: I want four tickets to the Mike Tyson-Evander Holyfield fight if you want to get any more (publicity) on ESPN or ABC -- and I'm willing to pay for the tickets."
To which Bayno half-jokingly responded: "He hasn't given me any PR all year. I think Tark gave him some (tickets). Maybe that's why he was talking Fresno State up Wednesday night.
"But really, those words mean a lot to me, my program and my kids."
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