Friday, March 21, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.
HE'S NOT going anywhere.
It's not that he couldn't. Or wouldn't.
Or that he'd be branded foolish if he did.
But Bill Bayno has to see that his best bet for personal satisfaction and for widespread acclaim is right here in Las Vegas as men's basketball coach at UNLV.
Not that some other school -- maybe even one higher up the pecking order -- won't direct an inquiry or two toward Bayno. No doubt, he'll be considered -- if not formally polled -- about assorted coaching vacancies across the country, probably at regular intervals.
He's a hot property.
His second UNLV team just finished 22-10, reaching the final eight in the NIT. The Rebels were unexpectedly successful, which reflects directly on the coach as well as the players themselves.
As a result, Bayno's name is apt to pop up when high-profile coaching positions come open. Here he is, not yet 35 years old, and his future as a head coach has been solidified.
If he chooses, he can safely reflect on what has happened in his two seasons at UNLV and realize he has permanently established himself as a collegiate coach. If coaching is to be his life's vocation, he's certain of a job for at least a couple of decades to come.
He may not spend all of those 20 or 30 years at UNLV, but it would be in his best interest to at least stay for a while. In fact, if he can rebuild the Rebels to where they were a few years ago, Bayno -- despite being an Easterner at heart -- might very well be content to live out his life, and coaching career, here.
As it presently stands, his UNLV contract runs through April 30, 2000. His base salary is $110,000.
He may be entitled to a boost in salary, given he's on the lower end of the pay scale among Western Athletic Conference basketball coaches. You could say he merits a raise, UNLV having made some serious strides both on the court and at the gate this season.
His team's success and his program's return to financial solvency make Bayno a deserving recipient for either a boost in pay or a bonus tied to a contract extension. In all likelihood, UNLV will find a way to up its ante.
Pinning him down for more years contractually isn't particularly important at this time, though. Some say otherwise, but there's no real urgency. UNLV can show its good intentions by throwing Bayno and his staff a few dollars, which will alleviate any lack of security he and his assistants may feel in their most insecure moments.
If he's treated halfway decent, Bayno stays to see just how far back up the ladder he can take the Rebels. He knows the UNLV name still carries tremendous weight among high-school standouts, and, as was proven this season, he also knows the community will respond correspondingly as the program improves.
Las Vegas may not be the small pond it once was, but it's still a great place to be a big fish.
Bill Bayno -- rich, young, single, man about town, coach of the city's favorite team -- could learn to love this.
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