Thin air = big heads at UNLV training camp

By Ron Kantowski

Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2008 | 10:53 p.m.

NOW

I got a little chuckle when I read what UNLV football player Chris Jones told Ryan Greene of the Sun's online staff about adjusting to the thin air of Ely at Rebel football training camp.

Jones said his helmet felt tighter and his jaw bones were killing him.

Maybe that explains why everybody in Denver has a big head. And have you seen the size of the melons of those yaks on Mount Everest?

Jones' quote brings back memories of when the UNLV basketball team went to the Final Four in Denver and some of the Rebels started worrying the Mile High-altitude would impact their running game and pressing defense.

"Don't worry about it," Rebels coach Jerry Tarkanian famously said. "We're playing indoors."

----- The Padres placed pitcher Bryan Corey on the disabled list before their game against the Brewers tonight and purchased the contract of infielder Sean Kazmar from Double-A San Antonio. If you're a big College of Southern Nevada baseball fan you probably remember Kazmar. He helped lead the Coyotes to the national junior college championship in 2003 when they had an extra "C" (for Community) in their name. "Hopefully he'll get enough playing time to have a Strat-o-Matic card next year," wrote his friend Cary Stanton in an e-mail. We think if that happens, he'll be a shortstop-2. Only Ozzie Smith was a shortstop-1.

THEN

Today's Olympic thought: Sometimes the name "Ionas Chepulis" pops into my head for no reason, and then I see Big George Foreman waving little American flags.