Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

UNLV-CSU still up in air; prep games go on

John Robinson and his UNLV football staff did their best to keep their minds on football on Tuesday. But with every television in the Lied Athletic Complex tuned to coverage of the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C., it was difficult.

"I don't know how (you can keep focused)," Robinson said while watching the events unfold on a TV in his office. "I think this is occupying everybody's minds."

The Rebels practiced for two hours anyway on Tuesday night in preparation for Friday night's key Mountain West Conference matchup with Colorado State, even though there was no guarantee the game will be played as scheduled at Sam Boyd Stadium.

The Mountain West Board of Directors scheduled a conference call this afternoon to determine whether to postpone this weekend's games.

"I think what our country's leaders say about this in the next day will set the tone for the weekend," Robinson said.

"This is not one of those kinds of days I expected when I signed on as commissioner," Mountain West Commissioner Craig Thompson said solemnly following a conference call with Mountain West athletic directors.

"We've decided to wait (until later today) and then see what happens. There are a lot of logistical concerns and questions to be answered so that people can get to the games safely. ... It was just such an unbelievable tragedy."

Colorado State was scheduled to take a charter flight to Las Vegas following practice on Thursday afternoon in Fort Collins. But the Federal Aviation Administration shut down all air travel in the nation until at least until this afternoon.

"That's potentially a huge obstacle," Thompson said. "You think about all that it takes to put on a college football game, especially one that is supposed to be on TV. Being able to just to get the teams to the game could be a problem."

Thompson said that Wyoming, which plays Saturday at Kansas, and Utah, which is scheduled to play at Air Force, already have made contingency plans to bus to their games. He also didn't rule out the possibility that Colorado State could do the same.

But at least one MWC team already has had its game postponed. Late Tuesday, Ohio State officials elected to reschedule its Saturday game against San Diego State at Ohio Stadium to an off weekend for both teams in October.

UNLV and Colorado State also both have byes on Oct. 20. They end their seasons on Nov. 17, so a Thanksgiving weekend makeup date is another possibility, if the games are called off.

"I don't even want to speculate on what we'd do in that scenario," Thompson said. "Right now our games have not been postponed."

Even if the teams can get to their locations in time for their games this weekend, there's still no guarantee the games will be played.

"Right now we couldn't play the Utah-Air Force game if we wanted to," Thompson said. "The entire Air Force Academy grounds are under a lockdown. You certainly wouldn't be able to get in there to play a football game."

Ten NCAA Division I football conference commissioners were scheduled to have a conference call today to determine whether games should be played this weekend.

Pac-10 commissioner Tom Hansen already has called off Saturday's Arizona State-UCLA game the Rose Bowl, the Pac-10's only conference game this weekend. Hansen strongly lobbied to postpone this week's games, comparing the situation to the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy. College football cancelled its games that weekend but the NFL didn't and was badly criticized for its lack of sensitivity.

Another Pac-10 team, Washington, had its game at Miami called off on Tuesday.

NCAA president Cedric Dempsey said the NCAA would cooperate with any executive orders issued by President Bush. He also said individual conferences and schools have the authority to postpone any regular-season games as they see fit.

"The games themselves are insignificant in the face of what has happened (Tuesday)," Dempsey said. "Our focus is entirely on the safety of student-athletes, athletics personnel and fans. We urge schools to make sound decisions about proceeding with contests today and in the coming days."

But on the local high school scene Tuesday, it was almost business as usual as prep games and practices went off as scheduled.

"The decision was made by the superintendent's office to conduct athletics as scheduled," said Clark County athletic director Larry McKay.

Soccer, volleyball and golf matches were played, and schools conducted football, cross country and tennis practices after an unusual day of school.

Some wondered whether that decision was the right one.

"I was waiting for the possibility of cancellation, not due to any fear of danger, but out of respect," Basic girls golf coach Jim Purtill said. "That didn't happen, and perhaps that was just as good for the girls. But I didn't see a lot of zest and enthusiasm."

Added Centennial boys soccer coach Rick Kazee: "I was kind of surprised we played tonight. When all this started happening this morning, I figured we wouldn't play. But the decision was made, so we tried to tuck it away long enough to play a match."

Others, such as Durango girls golf coach Kathy Faber, said Tuesday's match was a welcome distraction on an otherwise trying day.

"I thought it was a good thing these girls were out there on a beautiful day, not to make any less of the tragedy, but to show that life is still good," she said.

McKay said a decision had not been made regarding Friday night's football schedule. "We have to re-assess our position based on what happens on a daily basis," he said.

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