Bookies Behind UNLV but Wouldn’t Mind If Runnin’ Rebels Lost

Las Vegas gamblers are rooting for Nevada Las Vegas to go all the way. Then again, they aren’t.

A trip to the NCAA Final Four by the Runnin’ Rebels could cost betting establishments millions of dollars in lost wagers. Nevada state law prohibits betting on amateur teams within the state.

Sonny Reizner of the Castaways sports book said he still would root for the Rebels.

He put it this way: “It’s like watching your 1987 Cadillac go over a cliff with your mother-in-law inside.”

Wyoming Coach Jim Brandenburg, on Thursday’s game against Virginia in the NCAA West Regionals: “We hope to establish some respect for the Western Athletic Conference.”

Funny thing is, Wyoming has won an NCAA title and Virginia hasn’t. In fact, the WAC has produced three different winners--Wyoming, Utah and Texas El Paso--while the Atlantic Coast Conference has produced only two--North Carolina and North Carolina State.

Trivia Time: What do Larry Bird and Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Gibson have in common?

From Steve Fainaru of the Hartford Courant: “Darryl Strawberry, who has had all kinds of off-field troubles since the World Series, strolled up to New York Daily News columnist Mike Lupica the other day and said: ‘I’m just telling you now. You write a lot of negative stuff. If you write anything about my personal life, I’m going to beat the (bleep) out of you.’

“Said Lupica: ‘The last guy to threaten me that nicely was Sidney Wicks.’ ”

It-had-to-happen dept.: “He’s getting a little nervous,” ESPN analyst Billie Jean King said of Miloslav Mecir after he lost a point to go love-15 on his serve while trailing Ivan Lendl in the third set, 5-4.

“I agree with you, Billie Jean,” said lead announcer Cliff Drysdale. “I smell a break.”

Mecir won the next four points to make it 5-5, then won the next two games to close out the match.

Pulling the Plugs: From the Chicago Tribune: “The Bic Corporation has dropped John McEnroe as a spokesman for its disposable shaver products, insisting the decline in Mac’s ranking was not responsible for the decision.”

From The Sporting News: “The Kellogg Co. has scrapped plans to use Dwight Gooden to promote cornflakes, but the company said the decision had nothing to do with Gooden’s recent legal problems.”

Where They Are Now: Former DePaul guard Gary Garland, who failed to stick with the Phoenix Suns, is a singer in a group headed by his sister. Her name is Whitney Houston. In the 1978-79 Final Four, Garland was on the all-tournament team along with Magic Johnson and Greg Kelser of Michigan State, Larry Bird of Indiana State and Mark Aguirre of DePaul.

From Robert DuCanto, lawyer for Harriet Irsay, who is seeking a share of the Indianapolis Colts in a divorce settlement with owner Robert Irsay: “If this goes to trial, I’d sooner bet on the Colts being in the Super Bowl than this getting settled before 1990. We’ll be at this the next five years. I may retire on this case.”

Trivia Answer: Both played for Bill Fitch--Bird with the Boston Celtics, Gibson at Creighton.

Quotebook

Alan Greenberg of the Hartford Courant, on the difference between coaches Jim Boeheim of Syracuse and John Thompson of Georgetown: “When Boeheim screams at you, you know he really doesn’t mean it. Thompson’s the kind of guy who makes you glad you bought all that life insurance.”