NO LOVE FOR CRUCES
Rocky Long lightheartedly says his team won’t stay or spend money there when facing Aggies
HENDERSON, Nev. — Rocky Long’s loyalty to the University of New Mexico apparently goes beyond staying connected to his alma mater and wanting to help the Lobos in any way he can.
The San Diego State coach, and former UNM quarterback and head coach, said Tuesday that he still doesn’t mind sticking it to the Lobos’ rival, New Mexico State, even if that means his team will be staying in a hotel in El Paso rather than in Las Cruces.
“Why would you be in a hotel room in Las Cruces and helping their economy?” Long said during the Mountain West Conference media days at Green Valley Ranch Resort Spa & Casino in Henderson, Nev.
“You just go to El Paso and stay in El Paso.”
Long, whose Aztecs play at New Mexico State Sept. 14 at 6 p.m., insisted that he said that tongue in cheek. “I have a lot of friends of mine that went to New Mexico State.”
But the Aztecs coach believes that there aren’t many hotels in Las Cruces that can house a football team’s needs for a road trip, which include meeting rooms and usually food. Plus, most teams f ly into El Paso in the first place and then bus to Las Cruces.
“But it sounds better the other
way, doesn’t it?” Long quipped.
NMSU athletic director Mario Moccia delivered a lighthearted counterpunch Wednesday.
“A good New Mexican and a great college coach like Rocky should want to put money in our state’s economy instead of Texas’,” Moccia said.
Most visiting football teams do stay in El Paso rather than in Las Cruces, said NMSU officials, though it may surprise some that rival UTEP in the past has left El Paso and stayed in Las Cruces the night before a game at Aggie Memorial Stadium.
Last season, the Lobos, however, stayed at Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces before beating the Aggies, 42-25.
“We stay in Las Cruces for the NMSU game,” said Davie, whose Lobos will play host to the Aggies Sept. 21 at 2:30 p.m. “It makes no sense for me to bus past Las Cruces and stay in El Paso.”
Davie also said it doesn’t make sense to drive to Las Cruces on the day of the game, even when played at night.
Long added more fuel to the Rio Grande Rivalry fire by adding that he usually had his UNM team stay in El Paso when he coached the Lobos from 1998-2008. During that span, UNM was 5-1 vs. the Aggies at Aggie Memorial.
“One year we stayed in a hotel in Las Cruces and the Aggie fans were having a good time (at the same hotel) and our kids had trouble sleeping,” Long said.
That was the last time he had the Lobos stay in Las Cruces, he said.