Rebels state case in beating UNR
Victory knocks Wolf Pack from MW lead, gives UNLV hope for late run
RENO — The fans packed Lawlor Events Center on Wednesday night, with Gov. Brian Sandoval and former UNR football coach and UNLV tormentor Chris Ault among those watching.
Wolf Pack supporters hoped this would be another show like last season, when they brought out Michael Buffer, noted voice in the boxing ring, to announce the starting lineups and then spent 40 minutes thrashing the Rebels.
This time was quite different.
This time it was the Rebels putting on the show, invading the home of their fierce intrastate rival and beating the No. 23 Wolf Pack 86-78.
Jovan Mooring and Shakur Juiston all but willed UNLV to this victory. Mooring scored 31 points, making 11 of 20 shots — including 6 of 12 from 3-point range. Juiston made 9 of 11 shots, finishing with 19 points and 12 rebounds.
UNLV
suits and have them bump bellies between innings at minor league baseball games.
Noah Goldman, the Roger Goodell of sumo wrestling, or at least its Paul Tagliabue, envisions a domestic and international circuit of sumo tournaments that will include the following ports of call: New York, London, Paris, Los Angeles, Hawaii, Seattle, Orlando, Florida. As well as “other major cities.”
“Although its roots are in Japan, where it started over 1,500 years ago, it has spread around the world and truly become an international sport,” Goldman said before three rikishi and one brave soul who walked out from behind the barriers to accept a challenge (or pay off a bet) put on an exhibition of sumo wrestling at Toshiba Plaza.
“The reason for its growth is actually very simple. Most of the matches last for maybe 60 seconds to 90 seconds. And so it’s quick, action-packed and it’s perfect for attention spans of people, which are short.”
Power and beauty
At Wednesday’s news conference, women wearing kimonos pounded wadaikos, the Japanese drums one hears incessantly at ballgames featuring the Chiba Lotte Marines or the Orix Buffaloes or the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters, before the rikishi made their way to the rudimentary dohyo.
None of these sumo wrestlers was from Japan. One was from Memphis, Tennessee. He said he was a former college cheerleading champion.
Commissioner Goldman said people who buy tickets starting at $59.50 will see sumo wrestlers from all over the world, including Japan. He said one should not be distracted by the size of the wrestlers or their paucity of clothing.
“It is not just large men pushing their opponent around, but it is also skilled athletes that use their skills and knowledge of force and balance to defeat their opponent,” Goldman said. “There is a great power and beauty in a sumo match. And there will be music, lights and an interactive experience that will captivate and entertain our audiences.”
The rikishi named Dan — 12-time U.S. Sumo champion Dan Kalbfleisch of Los Angeles — said all of that is true. But at the end of the day, he said, chicks still mostly dig the uniforms.
Contact Ron Kantowski at rkantowski@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0352. Follow @ronkantowski on Twitter.