February 19, 2025 • 32 mins
On this episode we talk all things UNLV Rebels with Fox Sports, Las Vegas Anchor Paloma Villicana. We chat...
- The changing face of Sports in Las Vegas with UNLV benefitting from the surge of pro sports in the City
- The job that Barry Odom took on and how good a job he did with Rebels football
- What Dan Mullen brings to the Running Rebels program
- Zach Arnett as DC demonstrating UNLV’s growing ambitions as a program
- Exciting times to be a Rebejs fan with Alex Orji and Anthony Colandrea at QB
- Th expectations for UNLV this coming season
- The future of the Mountain West Conference
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
I'm not going to comment on that. I'll get fine
for the rest of my life if I get comment
on that natural championship.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
He's gone.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
That young girls. Hey everyone, and welcome to the College
Shops podcast. On this episode, we're going to devote a
whole show to those running rebels from the University of Nevada,
Las Vegas. Which gives which, given their Mountain West status,
should have. My compatriot Olliver ecstatic. Holli, Hi, how are you,
(00:45):
my friend?
Speaker 4 (00:46):
I'm doing really well. Excuse me, I'm doing really well.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Doesn't sound like.
Speaker 4 (00:49):
I'm doing really well. Well, I'm doing well, Thank you, George.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
I am.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (00:53):
I'm really excited for this tonight. I guess is someone
that I followed from media perspective for a long time
does a great job of covering the program that we're
going to talk about tonight and the Mountain West, And
we had Commissioner Navaras on not so long ago. The
Mountain West is rapidly becoming our our Group of Five conference,
I guess. So I'm really excited to talk about the
(01:16):
rebels and everything happening around that Mountain West conference.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Yeah, I'll be honest, I am really envious but on
this episode, I am. If you've listened to this podcast
from the beginning, you know, my early years of visiting
the States where too wonderful. Las Vegas. Our guest lives
in this fabulous city and is an award winning journalist
the sports anchor for Fox five Vegas, hosting the Redstone
(01:43):
Sports Show through the year. With the huge expansion of
pro sports, which we will come and talk about. She
also covers women's basketball with the a CS and has
covered the Raiders the Stanley Cup Final as well as
the NFL Draft. So we are very excited to be
joined by Paloma Villacana. Hi, Poloma, welcome, how are you, hi?
Speaker 4 (02:00):
Guys?
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Thanks for having me. Yeah, like you mentioned, the sports
capital of the world. I mean, it's amazing to be
here in Las Vegas. We hosted the Super Bowl last year,
and you know, every year it seems to be like
the city is growing faster and faster. So so much
(02:21):
to look forward to in Las Vegas, especially with the
U and LV Rebels, which we'll.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
Go and talk about that length. Paloma, But I was
just talking to Oli before you came on. I'm trying
to remember the first time I was in Las Vegas,
which I'm going to give my age away. I think
it was about nineteen ninety seven, and there were no
sports in Las Vegas at that time. There were no
pro sports. The unil football team was a very small
(02:50):
part of the university. The university just didn't invest in sports,
and I really wasn't aware of what else. But as
you point out, Vegas has exploded with pro sports and
you'll get baseball team soon as well as the as
the hockey and the Raiders and the acies women's basketball
(03:10):
is just exploded in the last two years. So it's
a real, really exciting time to be in Las Vegas,
isn't it.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
Yes. I mean I moved to Las Vegas in twenty twenty,
so it was a challenging start to my career in
Vegas with COVID the Raiders moving to Las Vegas during COVID,
so no fans at Allegiance Stadium, no fans for the
first season that the Raiders were here. So along with
me and the Silver and Black, I was just trying
(03:42):
to get to learn the community, get to learn the city. Obviously,
the Golden Knights had huge success right out the gates,
so I already knew this was a basketball town with
the run and rebels. It was the aces, you know,
being here in Las Vegas, winning back to back championships
for the first time in in you know, program history.
(04:04):
So there's a lot of buzz, a lot of excitement.
We have the sphere. Everyone wants to do something in
the sphere. They host UFC fights, they hosted the NHL Draft.
You know, who knows what's next in the sphere. So
we have Formula one taking over the strip too, So
(04:25):
that has been wow. Just a global a global exposure
for Las Vegas. And like I mentioned, the Super Bowl
at Allegiant Stadium. So now with Allegiant Stadium and these
new venues, it is like the sky is the limit here.
Everyone wants to come here, everyone wants to bring a
(04:47):
team here, everyone wants to build a stadium here. So
to see it firsthand up close has been so amazing.
I'm originally from San Diego, and when the Chargers left
San Diego, it almost felt like, Okay, I also have
to leave my hometown and go somewhere. And my career
(05:08):
has taken me all over the country. But what is
so unique about Las Vegas is you have everything that
you want here. I mean, we don't have a beach
and you know sand, but you can go to the
Mandalay Bay and get that. So as a sports fan,
as a football fan, as a basketball fan, this is
(05:29):
heaven for me.
Speaker 3 (05:31):
I touched a little bit about what I recall about
the un V sports program back back in the day
from the outside looking at the Luke said, it's completely transformed.
How much of what you've just talked about has had
an impact on the program. How much about having pro
sports in the in the city has really elevated the
(05:53):
program to to where it is.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
Just know, I think just that you know, the Golden
Knights and the Aces and all of these pro teams
winning championships has brought a lot of national attention to
Las Vegas. Now you bring in Formula One, you bring
in the Super Bowl. Now we have a global scope
(06:15):
here in Vegas. So no doubt UNLV, you know, as
a program wants to also be in the national spotlight.
And like we mentioned U and LV football, the last
two years with head coach Barry Odom, he was able
to accomplish that they won eleven games. Last year, they
were one win away from the College Football Playoff. The
twelve team playoff, and I do think that the college
(06:38):
football playoff expansion has also helped UNLV come closer to
winning a national championship. Which you think of U and
LV football and you think of a national championship and
you're just like, I could never think of that together.
But now they have Dan Moullin who's bringing SEC experience
from Florida and Mississippi State and also has Mountain West
(07:01):
experience in his past. So now you have a big
name like Dan Mullen, and you have all these international
events here in Las Vegas that you know, you and
LV has the opportunity to show their face and show
their brand at these national games and these international you
(07:22):
know experiences. I mean, Las Vegas is a global city.
Everyone from all over the world, like you guys, come
there and experience everything Vegas has to offer. So no
doubt there's a level of that we need to be
up there with with everything else going on in this town.
Dan Mullen has told me that he wants you and
(07:44):
LV football to be the biggest show in Las Vegas.
So that's where if you're a un LV fan, or
if you're a YOU and l V alum or you're
a Las Vegas local, or you have any connections to
Las Vegas that fires you up that you can imagine
you and LV just being so close to, you know,
making taking that next step of winning the Mountain West
(08:07):
Championship and winning a national championship.
Speaker 4 (08:11):
Let's talk a little bit about how it's got to
that point, because for the longest time, the Rebels were
almost the whipping boys and the laughing stock of the
Mountain West in a lot of respects, especially from a
national perspective. They weren't a team that you know, if
you add your NLV on your schedule, and you weren't,
you weren't necessarily quaking in your boots coming into that game.
(08:31):
If you were a Power five pro ravel or even
a good group of five programs. How difficult was the
job the Barrio then took on? And I guess, as
a follow up to that question, just how good of
a job did he do? Because I know there were
some players around the program. I was lucky enough to
speak to a couple of Rebels as coach Arroyo was
(08:53):
fired and just before Barrioden came in, and it felt
like there was a little bit of an upward trajectory
with coach Royo at the end of his tenure. But
then coach Odum came in and he really has transitioned
that program into something that, like you said, I don't
think people ever imagined it would.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Yeah. So when coach Otum came into the program right
after Coach Royal, he was very disciplined, very disciplined, and
everything about his culture was about winning. Everything everything you eat, sleep, lift, practice,
the way you walk, the way you talk, the way
you study, the way you do everything was about winning.
(09:33):
And I've worked in the SEC, I've worked with Alabama,
I've worked with Auburn, I've worked all around the SEC,
and Barry otom gave me very nick Saban vibes. Just
so determined, so focused, so intense, very intense of every
detail of his day was dedicated to helping this program win.
(09:59):
And I've never seen that type of attention to detail
and focus at UNLV with the coaches in the past.
You know, it was you know, Baryotem took them to
their first Bowl game in ten years, first Mountain West
Championship appearance ever, so you know, he was doing things
at UNLV that no one had ever done before. And
(10:21):
now he's at Purdue. And what I can tell you
about coach Otum and just his culture is that he
is dedicated to winning. And you have coaches like that,
and you don't have coaches like that, you know, you
have programs and cultures like that, and there are other
it could be the flip side of that too. I
have seen both, I have worked in both. I know
(10:43):
what each looks like a winning a winning program and
a losing program. So my hat goes off to Barriodom
and what he was able to accomplish in two years
at UNLV, the wins, the history, the Mountain West Championship,
back to back appearances, you know, and and Boise State
they are very talented too. There is a lot of
(11:07):
talent in the Mountain West that I think people don't
talk about enough. Ashton Gent Heisman candidate, you know, running
back for Boise State. And obviously we saw Boise State
in the run. They had top four seed in the
College Football playoffs. So when I talked to Dan Mullin about, Okay,
how do you take that next step and win the
(11:29):
Mountain West Championship and and and have a spot in
this twelve to two playoff, I am so excited about
all of the talent he's brought in, the SEC, Big
ten ACC experience that he's brought in. I mean, in
my reports, I've said that he's dominated the transfer portal
because it is a different era of college athletics. In
(11:53):
making these one year teams, you know, every year is
going to be a one year team. You kind of
have to approach it that way of, Okay, you have
twelve months to get this team, you know, off and
rolling and go make history and go win a national championship,
and then you gotta start all over again. So it's
(12:15):
you know, long gone are the days of four year,
five year players. You know, I expect a new team
every single year. So with that you can kind of
go get what you need. If you need more depth
in the secondary, you need more depth in the quarterback room,
you need more depth and position you can get in
(12:36):
the off season. It's almost like the NFL. Now you
can go get what you need and pick up those pieces.
So everyone kind of has their thoughts about the transfer portal,
and I think it's only made college football more exciting.
You're seeing these teams like UNLV able to rise to
the top and teams you wouldn't expect to be in
(12:58):
this twelve team playoff succeed, So it's really exciting. Of course,
with all these new teams and new conferences, it's been
a lot of excitement to watch organ and these different
teams that you're just like, wow, you know what success
they've had. But it really comes down to the leadership,
the culture, how the head coach sets the tone, how
(13:22):
his players and his staff attack each day. I was
able to learn so much through bury otom and his
winning formulas. I feel like I could be a college
football coach out there if they needed me to. So
I love the sport.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
And Holowa You've used to work excitement a lot in
the ten minutes or so that we've been talking about it,
and your face basically paints a picture that life in
Las Vegas is very exciting around about the UNF program,
and right at the outset, you touched about Coach Mullen's
aspirations for what he wanted the program to be. What
(14:01):
does Dan Mullin bring to this program because we've talked
about Barriodom bringing the program to where it is, just now,
what are you expecting Dan Mullen to bring.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
Off the bat I think I knew him for my
time at SEC. He was a head coach at Florida.
I believe I covered his first year at Florida when
he was coming from Mississippi State. A ton of success
at Mississippi State. I remember that team in Starkville. They
were so dominant on you know, in all three phases,
they were so dominant. He takes over Florida obviously has
(14:35):
a great run at Florida. Just the quarterbacks he's been
able to produce too. You think of Dak Prescott, you
think of Tim Tebow, you know, everyone at Florida he
was able to help. So, you know, excited to see
the quarterbacks develop under him. Excited to see this offense
and you and lv is coming off WHOA two years
(14:56):
of explosive offense. I think they averaged you know, forty
points a game, so that is that is historic, never
been done before. Exciting to see these guys, you know,
score five six touchdowns again, so, you know, building off
a really dominant offense, No doubt Dan Mullen can take
(15:18):
them to the next step with his success, his offensive mind,
and really just really excited to see all the new
talent he's brought in from the SEC, from the Big Twelve,
from power for schools come in and really develop under him.
His offensive coordinator produced c. J. Stroud at Ohio State
(15:39):
and has you know, all these NFL talent under his belt.
So if I'm a player at UNLV, boy, are my
ears perked up or my eyes focused on? If I
want to fulfill my NFL dreams? I am in the
right spot with these coaches coming from the SEC, coming
from the Big Ten. You know, I know, oh, I'm
(16:00):
a woman and I'm a sports supporter, but hal, I'd
love to play football for Dan Mullen. You know, it
excites me. And the experience. The experience, you know, if
you've if you've won on the biggest stage in the
toughest you know, the SEC and the Big Ten is
it is a deep, deep, deep conference. So if you've
won there and you have proven success and you have
(16:23):
guys who have made it to the highest level who
have been paid the most money like Dak Prescott, and
you know, if I am a football player, if I'm
a college quarterback, I'm fired up to go play for
Dan Moullen.
Speaker 4 (16:38):
Let's talk a little bit about the two quarterbacks who
are going to play for Dan Mollen in twenty twenty five,
and for me, I think you n LV had arguably
one of the most interesting and exciting excursions into the
transfer pall for the quarterback vision because they're bringing Alex
Algi from Michigan, who is a no to dual for
it to bring in Anthony Kalander, who for me, I
(16:58):
think he's been the best quarterback Virginiors out for the
past couple of seasons. Very excited, exciting quarterback with a
great arm, a little bit erratic, but extremely talented and
extremely exciting. Is it exciting to be a un LV
fan with that quarterback room this year?
Speaker 2 (17:16):
Sure? You've just never seen transfers from Michigan and Virginia
come to UNLV. That's just never been done before. Obviously,
Ricky White was a star All American wide receiver for
Michigan State, so we have seen these transfers from bigger
schools come to UNLV and just dominate the Mountain West
(17:38):
put up stats. We've never seen Roocky White All American
Wide receiver back to back seasons with one thousand yards receiving.
So what I'm going to see at you and LV
and springball is right around the corner in March. So
as we talk about my excitement, I'm really excited to
hit the field. See see how these guys, you know,
look their arm strength, their size, their talent. But also,
(18:01):
you know, we want to focus on the quarterback, but
it's all the guys around him, right, It's the offensive line,
it's the receivers, it's the running back, it's the tight ends.
There's so many new pieces. This is a completely brand
new offense. So yes, I'm excited to look at the quarterbacks,
see their talent, the experience, the experience they bring of
(18:21):
playing in the Big ten, playing in the ACC just
already having that experience you and LV has had very
young quarterbacks in the past, true freshman's, you know, you know,
and they've had great freshman years. I think of Jaden
Mayava who's at USC, who was Mountain West freshman of
the Year, So you know, they they've been known to
(18:44):
have young quarterbacks. Now you bring in these older guys
like we saw last year with Hodge Muleagu Williams. You
know he played five years at Campbell, So now you
just have that experience. These guys know how to attack practices,
how to attack lifts, how to attack each day. And
now it's just getting into Dan Mullen's playbook and seeing
(19:05):
how that unfolds. And yeah, so there's a lot of
excitement at the quarterback but they've brought in some really
talented receivers, Titans offensive line. I'm excited to see all
of that in motion because with Burryotom it was like
they had a quarterback change in the middle of the season.
And with Barryotom, he gave equal reps to every player
(19:29):
so that the twos and threes could come in at
any moment and be ready to roll. So that was
really respectable. Was that. You know, when Matt Sluca left
the program, Hodge Milake Williams came in and he was
firing off on all cylinders. He could run, he could throw,
he was so smart, so ready to go, never never
missed a step. So I'm excited to see how Dan
(19:52):
Mullen develops his entire quarterback room, how he gets all
of those guys, because now you have two weapons. You know,
now you have two quarterbacks that could play at any time.
So that is that is college football. You got to
have that depth, You got to have that depth. Anything
could happen at any time. And the next guy, the
(20:12):
two and the three. They need to be ready to go.
So yeah, excited.
Speaker 3 (20:19):
With the weather we're having in the UK just now below,
but I think we all want to be in Las
Vegas for spring football. Let's quickly talk about the other
side of the ball, because Dan Mullen has made an
acquisition in zac Arnett as defensive coordinator and zac Arnett
had a very successful period at Mississippi State as a
(20:41):
defensive coordinator there less so as head coach, but many
will argue he didn't get any time to develop that team,
and Jeff Levy is going through the same situation. But
I can't go back to the kind of what you
Andy is trying to do and how much of a
statement of intent is the bringing Zach Krone and his
(21:01):
defensive coordinator.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
He's very smart. I've already talked to him and he
is all business. And when talking to Dan Mullen in
his first day as head coach at UNLV, you know,
he was like, yeah, yeah, yeah, we want to talk offense,
but we're really going to pride ourselves on the defensive
side of the ball. And coming from a defensive coach
with Barry Otom, I felt like I learned all the
(21:26):
bells and whistles from Barry Otom's defense. Super super explosive.
They developed All American linebacker Jackson Woodard, who's getting ready
for the NFL Combine right now. So the first time
ever that a UNLV rebel is going to be at
the NFL Combine, along with Ricky White too, So you know,
(21:47):
fans expect to see an explosive defense. We are coming
off a really really good year of UNLV's defense, and obviously,
you know, this defense had to face Ashton Gente twice,
so you know there's there's there's already that foundation there
of the players who are returning this year of the
level of expectation. But talking about Zach Garnett, I mean,
(22:11):
coming from Mississippi State and his time at Ole miss
the SEC is so intense on the defensive side of
the ball because look at the offense that you have
to face every single night in the SEC. It is
so talented, it is so deep. You're going against some
of the best quarterbacks in the country. So I'm excited
(22:32):
to see how he's able to give his SEC tools,
his experience to this group of players. You know, and
I spent time in the SEC. You know, and I've
been able to watch Mississippi State and I think I
may have crossed roads with with Zach Garnett. I remember
him as interim head coach, so he already has that
(22:52):
that that experience underneath him. He has that Mountain West
background as well, So when you think of bilding your
coaching staff and the experience and all of the talent
that he's able to work with, now he's going to
give that into UNLV. So really excited to see this
defense take the next step. They were one of the
(23:13):
best defenses on the West Coast, so it's exciting to
see UNLV where it's at because they went from having
one of the worst defenses in the country to one
of the best. So really excited. You know, the secondary
has been really strong the past two years for UNLV.
They've had a lot of corners, a lot of safeties
(23:34):
that have been flying around, a lot of interceptions, a
lot of takeaways. So just want to see this defense
take the next step. And you have to if you
want to play in the twelve team playoff, you want
to play against the Big Ten, you want to play
against SEC schools. Your defense needs to be solid.
Speaker 4 (23:52):
Without all considered. Coach Morlin coach on new quarterbacks, new
pieces of defense, was their expectations for you and l
the realistic expectations for you and LB football in twenty
twenty five.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
Yeah, they made it to the Mountain West Championship two
years in a row, with Bury Odom very close. Last year.
It was let me tell you about the Mountain West
Championship game last year. It was twenty degrees in Boise,
and you know, Boise State was rolling, so was UNLV.
(24:29):
But it was cold. It was just here's another thing
my thoughts, maybe the Mountain West Championship games should be
played at a neutral site like we see many of
the championship games. The fact that it was at Boise,
you know, it was it was definitely Boise home base,
home crowd, which is great. I mean, they they had
(24:50):
a higher percentage in the Mountain West, so that was
that was their their home field advantage. But oh man,
it was cold. It was cold, and you know, offensively,
they just couldn't get into a rhythm. Offensively, I believe
Hodge Malik Williams got sacked like six times. So it
was just they couldn't come out the gates swinging so
(25:13):
you know, it's the expectation is to win a mount
In West championship, and the expectation is to make it
to the twelve team playoff. And you have a head
coach who has experience, who has already been in the playoffs,
and he knows what it takes. He has the talent,
and that is that is that is the key in
(25:33):
the off season is who can dominate the transfer portal
and and build the best team every year? Every year
you are going to have to build the best team.
So a lot on the line this year, but obviously
really excited for another year in the Mountain West and
(25:54):
another year of really good football. I think you know
there's no underestimating them mount and West with the talent
they have, and you know it's going to be who
has the better defensive line, who has the better offensive line.
It starts in the trenches, and I just want to
see these players continue to develop and continue to succeed.
Speaker 4 (26:17):
I just want to finish off with the Mountain West
itself because it's a conference that is as the college
football realignment tables turn, it is the conference where there
is still some element of ambiguity over its future. Obviously,
ULBA committed until twenty thirty too. What does the future
(26:38):
of the Mountain West look like? As those teams, some
of them we've talked about already. Body State, for example,
will will leave in the coming seasons and others will
come in and they'll be what's the changes, What's what's
the future look like?
Speaker 2 (26:52):
Yeah, I think that the Mountain West it is, you know,
one of the stronger conferences, I would say on the
West coast. There has been so much change in the
Pac twelve and everything going on here on the West coast.
You know, I talked to coaches in the Pac twelve
(27:14):
or or excuse me, in the Big Ten like at
USC and UCLA and UNLV played Cal in the in
the Bowl game, and you know, the cross country travel
is brutal. It is brutal. I've heard from coaches that
you know, it's three days of you know, scheduling out
(27:37):
days to be at the at these games. You know,
Cal would leave on a Thursday to play on a Saturday,
So extra travel for these teams on the West Coast.
And with my experience and being in the Mountain West,
it has been so solid. It has been you know,
the same, the same schedules, the same travel. Not much
has changed. So in my opinion, that has benefited these
(28:00):
Mountain West teams that there hasn't been much change. They
can continue on their travel schedules and their opponents, whereas
teams like the PAC twelve and like the Big ten
on the West Coast, I would say there has been
so much change. So it's been nice to see that
the Mountain West has been so strong through all of this.
(28:24):
It's it's been nice to see that there still is
I don't know, maybe like just working together. These Mountain
West teams have been working together rather than splitting different
ways and splitting you know, all over. So UNLV still
does have the option to leave to a power for conference,
and I think that is what is attractive about the
(28:47):
UNLV job is you have the flexibility of if a
Power four team comes, they can make that move. I'm
sure there's more into that decision, but from a financial standpoint,
it makes more sense for you and LV to stay
in the Mountain West rather than having to pay a
twenty million dollar exit fee and go into a new
(29:09):
conference and then who knows, maybe that conference, you know,
sizzles out in a few years. So it's it's all
about how can you create stability for your student athletes
to have success. I'm kind of talking like a coach,
which is weird, but I'm with coaches every day, so
(29:29):
you're always thinking about your student athletes. And same with
basketball too. There's so much talent in the Mountain West
with basketball with STSU and Boise State and Utah State
and you and LV, so the travel has just become
kind of insane for the West Coast schools. So to
see that kind of strength the foundation at UNLV, hopefully
(29:53):
we'll see it just continue to get better and continue
for you and LV to be in that national spotlight.
Speaker 3 (30:01):
We say this often that when we have an excellent guest,
we could talk well for us all night, but we
don't have time. That's that's all the time we have
on this episode. Paloma, you've been a fantastic advocate for
not just UNLV but sports on the West Coast. So
we thank you for taking the time out before we
finish up. Tell our listeners where they can find you,
(30:25):
what you've got coming out or you're working on that
they can watch out for, or where we can catch you.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
Oh so sweet Well, Las Vegas I'm a local reporter
here in Vegas working for Fox five, but if you
follow Paloma Fox five News on social media, like I mentioned,
I cover all the teams here in Vegas, so the Writers,
the Aces, the Golden I, c U, l V, and
everything else that's coming into town. So if you come
(30:52):
to Vegas, you have to go to a Legion stadium.
You have to experience it. It's amazing. If you have
time to go to the sphere, you got to go
to the sphere. And then if you can try and
catch a U and LV football game or Running Rebels
Lady Rebels game. The athletics here in Vegas is the
best in the world in my opinion. So but thank
(31:14):
you guys. It's it's awesome to hear that there are
fans across the pond and that you know, it's exciting
to see the expansion of college athletics and what a
global impact it has. So I know we've been talking
you and LV football, but you know, got to give
a shout out to, you know, the women's basketball team,
(31:37):
the Lady Rebels and women's basketball in general. With Asia Wilson,
who is you know, a Las Vegas Aces player. It's
been so fun to see Las Vegas in a global spotlight.
Speaker 3 (31:51):
It's a shame that we run out of time, because
you're right, basketball in general in Las Vegas is is
huge from the athletics of the college athletics point of view,
but with the Aces doing so incredibly well, it's it's
truly and just women's basketball in general on the map
now is just an incredibly well watched sport, isn't it.
Speaker 2 (32:13):
Yeah, it's been really exciting working with the Aces, working
with the Lady Rebels. Asia Wilson is the biggest superstar
in the world and her shoe, it's really exciting. The
a ones. Yeah, next up we need to do a
podcast on you know, women's basketball and the Aces. I
could talk about that for hours, so next time.
Speaker 3 (32:35):
Yeah, be careful what you wish for. We'll be back
knocking on your door before you know it. Yeah, that's it.
That's all the time we have. Sadly thanks to Paloma
and Oli Fel excellent input. Thanks you all for listening
and supporting A Stacey from Well and catching Next time,
I'm not going to comment on that. I'll get fine
for the rest of my life if I get comment
on that natural championship.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
He's gone.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
That young girls. Hey everyone, and welcome to the College
Shops podcast. On this episode, we're going to devote a
whole show to those running rebels from the University of Nevada,
Las Vegas. Which gives which, given their Mountain West status,
should have. My compatriot Olliver ecstatic. Holli, Hi, how are you,
(00:45):
my friend?
Speaker 4 (00:46):
I'm doing really well. Excuse me, I'm doing really well.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Doesn't sound like.
Speaker 4 (00:49):
I'm doing really well. Well, I'm doing well, Thank you, George.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
I am.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (00:53):
I'm really excited for this tonight. I guess is someone
that I followed from media perspective for a long time
does a great job of covering the program that we're
going to talk about tonight and the Mountain West, And
we had Commissioner Navaras on not so long ago. The
Mountain West is rapidly becoming our our Group of Five conference,
I guess. So I'm really excited to talk about the
(01:16):
rebels and everything happening around that Mountain West conference.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Yeah, I'll be honest, I am really envious but on
this episode, I am. If you've listened to this podcast
from the beginning, you know, my early years of visiting
the States where too wonderful. Las Vegas. Our guest lives
in this fabulous city and is an award winning journalist
the sports anchor for Fox five Vegas, hosting the Redstone
(01:43):
Sports Show through the year. With the huge expansion of
pro sports, which we will come and talk about. She
also covers women's basketball with the a CS and has
covered the Raiders the Stanley Cup Final as well as
the NFL Draft. So we are very excited to be
joined by Paloma Villacana. Hi, Poloma, welcome, how are you, hi?
Speaker 4 (02:00):
Guys?
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Thanks for having me. Yeah, like you mentioned, the sports
capital of the world. I mean, it's amazing to be
here in Las Vegas. We hosted the Super Bowl last year,
and you know, every year it seems to be like
the city is growing faster and faster. So so much
(02:21):
to look forward to in Las Vegas, especially with the
U and LV Rebels, which we'll.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
Go and talk about that length. Paloma, But I was
just talking to Oli before you came on. I'm trying
to remember the first time I was in Las Vegas,
which I'm going to give my age away. I think
it was about nineteen ninety seven, and there were no
sports in Las Vegas at that time. There were no
pro sports. The unil football team was a very small
(02:50):
part of the university. The university just didn't invest in sports,
and I really wasn't aware of what else. But as
you point out, Vegas has exploded with pro sports and
you'll get baseball team soon as well as the as
the hockey and the Raiders and the acies women's basketball
(03:10):
is just exploded in the last two years. So it's
a real, really exciting time to be in Las Vegas,
isn't it.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
Yes. I mean I moved to Las Vegas in twenty twenty,
so it was a challenging start to my career in
Vegas with COVID the Raiders moving to Las Vegas during COVID,
so no fans at Allegiance Stadium, no fans for the
first season that the Raiders were here. So along with
me and the Silver and Black, I was just trying
(03:42):
to get to learn the community, get to learn the city. Obviously,
the Golden Knights had huge success right out the gates,
so I already knew this was a basketball town with
the run and rebels. It was the aces, you know,
being here in Las Vegas, winning back to back championships
for the first time in in you know, program history.
(04:04):
So there's a lot of buzz, a lot of excitement.
We have the sphere. Everyone wants to do something in
the sphere. They host UFC fights, they hosted the NHL Draft.
You know, who knows what's next in the sphere. So
we have Formula one taking over the strip too, So
(04:25):
that has been wow. Just a global a global exposure
for Las Vegas. And like I mentioned, the Super Bowl
at Allegiant Stadium. So now with Allegiant Stadium and these
new venues, it is like the sky is the limit here.
Everyone wants to come here, everyone wants to bring a
(04:47):
team here, everyone wants to build a stadium here. So
to see it firsthand up close has been so amazing.
I'm originally from San Diego, and when the Chargers left
San Diego, it almost felt like, Okay, I also have
to leave my hometown and go somewhere. And my career
(05:08):
has taken me all over the country. But what is
so unique about Las Vegas is you have everything that
you want here. I mean, we don't have a beach
and you know sand, but you can go to the
Mandalay Bay and get that. So as a sports fan,
as a football fan, as a basketball fan, this is
(05:29):
heaven for me.
Speaker 3 (05:31):
I touched a little bit about what I recall about
the un V sports program back back in the day
from the outside looking at the Luke said, it's completely transformed.
How much of what you've just talked about has had
an impact on the program. How much about having pro
sports in the in the city has really elevated the
(05:53):
program to to where it is.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
Just know, I think just that you know, the Golden
Knights and the Aces and all of these pro teams
winning championships has brought a lot of national attention to
Las Vegas. Now you bring in Formula One, you bring
in the Super Bowl. Now we have a global scope
(06:15):
here in Vegas. So no doubt UNLV, you know, as
a program wants to also be in the national spotlight.
And like we mentioned U and LV football, the last
two years with head coach Barry Odom, he was able
to accomplish that they won eleven games. Last year, they
were one win away from the College Football Playoff. The
twelve team playoff, and I do think that the college
(06:38):
football playoff expansion has also helped UNLV come closer to
winning a national championship. Which you think of U and
LV football and you think of a national championship and
you're just like, I could never think of that together.
But now they have Dan Moullin who's bringing SEC experience
from Florida and Mississippi State and also has Mountain West
(07:01):
experience in his past. So now you have a big
name like Dan Mullen, and you have all these international
events here in Las Vegas that you know, you and
LV has the opportunity to show their face and show
their brand at these national games and these international you
(07:22):
know experiences. I mean, Las Vegas is a global city.
Everyone from all over the world, like you guys, come
there and experience everything Vegas has to offer. So no
doubt there's a level of that we need to be
up there with with everything else going on in this town.
Dan Mullen has told me that he wants you and
(07:44):
LV football to be the biggest show in Las Vegas.
So that's where if you're a un LV fan, or
if you're a YOU and l V alum or you're
a Las Vegas local, or you have any connections to
Las Vegas that fires you up that you can imagine
you and LV just being so close to, you know,
making taking that next step of winning the Mountain West
(08:07):
Championship and winning a national championship.
Speaker 4 (08:11):
Let's talk a little bit about how it's got to
that point, because for the longest time, the Rebels were
almost the whipping boys and the laughing stock of the
Mountain West in a lot of respects, especially from a
national perspective. They weren't a team that you know, if
you add your NLV on your schedule, and you weren't,
you weren't necessarily quaking in your boots coming into that game.
(08:31):
If you were a Power five pro ravel or even
a good group of five programs. How difficult was the
job the Barrio then took on? And I guess, as
a follow up to that question, just how good of
a job did he do? Because I know there were
some players around the program. I was lucky enough to
speak to a couple of Rebels as coach Arroyo was
(08:53):
fired and just before Barrioden came in, and it felt
like there was a little bit of an upward trajectory
with coach Royo at the end of his tenure. But
then coach Odum came in and he really has transitioned
that program into something that, like you said, I don't
think people ever imagined it would.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Yeah. So when coach Otum came into the program right
after Coach Royal, he was very disciplined, very disciplined, and
everything about his culture was about winning. Everything everything you eat, sleep, lift, practice,
the way you walk, the way you talk, the way
you study, the way you do everything was about winning.
(09:33):
And I've worked in the SEC, I've worked with Alabama,
I've worked with Auburn, I've worked all around the SEC,
and Barry otom gave me very nick Saban vibes. Just
so determined, so focused, so intense, very intense of every
detail of his day was dedicated to helping this program win.
(09:59):
And I've never seen that type of attention to detail
and focus at UNLV with the coaches in the past.
You know, it was you know, Baryotem took them to
their first Bowl game in ten years, first Mountain West
Championship appearance ever, so you know, he was doing things
at UNLV that no one had ever done before. And
(10:21):
now he's at Purdue. And what I can tell you
about coach Otum and just his culture is that he
is dedicated to winning. And you have coaches like that,
and you don't have coaches like that, you know, you
have programs and cultures like that, and there are other
it could be the flip side of that too. I
have seen both, I have worked in both. I know
(10:43):
what each looks like a winning a winning program and
a losing program. So my hat goes off to Barriodom
and what he was able to accomplish in two years
at UNLV, the wins, the history, the Mountain West Championship,
back to back appearances, you know, and and Boise State
they are very talented too. There is a lot of
(11:07):
talent in the Mountain West that I think people don't
talk about enough. Ashton Gent Heisman candidate, you know, running
back for Boise State. And obviously we saw Boise State
in the run. They had top four seed in the
College Football playoffs. So when I talked to Dan Mullin about, Okay,
how do you take that next step and win the
(11:29):
Mountain West Championship and and and have a spot in
this twelve to two playoff, I am so excited about
all of the talent he's brought in, the SEC, Big
ten ACC experience that he's brought in. I mean, in
my reports, I've said that he's dominated the transfer portal
because it is a different era of college athletics. In
(11:53):
making these one year teams, you know, every year is
going to be a one year team. You kind of
have to approach it that way of, Okay, you have
twelve months to get this team, you know, off and
rolling and go make history and go win a national championship,
and then you gotta start all over again. So it's
(12:15):
you know, long gone are the days of four year,
five year players. You know, I expect a new team
every single year. So with that you can kind of
go get what you need. If you need more depth
in the secondary, you need more depth in the quarterback room,
you need more depth and position you can get in
(12:36):
the off season. It's almost like the NFL. Now you
can go get what you need and pick up those pieces.
So everyone kind of has their thoughts about the transfer portal,
and I think it's only made college football more exciting.
You're seeing these teams like UNLV able to rise to
the top and teams you wouldn't expect to be in
(12:58):
this twelve team playoff succeed, So it's really exciting. Of course,
with all these new teams and new conferences, it's been
a lot of excitement to watch organ and these different
teams that you're just like, wow, you know what success
they've had. But it really comes down to the leadership,
the culture, how the head coach sets the tone, how
(13:22):
his players and his staff attack each day. I was
able to learn so much through bury otom and his
winning formulas. I feel like I could be a college
football coach out there if they needed me to. So
I love the sport.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
And Holowa You've used to work excitement a lot in
the ten minutes or so that we've been talking about it,
and your face basically paints a picture that life in
Las Vegas is very exciting around about the UNF program,
and right at the outset, you touched about Coach Mullen's
aspirations for what he wanted the program to be. What
(14:01):
does Dan Mullin bring to this program because we've talked
about Barriodom bringing the program to where it is, just now,
what are you expecting Dan Mullen to bring.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
Off the bat I think I knew him for my
time at SEC. He was a head coach at Florida.
I believe I covered his first year at Florida when
he was coming from Mississippi State. A ton of success
at Mississippi State. I remember that team in Starkville. They
were so dominant on you know, in all three phases,
they were so dominant. He takes over Florida obviously has
(14:35):
a great run at Florida. Just the quarterbacks he's been
able to produce too. You think of Dak Prescott, you
think of Tim Tebow, you know, everyone at Florida he
was able to help. So, you know, excited to see
the quarterbacks develop under him. Excited to see this offense
and you and lv is coming off WHOA two years
(14:56):
of explosive offense. I think they averaged you know, forty
points a game, so that is that is historic, never
been done before. Exciting to see these guys, you know,
score five six touchdowns again, so, you know, building off
a really dominant offense, No doubt Dan Mullen can take
(15:18):
them to the next step with his success, his offensive mind,
and really just really excited to see all the new
talent he's brought in from the SEC, from the Big Twelve,
from power for schools come in and really develop under him.
His offensive coordinator produced c. J. Stroud at Ohio State
(15:39):
and has you know, all these NFL talent under his belt.
So if I'm a player at UNLV, boy, are my
ears perked up or my eyes focused on? If I
want to fulfill my NFL dreams? I am in the
right spot with these coaches coming from the SEC, coming
from the Big Ten. You know, I know, oh, I'm
(16:00):
a woman and I'm a sports supporter, but hal, I'd
love to play football for Dan Mullen. You know, it
excites me. And the experience. The experience, you know, if
you've if you've won on the biggest stage in the
toughest you know, the SEC and the Big Ten is
it is a deep, deep, deep conference. So if you've
won there and you have proven success and you have
(16:23):
guys who have made it to the highest level who
have been paid the most money like Dak Prescott, and
you know, if I am a football player, if I'm
a college quarterback, I'm fired up to go play for
Dan Moullen.
Speaker 4 (16:38):
Let's talk a little bit about the two quarterbacks who
are going to play for Dan Mollen in twenty twenty five,
and for me, I think you n LV had arguably
one of the most interesting and exciting excursions into the
transfer pall for the quarterback vision because they're bringing Alex
Algi from Michigan, who is a no to dual for
it to bring in Anthony Kalander, who for me, I
(16:58):
think he's been the best quarterback Virginiors out for the
past couple of seasons. Very excited, exciting quarterback with a
great arm, a little bit erratic, but extremely talented and
extremely exciting. Is it exciting to be a un LV
fan with that quarterback room this year?
Speaker 2 (17:16):
Sure? You've just never seen transfers from Michigan and Virginia
come to UNLV. That's just never been done before. Obviously,
Ricky White was a star All American wide receiver for
Michigan State, so we have seen these transfers from bigger
schools come to UNLV and just dominate the Mountain West
(17:38):
put up stats. We've never seen Roocky White All American
Wide receiver back to back seasons with one thousand yards receiving.
So what I'm going to see at you and LV
and springball is right around the corner in March. So
as we talk about my excitement, I'm really excited to
hit the field. See see how these guys, you know,
look their arm strength, their size, their talent. But also,
(18:01):
you know, we want to focus on the quarterback, but
it's all the guys around him, right, It's the offensive line,
it's the receivers, it's the running back, it's the tight ends.
There's so many new pieces. This is a completely brand
new offense. So yes, I'm excited to look at the quarterbacks,
see their talent, the experience, the experience they bring of
(18:21):
playing in the Big ten, playing in the ACC just
already having that experience you and LV has had very
young quarterbacks in the past, true freshman's, you know, you know,
and they've had great freshman years. I think of Jaden
Mayava who's at USC, who was Mountain West freshman of
the Year, So you know, they they've been known to
(18:44):
have young quarterbacks. Now you bring in these older guys
like we saw last year with Hodge Muleagu Williams. You
know he played five years at Campbell, So now you
just have that experience. These guys know how to attack practices,
how to attack lifts, how to attack each day. And
now it's just getting into Dan Mullen's playbook and seeing
(19:05):
how that unfolds. And yeah, so there's a lot of
excitement at the quarterback but they've brought in some really
talented receivers, Titans offensive line. I'm excited to see all
of that in motion because with Burryotom it was like
they had a quarterback change in the middle of the season.
And with Barryotom, he gave equal reps to every player
(19:29):
so that the twos and threes could come in at
any moment and be ready to roll. So that was
really respectable. Was that. You know, when Matt Sluca left
the program, Hodge Milake Williams came in and he was
firing off on all cylinders. He could run, he could throw,
he was so smart, so ready to go, never never
missed a step. So I'm excited to see how Dan
(19:52):
Mullen develops his entire quarterback room, how he gets all
of those guys, because now you have two weapons. You know,
now you have two quarterbacks that could play at any time.
So that is that is college football. You got to
have that depth, You got to have that depth. Anything
could happen at any time. And the next guy, the
(20:12):
two and the three. They need to be ready to go.
So yeah, excited.
Speaker 3 (20:19):
With the weather we're having in the UK just now below,
but I think we all want to be in Las
Vegas for spring football. Let's quickly talk about the other
side of the ball, because Dan Mullen has made an
acquisition in zac Arnett as defensive coordinator and zac Arnett
had a very successful period at Mississippi State as a
(20:41):
defensive coordinator there less so as head coach, but many
will argue he didn't get any time to develop that team,
and Jeff Levy is going through the same situation. But
I can't go back to the kind of what you
Andy is trying to do and how much of a
statement of intent is the bringing Zach Krone and his
(21:01):
defensive coordinator.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
He's very smart. I've already talked to him and he
is all business. And when talking to Dan Mullen in
his first day as head coach at UNLV, you know,
he was like, yeah, yeah, yeah, we want to talk offense,
but we're really going to pride ourselves on the defensive
side of the ball. And coming from a defensive coach
with Barry Otom, I felt like I learned all the
(21:26):
bells and whistles from Barry Otom's defense. Super super explosive.
They developed All American linebacker Jackson Woodard, who's getting ready
for the NFL Combine right now. So the first time
ever that a UNLV rebel is going to be at
the NFL Combine, along with Ricky White too, So you know,
(21:47):
fans expect to see an explosive defense. We are coming
off a really really good year of UNLV's defense, and obviously,
you know, this defense had to face Ashton Gente twice,
so you know there's there's there's already that foundation there
of the players who are returning this year of the
level of expectation. But talking about Zach Garnett, I mean,
(22:11):
coming from Mississippi State and his time at Ole miss
the SEC is so intense on the defensive side of
the ball because look at the offense that you have
to face every single night in the SEC. It is
so talented, it is so deep. You're going against some
of the best quarterbacks in the country. So I'm excited
(22:32):
to see how he's able to give his SEC tools,
his experience to this group of players. You know, and
I spent time in the SEC. You know, and I've
been able to watch Mississippi State and I think I
may have crossed roads with with Zach Garnett. I remember
him as interim head coach, so he already has that
(22:52):
that that experience underneath him. He has that Mountain West
background as well, So when you think of bilding your
coaching staff and the experience and all of the talent
that he's able to work with, now he's going to
give that into UNLV. So really excited to see this
defense take the next step. They were one of the
(23:13):
best defenses on the West Coast, so it's exciting to
see UNLV where it's at because they went from having
one of the worst defenses in the country to one
of the best. So really excited. You know, the secondary
has been really strong the past two years for UNLV.
They've had a lot of corners, a lot of safeties
(23:34):
that have been flying around, a lot of interceptions, a
lot of takeaways. So just want to see this defense
take the next step. And you have to if you
want to play in the twelve team playoff, you want
to play against the Big Ten, you want to play
against SEC schools. Your defense needs to be solid.
Speaker 4 (23:52):
Without all considered. Coach Morlin coach on new quarterbacks, new
pieces of defense, was their expectations for you and l
the realistic expectations for you and LB football in twenty
twenty five.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
Yeah, they made it to the Mountain West Championship two
years in a row, with Bury Odom very close. Last year.
It was let me tell you about the Mountain West
Championship game last year. It was twenty degrees in Boise,
and you know, Boise State was rolling, so was UNLV.
(24:29):
But it was cold. It was just here's another thing
my thoughts, maybe the Mountain West Championship games should be
played at a neutral site like we see many of
the championship games. The fact that it was at Boise,
you know, it was it was definitely Boise home base,
home crowd, which is great. I mean, they they had
(24:50):
a higher percentage in the Mountain West, so that was
that was their their home field advantage. But oh man,
it was cold. It was cold, and you know, offensively,
they just couldn't get into a rhythm. Offensively, I believe
Hodge Malik Williams got sacked like six times. So it
was just they couldn't come out the gates swinging so
(25:13):
you know, it's the expectation is to win a mount
In West championship, and the expectation is to make it
to the twelve team playoff. And you have a head
coach who has experience, who has already been in the playoffs,
and he knows what it takes. He has the talent,
and that is that is that is the key in
(25:33):
the off season is who can dominate the transfer portal
and and build the best team every year? Every year
you are going to have to build the best team.
So a lot on the line this year, but obviously
really excited for another year in the Mountain West and
(25:54):
another year of really good football. I think you know
there's no underestimating them mount and West with the talent
they have, and you know it's going to be who
has the better defensive line, who has the better offensive line.
It starts in the trenches, and I just want to
see these players continue to develop and continue to succeed.
Speaker 4 (26:17):
I just want to finish off with the Mountain West
itself because it's a conference that is as the college
football realignment tables turn, it is the conference where there
is still some element of ambiguity over its future. Obviously,
ULBA committed until twenty thirty too. What does the future
(26:38):
of the Mountain West look like? As those teams, some
of them we've talked about already. Body State, for example,
will will leave in the coming seasons and others will
come in and they'll be what's the changes, What's what's
the future look like?
Speaker 2 (26:52):
Yeah, I think that the Mountain West it is, you know,
one of the stronger conferences, I would say on the
West coast. There has been so much change in the
Pac twelve and everything going on here on the West coast.
You know, I talked to coaches in the Pac twelve
(27:14):
or or excuse me, in the Big Ten like at
USC and UCLA and UNLV played Cal in the in
the Bowl game, and you know, the cross country travel
is brutal. It is brutal. I've heard from coaches that
you know, it's three days of you know, scheduling out
(27:37):
days to be at the at these games. You know,
Cal would leave on a Thursday to play on a Saturday,
So extra travel for these teams on the West Coast.
And with my experience and being in the Mountain West,
it has been so solid. It has been you know,
the same, the same schedules, the same travel. Not much
has changed. So in my opinion, that has benefited these
(28:00):
Mountain West teams that there hasn't been much change. They
can continue on their travel schedules and their opponents, whereas
teams like the PAC twelve and like the Big ten
on the West Coast, I would say there has been
so much change. So it's been nice to see that
the Mountain West has been so strong through all of this.
(28:24):
It's it's been nice to see that there still is
I don't know, maybe like just working together. These Mountain
West teams have been working together rather than splitting different
ways and splitting you know, all over. So UNLV still
does have the option to leave to a power for conference,
and I think that is what is attractive about the
(28:47):
UNLV job is you have the flexibility of if a
Power four team comes, they can make that move. I'm
sure there's more into that decision, but from a financial standpoint,
it makes more sense for you and LV to stay
in the Mountain West rather than having to pay a
twenty million dollar exit fee and go into a new
(29:09):
conference and then who knows, maybe that conference, you know,
sizzles out in a few years. So it's it's all
about how can you create stability for your student athletes
to have success. I'm kind of talking like a coach,
which is weird, but I'm with coaches every day, so
(29:29):
you're always thinking about your student athletes. And same with
basketball too. There's so much talent in the Mountain West
with basketball with STSU and Boise State and Utah State
and you and LV, so the travel has just become
kind of insane for the West Coast schools. So to
see that kind of strength the foundation at UNLV, hopefully
(29:53):
we'll see it just continue to get better and continue
for you and LV to be in that national spotlight.
Speaker 3 (30:01):
We say this often that when we have an excellent guest,
we could talk well for us all night, but we
don't have time. That's that's all the time we have
on this episode. Paloma, you've been a fantastic advocate for
not just UNLV but sports on the West Coast. So
we thank you for taking the time out before we
finish up. Tell our listeners where they can find you,
(30:25):
what you've got coming out or you're working on that
they can watch out for, or where we can catch you.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
Oh so sweet Well, Las Vegas I'm a local reporter
here in Vegas working for Fox five, but if you
follow Paloma Fox five News on social media, like I mentioned,
I cover all the teams here in Vegas, so the Writers,
the Aces, the Golden I, c U, l V, and
everything else that's coming into town. So if you come
(30:52):
to Vegas, you have to go to a Legion stadium.
You have to experience it. It's amazing. If you have
time to go to the sphere, you got to go
to the sphere. And then if you can try and
catch a U and LV football game or Running Rebels
Lady Rebels game. The athletics here in Vegas is the
best in the world in my opinion. So but thank
(31:14):
you guys. It's it's awesome to hear that there are
fans across the pond and that you know, it's exciting
to see the expansion of college athletics and what a
global impact it has. So I know we've been talking
you and LV football, but you know, got to give
a shout out to, you know, the women's basketball team,
(31:37):
the Lady Rebels and women's basketball in general. With Asia Wilson,
who is you know, a Las Vegas Aces player. It's
been so fun to see Las Vegas in a global spotlight.
Speaker 3 (31:51):
It's a shame that we run out of time, because
you're right, basketball in general in Las Vegas is is
huge from the athletics of the college athletics point of view,
but with the Aces doing so incredibly well, it's it's
truly and just women's basketball in general on the map
now is just an incredibly well watched sport, isn't it.
Speaker 2 (32:13):
Yeah, it's been really exciting working with the Aces, working
with the Lady Rebels. Asia Wilson is the biggest superstar
in the world and her shoe, it's really exciting. The
a ones. Yeah, next up we need to do a
podcast on you know, women's basketball and the Aces. I
could talk about that for hours, so next time.
Speaker 3 (32:35):
Yeah, be careful what you wish for. We'll be back
knocking on your door before you know it. Yeah, that's it.
That's all the time we have. Sadly thanks to Paloma
and Oli Fel excellent input. Thanks you all for listening
and supporting A Stacey from Well and catching Next time,
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