My wife grew up in Las Vegas, loved UNLV, and still hates Duke. I always thought he got a bad rap. Going after the guy and the program for things that happened long ago. He, for a period of time, revolutionized basketball. To lose 2 college greats, less than a week apart, is hopefully just a coincidence. My grandmother used to say they always come in 3's. Anyways, RIP Coach Tark. A great coach. I am sure there will always be your detractors, but I always admired the man.
Before UNLV, I followed him at Long Beach State. The NCAA was already on his tail. His star Ed Ratleff was expected to become an NBA star; a 6-6 guard then was like 6-9 now. Ratleff started with new find Doug Collins for the 1972 Olympic team, and was drafted 6th, but just didn't last in the NBA. Tark reinforced his Mafioso reputation by moving to UNLV, a city where the Mafia reigned. I stopped following him, but his moneyed connections there got the national media to start following him, so that more bets would roll in from around the nation.
Many UNLV players somehow made their way to the Blazers: Greg Anthony, Stacey Augmon, JR Rider, and I am sure others. Used to love the 2nd unit when Anthony and Augmon came in and started wreaking havoc.
It used to give me the 'fingernails on the chalk board' heebie jeebies when I'd see him sucking on a towel on the sidelines. I don't know why.
