The Rebellion Podcast

In this episode, I begin by discussing UNLV football and our successful season, achieving an impressive 10-2 record, although we ultimately fell short in the MWC championship game against Boise for the third consecutive year. I discuss the remarkable achievement of winning TEN games despite having 70 new players AND one of the worst run defenses in college football. Additionally, I highlight Anthony Colandrea as the best quarterback we’ve had in over 40 years and critique the MWC committee's decision to grant Boise State a home game that they did not deem worthy. I then shifted the conversation to the UNLV men’s basketball team, highlighting how, despite a disastrous Thanksgiving tournament, we were able to pull off an impressive road victory against a formidable ACC team. Lastly, I discuss Emmanuel Stephen’s impact and how dangerous this team could be in conference play if we get everyone healthy. Go Rebels! Crimson Crossover episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-crimson-crossover-podcast/id1716563695?i=1000738194347

In this episode I discuss what an exciting weekend it was for UNLV sports fans. The Rebel football team wins an exciting and thrilling double OT stunner vs Utah State on Saturday. On Sunday, UNLV men's basketball team bounced back from a disappointing loss to Montana by dominating the Memphis Tigers on their home court. Great times to be a Rebel fan!

I have watched a thousand UNLV basketball games in my life and I don't remember a team looking so good in a game following a disappointing loss. It's not just the score, but the way the Rebels looked in terms of the eye test was the most impressive part. We played smart, fast, aggressive defense, and a lot of DUNKS! This is exactly what Runnin' Rebel basketball is supposed to look like.

Basketball season is finally here! In this episode, I discuss the following topics:-Blue Jays Dodgers World Series was the greatest ever-Social etiquette with sports -My thoughts on WEMBY- What I took from this Runnin' Rebel basketball team following their exhibition win-Analyzing each player's performance against Lincoln- Predictions moving forward and what I want to see tonight against UT Martin- Boise loses to a D2 team LOL

UNLV football is currently sitting at 6-1 following an embarrassing beat-down to the hands of Boise State. In this episode I give my thoughts on everything regarding this Rebel football team and then give my predictions moving forward. Following that, I shift gears over to Runnin' Rebel basketball talk. We are less than a month away from our season opener so basketball season is here! The short-handed injury-depleted Rebels played the Washington Huskies this past Sunday, October 19, in Seattle, falling 77-62. I discuss this game and give my reasons as to why, despite the outcome of the game, Rebel fans should feel good about this team in the long run. 

We are two months away from the start of a new era as UNLV men's basketball head coach, Josh Pastner, attempts to do what is starting to feel like the impossible- bringing high-level success back to the program. Pastner constructed a talented, win-now roster full of transfers and high level recruits. This episode will breakdown anything and everything about this team and what we can expect this season by addressing the following:- Thoughts on last season 4:00- Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn 13:01- Ladji Dembele 17:43- Kimani Hamilton 19:45- Howie Fleming Jr 22:18- Tyrin Jones 25:16- Al Green 28:00- Mason Abbittan 31:24-Isaac Williamson 33:16-Naas Cunningham 35:07-Emmanuel Stephen 37:22-Myles Che 41:12-Walter Brown 43:38- Reasons to be optimistic about this team 45:46- Pastner recruiting class vs Kruger's last season 49:06- Reasons for concern with this team 51:07- Predictions 53:36

This episode covers my reactions and thoughts following the Rebels 38-31 win over Idaho State on Saturday. The Dan Mullen era did not exactly start with the most impressive performance ever, however, a win is a win. In this episode, I discuss how our defense really struggled to stop the Bengals, but our offense is showing to have potential. I conclude by discussing my new expectations for this team moving forward as Saturdays' performance has brought Rebel fans back down to earth. We are hoping to see a much improved team on Friday against Sam Houston State. 

Rebel fans... It's here! Football season is finally here. The Dan Mullen era starts Saturday at Allegiant against the Idaho State Bengals! In this episode I talk about the following:1:10 - I talk about how absurdly nervous I get before and during games and how I should probably visit a psychiatrist 4:05 - Thoughts on last season6:10 - Great defense = entertaining in Football 8:30 - Playing Boise State9:10 - Dan Mullen is the 6th best coach in college football10:20 - Media Predictions for UNLV15:02 - Projected starting lineups25:09 - Anthony Colandrea vs. Alex Orji by T.K. Kingsbury32:13 - Predicting the outcome of each game with Laura Rodriguez

On August 8, 2025, the Runnin' Rebel basketball team added a new member to the team and his name is Walter Brown. Walter is from New Zealand and has multiple years of experience playing professional basketball in New Zealand and Australia. This episode discusses Walter's impressive resume and gives you an idea of what to expect from him this upcoming season. 

As we begin a new chapter in UNLV basketball history with the Josh Pastner era fast approaching, a brief look back into the past four years brings us today's episode where I rank the top 10 players to suit up in the scarlet and grey during the Kevin Kruger era (2020-2025). This ranking based off of the following criteria: Talent, stats, how valuable to the team

As the 2025 NBA draft approaches, we welcome a special guest to the show and conduct our own mock draft for the lottery. We offer our assessments of each draftee and clarify the reasons for our conviction that they will or will not be successful NBA players, as well as their potential contributions to their respective teams.

Bryce Dejean-Jones, a former Runnin' Rebel and NBA player, was known for his exceptional talent and unwavering competitiveness. One early morning, on May 28, 2016, after breaking into an apartment, which he mistakenly thought was his girlfriend's, Dejean-Jones was shot and killed. This episode is the narrative of a young man who, despite possessing an abundance of potential, was unable to achieve his goals due to his emotions and anger. R.I.P. BDJ

In this episode, I talk about Titan: The OceanGate Submersible Disaster, a brand-new Netflix documentary, and what a crazy story it is. I then discuss UNLV's decision to remain in the MWC and the reasons I agree with it. I subsequently address the emergence of UNLV football and the enthusiasm surrounding the program's future. Lastly, I pose the question: Is it possible for the Las Vegas Aces to defeat a strong high school boys' team?

This episode features a special guest who joins the show to discuss the incoming Alabama transfer, Naas Cunningham. The discussion centers on his talent level, skillset, and ultimate potential as a recruit. Following this, TK and I engage in a conversation regarding the NBA playoffs. We share our opinions on our preferred teams (the Nuggets and Lakers), engage in a conversation regarding the excessive number of blowouts, and address Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the online animosity directed at him. Finally, we discuss the top five players in the world. 

Parents today are crazier than ever when it comes to their behavior toward their children's sports of choice. Overzealous parent behavior can contribute to issues like performance anxiety and burnout in children, but positive parent involvement is crucial for the functioning of youth sports leagues. This episode dives deep into everything that directly correlates to the following topic: what it actually takes to become a professional athlete. Becoming a professional athlete is incredibly difficult. Only a small fraction of athletes who participate in high school or college sports make it to the professional level. The odds are estimated to be as low as 1 in 5,000 for high school athletes to reach the professional stage. I talk about what is required to make it to the top level. 

This is the story of Dave Rice, from his unexpected appointment as head coach to the success and excitement that captivated the Las Vegas community to the underachieving results that ultimately resulted in the dismissal of a beloved former Rebel and the beginning of the downfall of a once historic basketball program. 

This episode of TRP covers a few different topics. As my excitement for football season grows, I wanted to briefly discuss Mullen's recruiting class, what life is like when you are tall, and a few other subjects. The following topics are covered in this episode:117 More Days Till Football Season!Tweet of the day“Guys like Mullen and Pastner are built for recruiting in today’s college sports world. This isnt 5-10-15 years ago, it’s a whole different animal nowadays.”While other coaches complain, Dan and Josh embrace.Because of their salesman personalitiesJosh said this way is more efficientBoth caches took time off and learned this new style of recruitingWhat it’s like being a tallProsHelped me with datingYou look better when youre muscular Helped me be better at basketball (idiots thinking they would play in the NBA if they had my height) ConsHealth issues: tall people’s heart struggle and strain in order to pump blood throughout their elongated bodies, tall people also have more stress on their joints and lower life expectancyComments from peopleWhy are you so tall?Annoying nicknames (sasquatch, Shrek, giant)Asked my buddy what he says.. “Genetics, dummy.”Buying clothes (shoes, shirts, pants)People always send me to Big and Tall section of the storeDan Mullen recruiting#1 class in the MWC for the 2026 recruiting class and 50 overall17 transfers who were 4-5 star recruits out of HS, 24 transfers from P4 programsJustin Flowe - number one linebacker in the country coming out of HSPeople saying these transfers are not that goodRob Whaley commits to Kent State and Hicks to MontanaWhat the Rebels need with their last roster spot 

To commemorate the 50th episode of TRP, I am conducting a player spotlight on Marcus Banks, one of the most talented and electrifying athletes to have ever played for UNLV basketball. The subject of this episode is Marcus's basketball career, which encompasses my personal favorite memories, statistics, awards and honors, and any narrative that is associated with him. Enjoy! MBA link: https://www.mb3basketball.com/

In this episode, I address a variety of topics and provide my perspectives on each one, rather than concentrating on a single subject. The following subjects are addressed:Gorilla vs Grizzly BearEvanMiya transfer class ranking has UNLV #1New YouTube video about JPPastner creating his own scouting service at 13Jailen Bedforn transfers to V TechBarry Poaching our players?What was your moment when you knew you weren’t a proShedeur Sanders drama 

This episode is somewhat brief; however, it serves as a summary of Josh's initial month at HC and his exceptional performance thus far. I elaborate on the reasons why Rebel fans should be enthusiastic about the program's future and how he differs from other coaches we have had in the past. Go Rebels!!

Wow, what a past couple of weeks it has been for the Runnin Rebel basketball program and for their fans. Josh Pastner continues to impress as he is assembling a roster that will be ready to compete for a MWC title right away. In this episode I discuss the new additions to the team, why this roster is so impressive, and I attempt to put together my favorite starting lineup among all these good players. 

Simply stated, the episode description is the episode's title. I have chosen to rank the top 30 high school recruits who have ever selected a Mountain West Conference institution, from #30 to #1. These rankings are exclusively from 247 Sports and, regrettably, only back to 2010. Therefore, any high-profile recruits, such as Kawhi Leonard or Wink Adams, will not be included. 

In this episode of TRP, I discuss the following topics:-VGK win game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.-The latest players joining the UNLV MBB roster.- Strengths of the 2025-2026 roster and what ways the roster could improve-Expectations for next season-How typical fans don't have an understanding of roster construction-Reaction to the Nico Iamaleava Tennessee football story

In this episode, I discuss the public's perception of Pastner and the manner in which his personality is influencing a significant number of Rebel fans to adopt his beliefs. After that, I address the new players of the Rebels and their integration into Josh's strategy for the upcoming season. Finally, I discuss my former enthusiasm for message boards, which I have since discontinued. Enjoy!

This is a story about the UNLV Runnin’ Rebel basketball program. The narrative discusses the events of the past three decades that have resulted in the erosion of the national relevance of this once-dominant basketball program and the substantial decline of its fan base. It is the belief of UNLV basketball fans that the program has been cursed, as they attribute every negative event that has occurred since 1991 to this. By selecting "play," you can discover why fans think this. Enjoy! 

 TK, my special guest, returns to the show to discuss some entertaining subjects. We begin by reviewing Pastner's current performance in terms of keeping players for the upcoming campaign. The bulk of the episode is then devoted to discussing the distinctions between collegiate basketball and the NBA, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of both. In addition, I ask TK what he prefers about basketball over football. Finally, we have a lighthearted discussion about the UFC. Hope you enjoy! 

 Episode 41 of the Rebellion Podcast covers the following topics:DJ Thomas Jr. will be transferring to LSUMy thoughts on thisDJ Thomas Sr quoteFan reaction to the newsMy experience as a Division one athleteNever believed I would make it to this levelExperience playing Juco ball (Most fun year of my life)Deciding between UC Irvine and New Hampshire (UCI won’t send scholarship papers.)Difficulty of preseason conditioning and practices (Kobe)Mental health issues and physical issues (migraines and neck)No relationship with teammates or coachesHC was an A-holeHow the season wentLosing and sitting the benchKicked off team before conference tournamentWhat I learned from the experience Choose the right school Don’t completely reject NAIA or D2 schoolsBe mentally and physically preparedBe humbleCollege sports aren’t worth it if you don’t love it 

Episode number 40 for the Rebellion Podcast covers the following topics:- Bear Cherry enters the transfer portal- four number 1 seeds reach final four- Why I don’t fill out brackets anymore- Pastner’s energy and personality compared to Kruger- Harper said that Pastner was his first choice for HC. Truth or BS?- UNM hires Eric Olen. Pastner vs Olen. Who is the better hire?- UNLV has the two most famous coaches in the MWC- Jon Scheyer wanted the UNLV job ?? 

I start off this episode by discussing something that annoys me (but shouldn't). Then I proceed to the important stuff and talk about our new head coach, Josh Pastner. I admit that at first, I was not crazy about this hire. In fact, I was quite depressed. However, after sleeping on it, I am a lot more optimistic, and I think Pasnter could potentially be what this program needs. 

In this episode I discuss the following topics: Thoughts on NCAA tourney so far GVR story March MadnessMcNeese student manager with NIL dealKelvin Sampson rants about name pronunciationMWC scores: SDSU UNC 95-68, Utah State UCLA 72-47Why I hate USU (my personal story)MWC scores: CSU beats Mem 78-70, UNM beats Marquette 75-66 (CSU story)Theory as to why MWC teams tend to struggle in tournamentCoaching search: Eric Olen vs Carlin HartmanBryan Hodgson - Arkansas State2 winning seasonsNames one of nations top recruiters by 247 sports when at AlabamaNo west coast tiesIdiot says it’s a bad hire but wants augmonHypothetical - Tony BennettTop 8 annoying things that fans do 

So much has happened in the last 24 hours that it is difficult to wrap my head around all of it; however, in this episode, I do my best. I begin by recapping the events that led us to where we are today. The MWC tournament ended for the Rebels by falling to Utah State in the quarterfinals, 58-70. Then on Saturday, March 15th, Kevin Kruger was fired as the head coach of UNLV men's basketball. I talk about my favorite memories during Kevin's tenure in terms of winning games as well as how much I think of him as a person. Then I talk about the 2023-2024 season, which is arguably the most "what could have been" season in UNLV MBB history. I then proceed to discuss DJ Thomas and his unfortunate departure from the program. Lastly, I talk about some possible candidates for the UNLV MBB head coaching vacancy, and I give my thoughts on who I would like to see get the job. 

In this episode, I share some crazy information I heard regarding the top HS basketball player and his NIL. Then I talk about how the rebel players keep getting injured and how ridiculous this is getting. Lastly, a special guest joins the show, and we discuss the NBA today vs the NBA in the 90s and 80s.

Will Kevin Kruger be back next year? It is looking that way as of now based on an article in the RJ. I discuss this in the episode along with a way-too-early look at next year's team and potential starting lineup. However, before I get into all that, I talk about my starting lineup that I created among all the players in NBA history and why I believe it is the best possible lienup. 

After a brief absence, the Rebellion Podcast is back! In this episode I rank the top 10 basketball players in the world and give my reasoning for why I have them ranked in that spot. Then I transition over to UNLV basketball talk where I discuss the exciting sweep over the SDSU Aztecs and I talk about Kevin Kruger and how he seems to always have the team rolling when it is too late. Lastly, I talk about the movie "Jaws" and give some really interesting facts about the iconic film. 

In this episode I talk about delusional young athletes believing they will make it to the pros and I question why they have such unjustified confidence. Then I discuss annoying people believing the dumbest things. Lastly, I talk about UNLV basketball being at an all time low and where I see the program going in the future. 

Okay, yes, it is too soon to say I was right about this team. It is still highly unlikely we will be an at-large bid and it is still likely we will have a new coach in 2025-2026. That being said, the last two games the Runnin Rebels are finally playing to their potential. Finally looking like the team I predicted we'd have prior to the season starting. UNLV MBB defeats #22 Utah State at home and San Diego State on the road to improve to 5-2 in MWC play. In this episode I talk about how this team is looking so much better and why they won these two huge games. 

In this episode I talk about all the conflicting and contradicting information that is spread around regarding which foods are healthy and which one's are not. Then I talk about UNLV basketball and how difficult these times are as a diehard fan. Lastly, I talk about the Rebel football recruiting and the inaccurate 247 Sports Transfer Portal rankings. I also talk about why a players' star rating out of HS is relevant. 

From Dedan's buzzer beater against SDSU to the shellacking of Fresno following the Sluka drama..  To honor the new year, Laura and I talked about the top 10 moments in the year 2024 when it comes to UNLV football and basketball. The most memorable and exciting moments that include the outcome of games or unexpected breaking news. Hope you enjoy!

First episode of the New Year! In this episode I talk about UNLV football's latest addition from the transfer portal, Var'Keyes Gumms and what his commitment means to the program. I follow that by talking about UNLV basketball and our 79-73 win over SJSU and I rant and vent about Kevin Kruger consistently blowing big leads. 

In this episode I start off by talking about the debate over how families should open presents on Christmas (one at a time and everyone watches or all at once chaos). Then I talk about UNLV basketball, the season so far, and my thoughts on the Fresno State game. Lastly, I talk about Dan Mullen's coaching staff additions as well as the players joining the Rebel football team next season via the transfer portal. 

In this episode I talk about all the drama involved with Disney and the new live action Snow White movie. Then I talk about Dan Mullen and UNLV and give my thoughts on his coaching career as well as the public's perception of this hire. 

The past seven days have been a roller coaster of emotions for Rebel fans. In this episode we give our thoughts from the MWC championship game against Boise State, then we discuss the Runnin' Rebels loss to Creighton while giving our thoughts on the general direction of the program. We follow this up by chatting about the bad news we received on Sunday regarding Barry Odom's departure to Purdue while sharing our feelings on the situation. All of this negative stuff leads us to the main focus of the show where we talk about the fantastic and exciting news Rebels fans received this week regarding UNLV football's next football coach. Tune in, Rebel fans! 

This is a revamped version of a previous episode where I I talk about former UNLV coaches (Rice, Tark, Menzies, L. Kruger, Massimino, Bayno, K. Kruger, Spoonhour) and I create an all-time starting five from a pool of players that played for their respective coach during their tenure. I analyze each starting five and discuss how good I think they would be. Following this, I interview a very bright, and interesting young man named Jackson who is 9 years old and he answers a series of questions that I had prepared for him. It is worth a listen! 

After a two week absence, I am back Rebel Fans! There was a lot to talk about in the last two weeks but in this episode I mainly cover the overall feeling surrounding both the UNLV football program as well as the Runnin' Rebel basketball team. I talk about the beautiful beatdown against Reno and the upcoming championship game against Boise State. I also get into some talk regarding the CFP and how that could look if we made it there. Then I move onto a darker topic and discuss the disappointing start to the basketball season. Please checkout an episode I did with Jason Kelly as I was aguest on his show, the Let's Run podcast. Link below: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lets-run-podcast-the-rebellion-podcast-joins-the/id1715589243?i=1000678850622

This is a quick episode where I start off by sharing my side job and some of the funny and ridiculous stuff I have to deal with. Then I give my thoughts on UNLV's 40-21 victory over San Diego State on Saturday night.

In the first 7 minutes of this episode I share some interesting stuff I learned about the Titanic. Then I talk about my ranking of the top 10 players who played for the UNLV men's basketball program since 2010. I created this ranking by analyzing how talented/gifted the players were combined with how valuable they were as a college player based on advanced statistics. The rankings are based on whatever their overall best season was at UNLV (for example, sophomore Mike Moser). 

The first 10 minutes of this episode I talk about a bunch of different things that people do that annoy me (i.e. chewing loud, being a bad pet owner, etc). Follow those rants I get into UNLV men's basketball's 80-69 win against Nebraska Omaha. I definitely was not too happy with how we performed in this game but I do my best to stay positive in this episode. 

In this episode I start off by talking about how certain people are not good at having back-and-forth conversations as I pose the question to listeners: "do you listen, or just wait for your turn to talk?" I then proceed to share my story attending the Boise State UNR football game and how different the experience was from attending a football game at Allegiant. Then I get into the UNLV football win vs Hawaii and the UNLV MBB loss to Memphis and what this means for the program.

Basketball season is officially among us and the Rebels are 1-0!!. I start this episode off by ranting about an unrelated subject (FF to about the 9 min mark if you don't care to listen ;-) Then I spend the rest of the episode talking about the win against Alabama State to start the season and give my thoughts on everything. 

In this episode I talk about my experience attending the UNLV Boise State football game in which the Rebels unfortunately were defeated 24-29. Then I follow that up with talking about Runnin' Rebel basketball and how we have yet another reason to believe we are cursed by the basketball Gods. I also briefly talk about our new commitment from local prospect, Mason Abittan.