LETTERS: Tark’s brilliance still apparent in 2015

To the editor:

The legacy of Jerry Tarkanian can be summed up very quickly. While serving as the UNLV men’s basketball coach, Mr. Tarkanian was 30-11 in NCAA Tournament games. He led the 1977, ’87, ’90 and ’91 teams to the Final Four. The Rebels won the national title in 1990.

His career here spanned 19 seasons, from 1973 to 1992. In the almost 23 years since he left campus, the Runnin’ Rebels have appeared in a comparatively minuscule 11 NCAA Tournament games, going just 3-8. The furthest UNLV has gotten since Mr. Tarkanian’s exit was one Sweet 16 appearance, in 2007.

The facilities have gotten better with the addition of the Mendenhall Center and Cox Pavilion. The fan base is extremely loyal to what Mr. Tarkanian created, despite supporters having to squint at season tickets, finding no mention of confirmation about the often ragged selection of start times. We annually deal with the National Finals Rodeo chaos during December. And there’s the brutal television coverage — or should I say lack thereof — for UNLV road games.

This is all tolerated and forgiven by the Scarlet and Gray faithful, as we gladly either attend the home games in droves, smiling at the familiar faces who also consistently support UNLV, or tune in to road games on the radio, listening to Jon Sandler and Robert Smith provide excuses and blame for losses.

I’ve turned from a gaming career up-and-comer into a senior citizen since The Shark left, but we still can’t develop a basketball team similar to the ones he regularly produced, despite having a new and improved version of the same facilities Mr. Tarkanian had, as well as tripling the potential fan base.

That reflects the true brilliance of Jerry Tarkanian. May he rest in peace, knowing his fans thank him for everything.

MARK CONNOLLY

LAS VEGAS