Do what you need to do. Force me to wear a pink backpack. Tie me to a field goal post and drench me with ice-cold Gatorade. Make me go on the morning coffee run. Then the afternoon run. Initiate me as you see fit. I’m the new guy. Some things have remained the same since I started my first column as a sports reporter for The Sparks Tribune with those seven sentences on … [Read more...]
Shoup Shots: UNLV’s debacle, the significance of Nevada’s home opener, 4A North volleyball product improving
Something historic happened at Sam Boyd Stadium on Saturday night. And if you’re unaware (how much are you paying for rent under that rock?), it was bad. At least for the UNLV faithful. In Reno, it will become one of the first bullet points in the perpetual verbal sparring between the intra-state rivals. The Rebels were on the wrong end of the biggest upset in college … [Read more...]
Shoup Shots: Norvell era starting, Silva returning to Reno? Fun 4A North football games loom
The Jay Norvell era officially starts on Saturday when Nevada starts the 2017 season on the road at Northwestern. Nevada will be outmatched pretty much across the board. Pat Fitzgerald is the second-longest tenured coach in the Big 10, entering his 12th season. Norvell will be standing on the sidelines as a head coach for the first time. Northwestern returns an … [Read more...]
Shoup Shots: Three premature prep football predictions 4.0
The law of averages is as consistent as my ability to snap hook the first tee shot of the day. The founder of the breakfast ball is all of us. So, it came as little surprise that after correctly predicting how the seasons would end for the Reed, Spanish Springs and Sparks football teams in 2014 and 2015, I regressed to the mean in 2016. A .333 batting average would put me … [Read more...]
Shoup Shots: Reno 1868 FC belongs, Prep football countdown continues, Reed girls soccer to host quarter century alumni game
When Reno 1868 FC went to Kansas City more than two weeks ago and smacked Swope Park 4-1, it was the best win in franchise history. It was Reno’s first win over a team in one of the Western Conference’s top three spots and bolstered the expansion club’s hopes of a top four spot and a home playoff game. But that’s not the most club’s most impressive victory anymore. That … [Read more...]
Shoup Shots: USL to Reno 1868 FC: Oops, Prep football practice begins, Miami should have signed Kaep?
Games are rarely won or lost in the first 30 minutes, regardless of sport. Clichés dictate contests are decided in the waning moments. That wasn’t the case for Reno 1868 FC last Wednesday in Oklahoma City as the referee was far-too-quick to un-holster his red card and left the visiting side down a man for the final hour of the match, a 1-0 loss. The call against Fatai … [Read more...]
Shoup Shots: Muss likely to stay on transfer train, Norvell addresses questions going into first camp, Reno 1868 FC cruises in KC
The Nevada men’s basketball program could go by many names. You could call it LSU West. Nevada had three coaches with strong LSU ties, but that number shrunk to two this week when Ron Dupree took a job in the NBA. Head coach Eric Musselman was the associate head coach under Johnny Jones in the bayou before coming to Nevada. Now Jones is the associate head coach under … [Read more...]
Shoup Shots: Reno does something rare in Colorado Springs, Nevada non-conference slate, My OJ take
Reno’s playoff probability took a nose dive in late June. The remnants of a nine-game division lead evaporated on Friday in a rain-shorted 10-5 loss at Colorado Springs. With the defeat, Reno fell into a first-place tie with Fresno. It was the first time since May 26 the Aces didn’t hold the Pacific Northern Division lead outright. Jerry Narron turned Gregg Gross’ squad … [Read more...]