Bob Nash has been running up a large phone bill, trying to fill out the 2002-03 schedule for the Rainbow basketball team. Nash trying to fill out
Rainbows’ scheduleBy Cindy Luis
cluis@starbulletin.comThe Rainbow associate head coach's task became more expensive yesterday.
UNC-Charlotte confirmed that it has dropped out of the tentative commitment to participate in the upcoming Rainbow Classic. And Washington has requested to be let out of its contract for a single game on Dec. 10 at the Stan Sheriff Center.
That the Huskies have asked to opt out came as no big surprise to Nash. He said he became concerned after UW coach Bob Bender resigned March 20.
"A new coach probably doesn't want to come out to Hawaii his first year," Nash said.
Lorenzo Romar, the new UW coach, also lost two players Monday. Freshman Erroll Knight and sophomore Sterling Brown have asked for their release in order to transfer after the spring quarter.
The contract with Washington doesn't have a buyout clause. Rainbow coach Riley Wallace said that the options for UW are to find an acceptable replacement or to work out a monetary settlement with UH.
As for Charlotte, which competed in the 1998 Rainbow Classic, coach Bob Lutz called the UH basketball office yesterday to apologize for backing out. He said he was unaware that his athletic director Judy Rose had been working with ESPN for a televised game at Charlotte that conflicted with the Rainbow Classic, scheduled for Dec. 27-30.
Nash said he is not panicking yet. There is a lawsuit pending in an Ohio federal court this week that could favorably impact exempted tournaments in Hawaii, including the Rainbow Classic and Maui Invitational.
Four companies that represent exempted non-conference events like the Las Vegas Classic and Coaches vs. Cancer Invitational have challenged the NCAA's "two in four" rule. The rule limits participation in an exempted event to twice every four years and the companies have filed an injunction to lift the restriction.
"The problem is there are so many exempted events now that we've run out of teams to go around," said Wallace. "If they drop the rule, it would help us get teams back in here
"The best thing would be to open it up and let schools come whenever they want to."
The ruling is expected sometime this week.
"That's why I'm not in a panic state yet," said Nash. "There are a lot of teams out there that want to come but they've used up their limit (of exempted events). We're stalling a little in hopes of getting better-quality teams. We'll wait and see what happens."
Coaches vs. Cancer Finale: The final fund-raiser for the Coaches vs. Cancer campaign is tomorrow at Murphy's Bar & Grill in Honolulu.
The event is from 6-9 p.m. Festivities include a live and silent auction, pupus and a hosted bar.
Tickets are $35 ($20 of which is tax deductible) and can be purchased at Murphy's or by calling the American Cancer Society at 595-7544.
UH Athletics
