The Xs & Os of Success

Summertime fix for Rebels fans

krissyhawkins — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 19:45:49 +0000

Anxious for the return of basketball season? Well you don’t have to wait until November to get your dose of the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels. No matter the time of year, Coach Kruger is always focusing on basketball, and is there to help cure your offseason blues.
The Las Vegas Sun recently covered one of Coach’s book signings where he discussed the upcoming basketball season with Rebels fans.

By Rob Miech
Monday, Aug. 17, 2009
If it’s the middle of August, it must be time to talk UNLV basketball with coach Lon Kruger. Then again, there’s never a bad time to chat with him about his players or his program.

A PT’s Pub in the middle of the season? An offseason telephone-book recycling function in the Thomas & Mack Center concourse? A summertime address to scores of Las Vegas business leaders?

Kruger has done all of the above to keep people talking about Rebels basketball if not all UNLV sports.

Click here to read more …

Red Robin Reading

krissyhawkins — Fri, 22 May 2009 22:43:27 +0000

Coach Kruger busy signing books.

“That’s when Coach called out to me six words that would forever change my life, ‘D.J., we’re going to Red Robin.’”
– excerpt from D.J. Allen’s introduction in The Xs & Os of Success.

This May co-authors Coach Lon Kruger and D.J. Allen went back to where it all started – Red Robin. As one of Coach Kruger’s favorite post-game stops the restaurant served as the setting for the inspiration for their book, as well as many burger-and-fries-fueled brainstorming sessions.
Both authors were at the event to sign copies of their book and meet with Rebels fans. Another reason to celebrate — Coach’s proceeds from The Xs & Os of Success will be donated to the Clark County School District’s School-Community Partnership.

Left to Right: UNLV men's basketball Coach Lon Kruger, Bridget Phillips, director of CCSD School-Community Partnership Program, Pat Skorkowsky, CCSD Southeast Region Assistant Superintendent, D.J. Allen, founder of Imagine Marketing.

Kruger Teams Up With ‘Read To Me’

krissyhawkins — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 20:57:48 +0000

Watch Coach Kruger as he reads aloud the children’s title Mr. Walrus and the Old School Bus by Patricia Derrick in support of the Youth Reading Program, Read To Me.

Mr. Walrus drives all the friends around town in the old school bus. They make many exciting stops along their way, but they must hurry and not be late for their 5 o’clock date. Watch the video here.

The video also features a version for the hearing impaired, in which Coach is accompanied by Cassidy Scolpino who performs the tale in American Sign Language. Watch here.

Download the accompanying Lesson Plan here. The Read To Me Lesson Plan is a useful and fun tool for teachers and parents to use to discuss the reading material with their young readers.

Lon Kruger Here to Stay

carolynhayesuber — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:48:49 +0000

From the Las Vegas Sun January 7, 2009:

Anyone who saw Lon and Barb Kruger play host to a few dozen hearing-impaired children and their families Sunday afternoon at the Thomas & Mack Center witnessed something special.

Special for the Krugers.

As happy and bubbly and eager as those kids were to stretch and shoot with UNLV players, the patriarch of the basketball program and his wife were even more exuberant to make their day special.

Their many charitable endeavors in and around Las Vegas have been rich to the Krugers, and they have found a community that has matched their efforts.

It’s one of the many reasons why UNLV fans can count on Kruger, in his fifth season in Las Vegas, being the Rebels’ coach this time next year, in 2015 and 2020. >>> More >>>

Kruger book signing event this Sunday

carolynhayesuber — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:49:13 +0000

First public event held 3-5 p.m. at Borders in Town Square

Coach Lon Kruger will be joined by co-author D.J. Allen for a public book signing event at the Borders at Town Square on Sunday, November 9 from 3-5 p.m. It will be the first public book signing event for the authors.

“There are many parallels between coaching athletes at a high level and leading a group of professionals in a business environment,” Kruger said. “We had fun putting the book together and wanted to offer a product that would allow a reader the opportunity to read a lesson and start implementing some of the ideas immediately.”

Kruger’s proceeds from the book will be donated to youth charities.

It is also available at select bookstores, including in Las Vegas at the Borders in Town Square, the Borders in the Meadows Mall and the Borders in McCarran International Airport.

Rebel Facts

carolynhayesuber — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 02:56:14 +0000

UNLV holds the third-best winning-percentage of all-time among Division-I college basketball programs.
1. Kentucky
2. North Carolina
3. UNLV
4. Kansas
5. UCLA
In August 2008, ESPN.com ranked UNLV as the eighth most prestigious college basketball program in the nation during the modern era (1984 to present).
The Runnin’ Rebels have done it all.
- Conference Titles
- NCAA Tournament Success
- 30 win seasons
- Four Final Four appearances
- 1990 National Champions
Over the past two seasons (2006-07 and 2007-08), UCLA and UNLV stand alone atop the West.
UCLA is the only team in the West with more wins than UNLV’s 57 during the past two seasons. The Bruins are also the only team in the West with more NCAA Tournament victories than UNLV during that period.
Despite losing five seniors (including four starters) from its 30-win, Sweet 16 team in 2006-07, UNLV advanced again in the 2007-08 NCAA Tournament and posted an amazing 27-win season. The Runnin’ Rebels also successfully defended their title as Mountain West Conference Tournament Champions.
Kruger’s hand-picked coaching staff has helped lead the revitalization of the UNLV program. The staff consists of assistant coaches Greg Grensing, Steve Henson and Lew Hill and director of basketball operations Mike Shepherd. Grensing also served on Kruger’s staffs at Texas-Pan American and Kansas State while Henson starred for Kruger at Kansas State prior to playing in the NBA. Hill, a junior college All-American as a player, came to UNLV from Texas A&M’s staff while Shepherd has served on Kruger’s staffs at Kansas State, Florida, Illinois and with the Atlanta Hawks.
UNLV: A pipeline to the NBA
UNLV has sent 52 players to the NBA – including 13 first-round picks. In 1991, Larry Johnson was the No. 1 pick overall in the draft. That same year, his Runnin’ Rebel teammates Stacey Augmon and Greg Anthony were also picked in the first round. (Many basketball experts consider that Runnin’ Rebel squad the greatest college basketball team ever assembled.)
Current Runnin’ Rebels in The League include All-Star Shawn Marion (drafted No. 9 overall out of UNLV), Marcus Banks, Joel Anthony and Lou Amundson.
As importantly, UNLV head coach Lon Kruger is a former NBA head coach – and that experience is paying off in player development. If a young player has the natural skills to be a possible NBA player, Kruger and his staff know what it takes to help the player have a chance to play in The League.
No one does basketball like Vegas.
- From 2006-2008, Las Vegas was home to Kobe, LeBron, D-Wade and the rest of Team USA as they prepared to bring home the Olympic gold from Beijing.
- 2007 NBA All-Star Game
- NBA Summer League
- Home to Mountain West Conference and West Coast Conference basketball tournaments
- Various college tournaments
- Top AAU tournaments in the nation

Coaches vs. Cancer

carolynhayesuber — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 02:33:16 +0000

Coaches vs. Cancer is a nationwide collaboration between the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches. The initiative leverages the personal experiences, community leadership, and professional excellence of basketball coaches nationwide to increase cancer awareness and promote healthy living through year-round awareness efforts, fundraising activities, and advocacy programs. Coaches vs. Cancer provides critical mission outreach, while raising funds in support of the Society’s lifesaving cancer research, education, advocacy, and community service efforts.

In 2008, Coach Kruger spearheaded the first Coaches vs. Cancer Golf Invitational on the West Coast, in Las Vegas. Thirteen current and former coaches from around the nation attended. Plans are already underway for the 2009 tournament.