OGDEN — Only a few thousand fans populated the Dee Events Center, Saturday night. It wasn't dead quiet, but quiet enough it was no problem hearing the tappity-tap of the ball, as well as Weber State basketball coach Randy Rahe barking to his players.
The house was a little over half full (6,508). It's a shame it wasn't packed, but is anyone's these days?
Rahe is living proof you don't do it for the glory.
There's not much glory when you play in a conference staged in outposts like Bozeman, Cheney and Pocatello; not much fame in coaching most nights in front of 5,000 spectators, either.
Fine by him.
Winning feels good, even if nobody's watching.
The Wildcats' 89-64 clubbing of Idaho State locked up back-to-back regular-season titles for the first time since the mid-90s. It also secured the host spot for the Big Sky Conference Tournament. That hasn't happened since 1978-80, back in the Wildcats' heyday — or at least one of its heydays.
There have actually been quite a few good periods at Weber. For instance, 1999, when Ron Abegglen coached the Wildcats to an NCAA Tournament victory over North Carolina. That would be the main North Carolina, not North Carolina A&T, Central, Wesleyan, Pembroke or School of the Arts. Then there was the '95 shocker, wherein the 'Cats beat Michigan State and lost by just two to Georgetown in the tourney. And don't forget the 1979 team that won a first-round game against New Mexico State.
No doubt about it, the place has a decent roundball history.
After all, didn't Larry Farmer once coach there?
Oh, yeah. That.
Farmer was a well-liked man. His problem was the former UCLA coach came to Ogden planning to recruit the same type players he wooed to Westwood. Turned out they still wanted to go to UCLA.
In most ways, Rahe has matched any of Weber's winningest coaches, from Dick Motta to Gene Visscher to Phil Johnson to Neil McCarthy to Abegglen. Motta won three titles in five years; Visscher three in his first three years. Johnson won titles all three seasons he was coach and McCarthy won four in 10 seasons.
Rahe has equaled at least one coach in another area. McCarthy, a former military boxing champ, once punched an overbearing fan after a game in Montana. Rahe slugged the stanchion during a practice in mid-December, breaking his right hand.
So that makes at least two guys unafraid to use their fists.
Saturday's win assured Rahe of at least tying for his third Big Sky title in his four seasons. He is on his way to winning his third conference coach of the year award, too. His teams are 48-14 in conference and 75-44 overall, which raises the obvious question: What is he doing in Ogden?
Shouldn't he be just a pleasant memory by now? Yet after already getting one contract extension at Weber, he sounds as happy as a bird in flight.
Asked about the interest that will arise from other schools, Rahe said, "I don't know if there's any interest there — but I appreciate it. But I love it here. My family loves it here. I'll just reiterate what I've told people throughout the last couple of years is that president (Anne) Milner and the administration took a chance on me four years ago when I was a nobody. They hired me and gave me an opportunity when nobody else would, and I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to be at Weber State."
Realistically, WSU shouldn't be able to keep him. It might be wise to dust off Plan B and get out the wish list. It's a sure bet bigger programs will come calling. Though his $194,000 base salary is a nice sum for a school so small, he could command far more. He earns roughly one-third Jim Boylen's base salary at Utah, and half that of USU's Stew Morrill. The former USU and Utah assistant is accomplishing too much to remain in a broom closet (OK, a quiet back room) forever.
Meanwhile, the university is believed to be working on yet another contract upgrade.
Up-and-coming coaches are hard to find and Weber knows it. It has furnished its share of them. Johnson and Motta went on to become head coaches in the NBA; McCarthy became head coach at New Mexico State.
Thus, on Saturday, the 'Cats jumped to an early 17-point lead and rolled from there. Another title in hand, the program seems on solid footing, 48 years after jumping to Division I, thanks in considerable part to Rahe.
It's true the 'Cats could use more fans in their 12,000-seat arena.
But on the court?
As long as Rahe sticks around, the party could go on indefinitely.
E-mail: rock@desnews.com