UNLV’s Larry Croom was king of college football all-star games

Hey, now, you’re an all-star, get your game on, go play.

That was the opening salvo of “All-Star,” a Grammy Award-nominated anthem by the rock band Smash Mouth. But it was Larry Croom who took the suggestion to heart.

The former UNLV running back, who played for the Rebels in 2002 and 2003, played in three of the most iconic college football all-star games in the same season.

Croom was selected for the last Blue-Gray Classic on Christmas Day 2003, as well as that season’s Hula Bowl and the East-West Shrine Bowl, the longest-running of the college football all-star games that will be played Thursday at Allegiant Stadium.

He scored a touchdown in each one — which must be some sort of record.

“Still to this day a very humbling experience,” said the product of the prolific Long Beach (California) Poly program that has produced numerous NFL players.

He laughed heartily recalling the memories. “The only thing I still have to brag on is I got cheated out of MVP in two of the three.”

Croom, a psychiatric case manager in Las Vegas who owns properties that serve as rehab centers for the homeless and others overcoming addictions, said he had a great experience in all three all-star games. But the East-West game that originated in his native California stands out.

“I grew up wanting to play in that game,” the 40-year-old said.

Today’s top college football stars mostly hold their breath that they don’t get injured and jeopardize their NFL futures in such games. Croom was the antithesis. He said the all-star games enabled him to showcase his skills, an opportunity he parlayed into an 11-year pro career.

When his coach at UNLV was named coach of the West stars, it made the Shrine game that much more memorable, Croom said.

“That was actually my pipeline to getting in,” he said of John Robinson’s influence on his post Rebels career. “I had some decent stats … but given my situation, I looked at the all-star games as my last opportunity to play football — ever.”

But after impressing scouts, he would play at the highest level for the Arizona Cardinals, even breaking into the starting lineup for a couple of games. Croom would later enjoy a renaissance in NFL Europe, reaching the World Bowl with the Amsterdam Admirals — the same team for which two-time NFL MVP Kurt Warner played quarterback.

It should come as no surprise that the former Rebel scored a touchdown in that one, too.

Around the horn

— The last time I looked in on the Chicago State men’s basketball team during the Western Athletic Conference tournament at Orleans Arena, the school had barely survived bankruptcy, was ranked 349th among the NCAA’s 353 basketball schools and was led by a walk-on point guard they had plucked from behind the counter at Subway.

But Las Vegas-based Chicago Sun-Times sports gaming reporter Rob Miech writes that the Cougars have already won six games this season and, much more vital to locals, are 12-7 against the spread — one of only a dozen teams that had 12 covers starting the week.

— In writing about the influence of local youth soccer on Major League Soccer, I was remiss in failing to mention Preston Judd, the Coronado High, Las Vegas Sports Academy and Denver University product selected 35th overall in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft by LA Galaxy.

Judd scored scored 17 goals for LA Galaxy II of the United Soccer League last season.

— Gentlemen, restart your engines: The Las Vegas Motor Speedway Bullring opens its racing season Feb. 5. LVMS also announced that practice and qualifying sessions will return for NASCAR Truck, Xfinity and Cup Series races during the March 4 to 6 NASCAR Pennzoil 400 weekend.

0:01

Former NFL All-Pro receiver Chad Ochocinco, when asked about playing the 2010 Pro Bowl (this season’s game is Feb. 6 at Allegiant Stadium) in his hometown of Miami: “I can sneak my entire family through the back gate of Sun Life Stadium. There’s an opening in the back where I don’t have to pay for all those tickets and can get them in for free.”

Contact Ron Kantowski at rkantowski@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0352. Follow @ronkantowski on Twitter.