No spring game
UH officials finally made it official: There will not be a spring game this year.
Because of injuries and other factors, the Warriors will conduct a usual practice on May 2.
The decision makes sense. It will give the Warriors a full teaching session. It also will help avoid past disasters. Two years ago, Justin Vele suffered a fractured ankle during the spring fling. Last year, Jeremy Higgins, who was making a push for the starting quarterback’s job, injured his ankle on spring game’s final play. There still will be scrimmage-like sessions, as there are in every practice. At least spectators (and media) won’t have to try to calculate a complicated scoring system.
* * * * *
Friday will mark the end of an AD’s tenure. While the guy was nice, hard-working and gave it the ol’ college try, he exits with two cranium-scratching decisions.
The first was moving the football opener to 7 on a Thursday night. I sat … and sat … and sat in my car on the Moanalua Freeway yesterday at 5 p.m. And this was with a working Zipper. Now that the game will be shown on CBS Sports, that means a 1 a.m. Friday kickoff on the East Coast.
The second puzzler was deciding to charge one price — $16 — for every adult ticket to Saturday’s MPSF quarterfinal match. Sure, there are discounts for old futs and students. Still, it’s not very consumer-friendly to charge the same amount for tickets in the front row and nose-bleed section. The goal should be to fill the house for a team deserving of an SRO crowd. By the way, in 2010, the last time UH hosted an MPSF quarterfinal match, the adult prices were $12 for the lower bowl, $10 for the upper bowl.
Good morning Hawaii!!
Go Warriors!!!
If we were playing 7 on 7, I might be a little more excited…. Not playing a spring game because lack of bodies is a concern. Lack of depth this season might be what wears this team down. Do we have enough bodies in the trenches? TBD
We definitely didn’t succeed in recruiting. Looks like we whiffed addressing the D line needs. Not sure if we added anymore team speed than we currently had. Most of our linemen are future guys.
I’ll add another head scratcher. Changing the nickname back to Rainbow. Don’t think it improved fan attendance or revenue..
Actually 3 strange decisions. The 3rd being Trapasso’s contract extension.
Guud Morning Tsaikos…bootiful day.
concerned to hear of all the injuries. Graham also messed his shoulder up too.
U going charge $16, then make it “first to sit” anywhere. not good to be assigned upper deck seats. usually the “seniors” come early so they could get first crack at the court side seats.
Anyhoo, IMUA WARRIORS!
#5..Hawaiian Hospitality…
…like, u come my house, I no tell you go, u go wen u ready to go…lol
No Spring game? Is this a read between the lines showing?
North Shore:
It’s actually $16 for reserved seats.
I remember several years ago, UH screwed up on ticketing for an NIT game. So the young’uns all got the court-side seats. It was great. Place went crazy. Sorta like the atmosphere for those ESPN-midnight games at the SSC.
Mr. Tsai, you should put all the “multi-personality” posters on blast. List each one with all the screen names they’ve used.
At this point, UH isn’t going to cover the $3 million deficit in one night.
The goal should be to pack the house, make fans feel good about UH, and then that will lead to future sales.
By the way, the match starts at 7:30 — a half-hour later than usual because UH has too many events that day.
Add that to the debate whether UH should build an on-campus stadium.
Head scratcher maybe, but “The best vball fans in the world” have been itching to experience once again, the Stanley frenzy. The Warrior’s have won and they will come! Be there!!!
Haka:
This is a fun volleyball team.
What’s also good is that they’ve got some pretty good players in the wings. As Charlie said at the banquet, this won’t be a one-hit wonder. Maybe he’s right, maybe he’s wrong. But there are a lot of good arms in practices.
Well when you have a marketing genius ‘guru’ as your AD….please folks…don’t question…
# 1….see it is like this….20 or 30 thousand loyal season ticket holders….all going take off from work to attend that home opener….no need worry about traffic…they can start n proceed to Aloha at 8:00 am since they are off work…plus add to that another 10 to 20 walks up for that game…the man is truly a genius…and dom’t 4 get…it gets us a extra 2 days of practice to prepare….
# 2…Greedy is what it is called…when make one price…see they in the red…so have to make mucho kala…just bleed the ‘customers’ n don’t show them ne concern or compassion 4 their loyalty during the past season…they not count…cuz they are not beans…but good loyal fans…bah…humbug…who needs fans….
Marleysdad, that is such a bad idea. I don’t want any of the tsaikos to know that I am also the person behind the screen name fafa4yrpleasure…so embarrassing.
aloha and good morning everyone!! no spring game !! save those body’s for the season !! seem like under chow time here at hawaii a lot of leg in injury?
BJ last week at AD !! look back what has he done here for the last couple years? that help the UH?
ST, you are absolutely right! The recruiting class coming in is top notch and when you add them to the returners it bodes very well indeed. Every sport is on the rise it seems and UH fans deserves a return to the good times! But they need to literally buy in or what’s the point of it all?
Yeah too bad no spring game. But I understand. There’s not enough able-bodied O-linemen available for a spring game and they can’t risk getting any starters hurt. Anyway, each practice closes with “scrimmage-like” sessions where some real hard-hitting takes place. Going to practice is a treat. Get to watch up close and really hear the solid hitting and see a fight or two. They get nasty during these sessions.
Good morning Tsaikos!!!
It’s been a while. Good to see DPK the other day….
Hope everyone has a great day!!!
No. 18: Fafa you got any digits?
Am very happy to see Bad Job leave. Finally, Hey he gave it his best shot and tried his best. He just did not understand the role of the AD. Best of luck to him in his future endeavors.
P.S. Fafa email address would work too…
RE: Marleysdad #12
I have a feeling I know who you are talking about.
ManoaMist–you know the fafa motto? You get kala-I got digits! lol
Got my tickets to the MVB game =). I think it’ll be my first time attending a game since my family had season tickets during the Yuval era. I’m really looking forward to see if the team can pick up the pieces from Provo and start the tournament strong.
Btw, the online and print-at-home fees? Cray cray.
RE: boolakanaka #18
Aiyah, now I know get free wifi on Hotel St.
RE: iwonderwhytheyhateme #26
At least you saved yourself from standing in the rain last week Tuesday. 😛 I forgot the jacket.
There’s been some unlucky key injuries the past few seasons before the season started from practice.
here’s another head scratcher…. $1 to print your own tickets purchased online or $2 to pick up in person at will call….. I don’t get it?!?!?
30
They want to encourage fans to print their tickets at home so that the lines are shorter for other walk up fans that decide to buy their tickets at the window. Otherwise you just have a longer line with angry fans that may not return.
Good morning Tsaikos!
You think UH’s ticket fee is bad, ever bought tickets to a concert online? Highway robbery!
For MVB season ticket holders, it was $16/ticket + $4 per order. You could only get your regular seats and no more. No ticket printing fee.
I plan on getting there very early to get good parking and watch the softball games and then head over to the SSC.
GO WARRIORS!
GO WAHINE!
iwwthm – about time you showed up. j/k 😆 🙄
Saw a pretty good Qb at uh practice .
Im drinking the cool aid to da Max!!
TE looking gooooood!!
Imua warriors beat the buffaloes !!!!
Spring games are not for the players. They are played to promote the program and excite the fan base. They are used to create buzz for the upcoming year. Canceling the spring game is a lost opportunity for a coach who is running out of opportunities. More importantly this reflects on the past four recruiting classes and the implications it has for the upcoming season.
I would agree about spring games are to promote
especially for top tier D1 schools
But in hawaii it doesn’t seem to have that effect!
Wish OC 16 would shoot 1/2 of practice to promote.
They can do so in other ways although they have not been. What would be worse is if they go through with the spring game and lose players to injury on an already depth lacked team.
#33*
Spring games doesn’t create any buzz, no one knows who won or loss and it doesn’t evaluate any players really.
it’s amusing to read about UH’s offer to 2 young twins who will be entering the 9th grade in utah- why, last time UH did that with Revee Kohler it didn’t work as he decided to play on the mainland – out of sight, out of mind as I have no idea where he went or how he is doing – don’t read the ‘Island bred” section of the paper
both are strapping at 6’4″ and 6’3″ tall and weigh about 245 pounds – yet, how will they fill out over the next 4 years of HS ball? grow taller? put on more muscles/weight? grow to be HS AA which would put much damper on them attending UH especially if Chow is done/gone.
If they become HS AA and chose UH, it would be a heck of a coup!!! – both 6’6″ – 6’8″and weigh about 300 #s – bookends tackles
until then, it’s all a big WISHING game – but, then, will I still be alive? let’s see add 4 to current age and walla!! mine is not to reason why, mine is but to do and —-!
with the cancellation of “spring game”, it further attests to the fact that UH is not well stocked with OL/DL players – yet, the current coaching staff made a “token” attempt to rebuild/reload the stock yard for 2015 and beyond – do they know more than our seeing eye “birdies”???? are they holding back mucho info on “additions”? do they have more scholarships than some on this blog determined?
#20 Haka you’re correct we desperately need the whole state to Buy in.
I Heard people from Hawaii Traveling to California and what not just for vacation….which is understandable but say all that Kala went to the Athletic Department…….
Sigh …a guy can dream
A good Spring scrimmage is an opportunity to really showcase the new players, coaches, and whatever systems the team has worked on all Spring camp as we are trying to sell season tickets and build interest in the program. You can put rules in place to control injury and call a game that will minimize injuries and still put on a good show for the fans– see the speed, arms, catching, defending, etc.. There are injuries in practice and in the 7 on 7’s.
I will only agree that Norm Chow’s spring games don’t create buzz. Ask yourself why other schools have spring games if they weren’t important to the program. I never said they should have a spring game this year with the depleted roster, I said not having one reflects on the past four Norm Chow recruiting classes.
Here is another perspective. In the Shoe, the site of UH’s big payoff game with Ohio State, there were over 99,000 in attendance at this year spring game for the Buckeyes. Wow, talk about the difference between big time and a low mid major!
UH Athletics should look at their MVB season ticket pricing for next year. While closing the upper bowl might have made sense this past year, UH created what is pretty much a two tiered pricing structure for lower bowl tickets. The seating along the sideline require a “donation”, and those near either end do not. The former is about twice as expensive as the latter. IMO the ticket pricing structure should have more levels to encourage fans to spend more. I hope they also look at opening up the upper level for next year’s season ticket sales to take advantage of the momentum. And hopefully, UH Athletics will see MVB popularity as an example of how winning could change the calculus for Football ticket sales.
Is it Friday yet…?
Aloha Ben Jay.
In future endeavors. think “Fan in the stands with cheap seats” rather than “Executive in the deluxe box suite”.
Anyone know if the various ticket purchase fees go into the same UH Athletics pot as the actual ticket price? As I recall, the fees typically represent more than 10% of the total transaction cost for single event purchases.
I agree with Old Diver. The reasons for canceling the spring game make sense. However the fact that it’s necessary is just another sign of the program’s regression under the current regime.
oneseason – IIRC, the upper bowl was only opened 3x this season (USC and Stanford games). They closed the upper bowl because 1) gets the crowd closer to the action; 2) looks better on tv; and 3) less work for the arena staff. There was a proposal a couple of years ago to “flip” the court (benches would be on the same side as basketball), so it would look better on tv, but, for some reason, it didn’t get anywhere.
If UH were to change anything season ticket-wise, they need to look at lowering the youth (student) prices. For football, basketball and vb, you can’t get youth tickets in the premium sections. I used to have mvb season tickets in the upper bowl because Screecher was my seatmate. Saved money and still sat in the lower bowl (shhhhhhh). When they changed it last year, I moved to the premium seats and got a new seatmate.
Not having a spring game is yet another misstep by this coaching staff and admnistration. The spring game is an opportunity to promote and market the program. Encouraging season ticket sales and keeping the football team relevant.
Are we lead by the “three blind mice”?
…nuff said!
(Cheesh)
#41 Willey,
In Ohio 99,000 attendance out 11,500,000 population is 0.86%.
On Oahu 25,000 attendance out of a population of 950,000 is 2.63%.
So actually we have more fans per capita than Ohio.
A spring scrimmage is cost/benefit or risk/reward decision. The coaches have concluded the cost or risk exceeds the benefit.
If we charged a few bucks to the spring game, maybe it would help cover the meal table. Should have it on campus for the ultimate pay for the athletic department with lunch wagons surrounding the outside making it a carnival atmosphere/celebration. Students don’t even have to attend the games to enjoy the different kinds of food. Could even have other venders selling clothes or crafts like the Kakaako event that happens monthly. But then, again, upper campus will probably take the profits.
Stephen Tsai: I’ve heard rumblings from upper campus that the NT that was due in August from Fullerton JC (?) is now academically ineligible. Is that correct?
47. Promote and Chow are 2 words that do not co-exist and never will. We are so outdated compared to other teams in every aspect. The 1 thing I do admit about Jones is he brought in something new when he was hired and created a buzz and promoted UH football.. but even he couldn’t evolve over time and he’s become pretty ancient at this point.
Wonder how many fans a Spring game would draw? I’m guessing 3K would be about right?
I hate to be a “bandwagon” jumper, but BJ’s tenure is full of missteps and poor decisions. I really think it started with the Rainbow v. Warrior fiasco and rolled downhill from there. I still believe Warriors is a better “marketing/branding” name and should have retained the momentum from the JJ/Sugar Bowl successes. Meanwhile, it seems like we have reverted to the old “Rainbow” mentality of the past (i.e. small time thinking & defeatest attitude) versus trying to promote the program and move it forward.
No “flames” please, just stating my humble opinion…I still love the Warriors and I will always support the players who contribute to the University and our State. We need to get more “butts in the seats” and that should be the “mentality” that our new AD needs to adopt. Yeah, we need MONEY, but you gotta build back the confidence in the UH athletic department and win-back the “fair-weather” fans.
I really think we need to revisit our Pay Per View arrangement and return the TV viewing to ALL fans (not just cable owners) versus only those who can afford to pay…Afterall, isn’t the Warriors “Hawaii’s Team”???
We gotta bring “excitement” back to going to UH events…Going to a UH football game in JJ’s time was an “EVENT EXPERIENCE” with the loud speakers, Jawaiian music, the “bad-boy” black uniforms, Villi goin “wild” on the field (and gaining national exposure as a “signature” mascot), and an “exciting” brand of football. We never won all of our games except in 2007, but we always felt “we had chance” and were competitive. Even in the Mack years, we may have lost some “heartbreakers”, but we were competitive. I hope that we will be “competitive” this year with the new coaches and new offensive philosophy…
Hawaii loves “underdogs” and we will cheer for them to win…I hope that proves the case this year. Nuff said…
boola!
You swore I was the only one to ever know your other side! I feel so cheap and used! All those things I said about loving you forever… I LIED! BTW- I’m still waiting for you to return the blowtorch and wetsuit from our last date.
Mr. Tsai can you confirm that the NT that was supposed to be here in Aug from Fullerton JC (?) is not academically eligible? I’ve heard there was a “SNAFU” on the upper campus that caused this.
“Al” #47 … We’re thin on the OL and undersized / undermanned on the DL. Why would you risk guys getting hurt ala Justin Vele & Jeremy Higgins in a game that doesn’t mean anything. Let’s save the hype and healthy bodies for a win vs Colorado. Right now my biggest fear is how many healthy bodies we’ll have after the Wisconsin game going into MWC play.
#32 jm, sounds like da plan.
ok den, have students sit in the lower bowl and everybody else where ever. might be nutz with da kids closer to da action.
having kids academically ineligible should be no problem. just follow the NC template and no penalties.
DPK, you only going get back those things if you agree to give me back the following: deep sea snorkel, blue duct tape and my malo.
#54 & 58…hmmmm interesting negotiations….
#48 nutmegger, my comment was just for perspective as noted, not to question the decision to have a spring game based on injury status.
Be careful with statistics & mathematics, can me misleading or manipulated to make a point. OSU Buckeyes have sold out home games for almost forever. There is a waiting list and lottery to get tickets. Mathematically there were more bodies at Buckeye games last year than the total population on Oahu you listed. Also for one home game at OSU, it was close to about 65% of the Warriors total 2014 attendance. I am not an OSU fan but a proud UH Manoa grad/athlete and former 32 year football season ticket holder.
53. BW……couldn’t agree more. The current regime has been just plain boring. For the the past few years the most interesting and enjoyable part of the game has been the pre game tailgate. Sports are entertainment. That’s why people go. I don’t think coach Chow understands this. If he was consistently winning he could get away with it. But when you combine a consistently losing team with a consistently boring team you get……well……you get what we have now.
Don’t expect a 70 yr old HC to think outside the box to excite the fans. And don’t expect a bean counter to make a good AD.
Rainbow Warrior volleyball and basketball did just fine with the “Rainbow” in the “Rainbow Warrior” brand name. Exciting gameplay is what makes games exciting for me. I found the lack of dialogue with the students, fans, and season ticket holders to have been the most disappointing part of Ben Jay’s decision making process. The “branding” issue had been around a long time. Apple said that he needed JD to be hired after being removed from the AD position so he could lead the “branding” effort, and while this seemed mostly disingenuous, it definitely needed much more of a consensus building than Ben Jay gave it.
with the MWC proclaiming the UH/Colorado Thursday nite game as the “kick-off” for the 2015 TV season – how reasonable would it be to change the game back to Saturday, 9/5/15?
will the MWC be flexible to accept a change in CBS Sports scheduling at this time or will MWC cram it down UH’s throat and threaten the with displacement from the conference? “big brother” again steppin on UH throat like the 8 school presidents who met secretly at the Denver Intl Airport to bolt from the WAC and form a new conference!
why am I still spouting off over “spilled milk” – because it’s totally unfair like it was unfair that women could not vote or people of color must sit in the back of buses and cannot sit at the lunch counter reserved for “whites”?
ever notice in the media, tv or radio or news papers or other periodicals, that there is NEVER mention of English American or German American or French American, etc, but always African American or Japanese American or Chinese American or Hispanic American, American Indian (true natives of the USA), etc?
from the mid-50’s, one would hear “I am an American of Japanese ancestry” – back then, who gave a rat’s ass??? I was Hawaiian!!!!!!!!!!
wow…Portuguese sausage Spam…they created this new item to “thank” the people of Hawaii for their support of Spam…if they want to thank us why don’t they give each household 2 cans of Portuguese Sausage flavor Spam?
not sure why a Thursday night 7:00 pm Pacific time game should be a “kick off” game. Everybody on the continent will be asleep huh?
I agree with some of you that not having the spring game to promote the program to the fans is a lost opportunity. Injuries will occur whether in practice or a spring game but to make that kind of decision sends a negative thread putting injury to the fore front. It is no different than telling yourself to not get injured and you get injured. You want to accentuate the positives and not put those negative thoughts to the fore front. It’s like saying something wrong and you put that out to the universe and it comes back to you.
54 and 58…..seems like Boola and DPK have discovered their own form of the
Xgames. Guess that’s what happens when the off season starts dragging on.
I’m one of the biggest Mariota Fans around but is it just me or was the Subway sculpture a “Bust”. hehehe
Sorry it’s late…
3-prong … I agree about the Mariota sculpture. I thought it was “cheesy”
hardy har har
Sooo … I know that there has been some bright spots from spring training. But definitely not as much positive or hopefulness as in the past. Maybe the reduction in hype will be a good thing? We have been sold the potential of the team for the last few years only for it to fail to live up to expectations. This spring not too much hype. That’s either really bad or a blessing in disguise.
I hope the new AD can take charge and see whats better to market this program. UH football is “Warriors” WHAT THE HECK IS A “Rainbow warrior”!!! Might as well call us ” Menehunes”…
-Second change back the uniforms to green and black, back when the JJ days. Green and white looks outdated..
#matlin #davidmatlin
-Mahalo
#67: YOU “WAS HAWAIIAN”? WHAT ARE YOU SINCE THEN? HAHAHAHA, JUST KIDDING! AFTER OUR PRESENT FB COACH’S THIRD GAME, I RENOUNCED MY ETHNIC ORIGIN TO ALL MY RELATIVES, FRIENDS, AND EX-IN-LAWS, AND HAVEN’T RECINDED THE RENOUNCEMENT TO THIS DAY.
I STILL GO TO ALL THE FB & BB GAMES, THO.
Watched at least 3 spring “games” including Ohio States……very Pro Bowlesque–the Buckeyes looked bad considering who they are but what would you expect. Spring games are fan events. I totally agree a good spirited practice with controlled situations is more productive, Northwestern’s was some run/pass seven on seven and some drills. I would rather have a healthy roster entering this season.
jm2375 … I like your idea in theory. But if youth/senior discounts for Premium Seating were made significant, it could encourage some to buy an extra seat to put their stuff on. Hmmm (thinking about how nice an extra cheap empty seat would be) … never mind 🙂
#75:
guess my words “was Hawaiian” could be taken as present or past tense, but still Hawaiian at heart – born and raised is Hawaii – damn, neva waz guud with English
no wanda eye had 2 repeat “speech” tree times before eye wen pass – last prof said no bee ahfrad to talk pidgin – not enough population to be classified as a recognized dialect like “southern or Bronx or New England/Boston”
how many days to 9/3? eye 2 lazi to count!
Guud Morning Tsaiko…bootiful day.
took speech class in college. had Clyde Aikau in the class. his speech was a mixed with English and pidgin. he was nervous as heck but had the whole class rolling with tears in da eyes even the teacher was cracking up. he passed with flying colors. Speech is for communicating your thoughts. Does proper english have to be a criteria?…imho…nah!
IMUA WARRIORS!
dang commercials on dis page drive me nutz! no like listen to dis junk when reading da page! Do something about it!
RE: A-House #79
I feel you on that… It’s hard for us Hawaii people to talk “proper” English. All the Hawaii kids have a hard time taking those HSA and SAT tests because pidgin makes sentence structure all hamajang.
RE: NorthShoreFan #81
It’s hard to come on this page late at night now… Quietly reading posts then all of a sudden the video plays and wakes up the whole house. :-/
#81/83 Don’t fight the problem. Turn your speakers off Or put the volume control to “0”.
RE: tom #84
I’m not fighting it. The hard part is just remembering turn on the mute… Haha! Too many things to remember.
New post: http://hawaiiwarriorworld.com/?p=30377