Quo vadimus

Wow Early post

If I was benson I would sing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaOo9aU0n2c

…If you’re UH, forget the independence thoughts…..

Good. That was the general consensus of the Cattle Call Tsai-kos today…for the reasons you list and more. The WAC conference itself is what we have some control over. We do not control the other conferences nor do we have control over the teams we will need to play us as an independent.

Like you said, let’s help ourselves and work on what we do control at this time…and not sit at the mercy of other possibilities. Attempt to reload the WAC and let other possibilities be “bonus” options if and when they develop.

I’m trusting in Jim Donovan. He has a good business head, good heart, cares about UH Athletics, and is creative. We’ll be ok.

Play on!

yup, i’d be asking every tom, dick, and harry to consider the new wac. portland state, north texas, sac st, texas sanan, houston, anybody.

got team?

like play with us?

we could always supplement the weak conference opponents with quality non-con teams.

There is some degree of respect and faithfulness amongst several WAC schools. I wonder why the MWC has such hatred for us. Surely, we have a better overall package than Nevada. I mean, even with the constant struggles of an unreal, injury-plagued season, we still nearly pulled off going to a bowl game. Basketball has a new look. Lots of other sports are winning championships, plus individual, national honors.

Another issue is recruits…how does this play into everyone’s mind? What sucks is that HI has so many D1 athletes that you would think that NCAA be a bigger supporter of UH being a viable school that succeeds regularly. We turn out pro’s period. Why not the NFL be more involved as well? Imagine Texas, A&M, Baylor, Tech, SMU not being there for all the athletes that compete in their fine state.

g (china)…first, sorry i missed the cc today. business took me to maui for the day.

secondly, recruiting can/will be an issue. however, winning cures all. we need to quickly establish ourselves as a force to reckon with. a school of choice. whether we are left behind in the wac or indendent we just need to win baby. we need to define ourselves as the warriors, a brand of football, a way to play this game defined like no other.

whether its the run n shoot, bone crushing defenses, the haka, whatever it is we need to separate ourselves and show the football world that we are warriors!

Al, sorry I missed you too but really no need to apologize. Thanks for thinking of me. You guys are the best. Agreed winning cures all. Pretty encouraging hearing from Pride, Kekoa and BG (who just came back from the practice in the morning) how good the guys look. I’m excited as heck for the season to start. Best to you and your ohana.

The San Luis Obispo newspaper seems to indicate that Cal Poly is not ready to move up to D-IA. They had been hoping that the WAC wouldn’t be inviting teams for a few more years so they would have time to get the money and other things ready.

Their President for 30 years just stepped down this summer and they had a problem with their search for a replacement. They have an interim President now who had been retired and hadn’t lived in California before. Until they get their new President, they basically are treading water and don’t have the money to move up.

By the way, the 6’7″ OT that SMU didn’t admit will be playing for UCLA.

Jackson had signed with SMU but was not admitted even though he was an NCAA qualifier. He returned to Southern California and enrolled at El Camino College.

Jackson, who is 6 feet 7, 290 pounds, has been a constant presence at UCLA the last week and made his decision late Wednesday. He will enroll in January and participate in spring practice.

Good morning Tsaiko Nation !

Fear not good folks of Hawaii fame and Glory as the

sun will rise over Manoa Valley, trade winds will brisk your

face during sunset hours and the smell of hibuscus flowers

will put a smile on your face as you have ONE special quality

that NO other mainland school has and that is “The Aloha Spirit” !

If the Pac 10, MWC, WCC or Big West wants to play in their alignment

of states and schools they choose to play “OH WELL” as in reality they

are missing out as IF you really think about it what better place to visit,

eat, sleep, compete and play in the GREATEST weather that ANY athlete can play

and that is “HAWAII NEI’ !

Paradise ball is just one word “AWESOME” as NO other place can offer scenic beauty,

beautiful mountain sites, green valleys, breath taking beaches, spectacular sunsets,

hawaiian music and the most passionate people who cares for their diversity, culture

of enrichment, “The Ohana” and the GREATEST University that ANY ONE can receive an

education at the University Of Hawaii At Manoa !

Not Fresno manuer State, Boise State of potatoes or Nevada of desert lizards as

I don’t see no one talking about moving or vacationing to these “refugee cities

from the wac” as all they have to offer is just ATHLETICS and nothing more !

We will SURVIVE and continue to shine as this will all work out as this season

will be motivated by all coaches and athletes to BEAT these traitors to submission

and play our okole off for the PRIDE of all you LOYAL Tsaiko fans and the GREATNESS

of putting on that uniform with the name bearing on the front chest “Hawaii Rainbow Warrior” as NONE of the schools above can claim that !

“Simply The Best, Better Then All The Rest” !

Remember who you are and what you represent “THE OHANA” as that good folks of the

50th State brings PRIDE to my eyes and a GREAT smile on my face as when you wake

up this gorgeous morning, look around and see your treasures of life and listen to your

love of your people as that good folks of Tsaiko Nation is “PRICELESS” and NO other state,

city or school can claim this !

Have a GREAT day and kiss a kei kei for ME !

IMUA WARRIORS !

Today’s Deseret News article on the BYU situation has some relevant tidbits.

Since an affiliation with the WAC appears to have been undermined after the defections of Fresno State and Nevada, BYU could strike a deal with another league — the West Coast Conference.

However, the WCC does not have softball, swimming, diving or track — sports that BYU competes in.

Louisiana Tech is making public statements that are basically invitations for other conferences to invite them.

Louisiana Tech boasted about its lack of ties to any one conference or rival, as if sending a signal to any league with a potential opening. “Louisiana Tech has never been defined by its association with any one or two schools,” athletic director Bruce Van De Velde said. “We have positioned ourselves to be a strong and proud member of any conference.”

If Utah State had taken the MWC’s offer, the WAC would have lost its NCAA basketball spot. That would have really hurt the conference! If *any* other team leaves the WAC, the WAC will lose its basketball spot and will have a much harder time getting others to join.

The NCAA requires conferences to have at least seven members – and six who have played together for at least five years (“continuity of membership”) – to retain automatic-qualifier status for men’s basketball. However, a conference that loses members gets a two-year grace period during which it can have six members.

…WE make a pitch to the MWC…?

…i think one of the fresno fans put it best on their board the other day when he said…”i feel like i’m now dating my rapist.”

…bring on sac state, uc davis, and rancho cucomonga…:>

…the MWC wouldn’t take us even if we groveled and offered travel subsidies (i think its the nonfootball sports expenses that is why we’re unattractive)…

…houston, smu, or utah state would be their choices…

I hope our fb team/coaches don’t lose their concentration.

I’d like to see a concerted effort by everyone involved to get out there on the field of play and just give every team a whopping they won’t forget before they leave the conference, and to prove who’s the better team in the WAC no matter what comes down in the future.

GO WARRIORS….TO THE END!!!

Okay, I see there’s been anti-trust rulings with the NCAA, dating back to 1984 at least. One thing that stands out is that the NCAA has been protected as long as they are promoting amateurism and academics.

Can’t the WAC argue that all of these mergers, creating have-nots, may dissolve the conference, thereby diminishing funding to promote amateurism under Title IX, yada, yada, yada?

Even the most recent court rulings came before this summer’s changes to the collegiate landscape. The BCS and tv have altered and created a huge unbalance that not all states and territories can participate in. Aren’t we afforded some protection from discrimination?

Surely, there’s got to be lawyers, local politicians, and even members of Congress, who see the imbalance and are willing to push through a new ruling for equality? I fail to believe that a court ruling can’t be revisited and revised or thrown out.

Like I’ve said previously, to all the schools using “travel to Hawaii” as an excuse…

Show us your bottom line. Show us what it costs every year for all of your various sports teams to travel and play in Hawaii, with subsidies. Yes, include costs incurred for those tutors you had to bring along too, if you must. Now, don’t go making up stuff, and adding all kinds of new tutors and trainers and assistants and all that. I’m sure you have outstanding bookkeeping, otherwise, you wouldn’t have realized that travel to Hawaii is so expensive to begin with.

Then, for the years you played football at Aloha Stadium, show us what you made from that extra scheduled game, if you did schedule an extra game to take advantage of the Hawaii Exemption. If you didn’t, then that’s your fault for not taking advantage to make more money.

Why am I asking this? Well, we’d like to see if therre’s any other way that we can help you out in this situation.

Oh yeah, one more thing…

We travel to all of your places, and we spend more time and costs traveling than all of you combined. Yet, we still find a way to get things done, excel on the field, win championships, perform exceptionally well on our APR’s, and spread our aloha spirit with you, even while you all are screwing us in the back.

By the way, have a nice day.

Great Morning All!

…the interesting times continue.

Yeah, I know we should be nice to them and all now that the WAC needs LaTech to stick around, but how much does this just make you think, “Ho!”

“Louisiana Tech has never been defined by its association with any one or two schools,” athletic director Bruce Van De Velde said. “We have positioned ourselves to be a strong and proud member of any conference.”

Several “positions” come to mind with that statement…and some even can be related to the WAC (missionary, cowboy, doggie…)

The problem is peoples atitude toward hawaii, years ago at a b-ball tournament espn asked a prominent coach about Hawaii and their problem with getting schools to play them because of travel, yet Hawaii travels thousands of miles every year and has to deal with it 100x more. Coach said, thats their problem if they want to be in div. 1a. I don’t care.

Other than their record Nevada brings a natural in-state rivalry with UNLV to the table. Fresno brings less I think.

The biggest problem is, as ST pointed out, the lack of teams available. All the west coast schools are already wrapped up. If you go east towards LaTech the travel thing really becomes a pain — and not just with travel to Hawaii. Idaho is pretty isolated. It would be helpful for NMSU if the WAC added teams in Texas. Ideally the WAC stays together and goes to 12 with and east and west conference and then a title game. That could help reduce travel costs. Realistically it would be tough to get 6 more teams.

See our sports page today “Hawaii is still weighing options” Now hold on a second if I remember correctly back when Boise State left I remember our AD saying, We are looking at our options in case others leave. How frick’n long does it take to weight a few options ?

Where ever we end up, one thing is key — Just win baby. If we don’t become the bulls of a depleted/revamped WAC then we don’t have too much room to complain. I’m talking mainly about football.

One would think that there are some legal implications in all of this. Unleash the lawyers.

BIK

I believe, if we lose that automatic spot, we’d end up relying solely on RPI and an at-large bid. And if we do get replacements into the conference, we still all need to be one group of six teams for five continuous years. If anyone else leaves in thsoe five years, and we get any newer replacements, the five-year clock begins anew.

And all this after such a good spring and summer! That is what’s so frustrating! We finally look to be moving forward… and then.. WHAM!

I like the idea of the WAC merging with C-USA mentioned by a previous post. Someone should pitch this idea to the tv stations broadcasting C-USA games, including ESPN. This idea should be presented to the conference commissioners and ADs. The idea of three divisions of C-USA spanning the country is a “out of the box” idea which is bound to attract those who control tv broadcasts.

I too think the ncaa needs to step up to the plate on this, maybe it’s time for them to tell the courts, we tried it your way an see where it got us, we need to take control back an not let the outside forces bring down college sports.

I don’t care what the MWC says they are out to destroy the WAC, notice they have not gone after any other conference, an I am sure there are other schools in other conference’s that look better than the three they went after.

Not 100% sure that being independent is not a good option? Need to see who steps up if we would explore that route

MW,

That’s great! Given our track record with the NCAA, no problem-o…. 👿

….I guess that means no chance for representation on any Selection Cmte either?

I agree with Bigislandkurt that UH just needs to win. Actually, just 1 team needs to win, the football team.

I don’t agree with the point about how the lawyers could do anything. The courts said this has to be a free market and that is what is being done. If C-USA/MWC gets included in the BCS, then only a small percentage of teams won’t have an AQ chance.

There is a reason why the BCS made sure to have more teams in AQ conferences than not in AQ conferences at the D-IA level. Now if they add C-USA and MWC to the AQ system, they will have an overwhelming percentage of the vote.

…we’d be attractive to espn if we’d win….

Then our OoC schedules will have to be monstrous!!! I think we have to schedule in anticipation of the conference collapsing, rather than schedule soft, waiting to see if it does fall apart.

Okay, it’s settled then….

WIN WARRIORS!

Sorry, had to say it… we’ve been living on the outskirts of Detroit for far too long, and we hear this stuff on an almost daily basis.

ST & Tsaiko Blog Dogs,

“You had me at ‘Hello'”!

The new vision, if that is possible, should be to hold together as a conference. All members will need to do as most Tsaiko Blog Dogs have said…WIN! Beat the crap out of every non-conference foe and raise the cachet of the WAC!! The byline for WAC=Win @ All Cost!

Warriors may even have to concede to playing more away games within the WAC to help others with travel costs, etc.

It’s only a vision, but loyalty often has a way of winning out, right Jerry??? Rod Tidwell where are you??!!! I love you man!!!??

Ok, maybe UH should have it’s own Jet and Hotel.

I think the worst thing about it all is how the rest of the country don’t give a sh** about UH. Sure, we’ve heard a few people pop up and say “I feel bad for Hawaii” and all, but when it all comes down to it, people on the national college football landscape could care less if UH football withers away and dies. Think about it, the USU to MWC scenario is not over yet. This could actually get a little worse.

It’s just sad how Everyone has been a part of conference realignment talks….even folks like New Mexico and USU. All accept Hawaii. It’s almost like small kid time when we would get together and choose teams at recess to play kickball or football. Hawaii is the kid that don’t get chosen. And damn that sucks.

That is the sheer reality of how the rest of the country treats Hawaii. The only importance we have (to them) is that we are 1) a military outpost and 2) America’s proverbial swimming pool or golf course — always there when you need that dream vacation or tv sitcom. But that’s about it. Aside from that, we just don’t matter to people who are not from here. Hawaii always wants to run with the big kids, but always keep getting relegated to the small kid table. Why do we worry about things like this? I don’t know, but we do. It occupies a great piece of our psyche, our national self-worth per se…when it comes to business, or sports, or education, we are always trying to be “like the mainland.” That ‘aint gonna change anytime soon. Here is a prime example of not hating the player, hate the game.

These MWC powers, presidents, NCAA folks are proven chicken sh**. $$$ makes the world go ’round and when you live in the world of $$$, a soul is not required. Yet I can only feel that if it was us who got the invite, there wouldn’t be too many of us who would be saying “poor San jose” or “Poor New MExico state.” SUch is the name of the game and once again, we find ourselves on the junk end of the ledger. NOBODY, I mean NOBODY on the national scene has come to bat for Hawaii.

BIK

Yes, but discrimination isn’t okay if the majority aren’t affected… even if one is discriminated against, it’s discrimination. Percentages have nothing to do with it.

I agree that discrimination is wrong. But is it discrimination that UH gets lower TV ratings than schools like BSU? Is it discrimination that it takes much longer to fly to Hawaii? Is it discrimination that UH’s computer ratings in football and basketball are bad? Is it discrimination that it costs more to fly to Hawaii than to take a bus to an opponent?

Are we saying that it is discrimination that Ohio State makes $22 million more in TV money per year than Miami of Ohio? That Florida makes $20 million more in TV money per year than Central Florida? That has nothing to do with the BCS or bowl games–that is regular season money. Texas has a much smaller TV contract than any Big 10 or SEC team but gets the most money ($130 million) because their fans pay crazy prices for tickets…are the fans discriminating when they don’t care about Rice and pay that money for Texas?

The BCS money is actually being given to non-AQ conferences far more than what the market says they should be getting. That BCS money could never be earned by almost all of the non-AQ teams because the big bowls couldn’t get the TV ratings and fan support, so if they took away the BCS system and went to the free market then schools like UH would get *less* money. Every game with WAC or MWC teams is in the bottom TV for TV ratings for the BCS bowls…the BCS money would start to decrease for everyone if TV ratings like that continue.

Time for work…hope I can concentrate today. Big stuff happening.

I’m trying to convince myself that “winning isn’t everything” , something that we were taught a long time ago. I’m trying to apply that concept to the WAC “traitors” and I just can’t … so frustrating. I agree with those who believe that the main reason FSU and Nevada got invited to the MSF is that they WIN!

By the way, how is the fallout froma ll this WAC breakup going to affect last school year’s UH NCAA finalists (volleyball, softball, track) — the wonderful Na Wahine?

Go Independent, road might be a little bumpy.. With the right business savvy person running the show the options are wide open. All- Star nominations? you still can be an All-American if you play for an Independent, no?

Doesn’t matter where you play.. just win! Win every WAC game no matter what!

Funny the situation we are in today all started in June of 2007, thanks fumbler……….

Just my 3 cents (inflation). Being proactive regarding the football program ($$ maker that drives the AD) and possible Independent status will be the key to overcoming the current state of affairs – can you say frequent flier miles? Direct flights from HNL to Chicago (to play Notre Dame) – 8 hrs. Direct flights to Dallas FW (to play the Texas Schools) -7:30 hrs, Direct flights to Salt Lake City (Utah, BYWHO) 6:30 hrs. UH Road Warriors. Have to laugh at these coaches who whine about the trip to Hawaii – oh da poor buggahs. UH does it 5-6 times every football season.

Of course none of that is discrimination. But what is discriminatory is to exclude schools to participate in promoting amateurism, which is what will happen if the WAC folds and we’re left standing in the rain. No one wants us for football, and the western conferences don’t want the added expenses of annual travel to Hawaii for their non-revenue sports. Flying, bussing, none of it is discriminatory. It’s an excuse given to justify the discrimination. Excluding a group of certain opportunities that are available to others, irregardless of circumstances, that’s always been my understanding of discrimination. We hear all kinds of excuses for people discriminating against others every day. Their reasons for doing it (I was raised this way; it’s too far to fly; doesn’t excuse them for doing it. It still ends up happening anyway, and needs to be stopped. Yes, the BCS has added more non-AQ participation recently. But it’s not 100% participation yet.

So, do we step down from all sports? Do we run a purely academic institution, after the history we’ve built? I still fail to see that there’s no legal argument here somewhere.

As far as exposure, when Coach Jones came in, we chose to air our games in the middle of the night, in a deal with ESPN. If our games started around noon, as many games here do, we’d be seen, or at least mentioned, during prime time on the East Coast. We opted for that late night contract for ESPN’s money. Now, since we’re losing ESPN, we should go to late morning, early afternoon game starts. We play on the mainland when it’s freezing, snowing, whatever. It’s time they enjoyed our climate, while sitting in the lovely Hawaiian sun.

Garret made a good point about conference travel. With the 6 remaining WAC members none are really within driving distance of each other. Idaho and Utah State are closest to each other at about 11 hours driving time. That is brutal, especially for the non-rev sports.

Actually, ST, now that you mention it… I think there would be bad blood for any school(s) that would be forced to put Hawaii into their conference/schedule when they are presently adamantly against us.

All we can do is win in everything for the next two years, and hope that some schools come up with funding to step up and join the conference.

As conniving as the MWC has been, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them boot SDSU and UNLV AFTER they get their AQ status confirmed. Then, as long as LaTech stays, we’d just need five years with the newer schools so that we can retain our auto bid in basketball.

Forcing teams to stay an extra night is like implicating another tax during recession times.

I still wish FSU and Nevada would come back to us and bring BYU’s non-revenue sports along. Then have BSU change their minds too. No matter what, though… our cellar teams are still deep down there, including our basketball team. I wonder, how long before they can change their minds about leaving the WAC for the MWC? I’d love for us to run the table this year and next, and have our lower level teams pull off surprises… all due to the fire and threat of possible extinction. That might be the only way to get them back. Then, lock everyone into a minimal-year contract with a 10-mil (or more) buyout, payable in full before the start of the next fiscal year.

#93 St – I don’t know about that, If I was getting my butt beat by the bully of the school and my big brother stepped in to help me out, I think I would be happy about that. Hey who wants to get thier butt beat, plus big brothers are supposed to look out for their little brothers.

I wish having over a broken heart might be so uncomplicated as following a number of steps.. but its not…

aloha friday and admissions day to all the 808 people. you are the bestest. may today be restful and enjoyful.

After reading and hearing about the latest defection, I too feel devastated and upset by the departure. I understand the economic picture presented by the school that’s leaving so with that in mind I say we move our game back to the latter time slot. Let’s accommodate all the fans who have not left and still sticking with the warriors. Why are we concerned about teams like fresco spending another night or whatever their excuse might be. They had no thought of us when they decided to bolt. Hawaii is always trying to take care of other because its the Hawaiian way well maybe we need to be kinder to ourselves and all those who care for UH. That my first take on this subject and I’m sure other opinions will focus latter.

Any way have a nice day, we sure hell deserve one.

Last Call, ur#53…….the only, “looking into options” was looking into the mirror!!!, bwaaaaahahaha!

useful post

How about that editorial in the SA ” UH must make the WAC work”

I doubt that the MWC can remove SDSU or UNLV — even if they wanted to, which they probably don’t. Those schools would have to elect to leave or give the conference some kind of excuse like dropping football.

One question I have is what is the status of BSU, FSU, and Nevada regarding voting in the WAC? They are all still member institutions — with FSU and Nevada apparently around for two more years. Do they still get full votes within the WAC even though they have officially committed to moving on?

Out here in the islands, sometimes BIG sister can do the job backing up when the brother ain’t around.

Aloha Kakahiaka!

I sure am glad I’m just the 12th man and my job is to CHEER!

Hope the powers that be are listening to ST… he comes up with good stuff sometimes.

Everybody do their job.

Good luck, Garret – get the big one!

GO WARRIORS!!!

Good morning Tsai-kos!

If you’re UH, forget the independence thoughts. I thought it was a good idea, too, until I head the national talk-show hosts yesterday. It is better to be in a conference: guaranteed games, trophies, all-star nominations that look good on resumes. The WAC has been good to UH, but why not also make a pitch to the Mountain West? UH can offer travel subsidies, emphasize the Hawaii exemption, and give up the automatic entry into the Hawaii Bowl. UH could also offer the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation model. In the MPSF, all of the California teams play home-and-home matches during the season. The polar teams — BYU and Hawaii — don’t. Instead, for instance, UH and Long Beach State will play each other twice in Long Beach this year and twice in Hawaii the following year. The same format is used in WAC softball. It’s less of a hardship when a team has to play in Hawaii every other year.

Thank you ST! That’s what I was trying to say last night, you just said it more eloquently. That’s why you’re the writer and I’m the statisician.

“statisician”

…and also not the editor! 😆

From the MWC web site

Mountain West Strategizes with Conference USA

By Mick McGrane on August 20, 2010 1:27 PM | No TrackBacks

Followed- up on various media reports regarding a potential Mountain West Conference-Conference USA merger. Confirmed that representatives of both leagues did indeed meet yesterday in Colorado Springs. Included were Commissioner Craig Thompson, Commissioner Britton Banowsky (who have a long-standing personal and professional relationship), and a couple MWC Athletics Directors. The informal gathering, which was previously scheduled, covered a wide range of topics, including concepts regarding television, scheduling and the BCS. Yet another example of the Mountain West’s ongoing strategic thinking on a number of fronts, as the league continues to position itself in the national landscape.

Who the heck is Jerry Maguire?

if you, like me, don’t know ,

here is wikipedia short info link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Maguire

Being in a conference just to be in a conference is like having a hairy women. At least you got a woman. Well, sometimes you don’t need a hairy woman – no woman, no crime.

Benson has been outsmarted numerous times as head of the WAC. Yet we still want to stay with him? Schools have run away from us, stuck us in the shorts – twice now in recent years, yet we still want to go with our same strategy?

Isn’t insanity doing the same thing over again and expecting a different result?

Do we really think top recruits will come to UH to do battle with San Jose, Texas San Antonio and LA Tech?

Surely I ain’t got all the answers, all I know is:

Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away.

Now it looks as though they’re here to stay.

Oh, I believe in yesterday.

Suddenly,

I’m not half the man I used to be,

There’s a shadow hanging over me,

Oh, yesterday came suddenly.

OK, you’ve been dumped.

Here are the next five stages: 1) Pout. 2) Retrace every dumb thing you’ve done. 3) Listen to Usher songs. 4) Annoy your friends with more pouting, retracing and Usher songs. 5) Move on.

Incorrect ST!

You’re supposed to listen to PETER CETERA songs!

Rivals is reporting that University of Houston is close to joining the MWC. That opens a spot for LA Tech to join C-USA and leave the WAC with five teams. And the hits keep on coming.

chopsueyboy:

August 20th, 2010 at 7:14 am

time to change kickoff times back to the late start

and force WAC teams to pay for an extra night in Hawaii

chopsueyboy — I hope it happens, but if it does, it would not be for the relatively minor expense of a night’s lodging. There are other issues like the visiting team get home earlier (which, BTW, could be addressed by an adjustment by an airline to depart their red-eye a hour or two later). I think the main reason would be to improve ticket sales at the stadium.

Speaking as a season ticket holder who will have the sun in my eyes for the entire first half of the UH-USC game — the sun does not set until 6:48 PM with a 5:00 game start — I long for the days of the 7:00 PM game start, when the atmosphere was carnival-like and we could eat dinner at 6:00 PM rather than 3:00 PM….and then hit the night spots after. OK, this one is for TV $$$$

I don’t want to sound petty, but can we move the October 16 Nevada game to 6:30 PM? ESPN’s not involved and we can cite UH ticket sales and financial issues–which clearly in not a concern to Nevada.

If The Powers That Be within the University of Hawai`i System agree to pick up the costs to bring D-1A teams to Hawai`i to play not only football but also all the other sports, then how will the bills be paid?

There are currently three $$$ resources – increased advertising sales & other types of corporate underwriting; increased ticket prices; legislative allocations funded by taxes.

Perhaps the first could be done over the next couple of years. As for the other two, increasing prices without offering something valuable in return is highly unlikely to result in increased revenues. And as for expecting the taxpayers to front the costs is about as likely to happen as the sun rising in the west and setting in the east.

Another option independent of UH which is being explored is to look at creating Hawa`i as an international sports venue.

The following announcement was sent out yesterday by the Hawai`i Tourism Authority yesterday.

Hawai’i To Host 2012 World Vintage Rugby Carnival

HONOLULU-The Hawai’i Tourism Authority (HTA), the state’s tourism agency, is pleased to announce that Hawai’i will host the 2012 World Vintage Rugby Carnival. The seven-day event to be held in Honolulu, is the first of its kind to be held in the United States and is expected to bring more than 1,500 veteran players and supporters to the islands.

“We look forward to hosting this first-time event to the United States that will increase Hawai’i’s sports presence on a global level and inject a boost to our tourism economy,” said Mike McCartney, president and CEO of HTA. “Sporting events such as this not only have a positive economic impact on tourism for our state, but also generate invaluable media coverage worldwide and enhance our resident’s and visitor’s quality of life, providing opportunities for enthusiasts to attend, participate or volunteer.”

HTA played an instrumental role in meeting and coordinating with local organizing groups and event planners, bringing stakeholders together to make Hawai’i’s winning bid for the Rugby Carnival possible, including beating out other destinations who boast a larger number of rugby followers. Hawai’i Tourism Oceania, HTA’s marketing partner, will also be providing marketing support for the event.

More than 60 teams from countries including Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, England, France, Spain, Germany, South America, Australia, and South Africa are expected to participate in the 2012 Rugby Carnival. Included in the week-long event are three playing days, two major social functions and island sightseeing and activities.

“Vintage rugby is a rapidly growing international movement for mature rugby players,” said Cormac O’Carroll, president of Hawaii Sports Inc., a local sports event management company assisting with coordination of the event. “We would like to thank HTA for their vision and support in bringing this emerging and exciting sport to Hawai’i.”

The 2012 Carnival will have two categories for participation, men ages 35-45 years and men ages 46 years and over. Previouscarnivals have been held in Ireland (2004), Argentina (2006), New Zealand (2008), and South Africa (2010).

The Hawai’i Tourism Authority was created in 1998 to ensure a successful visitor industry well into the future. Its mission is to strategically manage Hawai’i tourism in a sustainable manner consistent with our economic goals, cultural values, preservation of natural resources, community desires, and visitor industry needs. For more information on the HTA, please visit http://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org.

# # #

For more information, contact:

Momi Akimseu

Hawai’i Tourism Authority

(808) 973-2278

Dawn Hirai

Stryker Weiner & Yokota

(808) 523-8802/722-9445 (cell)

Jessica Morikone

Stryker Weiner & Yokota

(808) 523-8802/781-5001 (cell)

Well over a year ago, the head of HTA’s Sports Tourism department, the second in command in UH Athletic Department’s Administration, and a faculty member at UH’s School of Travel Industry Management specializing in niche tourism were sent a joint e-mail requesting that the three of them work together to develop a comprehensive UH sports marketing program which included accommodations, attractions & touris, and meals for the fans & supporters of the more than 100 teams that fly Hawai`i to compete in D-1A intercollegiate athletics.

Included in the request was information about three different funding sources to underwrite the costs of preparing the report and even implementing the program once it was ready to market.

No one has responded to inquiries over the past six months as to what has been accomplished. Perhaps one of the sportswriters in the Honolulu Star Advertiser might be able to find out what, if anything, happened with the suggestion.

meanwhile at the raider camp…

http://www.raiders.com/news/article-1/Coach-Cable-August-19-Transcript/8ba90fe9-67af-45c4-b631-7fec0174c63a

Garret,

Jim Donovan was on the Bobby Curran Show this morning and confirmed what you read.

Kazz,

That is sad. I was hoping that what I read was untrue, but if JD confirmed it then there is no MWC option for UH.

Maybe it’s about time the NCAA relax it’s rule on the numbers of teams D1 schools must have. Times have changed, cost have changed. Enforcing the sixteen team rule is one of the few rules the NCAA is able to enforce. Only a fraction of all athletic departments make money. Leave it up to the Universities or their conferences to decide how many teams they must field.

Were the offered travel subsidies for all sports, or only football?

interesting site!

Darren,

I *think* JD was only referring to subsidies for football.

Darren,

What I read was UH offered travel subsidies for all sports. That could be wrong and anyone who heard the JD interview would know the full story.

Kazz,

The WCC wants all of BYU’s non-football teams…UH would love that option.

Can’t really blame NT to turn down an offer to join the WAC. As it is right now, the WAC is a sinking ship.

game start time…don’t be surprised if in the future, kickoff will be at 3 pm. this to accommodate tv. this relates to 6 pm west coast and 9 pm east coast.

When the MWC heard what would be happening, their AD went to Philly where Comcast is located to work on the TV portion, and then went to meet with the C-USA commissioner. Craig Thompson deserves credit for doing his job well and really going for big things.

Don Beebe, Craig Thompson…very good, proactive, quick-thinking commissioners that will do whatever it takes to save their conference.

We say we’re go indy in 2012, get down on our knees and pray for that MWC invite within the 2 years (of course our football team gotta be a top 40 or so program). Anything else will absolutely kill our recruiting (Utah’s being in the PAC 10 will make it that much harder).

madeinhawaii,

As the WAC goes further and further east, UH’s hold on the WAC will continually be reduced. We may get to the point that eventually La Tech will seem not too bad geographically and the Texas and Louisiana schools will complain about having to travel all the way to Hawaii.

#157 al – I say make the start times 1 or 2 in the afternoon, more exsposure on the mainland, can’t hurt. Heck we can tailgate from the am go to the game an have time to tailgate some more after an still be home before 10 pm.

We should keep in mind that when the MWC put on their website that they met with C-USA, that probably means that they came to some agreement with C-USA. Otherwise, they wouldn’t say anything.

Every conference tries to ignore the rumors…but when they start to officially confirm things you know the deal is done. For example, how long after the MWC mentioned their official invitation to Fresno and Nevada did they get the official acceptance? Notice that they never put Utah State on their website…but they did put this C-USA meeting. Interesting news will probably be out very soon.

Garret..

You’re right.. make that — use the penalties from Fresno and Nevada to subsidize.. TWO Cali schools and 1 Montana school…

madeinhawaii,

But the California schools doing have the money to get their Athletic Departments up to the D-IAA level. They also have had their budget cut due to California’s financial problems, so how can they afford the extra money?

I remember a time when the word “interesting” was a good thing with regards to sports.

I think I can even remember a time when college sports was kind of “black and white” or there was this “just win” attitude and it was fine because you had a conference to call home and games to play.

No conference doesn’t mean no games, but ultimately, no willing opponents + no games = … well, you all get the picture.

This is probably why Craig Thompson went to Comcast before anything else. They need to adjust their mtn deal and enable all of their schools to made side TV deals (like how UH has K5/Oceanic/PPV). The big money from VS/CBSCS will let those networks pick games (like ESPN’s deal with the WAC) and they will get to show the games not picked.

Since BYU started this all… how about they tell the WCC they’ll join with all sports, minus football, if Hawaii comes along? Then all we gotta worry about is football in the short term.

When the MWC heard what would be happening, their AD went to Philly where Comcast is located to work on the TV portion, and then went to meet with the C-USA commissioner. Craig Thompson deserves credit for doing his job well and really going for big things.

Meanwhile, “our guy” was schlepping boxes up to his daughter’s dorm room *at USC*! 👿

Michigan Warrior,

It looks like BYU will stay in the MWC so it doesn’t matter now. I wonder how Utah State feels now, knowing they could have been the MWC’s 12th school and been in a conference with BYU.

Reviewing late stuff on yesterday’s blog:

-I know UH would have done what FSU and UNR did, but that’s a hypothetical thing. I am living in this reality and it doesn’t change my feelings about where WE stand.

-Yes. A student athlete’s FB comments should NOT be posted or linked to from a public forum.

pomai…1 or 2 pm start would have us competing with midwest and eastern tv markets with the night games in that area. ideally if we are the only game on the tube we would have a better chance at being aired often.

of course we got to win.

RedZone,

BYU needed a credible threat to get the TV rights it has been asking for since *before* they formed the MWC. They wanted the same TV arrangement that the WAC had (allowing individual school deals after the top games are picked), but the MWC always said no before now.

So, BYU may get what they have always wanted. They even got 3 more games against Texas to help beef up their nonconference schedule.

Fresno, Nevada, and BSU get to join the MWC like they have wanted.

Comcast gets more TV markets for the conference TV deal.

Which is why the WAC would use the Exit money from Fresno and Nevada to help subsidize the Cali schools and Montana into D1. It would be in the form of a low-interest loan/no repayment grant … Loan if the school exits the WAC within a certain time frame… no repayment grant if the school remains in the WAC for say… a minimum of 10 years?

madeinhawaii,

$5 million wouldn’t be enough for any California school to upgrade its facilities to get to D-IA requirements. They also cannot afford to pay the annual scholarship costs that are higher for D-IA (since they give more scholarships). Plus, they have to start new women’s teams for Title IX.

$10 million wouldn’t support more than 1 school…and it wouldn’t enable them to afford to stay in the WAC after the built the facilities. How is the WAC going to use the $5 million for 3 schools?

Looks like that new imposed student fee is going to give their kids their money’s worth. Thankfully they passed the resolution prior to the mess.

Pay per view will be a tough sell.

People always say, “i stuck through it during the VonAppen years.” Now it will be interesting to see how many stick through it when we have a mediocre team and have directional no name schools on the schedule on a regular basis.

And what happens to the Hawaii Bowl?

garret…are you in san diego or were you in the bay area today?

from Houston Chronicle blog

(sorry Garret, if you already posted this…hard to keep up 😉 )

BYU games added: The Longhorns, already scheduled to play BYU in 2011, announced Friday the addition of a separate home-and-home series with the Cougars. UT will play at Provo, Utah, in 2013 and host the Cougars in 2014. The newest series is part of BYU’s efforts to add high-profile national opponents as it moves into conference independence.

The Longhorns have been trying to beef their schedules, especially since a pared-down Big 12 means they won’t have the possibility of a league title game beyond 2010. UT will play BYU and UCLA in 2011, Mississippi in 2012, Mississippi and BYU in 2013, BYU in 2014, and Notre Dame and California in both 2015 and 2016.

that is amazing that you could have gotten anything done over the past two days. perhaps you write a book on “multi-tasking for dummies”. i would buy the first copy.

Our games aren’t even being picked up this season, with the exception of the first one against USC. If our games are on earlier, at least we’ll get some highlight/Sportscenter coverage throughout the WHOLE day. That’s more media than a quick mention once at 8am on Sunday over here covering scores from the previous day’s college ball.

al then make it 3pm what ever it takes to get the exposure. But your are 100% right “need to win” an win big.

Garret….

I suppose it has to be in the form of matching funds.. from boosters and/or the State? At least it would get those schools active in getting their booster clubs involved… Who knows? Maybe some $$$ benefactor might step in for one or more of those campuses. Stranger things have happened and there are a lot of moneyed people in Cali.

And, if we can manage to do amazing things during our earlier-starting game, we can almost count on the repetitive reports throughout the whole day, and be picked up by every network for more added replay time. Better that, than no coverage at all.

Do you guys know… when we start late, our football scores aren’t even posted on Sunday morning papers with the rest of college football? Most times, you won’t see our score until Monday’s paper here, if at all. Sometimes, they don’t even print it.

Let me hit this lottery!!!

i would love to be in on the meetings of the university presidents and AD’s about how they plan to move forward as a conference.

i believe the wac needs to higher a ceo from a business to get a vision.

btw, are the fumbler and benson related? jk

Re-post my question from last night/s blog. If Hawaii was to leave the WAC, how could we pay the $5 million buy out fee? If we only leave in football, do we still have to pay the $5 mil? We couldn’t even afford to buy out Coach Mac’s contract that a lot of people was asking to do.

papajoe2,

Once a single team left the WAC, the $5 million buyout clause was gone. So, anyone can leave the WAC and not have to pay anything now.

d1shima,

You never have to apologize for posting something! I actually didn’t post that article here, so it was new information.

Wondering if California schools can pay rent to use someone else’s stadiums for home games… if scheduling could be worked out to accomodate that until a more permanent solution is reached?

And as mentioned elsewhere, lobby the NCAA for a grace period in the 16-sport minimum required to be a D-1A school, so that they can at least get their foot in the door. I mean, the NCAA is sitting back watching all of this unfold anyway. They have to know we’re getting shafted, and our options are limited at best. Yeah, I know… why would they care anyway? They’ve given us the shaft themselves in the past.

sports for fun,

I offered my help to UH for free and never heard back. I’ve been working with 3 other groups since then to try to help UH, each group is focused on different things that would help UH. *None* of them can react this quickly though, we needed more time.

ATH to put the “WAC getting Wack’d” on “Buy or Sell” after the break…

212… I vote “yes”

garrett, plz find ways to post next week. nah j/k

your info and knowledge helps the long work day go by faster and most if not all of your info is right on the mark on a consistent basis.

Slugger,

That is what I thought. Like I told you the professor friend of mines from that university went as a visiting scholar to some Arizona school. She had a wonderful time and appreciated all that was gained there.

Thanks, Garret. Although I was stationed at Fort Ord (in Monterey, CA) for almost 5 years, i’m not too familiar with the UC schools and their surrounding areas.

pomai…i have been echoing your sentiments from day one.

found this article at espn. heres an excerpt…

WAC, BYU had 2011 Schedule at Ready

“Benson said the league has time to decide what it will do and added that his phone has been ringing off the hook from members to join the remaining six schools for 2012 — Hawaii, Utah State, Louisiana Tech, San Jose State, Idaho and New Mexico State.”

i have a hard time believing this. i still think getting a ceo from a prosperous business is a good idea in moving forward. wasn’t the mwc commish a ceo too? not sure.

sorry, here’s the link

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5479730

BTW, lest we forget – first game of the 2010-11 year is upon us! Wahine Soccer vs Pacific at WPSS, 7 pm TONIGHT.

SLTrib writer sees an “angry” season in Utah football:

Regardless of what ends up happening with BYU’s fight for football independence in the coming days, the football season just became a whole lot more interesting around here.

Keeping track of who’s mad at whom will make Saturdays even more fun than usual, so try to follow along:

hey, didn’t the records for the ’08 n ’09 seasons change because the teams we faced in football had to forfeit for recruiting violations? oh wait, it was just a dream!! dang it!!

It would be nice if we could somehow change UH’s records in 2008 and 2009 too.

Wouldn’t it be funny to know “someone” was trying to do just that?

Garret,

…and thus the success of the George Foreman Grille! 😆

Amemiya is with the BOR not with the UHAD

Not only is Karl Benson answering questions from members of a Texas State fan forum, but Texas State apparently is having some super-secret meeting about the WAC today.

Here is a tweet from 3 hours ago:

is hearing there is a hush-hush meeting happening today at the University in regards to WAC vs CUSA and what steps to take.

Here is a tweet from 1 hour ago…maybe the meeting is over:

The #WAC talk is b/c #WAC is interested in us. If #TXST gets invited to the #WAC should we turn them down?

I can verify what Garret is saying about the support from both the Legislature and the downtown business community. Another Tsai-ko is spearheading the effort with the latter group, but we are all on the same team pulling the wagon in the same direction.

We did NOT expect to have everything turned upside down in less than a day, but that’s the reality of life. Having been a major car accident in 2007 and dealing with DrDoc’s heart attack in 2008, I’m used to massive shifts in Life As We Know It.

With respect to political leadership, the problem is that we are in the midst of a major transition period from the Lingle to the ??? Administration plus other major political vacancies need to be filled with Friends such as making sure that A Friend wins the nomination for Lt. Governor.

One key legislative leader who strongly supports the actions being taken is facing a major challenge within the Democratic Party during the Primary because of the incumbent’s support for civil unions. The challenger is about as interested in UH sports as my senior cat is learning to speak Cantonese.

Off to run errands and to get ready for tomorrow’s MULTI-TASKING COMMUNITY SERVICE DAY. Please drop by with Foodbank non-perishable donations or pick up a CFL even if you want to save your HI-5 cans & bottles for the T-Gate. We will be accepting tax-deductible cash or check donations for the PLANT A NATIVE TREE Fund to raise enough money to buy 1,000 native trees to plant in three hours on Sunday afternoon, October 10, anywhere on O`ahu. More on that project to come.

WDoc’s Senior Cat,

Ni Hao Meow!

islandgirl,

Trudat!

LeBatard got an “S” grade today for being Sweaty! 😆

Ralph,

We could get their Stage Band on the diamond!

(right wafan?)

Hancock also said that he has spoken with BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe, but said those were private conversations that will remain that way. If BYU becomes an independent, the Cougars might want some Notre Dame-like status for qualifying for the BCS.

Steve,

Having proved he has *no vision*, I would be suspect of his trying to move anything to any “sight”!

Ralph:

your #441 from yesterday – good idea to “subsidize” new comers, but how much of an exit fee would you recommend if such a large portion of the TV revenue goes to helping them settle in and THEY BOLT TO ANOTHER CONFERENCE after acquiring D-1A status? $10 mil or $20mil? $30 mil?

ST:

How many players, coaches, trainers, med staff would be for the “non-revenue” sports?

Baseball, softball, V-ball combined may have the same #s as football.

To control air/hotel expenses, teams must agree to limit their numbers, including UH, to assist each other during economic down times. Also, why bring injured players along for the ride?

I don’t want to be in the same conference as these rinky dinks Benson is talking about. It’s time for us to take on the challenge of going indy .If we stay in the WAC I’m done with financially supporting them.

just checking…texas state could be a formidable school for the wac.

A House all parties got to agree on the same buy out clause and timeline. It’s a chance that the remaining WAC teams got to take or fold, which is a no win option. The teams we are seeking are DII or 1-AA and it will take time to up grade their facilities to compete at D1. They need to up grade their stadiums to hold more fans to generate more revenue, otherwise they are in the same boat as Idaho in the Kiddie Dome, doomed for lack of a better stadium.

OK, guys, rather than concentrate on why we cannot, how about turning to reasons why we can?

Who wants to be first with any idea to help UH survive?

It looks like Utah leaving the MWC will enable the MWC to get out of the mtn network contract…maybe this is the piece they will use to keep BYU. Comcast would probably want to get out of the network because it doesn’t make money. If the mtn went away, every MWC team would have the rights to the non-VS or CBSCS games, which is what BYU has wanted.

Thompson would not be specific on the status of The Mtn. contract with league. A source told CBSSports.com this week that the absence of Utah and/or BYU could allow conference’s network to walk away from the MWC partnership. Thompson said only that there is language in the contract regarding membership. The Mtn. is owned by Comcast and CBS College Sports.

I remember that season that the Texas Longhorns backed out of their contractually scheduled game with UH. Speculation was that they could lose the game thus wanted to avoid even taking the chance.

Now we are trying to hook up with the Texas State Bobcats. Nothing against San Marcos. They have a good outlet mall there. Hawaii shoppers will love that!

We went from getting denied filet Mignon to begging for beef jerky.

We paid to go stay at the Moana Surfrider they overbooked and now the Pagoda won’t even take us.

We were shopping for a Toyota but now we shopping for Hot Wheels.

st,

how can you in the same posting say to get the remaining wac members onboard to stay together, then say uh should look at how it can get itself into the mwc? c’mon. &^%* the mountain west! you got short term memory loss. it was only 10 years ago when they formed the conference at an airport bathroom and the remaining wac members hailed benson for his fortitude in keeping them together. the wac can survive if it has no pretensions of being what it really is, a mid-conference sports affiliation. nothing wrong with that.

The $5M buyout is raising more than a few eyebrows in The Valley

…esp. with the suspect history of financial dealings involving CSU-F

A quick look back: It did not spend enough for women’s athletics in the early years of Title IX. It had accounting discrepancies during the Al Bohl years. It moved corporate donations to athletics that were not supposed to go to athletics. It lost or had to settle multimillion dollar lawsuits filed by two former coaches and an administrator. It held a massive news conference to announce a $10 million pledge, and now refuses to explain why the money hasn’t been donated.

Ralph…

kind of.. sort of… looks like the Fumbler with his hiring of Bolla and untimely retirement of Riley Wallace hurt UH severely… the losing records put UH way WAY DOooown.. on the desireability totem pole.

Indy + WCC works for me considering our only other option is staying in the WAC.

Here is another example of how irrelevant the WAC is to the nationwide (vs regional) sports media. On the Dan Patrick Show this morning, Tenn Coach Derek Dooley, former LaTech coach, was a guest. The MWC/WAC situation was never discussed.

If UH played both Texas State and UT-San Antonio every year, they could recruit in Texas strongly. The area from Austin to San Antonio is *filled* with recruits coming from excellent high schools, and their families would get to see them play every year. UH would play one Texas school at home and the other in Texas every season…so, UH would be able to recruit in Texas every year.

That alone is a strong incentive for teams in the WAC to want the 2 Texas schools. No other WAC school comes from an area with so many recruits available.

Last Call…

In any other conference.. Hawaii would have to buy even beg its way in… UH doesn’t have the money or the winning record to get in otherwise. UH has to take charge of the WAC… become a leader and show that it is a worthy institution in leading by example. It cannot afford to be a dime-a-dozen institution anymore.. not if it wants to continue it’s athletic department.

CSU-F AD tips his hand about what their lawyers may go after…split the fee and leave early.

Benson said the WAC might consider legal action against the departing schools and the Mountain West. With the two departures, the buyout clause has expired for the remaining six WAC members and they can switch conferences without a penalty.

When asked why Fresno State didn’t delay its announcement until after Nevada revealed it was going to the Mountain West — a move that potentially could have saved Fresno State from the $5 million penalty — Boeh said “that’s something legal counsel will discuss.”

Still, Boeh said that despite the fees, Fresno State is better off financially and athletically by switching conferences.

“We are going to a conference we’re very comfortable with and that gives us long-term stability,” Boeh said. “We wish the road was easier to get there. At the same time, we were upfront with our intentions as anybody.”

Boeh also remained hopeful Fresno State will be able to leave the WAC after this school year.

In such situations, Boeh said, “it’s generally in everyone’s best interest that that change happens as soon as possible.”

last call…while it sounds easy to say, “let’s go independent”. scheduling 13 teams a year becomes a challenge. the first four weeks could be easy to schedule as conference affiliated schools (98% of the d1 teams) won’t start the conference schedules until then. the last two weeks could be a challenge to a degree since many conferences are moving towards championship playoffs during this period.

the real challenge is during the heart of the season while everyone is fully engaged in their conference schedules. not too many schools would take a bye week away just to make that difficult travel to hawaii. we could end up with many weathervane schools as a result who would come for the money only.

but, it is do-able.

however, the real challenge is for all the other 15-17 minor sports to find schools to play or compete with. with conference games teams are responsible for their own travel costs. as an independent we would have to offer some subsidies or huge paycheck just to get teams to come here. it would cost us a pretty penny and where would the likes of amber kaufmann have competed during the season? softball? baseball? and the like let alone soccer and all those other sports’ teams.

no minor conference association has been secured and again the travel costs without the bigger revenue of football could/would/should keep the door closed on many a conference.

it is too bad the wac didn’t secure the likes of unlv and sdsu prior to the byu announcement. perhaps, they should have asked byu to hold off before announcing their intentions. (or was this by design so the byu could parlay their new found power?) then, we would have been on the other side of the fence.

we may have no choice in accepting the likes of montana/montana st(yes they lobby together), texas st/tex san antonio (their enrollment may be larger the hawaii), and whoever else wants to come aboard. i say don’t stop at 8 go for 12 or more.

some of these programs we are talking to may be the next boise state. who knows. at any rate we don’t have too many chances left.

….who cared about a rinky dink school from Idaho?

Saw the “Quo Vadimus” title and had to stop by for a long-overdue visit. (SportsNight was one of my all-time favorite shows). Missed this place and the great insights of the regulars.

I haven’t been keeping up with conference politics, but how vulnerable is the WCC to a raiding of their upper-end (at least in terms of basketball) schools? If combining some of those schools with the WAC+BYU would result in a conference RPI higher than WCC’s, a package deal might be attractive to them. Wouldn’t help us in football, of course, but I frankly don’t see any good options for football in the foreseeable future — the team just has to take care of business and raise its profile in the hope of opening a few doors in the years ahead.

texas state = enrollment 31K +

texas san antonio = enrollment 29k +

hawaii manoa = enrollment 20k+

i don’t they are small.

d1…must have been boise state.

304…and that is what they are trying to do.

or another school starting with “b”?

The remaining WAC teams need to be visonary to stay intact, go for at least 4 teams, better for 6 to form two 6 team divisions. The WAC needs to hedge on their future, never know which team abandons the WAC in the future, it will be more difficult in the future to add teams to meet NCAA requirements for automatic conference qualifier status.

d1shima,

I was sure that Fresno/Nevada were going to make the $5 million total (instead of $10 million) argument. After all, the WAC itself explained that the $5 million penalty only applied to the FIRST school that broke the agreement, and Karl Benson explained that any school can leave now with no penalty.

So, if the $5 million penalty only applied to 1 school, they will argue why should both of them pay $5 million. By the WAC sending bills to both schools, they can argue their point and take the WAC to court…and either win or delay their payment for years.

Fresno and Nevada are smart to offer to pay the $5 million total immediately if they can leave next year. The WAC can choose between waiting for years for their money and letting the teams go and scrambling in 2011 for scheduling.

I expect Fresno’s and Nevada’s next offer to be that they will play nonconference games against WAC schools in 2011 and beyond. After all, they have to fill their schedules also and Nevada has at least 1 MWC team scheduled (UNLV) every year that will now be an opening for them.

Ralph #311,

More teams smaller the $$$. Don’t think schools want that.

Ralph,

I don’t know of any other candidates that are ready to go right away except for Southwest Texas and UT-SA. This is happening faster than anybody thought!

The WAC *should* take your suggestion and promise UC-Davis and Sacramento State an invitation once they can get the funds needed to move up to D-IA. Maybe the WAC can invite them to ramp up their number of teams and let them add their teams to the WAC once they are ready. For example, if they don’t have a softball team, they can play in the WAC once they start one.

for purely selfish reasons…i hope that the benedict’s are legally forced to play through this and next year. i just want fresno state at the aloha stadium.

i can already hear the boo’s reverberating around the aloha. then to see us whoop their arse’s.

Al,

I drove from Austin to San Antonio a dozen or so times (going through San Marcus, sometimes stopping for the outlet mall) and I know of at least 5 football stadiums in that area that would put UC-Davis, Cal Poly, and Sac State to shame…5 *high school* stadiums that are huge and always sold out.

If UT-SA and Texas State were in the WAC, the WAC would then be attractive to North Texas, opening the Dallas market for recruiting also.

Garret:

Can the game start time be changed?

getting north texas st would be nice.

it would also be nice to have the other dallas university crossover as well.

Steve,

I think that schools have the power to change start times. Unless the game is on ESPN, I think that UH can pick the start times. However, haven’t the tickets been printed and the PPV schedule already started selling? If the local fans don’t mind a time change, I don’t think the visitors can complain.

Duster, I know you’re lurking. It would be difficult (and expensive!) to pursue, but what about a tortious interference claim against the mwc? It would seem like the elements are there. Am I being too much of a homer?

Oh, and on another subject, the Raiders have placed Frye on IR so he’s done for the year. Colt is now #4. He just needs to get into the game tomorrow. Is it being broadcast locally?

Not sure if anyone posted this.

http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1114667&PT=4&PR=2

wm…with gradkowski still ailing. cable announced that colt will be the #3 for the bears game and should (ahem) see action tomw.

and when fresno state comes in the following year (hoping) lets start the game at 9 pm.

Al, thanks. Colt just has to play loose and do his thing. Back later.

Al,

Fresno may not be in the WAC in 2011. Plus, petty things like that will insure that we’d never play them again in nonconference games. I can see 7pm because that is a fairly normal kickoff time.

Plus, given the fan demographics at the game, I’m guessing that the older crowd might skip the game since they cannot stay up that late. ST and the other reporters would also have a heck of a time meeting their reporting deadline.

or maybe jd offered free rides and hotel accomodations to join the mwc? and now it is seriously being discussed.

(dreaming, i’m always dreaming….dreaming till my dreaming comes true)

ok, throw in mai tai’s on the house.

“The athletes love it because what we’ve done is we’ve incorporated this fun game that they’re playing at home into their rehab system,” said Tamerah Hunt, director of research at the Ohio State Sports Concussion Program. “But they’re also enjoying it at a time when they’re injured or at a time when their spirits are down, and they have to come into the athletic training room every day and they have to get all this treatment . . . and it’s kind of a reaction of, ‘Oh, this is fun.’ ”

yes garret i understand that and it is why i said i was hoping that we get them in 2011.

in the future, i don’t see nevada and/or fresno st visiting. perhaps in 5-10 years but not in the near future.

Al,

I realized that after I posted when I went back to look at your post. My mistake for not catching that.

I actually think that if Fresno and Nevada wants to get out of the WAC early they could be forced to schedule some WAC nonconference games to help the WAC fill pukas. They will need the games so they might go along with it…and the WAC schools will need to fill the holes in the schedule.

Waipio LL game on KITV Saturday at 9 am

neat website.

Re: #341

Garret — judging from I saw and sat through last year, I do not think we have too many “older crowd” left–especially on the mauka side. They have passed on to PPV heaven, I think. I would love to see the season ticket renewal data and transfers from the mauka side. But that’s moot. The damage is done already.

I only suggest a later start time for Nevada and Fresno since JD changed the time to satisfy their whining…and now they are bagging, so we should look out for ourselves. But maybe a later time might bring some fans back on a case-by-case basis. I am guessing the most unsold seats are on the mauka side right now. We should fill the stadium and give them a grand send-off….

Ralph –

For those who want some local football action this weekend:

Miliani vs. Iolani 7:30PM tonight on OC16

Kamehameha vs. Leileihua 7:00PM Saturday on OC16

Couple of good games there.

Thanks so much, guys! Enjoyed today’s incisive, insightful, and informative posts on today’s WB regarding UH Athletics and the choices it must consider for its future. I look forward to reading more in the coming days and weeks ahead. Love UH through thick and thin, good times and bad… —>>>peace, out!

I’m with Last Call. The WAC no longer benefits UH.

Rinky dink teams get added, only to later use the WAC as a stepping stone and leave us high and dry for a third time.

Staying with the WAC is small-time thinking. Read the article in Sporting News (http://tinyurl.com/24y82qr) and dream big my brothers.

UH can make it as an independent and yes, JD has said the WCC is interested in adding the non-football sports.

Tonight is the last Friday Night Lights game for Kauai. Kapaa and some team.

May the Newell Shearwater et al go forth and multiply and get the **** of the endangered list asap.

Amen.

LizK,

Heard high school football games will be on Saturday.

Ipu Man,

The NCAA mandates a certain minimum number of sports for any team that wants to play at the D-IA level. Schools normally need more than the minimum to make the scholarships work out since football gives out so many.

UH could cut one men’s sport if needed, but the savings would be small. Title IX doesn’t let them cut a women’s sport unless they cut football.

Garret and Old Diver,

you are both right.

I don’t want to cut women’s sports…

just itty bitty men’s sports that no one goes to

but have to send to the mainland for competition.

Maybe cut them and add both men and women

sports such as surfing…

interesting website

Driving by the State Capitol. Offly quiet in there.

According to this BSU fan, who claims he has sources from USU, Hawaii is headed for the MWC. Sounds like crap to me.

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=336&f=2246&t=6242520&p=1

Oops, WenatcheeWarrior beat me to it. If that rumor is true, UH would have these teams in its MWC division:

UH

Fresno

Nevada

SDSU

BSU

UNLV

One claim is that the MWC wants the 2 teams partially to insure that the exit fee won’t have to be paid.

I posted this here earlier .

Hawaii considers leaving WAC for independent status

The WAC, down to six teams after the departure of Fresno State and Nevada to the Mountain West Conference this week, could lose another with Hawaii “fleshing out the possibility” of going independent in football, a source close to the situation told Sporting News.

Hawaii athletic director Jim Donovan told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that “we need to be prepared for anything.” A source told Sporting News on Friday morning that Hawaii believes it is an attractive option for ESPN—and its television dollars—now that the WAC has been mortally wounded with the losses of Boise State, Fresno State and Nevada to the MWC.

Hawaii’s non-football sports would look to play in the West Coast Conference.

http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-football/feed/2010-08/byus-independence/story/hawaii-considers-leaving-wac-for-independent-status

Garret, we need you now more than ever.

WenatcheeWarrior:

August 20th, 2010 at 3:02 pm

According to this BSU fan, who claims he has sources from USU, Hawaii is headed for the MWC. Sounds like crap to me.

I say that we need to be like Utah State and honor our commitment to the WAC.

That is an interesting post from the Bronco Country board. A good number of people are jumping on the OP but the OP is standing firm.

I believe in the Tooth Fairy

“I believe I can fly”

Everybody join in!!!

JD says for 2012, only need to find one new game to replace Boise…

JD thought we would be a powerful conference…

Me, Santa, Tooth Fairy, and Easter Bunny are hoping that JD is holding the cards to his chest and will lie through his teeth “for what is best for the University.”

not sure I get how going it alone for football and joining the WCC for all else is “going big time”?

Has JD ever kept information from the media or sort of “lied” so to speak?

Conversations must be going on with Hinshaw…

Hey, you never know.

Garrett,

I have a question: IF UH was to be independent as a football team, about how much money is needed annually for this? How much more money is needed to be a “big time” program? does UH have this Type of backers?…….. like Texas Longhorn oil tycoon alumnis?

So far today is a good day. Sort of.

Status quo!

This is for all the tsaikos who cruise…

An elderly man and woman on a cruise and a wave came up and washed the old woman overboard. They searched for days and couldn’t find her so the captain sent the old man back to shore with the promise that he would notify him as soon as they found something.

Three weeks went by and finally the old man got an e:mail from the boat. It read: “Sir, sorry to inform you, we found your wife dead at the bottom of the ocean. We hauled her up to the deck and attached to her was an oyster and inside it was a pearl worth $50,000…… please advise”.

So the old man e:mailed back:…

…Send me the pearl and re-bait the trap.

Happy birthday Kortney!

Whoo-hoo!!!

d1 . . .

Stage bands were from UNT, Denton. I believe TSU to be from another town/city.

Has anyone checked if the Omidayars are football fans?? Seriously.

Stephan,

Is it realistic to think that UH might be a “big time” School without deep pockets? Or is our fate sealed forever in mid major conferences without money? It seems that way to me. Its not like Schools build programs, they “buy” them.

wafan,

Thanks.

btw, did I mention that I’m off next Tuesday?

I wanna play in a conference where everybody has a real stadium (no kamaboko huts).

Darren:

August 20th, 2010 at 4:19 pm

Has anyone checked if the Omidayars are football fans?? Seriously.

They’re already Punahou Buff-n-Blue football fans.

Ha’aha’a:

August 20th, 2010 at 4:29 pm

Darren:

August 20th, 2010 at 4:19 pm

Has anyone checked if the Omidayars are football fans?? Seriously.

They’re already Punahou Buff-n-Blue football fans.

Oh, so they are already funding college athletics! 😉

OldDiver:

August 20th, 2010 at 4:07 pm

I can see it now. UH gets invited to join the MWC. The Air Force, Wyoming,Colorado State, TCU,New Mexico, UNLV,Bosie State, SDSU,Fresno State,Nevada presidents meet in the airport bathroom stall and form the New WAC without Hawaii.

😆 😆

Darren, your post on the Omadayars (spp) is always on my mind. They signed a pledge to give 50% of their wealth to non proifit and UH qualifies. They are in our backyard and if UH does nothing, they are absolutely stupid.

I met Santa Claus in Detroit… his real name is Tim Allen.

I also met the Tooth Fairy in Los Angeles… his real name is Dwayne Johnson.

useful site

Last Call by keeping your wallet in your pocket the only ones you hurt are the student athlete’s

Ipu Man….# 437 That’s old news. A blast from the past.

New news is It costs too much and nothing to prove beating UH.

Ipu Man,

That’s the biggest lie I’ve heard all day.

What a joke! Programs like a Texas CAN afford chartered flights where the players have more room to be comfortable and such, not to mention all the money in the world.

Success can be purchased.

Jared Eborn reporter for the Deseret News who covers Utah State is the one who tweeted that USU is in current negotiations with the MWC but says nothing about Hawai`i

Three of his recent tweets over the last 25 min.

“A source close to the USU administration tells the Deseret News Utah State is actively negotiating a berth in MWC with WAC falling apart”

“Any conference move for USU depends on BYU’s decision on FB indy status. Nothing will happen before Monday at earliest”

“To be clear, that source says nothing impending, but that is the goal of current negotiations for USU.”

I think Wisconsin said they love coming here

especially when it is snowing there…

Ralph,

I’m calling you right now, I just talked to Pomai.

Didn’t we have some friends with the original MWC 8? I recall JD’s interview where the following went down right after Hugh found out about the defection. Hugh called his counterparts and they told him that once Mortimer took away the travel subsidies…Hawaii became a non-starter. Hugh said right then and there that travel subsidies are back on the table. His pals say ok, since they like Hawaii, they’ll vote on expansion…and it sounds like he got positive feedback from more than 4 institutions. The vote ended up being 4 – 4…no expansion. But we did have 4 friends there. Always wondered who the 4 were. I only know that Utah was probably not one of them.

Do we have more “friends” there now??

We too better be “actively negotiating”.

Cocobean – I’d bet a plate lunch that JD already has it logged in his pocket about all the travel subsidy issues you noted.

#451 should be: until after the previous season.

**That source at USU says the MWC will expand, again, to 12 teams if BYU can be persuaded to stay in MWC for non-football sports**

Thought this tweet was pretty important to note.

http://twitter.com/DesNewsEborn

Is there an echo in here ?

CoolEthan,

If it goes down like that you e-mail me at kevin@nawahine.com and I will buy you a beer.

If we beg and they take us, I’ll still buy you a beer.

Last Call – Yeah, I picked up on your reference of the tweets but wanted to add the all-important one noting the 12 team issue.

Trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together…MWC and CUSA talk about a matchup of champions. Both have to have equally qualified champions…thus 12 team conferences, each with a crowned conference champion. Makes no sense for Houston to come over to MWC…they’re already in CUSA and part of the puzzle (probably easier for them to be top dog on that side too). BYU’s decision will make it a one or two team addition for MWC to get to 12.

Gonna stop already before I pop a vessel…

great website.

SteveM

I agree with the later start time. I’m an oldie on the mauka side and also work on Saturdays,

later start the better. Who cares about those teams that want to catch a flight.

Texas is *not* scared of playing UH and anyone who thinks that is delusional or just trying to make themselves feel better. Texas talked about the travel was hard on their team and how they wouldn’t be able to take advantage of the Hawaii exception because they needed the extra bye week for their team to be able to compete for a national title. Wasn’t the score 38-3 at Aloha Stadium before Mack Brown put in the 3rd string?

Texas makes $7 million per home game. $7 million. That is just in ticket sales and doesn’t count the parking (stadium is on campus and they control all parking spaces), pre- and post-game activities (major fundraising opportunities), concessions (they keep all of that money), and merchandising sales (they own the stores on campus selling the merchandise). UH paid part of the travel costs for Texas, they made no profit from the trip and they do not recruit in Hawaii so they gained no competitive benefit from the trip. Think about it. Texas is a public University with a responsibility to its students and University. Its Athletic Department is providing millions each year to its University to cover budget cuts from the state. Its Athletic Department funds entire buildings used for classrooms and labs for its Academic programs.

Who has Texas been scheduling lately? Mississippi. Notre Dame. BYU. UCLA. Minnesota. Cal. They will play games on the road at all of those team’s stadiums in addition to playing them at home. You really think that they are scared of UH?

It all comes down to travel time and money. Texas played at UH (at beat UH badly). Did UH travel to Texas? UH wants 2 home games against Texas and doesn’t want to go to Austin? UH could pick up $1 million if they wanted to play in Austin, but UH doesn’t take body bag games. UH turns down $1 million road games because they want home-and-home deals, but with Texas UH wanted a 2 homes for 0 home deal.

Expecting Texas to give up a home game (and the $7+ million) to go to Hawaii twice while refusing to even discuss traveling to Austin simply benefits just 1 side. You cannot expect a deal to be done when one side gets everything they want and the other side gets nothing.

Texas lost out on a shot at a national championship game because Oklahoma passed it in the computers even though Texas beat Oklahoma because Oklahoma played a stronger nonconference schedule. After that Texas added UCLA, Cal, Minnesota, Mississippi, Notre Dame, and BYU. Would UH help that strength of schedule?

Try to explain to me why Texas would travel to play at UH and give up the $7+ million. Try to explain why UH would make that decision if the tables were turned. Would UH play 2 road games at a team’s stadium for no profit without having them go to Aloha Stadium.

Or you can just keep thinking that Texas is too scared to play at Hawaii when not questioning why UH won’t play in Austin and why UH expected 2 home games without going on the road. And why Texas would be scared of UH and not be scared of BYU, UCLA, Cal, Mississippi, Notre Dame, and Minnesota.

I’ll go off the blog for a long time now because I know this is an unpopular thing to write on a UH blog. But this delusional thinking really doesn’t help UH. Thinking that teams should give up home games to travel to UH and UH won’t need to travel to them is living in the past when home games didn’t make much money and Title IX and budget cuts weren’t a concern. Thinking like that will just lead to ruin for UH because we *cannot* afford to stick our heads in the sand anymore!

Garret,

This is a express your opinion free blog, and yours are normally this most interesting ones. Would hate to see you not be here for a long time, unless you are going to the bay area. Eat up when you get there, love that place.

Sorry Garret, I was just repeating what I heard the sports

animals say today about Hugh Yoshida said about Texas…

I guess you can’t believe everything you hear…

Garret, if you are going to the Bay area, I hope this cheers you up:

(also you Colt fans…)

Al Davis has hopes for the perfect Raiders team but the only thing he is missing is a good quarterback. So he scouted all the colleges, and even the high schools, and he couldn’t find a ringer quarterback that would ensure a SuperBowl win.

One night, watching CNN, he saw a war zone in Bosnia. In the background, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a young Bosnian soldier with a truly incredible arm. He threw a hand grenade straight into a 15th story window 200 yards away, ka-boom! He threw another hand grenade into a group of about 10 soldiers a good 110 yards away-ka-blooey! A car passes going 90 miles an hour-bulls-eye! Right into the barely open window. “I’ve got to get this guy,” Al says to himself. “He has the perfect arm!” So he brings him to the states and teaches him the great game of football.

Predictably, the young man breaks all the NFL records for completed passes, and the Raiders go on to win the SuperBowl. The young Bosnian is lionized as the Great Hero of SuperBowl XXXI, and when Al asks him what he wants, all the young man wants to do is to call his mother.

“Mom,” the young man says into the receiver, “I just won the SuperBowl.” “I don’t want to talk to you,” the old woman says. “You deserted us. You’re not my son.” “I don’t think you understand, mother” the young man pleads. “I just won the greatest sporting event in the world. I’m in the middle of thousands of adoring fans.” “No, let me tell you,” the mother implores. “At this very moment, there are gun shots all around us. The neighborhood is a pile of rubble. Your two brothers were beaten within an inch of their lifes last week, and this week your sister was raped in broad daylight….” I’ll never forgive you for making us move to Oakland”.

Teams go in cycle. When Colt Brennan was here, UH started to flourish. When Colin Kaepernick leaves Nevada after this season, Nevada will be just an average team at best. Their ranking will fall quite a bit. After Ryan Matthews left at Fresno State last year, I expect Fresno State to be worse than last year. After Kellen Moore leaves Boise St. after 2 more years, Boise St. will drop, how much I don’t know, but you can take it to the bank that things will change quickly. If a key injury hits a team it can devastate a entire season. In football, you never know. When Andy Dalton leaves TCU after his eligibility ends, TCU will drop. Mark my words. We have already seen BYU and Utah started to lose more games than prior years because entranced QB like Max Hall and Brian Johnson leave their programs.

It is a fact of life. If you ask me, the Mountain West is not any better than Conference USA in the next 2 years. What Hawaii has to do is just win games and we will be just fine. Things will work itself out. God never gives us more than we can handle, and he is watching us constantly. We have to believe that everything will turn out alrgiht for our Warriors. When things are darkest, you can find some opportunties and good things will happen. I guarantee, beat USC, and we will feel a lot better. The good Lord works in mysterious ways. We have to be positive and have faith. That’s the only way to go.

@ST thanks for venting!! We need YOU on the athletics board at UH so the we have ideas like this to keep moving us forward. Done is done.

So Hugh Yoshida never said all of that?

I thought he was one of the “good” guys in UH sports…

Can anybody tell me how long it would take Texas State &/or UT-SA to go from D1-AA to D1-A? How many years?

Ipu Man…

Hugh Yoshida was AD in a different time.. a different era.. … it all has to be taken in context. Today where a coach’s monthly salary is greater than what Hugh’s annual salary was when he retired there is more accountability as to where the dollar stops…. Consider.. $7 million for a home game… $500,000 for an away game in Hawaii, minus expenses…. or $1-2 million just across the border- minus bus fees… hmm… hmmm…

great website!

USC insider peview is coming on as I watch with GREAT anticipation !

13 days away as I hope the Warriors keep it close and compete !

TIRED of the blow outs for the past three beat downs as I hope

Aloha Stadium gets filled to capacity !

30 minute preview show as this will be the first time USC has given

any form of media coverage as cable is carrying the segment with local

tv having no access to what the Trojans are looking like this coming

probation football season.

A second thought. Conference affiliation, leaving or joining is done at the Presidential level not the AD or Chancellor level. Can anyone name the UH President off the top of their head. Does anyone know her feelings on the current athletic situation and what the heck is she doing.

Independent is good. Kenny would not mine at all.. Get it going!

Kiffin: Win every game on the schedule as it is us against the world !

USC people are coming back with new ad, president and head coach !

A favorable start of the season as playing Hawaii for the 13th game

gives us an opening game to prepare for conference play.

Pat Haden quote: Lane Kiffin will WIN and be with us for a long time

as IF I had the chance to hire him he will be on my final list.

RainbowCliff U R a posting machine tonight! Go getum brah!

I stand corrected.

The West Coast Conference would not be favorable to the Rainbow Wahine softball and water polo programs.

The Rainbow Wahine water polo team has been Top 5 or Top 4 for a couple of seasons now and I don’t think I need to go over what the Rainbow Wahine softball program has accomplished in the past 4 seasons…

Just throwing that out there.

The Big West DOES have ALL of UH’s 18 other sports aside from football.

Interesting that the Big West Conference website is a dot org site.

Here’s an uplifting great priced item at the UH Rainbowtique.

http://www.uhrainbowtique.com/productdetails.asp?pid=2268&pagenum=1

For $5.00 you can say it all. Especially at a time where hundreds of Warriors and Rainbow Wahine are facing an unknown future. This shirt simply says it all: “No Green, No Glory”. I say: “No Green, No ALOHA”.

I’ll pick this bad boy up and wear it proudly. This is MY school, MY sports programs, MY choice, MY pride, and MY LIFE.

The University of Hawaii’s athletic programs are facing REAL adversity. Time to feel good again about the student athletes that BRING IT to every game in defense of the 808!!!

USC: Ronald Johnson #8 wide receiver will be the go to guy when Barkley play action for crossing and deep routes. Three talented freshmen receivers will be rotating for playing time as California State player of the year Robert Woods is in the same mode as former wide out Steve Smith that has coaches drueling on his potential and talent.

Three running backs with Bradford, Gable and Baxter that can run inside or outside

of tacklers as they are strong, quick and FAST !

Secondary and O-line are young with not a lot of depth as Sherrece Wright SR. / DB is lone returner as he will take on the challenge of opposing team top receiver.

Heisman Trophy candidate quaterback Barkley is ready and able to put up big numbers as he is confident he will play at the same level of Palmer, Lineheart and Sanchez.

Announcers states that USC will win 11 games this season as they have a FINE recruiting class with some OUTSTANDING coaches that Kiffin has picked personally for his coaching debut !

Loaded with athletes as the preview is over with ALL elgible palyers fired up in the LA Coliseum ready to invade Aloha Stadium !

Good night foks and pleasant dreams !

http://preview.tinyurl.com/22vvxgk

About Colt. I can’t paste the quote on iPad. See next post.

#498 Kazz: YES their heads will be able to fit through the gates as ALL 7,500 don’t feel it will be a contest as many USC fans are looking at this game as a “warm up” with no chance of Hawaii winning or staying close !

Kiffin will have the Trojans ready to play as it is on national tv and he wants to show a world wide audience that he can do better then Pete and WIN doing it the right and legal way !

Calls the Hawaii game “just a 13th game on our schedule” as really looking forward to the home game the following week vs. Virginia !

I hope I have explained their attitude and arrogance to this September 2nd “slaughter” that they anticipate !

Good nite and “howz it hawnstln” !

Thanks for the post about Colt, Liz! I’ll be following the game!

Interesting, rivals has Navy listed at #23 and UH at #86.

Is a team like Texas scared of playing Hawaii?

I think they would be scared of the repercussions if they lost the game.

Physically they wouldn’t be scared. But mentally, which is a great part of the game, it’s possible they are scared.

I think they would face a lot of ridiculing from their fans, media and other BCS schools for losing to a non BCS school.

Losing to Hawaii I think they would be scared of their pride taking a hit. And the team’s momentum being hindered. And how future recruits would look at the loss.

For Texas they would have had a lot riding on the game with Hawaii, with everything to lose, and that prospect alone would scare them. It would scare any team.

Conversely Texas and Michigan know that Hawaii has nothing to lose. And they know Hawaii would enter the game as gamblers and gunslingers. That prospect would scare a lot of teams.

Back when both Texas and Michigan backed out of their games with Hawaii, Hawaii had a offensive scoring machine that ranked near the top. Hawaii had record breaking quarterbacks. Don’t you think any opponent would have their work cut out playing Hawaii back in those years? Do you think (what’s a word opposite of scared?) they would be relaxed? No.

Both Texas and Michigan backed out of games playing Hawaii at Aloha Stadium. Now when you factor in everything, hostile environment, an offense that was a high scoring machine, a coach (JJ) that has gone on record as to saying on any given day he felt he could beat any team in the country, do you think that this looms in the minds of the visiting teams? Of course it does. Do you think visiting teams coming into Aloha Stadium have some fear and respect for the boys? Of course they do.

Scared by definition has different meanings to different people, individuals and teams. There’s some objectivity here.

Personally when I weigh all the factors I don’t think people should be classified as being delusional (as garret has posted above) to think that a highly rated, powerful team like Texas isn’t feared (or scared) of Hawaii’s team, firepower and hostile environment..

Texas and Michigan could lose to a top twenty team and it would not have as much of an impact that’s shameful on their programs than if they lost to Hawaii. That prospect would scare any team.

C/WassupDoc,

Thanks you for taking the time to share your knowledge about what’s going on regarding UH, HTA, and Aloha Stadium. I, for one, really appreciate your detailed explanation here, as well as your previous posts regarding the student athletic fee.

http://www.examiner.com/oakland-raiders-in-oakland/oakland-raiders-training-camp-day-xix-practice-wrap

“Alex Daniels closed practice with a touchdown catch from Colt Brennan.”

http://www.hawaii.edu/news/article.php?aId=3802

let’s see if this works

If Colorado and Utah have nowhere to go, I know of a couple of openings.

UH may turn into Cinderalla from the proverbial step child nobody wanted before it all said and done.

Be kind to your enemies…is bachi. So

a pat on the back to all who got us into this mess…

But a pat on the back is only a couple of feet away

from a kick in the okole.

Wahine lost their scorers from last years team. I was hoping someone would step up.

“You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do.” — Nelson Mandela

And because of the possible divisions within the PAC 10, UH may be able to schedule more teams and get longer contracts. Imagine if the 13 games schedule continues, UH would play 5 WAC games till they add more schools, but have 8 open dates. Already you have teams like Army and Navy, maybe BYU, Oregon St is a strong possibility, USC, UNLV, and a couple of other teams would make UH be in a very enviable position. Me, I like the possibility of the silver lining on the horizon.

Same for the MWC, they will have pukas to fill.

Hard to believe the rumor that MWC is planning to add Hawaii…especially when JD hadn’t heard anything about it. I’ll believe it when JD confirms it.

Curt- one of the weakest areas is the receiving corps. All the qb’s are experiencing the same thing.

Lots of opinions on whether to go independent or stay with the WAC. Seems much safer to stay and build up the WAC again to me. If we go independent and it flops badly, the whole ship could sink. Though the WAC has been weakened significantly for the time being, we could still prosper without worrying about football scheduling issues from September to November. The 2 Texas schools have great potential.

LizKauai,

What? Butterfingers with the Oakland Raiders? Oh no; and I was worried about the 3rd string protection for Colt. One thing for sure, I like that he’s now had more practices with the team. That’s gotta help his confidence and performance. Probably was a blessing that he didn’t play last week; I was a little concerned about that one.

OK — I see the Raiders-Bears game listed at 2:30 HST….but…where/how if possible?

Hi Curt. Yes, safer to try and salvage/reload the WAC. Al very patiently explained the major problem in post #297. The other night, Rasu Begasu and I were predicting 4 to 5 home games and the balance on the road during OCT-NOV because no D-1A would want to interrupt their own conference title/bowl game chase to take a long distracting trip to Hawaii. Yet we would need to maintain D1-A status and must play them–so we go on the road…a lot…with many body bag games to help offset the lose of TV and home game revenue.

Going independent sounds good, but finding teams to play you is another matter. Look at the problems filling the non-WAC sked over the years. Fumbler was bad, but there are challenges there.

Has anyone seen the movie, Inception? Is it worthwhile to check out?

Independence is not impossible–in fact it might be the only choice if we cannot resurrect the WAC, but let’s shoot for the WAC first…because it is the only option that we have any positive control over. We do not control the other conferences. We do not control the national TV market. We do not control the Hawaii Bowl.

I sound like a control freak, but if we don’t work what we can control, we are sitting as beggars outside someone’s door. Or we grandly announce going independent and then quietly beg teams to play us.

OK, getting off the rant box now. 🙁

PS Jailbreak the first PS3 modchip! I simply say, I have been. Hope it’s for real this time and not fake. Check out http://www.psjailbreak.se and judge for yourself.

Chicago vs Oakland is listed on channelsurfing at 830 EST near the bottom of the page. I don’t know much about channel surfing channel but if it is listed I would think they would telecast it.

The best option for UH now is to stay in the WAC and focus on building a strong football program in the WAC to make it competitive. Glory, prestige, and status in college sports come to conferences with strong football programs. It is a waste of time now to even think of moving to another conference when various conferences are up in the air and some of the teams planning on moving may end up without a home. Let things settle down and UH could make wiser decisions down the road on which way to go: stay in the WAC, join another conference or go independent. WAC may be weak now, but who knows five or ten years from now it could become a stronger conference. You never know. And in a weaker conference, like now, UH has a better chance of winning conference titles to the delight of our fans. Who cares whether you are playing in a strong or weak conference as long as the teams show winning records. Go Warriors!

roysan16,

I don’t think fear is in the minds of teams like a Texas or Florida etc. Is losing to Hawaii something they consider? I am sure. But so is losing every single game they schedule.

If “blue chip” teams are afraid of losing to “lower level” teams then none of them would schedule Div 1-aa schools. Remember, if Texas or Florida lost to UCLA, Arizona, or Cal…they are pretty much out of the National Title picture…

Is losing to a Hawaii and being the butt of jokes something they consider? Sure, thats possible. But I think it comes down to what benefits them and what doesn’t. The “what doesn’t” side of things does have losing to Hawaii. But my guess (and only a guess) is that they don’t look at a school like Hawaii and go “well, if we play them we might lose, so best not to take that chance.”

We had a great QB and one of the best receiving group ever at the Sugar Bowl…Would we have done A LOT better if we played that game at home? Hostile environment?…These teams like Texas, Florida etc only play in hostile environments. If anything I think the atmosphere at Aloha would throw them off because there ISNT constant noise and screaming. I haven’t been to Big-12 games but I am pretty sure road games at OU, T-Tech or A&M are not much fun for opponents.

Like Garret says it comes down to “how will this deal help me?”

Not “Hawaii and the chances of losing is too much for us to risk”

just my thoughts.

Night, gang!

re # 558.

Yes, congrats to Kamalu Umu for earning a scholarsip.

from ST’s article on Kamalu, in the sports section …

” … The Warriors were out of scholarships until freshman defensive end Veni Manu quit the team this week. UH head coach Greg McMackin said Umu was an easy choice. ”

Good luck to Veni Manu.

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