2021 Hawaii Rainbow Warrior Men's Volleyball - Wild Reputation

#GoBows #WarriorBall21 #NCAAMVB #NationalChampionship

Hawaii: 2019 Hawaii Bowl Champions

Perhaps playing in a Hawaii uniform for his final time, junior quarterback Cole McDonald completed a heart-stopping comeback with a 24-yard touchdown pass to freshman Nick Mardner as the Warriors secured a 38-34 victory over Brigham Young University to win the Hawaii Bowl.

The Cougars had a chance to win it, taking over at their own 22 with 1:12 left in the game, but the Warriors defense held as BYU quarterback Zach Smith’s final pass was intercepted by Khoury Bethley with 25 seconds left at the UH 38 to seal the deal before an ecstatic Aloha Stadium crowd of 19,539. It was his second pick of the game.

McDonald hit 28 of 46 passes for 493 yards and four touchdowns. His top two targets were JoJo Ward, who caught seven for 159 yards, and Jared Smart, who pulled down another seven for 142 to lead an offensive attack that scored 31 points in the first half and only seven in the second.

But as well as those two proven products played, it was two completions on the final drive to the little-used Mardner that made the difference. The first went for 38 yards to convert a huge third-down play and the second for 24 to win the game. His two catches for 62 yards won’t crack the top receivers for the night, but his were the two that mattered most.

BYU, in danger of being run out of town in the first half, rallied for a 34-31 lead in the second it just couldn’t hold, even with the defense forcing four consecutive three-and-outs in the second half. The Cougars finished the season 7-6, with the Warriors coming in with a 10-5 record.

Down 34-31 early in the fourth quarter, Hawaii finally got a first down in the second half on a 46-yard completion from McDonald to Ward to give UH the ball at BYU’s 26. Three snaps later, out came UH field-goal kicker Ryan Meskell, who missed a 40-yarder wide right to keep BYU up by three.

BYU place-kicker Jake Oldroyd had a chance to make that lead six for the Cougars, who drove into field-goal range on the ensuing series, but the kick was wide right, keeping the score at 34-31 with 9:03 remaining.

Hawaii put together a nice drive on the ensuing series, but faced a critical fourth-and-3 at the 46 that the Warriors converted into a first down on a 20-yard completion from McDonald to Jason-Matthew Sharsh. But BYU held, forcing a punt.

Hawaii: 2016 Hawaii Bowl Champions

HONOLULU -- Dru Brown threw for 274 yards and four touchdowns and Hawaii overcame an early deficit to beat Middle Tennessee 52-35 in the Hawaii Bowl on Saturday night.

The Rainbow Warriors (7-7) amassed 500 yards of total offense and their highest-scoring output this season to end the year on a three-game winning streak.

Brown completed 20 of 30 passes without an interception. He had a 2-yard touchdown run and was sacked just once.

Tight end Metuisela Unga caught two of Brown's scoring strikes, an 18-yarder in the first quarter for Hawaii's first score and a 12-yarder late in the third.

Diocemy Saint Juste ran for 170 yards on 25 carries.

Hawaii turned three Middle Tennessee turnovers into 21 points. It fell behind 14-0 just over 5 minutes into the game, but scored the next 28 points and never relinquished the lead.

Brent Stockstill started at quarterback for the Blue Raiders (8-5) after missing the last three games with a broken collarbone. He finished 30 of 51 passing for 432 yards. Stockstill threw four touchdown passes -- two to Richie James -- and was intercepted twice.

James caught nine passes for 175 yards. It was his 14th game of 100 or more receiving yards in his career. Middle Tennessee posted 542 yards of total offense.

Hawaii took a 35-21 lead into halftime.

THE TAKEAWAY

Middle Tennessee: The Blue Raiders have now lost their last four bowl games. It was their 10th appearance in a bowl game in program history and the sixth in the FBS era. Their last postseason win came in the 2009 New Orleans Bowl, when they defeated Southern Miss 42-32.

Hawaii: The Rainbow Warriors improved to 6-5 overall in bowl games and 4-3 in the Hawaii Bowl in their first postseason appearance since losing to Tulsa 62-35 in the 2010 Hawaii Bowl. It is their first bowl win since beating Arizona State 41-24 in the 2006 edition of the Hawaii Bowl.

UP NEXT

Middle Tennessee will face yet another rigorous nonconference schedule, opening against Vanderbilt on Sept. 2 before road games at Syracuse and Minnesota.

Hawaii will start year No. 2 under coach Nick Rolovich at home against Western Carolina on Sept. 2, before visiting UCLA the following week.

Quick hits, September 20, 2009

Today is my father's and sister's birthdays, respectively. As if I fucking care...my dad took away the FiOS modem. He doesn't need any presents from me.

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Hawaii's defensive secondary is crap, and our receivers have just as crappy hands of butter. Nuff said after choking 34-33 to UNLV.

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Long Beach State's women's soccer team fails to impress today against San Diego State. Ugh. It seems my favorite teams are choking against the Mountain West. But they weren't the only ones who disappointed.

USC football...lost.
Cal Poly football...lost.
Harvard football...lost.
AFC Wimbledon...drew with a red.
Long Beach City College football...blown apart.

Some good things did happen.

Melbourne Victory...won.
LA Galaxy...won.
Quebec Capitales (one of the few Canadian baseball teams I follow)...won the Can-Am League.
Long Beach State women's volleyball...defeated UCLA. Not very often that happens.
My high school...defeated Mayfair fair and square. See some of my deviations for that action.
The Angels rebounded today after losing yesterday.
And Azusa Nakano and Ui Hirasawa qualified for the ISML after advancing to the quarters of Anizone Saimoe.

Still though...Hawaii's defense is crap. The onus is them to prove me otherwise. The wanks...

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I never want to talk about yesterday. That day sucked.

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I am bored. And hungry. Thank god for the Beach.

A poor FDR imitation.

Yesterday, December 6, 2008, a date which will live somewhat in infamy, the Hawaii Warriors football team failed to secure a 24-10 lead to Cincinatti, squandering it late in the fourth quarter. A day before, the Lakewood High School (CA) Lancers football team fell into doing the same thing against Long Beach Poly after having a halftime lead.

I regret to inform you that any hopes for magic were lost when it mattered most. This deviant has nothing but commiserations for Lakewood not getting players that could run over Concord De La Salle, as well as stern remarks for Greg McMackin, head coach of the Warriors, for failing to keep his players focused during the final quarter of play.

I also regret to inform you that other teams from Long Beach State (men's basketball, women's volleyball) and Australia (Melbourne Victory) also failed to deliver.

This day will live somewhat in infamy, but it will also live in the memory of the others teams Bonga follows. USC blanked UCLA, 28-7, and a couple deviations were posted as a tribute. AFC Wimbledon went back to their winning ways over Team Bath, while the Chelsea Football Club followed suit. Finally, Manny Pacquiao defeated Oscar De La Hoya at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, thus keeping the day balanced.

Quick hits, November 30, 2008

And as November ends with one month to go in 2008, today has been a very interesting day. It wasn't a perfect day, due to Long Beach State men's water polo continuing their role as the Jobbers to the Stars and Cal Poly ending their season on a two-game losing streak as well as the likes of Auckland City and Melbourne Victory losing its winning touch, but it did have more highs than lows.

First off, the Lakewood Lancers are where they were during the days of Luther Brown. Mission Viejo was upset by the Noble Thanes of Thadd, 28-7, on a cool November evening at the John T. Ford Stadium grounds before a standing-room only congregation. I saw the score and thought, "If it's Poly we're facing, they might as well have divine right to win it all, those lucky Jackrabbits." They faced Esperanza tonight.

Grambling State shrugged off its two-year slump of fail against Southern, winning the Bayou Classic, 29-14. Kill Jackson State, Rod Broadway. Get it done and put yourself in a position to be tops in the Sheridan Poll by season's end. Get to it.

Hawaii is going bowling...again. a 24-10 revenge win over Washington State sends them to the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl. In a season without Colt Brennan, Davone Bess, Ryan Grice-Mullen and a whole lotta other stars from last year...this had to be a good season under first-year coach Greg McMackin. If he gets WAC Coach of the Year Honors, he should.

And Saturday had shootouts galore. Throw defense out the window, it's time for some Heisman and BCS-stat padding sessions, STAT! #1 ranked Alabama shuts out Auburn, 36-0. Florida and Tim Tebow are set to pull off a season of Archie Griffin proportions with a 45-15 scalping of Florida State. In the Civil War, USC's hopes to be at the Rose Bowl for two straight matches were improved by a 65-38 demolition of Oregon State. Sam Bradford of Oklahoma made his case to be in New York clear with a 61-41 steamroll of Oklahoma State in the Bedlam Bowl (the BoBA Master is pleased with this one). Boise State and Ball State ran over Fresno and Western Michigan, 61-10 and 45-22, respectively. Where they will be bowling remains to be seen. The Georgia Bulldogs got Ramblin' Wreck'd by Georgia Tech Between The Hedges, 45-42, while Charlie Weis could be shown the door after a 38-3 defeat to the Trojans as the cauldron lit through the Coliseum air. Colt McCoy and Texas made their intentions clear with a 49-9 crushing of Texas A&M.

In volleyball, the Long Beach State 49ers took out Colorado State in four games after dropping the first set, and now will find out where they will be heading off to (or whether they will stay home) for first and second round matches.

Quick hits, November 22

Why is it that people are infuriated when I am yawning? One of the people in my class told me, as I was yawning to stretch during break said, "You have to shut up already." I said, "I'm just yawning, what's your fucking problem?" I was ready to counter any first punch coming my way. He chickened out, and I told him after class, "You need to calm the fuck down. Seriously. Making a mountain out a molehill will not warrant any sympathy from me."

And then this Hispanic undergrad comed over, as I was looking at the USA Women's U-20 team beat Argentina 3-0, and I got into a little confrontation with him. I waited for the bloody idiot to throw the first punch. I referred the guy to security to have him settle the situation. I am not afraid of my life being taken away-as a student, I want to make my skin as thick as possible, but at the same time, threatening students by force is not going to help you, even if you are taking a test. This guy should have just said, "If you don't quiet down, I'll have to refer you to the Dean." I have a counter-offer: I refer you to security, and have him report this threat of violence to the Dean. That will make it easier for both of us. Take it or leave it.

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A mixed bag of wins and losses awaited the teams I followed today. Aside from the U-20 women heading to the playoff stages in Chile while the men prepare for a date with their old friends from Mexico, the Lakewood High School Lancer varsity football team broke a four-year hoodoo of not winning a postseason game with a 35-34 win over the Servite Friars last night in double overtime. Whoever snags Dion Bailey has all the makings of a star on their roster. When it comes down to it, batting balls like that will really make you look good. This defensive back has seven picks this year, and should be All-Moore League first team on defense. He earned his stripes last night.

The Harvard Crimson finished 9-1 with a 10-0 win over the Yale Bulldogs at the Harvard Stadium earlier today. They share the trophy with the Brown Bears, who took the hapless Columbia Lions to the woodshed.

At least Tim Murphy knows who he has to outdo on the recruiting trail this offseason. If the Ivies wanted to be in the postseason, Harvard would be invited.

I was happy with Melbourne Victory, Aldershot Town and AFC Wimbledon getting back on the winning track with 2-1 (over Central Coast Mariners), 1-0 (over Chester), and 3-1 (over Worcester City - FA Trophy First Round Proper) victories, respectively. I was especially pleased that the Dons found a way to win on the road again. And Long Beach State's men's water polo team did something right for once: a 7-4 win over UC Irvine to wrap up the regular season. Where have those wins been, Gavin Arroya? Huh?

What I was dissatisfied with were the results from Cal Poly, FC United of Manchester and especially AFC Liverpool. The Mustangs' kicker Andrew Gardner couldn't make conversions out of a wet paper bag. He gave Wisconsin a 36-35 gift of a victory. Choker.  A 1-0 loss to Worksop Town could mean that the promotion run for FC United ends this season, while AFC Liverpool are reeling off three straight defeats (including Vodkat League One losses to Irlam and Padiham). Gracious.

Also, while Long Beach City College's men's water polo team could lift a finger to Grossmont (17-11 win for third place at Merced College), the women were unimpressive against rival Cerritos, 11-6. Average, if not below-average, outing for the Viking water polo sides, with the weight being on the women's letdown against the Falcons. Chelsea (0-0 draw with Newcastle) and Accrington (1-1 draw with Chesterfield) should have fared better, too.

On to seeing how the Rainmakers's crew did against Weber, as well as Hawaii taking on Idaho at the Aloha Stadium, then.

The collapse of the Warriors? Already!!?

We are not finished with the first week of January, and already the month has become a bust for Hawaii Warrior football. As if getting ripped apart by Georgia, 41-10, in the Sugar Bowl, was not bad enough...it only gets worse.

A last-ditch effort to keep Jones in charge was made yesterday morning. As usual, crisis management rules in the 50th state, leaving the players left behind wondering just what the hell is going on.

Jones could have kept this thing from flying off the tracks by not going to Big D and realizing that what he's about to do is a huge mistake. Money aside, SMU is not a good fit for a guy who wears aloha shirts and plays golf in his bare feet.

As a person who grew up in Dallas and whose high school graduation was at Moody Coliseum, let me be the first to say that Jones' act won't be allowed in this upscale community where he'll be the poorest person in the room. Granted, the facilities are topnotch and the on-campus stadium is practically new, but the team sucks, has sucked and will continue to suck no matter what Jones tries to do to improve it.

It looks like I am looking forward to Mike Wilton's boys getting their comeuppance by an angry 49er men's volleyball team that just got flat-out embarrassed last year. Rip em apart, Paul Lotman.

The morning after

Hawaii 10
Georgia 41

At least I warned my folks on YT about the trolling remarks that will follow. I'm sure the people up top are also aware of the spammers who constantly pollute YT with their garbage.

Back to mulling about the Beach, then.

Calling out the dissenters

I stumbled upon an article regarding the introduction of Hawaii's current logo, and I found some interesting dissent regarding the then-new logo.

Rex Horita, Palolo: "I like it. You know, it's very nice. It's trendy. It has the Hawaiian kapa print. That's a good touch to it. The only thing I object to is black. I don't think black should be in the color of the scheme of the rainbows of green and white."

Eric Olmos, Makiki: "I don't have much to say about the new logo. It's just ugly, and I like the old one better."

Alice Kamahele, Kaimuki: "I like the old logo because it says UH and the Rainbows. It just goes together. The other 'H' doesn't do anything. It's just 'H' nothing."

Priscilla Brede, Kailua: "I do not like this new University of Hawaii logo. It does no justice for the University of Hawaii Rainbows, and I like the old symbol and changing it might not bring good luck for the team. And right now we have a good team, all good coaches, so please don't change that logo."

Elsie Hollingsworth, Pearl City: "I want to register my disgust with the new Hawaii logo. I don't know how they got to the stage where they're actually painting it on the floor. It's static. We are Hawaii Rainbows. I don't see anything that was wrong with the logo that we had. They need to come up with something that actually reflects. It's very static looking. It has very little to do -- that sharp points and angles -- that doesn't even to me reflect kapa. There's a lot of kapa designs that would have been better suited. I don't know who came up with this, but I think it's a lousy design. We are the Hawaii Rainbows. Let's get a rainbow in there some place."

Becky Fitzgerald, Aiea: "The University of Hawaii athletic department will no longer get any of my money from the purchase of apparel or other souvenir items with the new logo. The new logo does not appeal to me at all. Just looking at it annoys me and I find something about the design very irritating. Bring back the rainbow!"

im Risser, Makiki: "They paid money for this?! The rainbow best represents the multi-ethnicity of Hawaii. The rainbow is prevalent in Manoa Valley. Does June Jones hate the rainbow?

Kimberly Vierra, Waipahu: "As a UH graduate, I am somewhat disappointed to find out the old logo changed, but when I really look at and compare the two, I like the new one better -- it's definitely bolder and more collegiate looking, not whimsical like the multi-colored rainbow logo. So change isn't necessarily bad. I could get used to this one."

Louise Langley, Ewa Beach: "I like the old logo better because it's alive. The new logo looks real dead, boring."

John Iwashita, Waialae-Kahala: "I think the new logo is ugly. The rainbow is synonymous with UH, especially the Manoa area."

Scott Lum, Seattle: "My gosh, how ugly can you get! As a UH grad living on the mainland, I'm always concerned at how the people on the mainland view things in Hawaii. This logo has got to be the worst. How many people outside the islands will know that the design is an old Hawaiian kapa pattern? After seeing the poor attempt to incorporate it into the university's logo, how many people will care? Our logo is an important part of our brand and usually one of the first impressions made on people. Rainbows, the ocean, native foliage and flowers -- these things represent Hawaii."

Brian Kajiyama, Kailua: "Bring back the old one. The UH with the rainbow scheme made people notice us. Rainbows have a special significance here in Hawaii and our environment lends itself to showcase this aspect of nature, rainbows. The rainbows made us unique!"

Randolph Hack, Kaimuki: "I don't like the new logo. Hawaii is the Rainbows. We are the rainbow state."

Nobu Nakamoto, Aiea: "I hope I can still buy stuff with the Rainbow logo. And why, since they've dumped the rainbow, are they selling the new stuff at the RainBowTique? Shouldn't they be sold at the H-tique?"

Pam Toyooka, Makiki: "I don't mind the way 'Hawaii' is shown on the floor of the 'Stanley.' It has a classy, 'Hawaiian-ish' feel to it. But I don't think I would like just the 'H' by itself. ... And I really don't like the jagged 'H' that is shown by itself. I much prefer the old logo with the 'UH' next to the rainbow."

Aaron Lau, Nuuanu: "If you take out the Rainbow piece of the logo, what will our nickname be? The H's? The block letter is supposed to have a kapa print trim. I do see a slight hint of what they tried to do, but the Hawaii theme is not obvious. If I were from the mainland and I saw this 'H', I wouldn't connect Hawaii with it at all."

Judith Lewis, Nuuanu: "You're right: Love it or hate it. I hate it. Destroys what Hawaii means to many, on many levels -- warmth, colorful, paradise, unique, close to nature, multiethnic (rainbow coalition). ... I know the new image, especially with black and silver, was to give the impression of brute force, strong and scary -- not Hawaii at all, maybe football to some, but the U of H is not only football to many of us. The new logo is a sellout, a PR nightmare and false, false, false!"

Charlie Colburn, Ala Moana: "Why? What was wrong with the Rainbows? I have to believe many, if not most, are not going to approve. Bring back the 'Bows."

Rich Figel, Kailua: "If the rainbow isn't a symbol for the people of Hawaii to rally around, what is?"

It should be noted that Kajiyama is currently the student assistant for the 2007 Hwaii Warrior football team, if you have been following them.

Given the fact that this logo has been helping Hawaii Athletics more than harming them, AND that this is the logo the Warrior football team has been wearing on their undefeated regular season campign, and into this year's Sugar Bowl, the Bedlam edicts a fatwa to the people mentioned here.

I call out these people listed in this entry.. You know who you are, and if you have a Blogger account, I would like to know if, after seven years of this new logo, you still feel the same way, or if you've changed your mind to the fact that you recant on what was mentioned, and you were proven wrong.

Step up, be honest, fate willing, and post in the comments section below by clicking on the link. Mahalo from BoBA, and Hauoli Makahiki Hou.

The return of an all too familiar set of faces...

...was something the locals couldn't pass up.

To Hal, Larry, and Bret...many mahalos to you.

Hawaii wins over voter

By Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.com

The Hawaii Warriors are clearly No. 1 to the vast majority of people in the 50th State.

But they're also at the top of the list for three voters this week, one in each of the major polls. Only one has a tie to UH and even that person -- New Mexico State coach Hal Mumme -- is a competitor of the Warriors.

Mumme's vote in the coaches' poll and retired sportswriter Larry Keech's in the Harris poll contributed to the 12-0 Warriors moving up to 10th in the BCS standings, cementing their spot in the Sugar Bowl.

The third No. 1 vote, that of El Paso (Texas) Times sportswriter Bret Bloomquist, did not affect the BCS. But it could have the most interesting long-term effect on the Warriors.

Bloomquist votes in the Associated Press poll of media members. The BCS national championship will be determined by the outcome of the game between No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 LSU, Jan. 7, also in the Louisiana Superdome.

But the AP voters are not restricted, and can vote for anyone they want as No. 1 in their final poll.

Bloomquist gave Hawaii its first No. 1 vote ever in the AP poll. He said he plans to put the 10th-ranked Warriors in the top spot again in the final poll after it plays fourth-ranked Georgia (10-2) in the Sugar Bowl.

"I expect Hawaii to win," he said. "I think they could beat Ohio State. I think they can line up with anyone in the country. Their offense can score against anyone, and you win with quarterbacks."

Bloomquist said he didn't have UH very high in his rankings early in the season but, "once teams stared losing, I moved them up quickly."

The 41-year-old UTEP beat writer said he watched the entire games as Hawaii, the only undefeated team in the country, beat Nevada and Boise State, and he saw the end of the Washington game last week.

"I got to see a lot of highlights, too," Bloomquist said. "I do take schedules into account. But winning is certainly the biggest thing."

Bloomquist said he received four e-mails regarding his No. 1 vote for the Warriors. Three (two of them from Hawaii) applauded his choice. One criticized it.

This is Bloomquist's first year covering Division I college football, and his first year as an AP voter. The University of Texas graduate has been a full-time professional sportswriter the past 14 years.

He is also a Heisman Trophy voter. Bloomquist said he selected Florida's Tim Tebow first, Hawaii's Colt Brennan second and Arkansas' Darren McFadden third.

UH junior linebacker Solomon Elimimian said the Warriors appreciate the No. 1 votes and loftiest rankings in school history, but they're not the reason they play.

"It's humbling to know that they think we're that good," Elimimian said. "We are a great team, we played against Coach Hal Mumme, so he would know. At the same time I don't know how much we care. We know we have to win this upcoming game. (The BCS ranking) matters, but it doesn't. We did all we can do and we let the chips fall where they may."

If the Warriors beat the Bulldogs, does UH deserve a share of the national championship? With the game still nearly a month away, Elimimian wisely tiptoed around the question.

"Honestly I don't know. It's very complicated. A lot of people don't know how good a team we are," he said. " If we beat Georgia, more people will come around and understand that Hawaii is a great team. We know we're a great team, and we know Georgia is a great team."

Senior receiver Jason Rivers took a very humble approach when asked if UH should be No. 1 if it goes to 13-0 on New Year's Day.

"I would say no, because these other teams have been good for a long time," Rivers said. "We just started being good. Just like they paid their dues, we gotta pay our dues, too. You can't just come out of nowhere and go straight to the top. You gotta go through the ranks.

"At least some people are giving us respect."

UH coach June Jones said three No. 1 votes is nice, especially one from his colleague Mumme.

"Hal respects what we've done and how we've done it," Jones said of his fellow passing-game advocate.

Jones also deflected the question of deserving a share of the national championship with a win over Georgia.

"I don't have any feelings either way on that," he said. "We're just going to try to play our best. We'll have our hands full."

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Brilliant.

Some thanks and fucks before the Union does theirs

I decided to come up with my own list of thanks and fucks. Just because. First, the thanks.

Thanks to:

• Long Beach State's fellow super fans: the students, the parents, and the boosters, as well as the alums who showed up to the volleyball match against USC.
• Alexis Crimes, Misha "Ole!" Hasalikova, Talaya "TW-17" Whitfield, Sarah "6" Hudson, Cynthia Buggs (a.k.a. Bugsy [BANG!]), Iris Murray, and Dyanne Lawlor the White House intern from Washington for all the memories.
• Ashley Lee, Nicole Moore, Quincy Verdin. We'll need you next year.
• Mike Wadley. The guys helped Lakewood's girls volleyball team win the state title over Nevada Union. Quantity is no match for quality.
• The hospitality by most of the people (read: MOST) at the Galen Center.
• Colt Brennan, June Jones, and the rest of the Hawaii football team. One more game, and it will probably be the Sugar Bowl. Good luck against Georgia (or whoever they may be).
• Rammstein
• Oscar Wilde
• Uncyclopedia

A huge-ass fuck you to:

• Asia Kaczor of the USC women's volleyball team for single-handedly pulling off a Logan Tom on us. Something must be in that water down in Wroclaw, Poland.
• The post-menopause hag official from the NCAA who tells me that drumsticks are not allowed, but after I am using my pom-poms, tells me that they aren't allowed either. You know who you are. You are not welcome at the Beach unless you pay the sum of $500 for your faggotry. Bitch.
• Myles Brand. He deserves it, since he and the people he works with came up with these stupid double-standard artificial noisemaker rules. You take out a huge part of the atmosphere...and games are like watching grass grow. Fuck off and die already. Asshole. No, seriously. Send those rules back to Davy Jones' locker from whence they came.
• Britney Spears
• The guy who tells people to leave Britney Alone
• Michael Vick
• Michael Vick's other people
• Barry Bonds
• Floyd Landis
• UC Irvine (to hell with em!)
• The USA men's volleyball team for losing to the Russians.
  

A vision...

Two nights ago, I had a dream. It was a vision that Hawaii was going to escape Boise State with a 40-38 victory, off a Dan Kelly field goal. And at the end of the game, the students and fans rushed onto the field, and carried June Jones, Colt Brennan, and the Iceman off the field. And the Boise newspapers ripped apart the loss. Some fairweather journalists from that armpit of Idaho even called for Chris Petersen's resignation, and/or firing.

Actually, as I got the Walter Pyramid for Day 1 of the Baden Thanksgiving Tournament, I wondered if all this could be true. As I watched the first two matches of the mayhem at the Myd, I played Rob Overseer's "Slayed" on iTunes, thinking about the circumstances. In any case, the Warriors are going bowling. The big questions is whether or not it will be back at Aloha Stadium, or down in the Lower 48.

By the way, in the first match, we disposed of the Yales, 3-0. As I watched the second match between UCSB and Temple, it was no surprise who I was rooting for. With Big West conference play behind us, and the fact that we whitewashed the Gauchos, it was easy for me to cheer for UCSB, if only in solidarity of my Big West opponents.

I told them: This should be easy for you guys. If we can beat Temple, so can you. They dropped the first match, but they got the next three games. At the end of the match, I said, "See! I told you that you could do it. In the words of Johnny Warren, 'I told you so!'"

But back to the dream I had. I looked at the score when we were in the fourth game of a five-match marathon with Pittsburgh, and it read: Hawaii 39, Boise State 27, with a few minutes remaining. The previous time I asked for the score, the Press Telegram saw UH trail 27-26. All of a sudden, I was starting to feel good. In the waning seconds, I took my shirt off in the cold, flung it in the air, and I was beside myself. Everyone in the Pyramid knew that I supported the Warrior footbal team.

My friend Nuke told me: Hey, why do you support Hawaii's football team when you're from the Beach? I told him: first off, unless you're talking about rugby or soccer, we haven't had an American football team since 1991. Also, June Jones is a solid coach at the collegiate level, and I love the Run-&-Shoot: greatest football offense known to man, along with the West Coast. The dream came true on a day when LSU fell to Arkansas in triple overtime, 50-42, and Texas lost to Texas A&M. WHat's going to be shocking is that if Missouri defeats Kansas, there will be an undefeated team still standing.

It just won't be from the Lower 48. Even more shocking is that the coaches who led the Razorbacks and Aggies to victories are on their way out: Houston Nutt and Dennis Franchione.

In this words of Jim Leahey...

IS THIS THE YEAR?
IS THIS THE YEAR!!?
YOU BET THIS IS THE YEAR!!!!

Hawaii 39
Boise State 27

ESPN can go fuck themselves. And everyone in Boise, the AP, all those turds who chose the Broncos to win...can have their crow and eat it. They disgust me.

It was mostly a good day...

Well, I should concur that this was a good day, for the most part. A few letdowns here and there, but nothing too bad. Here is a recap of my favorite teams' recent endeavors.

SOCCER AND HOOPS TEAMS CHOKED, BUT THE REST ARE ALL RIGHT: Not a good start for Bob Nash's Bows at the Stan Sheriff Center. When you can't even get the work done against San Diego and Illinois...well, it's not a good sign. And Pinzoom Tenzing of Lahore, India, learned something after the sccer team's loss to Colorado: get better players. And schedule the Beach next year.

However, the weekend wasn't a complete failure for Hawaii. The football team capped off a succesfull road campaign thanks to Dan "The Iceman" Kelly. If the game-winning field goal against the Nevada Wolf Pack to get the 28-26 win at Mackay Stadium doesn't warrant a WAC Special Teams Player of the Week honor at the minimum, the people who make the decisions didn't see the game. Meanwhile, down in Las Cruces, Dave Shoji's Rainbow Wahine cap off a successful WAC Tournament run, going the distance to whitewash New Mexico State, 28-30, 30-20, 24-30, 30-23, and 15-11.

AND JUST WHEN IT COULDN'T GET ANY MORE WORSE FOR THE TOREROS, IT DOES: San Diego loses to UC Davis...again, 49-46. Way to close your season on the wrong note, you Alcala Park pricks!

THE WAIT ENDS FOR ONE, CONTINUES FOR ANOTHER: And the Rainmaker, Dan Monson, comes through. Long Beach State defeated Idaho State in men's basketball, 66-61, in overtime. And the College of Business Administration, with only three players, show that quantity is no match for quality, defending their Chick-Fil-A free shootout championship, scorching University College and Extension Services, 11-5. Meanwhile, the women continue their wait to break their hoodoo, after an uninspiring performance against LMU.

WATER POLO FUTILITY: Long Beach City College had a weekend from hell at the COA water polo championships in Fresno. The women will play for third place, after dropping a 12-10 decision to American River, while the men, simply...choked.

MELBOURNE, SAY IT AIN'T SO!: Oh Ernie, your days are getting numbered. Melbourne Victory lost to the Queensland Roar, 1-0. Ugh.

BUT AT LEAST THE ROOS ARE FIGHTING BACK: I still played a little Men at Work. Australia exacted revenge over Iraq after dropping their recent meeting at the Asian Cup, 2-0, while a friendly against Nigeria, gave the Soccceroos a 1-0 win.

MORE BASHING OF AFRICA: And the United States are getting themselves a nice win streak in friendlies. Put this in your Janjaweed, haters: Steve Cherundolo gave Bob Bradley's boys a 1-0 win over Bafana Bafana.

COMING DOWN THE ROAD: Forget Wellington Phoenix, the hottest football team in New Zealand is Auckland City. The boys from Kiwitea Street dismissed Otago United, 2-0, and continue their undefeated run in their league. New Zealand, in international competition, defeated Vanuatu, 2-1, and continue to put themselves in position to have a crack at Asia to qualify for South Africa 2010. Wish they faced off against Uruguay instead. Ah well. And Aldershot Town continued their pace to get to the Football League 2nd Division. Go the Shots... Hooah!

A weekend that, well, I suppose is...

Funny. This weekend was a very unusual one, in which predicatable successes are paired with unenviable futility, and everything in between.

The weekend started on Thursday. The men's water polo team nearly gave up the game against LMU. In fact, they should not have won, the price they pay for not finishing. They ended up winning...in the sixth overtime, 8-7. St. Anthony's football team dismissed St. Genevieve, and are now back in the playoffs, although the Bell-Jeff loss must have been their worse football to date since Downey Calvary Chapel and Chadwick.

Friday was an example of utter juxtaposition. Long Beach City's women's soccer team must have felt like the worst in the land, losing to Cal Poly, 2-1...on the same day that Long Beach City's women lost to Cerritos for the South Coast Conference title. That same day, Lakewood, after shutting out Wilson, edged Compton, but THEY nearly gave it away. That was juxtaposed with Long Beach State's trip from hell to Tucson, losing 7-0. The next day they would be roasted again, 5-0. Way to play uninspired hockey, Ice Dog wannabes.

Saturday was brutal...and beautiful. First, the brutality. Oh BYU. You might as well pay for the broken glass if your big men had to slam dunk the backboard like this was your arena. 74-34...and a dubious-looking tie-dye shirt. Ugh. Who even had to come up with something like this anyway!? And we won't stop there. The women's volleyball team lost the first game of the 4-game victory over Pacific, but how we lost it has be, well, agonizing. Leading very comfortably, those bloody Tigers went on a streak afterwards winning the first game, 32-30. This is Long Beach State, not Long Beach Poly.

Also, predictable came to play. At the rugby tournament on Saturday, the B-side went undefeated, while the A-side played, well, terrible.

And shocking rolled into town. A shakeup on defeats came, and poor Colt Brennan. Oh man, Marcus Riley must thank his lucky stars that a headhunting bastard like him was still in the game with 10 minutes and change left. The officials got a big, fat, F from me due to not during the right thing, and bringing out the ejection. Here's to the hope that Pinsoom Tenzing's Na Wahine can win later today in Boise against Fresno's women.

Melbourne Victory drew with Sydney, while Accrington and Aldershot stunk it up in the FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round.

And I got a nice women's volleyball media guide to boot.

I am inspired.

The Mack attack...is back.

From Stephen Tsai of the Honolulu Advertiser

Greg McMackin was defensive coordinator when the University of Miami had the nation's No. 1 defense in 1993 and 1994.
McMackin also was the coordinator when the Seattle Seahawks were a fantasy-football owner's dream, scoring an NFL-record 14 defensive touchdowns in 1998.
He was at the defensive helm in 1999, when Hawai'i produced the greatest single-season turnaround in Division I-A history.
But in all of those years and through all of those stops, his defenses never had a better game than the Warriors' 50-13 victory over New Mexico State Saturday.
That was the first time in 14 years that his defense checked off every box in a nine-goal list.
"I'm so proud of them," said McMackin, who returned to UH this season after spending the past eight years with Texas Tech and the San Francisco 49ers.
While his Miami defenses were topping NCAA statistical charts, McMackin decided he wanted a more precise barometer. That's when he crafted a list in which the goals are: to win; hold opponents to no more than 17 points, 3.4 yards per rush, and 37-percent-conversion rate on third down; not allow a rush of more than 19 yards or a completed pass of more than 29 yards; not relinquish a touchdown after a UH turnover; force at least three turnovers, and score a defensive touchdown.
"He's been using that since he was No. 1 with Miami," head coach June Jones said. "To finally meet all of the goals is an impressive deal."
Defensive tackle Michael Lafaele said: "I know coach Mac is excited, and that he's proud of us. I knew our defense was playing well, and guys were making big plays. It was a testament to how hard we worked in practice and during the summer."
McMackin said he came up the points-allowed limit because "17 is two touchdowns and a field goal. You figure if you don't give up more than that, you have a good chance to win."
He said it was a better gauge to use rushing average instead of rushing total. It is noteworthy that none of the goals involve total yards.
"Turnovers are the big thing," said Adam Leonard, who has scored on two of his four interception returns this year. "We put a lot of focus on how we play on third down, and making those key stops."
McMackin never changed the goals even though college offenses are more prolific than the NFL's.
"It really puts into perspective how well our defense is playing," Leonard said.
This season, the Warriors are holding offenses to 2.9 yards per rush and 30-percent conversions on third down. They have intercepted 16 passes, five of which were run back for touchdowns, and forced five lost fumbles.
The goals are listed on a large grid posted in the locker room. "H" stickers are used to fill in the blanks, like chips on a bingo card.
The Warriors had reached eight of the nine goals twice in the first seven games.
"If we didn't give up that late touchdown in Idaho, we would have had enough," Jones said.
Like an in-progress no-hitter in baseball, nobody talked about a perfect score during Saturday's game. But the last puka was filled when JoPierre Davis scored on an interception return with 3:42 to play.
"I'm happy we accomplished it," defensive tackle Fale Laeli said. "We came, we saw, we conquered."

...men.

Now that’s what I call…a rally.

Just when I thought Friday was going to go down south in a hurry, I get a reprieve. I don’t know if it was me destroying the video tape (that originally had the Angels’ last World Series victory) or if it was the soul of Colt Brennan coming back from its trap and going into its body which had an imposter soul, or the fact that I had mellowed down considerably.

Whatever the case, Friday was the night of the comeback kids. In San Jose, the Spartans were leading the Hawaii Warrior 35-21, and were in control of ending Hawaii’s winning streak. Colt Brennan came right back to throw another touchdown to make it 35-28 late in the fourth quarter. However, as San Jose State was about to run down the clock, a man by the name of Blaze Soares stripped SJSU tailback James T. Callier of the ball, and Adam Leonard recovered the ball. Brennan, on the next possession, took it in to tie the score.

In overtime, Brennan hooked up on a 9-yard pass to Jason Rivers to give Hawaii the lead back. An interception by Myron Newberry sealed the deal, eliciting elation back in the islands, while eliciting frustration and broken hearts wearing blue in Spartan Stadium.

Top that, King Xerxes the First.

Meanwhile, down in Stockton (not too far from San Jose), Long Beach State’s women’s volleyball team pulled off a rally of their own. Down two games, I tuned into the game late on longbeachstate.com and on CSTV’s GameTracker. The 49ers, as if I was bringing some type of divine inspiration, won the next three games, 32-30, 30-22, and 15-13. It was only proper that Alexis Crimes seal the game off. On match point, Alexis crushed the mother lode into the Pacific court. Sorry, Charlie (Wade).

On a night where Melbourne Victory and the Long Beach State ice hockey teams dropped stinkers, the comeback kids were having a great night out in Stockton and San Jose. Joe Montana send help.

Some bad news…and good news…for Charleston Southern.

The bad news:

• The Buccaneers got crushed, 66-10.
  

The good news:

A number of things.

• They got two interceptions. And the first play from scrimmage for Hawaii
  resulted in their first pick.
• They held Hawaii to only 21 points in the first
  half, and trailed by as little as 21-10.
• They even were 7-7 for a good period
  of time, thrusting some concerns among the Aloha Stadium crowd, and keeping the
  people in North Charleston giddy for a bit in the early morning.
• Hawaii was unable to cover. The Warriors were favored by 60. Charleston Southern only lost by 56.
• Northern Colorado still lost by a bigger margin: 57 points. One point
  worse.
• And Northern Colorado still gained the least points against UH so far
  this season: 6 points. 4 points less than Charleston Southern.
  

Don’t look now, but the Big South might give the Big Sky some fits, should they tangle in the postseason. Bravo, Charleston Southern. You guys performed better than I expected. There might be some hope for you as the season progresses down in your neck of the woods. Pray that your plane doesn't crash like the Marshall team of 1970 on the flight home.