QB Andrew Manley committed to New Mexico State

About committing to NMSU, 6'3", 220-pound Andrew Manley said:
"Right now it's the only offer I have, but I am excited about it." (HSB)

HSB Note: "Hawaii had been among the schools that offered him a scholarship. But the offer became a grayshirt offer when UH got a commitment from Kevin Spain of Paradise Valley High in Arizona."

About how he received an early offer from UH, Manley said:
"But they got a commitment from another quarterback and they asked me to grayshirt. The way the numbers are now, I could end up without a scholarship." (HSB)

"I'm not disappointed. I understand how college football recruiting works. They do what they have to do. I feel very fortunate to have a scholarship to play college football at New Mexico State." (HSB)

HSB Note: "Colorado and Marshall were also among schools expressing interest, but Colorado has two quarterback commitments and Marshall had a coaching change."

About how his recruiting from Marshall ended with their coaching change, Manley said:
"After the coach left I never heard back from them." (HSB)

About the benefit of playing for a WAC school, Manley said:
"I get to come home every other year to play at Aloha Stadium in front of friends and family. That is a great bonus." (HSB)

Dave Reardon wrote: "I think UH missed the boat on Manley and should've given him a full ride, no questions asked. At 6-feet-3 and 220 pounds, he is plenty big and has a big arm. His footwork is extremely underrated. This may come back to haunt the Warriors, especially with NMSU being in the same conference." (HSB)

http://www.starbulletin.com/news/breaking/79864307.html

http://blogs.starbulletin.com/quickreads/?p=591&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&ut

Feature on JJ in the Honolulu Advertiser

HA Note: "June Jones' cell phone number begins with "808." He owns two condos in Kahala and another in Kona. During football season, between the end of the morning practice and the daily staff meeting, Southern Methodist University's second-year coach will watch the KGMB-produced news show "Sunrise" on his office computer. Jones, whose wardrobe does not require socks, implores his staff to observe Aloha Friday each week."

About his feelings for Hawaii, JJ said:
"Once it's in your blood, it's always in your blood." (HA)

Excited to being back in Hawaii, JJ said:
"It's exciting to come back. I'm excited that I'm going to see a lot of friends and people who mean a lot to me. That's the thing I miss the most — my friends." (HA)

JJ added that he also misses:
"the North Shore." (HA)

"I miss the North Shore." (HA)

HA Note: "The day after every UH home game, Jones would ride his Harley-Davidson, painted in the Warriors' dark green, around the island."

HA Note: "Jones donated the motorcycle to Na Koa, the UH football booster club, as an auction item. He said he might sell his O'ahu condos."

About how he might sell his O'ahu condos, JJ said:
"I'm going to keep the one in Kona." (HA)

HA Note: "He first visited the Big Island in 1975, when UH played a spring game in Hilo. Jones was a quarterback. He returned in the 1980s, soon after the Mauna Lani Golf Course opened."

About his love for the Big Island, JJ said:
"I was just blown away. The peacefulness of the Big Island. Man, it was just something else." (HA)

About finding a paradise about 15 miles from Kona, JJ said:
"Hokuli'a is the most spiritual place to me. It's more laid-back than anywhere I've been. When (football) is all over, that's where I'm going to make my home. I'm going to live in Hawai'i." (HA)

HA Note: "After the Warriors' 2006 season, there was an opportunity to return to the National Football League, where he had been a head coach with the Atlanta Falcons and San Diego Chargers. At the same time, the Warriors' star quarterback, Colt Brennan, was contemplating whether to apply for the 2007 NFL draft or return to UH for his senior season. The NFL deadline was Jan. 17. At one point, Brennan posed the what-if question to Jones."

About how he told Colt not to worry about his leaving for the NFL if Colt decided to stay at UH, JJ said:
"Colt was worried I would leave after he made his decision to come back (to UH). I said, 'Look, you make your decision. I'll give you my word, if you haven't read about me leaving before the 17th, and you decide to come back, I won't leave. I'll coach your senior season.' " (HA)

HA Note: "In an emotional news conference Jan. 17, 2007, Brennan announced he would return to UH for his senior season. Soon after, agent Leigh Steinberg called UH athletic director Herman Frazier to set up a meeting to discuss a contract extension for Jones, who was entering the final season of a five-year contract."

About telling HF that he'd work on a contract extension for JJ before the 2007 season but they didn't want to negotiate the extension during the season, Leigh Steinberg said:
"I told Herman before the '07 season, I would entertain speaking with him about extending my contrac. Nothing had been done. I said, 'If you don't extend it by the time we go to training camp (in August), then I don't want to deal with it during camp, and I don't want to see (negotiations) in the paper while we're trying to win football games.' " (HA)

About the contract extension negotiations, JJ told HF:
"If we can get something done, something I can live with before we go to training camp in August I would consider it." (HA)

About how UH *never* initiated contract talks before the start of Fall camp, JJ said:
"I wasn't hurt by it; I was disappointed. If he had come to me in May or June, I probably would have extended my contract, and we would have worked out something that would have been workable for the school and workable for me." (HA)

HA Note: "After that, Jones realized that "2007 would be my last season" at UH."

HA Note: "The problems with UH's athletic facilities had circulated nationally. In 2006, the players had complained there was no soap in the locker-room showers. Cooke Field was condemned after the turf had been stripped away. But because the Warriors were successful — 11-3 in 2006, 12-1 in 2007 — with limited resources, few changes were planned."

About how they could not sustain success without big changes at UH, JJ said:
"To sustain success (under the conditions) would be hard to do. We needed to have things. We needed change. I don't think those things were going to happen if I stayed. When I got here in '99, I felt if we won, things would change. The bottom line is everybody is hurting. Everybody needs money." (HA)

HA Note: "After the Jan. 1 Sugar Bowl, SMU made a formal offer: $2 million a year for five years. Jones' contract — which was increased from $320,000 annually in the first four UH seasons — paid about $800,000 a year. It was then that UH initiated contract talks. The first offer, from Frazier, was $1.1 million annually. After that, UH President David McClain and Manoa chancellor Virginia Hinshaw took over as point negotiators, increasing the offer to $1.3 million annually, then $1.5 million a year, then $1.7 million. But Jones said he felt UH's offers were more than the school could afford. The stakes were considerably higher than they were before the 2007 season, when he would have been happy to sign an extension for much less."

About how he didn't want to feel bad about taking UH's contract offer, JJ said:
"I worked all my life to make a good living. I didn't want to feel bad that I was going to make a lot of money in my next contract. The people of Hawai'i have a lot of needs at the school. For me to be making close to $2 million, it didn't seem fair, and I didn't want to feel bad about that. With all of the needs we had (at UH), all of the things that had to be done, in my own mind, I didn't want to be unhappy about being successful." (HA)

About how he had second thoughts the night before they were going to announce his deal with SMU, JJ told Steinberg:
"I can't pull the trigger. Leigh's eyes got huge. We had been in negotiations for three days, and we had finally gotten it done, and I told him, 'I can't do this.' " (HA)

That night JJ then had telephone conversations with:
"some friends who were very close to me. When I woke up the next morning. I felt this is what God wanted me to do, what I needed to do with my life." (HA)

About JJ took the SMU job, UH President McClain said in a news release:
"I also want to apologize to our fans and all of Hawai'i for matters getting to this stage in the first place. Exceptional performance deserves exceptional recognition, and your university was slow to step up." (HA)

HA Note: "The next day, UH and Frazier parted ways. Since then, Cooke Field, now known as Ching Athletic Complex, has a new artificial turf. The new football coaches' offices will be completed in a few months. And the football recruiting budget has more than doubled."

About the positive changes made at UH since he left, JJ said:
"Those things wouldn't have happened if we stayed." (HA)

JJ said that SMU is 2 years away from:
"being where we were in Hawai'i, with enough bullets and ammo to play the game at the level to be a championship team." (HA)

HA Note: "His son, June Jones IV, is an offensive lineman on a high school team that won a Texas state football title. He bought a home in a Dallas suburb."

Praising Dallas, JJ said:
"Dallas is a great city, one of the best on the continent. The people here are so hospitable. The Texas people have a lot of aloha spirit. They don't call it aloha. They call it Texas hospitality. It's very similar to Hawai'i. The people here are outgoing, very giving, very helpful." (HA)

HA Note: "One of Jones' regrets is he is too emotional to offer face-to-face farewells. He sent e-mails to close friends to announce he was leaving Hawai'i. His parting news conference was on the Big Island."

About how it is hard for him to say goodbye face-to-face, JJ said:
"It's hard. I get attached to people, friends. I tell people, 'It's not about the game; it's about the people you work with, the people you coach.' That's what it's all about. Because I'm that way, I've become very attached, especially with people in Hawai'i, and, I guess, sensitive emotionally. I think I'm way too emotional for a guy. I am that way. I've always been that way." (HA)

http://sports.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091220/NEWS01/912200357&template=UHsports

DE John Cooper Pelluer commits to the Warriors

About why he chose the Warriors, DE John Cooper Pelluer (from Skyline High in Issaquah, Washington) said:
"I definitely love the atmosphere of Hawai'i. There's nothing better than waking up every day in Hawai'i. The coaching staff is just awesome. I love everybody there. I'm really excited to be a Warrior." (HA)

HA Note: "Pelluer's great-grandfather, grandfather, father and uncle are Washington State alumni. His father, Scott, was a linebacker who played five seasons with the New Orleans Saints. His uncle, Steve, was a quarterback with the Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos."

Pelluer said that Washington State is:
"where my dad and mom met." (HA)

About choosing UH over Washington and Washington State after visiting UH last weekend, Pelluer said:
"I wanted to go where I felt I was really wanted. I got that vibe, that feel, from Hawai'i." (HA)

HA Note: "Pelluer was an outside linebacker in 2008, when Skyline ran a 3-4 scheme. This past season, a new defensive coordinator implemented the 4-3 alignment. Pelluer was asked to move to defensive end."

Pelluer said that that with him at rush DE and a converted safety at weakside LB:
"we became one of the fastest teams (in the division). We were flying around on defense." (HA)

HA Note: "Pelluer, who is 6 feet 3 1/2 and 225 pounds, made 10 sacks in 13 games. In all, he had 77 tackles, including 46 solo stops."

About being moved from LB to DE, Pelluer said:
"I had fun at defensive end. You sort of go." (HA)

HA Note: "He also played tight end at Skyline. Six of his nine catches were touchdowns. Pelluer said he has been told he will compete at defensive end or outside linebacker at UH. He will enroll in UH's second Summer Session, starting in July. At the University of Washington camp in 2008, Pelluer ran 40 yards in 4.7 seconds. He completed the shuttle in 4.57 seconds. His vertical jump is 26 inches, and his maximum bench press is a little under 300 pounds."

About how he snowboards during his spare time and enjoyed surfing during his UH visit, Pelluer said:
"I tried surfing on my official visit, and I just loved it. I can see myself learning how to surf." (HA)

About how Jake Heun hosted him during his recruiting visit, Pelluer said:
"He's a wild guy." (HA)

http://sports.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091220/SPORTS0201/912200381&template=UHsports

OT recruit Daniel Fleischman is down to UH and Wyoming

SC = scout.com

SC Note: "It only took two visits, but Issaquah, Wash. offensive tackle Daniel Fleischman is ready to decide. He picked up an official offer from Hawaii after his visit to Manoa this past weekend, making it his seventh offer. But when it comes down to it, Fleischman is looking to make a Christmastime decision, so it's really down to the two schools he's already officially visited."

About how he is deciding between UH and Wyoming, 6'7", 280-pound Fleischman said:
"I got an offer from Hawaii. It's pretty much between them and Wyoming now. I think I'll make my decision in a week." (SC)

About how he was impressed with his visit to Hawaii last weekend, Fleischman said:
"I loved the people there. The coaching staff is great and it's just a great environment for football." (SC)

About how the Warrior coaches wanted a commitment from him but hewasn't prepared to make a decision during his visit, Fleischman said:
"But I do want to make a commitment before Christmas." (SC)

About the similarity between UH and Wyoming, Fleischman said:
"I really like spread offenses." (SC)

About how Wyoming currently has a 75-25 advantage over UH, Fleischman said:
"It's Wyoming. But I'm not 100 percent decided on anyone yet." (SC)

http://recruiting.scout.com/2/930039.html

CB Dee Maggitt commits to the Warriors! Moniz and Ingram get scholarships

About how commitment to the Warriors, Dee Maggitt said:
"I just loved the coaches and all of the players and Hawai'i in general." (HA)

HA Note: "Maggitt, who is 5 feet 10 and 175 pounds, competed in last week's Aloha Prep Bowl all-star game at Aloha Stadium. After that, he went on his official UH recruiting visit."

About Maggitt's commitment to the Warriors, Lakes head coach Dave Miller said:
"He's excited about being a Warrior." (HA)

HA Note: "Maggitt said he also had received offers from Washington and Washington State. One scouting service rated Maggitt as the top high school cornerback in Washington state."

Praising Maggitt, Miller said:
"I've been at Lakes for 25 years, and he's the best shut-down corner we've ever had, and we've had some good ones." (HA)

About how Maggitt did not allow All-State WR Taz Stevenson to catch a pass in the Aloha Prep Bowl, Miller said:
"He did a great job on him. He's a guy you can put on the best receiver and he'll lock the guy down." (HA)

Miller said that Maggitt's assets are:
"great feet, great hips, great competitor. He's got great anticipation on the ball and the breaks. He's got good jumping ability. He plays bigger than he is. He's got the mentality you want in a corner, where every play is total competition. He doesn't ever get down. He plays hard every play. He's got great toughness. He'll come up and pop you." (HA)

HA Note: "In addition to cornerback, Maggitt was used as a slotback, punt returner and kickoff returner. He is the starting point guard on Lakes' basketball team. He also is a member of the 4x100 relay team. He earned a 1,540 score on the SAT."

About Maggitt's excellent work ethic, Miller said:
"He works hard and he tries to get better every day. The sky's the limit. He's got great potential. We're excited about his future." (HA)

About how Lakes went 12-1 in each of their past two seasons, Miller said:
"He comes from a winning progra, and he knows how to get the job done. He's also a team player who always puts the team before himself. They're getting a great guy, a guy you can add to your mix and build a team with, no doubt." (HA)

HA Note: "Quarterback Bryant Moniz, who started eight games as the injury replacement for Greg Alexander, and long-snapper Luke Ingram have been told they will be awarded UH football scholarships. The compliance officers tried to sack the offer, claiming Moniz, who joined the Warriors in January, did not have enough time of service at UH to qualify for a scholarship. Moniz, a 2007 Leilehua High graduate, played a season at Fresno City College before returning to Hawai'i, where he spent two semesters attending a community college. The coaches argued that former UH quarterback Colt Brennan played a season of JC football and attended UH for one semester before receiving a scholarship from the Warriors."

About not giving up his pizza delivering job even after getting his scholarship, Bryant Moniz said:
"I'm still going to work." (HA)

HA Note: "Ingram, a second-year freshman from Mililani, had three off-target snaps in 95 attempts this past season. All of the snaps were caught."

Praising the job that Luke Ingram did as their long snapper, Mack said:
"He did a great job for us." (HA)

HA Note: "It was remarkable considering that Ingram had lost about 15 pounds during the summer because of flu-like symptoms. He also suffered a high-ankle sprain during a surfing incident, a painful condition that lasted through the first third of the season."

http://sports.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091217/SPORTS0201/91217002&template=UHsports

Feature story on Jeff Ulbrich being a "Pro's Pro"

About something that Bill Walsh said to him after a practice after he had been with the 49ers for a few years (Walsh drafted Ulbrich in the 3rd round in 2000), Jeff Ulbrich said:
"He came up to me on the sideline and let me know he was proud of the way I'd become a pro. I grew up around here and understood his legacy, so that's one of the highest compliments I've ever gotten in football." (HA)

About how his 10-year NFL career went well beyond his initial goal of lasting 3 seasons in the NFL, Ulbrich said:
"I didn't foresee people wanting me longer than that, to tell you the truth." (HA)

HA Note: "He is the longest tenured 49er, having been drafted a day ahead of long snapper Brian Jennings. The 49ers put up plaques on a wall at their facility to honor such 10-year vets, and Ulbrich earned his with a hardworking, teammate-assisting style."

About playing for 4 coaches with the 49ers and four personnel regimes, Ulbrich said:
"I didn't play to assemble a bunch of memories about my glory. I played because I loved to go on the field and play, and I loved the relationships I made around the league. I could give a (expletive) if I remember hitting Steven Jackson on the goal line." (HA)

HA Note: "He is not scared about losing such memories from a series of concussions in his career, the latest of which reduced his sleep to two hours a night. Brain trauma has become the NFL's hot-button topic this season, bringing with it a more thorough evaluation process. But Ulbrich evaluated his career enough in recent seasons to know a future in coaching was calling."

About having to retire after his latest concussion, Ulbrich said:
"I've recovered from every injury, so hopefully this is next in line." (HA)

HA Note: "That conga line: shoulder in 2000, ankle in 2001, knee in 2002, ankle and thigh in 2003, biceps in 2005, hamstring in 2006."

About lasting 10 years in the NFL, Ulbrich said:
"There's a certain pride I have regarding 10 years. Every year I thought I was going to get cut. Ask my wife. I had to play well every training camp, every preseason. I'm fortunate there were enough people around who appreciated the way I played." (HA)

About a 2004 game against the NY Jets where he was hospitalized a couple nights earlier with a stomach virus and chest pains, drinking 5 cups of coffee before kickoff to combat fatigue, where a goal-line tackle was not his highlight but instead a hit on center Kevin Mawai that was:
"awesome. It was in the middle of the field, nothing in particular on the play. Those were the kind of plays I loved." (HA)

HA Note: "—Rivalry games with the St. Louis Rams, whether it was making a goal-line tackle of Jackson or shutting down Marshall Faulk on pass patterns.

—Inheriting Ken Norton Jr.'s spot as the "plugger" linebacker and serving as a fixture in the starting lineup from 2001-04. His guts served him well as a special-teams ace in recent seasons.

—Tipping a pass that Julian Peterson intercepted in the January 2003 49ers' playoff victory over the New York Giants, Ulbrich's only postseason win.

—Ripping the Pro Bowl voting process in 2004 — and rightfully so — when fellow 49ers linebacker Derek Smith got snubbed. (Said Ulbrich: "You've got to be kidding me. It's whoever is on 'SportsCenter,' whoever the media wants to pump up. It's absolutely ridiculous.")

—Walking off the University of the Pacific practice field at 2001 training camp in full uniform and pushing a baby stroller (the first of three children he's had with his wife of now 10 years, Cristina).

—Framing a picture of him standing over Cowboys star Emmitt Smith after a tackle. "I asked him to sign it a couple years later when he was with the Arizona Cardinals, and he wouldn't do it," Ulbrich said.

—Twice winning the team's Matt Hazeltine Award for being the most courageous and inspirational defensive player."

About how he appreciated teammates such as Bryant Young, Ulbrich said:
"One of my favorite memories, and it's kind of bittersweet, was carrying B.Y. off the day he retired. That was pretty amazing." (HA)

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20091213/BREAKING02/91213006/NFL++Former+Hawaii+player+Jeff+Ulbrich+made+himself+into+a+pro+s+pro+

HSB article about the Warriors looking towards next season

About what they need to do to prepare for next season, Mack said:
"We have to get everybody together, have a good offseason program and a good spring." (HSB)

HSB Note: "Having USC atop next season's schedule figures to help spur the Warriors' offseason workouts, along with the bitterness of missing the postseason for the first time since 2005."

About how they will have more experienced players next season, Mack said:
"It's going to be a challenging schedule, but we have more to work with as far as experienced players." (HSB)

About how the Warriors came back from a 2-6 deficit to win 4 in a row, JD said:
"Most teams would pack it in and give up. They had to win all five games and for four out of five weeks, they pulled it off." (HSB)

About the 6 QBs they will have competing for a starting job next season, Mack said:
"Competition is good for everybody. Mo did a great job and earned being penciled in, but we're going to open up the competition." (HSB)

http://www.starbulletin.com/sports/sportsnews/20091213_hobbled_warriors_left_waiting_til_next_year.html

Feature story on Davone Bess being the best Miami Dolphin receiver

PBP = Palm Beach Post

About how Davone Bess is much better than any of the other Miami Dophin receivers, CBS analyst Steve Tasker said:
"He's better than the rest of those guys, that's all there is to it. Ted Ginn Jr. is a kick returner. (Brian) Hartline and (Greg) Camarillo are complementary guys. They don't have any quality receivers except Bess." (PBP)

About the improved play by Bess, Greg Camarillo said:
"He's playing with much more confidence. His patience and his knowledge of the offense have grown. He knows what he's doing, he knows the ins and outs, he knows the details, and that's what's allowing him to play at such a high level." (PBP)

PBP Note: "Bess has been a revelation almost since he signed with Miami as an undrafted free agent out of Hawaii in May 2008. His 54 catches last season was just two behind Ginn, the former first-round pick, for the team lead. Offensive coordinator Dan Henning said playing in coach June Jones' pass-happy system at Hawaii prepared the 5-foot-10, 190-pound Bess for the NFL."

About how JJ's offense prepared Bess for the NFL, Henning said:
"I guarantee you that he's caught more balls than any 23-year-old on the planet. If you go to June's practices, with the run and shoot, that's all they do." (PBP)

About how he struggled during their first 7 games, fumbling a team-high 4 times (losing 2), muffing a punt and dropping a bunch of passes, Bess said:
"It was very out of character." (PBP)

Asked if his struggles affected him mentally, Bess said:
"Not at all." (PBP)

PBP Note: "Around the first game at New England on Nov. 8, Bess' role began to change. After averaging 7.5 yards on 30 catches up to that game, he's averaged 11.7 on 29 catches since."

About the increased yards per catch that he's been getting, Bess said:
"I'm just taking what the defense gives me. Sometimes they're coming up on me, which makes me adjust my route deeper." (PBP)

PBP Note: "Quarterback Chad Henne noticed in that first Patriots game that Bill Belichick was getting animated on the sideline about Bess, who had six catches for 56 yards."

About how New England head coach Bill Belichick was upset with how they were defending Bess, Miami QB Chad Henne said:
"Belichick was yelling, 'Why aren't we pressing Davone?' He's a tough guy to press because he can beat you lateral, and he can beat you vertical, too." (PBP)

PBP Note: "Bess also just might be the best bargain in the NFL. The two-year, $687,000 deal he signed upon arrival pays him $385,000 this year, and the Dolphins have exclusive rights to his services next year, meaning he'll receive only a marginal raise."

Not worried about signing an extension with Miami, Bess' agent Kenny Zuckerman said:
"There's no sense of urgency on our behalf or their behalf. Something may come up down the road, but we know he's doing well and they know they can't lose him." (PBP)

PBP Note: "Bess' play of late has raised comparisons with that of ex-Dolphin Wes Welker. While Welker leads the league with 95 receptions, he also plays in an offense that relies much more on the pass than that in Miami. And Bess has been even better than Welker in at least one area: He leads the league in third-down receptions with 29. Welker is tied for seventh with 18."

Comparing Bess to Wes Welker, Tasker said:
"Welker has a little better lateral quickness and he's been in an offense that's been centered around the pass for three or four years. There's no question Bess has the ability to be that good, but Welker has a true No. 1 receiver playing outside of him in Randy Moss. Bess won't reach his potential until he has that as well." (PBP)

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/dolphins/davone-bess-welcomes-spotlight-role-with-miami-dolphins-117532.html

Feature article on Leonard Peters

TN = The National

TN Note: "His rise has been steep. It is just five months since he was first encouraged to pick up a rugby ball, yet he will already be playing his second international competition with the USA sevens side when they kick off the second leg of the IRB series in South Africa today. Any opponents planning to pick him up on his style choices, such as the black nail-polish on his thumbs, would be better advised to think again. He may be a rugby novice, but his skills on defence are already "beyond exceptional", according to his coach Al Caravelli, which is a relic of his days playing as a safety in the NFL. It was the destructive side of rugby which first attracted him to the game."

About decided to go into rugby, Leonard Peters said:
"I was done with the NFL and coach Al gave me a call to see if I wanted to give rugby a try. He said that there was a lot of running and a lot of hitting so I said, 'OK, sign me up'. It looked fun to me so I wanted to see if I could pick it up. For our team there is not a lot of money in it, but for some of the others there is. I didn't do it for money, I wanted to do it to learn a new sport." (TN)

TN Note: "For Peters, the last match in the group, against Samoa, carries the most significance. Peters was born in Fagaalu in American Samoa to Samoan parents, who moved to Hawaii when he was nine. He has not forgotten his roots, as evidenced by the fact his body is decorated by pe'a, or traditional Polynesian tattoos. The masterpiece has taken 179 hours so far, and is still far from the finished product."

About his tattoos, Peters said:
"Each symbol represents a generation of my family. I am not finished, there is still a long way to go." (TN)

Explaining why he puts black nail varnish on his thumbs, Peters said:
"One of the children had cancer. At eight-years-old he was going to pass away. We were trying to sign autographs for them but they were very, very shy. I saw the mother's nail polish on the stand, so I asked him if he would prefer to paint my nails. From then on, he started to talk to us and he painted my nails. Now I always paint them to remind myself how lucky I am.

When you are eight-years-old and you are going to pass away from cancer, it shows that us people who run around playing football are extremely fortunate, even if we do get some nicks and dings. If I'm sore or I don't want to practice or I'm having a bad day because I don't have enough money for gas, if I wave to someone, or whatever I do throughout the day, and I see it I remind myself how lucky I am." (TN)

http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091211/SPORT/712109918/1173

Feature on Davone Bess being one of the NFL's top slot receivers

SFSS = South Florida Sun-Sentinel

SFSS Note: "Work hard. Get better every day. Stay humble. Be patient. Be thankful. Those are the five mantras that hang prominently on a sheet of notebook paper that sits on the left wall of Davone Bess' locker. These daily instructions have been there since he made the Miami Dolphins roster as an undrafted rookie last season, and he constantly goes over them. They serve as a constant reminder of where he's come from, and what's enabled this former Hawaii standout to find his niche as an NFL slot receiver. They also provide Bess guidance for the road he's on. To understand his desired destination just look at the center of his locker. That's where a Pro Bowl placard hangs."

About the five mantras that hang in his locker, Davone Bess said:
"Every time I look at them they keep me grounded and focused. Lets me know where I've been, and where I need to be." (SFSS)

SFSS Note: "Considering Bess is rising up the ranks of NFL slots receivers, it appears he's well on his way. Despite only starting one game this season, Bess leads the Dolphins in receptions (59) and receiving yards (548). And even though he produced his first 100-yard receiving game in last Sunday's win over New England, he's sat at the top of those statistical rankings most of the season. With four games to play, Bess' 548 yards is only 6 yards shy of what he accomplished last season, when he became the NFL's most productive undrafted rookie receiver since Jets standout Wayne Chrebet. More telling of his impact is the fact nearly half of Bess' receptions (29) and yards (259) have come in third-down situations, which serves as proof this second-year receiver has become the player the Dolphins offense leans on in the game's most critical down."

About how Bess is leading the AFC in 3rd down conversions on a team that doesn't pass much, offensive coordinator Dan Henning said:
"The guy leads the [AFC] in third-down conversions, and that's hard to do, especially on a team that doesn't pass [much]. If he would maintain that for the next 10 years he'll be a very viable, and valuable commodity." (SFSS)

SFSS Note: "Bess, who will be a restricted free agent this offseason, trails only Giants receiver Steve Smith in production on third down."

About how the NFL has been using slot receivers a lot more lately, Miami safety Yeremiah Bell said:
"It's always a short athletic guy who is quick. That's what teams are banking on now. Quarterbacks are going to look for those slot receivers because they can get in and out of breaks quickly." (SFSS)

SFSS Note: "Del Rio said the most important thing those slot receivers do is move the chains."

About the importance of a slot receiver, Del Rio said:
"You definitely can find a role for a guy who can do some things in the slot, create some matchup problems." (SFSS)

SFSS Note: "Bess said most of the routes he runs are based on the coverage that he sees after the snap. Henning said Bess he has a good feel for understanding when opposing defenses are in zone or man coverage, which often dictates the route. And that sense is getting better. Bess admits he's starting to get better at making the right read adjustments, picking the appropriate route, and it's depth, and quarterback Chad Henne is beginning to get on the same page. Bess credits that newfound success to mantra No. 4: Be patient. Just like the routes, Bess is optimistic continued success will come as long as he keeps to his core principles."

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-dolphins/fl-dolphins-davone-bess-1211-20091210,0,7780180.story

Zac Quines commits to the Warriors!

About how he always wanted to play for UH, Zac Quines said:
"Ever since I was little, this is something I always wanted to do. I always watched their games. Being a fan of UH, my dad was always telling me I would go there and 'one day we'll tailgate at your games.' Ever since then, I've been keeping that in mind. Finally, the day has come, and I'm going to be a Warrior." (HA)

HA Note: "Quines said he is 6 feet 3, 210 pounds, and once ran 40 yards in 4.68 seconds.

Praising Quines' understanding of football, Mililani coach Darnell Arceneaux said:
"He understands his keys, and he understands the game. The great thing about him is he brings it every day. Once he turns it on, it's on. He has a great future. He'll fit right into college ball." (HA)

Quines said that Blaze Soares and Leonard Peters were his role models because they helped:
"increase my intensity level." (HA)

About how he loved football from the first day he got to play it, Quines said:
"The first day, putting on the pads, it was a sport I always wanted to do. Physical contact was my thing." (HA)

HA Note: "While he considers himself to be "a typical local boy — kicking back, going to the beach," Quines is constantly working out. At home, he does push-ups. He often will visit a neighborhood fire department station, which has a bar for pull-ups."

Praising Quines, Arceneaux said:
"He works extra hard. He has good character. He has good morals." (HA)

http://sports.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091210/SPORTS0201/912100363&template=UHsports

UH Football Attendance was down slightly this year

HSB Note: "According to preliminary reports, UH made about $4,272,000 in season and individual football ticket sales this season, down from $4,650,508 last year when the Warriors went 7-6 in the regular season. With a home schedule featuring Fresno State, Boise State, Navy and Wisconsin, the department had projected making $5 million this season. But a six-game losing streak at midseason contributed to a dip in sales for games against Utah State and New Mexico State before rebounding at the end of the season."

About the drop in ticket sales this season, JD said:
"It's two-fold. It's a sign of the economy and then our win-loss record." (HSB)

HSB Note: "In all, UH distributed 257,074 tickets for its seven home games, an average of 36,725. The tickets issued number fell 25,289 from the 2008 total. The Warriors' push at the end of the season coincided with ticket sales edging over the 40,000 mark for the Navy and Wisconsin games, which generated about $464,000 combined or roughly 10 percent of the season's earnings. UH is also anticipating receiving between $100,000 and $165,000 from its share of the Western Athletic Conference's bowl revenue.

Boise State's inclusion in the BCS comes with a payout of $4.5 million to the WAC, with $3 million going the Broncos. The remaining money is used to cover any expenses arising from the three bowl games connected with the WAC — the Hawaii, Humanitarian and New Mexico bowls — before being distributed to the rest of the member schools."

About how BSU's BCS money helps UH's budget, JD said:
"Everything helps at this point." (HSB)

HSB Note: "Donovan said UH women's volleyball is projected to finish about $50,000 above projections with men's and women's basketball, men's volleyball and baseball remaining as revenue generating sports. The UH athletic department ended the last fiscal year with a $2.6
million shortfall, raising the cumulative deficit to around $8 million."

http://www.starbulletin.com/sports/sportsnews/20091210_UH_football_attendance_down_a_bit.html

JD scheduled UC-Davis the week after UNLV in 2011 to avoid 3 straight road games

About scheduling UC-Davis and other D-IAA teams the week after their back-to-back nonconference road games so that they can insure that they never have 3 straight road games like this season, JD said:
"We're trying to do what we can to make sure we don't have three consecutive road trips." (HSB)

http://www.starbulletin.com/sports/sportsnews/20091210_Hawaii_Oregon_State_to_meet_again_in_2011.html