Quotes from 12/21

About the telephone message he received from Vaughn Meatoga that Lynnette Meatoga was dying, unable to overcome her third battle with cancer, Keala Watson said:
"He sounded heartbroken on the phone. My heart went out to him. I knew we had to be with him." (HA)

About how Watson made several calls and a dozen Warriors were at the hospital in a little more than an hour, Vaughn said:
"They came over to pray for my mom. She really liked that." (HA)

About going to support Vaughn and his Mom, Keala Watson said:
"All he needed were people to lean on, to be there for him. I'm so glad he asked us. I told him, 'Thanks for calling us.' We're all brothers. We want to be there for each other." (HA)

Ray Hisatake, who had met Lynnette twice (during his recruiting trip and at the Scout Bowl), said:
"She was part of our family. We're there for each other. It was important for Vaughn to see us, just to know we're there for him. That's what we do as a team. This is why I love Hawai'i. You don't get this anywhere else." (HA)

HA Note: "At the hospital, the players took turns talking with Lynnette. She told them she wanted her son to focus on practicing for the Jan. 1 Sugar Bowl. As a redshirt, Meatoga is allowed to practice but not play in games."

About how they gave in to their emotions when they were away from Lynnette, Hisatake said:
"We all cried." (HA)

HA Note: "On Monday, Lynnette returned to her home on Kaua'i. The next day, she passed away."

About his Mom, who was first diagnosed with cancer when he was in the 7th grade, Vaughn said:
"She was a fighter." (HA)

"Whenever anyone asked how she was doing, she'd say, 'I'm doing fine.' She was hurting inside. She never gave up. She never let us give up. She always thought of us first." (HA)

About how he turned down offers from Washington and Boise State, Vaughn said:
"I never told anyone but the real reason I stayed back was because I wanted to be near her. I knew she was sick." (HA)

HA Note: "When it was announced UH would play the Scout Bowl, Lynnette booked a flight. She sat in the downpour as Meatoga played impressively in the intrasquad scrimmage."

About playing in the Scout Bowl in front of his Mom, Vaughn said:
"It was my biggest dream to play (college football) for my mom. The Scout Bowl was the closest she got to see me play." (HA)

About how Lynnette was happy that Vaughn was with the Warriors, Keala Watson said:
"She was happy Vaughn was with people who loved him. She talked about how much Vaughn talked about us, how proud she was of Vaughn." (HA)

About how Vaughn is surrounded by friends in the Warriors, his father Kenneth Meatoga said:
"Those are a real good bunch of boys on the team. My wife won't have to worry about him." (HA)


About how Vaughn Meatoga will miss the Sugar Bowl trip because he will be on Kauai attending funeral services for his mother who passed away on Tuesday, Jeff Reinbold said:
"Our prayers are with the family. They are wonderful people." (HSB)

"She fought it extremely hard and was courageous in her fight. It got to the point where her body couldn't take the chemo anymore." (HSB)

About how many of the players visited Vaughn's mother in the hospital, Reinbold said:
"(Defensive tackle) Keala (Watson) sent out a text message and the guys really rallied around Vaughn and his family. Kenny (Meatoga, Lynette's husband and Vaughn's father) wanted the kids to know how hard she fought and wanted that strength to transfer to them." (HSB)


About how he loves to win, especially as his high school team won 1 game in 2 years, RGM said:
"When you surround yourself with winners, it's addictive and you'll do anything to get that feeling. That's how this team was. Do anything to win the game." (HSB)

About his first day back at practice, RGM said:
"I feel good, for the most part to get back out here. The game's getting closer now so it's time to focus up on." (HSB)

About how he played soccer (he was a goalie) against Freddy Adu in 2003, Dan Kelly said:
"I was at the Walt Disney World Classic with my USA Elite team and he was playing as an "on-loan" player. I never really met him. He played the last 10 minutes of the first half and the last 10 minutes of the second half, that's when he scored his goal. I played the first half." (HSB)

About how he got physical with Adu, Kelly said:
"He tried to challenge me, hit me low. The next time he came in I put my knee in his chest. It's totally legal in soccer. If he comes after me, I can protect myself." (HSB)

About how the extra practice time due to the date date of the Sugar Bowl helps their young players, Greg Salas said:
"Every rep helps you out, especially when you're working toward becoming a starter. Everything's really helping me out. Having the older players coach you up, help you out. Learning little things to be perfect. Like they are." (HSB)

HSB Note: "Receivers coach Ron Lee said Salas has taken advantage of the extra practice reps. So have junior backup slotbacks Aaron Bain and Mike Washington. Those two have gotten plenty of action with Davone Bess and Ryan Grice-Mullins coming back slowly from regular season wear and tear."

Excited to be going to New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl, Salas said:
"I have a couple ideas about it, that it might be wild and crazy. But we'll all be good. We'll get some fun stuff out of our system early and then focus on the Georgia Bulldogs." (HSB)


About how they "put a stop" to one Sugar Bowl viewing party and will discourage others, Dan Bell, a Fox spokesman said:
"We want as many people as possible to watch the Sugar Bowl, it is just the instances where viewing parties are advertised using the logo and marks of the schools and admission is being charged that we want to discourage." (HA)

"our business affairs division has already put a stop to one of these." (HA)


About how Creation in Catering's "Sugar Bowl 2008" at the Dold Ballrooms will change its name to a "more generic" title, eliminate the use of school logos, and not charge an entry fee, manager Aaron Haynes said:
"Originally it seemed like they wanted us just to quit but that is not my intention to quit. I don't want to fight them. We'll work within their parameters but not cancel my event." (HA)

Bell said that:
"it is important for people to know that we have the full support of the University of Hawai'i and are within our rights." (HA)


About UH's role in the Sugar Bowl parties, John McNamara said:
"Our role is this is to provide information to the various entities in the community planning events so they can stay out in front with Fox and the (Bowl Championship Series) who are the rights holders." (HA)


About requiring a Hawaii drivers license to buy tickets and not selling them over the phone or internet, HF said:
"We want to ensure that the remaining tickets are available to Hawaii fans. Now that we have satisfied the requests from our football season ticket holders, we want to make tickets available to other UH fans that have not had the chance to purchase tickets at face value." (HSB)