Quotes from the Advertiser from 12/31

Amazed by the turnout by UH fans, Rich Miano said:
"We thought the turnout would be high if we played in Phoenix or Pasadena, which are easier for Hawai'i folks to get to. But it's an amazing thing how many people have come all this way, to a city most have never been to. It's just great walking down the street seeing all the UH T-shirts in the stores and seeing all these people walking down the street wearing green. I don't think you could have a better experience." (HA)

About the Warriors, US Rep. Mazie Hirano said:
"It's Warrior Fever. The sense of team pride has really drawn our community together." (HA)

About "Paradise City", on the Marriott's 2nd floor that has been made up for the Warriors, Hercules said:
"This is our sanctuary." (HA)

HA Note: "Make a list of the dream frat house, and most of the items can be found in this converted ballroom. There are tables for pool, foosball and air hockey. There are six wide-screen plasma television sets. One is hooked to a Wii console. Two others are connected to Xbox 360 systems. Another is connected to a PlayStation2. A fifth, by a technological miracle, receives Hawai'i programs."

About watching Hawaii TV, Timo Paepule said:
"We were watching the 'June Jones Show.' " (HA)

HA Note: "There are six arcade machines. Big-game player? That would be quarterback Colt Brennan, who used the plastic gun to shoot big game on the "Call of the Wild" machine. Defensive end John Fonoti was in a moveable chair, navigating his "car" in a race game. A.J. Martinez missed most of the season because of injuries suffered in a snowboarding accident. But yesterday Martinez was back on the slopes, this time on a virtual snow-jetski. Satele was using one of the two computers, updating his Myspace page.

In one corner, there are Costco-stacked cases of Gatorade. In another corner, there are soda dispensers and a water cooler. There also is a table filled with a menu ranging from protein bars to chips to candy bars. Another table is holding four large boxes of subway sandwiches. The best part? The Sugar Bowl is footing the ball, and the NCAA has signed off on the room."

About their amazing room, Hercules said:
"This is one of the greatest rooms. It has everything you need. You could live here happily." (HA)

Agreeing with Hercules' comment, Timo Paepule said:
"I would sleep here if I could but we have a curfew." (HA)

About his introduction to the room, Hercules said:
"I came here with a bunch of quarters. I saw some of my teammates playing the same game for hours. I asked them, 'What are you doing with all of this money?' They kept pushing the 'start' button. That's when I learned everything is free." (HA)

HA Note: "But the memories, as the commercial goes, are priceless. How else to describe the look on defensive tackle Josh Leonard's face as he guaranteed to roll a strike in game of Wii bowling? Or the unabashed celebration as defensive end Elliott Purcell and offensive lineman Clayton Laurel upset slotback Michael Washington and running back Lorgan Pau in foosball? Purcell and Laurel were paired randomly."

About the foosball win, Purcell said:
"Then we started winning. We're the underdogs. For us to beat them means a lot." (HA)

HA Note: "The game room is part of what has become the UH-New Orleans campus. The Sugar Bowl reserved the entire second floor, which includes several ballrooms, for the Warriors. Bianca Tokumoto, administrative assistant for UH football, then designed the layout. She set aside a ballroom for the trainers, who said the area was three times larger than the team's training room in the UH athletic complex.

Another ballroom was converted into a "locker room," where each player's uniform and equipment are placed. A conference room became video coordinator Lopaka Ornellas' editing room. Two hours after yesterday's practice, he produced separate tapes of the Warriors' offense, defense and special teams. There are meeting rooms for players and coaches. One ballroom is used as a dining hall.

Another became a chapel. After yesterday's practice, pastor Norm Nakanishi, the team's chaplain, led a worship service. Defensive tackle Keala Watson, wideout C.J. Hawthorne, and safeties Jacob Patek and Desmond Thomas were asked to give personal testimonies."

about the service yesterday, pastor Norm Nakanishi said:
"They shared their messages. It was moving. A lot of tears were shed." (HA)

About being together for the Sugar Bowl, Paepule said:
"It's good to be with the guys one last time. You always wonder what it would be like if the players lived side by side. They would be so much closer. That's what we're experiencing now. There are no arguments. It's all fun and games. We're going to hate to leave." (HA)

About having to leave their current setup to go back to UH after the game, Rich Miano said:
"We have better facilities here than we have at the university." (HA)

About how Cal Lee has been set free this season to be able to coach the LBs, Solomon Elimimian said:
"The old Coach Cal has been back this season. He has had more freedom this year and it shows. He's always had a passion for the game, for coaching football but this year it really shows. He (Lee) is a big reason we've flourished as linebackers and as a defense." (HA)

HA Note: "The first year under defensive coordinator Greg McMackin has been a significant change from the two previous seasons under Jerry Glanville, who practiced a firm-grip, hands-on style. Lee was ever the good soldier but often seemed a frustrated one, too. People around the program say Lee was more constrained in his role from the first two years."

About how GM has been good for his brother Cal, Ron Lee said:
"McMackin does a good job of communicating to his coaches and Cal knows what he wants. I don't think Jerry did that. They didn't communicate that well, so he (Cal) was a little uncomfortable at times because he didn't know what the coordinator wanted." (HA)

About the change in defensive coordinators, Cal said:
"when you have a change in people, there can also be a change of personalities." (HA)

About speculation after Glanville's first season that he might go back to high school, Cal said:
"no, you don't look back." (HA)

About GM replacing Glanville, Ron Lee said:
"Cal was more comfortable with Mac." (HA)

About how Cal is enjoying his coaching now, Adam Leonard said:
"I think he (Cal) got more freedom to coach. He has so much football knowledge and he really enjoys teaching us. I think it eased the stress and you could tell it was more enjoyable for him." (HA)

Adam said about Cal this season:
"he's more vocal and able to teach us a lot more on the technique side. That's good because he really knows the game and has a passion for it." (HA)

Sounding quite happy as he walked off the practice field yesterday, Cal said:
"How can you not be happy this year? You get up in the morning and it is a fresh new day and the sun is out. When you're working with young people, have good people around you and are winning, everything is wonderful." (HA)


About how all of their players made their qualifying grades, Takayama said:
"Part of (the reason for the success) is they changed some of the policies. (Now) they send all the students to Sinclair Library instead of the (athletic department), where there are more resources, more computers and tutors to help them out." (HA)


Happy they practiced at the Superdome, Georgia center Fernando Velasco said:
"It has been awesome (practicing there). It is my first time to come to the Superdome. I'm amazed how big it is. The only other dome I have been in is the Georgia Dome (in Atlanta) and this feels bigger than that." (HA)

About how UH could have practiced at the Superdome also, Sugar Bowl spokesman Duane Lewis said:
"Hawai'i did have the option to practice at the Superdome and could have if it chose to." (HA)

HA Note: "Head coach June Jones said he liked the Saints' facilities and, indeed, UH was better able to control access to the facility than had it practiced in the Superdome. But mindful of how big the Warriors' eyes got at Alabama last year and how huge the lumps in their throats were at Michigan State three years ago, there is concern about their ability to adjust to the more imposing Superdome. Once UH settled down at Alabama it played well and had the opportunity to even pull out a victory. You'd hope there doesn't have to be a significant settling in tomorrow or UH could be in trouble.

Jones, who played in the Superdome as a quarterback with the Atlanta Falcons and coached there for Atlanta, Detroit and San Diego, has a wide familiarity with the place. "It is really kind of unbelievable going into that dome," Jones said after the Sugar Bowl pairing was first announced. "Our players have never seen anything like it. It is almost bigger than the (University of) Idaho dome." He was kidding about the Kibbie Dome, of course."