Quotes from the local papers on 1/8/08

Not knowing who was in charge after JJ took the SMU job, Ron Lee said:
"Nobody said a word to us. I don't know who the AD is now and there's no coach." (HSB)

HSB Note: "No interim or temporary coach was named yesterday. No meeting was held. Associate head coach George Lumpkin held the post temporarily when Jones was incapacitated by a car accident in 2001. But Lumpkin was in Los Angeles yesterday, visiting his mother and attending a coaches' convention."

About how none of the coaches know who is in charge, Lumpkin said:
"At this point, I haven't been named interim coach. The other coaches told me no one has told anyone anything." (HSB)

About how he isn't sure if he wants to go to SMU, Ron Lee said:
"I'd love to go with June. But I don't know if I want to live in Texas. I don't have cowboy boots or a cowboy hat." (HSB)

About the possibility that his brother Cal would keep him on staff if Cal got the head coaching job, Ron Lee said:
"He'd probably give me an interview." (HSB)

About leaving UH, JJ said:
"It was a very, very difficult decision because of that, my relationship with not just the school, but with the people of Hawaii. But the opportunity here surpasses everything. There's a time to move on, and I just really believe this is the time for me to move on. The opportunity for my family to take a step and have this happen is more than anything I could imagine." (HSB)

About how they could cut down on the 10 days normally required before a new coach could be hired, McClain said:
"I don't want to speculate on a precise date (to name a new coach), but obviously we're on the case and we're in a challenging situation. We know when the recruiting deadlines are." (HSB)

Feeling that UH will be fine without him, JJ said:
"I think Hawaii, if they make the right decisions, I feel comfortable that they're going to continue to win. There's a lot of good young football players on that team." (HSB)

About bringing Dick Tomey back to UH, former UH player and assistant coach Seumalo (now at Oregon State) said:
"He (Tomey) needs to come home." (HA)

Duane Akina's friends talked about his interest in the UH job, saying that he:
"would be interested if (UH) is interested. He'd love to come home and coach again at UH." (HA)


About JJ leaving, Vili said:
"These people here, they love this program and they love June. It's just really sad." (HA)

"He brought me into the program nine years ago. He's been great. What June Jones brings to this program, he really brings the whole state together. He's the first coach that really brings the culture into the program, like the haka and the ha'a." (HSB)

About his loyalty to UH, Vili said:
"I'll still be a Warrior for the rest of my life." (HA)

Clearing out his locker by loading everything into a garbage bag, Colt said while smiling:
"I don't need anything fancy." (HA)

HA Note: "Brennan's intended message was this: If UH can succeed with inadequate resources, imagine how much better it would be if it had improved conditions. Instead, the athletic department issued a point-by-point criticism of his claims."

Colt said that leaving Hawaii at the same time JJ decided to leave UH made it:
"a sad day. But at the same time, it doesn't have to be an ending to anything. It can be a step in the right direction if everything falls into place. We need the school to make the right decisions right now and focus on what's important, and giving us — the student-athletes — the best opportunities possible." (HA)

About how UH could do so much better if it had better facilities, Colt said:
"I know Hawai'i will survive. But that's what Hawai'i's been doing. It's been surviving. We made it to the Sugar Bowl by surviving. Imagine if this place had better facilities. There are great people out here, people who go up and beyond the call of duty to do things for the school. That's one thing I tried to say last year." (HA)

About how it was "disheartening" that his speaking out did not result in any changes, Colt said:
"We tried to get things moving in the right direction, and nothing was really done by the school." (HA)

HA Note: "For his senior thesis, Brennan chose a video project in which he shot footage of the Verizon computer room, which has limited access to students, the deteriorating meeting rooms, and the condemned Cooke Field infield."

About the sad state of their facilities, Colt said:
"It would shock the nation for people to see what we go through, and we made it to the Sugar Bowl. Just imagine if we had the help around here and the resources to match our spirit and our competitiveness. Imagine what we could accomplish. Imagine where this school could go. We shouldn't drive by the H-1 and look at the University of Hawai'i falling apart. We should drive by and see that diamond in the rough just shooting out of Manoa. That's where Hawai'i needs to go." (HA)

About how he will donate money to UH once he gets his NFL money, Colt said:
"Not just me, but all of the other players who come from Hawai'i. We need to give back specifically to the sports programs. Right now, everybody needs help, not just sports. The Upper Campus needs help. The school needs help. There's just not enough money. I hope, as soon as possible, we can come back here and give money to the program so all of the necessary things start to happen, and the facilities and the upgrades start to happen." (HA)

About what led to JJ leaving UH, prominent businessman (and close JJ friend) Warren Haruki said:
"Ultimately, it was a failure of leadership. There is no other way of describing it. I'm not here to name names. Let's leave it at that." (HA)

About JJ leaving UH, Tony Guerrero, chairman of Koa Anuenue, said:
"It's sad that people in power couldn't take care of a real gem like June." (HA)

"What needs to be done is either make a commitment to big-time college football or don't do it at all. June didn't want to leave. He said that as late as the Washington game (Dec. 1), he didn't want to leave." (HSB)

HA Note: "McClain, who, as head of the UH School of Business Administration headed the search committee that recommended Frazier to then-UH President Evan Dobelle, had long been a Frazier supporter even as controversies swirled around the former Olympic gold medalist."

Asked if negotiations with JJ should have started sooner, McClain said:
"It certainly should have." (HA)

About how the Board of Regents had authorized a wider range of salary for the head football coach position last July, McClain said:
"At that point it was possible to make a proposal." (HA)

HA Note: "Instead, after weeks of inaction, the two sides agreed to shelve the issue until season's end."

HA Note: "SMU asked for and received permission to talk to Jones before Christmas and made a proposal on Dec. 26. Frazier responded a week later with UH's proposal, which was e-mailed to Jones. Jones was already in Dallas, mulling SMU's official offer, when McClain and Gov. Linda Lingle stepped in, essentially shuttling Frazier to the sidelines."

About taking over from HF in the contract negotiations, McClain said:
"I felt it was appropriate. I saw where we were at, and I felt I could make a difference. Almost did." (HA)

"I felt it appropriate for where we were at. I thought I could make a difference, almost did." (HSB)

About how they should have taken care of JJ's contract years ago, McClain said:
"If you look at the tradition for high-performance coaches throughout the country that are on, say, five-year agreements, it's pretty normal to talk about an extension after three or four. In that regard we should have been on the case a bit sooner. If we were on the case, we certainly didn't get to the point where anything got forwarded to me." (HSB)

Claiming that they addressed JJ's concerns about the facilities, but JJ wanted to leave to build another program, Hinshaw said:
"We were pleased that Coach Jones' agent himself, Leigh Steinberg, felt that these answered a number of the coach's concerns. In the end, however, Coach Jones informed us that his decision to accept the SMU position was based on his desire to undertake a new challenge and a new beginning at this stage of his life. He's a builder and he enjoys building programs like he's done here," she added. "So we have to wish him well in that regard." (HSB)

About losing JJ, prominent businessman and UH booster Walter Dods said:
"I'm extremely disappointed. When I read the paper this morning, there was a glimmer of hope. But I'm not surprised he left when you read his e-mail (sent to Frazier). He talks about all the frustrations over the years. It's pretty sad." (HA)

Grateful to state lawmakers who came forward to help with JJ's negotiations by pledging money for facility improvements, McClain said:
"I think it is definitely feasible for us to have a competitive Division I football program." (HA)

About how the community is now behind the football team, McClain said:
"I'm delighted to see the community, excited about what happened in the football season, now stepping up and saying, 'Hey, you know, we really do need to do more.' I think it will have an effect in the political process as well as directly with us." (HSB)

HA Note: "The University of Hawai'i's offer to keep June Jones as football coach included a promise to work with state lawmakers toward $25 million in upgrades to Manoa's athletic facilities, from replacing the turf at Cooke Field to renovating the coaches' offices and the players' lockers and training rooms. UH President David McClain said he had heard some of the concerns about athletic facilities before but did not speak with Jones about the subject until Friday, when both he and UH-Manoa Chancellor Virginia Hinshaw sought to reassure the coach that improvements were a priority."

About the poor state of the facilities throughout the entire UH system, J.N. Mustro, executive director of the university's faculty union, said:
"People don't really care about (facilities) until something like this happens, where the football coach leaves. The topic has been there long before June Jones set foot on our campus." (HSB)

HSB Note: "In its supplemental budget request to the Legislature, the university asked for nearly $100 million for systemwide repair and maintenance. The governor's administration cut the amount by half. J.N. Musto, executive director of the university's faculty union, said the infrastructure in the entire system is "appalling" and might lead professors to quit. A survey of about 3,000 members of the University of Hawaii Professional Assembly done in November found that about half of them planned to leave the university in the next five years, mostly because of poor support, he said."

In her inaugural address in November, Hinshaw described UH-Manoa as:
"badly tarnished physically." (HA)

"When I first came, I mentioned that UH-Manoa was a jewel in many ways, particularly intellectually, but badly tarnished physically. Repairs and maintenance on the facilities overall on the entire campus must be addressed for us to fulfill the mission that we have for this state." (HSB)

About how campus improvements are a high priority for her, Hinshaw said:
"Repairs and maintenance, and the facilities overall on the entire campus, must be addressed for us to fulfill the mission that we have for this state." (HA)

HA Note: "Some state lawmakers and football boosters had hoped the Warriors' stunning championship season would help steer more state money and private donations to the athletic program. While that is still possible, the state's economic growth is slowing, and the Lingle administration and lawmakers are warning of fiscal restraint for the upcoming session. State revenue growth is below projections and this week, the state Council on Revenues is expected to downgrade its forecast for the fiscal year. If the forecast drops, it will likely lead to restrictions on state spending that has already been approved for this year and a smaller pot of money available for next year."

Rep. Takai said that he was disappointed that JJ left UH:
"because we could have avoided this. Based on what I have been hearing, the coach just wanted to be hearing some respect, and we didn't give it to him. We knew what needed to be done, and those things were not done." (HSB)

About how he was talking about $25 mil for facility improvements at UH, Rep. Takai said:
"It's been a thorn for the athletics program and for Hawai'i in general for many years. I think he (Jones) wanted, in this next go-round, to ensure that future players and teams do not have to go through what they went through the last few years." (HA)

About how he'll still ask for the money, Takai said:
"Unfortunately, we lost Coach Jones. But, at the same time, we have an opportunity to improve our facilities. The fact that he is no longer with us doesn't mean we're not going to pay attention to the needs." (HA)

HA Note: "But state House and Senate lawmakers said yesterday they were not aware of any specific requests from UH for athletic facilities used by the football team. State Senate Vice President Donna Mercado Kim, D-14th (Halawa, Moanalua, Kamehameha Heights), said she asked Frazier in an e-mail in early December to list his top five priorities for the athletic department, so some might be included in the Senate's majority package of bills for this session. Kim said Frazier responded that he would get back to her, but never did. She also said she spoke with Jones about the issue and was told a UH staffer would get back to her, but never did."

About how she wants to help UH athletics, but the Lingle administration and UH have not made the budget requests, Kim said:
"I don't recall them ever having athletics as one of their top priorities." (HA)

About how they try not to dictate what UH does, Kim said:
"We don't want to micromanage and tell them where they should be placing their priorities. But when you think about it, they have dorm issues, they have a number of issues, and not to say athletics are not a priority, but we've got to balance it out." (HA)

HA Note: "McClain said the university chose to emphasize academics instead of facilities during lean budget years in the 1990s, and Manoa also is still recovering from the damage from a devastating flood in October 2004. The estimated repair and maintenance backlog at Manoa is $120 million. Lingle's proposed capital improvement budget for the next fiscal year has $50 million for repair and maintenance projects throughout the UH system, including repairs to meet health and safety and code requirements. One of Lingle's budget highlights was $3.1 million to renovate the women's locker room and related areas at the Duke Kahanamoku Athletic Complex at Manoa."


HA Note: "State Sen. Norman Sakamoto, D-15th (Waimalu, Airport, Salt Lake), the chairman of the Senate Education Committee; and state Rep. Jerry Chang, D-2nd (S. Hilo), the chairman of the House Higher Education Committee, said they would discuss money for UH athletics in the upcoming session but recognize state money this year is tight. Sakamoto said there has been discussions about new spending on early childhood education and repair and maintenance at public schools, in addition to UH athletics. He has even floated the idea of a general excise tax increase, pointing to public-opinion poll results in the past that show people would agree to pay higher taxes for education. He believes a GET increase should be partially offset with tax relief for the poor."

About how they may not have enough money to fund everything that needs to be done, Sakamoto said:
"The bigger picture is do we have enough funds to do all of the good things that we want to do?" (HA)

Asked if UH athletics should jump ahead of other priorities, Sakamoto said:
"I think, certainly, we're not trying to make sports our god. But the public and the general feeling is that's the visible part of the university. It's one of many areas of excellence, but it's the visible part." (HA)

About losing JJ, Sen. Sakamoto said:
"I think if we have a high-performing administrator or coach, we need to do all we can to keep our superstars." (HSB)

About how the priorities of the UH system don't always mesh with what lawmakers feel was important, Sakamoto said:
"Sometimes we try to move things forward, but the university and the regents do have their priority system." (HSB)

About how UH has made only 1 request for athletic facility money, Senate budget committee chairwoman Roz Baker said:
"The only thing has been money added by the Senate, and that was for the baseball stadium. I suspect it may have been difficult for them to ask for athletic facilities when they have so many classrooms that need repair." (HSB)

About how improving facilities was on JJ's list of concerns, Rep. Chang said:
"We know improved facilities is one of them, and hopefully we can work on that more this year." (HSB)

"I guess (criticism) is justifiable, but when you look at the whole university system, as important as it is, has to stand in line to other priorities such as human services and health and all the safety issues." (HSB)