Quotes from the local papers on 3/20/08

HSB Note: "Throw 100 football players three basketballs. Tell them there are no rules. Something had to give yesterday at Klum Gym. Near the end of the Hawaii football team's final Super Games event a scuffle broke out between players trying to gain control of the ball. In an earlier game, running back David Farmer left to get treatment for a bloody head."

About how Farmer is fine, Mack said:
"It looked worse than it was. It gives them all something to talk about. That's how it is because they're competitive." (HSB)

About how the game was physical than some of their practices, Keala Watson said:
"Basketball's dangerous. I feel safer playing football. But it was all fun. It might look violent to a bystander, but it's all fun. No rules just puts that extra twist on the game." (HSB)

HSB Note: "In the end, the Gladiators, drafted and captained by Watson, won the championship game. It gave them the overall championship, too, when combined with firsts in earlier weeks in tug of war and water polo and several second and third places. The Super Games were designed to give the players a break from the drudgery of offseason conditioning. McMackin had 10 seniors draft teams. In addition to the weekly sports competitions, they were judged for accountability in the classroom and in team activities such as meetings."

About how the players have been more accountable due to the Super Game competition, DL coach Dave Aranda said:
"The last two weeks there's been great improvement in accountability. No one wanted to let their teammates down." (HSB)

HSB Note: "You could tell that Les Soloai -- a former Brigham Young-Hawaii hoopster -- felt right at home as he helped the Gladiators win the championship of UH's offseason intra-team Super Games competition. The 6-foot-5, 290-pound Australian took a no-look, cross-court pass from 6-4, 290-pound point guard/defensive tackle Chris Leatigaga in full stride while cutting to the basket and converted the layup. The Gladiators rode the momentum to the win."

About his layup, Les Soloai said:
"That wasn't planned, just running around and I found myself open." (HSB)

HSB Note:"Neither was playing college football. Soloai has never played the American version of the game. He's a former rugby player."

About adjusting to football, Soloai said:
"The plays and the techniques are very different. I'm just getting used to everything." (HSB)

HSB Note: "Soloai has been working out with the defensive linemen, with extra tutoring from senior Keala Watson. But there's talk about Soloai switching to offensive tackle."

About how he doesn't want to lose Soloai from the DL group, Keala Watson said:
"The first day he came they tried to take him for the O-line, but I told Coach (Dave) Aranda his feet are too good to play O-line. He has all the tools necessary to play D-line. He's light years ahead of where he was. When he came in he had no idea what football was. He didn't know O-line from D-line, he just jumped in." (HSB)

About Soloai, Aranda said:
"He's very impressive in the weight room in terms of his work ethic. He puts his nose to the grindstone and does everything you ask. Les has skyrocketed from a guy nobody knew to someone everybody's excited about." (HSB)

About the great potential he sees in Soloai, Mack said:
"He's an excellent athlete, but he never played football before. He's like Ikaika, he could be that kind of guy." (HSB)