Quotes from UH

Teams participating in NCAA bowls are allowed to receive gifts valued at up to $300 from their schools and $500 from the bowl.

The Warriors will receive a bowl ring from UH.
About the gifts they are receiving from the Hawaii Bowl, including a blue beach chair, Oakley sunglasses, visor, custom backpack, silk tie, Aloha shirt, and dock for an iPod or iPhone ($349.99 value out of the $500 total allowed), Austin Hansen said:
"I have no complaints. The backpack looks like it's made with extreme high quality and fine workmanship." (HA)

HA Note: "While the swag bag drew a so-so rating from ESPN — "Aloha Means Goodbye" was the headline of an Internet story that tsk-tsk'd Notre Dame with "lose four out of your last five games and all this can be yours!" — the Warriors expressed polite gratitude."

About the silk tie, Hansen said:
"I wear a tie every time I get dressed up or go to church with my family. The tie looks nice." (HA)

Appreciating the sunglasses, Jett Jasper said:
"My car was just broken into. They took my glasses. So I got some new glasses. It worked out. It's the perfect Christmas present." (HA)

About how he's focused on the Hawaii Bowl, Adam Leonard said:
"I haven't been thinking about my future, just one day at a time. I just want to come out here and enjoy each day I have. When it's all said and done, I'll think about the last day when I leave. Right now it's just preparing for Notre Dame." (HSB)

Thankful for his injuries that led to him going to UH, Adam said:
"I'm so thankful for that. God is good and he blessed me with this opportunity." (HSB)

About the injuries he had this season, Adam said:
"Everything happens for a reason. I had to battle through injuries, but it's all for the best. I'm thankful for the season we had and I'm looking forward to finishing off strong." (HSB)

About how Adam played as a freshman despite not being at full strength, Cal Lee said:
"That shows the kind of player he was. His leg wasn't 100 percent, but he had such a great desire to play we had to use him." (HSB)

About his personal growth while at UH, Adam said:
"I became a man down here. It's definitely a different environment from Seattle. ... You're so used to that one environment. When you come out here it's a whole new environment and it's definitely been an eye-opener and helped me grow so much and mature and be more alert to different cultures and coming up with my own view on life." (HSB)

About Notre Dame, Adam said:
" 'Rudy' is one of my favorite movies and there's something about the whole mystique about the program. They're always among the top in recruiting classes. It's going to be exciting and I'm looking forward to competing against them." (HSB)

About participating in commencement, Mac said:
"The players have done the work to graduate, but the faculty has done all the work to teach them the things they need." (HSB)

HSB Note: "Graduating this semester were Keith AhSoon, C.J. Allen-Jones, Jameel Dowling, Inoke Funaki, Ryan Perry, Fale Laeli, Khevin Peoples, Desmond Thomas, David Veikune, Mike Washington, Guyton Galdeira, Alonzo Chopp, Dylan Linkner and Nathan McKay. Tyson Kafentzis also completed his course work but spent the morning at practice. Former players who graduated were Michael Lafaele, Brad Kalilimoku, Jacob Patek and Nathaniel Russell."

About how the UH players reacted to New Orleans, Sol said:
"When the team saw that place, it was, 'Oh, WOW!'" (HSB)

HSB Note: "Elimimian says there was too much partying prior to the Sugar Bowl, and that the Warriors are a "different team, more mature" now."

About how he and Adam Leonard are not going to be partying in Waikiki, Sol said:
"We're simple. We're not into being on the streets of Waikiki." (HSB)

About how they will relax in their hotel room at night, Sol said:
"A lot of TV. ESPN of course. 'Law & Order.' And I'm addicted to 'Heroes.' " (HSB)

About how he, Tua Mahaley, and Jameel Dowling have a Sunday ritual of Waikiki hydrotherapy, Sol said:
"The water's really good for the body the day after all those collisions. And you can do some fun people watching." (HSB)