Health, Wealth and Happiness

Yes, I saw it, I watched the whole game.  It was brutal.  They were out gunned from the start.  Georgia was bigger, better, faster, the plan was better.  Mark Richt was smug as he stood there, knowing that he was earning the respect that the Bulldogs had lost somewhere along the way.

I think they poured a little too much sugar on the Wariors, and perhaps could have gotten by with one less touchdown, but that’s the way it goes. 

A couple of bright spots were revealed: Tyler looked pretty good after the Dogs had for the most part, been called off.  The Seniors could walk off with their heads up high after a tough effort, and a marvelous 12 and 0 run.

Colt, though was shown on the sidelines crying as he had suffered a concussion-again.  It seemed as if his whole career was crumbling before him.  But not really.  He will get to play on Sundays, somewhere.

I really don’t have too much else to say.

Kudos to Georgia, you have earned what will be a lofty end-of-year ranking.  You are great arguments for a playoff.

June Jones does not get to ride off on a white horse victorious, and move on as the unblemished hero.  He still has at least one offer to coach the SMU Ponies in the Dallas Metro area.  I suspect he will have to turn down a salary 2 1/2 times what he makes here, and spectacular facilities.  He’s competing with Mike Martz and a couple of others.

I say, don’t go, bro.  You will miss the beauty that is Manoa the moment you walk off the plane.  The wonderful fans, the adullation, everybody knowing who you are, the joy of really finishing a job that you started.  You’ve done some fantastic things in the communmity.  You’re half way there, and I would bet that sticking it out would net you over a hundred victories after three more years.

That would really look good, the people would accept your leaving a bit more.  I expect even the improvements to bring the football facilities into the modern age would be completed.

But how do you turn down that cash?

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I wanted to be the first to say it.  The Sugar Bowl will be June’s last game.  But no one wants to hear that here.  Joni Mitchell said “You don’t know what you got ’til it’s gone.”

After the game, give it a week, he’ll announce that he’s sooooo grateful  for all the time he’s spent here on the Rock.  He wouldn’t trade it for anything.  Then he will ride out into the sunset on his white horse….for the last time.

It’s time.  If they win the game, (oh yeah the game) HE WILL HAVE ACHEIVED ALL HE CAN HERE.  I hit caps lock by mistake, but I think I’ll leave it.

BTW, Dave Reardon in the Star Bulletin ’scooped’ me on this.  He said what I was thinking, beating me in print by about 10 hours.  No worries.

Imagine you are flipping burgers at the golden arches for 10 bucks and hour.  You have seven good months of big mac building and the CEO comes walking in with Ronald at his/her side and says  “How would you like to teach hamburger stacking at Hamburger U for 100 bucks an hour?”

Are ya gonna say “no,   “ah   ah  it snows in Elk Grove Village,” or    “ah    ah  I really like it here in Hawaii where I get that 10 bucks an hour.”  NO, you’re gonna shake their hands and slink out the side door after signing the contract. 

Let’s say, just for fun, that Arthur Blank who’s had a bad year, everyone would agree, comes calling.  And he says “June, great job on the team, the Sugar Bowl (thanks for not beating our Dogs,)”    perhaps.

How’d you like to come in and coach the Falcons, and we’ll even give you a LOT of  leeway with picking some players for your offense.  We’ll even try to get the Colt kid on the squad.  No, not the one in Texas.  We”ll pay you 4 million per for 5 years.  That job is a gravy spot in the NFL, and a heckuva PR move for Mr. Blank.  And it doesn’t snow that much there.

What’s he gonna say,    NO?

And you wouldn’t?

June Jones hasn’t said anything about his plans for next year yet.

He got a raise which he took and gave to his assistants.  Ya might think that’s cuz he doesn’t care so much for the money.

Here’s my take.  He DOES care about the money, so he’s gonna get his when the season is over.  His sorely underpaid assistants need it now, and also since they may be out of a job this spring if he jumps ship.

This could be the start of his last rodeo, and he’ll be one of the top free agent cowboys after the first of the year.  If not Atlanta, the line will form to the left of places that will pay him more through commercials than what he makes for a whole year here.

As long as Hawaii has the budget of a mid-major conference team, and can’t pony up to keep him, it will be hard to keep a truly top name coach,  ever.

I hope I’m wrong.

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It’s a dream season when YOUR team goes undefeated.  As we all know the Hawaii Warriors have yet to get any respect.  They looked ahead at the end of last year having beaten a pretty good bowl team then.  They planned, envisioned it, had summer practice picturing the undefeated season.

And they handled it.  Not just because of Heisman candidate, Colt Brennan.  Colt had a year that would be heroic for any other QB, but many of us sighed and said “it was OK.”

He rebounded from “The Hit” which put him out of that game and yet another the following week.  It just plain knocked him into next week.  I was there.  We were about half-way up the lower stands and it happened right in front of us.

I saw another big one like that, almost exactly 20 years ago.  Tim Lewis of the Packers had his career ended by a textbook (legal) head-on block by, of all people, Willie Gault.  Now Willie wasn’t exactly Hulk Hogan then, and I assume now.  He just caught him right….or wrong.  Kida wierd that I had almost the exact same view.  The sound of plastic on plastic shoulder pads rang throughout that corner of Lambeau Field.  But I digress.

Anyway Hawaii beat everyone that stepped into the ring with them.  Only a few were KOs, most were not the blowouts that we came to expect from last year.  Some happened long after those that vote on the polls in the East and Midwest were in their jammies and tucked in bed.

It ain’t the Warriors’ fault that big powerhouses chose to weasel out of their contract to play here (Michigan State) or ignore a possible made-for-ESPN opener (Michigan).  How DID that home opener with App State work for ya, you old wolverines?

Herm Frazier, who’s middle name is not ‘job-security’ struggled mightily getting capable opposition to come here.  Of course you have the jet lag babies, and those that are afraid of the lost time in the next week after they return home.  Waaaaah.  Hawaii had to tough it out and travel evey other week on average.

He did get-r-done for the following years, though.  Check out this scenario.  Assuming the 12-0 Wariors take it to the Georgia Yard Dogs, I mean Bulldogs, and end up 13-0, they will earn respect going into next year.

THEN, Week one, 08 with them heading into the Swamp in Tally, FL to take on those pesky Gators, a win there would surely force the early season voters to put the Warriors up there in the polls.

(In case you were wondering, Hawaii is NOT used to swamps, and  gators and snakes, but they do have a mean system in place.)

I know we have a LOT of games to play now, and next year, but this is how dynasties start.  I gotta hurry, I am waking up here.

No disrespect meant to the oft-dissed Bulldogs, but you can’t stop destiny.

Remember Manifest Destiny back in fifth grade?  It was the United States’ excuse for plowing across the middle and western parts of the land to claim it for us.  Of course, they got in boats and plowed right over to our rock in the middle of the Pacific, but I don’t want to discuss that with a bunch of readers here in Hawaii.

It’s Hawaii’s destiny to make believers on New Year’s Day.  Some of the same pajama wearers that missed the Colt Brennan express throughout the year can order pizza and eat at the big person table on the first.  Just watch.

I can think of at least 3 NFL teams that sorely need him the first round in April.

Anyway, to back it up:    Hawaii Warriors 41; Georgia Bulldogs 31.  You can put it on the board….  

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