Warrior Beat: Vince Manuwai dies at 38

In July 2004, then-Jacksonville Jaguar Vince Manuwai gave an impromptu motivational talk with players during the NFL Junior Player Development Camp at Aiea High School. / Star-Bulletin file, George F. Lee

The Warriors’ fortunes turned on a January night in 1999.

Vince Manuwai, then a Farrington High senior, was set to make good on a verbal commitment to Utah. But then after talks with the UH coaches, he opted to be the first member of June Jones‘ initial recruiting class.

Manuwai demonstrated strength of body (500-pound bench press) and character. When John Estes was being recruited to UH a few years later, O-line coach Mike Cavanaugh showed videos of Manuwai. “I wanted to be like Vince,” Estes recalled thinking.

During his rookie year with the Jaguars, Estes roomed with the wise veteran from Hawaii — Manuwai, Jacksonville’s third-round pick in the 2003 NFL Draft.


Manuwai died this morning while completing his move into an apartment in Kakaako. He was 38.

In a telephone interview today, Cavanaugh was overcome with emotion, finally whispering, “He was like a son. … He had a great heart.”

Vince Manuwai tossed a medicine ball at Jacksonville Jaguars practice in 2008. / Associated Press Phot via The Florida Times-Union, Rick Wilson

COMMENTS

  1. Chicken Grease November 4, 2018 11:22 am

    First Goods-Francis [ http://www.hawaiiwarriorworld.com/rainbow-wahine-volleyball/condolences-to-the-goods-family/ ], now Bince, from Coach Jones time.

    R.I.P.


  2. Chicken Grease November 4, 2018 11:22 am

    Vince, rather


  3. Savich November 4, 2018 11:43 am

    Vince Manuwai. At age 38. What can I say?

    RIP. Or tough. Either way, that’s life.


  4. Savich November 4, 2018 11:54 am

    Yes…

    Ok maybe a bit to unkind. Just R.I.P.


  5. suckkabooya November 4, 2018 11:58 am

    Legendary Warrior. Rest in Peace. Please show everybody the bench press workout video. That’s how Warriors “do work”.


  6. Stephen Tsai November 4, 2018 12:04 pm

    Chicken Grease:
    You would have liked Manuwai as a person. Good guy with deceptively wry wit.


  7. suckkabooya November 4, 2018 12:16 pm

    Regarding the defense; With some adjustments to preparation this defense will have the opportunity to be formidable. Batoon’s scheme opens up the field (for the LB’s) to be attacked really nice. Just the awful preparation that’s not in sync with how the scheme should function needs to be fixed. More preparation issues than talent issues. Some of the fixes are easy, some may have to wait until off season. I will elaborate more later when I can gather my thoughts with less exasperation. Doable though. Can fix now. Next season should be awesome. You can kind of see it’s possible.


  8. H-Man November 4, 2018 12:19 pm

    Another shock. Really sad to read of Vince’s passing Condolences to the Manuwai family. First Cia Goods-Fernandez, now Vince Manuwai. Both passing at such a young age.


  9. Savich November 4, 2018 12:23 pm

    Last chance for Warriors to win one for the Hawai’i Bowl.

    November 17, 2018 vs. UNLV, 6:00 p.m.


  10. dterada96@gmail.com November 4, 2018 12:25 pm

    Rest in Peace, Vince! Way too young. Condolences to the Manuwai Ohana.


  11. seewhy November 4, 2018 12:32 pm

    RIP Vince and Cia! They were both gone too young. And both were UH legends. Condolences to both ohanas.


  12. Savich November 4, 2018 12:32 pm

    I’ll give the Warriors a 4-1 odds on winning. Meaning, they got 1 in 4 tries to win one for the Hawai’i Bowl.


  13. winning November 4, 2018 1:34 pm

    Sure looked like they were mad at their QB like they were doing things on purpose. I swear they got some issues on the team. But what do we know. If there are issues the coaches better get after it. the team cant be that bad even against an #18th ranked team.


  14. Luki November 4, 2018 1:41 pm

    R.I.P. Vince and Cia. So young. Great memories of them both at U.H…


  15. Savich November 4, 2018 2:08 pm

    [ Vince Manuwai ] not me.


  16. Savich November 4, 2018 2:11 pm

    56-17 loss to Utah State, they had no defense.


  17. Chicken Grease November 4, 2018 2:35 pm

    Stephen Tsai


    November 4, 2018 12:04 pm
    Chicken Grease:
    You would have liked Manuwai as a person. Good guy with deceptively wry wit.

    Thanks for keeping us in the know, Steve.

    Have a place in Kakaako that I’ve been renting out for a year. Wonder if Vince’s own place was around there.

    Here’s to somewhat better things to go in the way of Hawaii sports nowadays. 😞


  18. cappie the dog November 4, 2018 3:54 pm

    When I worked at the post office by the airport, I remember encountering a postcard from a UH men’s basketball player addressed to the late Cia Goods.

    I didn’t read it.

    Rest in peace.


  19. cappie the dog November 4, 2018 4:01 pm

    June Jones on Vince Manuwai: “…he was the first recruit that stayed home and said I want to make Hawaii great again!!!”

    Rest in peace.


  20. cappie the dog November 4, 2018 4:05 pm

    Judy Mosley
    Chris Gaines
    Mike McIntyre
    John Molle Jr.
    Vince Manuwai
    Cia Goods

    I am a sometimes irreverent but die hard UH fan.

    These names mean something to me.


  21. OrtKapolei November 4, 2018 5:43 pm

    R.I.P. Vince!!!😢🙏


  22. Boolakanaka November 4, 2018 6:13 pm

    Chicken Grease end the program already?? Hmmmn, perhaps you are not well read or you are just not Akamai in such matters, but without the football program, you would basically wipe out most women’s and non revenue sports—the requirements of title IV basically create the formula, e.g the large number of football scholarships actually lend to more female scholarships. Facts, not pithy platitudes….


  23. Inyoface November 4, 2018 6:24 pm

    Wonder if his brain will be donated like a lot of other ex nfl players are going to do. He was a beast on the o line RIP


  24. Chicken Grease November 4, 2018 6:52 pm

    Boolakanaka
    November 4, 2018 6:13 pm
    Chicken Grease end the program already?? Hmmmn, perhaps you are not well read or you are just not Akamai in such matters, but without the football program, you would basically wipe out most women’s and non revenue sports—the requirements of title IV basically create the formula, e.g the large number of football scholarships actually lend to more female scholarships. Facts, not pithy platitudes….

    Like I said, attendance alone might end up making the final decision. Can guarantee you if Disneyland somehow (unlikely, I admit) were to ever see chronically dwindling numbers, the magical place in Anaheim would be shut down. If it’s good enough for the ears . . .

    So take emotion out of your response. And think.

    Maybe lower campus needs to hire a “make do with what you got” expert. Other than that, there are no pie in the sky or flying unicorns here. This is college football.

    Thank you.


  25. Boolakanaka November 4, 2018 7:10 pm

    Think? Before you start talking on topics in which you have obviously little working knowledge, both from actually playing football (or lack thereof) to institutional finances, here are some facts for you to chew on—
    Per the NCAA’s numbers, Hawaii’s home attendance was 192,000-plus last season, and from Hawaii’s budget numbers, that earned the school more than $3.5 million. If you have have hard time reading or adding up numbers, that means the program not only pays for itself, it also pays the bills on most the other women’s sports and non-revenue ones. Like I said previously, facts, not pithy platitudes…


  26. amela November 4, 2018 9:13 pm

    We need more local players like him to commit to UH. RIP Vince.


  27. Palolo November 4, 2018 10:16 pm

    Better players would commit to Hawaii if we had a coach like June Jones.


  28. greenthumb November 4, 2018 10:24 pm

    Another good human being gone too soon. Condolences to his family.

    #20, it is hard seeing the names together like that, probably harder still to write them out. Thank you for the needed reminder for us to appreciate the student athletes who worked so hard to represent us and whose lives ended too soon.


  29. ai-eee-soos November 5, 2018 12:19 am

    Jahlani Tavai to have surgery … out for rest of season

    … Nick Rolovich Show.


  30. ai-eee-soos November 5, 2018 12:22 am

    Cole missed 3 days of practice, last week … strep throat.

    … Nick Rolovich Show


  31. ai-eee-soos November 5, 2018 12:24 am

    Team will be off, will resume practice on Thurs.

    GO WARRIORS !!!

    BEAT UP them REBS !!!


  32. ai-eee-eoos November 5, 2018 1:49 am

    Coaches out recruiting, early in the week.

    … Nick Rolovich Show


  33. ai-eee-soos November 5, 2018 1:57 am

    Coaches will be out recruiting, early in the week.

    … Nick Rolovich Show.


  34. cappie the dog November 5, 2018 4:36 am

    23.

    It is a little too early to speculate before we have all the facts in.

    But when the news broke, I thought about Washington State QB Tyler Hilinski.

    21 years old.

    CTE victim.

    Look at the season Washington State is having.

    They are on a mission.


  35. Chicken Grease November 5, 2018 6:26 am

    Bool. Grow up. YOU really sound like you never played the game. Or got got very little out of it IF you played.


  36. A-House November 5, 2018 7:03 am

    A-House family send its condolences and deepest sympathy to the Manuwai and Goods families.

    Just quality individuals!

    May the rest in peace.


  37. Boolakanaka November 5, 2018 7:53 am

    Hmmm, hard to fight with facts when you get called out and get exposed huh? (Maybe ask other folks on the board between you and I, who is a former bow)


  38. haka November 5, 2018 8:49 am

    I find it puzzling to understand why someone who disparaged the posters and the blog host here, would return from another blog where he posted so highly of the other blog host and his writing in comparison. Why would he put people down and then return to engage with those that he spoke so ill of and expect anything different? The host and posters here are obviously not up to his emotionally detached thought process, athletic dexterity and unicorn good looks.


  39. u808man November 5, 2018 8:54 am

    Simply Speechless~ Sending my deepest condolences to the entire Manuwai family and UH ‘O Hana~


  40. justsomeguy November 5, 2018 9:00 am

    Boola, don’t sweat others ignorance. Those with rudimentary knowledge of collegiate sports, or even basic common sense, understand where you’re coming from and agree with you.

    For those lacking sense:
    2017 Hawaii Athletics Revenue
    Tickets: $5,818,333
    Contributions: $4,204,892
    Rights & Licensing: $12,393,986
    Student Fees: $1,480,239
    School funds: $19,006,665
    other: $4,876,770

    Total Revenue: $47,780,885 (about 25% of this is generated by Football, just under $12,000,000)

    2017 Hawaii Athletics Expenses
    Coaching & Staff: $16,638,629
    Scholarships: $10,989,358
    Facilities & Overhead: $736,814
    Other: $20,620,179

    Total Expenses: $48,984,980

    The Athletic Dept was in the red roughly $1,200,000. This is not uncommon, at all, and barely a pittance to the nearly billion dollar operating budget of the University of Hawaii.

    For reference, Utah State’s football program generates only about $9,000,000 a year (though they outspend us on facilities nearly 5 to 1)


  41. A-House November 5, 2018 9:26 am

    on Saturday, I sat “numb” for the first 12 minutes as Utah State ran up 28 points and 0 for UH.

    regressing, I watched UH band start their movement into Aloha Stadium and it struck me like prior games — 3 drum majors, with hands on their hips, march smartly followed by a bumbling herd [ rest of band ] — how professional does this look? is this at the direction of the “band master”? — would it look better if the entire band” marched ” into the stadium?

    also, why does a bunch of band members NOT go unto the field with the rest of the band only to “fill in ” later?

    still remember Termite Palace when Grambling played UH — their band was under the bleachers when suddenly you heard their drums — slowly the entire band, with all their swagger, marched unto the field — crowd went nuts!!!

    Ohio State, Wisconsin, Michigan bands all MARCHED unto the field — very impressive! — I’m sure it makes their fans proud — IMHO, no college can top Ohio State’s band — NO ONE!!!


  42. Stephen Tsai November 5, 2018 9:31 am

    New post: http://www.hawaiiwarriorworld.com/?p=47407


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