Warrior Beat

Allen Sampson can take the heat. “It’s not bad over here,” Sampson said after completing a 90-minute, mid-day workout in the Manoa heat. “Florida’s weather is way hotter. It’s humid. You sweat a lot. At halftime in high school, I had to put my jersey in the dryer because it was so wet. . . .  I like the wind here. It helps a lot.” Sampson, who was raised in Tampa Bay, is preparing for his second season at UH. […]

For backup quarterback David Graves, the reward for a day of two summer-session classes and two workouts, including one in the unforgiving heat, is his favorite meal: Brown rice and poke. “Oh, yeah, I love poke,” said Graves, who was raised in Northern California. “We had an introductory session in class, and I put that down as my favorite food. I love fresh fish, uncooked fish. We have a lot of good seafood in Northern California. I loved seafood before […]

Superman needs Lex Luther. Batman needs the Joker. Beverly Hills police need Lindsay Lohan. The best rivalries need, well, rivals. Good, tough opponents. For the football Warriors, BYU and then Boise State served those roles. And for three years in the 1990s, a bleach-haired guard with a swagger that matched his crossover dribble and straight-to-the-heart jumpers served as the UH basketball team’s nemesis. Chris Herren was the ringleader of the circus that was the Fresno State basketball team, which featured […]

Jacob Patek was enjoying the rest of his life. The former UH safety was back in his hometown of Victoria, Texas, working as a surveyor for national gas pipeline. He worked outdoors, often surrounded by deer, turkeys and hogs. “I enjoyed it,” Patek said. He believed his football career was in the past. At UH’s Pro Day in 2008 — nearly four months after his  final UH game, in the Sugar Bowl — Patek ran a slow time in the […]

Scott Harding, who played six seasons of professional Australian Rules Football, has decided to accept a future football scholarship from the Warriors. He is expected to compete at slotback for UH, when he joins in January 2012. Harding is about 5 feet 10, and has been clocked in the low 4.4s in the 40-yard dash. Scouts have likened Harding to former UH slotback Kealoha Pilares. Because the Australian version is different from American football, he will have five yeas to […]

Chris Tanaka, of Denver’s KDVR-TV, has been named sports director/anchor for Hawaii News Now, according to a memo circulated at the station. He previously worked in Los Angeles and Montana. Tanaka is the long-awaited successor to Liz Chun, who resigned in January 2010. Mike Cherry and Brooks Baehr have been interim sports directors. * * * * * * With contributions from sponsors, the Warriors have their own academic center and lounge. Sony donated the computers … . . . […]

Before departing for Seattle, safety Leroy Lutu asked the UH coaches what it would take to earn a football scholarship. The short answer: Earn significant playing time. Lutu, who began his UH sports career as a basketball player before joining the football team last year, has set up an eight-week fitness program that he hopes will improve his athletic skills. He will work out at EndZone Athletics in Seattle, focusing on weight-lifting, speed and agility training. Part of the program […]

Warrior offensive coordinator Nick Rolovich and offensive line coach Gordy Shaw leave today for a three-day, professional-improvement seminar with the Philadelphia Eagles’ coaching staff. Since being named UH head coach in 2008, Greg McMackin has helped set up internships for his coaches with NFL teams. Defensive coordinator Dave Aranda has worked with the Denver Broncos and Cincinnati Bengals. Associate head coach Rich Miano has visited the Bengals, New York Jets and New York Giants. Last year, Jets defensive coordinator Mike […]