i HOPE i’m way off base —
VOLLEYBALL – i’m thinking we have plenty of back-row talent;

BASKETBALL – height might be at a premium in Japan
(apparently Plenty of “Talented” Seven-Footers in the Billion People Population of CHINA — 70 or so in Training to earn their way to the National Team in Basketball; by one report, many reportedly “Way Better” than Ji Xiang, our former 6-10 ‘Depth’ who might have played more under Gib);

BASEBALL – Trap Noted that we have to be able to offer a better (College) deal than the Industrial leagues who offer Both College tuition AND Jobs (which the NCAA now defines as illegal / not allowed) — they even lured Tatsuno away from the majors;

i agree – as long as NCAA is allowing it — Team Foreign Travel is a great way (when you raise the funds) to earn extra Team Practices, build team cohesiveness and bonding, ADD REAL LEARNING & Experiences for the TEAM and Great for The Students (and Fans) – and isn’t this part of what College is supposed to be for ?

BTW: Asking for Help and Fundraising are among the Highest People Skills with other evidence (as good as a scorecard) including Asking for and Earning the Scholarship Signee(s) …

PLUS apparently (i think even moreso than Bruce O’Neill), this group Can Coach, i.e., use and build the talent into high-level Results …

Brought up the topic yesterday with Jimmy Yagi former UH Vulcan basketball coach who has been conducting basketball clinics in Japan for the past ten years.

He said Japan is “hot” in August. He contemplated on taking the trip, but changed his mind.

Since no one added to your comments, just be aware that the NCAA only allows international trips once every four years;

i believe since Puerto Rico is a “U.S. Territory” they should be able to play that pre-season tourney in one of the other four years; ? Does Anybody know if the same thing applies to American Samoa ?, Add Alaska, Maui, Big Island or some of the other Pre-Season tourneys and you have Good Competition on the road to build team cohesiveness AND Both ROAD and Tourney Toughness …

China is fertile ground for Coach Gib Arnold to recruit future UH basketball players. Who knows, he may find a future Yao Min.

Call it the UH-China connection.

It is good for international cultural exchange and good for the Hawaii/China tourism trade. Hawaii Tourism Authority should get into the act and provide funds for UH to make these trips to promote Hawaii tourism in China and to foster goodwill between Hawaii and China through basketball. There is nothing better than sports to promote Hawaii tourism.

And also, this would be a good recruiting tool for Coach Arnold. Imagine how many mainland recruits would want to join the UH basketball team to make the China trips.

UH basketball is going in the right direction. Hiring Gib Arnold was the first huge step. It can only get better in the coming years if the program adopts new creative ideas like the upcoming China trip.

The timing for this trip and future trips could not have been more perfect with China Eastern making direct flights to Hawaii from China starting this year.

this will soon be a thing of the past. still got to remember that our recruiting base is still being developed and i don’t see this sort of thing happening in the years to come.

it is a positive that we even are getting more talent.

this year’s class still has shaq, hauns, and davis (who redshirted) all of whom will contribute if not start a game or two. it is still a great class even if the other two cali kids don’t make it.

we actually needed more scholies for next year anyway and who knows perhaps a late transfer is out there just like davis rozitis.

tavita, jawato, brown, mcdaniels, and minns, the walkons are far better than any bunch we have had in decades and might have been scholie guys in the past.

keep the faith baby.

i was just about to congratulate and THANK You for the recent stepped up coverage … then (what i consider an appropriate response ‘from The Universe’) i saw your added comment about the SA stepping up to (match and) send you to China-Japan [Thank You SA Mgt!]

i’m sure some are discouraged by some of the recent ‘Bad’ News AND
Too Bad some of The Magic (Or Illusion) is fading with the loss of some ‘much needed’ talent, skill and experience from The Team…

BUT the Truth is we would NOT likely have been in the running (really much more than talk or visits, These were Signings) for either DeShawn OR Ronnie in the past, we DID get them to WANT to be HERE AND they apparently almost pulled it off (and still might ‘some-a-day’);

The REALITY is THAT A WHOLE ‘Generation’ in the High School / JC / College / International Basketball World Now Understand that IT IS a Huge Privilege to get/be here at this time: These include the following evidence:

1) TALENTED & Pedigreed Recruits (like Shaq and Hauns) that DID Make it here and look ‘Great!’;
2) The guys who tried as best they know how but didn’t make it (YET, maybe: DeShawn, Ronnie);
3) All these talented walk-ons (some of whom would have been ‘recruits’ or maybe ‘trumped-up’ recruits in the past);
4) A Whole Bunch of Prospective Recruits now entering the fold for next year and beyond;
5) Another Bunch who will be excited by What “THIS TEAM” accomplishes This Year (that we get to ENJOY)…

… AND the Whole ‘Nother Level Is (Really) Forming behind this and will make themselves known … [These Early Signs are Good Evidence]

As the results follow from the huge efforts of This Staff and Team we Will See more Good News (and a few setbacks of course)