Blog back up, Shoji, Leahey et al

Webmasters think they have most of the problems fixed although most of the ‘pending’ posts are now in Chinese. trying to get a filter on that.

A couple of posts on the ‘Blog down’ that should move here, mostly off the Leahey & Leahey Show of last night. Missed it and forgot to tape it.

From what others have posted, didn’t sound like there was much new to add to what has been in the paper and posted here. Of course, that means you would have had to read the paper and the blog. ‘-)

to recap some of the comments and my answers. you can see the previous thread for more

Lina mentioned the praise for freshmen Higgins and Taylor and Adolpho’s improvement by Shoji.

Yes, both have more than held their own in practices, Shoji saying Taylor on the verge of being able to be in a DI match and Higgins being what he hoped she would be. Adolpho is becoming more and more a volleyball player, not just a very good athlete with volleyball skills (along the lines of what Diana Jessie became), particularly her footwork and timing.

There was mention of Shoji retiring or not, based on the missing Hartong next season comment. Didn’t catch if he said “I’ll miss Hartong” or “We’ll miss Hartong.” The program definitely will and personally so will Shoji. Whether you can read into it as to Shoji returning for 2014, this is what he said to me yesterday.

He didn’t want the talk of his retirement to be a distraction this season. He wanted the focus on the team and not him. Said he planned to stay as long as it continued to be enjoyable and, at this point, it is very enjoyable. He really likes this year’s team and their attitude.

I had said I thought he’d stay at least for 40 years (which would be 2014) or that if he won it all this year that it would be a nice way to ‘ride off into the sunset.’ He laughed and said to ask how he felt at the end of the season.

What he did tell Ferd Lewis for a column over the summer was that he told this year’s freshmen class that he would guarantee them that he’d be here this one year. Beyond that, he wasn’t going to make a commitment.

Shoji has begun to work on 2014 schedule, which some took as a hint he’d be around through 2014. This is something he’s always done, planned ahead, looked at who he could bring in for three tournaments, make them the best he could without killing his team. The Wahine lose seven seniors this year and he will be trying to balance strength of schedule with who wants to come to who his young team can handle early.

That being said, he is hoping to have a major power tournament to open next year, one that would be picked up for some BCS conference networks (these are my words: such as the Pac-12 and Big Ten networks). I did ask about Penn State. He said he hasn’t asked Rose yet about coming but … IMHO it could be Penn State, UCLA (UW or Stanford) and Nebraska. Again that’s just me but with Nebraska now in the Big Ten, that might happen. Again, just his early thoughts on a very challenging opening tournament for 14.

Apparently he joked that he was waiting for Leahey’s retirement before his own. We’ll see if Jim is ready to go yet. I thought he was retiring from volleyball and that Kanoa would be replacing him. But Kanoa’s commitment to football, his marriage and his change at Channel 2 may have changed what Jim had planned to do.

that’s going to be it from me for a while. Am writing the advance for tomorrow’s paper and need to get that done. Aloha for now.