Schmooze or lose
A couple years ago, Robert Lan attended a UH practice. He was unrecognized. But long-time UH fans know that Lan was involved in one of the most exciting plays in the program’s history, that 91-yard, grab-and-sprint touchdown. When UH plays Air Force this year, Lan and Joaquin Barnett should be honorary co-captains.
People can’t be blamed for not being old enough or not being around for historical events. I’ve had to explain to some UH folks the beauty and symmetry of Michael Carter’s keepers on the triple-option, plays so artful they appeared on his wedding-reception video to a standing ovation.
When David Matlin finally moves into his office in a little more than a week — he’s been conducting business in conference rooms and any room with a desk and a chair — he should consider hiring a community-relations person. That person, preferably a former UH athlete, could talk story and give a quick tour to people stopping by at the athletic complex. That person also could wade into the community, dropping off UH swag (pens, stickers, lanyards), and just talking UH sports and sharing memories. Pro-sports teams have community-relations people; so, too, do many successful college programs. Let’s say, you’re a high school player on a family vacation in Hawaii. On a whim, you stop by the UH athletic complex, and you’re greeted by, say, Scott Harding, who tells you about the school, his personal journey and even shows you how to kick left-footed. Or maybe somebody like Kelly Majam or Nate Ilaoa leading tours.
Face it, every time you hear from UH people, you think they want money. “Shhhh. Turn off the lights and pretend we’re not home.”
What UH needs more than money — OK, what UH needs second to money — is goodwill. It needs a connection to the community. It needs to embrace that BYU motto (“the world is our campus”).
Another motto: Schmooze or lose.
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It appears that inside linebacker Julian Gener (No. 28) is back to form:
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Ammon Barker’s catch is even more impressive because he’s being grabbed by assistant coach Luke Matthews:
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Running back Steven Lakalaka should be fully healed for training camp:
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West Side legends — Amosa Amosa and Rod York:
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How dedicated is former UH defensive lineman Matt Faga? He lives in McCully, but coaches at Kahuku. He also works in construction:
Huzzit everybody? Good morning!
Mormin’ papajoe
We have a tenant named Glory, and I crack up every time I say, “Mornin’, Glory.”
(I’m easily amused)
Great Morning All!
VolleyBows….SHUX!
Get ’em neks week! 😎
BaseBows…bus outda brooms!
Fans of Hugh Hewitt would reply, “Evening Grace.”
It’s a great idea. A number of years ago, not knowing that it was a huge imposition, I called the Art Department at UH and asked for a tour of the facilities for my daughter. An associate dean responded and ended up spending quite a bit of time showing us around. It was evident that he cared a lot about the department’s mission and this was impressive. I remembered this at donation time.
Nice pics
Athletics Ambassador sounds like a good idea to me as well.
It’s needed especially because of UHAD’s track record of attracting a lot of bandwagon fans who only know snippets of the program’s history.
History shouldn’t be a mystery.
At my former newspaper, an intern committee head was trying to compile a list of past interns. I noted that John Waihee IV was an intern who was chauffeured to the office every morning. The head said she didn’t think Waihee IV was an intern. I had to explain that we did have interns before she started at the paper. People often forget UH has played football for more than a hundred years.
Good morning Tsaikos!
Disappointed in the outcome of yesterday’s match. UH v the aardvarks in the final.
To the armchair coaches complaining about one player or another not playing enough, don’t open your mouth until you know the whole story. There’s a reason they’re getting paid and you’re not.
Go Bows!
Go Wahine!
Looked like JG (or JAG) got dinged up at the very end of yesterday’s scrimmage.
Hopefully nothing serious.
From observing yesterday’s practice, looks as though Scott Harding and his sure hands are definitely gonna be missed on those punt returns.
No doubt Ricky Lumford as a compelling history from growing up.
Just watched the Draft Academy segment on Missouri Tiger Shane Ray and his background…Wow!
Hard to be critical of where some of these kids are without knowing from where they came.
To critics of Charlie, Hartley had arm discomfort, Leung had a back ailment suffered during warmups, per SA article today.
Does Lumford still work at Geico ? I think he was a claims adjuster who assisted me once. The web says he’s an Auto Damage Supervisor .
Was living in SoCal when UH pulled out that miracle victory over Air Force.
Would get together for late-night potluck local grinds with other Hawaii buddies to stay up on Saturday nights during the season to watch the UH games on Prime Ticket……who picked up the KFVE live telecast.
Can still remember Jim Leahey going nuts during that play…..when S Robert Lan caught the ball in mid-air after LB Joaquin Barnett’s hit in the AF backfield caused that timely fumble…….and all the confetti and streamers on the field afterwards.
Might still have been KHNL back then…..before there was a KFVE.
I’m not happy about hearing of Hartley’s injury but I am relieved to hear that that was the reason for him not being inserted. Rest up and get ready for the playoffs. Go Bows!
Great ideas for the UH AD Dave Matlin and the dept.
Ricky Lumford was also my insurance claims adjuster when my car was in an accident. I recognized his name immediately. Very professional, knowledgable, and a nice guy.
Hopefully UH can re-build a recruiting connection with Crenshaw HS……where Lumford, and the Elimimian brothers attended……now that Abe is back at UH……after serving as an assistant coach under the current long-time Cougar HC.
Guud Morning Tsaikos…bootiful day.
ST, you may not know it but you’re poet.
jm2375…touché!
amazing finish at the Lotte. next to impossible but, it ain’t over till it’s over.
bust out the brooms Basebows!
IMUA WARRIORS!
UH used to also recruit a number of Long Beach Poly guys who were good players. Guys like Chris Roscoe, William Coulson, Mark Odum, and Michael Carter (among others). Hope UH can reestablish recruiting links there.
Off Topic Wat Da…….! Department.
Then last June, almost seven years after Collins gave birth to a son conceived with his sperm, they got a batch of emails from the sperm bank that unexpectedly — and perhaps mistakenly — included the donor’s name. That set them on a sleuthing mission that quickly revealed he is schizophrenic, dropped out of college and had been arrested for burglary, they said in a lawsuit filed March 31 in Atlanta.
On top of that, the photo of him they’d seen when deciding on a donor had been altered to remove a large mole on his cheek, the suit says.
Collins and Hanson said the Atlanta sperm bank promoted the donor’s sperm, saying it came from a man with an IQ of 160, an undergraduate degree in neuroscience and a master’s degree in artificial intelligence, who was pursuing a Ph.D. in neuroscience engineering. He was eloquent, “mature beyond his years” and had “an impressive health history,” sperm bank staff told them, according to the lawsuit.
Don’t do any banking business with these guys. Couldn’t they just have gone out and found their own donors?
No. 16 islandman. Oh please don’t go there. We lost cuz we was hurt! Stop, I beg you to stop. Great college volleyball game two great teams. One won, one lost. That’s it. Can’t win ’em all. Wade has had a great year let’s not embarrass him with excuses.
25. Mist — i ain’t making excuses. I just posted a reason why maybe Wade didn’t use Hartley more, in response to many posters who criticized Charlie. As i posted on another site: BYU outhit, out blocked and outplayed Hawaii.
UHAD community relations guy – Great idea!
Any NCAA issues if the guy talks to high school students?
Was wondering why Hartley did not come off the bench to “slam” kills. Just got beat by a team that played a little better last night. But, need to mention that BYU fans have no class, taunting, etc. which makes no difference in the game but just shows what kind of fans they are. Agree, Reyes does not embody his father’s spirit at least on the court. Warriors will rebound and really we want to win the MPSF automatic tournament bid anyway. Go Warriors!!!
Hartley must have had this discomfort for a while now. He wan not in the rotation for a few games. Not sure about letting him rip serves on a spot basis. If he is hurt, he should rest. You wouldn’t let a pitcher with arm pain come into a game as a closer and throw fast balls.
ST : Great idea – community-relations person(s) – mebbe 2 or 3.
1. Dick Tomey: connects with old guard and middle aged group –
these are the ones with the “DISPOSABLE” income.
2. Recent Grad: connects with the recent Grads and current students.
3. Middle Ground Guy: Covers the broad spectrum between 1 and 2.
Yup, establish good community relations. Haggling a contribution would be a plus.
ai-eee-soos, I think tomey took an Associate AD position as South Florida cack in February.
Great idea. Great pics. Thanks Stephen.
#31. 3-Prong April 19, 2015 at 12:25 pm.
Yes, but I betcha he’d take a position with UHAD.
Thot I read that the S.F. job paid about 60K for 10 months;
and the jobs was offered by a close associate.
Good deal tho.
I recall reading UH spends about a million dollars a year for six to eight employees to handle public relations for the university. Sorry but I haven’t seen evidence UH is getting their monies worth. How about assigning one of those people to UH’s most visible program, the Athletics Department as the community-relations specialist.
Brings back that great play for me. I was in that end zone, saw the ball pop out, stood up with my friends and yelled the whole 91 yards while Lan took it to the house against AFA! Thanks for the memory!
Was at that game with parents visiting from mainland. Upper level end zone where the td was scored. My mom, now passed on, all 4’11” of her, was jumping up and down screaming to “go,go,go”. After the score she was high fiving a local braddah sitting behind us, all 6’5″ of him while he yelled “aurite tutu!!” Only in Hawaii. Great game, great play, great visit, great fans, great Mom! Remember like yesterday. Thanks for reminder!!
A PR person? Pay to have another body that will do little to increase revenues? Isn’t Matlin suppose to fill that role, much like BJ prior? The best PR for UH right now will be to announce a new head coach for football.
Was it really Lan? Thought was the Japanese guy – getting too old.
In the era when you couldn’t advance a fumble, Robert Lan found a way.
That play would be more famous today had ESPN been the media behemoth that it is today at the time of its occurrence.
One of a kind.
Hawaii must be the only place where we root for the athletic department as if it was a sport in itself.
Speaking of Michael Carter how about his RB Travis Sims …..
Found this 6 1/2 minute clip of some great runs by #30 at
the ’91 Holiday Bowl…worth watching
http://www.sportshawaii.com/?p=939
Having someone talk about memories of UH sports programs would be fantastic!
Visited UNC Tarheels Basketball Museum in Chapel Hill, it’s an amazing facility.
The following is a description back in 2008. Loved seeing Michael Jordan related items: spot on the floor he took the shot that helped them win their National Championship, letters from Coach Smith on what MJ needs to do during the summer to improve, letter from Coach K acknowledging MJ no longer had interest in attending Fuke…
Jan. 24, 2008
Earlier this week, Turner Walston got a sneak preview of the Carolina Basketball Museum. His first-hand observations follow.
Museum To Open On Monday
By Turner Walston
Now, you’re in the huddle. At the Carolina Basketball Museum, you’ll be immersed in the Tar Heel experience. Your first stop is the theater, where you’re taken inside the Smith Center as it fills on game day. The band is warming up. The cheerleaders are ready. And you’re in the huddle with the Tar Heels. Here Comes Carolina . . . and you with them. You follow Tyler Hansbrough out of the tunnel and into the lay-up line. Of course, you do what you’d do if it actually happened: look around at the crowd, the coaches and your teammates, attempting to take it all in. At the same time, voices of former Tar Heels remind you of the wonder of it all: This is Carolina Basketball, and you’re a part of it. There’s a sensory overload as the excitement builds to a fever pitch. You want to step onto the court yourself.
And now you can, because just beyond the door is a basketball court. It’s just like the Smith Center court, with the state outline at center court and `TAR HEELS’ in the end zone. You’ve been in the driveway and re-enacted your favorite shots in Tar Heel history. You know, the shots that don’t require description beyond a name. Jordan’s jumper. Marvin’s putback. Walter’s 35-footer. Stack’s dunk. Felton’s 3. Fox’s bank shot. Tyler’s 3. The Cota Floata. Quigg’s free throws. And more. You probably remember where you were when those shots went in. Now, stand where they were. The shots are marked with a set of feet on the court. Some even have jerseys or shoes from the game’s hero. It’s one thing to see a buzzer-beater on video. Now, see it through their eyes.
But don’t stop there. Walk around and check out the kiosks dedicated to your favorite team. There’s one for post play, with memorabilia from some of Carolina’s best big men. The guard display has Raymond Felton’s shoes, with nods to Kenny Smith, Phil Ford and Ed Cota. Another is a tribute to the Tar Heels’ greatest shooters. Another salutes Carolina Basketball as a brand, and another, its impact on the international stage. There’s a replica locker. Roy Williams’ suit from the 2005 NCAA Championship is here, near his college calculus and Spanish books. There’s a case for Bill Guthridge, and another holds some of Dean Smith’s many awards.
Speaking of Smith, there’s a video narrated by Billy Crudup (Carolina graduate and voice of Mastercard’s `Priceless’ ads) on his career. Near it are moving diagrams of his innovations. All over the room are video screens showing Tar Heel highlights. Look closely, and you’ll see a player on one screen pass to a teammate on another. There’s a draft board on one wall, with each of Carolina’s first-round NBA picks represented.
Over near the giant Michael Jordan is a case featuring Jordan’s letter of intent. There’s also a letter from Smith to Jordan, detailing skills to work on over the summer. And fans will love a letter to Jordan from Mike Krzyzewski, who’s sorry to hear that #23 is no longer interested in attending Duke University.
Work your way to the front of the building for a case with signed game balls, shorts, warm-ups and pictures. And don’t miss the touch-screen in front of you. It features video and game calls, featuring Bill Curry and Woody Durham, from some of the great finishes in Tar Heel history. You could spend hours re-living and reminiscing. Another touchscreen holds a database of Tar Heel lettermen, with individual stats and video highlights.
Step into the March Madness room. You get a sense that this is something special. Here, you’ll see memorabilia from the Tar Heels’ ACC and NCAA tournament successes. There are Montross’s shoes. There’s Tyler’s mask. Marty Brennaman, longtime voice of the Cincinnati Reds and Carolina graduate, narrates highlights of Carolina’s ACC Tournament wins. Jim Nantz of CBS walks you through the Final Fours.
And then, there they are. The National Championships. Game balls from championship teams are in the center of the room, but you’ll want to keep walking. Check out the trophies from each of Carolina’s five national champions. You’ll be tempted to replay memories from those teams in your mind. But you won’t have to rely on your imagination. As you approach them, video highlights from those teams are projected behind the trophies. And yes, there’s room for more trophies.
You exit the museum, delighted at what you have seen, but knowing there’s no way you saw it all. It’s too much to take in on one visit. You’ll be back.
This is Carolina Basketball. It’s `required reading’ for any fan. The museum collection took nearly six years to put together (and it’s still growing). The building took two years to erect. Carolina Basketball’s 98 years are a tradition of excellence. Finally, there is a worthy shrine.
Currently vacationing in LA for Star Wars Celebration & Disneyland. Squeezed in a couple Anaheim Ducks Playoff Games 1 & 2. Winnipeg Jet fans found it cheaper to fly to Anaheim & purchase resold tickets than to buy Jet home game tickets, since they haven’t. Been in the playoffs for a couple of decades. During Thursday’s game, they mentioned home games 3 & 4 were going for $1,800 each, Saturday, price went up to $3,000 for nosebleed seats and only 22 tickets available through various resale sites. We paid $300 at Honda Center for Row 2, Ducks shooting side for Periods 1 & 3 sideline between blue line & goal. Fortunately, all 9 goals scored in both games were on our side, & I even caught a puck for a souvenir. Our son bleeds UH Green but because of Disney, he became a Duck fan
North Carolina vs. Hawaii
I was there at the birth of the Frank Arnold era.
I’m pretty sure this was the season opener.
It was the birth of the 45-second shot clock & the three-point line.
If I recall this correctly, Kenny Smith was a senior and J.R. Reid was a freshman.
19’9″.
What were the NCAA Rules Committee thinking? That’s the top of the key.
My friend and I, the very next day, we were hoisting threes at Kaimuki Gym as if we were Chris Gaines.
I can’t believe he’s gone.
Of all times to go into a slump: at Portsmouth, he just couldn’t find the range.
Matt Lojeski’s debut as a Rainbow against Michigan State reminded me of that night at the Neal Blaisdell Center when Gaines made his debut.
I think Aaron Strayhorn would be in the NBA had there been a 3-pt. shot.
Fanatics? or fans? Wow!
Good luck to all the players and coaches for this 2015 -2016 season!!!!!
@38. Agree.
I mean 37.
Didn’t Riley coach opener at Stan Sheriff Arena against North Carolina? Recall waiting in line for tickets and Coach Riley thanking people in line. Ticket office sold out just when I reached top of steps. Wife bought tickets from building concierge and surprised Nicholas & me with tickets just a couple of hours prior to game time.
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