The art of the deal
Eperone Moananu’s commitment the other day was significant, and not just because the Warriors added a solid offensive tackle to their 2015 class. Here’s the dealio:
> Rebuilding bridges: While the Warriors have focused on 30 Hawaii prospects for the 2015 class, they also wanted to re-establish ties in American Samoa and Australia. Moananu was the first step.
> To the top: If a team is going to make a splash, it’s best to start in the deepest pond. Moananu’s school — Tafuna High — is the two-time defending champion.
> Reunion: Washington State assistant coach Joe Salave‘a has an “in” with Tafuna. His brother Okland Salave‘a is Tafuna’s head coach. UH line coach Chris Naeole has been friends with the Salave‘a family for several years. Naeole is now the Warriors’ point recruiter in American Samoa.
> Naeole Effect: If you aspire a career in shuffleboard, it would mean a lot to be recruited by someone who played more than a decade in the top shuffleboard league in the world. (It’s early and I have a cold, so shuffleboard is the best metaphor I could conjure.)
> Ta‘amu Effect: It also helped that Ed Ta‘amu, a UH coaching intern, was certified as a recruiter this spring.
> Flying Hawaiian: Sure, these are austere times on Lower Campus Road. With the generosity of Hawaiian Airlines, the football coaching staff was able to pull off this trip. The Warriors made sure to save Hawaiian Airline passes for recruiting trips to American Samoa.
> First come, first served: The best way to travel to American Samoa is through Hawaii, and there are only two flights each week from Hawaii to American Samoa. The Warriors booked early, and managed to get a head start on Pac-12 teams that sent coaches to American Samoa this weekend.
* * * * *
Ninety more days until the start of training camp.
Does this video help: Hawaii Five-O
unjo
UNO, I mean
Howdy all!
My football deprivation will soon be assuaged!
Go Warriors!
Top 5!
Thanks for all the nice photots, ST
Oh well, top 10 anyways…Are any good Samoan BB players?
good morning midnight and tsaikos
morning to you bowwar
I can smell the waves of the South Shore, and the familiar aroma of Pearl Harbor as the
Tsaikos are tail-gating before the Game! Get them Huskies!
Is Niko Noga a FB coach in Samoa?
Morning Whitey & early morning Tsaikos! We could use some DLs from Samoa.
ST: We could use Guy Kawasaki’s support & influence in getting Big donors for UH athletics…
bowwar:
Good suggestion.
Wait. Are there that many rich people amongst us? Because I don’t see them during my thrice-weekly Target runs.
an early start is always good, but need to keep up the relationship as the PAC 12 “poachers” are sweeping the ground after UH
undoubtedly, they will score just on the basis of BCS – however, several student athletes has realized, it’s not always the best in other pastures – certainly, life style and people are different
Hawaii is a blend of east ‘n west with nearly perfect weather year round and the people are top notch – especially the recognized TSAIKOS – those aunties who get their grip on you will not let go
IMHO, not all bloggers are recognized Tsaikos – some just blog for the heck of it
Very smart to beat em to the punch. While Pac-12 schools can turn recruits from their commitments to smaller schools, it is a different story for small schools to do the same.
Maybe obvious statement of the day.
“big donors” – it must be their aura, but how many “rich Hawaiians” are out there? Why always use this as the “yard stick”?
Hawaii has many “millionaires”, but most of them are “real property rich” with limited amount of ready “cash” to give
perhaps, and other people have suggested this, is to target other levels of individuals who, as a group, can give enough or more than that single rich person – 10,000 people who give $100 =s $1,000,000 – call it the $100 Club – of course, those who give more than $100 will cherished
some don’t want the public recognition, like my friends wife who donates in 5 figures to UHAD annually, but gets angry when people from UH foundation/AKA calls and asks for
donations
ok people in the know, how can we create the $100 non-profit club? what needs to be considered/rules/regulations we need to follow? put donations into a smaller bank
Better to invest that annual hundred donation to UH into a Vegas Megabucks slot machine than make a one-time donation when you hit the jackpot.
17. Early bird doesn’t always catch the worm when it comes to recruiting though. Hawaii has to get on early to have a chance. But in reality, it’s only May and Pac 12 schools have 9 whole months to get guys they want. One good thing Hawaii has going is a O line coach with street credibility.
The AD needs to do the “personal note” that Donovan used to use.
Donovan would send a printed note. But then he would include a hand-written note on it. It’s the personal touch. A little thing goes a long way.
Had the chance to fly to Pago Pago several times enroute to next destination but always wanted to stay a little longer. Landing at the airport was pretty interesting to say the least.
Jeezy:
The one good thing about the early pledge is the shame factor.
It’s hard to say publicly you’re going one place and then “de-commit” publicly.
Shoko:
I hear the Internet service isn’t the best.
That’s where we can make some money. Let’s start an Internet company there. OK, let’s find someone who knows about the Internet and then start an Internet company.
17. I think Hawaii got a early commitment last year from Daniel Ekuale… then Wazzu came into town and flipped him pretty quick…. Hope this time is different but long ways to go till Feb…
23. you would think…. But kids seem to do it with no shame these days…. I’d even go as far to say as some kids love the attention of announcing it… I still remember Taylor Taliulu committing to Wazzu the night before signing day. The one hurt a lot.
24. I knew enough about setting up an internet company I would be more than happy to do a business trip there as long as they set us up at the Tradewinds Resort, which is where Naole and Ta’amu are staying?
I hear a lot of complaints about Hawaiian Airlines – their baggage and change in flight charges, etc.
However their support of the Warrior football yeam is a big plus for them. I’ll try not to complain as much from now.
Great to see us rebuild the ties to Samoa instead of riding the old coat tails of June Jones like we were doing when Chow was first hired. We have great connections. Reconnecting to Australia and New Zealand will be a lot harder since the bridges there were burned so badly with transfers of Muir and Dew and the coach that was steering players here. But having a player like Harding should help tremendously. Fotu from basketball team can help in New Zealand.
My football anticipation is ramping up. Remembering all the eating places in Hawaii since Barbara and I left in 2009: Rainbow Drive-Inn in Kapahulu, Ige’s in Pearl City – Hawaiian Plate Special, and Oxtail soup. The most popular foods in this part of the USA are fried things: French fries, fried onion rings, fried okra, and fried fish; Mexican fare is favored equally as well. I guess that would be in line with my perceived mixture of Cultural Mix – predominately haoles, and Mexicans. There is an Asian mix – mostly Vietnamese, but also Chinese, Laotian, Thai, and Pakistani.
Looks like summer will be here shortly. Highs in the mid-nineties, Sunday and Monday.
Hawaii No Ka Oi!
on the other side, am happy to see that Ceejay is moving up on the depth chart as a kicker. Maui No Ka Oi.
Want chicken skin. Watch “Hawaii’s Warriors” by Ryan Parker. “When you think about Hawaii, you think about vacation………It makes me misty every time I hear that song.
with Puu Robinson and Ewaliko, we have a maui trifecta.
No scared em, go get em!! O-Linemen can learn from Coach Naeole.
Recruiting in American Samoa is a no brainer. The players coming out of those programs have a very high success ratio in college. I think that UH needs to continue to also look hard at players at the high school and JUCOs who may have flown under the radar, for whatever reasons. Players like Adam Leonard, who had offers from Pac-10 schools while in high school, but injured his knee, and the offers disappeared.
Aloha all! 14, while Guy is a local boy, I have not heard him related to do anything, outside of his two college alum, Stanford and UCLA, and I’m pretty sure he would be much more involved with Iolani, than UH, but hopefully I’m wrong, and he can sprinkle some magic on Manoa….
St & 35: Guy is a venture capitalist with good connections in the Tech field…He might have a relationship with Oracle…
Speaking about personal note, a friend of mine worked at company in which Rich Miano solicited to get sponsorship while he was at UH. The owners of the company were impressed with Rich, so they ended up becoming a sponsor. Rich would visit them on a consistent basis and have lunch with them. He did all the right things. Being a busy coach, I personally don’t know how he made time for them.
Needless to say, someone dropped the ball when the coaching staff changed. They no longer are sponsors of UH football.
Shoko:
Yep, Tradewinds Resorts. Is that a well-known place?
36-Bowwar, I’m sure he has a relationship with Oracle, but it is probably very contentious. The two behemoths have had a tense and strained relationship because of accusations, on each other, regarding intellectual property infringement–this is a protracted lawsuit that has many many zeros attached to it…..so, he might not be the person to make introductions to Sir Ellison…..that said, he could be very helpful in other ways.
Is santos on scholarship?
Gobows
Santos is not on scholarship
Santos outlasted two other kickers — Jackson Dionne and Joe Uglietto.
My favorite Portuguese lifeguard name–Santos–get it?? Hehe
shoko:
too many times I have put $100 into a mega bucks machine and came away with nothing!!!
The $100 club will continue to ask for/receive donations annually – it would NOT be a one shot deal!
if can give in year #2; if no can, no can.
build the “kitty” and work directly with UH sports to fund their needs as the Tsaikos have done in the past – bracelets for the Wahine SB team ( 3 or 4 years ) – buy the stationary “bike” for the football team – fix the “jugs” machine ( 2 of them )
tennis and water polo and swimming/diving have won team or individual championships, but I do not believe any athlete got something from UHAD – please correct me if I’m wrong – certainly won’t be the last!!!
on one trip to American Samoa, I was sandwiched between 2 very large females – couldn’t move for 5+ hours
100th Bn has a rifle company in Samoa and before every meal they would sing – absolutely wonderful to hear – better than many choirs I listened to and they have NO voice training, yet you can hear all 4 parts – 1st tenor, 2nd tenor, baritone, and base – even better than the Deputation Team out of Atherton YMCA in the late 50s and early 60s – and we practiced a lot!
continuing on with the Army Reserve, it is terrible news that many police officers in Guam are involved in actions unbecoming of a police officer – many of them are part of the MP Company attached to the 9th Support Command in Hawaii
we are talking about family and friends
wahine sand bows beat #1 seed usc.
next up is #3 florida state.
http://hawaiiathletics.com/news/2014/5/2/WSVB_0502144113.aspx?path=wsvb
43
portuguese lifeguard? heard they’re only found in the desert.
46.
Kind of late there guy, they already lost to FSU and are done with the season. Pair championships are next
I think coach Chow realized two of his best players he held off from over-practicing this Spring are from Samoa and Australia… If he can get more of them, may be he can win games!! I hope that they are in constant contact with the kid, otherwise, Pac-12 will snag him away! May be Hawaii Five-O can offer these kids walk-on cameo role if they stay!! “Storyline – a local football coach murdered because he refused to let mainland school come in to poach players who are committed to UH… Five-O team must stake out at the high school… McGarrett can be the temp coach, Kono can be a substitute teacher with Chin and Danno continue investigating from outside… Of course, may be it should take the team a while to figure out mainland football teams are involved… Eventually, there is a twist – the murder was caused by something else!!” Who knows, kids may stay because they can get on TV!! Ha ha!! But then again, kids can get on TV, weekly, if they play well for the BCS schools…
About the team, it looks better overall but because of last year, I am holding off from being too excited!!
Even though Woolsey and Higgins are the best QBs this spring, I am not buying it yet. What did they do to improve themselves this past off season? Last season, they were behind Graham and Schroeder and they weren’t that good… Even a health Graham is a suspect! How good is Reily and Wittek? And Wittek is leaning on going to Texas anyway. We need a good QB to get the balls to those tall WRs and the great SBs/TEs…
Of course, the WRs, SBs and TEs better catch the ball on hold on!!
OL looks better… I hope no one gets hurt this year!!
RB needs JI to stay healthy and stay fresh!! Hopefully, the depth may help and also, the backups are more experienced this year.
DL also looks pretty good but also need to stay healthy!!
LBs seems to be pretty good group.
DBs, hopefully can hold throughout the game!!
Kicker, if Hadden cannot make the kick, put in Santos!!
I can’t believe it!! It’s only May and we are excited about the 2014-15 season!! Go Rainbow Warriors!! Also, I hope Chow and the team do well because there are a lot of island talents from high schools coming up in 2015!!
Next football event! Thursday’s NFL draft!! I hope some UH players can land somewhere!!
22. The best thing about going to Samoa or landing in Pago Pago was boarding the plane returning to Hawaii. Just couldn’t get on that plane any faster and returning home you better believe I appreciated my hometown so much more….oh, so much more.
How about; us Tsaiko’s donate a TON of rice to the training table?
ST: What happened to Jackson Dionne and Joe Uglietto? I thought Jackson Dionne was recruited as a possible solution for our kicking woes…
make that 10 tons and 3 tons of SPAM.
… off topic …
Michelle Wie is 4 shots back, going into final rd., at 208.
‘Attaway, ladies!
Many thanks for being a SoftBow!!!
We should donate rice and spam to the Food Bank first.
Great Morning All!
May the Fourth Bewitch You.
Guud Morning Tsaikos…bootiful day.
was good to watch the Na Wahine Seniors last series at the RWSS yesterday. Lots of Tsaikos out there too.
Mahalo Ladies…well done!
off topic…this date in history..
May 4, 1970..Kent State
If Woolsey doesn’t become the starter do we still try to run the read option with Graham ( or Wittek)??
@60 I assume that maybe they would run it out of the wildcat with iosefa maybe