The big picture
A long, long time ago, former UH football center Ed Riewerts was Giancarlo Stanton. During a softball game between the media and UH workers, Riewerts had four memorable at-bats: Four pitches, four towering home runs onto the tennis courts.
As a Michigan State football player, Kirk Gibson was a tall and sturdy wide receiver who made tough catches but was not particularly imposing. As a baseball player, Gibson appeared to be Ruthian — fitting because Gibson and Babe Ruth each weighed 215 in their primes.
During an offseason basketball game, UH slotback Dustin Blount, who was maybe 5-7 when he inhaled, looked like Dwyane Wade on the court.
The point is that sometimes comparisons are needed as a reminder that football players are bigger and stronger than most of the population. Former Mets catcher John Stearns was nicknamed “Bad Dude” because of his strength and toughness. As a Colorado defensive back, he was 5-11 and 197 pounds. UH slotback Quinton Pedroza, at 6-2 and 215, is built like Gibson in his prime. Marcus Kemp, who is perceived as a thin wideout, is like LaMarcus Aldridge in pick-up basketball games at the Warrior Rec Center.
This realization came about when I stopped at Gym II to watch my son play in an intramural basketball game. Several Warriors were playing, too. Tight end Harold Moleni, with his hair pulled up, was Joakim Noah. Linebacker Lance Williams’ uniform was pasted on like static cling. Quarterback Beau Reilly was called for goal-tending. Here are some not-quite-in-focus shots:
Safety/long-snapper Kawika Borden:
Tight end Tui Unga:
Tight end Harold Moleni and linebacker Tevita Lataimua:
Moleni:
Beau Reilly:
Simon Poti, Tevarua Eldridge and Lance Williams:
Guud Morning Tsaikos…bootiful day.
Fish is biting and da woman is off to snag a few.
busy week at UH….bball , sball, vball..yikes what to do…IMUA WARRIORS!
moderation..mistype..dang lazy fingers.
Guud Morning Tsaikos…bootiful day.
busy week at UH…bball, vball, sball dang what to do…IMUA WARRIORS!
Good Morning Gangeez!
The lads are looking good. Thanks for the pics, Stephen.
Gung Hei Fat Choy!
Most impressive was the size of Unga’s feet.
Lance Williams had 13 points and 15 rebounds in the D2 state championship game in 2011. Farmington plays Kahuku tonight for the OIA championship. Go Govs!!
And sometimes we need to be reminded that these are just kids, albeit fully manly in size, who are just young student athletes that chose to represent the University of Hawaii. Sometimes the harsh criticism by some can be hurtful to these kids and their families and that is just not right. Mahalo to all the Warriors and Wahine!
These are such wonderful photos, ST.
What is in store for these young men?
Damn, I miss being young and the pick-up games at klum. BTW, Sam Johnson, of the brothers Johnson, Moanalua high fame, 3 time player of year, would have been a good fit at outside linebacker. Too bad he was fancied himself a pretty boy….
Good morning everyone!
Great player recognition, ST.
It must have been entertaining to watch. I would not want to guard any of the big braddahs in the post.
Great article on Kupono Fey in today’s SA, Stephen!
Thanks again!
I will say this, we probably got the most chiseled/ripped snapper in D1 football!
Stephen, no son’s picture ? Reilly can play for UH basketball team, if he can do goal tending .
Looks like it’s coed intramurals.
ST . . . it looks like Kawika Borden is about to tell you “Eh! I said don’t take my picture!”
His hand coming up looks like it could be ready to shake hands or slap some heads.
#9 I’m with you on that. I don’t know how much I miss being young since I can’t seem to remember but I do miss playing basketball. I wouldn’t last a minute now.
maybe Coach Taylor should’ve taken one or two of these football player gym rats on this road trip just as a backup inside bruiser in case we have more injuries/foul troubled players again.
I saw Kirk Gibson play in the Hula Bowl, and specifically remember him catching a deep pass in the game. I followed his MLB career because of that, and it was quite a sight seeing a big guy like him stealing bases. Speaking of “big” and fast football players in the MLB, I also marveled at Bo Jackson running the bases – and tracking down line drives in the OF.
Boolakanaka:
Forget the sweatbox Klum.
The Warrior Rec Center is the best building on campus. It’s amazing. It has everything, including an indoor track. And it has A/C.
It was co-ed, and intramurals are just for fun.
Now the pick-up games at the WRC are battles.
Anyway, a lot of times it’s easy to forget that athletes are athletes. Watching volleyball players soar for dunks is amazing.
Now Beau Reilly always struck me as being too nice. It was nice to see that even in an intramural game he’s feisty and competitive. Those are the qualities needed in football.
Read in Hawaii Prep World that Andru Tovi, OL, Mililani received a scholie offer from SDSU, his second DI offer. Utah State was the first, but nothing yet from Hawaii. I wonder if he is on their radar?
Ahh, Sam Johnson… I haven’t heard that name in a while. He’s got to be one of the all time local basketball greats along with Derrick Low and Alika Smith.
That particular year was filled with many greats like Dan Hale, Leroy Lutu, Frank Lutu, Reed Sunahara, Francis Fletcher….
Yes, 1980 was a good year….you forgot John Kamana, he had some epic battles with Leroy–and don’t forget about the Morales brothers—-they had some hops.
I recently saw Danny Hale….he put on a couple pounds–winks.
I only did what came to my brain and that’s getting foggy. Yeah, those were also good players.
those=they
Unga looks like a baby Fotu…We could have used Fotu this year…
The Morales brothers played baseball, too. I think.
ST: Gee…Pretty quiet on the recruitment front…Are we actively pursuing anyone? RB, QB, or PK? Is that “all-star” FCS QB still a possibility once he graduates in May? Still concerned about not having a place kicker, as that could cost us a few games if we don’t have a reliable kicker.
Al: Any chirps from the birdies?
Does anybody remember men’s volleyball player Mike Among being on Riley Wallace’s first team?
Later, former wideout Chris Roscoe made a cameo on the hardcourt. What I remember most was that Roscoe could dunk. Hawaii used to be so unathletic, in terms of vertical leap, dunks were a rarity.
Justice Sueing is the guy I remember who made spectacular dunks a regular occurence.
Steven the most imposing thing about Kirk Gibson was his speed 4.2/40. He was a late round draft choice because he was upfront about playing baseball.
how about “helicopter” Galloway?
To the UH Football Team … have fun playing hoops BUT please don’t get hurt to where it will impact your off season conditioning workouts …
For me the fellow who changed the landscape of what dunking was/is all about was Dr. J. I was fortunate enough to have seen him at the HIC arena and it was memorable. Maybe it was his huge hands or what seemed to be extra long arm but he made dunking a functional art form. I don’t know if he knew what he was going to do once he took off but what usually resulted was awe inspiring. One could say that when Dr. J took flight he was about to paint a new dunk on the basketball landscape. Effortless beauty.
It was quite something to be there to see him at the arena.
I just realized Teva is in the last with Williams and Poti. Teva was a beast for Baldwin. I remember in the 2013 state tournament he posted 31 against Pearl City, 21 against runner up Maryknoll, and 16 against Kapolei. He would go hard in the paint and had a soft touch from mid range.
Man, are b-ball games with a bunch of football players, usually managed 2-3 beefs a week–good fun-damn, I miss those days!
Re-Horse’s mouth
In the last week I have read unconfirmed reports of Wynn packing up his bags and leaving. This information came from a poster here. Yet nothing solid was said. No conformation. Nothing. Why? I even did a google search and found nothing.
Why the hush hush? Why can’t somebody say one way or the other?
Is this on Chow?
Or is this on the media?
It doesn’t make sense.
Furthermore what I have noticed is that this is a signature trait with Chow. Or, maybe, on the media. Player, leaves the program for example, and the public is kept in the dark until they happen upon the updated football roster.
Other football programs release information as it happens. This is prime rib to me.
Other media covering football laborously dig for information. This is A-one.
Here, with Chow and the media-as far as laborously digging upinformation…it stinks.
PP….. Me agree you there….so much lack of information that comes out of that office…especially during non-football season….just a small press release..about what is going on…will keep the interest peaked….so when time to start sales of season tickets…most will be informed…
Me always was wonder what happened to Andrade.. n seen on here..if he is be back…cuz he is healed…did not even know he hurt….
But maybe this blog is just an option for them… n not a priority…as radio n star advertiser writers…
Press release is the life blood…of ne org…in the business of selling a product…
n me can only guess…they are not really care…or don’t show they care…
Great Afternoon All!
GO BASEBOWS!
GO WAHINE!
Prior to #1 son embarking on his football adventure I happened to wander down to the football field one fall afternoon while waiting for him. He had some kind of late afternoon 7th grade activity after school so I found myself watching as the football team was coming off the field and was marveling at how so many of them appeared to be as tall or taller than me (I am 5-11) and some were pretty thick!
Imagine my surprise when I discovered that some of those players were his classmates…that was the Intermediate Team! 😯
No wonder they won so many Prep Bowls. 🙄
#37 “POLLYPICADOR” … I was one who posted and got my info “from the inside”. Another example is after the ’12 season TE coach Phil Raucsher was let go …but… absolutely nothing was said. I posted several times to Mr. Tsai about that and Jordan Wynn with no response from Mr. Tsai. At this point my “perception” is that Norm Chow “controls the media” and you are told what you can and cannot publish. Publish what you want (Freedom of the Press) and no more interviews and info from the Coach. That incident with Dave Reardon at the beginning of the ’14 Summer Camp comes to mind. Stephen Tsai please correct me if I’m wrong …
Ahh to be young again and spend a whole day playing pickup games at Klum. Also played intramurals– there was the Hilo team, Punahou team, and St. Louis team. The Hilo teams– actually from around the Big Island– were always amazing little guys who were quick, shooters and drivers and great ball movement. They played pickup and intramural. The intramural teams had different names– not school names– but the core players were from the same high school some varsity high school basketball and some just jocks.
I like the spirit of “We Get’em! Hawaii”, but noticed the latest commercial says something like “student athletes have many challenges, and when THEY stumble, we get’em”. The student athletes aren’t stumbling. There are plenty of people to identify as stumblers and bumblers with respect to the financial troubles that UH Athletics finds itself in, but the student athletes aren’t among them. Being publicly candid can be awkward, but the current wording is IMO insulting to both the student athletes as well as the intelligence of fans.
Give props to this former HC who swallowed his pride and knew when to say No Mas
http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/02/19/arkansas-dan-enos-says-being-a-head-coach-isnt-all-its-cracked-up-to-be/
You could say he was looking at the “Big Picture” for the program
ST
What is the current protocol of posting the upcoming season’s football game schedule? Aren’t the dates already set? Why is it not yet posted?
OOC schedule is up.
Conference schedule is not set yet
Akamai
Any set deadline date for it to be posted. If not game times, at least game dates?
It would be nice to start thinking about travel plans.
RE: #48
beans — the skeleton of the 2015 Tsai-ko Away Game & Logistics page is posted at:
http://stevem.altervista.org/away15.html
Not much info and no conference dates yet, but anyone emailing me or posting here on the blog that they plan to attend a certain game will be listed. More details may be added when plans solidify.
Note we have UNLV at Las Vegas this year. We got the usual suspects attending, but please get your name in early so anyone stepping up for rasu begasu can have numbers involved for any Tsai-ko planning. So, who’s planning (even tentatively) on attending the UH-UNLV game this year?
Yup agree. Getting info on things about uh football is harder then finding Bigfoot. No word or reason on where is john ursua. or coaches. U would figure the info would help with interest but they don’t care. Wish I could b that tight with my tax money they take. I wouldn’t give for their pay n ignore all inquiries.
me hear you kryon… he he he… but my thoughts on that…not mean ne thing to them… n guess so do urs n many others…sad…
SteveM, barring unforeseen circumstances Iwill beat the OSU game and Wisconsin games, after all they are right around the corner so to speak! Meaning it is a drive for me. I will also be at the UNLV game with a possible one more game pending the schedule. Thx
The 76ers should be banned from the 2015 draft.
New post: http://hawaiiwarriorworld.com/?p=28094