It's a good move for TV game
| • | Higher expectations greet Warriors to fall camp |
By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Columnist
The last time the Western Athletic Conference asked the University of Hawai'i to move a football game for television, the Warriors begrudgingly did it as a favor for the conference.
This time they ought to do it as a favor to themselves.
Within the next week UH will have to accept or reject the possibility of moving its Nov. 24 game with the Air Force Academy to the 23rd, the night following Thanksgiving, to accommodate ESPN2.
The network would like to show either San Jose State-Fresno State or UH-Air Force in that slot. Fresno, which is already scheduled for four appearances, is willing. So far, UH hasn't been. And the powers that be at UH, the WAC and ESPN were all mum on the subject yesterday, a sure sign there is a tug-of-war behind the scenes.
Most years this wouldn't even be a matter of debate at UH. The only question would be: Where do we sign?
But on the heels of the controversy over switching the Fresno State game to Oct. 25th, UH is reluctant. Up until Evan Dobelle took over as president, UH had refused to even entertain the suggestion. But Dobelle said in July the school would at least be willing to consider the possibility on its merits.
The more you look at it in that light, there are a lot of reasons to make the move. For unlike the UH-Fresno State game, which was moved from Saturday night to Friday afternoon at 3 p.m., this would be a 6:05 p.m. Friday start. Plus, coming the day after Thanksgiving, when a lot of people take a four-day weekend, there should be fewer traffic obstacles.
The proposal is not without its tradeoffs. UH would give up a day of preparation for Air Force's wishbone offense and the Falcons would lose a day of practice en route.
Still, for UH this is about exposure, no insignificant matter when you are the nation's most geographically-challenged football team and have Top 25 aspirations. This year, more than most, the Warriors need as many of ESPN2's potential 77 million households as they can get.
Without a backyard Aloha or O'ahu Bowl to fall back on, UH is staring at long odds of a postseason berth if it is bowl-eligible and doesn't win a share of the conference title. With an appearance on ESPN2, UH would have a national window and all the promotion that comes with it to make its case just as bowl committees are making up their minds.
If the Warriors are serious about trying to position Tim Chang, Vince Manuwai or Ashley Lelie for major awards as juniors or seniors — and they are advertised on the cover of the football guide as "All-America Candidates" — this is shouldn't be a tough call.
Think about it, not only will UH be the only game on in its Nov. 23rd time slot, the Warriors' highlights will be first up on every Saturday studio football show.
For the Warriors, this is the kind of an opportunity you seize, not walk away from.
