Fuga says he'll play in Sept. 8 opener
By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
Defensive tackle Lui Fuga, who was expected to miss the first two games because of a shoulder injury, is seeking to play in Hawai'i's Sept. 8 season opener against Montana at Maui's War Memorial Stadium.
"I'll be ready for the first game," said Fuga, who is regarded as the Warriors' best interior lineman on defense.
In December, the 6-foot-2, 305-pound Fuga underwent surgery to repair a damaged right shoulder. But during rehabilitation, he suffered injuries in his left shoulder, and underwent another surgery in June.
UH coaches projected Fuga to miss the first two games and, after a bye week, play against Rice Sept. 29 at Aloha Stadium.
Instead, Fuga, who only has participated in non-contact drills in training camp, plans to compete in practice next week.
"My ligaments (in the left shoulder) are still weak," he said. "I need to strengthen (them)."
Fuga, who could bench press 400 pounds before the injuries, lifts 25-pound weights and sprints regularly.
The defensive line already is thin. Left end Travis Laboy has yet to practice because of a pulled right hamstring and left tackle Mike Iosua suffered a strained right shoulder yesterday. Iosua's injury is not considered to be serious.
• Double exposure: In the latest Battle of the Networks, UH's road game against Southern Methodist might be available on two channels in Hawai'i.
As part of the new contract between Fox Sports and the Western Athletic Conference, the Oct. 6 UH-SMU game will be produced by Fox Sports Southwest and shown here on Fox Sports West II.
In past years, whenever Fox televised a UH game regionally, it was not allowed to be shown on another network.
But WAC officials yesterday granted tentative permission to KFVE, which owns the local rights to UH sports, to also televise the UH-SMU game.
Fox officials disagree with the WAC's interpretation and are meeting with league officials to discuss the matter. Meanwhile, KFVE plans to televise the game until told otherwise, KFVE president John Fink said.
• Staying in shape: In acknowledgement of his anniversary, assistant coach Ron Lee will eat fruits and vegetables.
It was nearly a year ago when Lee underwent quadruple-bypass surgery after suffering what was diagnosed as a "mild" heart attack.
Although Lee exercised regularly before the surgery, "I noticed I was experiencing shortness of breath," he said. "That kind of got to me. I felt a little nauseated, too. That feeling wouldn't go away."
But a few weeks after surgery, with the stitches concealed from the other coaches, Lee was back on the sidelines.
He said he now eats "lots of fruits and vegetable. I cut down on rice, but I would never say, 'No rice.' " He also jogs daily and lifts weights.
Lee, who coaches the receivers, is working on alleviating stress. "Dropped passes don't help," he said.
• Sore camper: Head coach June Jones, who is recovering from a single-car accident in February, said the long practices in training camp have left him "really sore."
"I'm not used to standing up three or four hours at a time," he said.
Except for a stiff neck, Jones said, he believed he was prepared.
"But then we starting doing things I hadn't been doing, like running around, my whole body got sore. But it's getting better. Hopefully, every day it will get better."
• On a mission: For Kevin Jackson, battling for a starting job at defensive end pales in comparison to his missionary work this summer.
Jackson, who is a member of the Christian group Champions for Christ (NBA forward A.C. Green is the national vice-president), spent a month in Tokyo, Yokohama and Fujisawa.
"We did little shows and skits; preached in the subway stations and along the beach," Jackson said. "I enjoyed sharing my faith."
Quarterback Shawn-Withy Allen and another roommate were doing homework when Jackson announced, in Japanese, that he was going to Japan.
"I didn't understand what he was saying," Withy-Allen recalled. "I wasn't sure if he was speaking in tongues, Japanese or mumbling. We knew he would stick out in Japan. I mean, a 6-4 black guy with an Afro is going to be quite noticeable. But it was definitely God's will."
Said Jackson: "You don't see too many African-Americans (in Japan) every day. But it made it a lot easier. A lot of people were open to me. People had questions, like, 'Why are you here?' and 'Where are you from?' It was a good opportunity to share my faith."
Jackson said he still corresponds by e-mail with many of the people he met in Japan.
"He definitely has a strong faith," Withy-Allen said. "He's not one of those guys who goes to church on Sundays and then comes on the field and cusses the rest of the week. He practices what he preaches. He gets a lot of respect for that."
