Posted on: Saturday, March 24, 2001

Goo's wit keeps Wahine relaxed

By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Staff Writer

While other coaches in this Women's National Invitation Tournament complain about officiating, Vince Goo bemoans what is happening to his golf game.

As others fret over long distance travel, the head coach of the University of Hawai'i Wahine wonders out loud about what is becoming of his putting and where his six handicap might disappear.

It has been four months, he plaintively tells his team, since he's been on a golf course. Not since November, he reminds them, has he been able to take his clubs out of the closet to do more than admire his Pings.

For the Wahine, the woe-is-Vince state of their coach's golf skills has become the game within the game, a tongue-in-cheek diversion from all that surrounds them in the postseason.

It is another way a team entering its 34th game of the season focuses beyond the fatigue and past the mounting pressure of their improbable run to today's WNIT semifinals at New Mexico.

At a point in the lengthening season, when the team has heard all the motivational speeches, tired of chalk talks and would roll their eyes at more talk of "must-win" games, Goo has gone elsewhere to make his point.

"He tells us how much he wishes he could be golfing," says senior Crystal Lee. "He says how much he wants to get back to playing golf but, because we keep winning he still has to stay and coach. It is all a joke, of course, but it keeps us loose as a team and we enjoy it," Lee said.

After a defection that might have unraveled other teams and more road trip miles than they care to count, it is an inside joke that allows them to share a laugh and a bond when both are being severely tested.

Said Goo: "I tell them at practice that I sure miss being out on the golf course. But, if they are going to keep winning, then, I guess, I've got to stay and coach."

If you didn't know Goo and his dry wit and straight face, you might almost be inclined to believe what he says. But in this longest-running of Wahine seasons, the players long ago came to know better about their coach.

The whole thing has become such a standing inside joke that after the Wahine had knocked off Oklahoma State Wednesday night to advance to today's final four, Janka Gabrielova was talking about "Poor Vince's golf" and other players were laughing.

In their own tongue-in-cheek way, the Wahine's goal has become to keep their coach off the golf course as long as possible.

In time, Goo will be back with his cronies on the course at Waikele. But, for the moment at least, the Wahine would like to tie him up with basketball games a little longer.