A time to offer thanks

By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Columnist

On this most appropriate of days, we pause to give their due to those who, through all they do, have made the sports world a better place this year.

Hoist a drumstick and give thanks...

For sports in general and the diversions from real life they supply, especially this year.

For Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken Jr. and all the class they've brought to baseball over the course of their careers.

That June Jones is still with us today.

For Chad Owens, who is the reason fans want to be in their seats in time for the kickoff of University of Hawai'i football games.

That common sense prevailed and state high school championships went on in the spring.

For Mark McGwire and Akebono, giants in their sports who knew when to say when.

For Ferd Borsch, who has graced The Advertiser's sports pages for 40 years and brought wit and wisdom to its offices.

That Evan Dobelle took a quick machete to the red tape and got Rainbow Stadium named after Les Murakami.

For the Wahine volleyball players who rolled up their sleeves and have made quite a season of it after the avalanche of early disappointments.

That the NCAA doesn't run the Immigration and Naturalization Service, too.

That Nick Rolovich prepared himself to do more than sit on the bench this season.

For KHNL (Ch. 8) Friday night high school football roundups.

For the breath of fresh air that Mike Trapasso has brought to UH baseball.

That Miami (Ohio) isn't on future UH football schedules.

That Riley Wallace isn't quitting his day job to do more books.

For Ron Lee, an unsung member of the UH coaching staff.

That Keith Amemiya has been untiring in his efforts to give high school athletes a state championship experience.

That Tony Sellitto and Cal Lee, Hawai'i's winningest coaches in their sports, have made one more year of it.

For Brian Viloria, who is sparking re-interest in boxing here.

That Ichiro Suzuki came to America for a challenge.

That Kahuku High has made the state high school football championship a contest again.

That David Ishii, Konishki, Wally Yonamine and all the others that have chosen to give back to the community they came from.

For all that foreign athletes have brought to Hawai'i's colleges.

For the poignant look at Akebono's retirement by KHON (Ch. 2).

That not everything at UH takes as long to finish as Mike Wilton's latest contract.

That some teams were actually willing to pitch to Barry Bonds.

That Sean Butts blocked a PAT or UH and Miami (Ohio) would still be trading touchdowns.