Rice arrives early for game with UH
By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
One by one, the members of the Rice football team entered the Honolulu International Airport's baggage-claim area yesterday, a parade of dead men walking.
Some clutched blue pillows; others rubbed their eyes.
"Let me tell you," Rice defensive back Jason Hebert said, "that plane ride was long. It was viciously long."
The Owls, who play Hawai'i on Saturday, endured the NCAA's longest trip for a conference game — an eight-hour, three-movie, two-meal flight from Houston.
The distance between Houston and Honolulu (3,935 miles) is more than 30 percent greater than the width of the Atlantic Ocean (3,000 miles).
"It was quite a journey," quarterback Kyle Herm said.
Said Hebert: "A lot of guys stayed up all night and slept through the plane ride. The plane ride wasn't fun. But getting here was good. This is a great place."
Because of the five-hour time difference — Saturday's kickoff at Aloha Stadium will be at 11 p.m. Central time — Rice coach Ken Hatfield said he was left with two options: Arrive early or arrive late.
"Before, you could come over the day of the game," Hatfield said. "Now, the (Western Athletic) Conference rule is you must come over at least a day ahead. If we came over on Friday, the five-hour change would really affect us. We decided to come over early to help our bodies adjust to the time difference."
Hatfield also decided to return to the Turtle Bay Resort, where he sequestered his team two years ago.
"We like it over there," he said, adding there are too many distractions in Waikiki. "And the water is right there for us. Water is water."
In 1999, the Owls practiced on the resort's nine-hole golf course, which was undergoing renovations. "That was pretty funny," Hebert said.
The George Fazio Course is being expanded to 18 holes. Hotel officials said the Owls are scheduled to practice today on a grass field near the horse stables.
Hatfield said the travel party includes an academic adviser and several tutors. Several players will be taking tests for their economics class.
"We're on the honor system, and we want to do well," Herm said.
Said Hatfield: "Our goal is to take care of classwork and try to prepare to win the game. We feel this is the best way to do it."
