Warriors in a giving mood

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

They are sons and brothers and, yes, some are fathers.

Tulane quarterback J.P. Losman has impressed scouts with his "live" arm and accuracy (58 percent completion rate). Tulane University Photo

Hawai'i quarterback Tim Chang says playing in a nationally televised game will help the Warriors in recruiting. Advertiser library photo

At the Sheraton Moana Surfrider Hotel, they watched films of Tulane, attended meetings and obeyed curfew. UH coach June Jones said no team Christmas party was scheduled. Thus, on the night before Christmas, the Warriors had visions of Tulane dancing in their heads.

"Christmas has always been a special time for me and a lot of guys," UH middle linebacker Chris Brown said. "We're missing time with our families. That's why it's important to win. If we win, it's going to be worth all of the sacrifices. That will be our present to Hawai'i."

UH quarterback Tim Chang said the players have turned to one another for support.

Spending the holidays "in a hotel, takes away a lot, especially from your family," Chang said. "We kind of adopted another family — the Warrior family. Being with these guys is like being with your regular family. The love is there. We play for each other. When we go out there, we know that every player on this team has each other's back. When you have that, you're not intimidated by anything. We're going to go out there and play."

UH outside linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa, who was raised in San Diego, said playing in a nationally televised game "helps a lot. For the guys from the Mainland, this is a chance for their families to see them on Christmas Day."

Both teams are counting on the ESPN telecast to provide much-needed national exposure. Jones believes in rote learning, and playing well over and over in nationally televised games "is good not only for our school, but our state, as well."

"Any time we can put Hawai'i on the map, by a national ranking or being on national TV, will help our recruiting," Chang said. "It's good to get the message out to other players about what kind of program we're building."

Even if the Hawai'i Bowl did not exist, the Warriors would have played in a postseason bowl this season, most likely in San Jose, Calif. They finished second in the Western Athletic Conference with a 7-1 record, and league officials promised to place the top two finishers.

Still, Jones said he prefers to play in the Hawai'i Bowl. He said the team receives the benefits of staying at home, in addition to the exposure of playing in a game that kicks off in prime time on the East Coast.

"The country will watch this game," Jones said. "We want to win."

Tulane also is seeking to improve its profile. The football program is in the shadows of New Orleans' more visible entertainment.

"Sometimes we don't get the credit that we deserve," defensive tackle Roxie Shelvin said.

That was apparent in 1998, when an 11-0 regular season couldn't secure a more lucrative opportunity than the Liberty Bowl. Tulane beat Brigham Young in that game, capping a 12-0 season. Still, the Green Wave placed No. 7 in The Associated Press' final poll.

This year, Tulane did not move into position for a bowl berth until it upset Southern Mississippi in the regular-season finale Nov. 23.

After losing to Army the previous week, "it was like hitting a little bottom to the season," Shelvin said. "We had to bounce back. We had a tough time, but we overcame it as a group. Now we're chilling in Hawai'i."

But the icing, according to running back Mewelde Moore, is yet to come.

"This is an important game," Moore said. "It's on Christmas. It's on national TV. You don't want to embarrass anybody from Louisiana or Conference USA or anything like that. You want to make sure you represent yourself well."