Hawai'i is the class of the WAC
By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer
TULSA, Okla. — The Western Athletic Conference might want to do everything it can to keep the University of Hawai'i.
Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser
Never mind its athletic success. Hawai'i is undoubtedly the only place worth visiting in the WAC during the winter months.
The fans at the Stan Sheriff Center are the best in the WAC.
How do we know? Because The Advertiser has been around the WAC and back while following the magical season of the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team.
Two teams were added to the conference this season, Boise State and Louisiana Tech. All that did was increase the frequent flier miles.
The nine cities in the WAC other than Honolulu can be graded into three categories: cold, colder and coldest. As if that weren't enough, some of those cities made Hilo look lively.
So in keeping with the success of the Rainbow Warriors this season, Hawai'i walked away the biggest winner in this year's edition of "The WACkys" — the best and worst of the Western Athletic Conference.
• Best arena: Louisiana Tech. The Thomas Assembly Center isn't the greatest facility in the conference, but you can spend an hour walking around the concourse viewing the various displays of the school's athletic history. The most famous Bulldog of all-time, Karl Malone, has his own display, complete with shoes, jerseys and newspaper clippings from the different stages of his career.
• Worst arena: Rice. Autry Court is more than 50 years old, and the wooden bleachers and 5,000-seat capacity prove it. It probably wouldn't look half as bad were it not for the new state-of-the-art baseball stadium recently completed next door.
• Best fans: Hawai'i. On one memorable "white night," the Stan Sheriff Center sold out for the first time in four years. When the place is packed and the 'Bows are winning, no other atmosphere in the conference can compare.
• Worst fans: San Jose State. During one timeout when the last-place Spartans were in the middle of upsetting first-place Hawai'i, the loudest cheers were the "Rain-Bows" coming from the small contingent of UH fans.
• Best cheerleaders and dancers: Hawai'i. This one's not even close. If this were like basketball, the Rainbow cheerleaders would be 30-point favorites over every other squad in the WAC.
• Worst cheerleaders and dancers: Rice. The Owl dancers look like they learned their routines from one of those "Learn to dance like Britney in your own home" videos.
• Best band: Hawai'i. Location, location, location. The Rainbow band is positioned right in front of the visitors' bench, and whether blaring loud music during timeouts or heckling the players during the game, they make a difference.
• Worst band: Fresno State. During several timeouts, the band rests so the tiresome "Who Let the Dogs Out" song can be played over the sound system.
• Best announcing: Boise State. During the introductions, the lights go down, and spotlights flash around the Boise State players. A video highlight reel for each Bronco starter plays on the Jumbotron as he is introduced. It's as close to an NBA-style production as any in the WAC.
• Worst announcing: Fresno State. During the game, Bulldog players are often referred to by their first names only. Is everybody in attendance supposed to know who Travis and Matt are?
• Best timeouts: Hawai'i. Lock, load and fire. The Honolulu Advertiser "Bowzooka" never fails to work the crowd into a frenzy by shooting T-shirts into the stands.
• Worst timeouts: Nevada. One timeout featured nothing but silence. No band, no cheerleaders, no announcements.
• Best halftime: Nevada. At intermission of the Hawai'i game, a real estate agency held a random drawing for a brand new house. Maybe it was from all that money saved during timeouts.
• Worst halftime: Fresno State. The women's softball team came on the court to display their skills. They might be nationally ranked, but the outfielders catching "soft-toss" fly balls wasn't exactly impressive.
• Best interviews: UTEP. Head coach Jason Rabedeaux returns calls promptly and always seems to have a colorful quote ready, even though the Miners finished last in the WAC. After Tuesday's 73-72 loss to Boise State on a stunning four-point play at the buzzer by the Broncos, Rabedeaux greeted the media with: "Think that play will make ESPN?"
• Worst interviews: Hawai'i. Riley Wallace might be the most open coach in the conference with the media. But sorting out all those foreign accents on the UH roster can be a chore.
• Best media coverage: Tulsa. The Golden Hurricane is covered extensively on sports-talk radio, local television and newspapers. This week, the Tulsa World ran a six-page special section on the WAC Tournament.
• Worst media coverage: SMU. The Mustangs are almost an after-thought in Dallas, where the NBA's Mavericks, NFL's Cowboys and NHL's Stars dominate the sports sections.
• Best city food: Tulsa. The Golden Corral offers all-you-can-eat American buffet for less than $10. The Rib Crib has some of the tastiest barbecue ribs around for less than $15.
• Worst city food: Tulsa. Affordable all-you-can-eat buffets can take their toll.
• Best city overall: Hawai'i (Honolulu). Great weather. Great sights. Great food. Great team.
• Worst city overall: Louisiana Tech (Ruston). In the middle of nowhere is a beautiful Louisiana Tech campus. To the left, you have trees. To the right, you have trees. If you have no business on campus, you have no business being there.
Watch game at Murphy's
• Support the 'Bows: Murphy's Bar & Grill will open today at 7:45 a.m., just in time for the 8 a.m. tip-off between Hawai'i and San Jose State at the Western Athletic Conference Tournament in Tulsa.
A $10 breakfast buffet will be offered, and proceeds from the breakfast will go to the Winthrow/Berry Men's Basketball Endowment Fund.
For information call 531-0422.
