UH snub led to local bowl
| • | Ferd Lewis: Warriors' 'bowling' partner a mystery |
By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
Before going to sleep every night, ConAgra Foods Hawai'i Bowl officials should get down on bended knees and give thanks that the University of Hawai'i football team was jilted last year.
• When: 3 p.m. Dec. 25 • Teams: Hawai'i (7-2) vs. Conference USA team to be named • Where: Aloha Stadium • Ticktes: $40, $25, $15. Available at Aloha Stadium box office, University of Hawai'i Stan Sheriff Center ticket office, UH Campus Center or by phone, 484-1122.
Saturday's 40-31 victory over San Jose State helped the Warriors secure a berth in the inaugural Hawai'i Bowl on Christmas Day. The Warriors (7-2 overall and 6-1 in the Western Athletic Conference), who play 13 regular-season games this season, earned the berth by clinching a winning record, fulfilling their end of an agreement with bowl officials.
ConAgra Foods Hawai'i Bowl
But there would have been no celebration at Aloha Stadium, no invitation to the Hawai'i Bowl, no Hawai'i Bowl even, if the Warriors' 9-3 record in 2001 did not result in diddly-squat. The Warriors' being snubbed from a bowl last year, it is widely believed, sparked the drive to create the Hawai'i Bowl.
"I would say that's accurate," UH coach June Jones said.
WAC commissioner Karl Benson said the league had hoped a bowl eventually would be created in Hawai'i to replace the O'ahu and Aloha bowls. Those Christmas Day games moved from Hawai'i after the 2000 doubleheader. But a replacement bowl was expected to take years of development, and, in fact, the WAC was looking to align with a newly created bowl in the Central time zone.
Five of the 10 WAC teams are in the Central and Mountain time zones.
"We weren't necessarily looking for another (bowl) in the West," Benson said. "We already had (bowls) in San Jose and Boise. But the fact that the University of Hawai'i didn't go to a bowl game with nine wins last year created the environment for the bowl game (in Hawai'i) to be created so quickly. If Hawai'i had been 4-9 last year, there might not have been the urgency. I think, eventually, we had hoped a bowl would return to Hawai'i. But to put one together in less than a year's time is pretty good."
Passing fancy
(NCAA team passing)
No., Team
YPG
1. Hawai'i
398.9
2. Marshall
391.9
3. Texas Tech
379.0
4. Washington
364.8
5. San Diego State
333.9
6. Central Florida
312.1
7. Idaho
311.4
8. Nevada
304.8
9. USC
303.6
10. Washington State
302.4
ESPN Regional Television, a subsidiary of ESPN and majority owner of the Las Vegas Bowl, was looking to match teams from Conference USA and the WAC in a bowl. The plan was to create a bowl in Fort Worth, Texas, which would fulfill the WAC's quest for geographical balance in the postseason.
But when the Warriors were snubbed, even after ending the 2001 season with a 72-45 victory over previously unbeaten Brigham Young in a nationally televised game, representatives of ESPN Regional Television, UH, the WAC and Conference USA met in Hawai'i in January. The idea of a bowl game was floated, with ESPN Regional Television eventually winning the bid, and the WAC and Conference USA agreeing to serve as financial investors.
"The game could have been created without Conference USA, but it was nice they were there to have a financial stake in the game," Benson said.
UH also agreed to serve as a major stake holder. UH, which will provide manpower and help distribute tickets, is "committed to this game regardless of whether its football team is in the game or not," Benson said.
In return, the Hawai'i Bowl promised to reserve a berth, for the game's first two years, to Warrior teams with winning regular-season records.
"The fact the University of Hawai'i is playing in year one is perfect," said Benson, adding he believes the Warriors will eventually have opportunities to play in Mainland bowls.
Benson said the Hawai'i Bowl will one day have to prove "it can be successful without the University of Hawai'i in the game."
But such thoughts are for the future. Besides, while UH's Jones acknowledged that playing in a Mainland bowl "from a dollars and cents point, at some point, may be more rewarding financially," home is where his heart is.
"Personally," Jones said, "I like playing at home."
NOTES: Slotback Nate Ilaoa aggravated an injury to his right shoulder against San Jose State, but should be available to play in UH's next game, at Rice on Nov. 16. Defensive end Travis Laboy, who suffered a sprained ankle, also should be available.
