By Lee Cataluna
Advertiser Columnist

The University of Hawai'i football team is Hawai'i's team. The players, our stars. The coach, the highest paid state employee who, at one point, had such widespread adoration that "June Jones for Governor" almost started to tip from T-shirt slogan to political movement. Jones and his players are our hometown pride.

Either they have to do better or we do.

The truth is that Hawai'i, in the present day, is fairly short on marquee heroes, leaders and inspirational figures. For that matter, we're pretty slim on movie stars, famous singers and professional athletes, and the ones who live here mostly want to be left alone. UH athletes are in many ways the biggest stars we have; the most visible representatives of Hawai'i to the nation, the hometown heroes local kids can look to for inspiration.

Thank God for Dave Shoji and the UH women's volleyball team.

If not for the Wahine, local keiki might think that failing grades are something to be shrugged off ("What? I was concentrating on football."); that post-buzzer brawls are always someone else's fault ("The other guys threw first. And they were saying really hurtful stuff from even before the game started."); and that "looking into the matter" means the people who should be standing up and saying, "NOT AGAIN. NOT ON MY WATCH!" will lie low until the heat dies down and memories fade of the bad behavior.

When is a University of Hawai'i athlete a role model?

Always. It comes with the green and black uniform and the state-financed education.

When is a University of Hawai'i athlete a GOOD role model?

That's different. That means not only wearing the uniform and playing the game. It means being a person of character and integrity. Always. In all things.

For example, it's easy to point to someone like Lily Kahumoku, who is both an honor-roll student and a brilliant athlete, as someone who can inspire excellence in kids.

Then there's Kim Willoughby, who does her scrapping on the court and in perfect form, welcomes the idea of being a role model to kids.

In contrast, there's the win-some, lose-some football team with their unsportsmanlike behavior and a "Why, boddah you?" attitude, led by a man who just may be the most powerful person in Hawai'i. Does June Jones answer to anyone? So far, the answer is no. Jones has not taken responsibility for the behavior of his team, instead pointing to the game officials and casting aspersions. Who's going to make him?

There are those who would say that the real shame in the Christmas Day post-game brawl is in what people nationwide who saw the fight on TV will come to believe about Hawai'i. But the real damage is to the image at home and the trust and abiding loyalty so many Hawai'i fans have for "our" team.

Lee Cataluna's column runs Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Reach her at 535-8172 or lcataluna@honoluluadvertiser.com.