ISLAND VOICES
Real vs. political football

Lopaka Ornellas, a video coordinator for the Warrior football program, was a member of the 1996-99 UH squads.

It looks as if some politicians have gotten their egos bruised by Coach June Jones' criticism. They have recently sent David Shapiro's "Volcanic Ash" commentary into this game of political football to try to discredit and vilify the coach.

One of the criteria for coaching at UH is you not only have to play Fresno State and USC, but also the local politicians. So since they have scored first, let's play.

The politicians would have you believe that Jones is ungrateful at the amount of money being paid to him and that he wants to be seen as "noble for taking our money." From the start, June has said he feels very lucky to be getting paid handsomely for something he loves doing, at a place where he wants to coach. He never took our money or threatened to leave. He simply let his agent get the best deal that was offered to him. He certainly did have more lucrative offers to coach elsewhere but didn't want to.

The only reason this was even made public is that the politicians had us believing that Jones was all about money. The school thought it would be in its best interest if details of his contract were kept private. I don't think anyone should apologize or defend himself for being successful, and June has nothing to hide.

As for win-loss records, the politicians say that Coach Jones' 31-20 record is average at best against mediocre schools. They will have us believe he simply revived the team after a few dismal seasons. Well, let's see how his first four years as head coach compares to former UH head coaches' first four years.

Larry Price (1974-1976) had the job for only three years before being let go. He inherited a team that was 9-2 the year before. His record was a whopping 15-18, with no bowl games to show for it, and back then we weren't even a Division 1A team.

Next up is Dick Tomey (1977-1980). He left for bigger and better things (money, etc.) in 1987 to Arizona. He inherited a team that was 3-8 from Price and Tomey had a 25-19 record his first four years, with no bowl games. His highest WAC ranking was third place.

Bob Wagner's first four years (1987-1990), after taking over Dick Tomey's 7-5 squad, was a respectable 30-18-1, with one bowl game. His highest WAC ranking in those first years was third place.

Wagner left his 4-8 squad to Fred vonAppen (1996-1998). He also had only three years before being let go, and everyone still remembers the dismal 5-31 record with no bowl games. The best he could do was seventh place in the WAC.

Coach Jones (1999-2002), for those with short memories (i.e. politicians), took over an 0-12 team and compiled that "average" 31-20 record. His teams have had winning records for all but one year and appeared in two bowl games. They've also been ranked as high as first in the WAC and 24th in the country. Not bad for his first four years on the job. He has also managed to get eight people drafted into the NFL. In the 22 years before him, UH had only six players drafted.

The politicians' record? They would be an 0-12 team every year for the past four years. I can't think of any worthwhile bill or law that didn't serve their own self-interest or burden the people of Hawai'i. They've also gotten Hawai'i's people drafted as well — by other state's schools, police departments, etc. — because of the sorry economy.

Oh, and how can we forget the surplus that was spent away to this deficit we now have? Wouldn't it be great if the governor could bench or cut a politician for substandard performance?

There's one last thing that Coach Jones gives us that no politician or newspaper writer ever has. With one minute left in the fourth quarter, our team down by 5, and 90 yards to go for the score. On any given Saturday in the fall, he gives all of us hope. We all believe that anything is possible, even if just for a moment. That, my friends, is worth the price of admission.