Nothing sorrier than a Warrior fan

By Will Hoover
Advertiser Staff Writer

For the thousands of loyal University of Hawai'i Warrior fans who dutifully watched yesterday's big UH-vs-USC football match-up, the thing that will be most remembered and talked about — if they talk about the game much at all — could be summed up in three words:

Marsha Kapu, left, watches USC score yet another touchdown in the big matchup that was telecast from Los Angeles. Kapu followed the game on television in her Kapahulu carport with sons Troy, in foreground, and Sonny. Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser

Those words were oft repeated by Warrior fans far and wide, most of whom weren't much interested in recalling the details of what occurred in the second, third and fourth quarters, during which UH was routed by the University of Southern California. The final score was 61-32.

The game placed the unranked Warriors in the national spotlight against the No. 4 ranked Trojans, a team that has taken the national championship on eight occasions.

For the 150 fans who crowded into the Eastside Grill in Mo'ili'ili, even the first-quarter excitement was momentarily drowned out by a contingent of two dozen boisterous Ohio State fans in one corner who were watching the Buckeyes squeak past the North Carolina State Wolfpack in the third overtime 44-38.

But once most of the bar's 20 screens were focused on the UH-USC game, Warrior fans reveled in a brief moment of glory as Hawai'i played with determination and held USC to a single field goal in their own coliseum.

The score going into the second quarter was tied at 3.

"We're not even supposed to be in this game," shouted Bob Matsumura of Kailua, clearly aware that Vegas oddsmakers favored USC by 21 points. "So far, we've played better football than they have."

Over at Players Sports Bar at University Avenue and Dole Street, the scene was much the same for the 60 some spectators glued to the monitors.

"Look at us — we're playing USC and we're doing well," said UH senior Puno Warner, 23. "This may be the most important game since June Jones came to Hawai'i. It's a great opportunity."

"It's actually a good game," added Joe Tumpap, as the game moved toward the second quarter. "I think it could be close. I don't think it'll be a blowout."

Then, shortly before the end of the first half, the live feed from Fox Sports went dark. By the time it returned moments later, USC had scored two touchdowns.

Local viewers got to watch the Trojans score yet another touchdown in the final seconds of the first half. That seemed to take the life out of the game for many.

That third touchdown was like pouring salt into the wounds of the previous two touchdowns, said Sonny Kapu, as he watched the game with his mom, Marsha Kapu, and older brother, Troy Kapu, on a small TV set in the family carport in Kapahulu.

"It's brutality," said Sonny. "It's like a bad nightmare."

Even before the game had moved into halftime, fans were growing critical.

"I think we've made some mistakes that have hurt us," said bus driver Michael Sheppard, who was walking the picket line in front of TheBus headquarters and listening to the game on a radio placed on a nearby bench.

Sheppard said the turning point came when USC recovered a dropped Warrior pass and quickly made the game's first touchdown.

"I enjoyed the first quarter, but I'm not too sure about the second quarter," said bus driver Sonny Dudoit, who had made a friendly wager on the Warriors. "To tell you the truth, I'm not too sure about the game period. We've got to get ourselves together, or else I'm going to take a beating."

At the Honolulu Fire Department's Station 29 in McCully, a half-dozen firefighters maintained a sense of humor while watching the game with progressive degrees of disappointment.

"UH proved they could do it — for one quarter," said Tim Turgeon, who remember another time in September 1988 when UH was a 21-point underdog and ended up beating the No. 9 ranked University of Iowa Hawkeyes 27-24.

"Right now we're just hoping for respectability," said Alex Ibi, seconds before cringing as USC scored yet again.

Back at the Eastside Grill, where half the fans had left the building, the ever-optimistic owner, Robbie Acoba, remained unfazed and undaunted at game's end.

"Hey, it's just a loss," he said. "It's still the start of the season. We're 1 and 1. We're .500."