Houston AD says Hawai'i players sparked fight

Advertiser Staff

University of Houston athletic director Dave Maggard said "there is no doubt in my mind" Hawai'i players sparked the brawl at the end of the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl.

"I think at this point there is still a lot of of speculation (going on), but there is no doubt in my mind, based upon what I viewed on the sideline, how it started," Maggard told The Advertiser today.

"Now, the retaliation should not have occurred, but I do know how it started." Maggard added. "I think when you have more than one player rush out on the field, put an obscene gesture in the face of some of our players and, then, another player slap one of our players on the back of the head, that is a very difficult thing to walk away from."

Maggard and UH athletic director Herman Frazier said their conferences, Conference USA and the Western Athletic Conference, respectively, are readying reports on the brawl that followed Hawai'i's 54-48 triple-overtime victory on ESPN on Christmas Day.

Frazier said, "I won't do tit for tat. We're going to keep our end of the bargain and do what we said (we would do) with the conference office."

Frazier said UH has looked at its own film in addition to tape from ESPN and Aloha Stadium. "I've got six different camera angles of the situation. We basically have more information."

"I'm surprised and taken aback by any institution's comments made at this time," UH President Evan Dobelle told The Advertiser last night.

Dobelle said it was his understanding that both schools, in conjunction with the Western Athletic Conference and C-USA, would issue a joint ruling.

"My comment would be I'm surprised by anything other than something jointly decided by the institutions, the WAC and Conference USA," Dobelle said.

Dobelle said Frazier is scheduled to "make a report on the incident" at the Board of Regents' meeting on Jan. 16.

Warrior coach June Jones, who had insisted the Cougars initiated the fight, declined to comment this morning, except to say, "It's pretty clear what started (the fight) and what happened."

Maggard said, "The bowl does a great job leading up to the game. The game itself is a rather hostile environment. Game management and security were weak and the game has the feeling of a home game for Hawai'i. I understand tough football ÷ but isn't it a bit much for one of the Hawai'i assistant coaches (Vantz Singletary) to come to the sideline with 'war paint'? Hawai'i has to lose the image of wanting to engage in a street fight following the game ÷ otherwise it was a wonderful experience for us and we have no regrets."