Posted on: Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Long-time UH TV broadcaster
Jim Leahey
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| Long-time UH TV sportscaster Jim Leahey has experienced the highs and lows of UH sports. The definite high in football was when UH finally broke through against Brigham Young with a 56-14 victory in 1989. "It was more than a victory, it was a cartharsis because we had been so frustated by the dominance of BYU," he said.
JOAQUIN SIOPACK | The Honolulu Advertiser |
Jim Leahey, a member of Hawai'i's most famous sportscasting family, has been broadcasting UH football on TV since 1984 and has been in the business since 1974. A 1966 graduate of the University of San Francisco with a degree in philosphy and political science, Leahey is a Vietnam veteran who also taught at Campbell High School, where his subjects included everything from history to futuristics. Jim followed in the footsteps of his father, Chuck, who was an icon in his time. Now, with Jim's son, Kanoa, KHON's sports director, the Leahey name will be synonymous with Hawai'i sports for years to come.
What was your most memorable moment in University of Hawai'i football? Also, how do you rate this team compared to all the others you've seen?
"Most memorable game was 1989, the defeat of Brigham Young, without doubt. BYU had set the standard for so long through the (Dick) Tomey and (Bob) Wagner years. And, finally, it happened. It was more than a victory, it was a cartharsis because we had been so frustated by the dominance of BYU. It permeated the whole state with a sense of euphoria ... that we weren't just as good, but we were better."
(On this year's team)
"The offense has a chance, a real possibility of being phenomenal. The defense? It depends on the number of Division I players they have on defense. I define Division I players as players who not only can play for UH but can play for any other Division I team. Those players are rare and when they get hurt, the defense gets porous and that's what I fear."
(On this team vs. others)
"I think it's different. The offense is certainly explosive at times. Other teams had better defenses. Under Tomey, they had terrific defenses and they played close games. But on offense, they weren't putting a lot of points on the board, so the emphasis was a little different. I think offensively, (we're) better (than past teams), but defensively, no. My fear is when Hawai'i goes on the road. They've been abysmal on the road. If they can perform well on the road, if the defense can be competitive, I think they can have a very good record. I think they can win 8 or 9, maybe 10. I'm expecting them to be bowl eligible this year."
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