Decades ago — sometime after Andrew Mitsukado, Hal Wood and Dan McGuire — when there were no Rainbow Wahine volleyball, no Rainbow Wahine softball, no hard-core following for University of Hawai'i women's sports, no Internet and when high school sports was king, a new generation of sports writers was being formed.

Standing on the shoulders of those before us, this new group would eventually make The Advertiser the No. 1 news source for news and sports.

First came Ferd Lewis, joining incumbent Monte Ito, Rock Rothrock, Bruce Spinks, Dick Fishback and another Ferd (Borsch) to form the only sports department with two Ferds.

Soon after came another run of talent: Clyde Mizumoto, Mark Matsunaga.

More passion arrived with Steve Kimura, followed by Curtis Murayama, Barbara Vobejda, Ann Miller, Andy Yamaguchi, Dave Koga, Bart Asato and Stephen Tsai.

Some would leave but more would arrive. But the core that was formed back in the late 1970s and early 1980s would soon set the standard for sports coverage in Hawai'i.

Strengthened by additions of Michael Tsai, Paul Carvalho, Mark Eidson, Stacy Kaneshiro, Brandon Masuoka, Catherine Toth, Dayton Morinaga, Wes Nakama, Stan Pusieski, Kyle Sakamoto, Leila Wai, Kalani Takase, Stanley Lee and a boatload of talented clerks, The Advertiser staff would formed a bond that will probably never be surprassed.

It became a family atmosphere, where we shared food, drinks, laughs, hard work and fun times.

Most important, we had each other's back.

Today, we say good bye. And say thanks for allowing us in your home to chronicle our stories and to entertain and inform you.

We thank you for many satisfying and enjoyable years of service to you, our readers.

In providing you with the most complete coverage, we did it with pride and we never took a day off.

Until today.

Aloha.