READERS REACT TO UH SUGAR BOWL SHOWING

WARRIORS' STORY CAPTURED THE NATION

A moment before the first kick of the game, tears threatened, my heart full of emotion.

The University of Hawai'i Warriors, a group of men who united the state, set the ha'a in motion. Their message of humility and pride resounded in their cries and was set on their faces.

A love for each other, for coaches and home was waged in their movements and strength of their paces.

Twelve and one, a season of magic capture my heart and my imagination.

Who would have thought the Hawai'i Warriors would also capture an entire nation?

Their story is a season of dreams and glory and a single loss, a heart-wrenching agony.

But our pride does not falter; it's bolstered instead by the strength of their character, by living what they've said.

An adventurous tale — a legend to share — with those will follow their lead.

Their example of acceptance, of love and of unity is the heart and soul of this team.

My life perspective is enhanced by the beauty of the magic that they've shared.

Thank you, 2007 Warriors. By example, you united a community to care.

TIME TO MOVE ON TO THE 2008 SEASON

In the spirit of a true warrior, we need to learn from the loss and quickly move on. We have the opportunity to right a wrong soon enough playing Florida in the first game of a highly competitive 2008 schedule, where we also will play at Oregon State and host Washington State and Cincinnati back-to-back in the late season.

We're proud of Colt Brennan and the Warriors' coach, June Jones. You have taken us to levels that we've never been before. It was a great experience to be in the Sugar Bowl, but we weren't prepared for the magnitude of a major Bowl Championship Series game against a Southeastern Conference powerhouse, and yet we don't have long to wait for a chance at redemption.

Coach, you have unfinished business, more so now than with any other previous season with the Warriors football program. What better opportunity is there than to now leverage this loss as a tremendous motivating factor into a new season? If Appalachian State can beat Michigan at Michigan and Boise State can beat Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl, Hawai'i can beat Florida in Florida. Let's keep believing!

ALOHA SPIRIT A BOOST FOR THIS KATRINA SURVIVOR

I'm so sorry Hawai'i didn't prevail. But after all, it was your first time on this big stage and the pressure was tremendous. Still, I hope that all the fans who came to New Orleans will remember the experience as a positive one — tens of thousands of you traveled 4,000-plus miles, and we in New Orleans were thrilled to share our hospitality with you.

For me — as a New Orleanian who lost everything from the levee breaks following Hurricane Katrina — the aloha spirit that blanketed our city lifted mine. For the first time in more than two years, the sea of green and white made me proud and happy — and reminded me what we have all been fighting for in the Crescent City.

So, for the Warriors, you keep up the good fight. You went all the way; farther than you have before, so be happy with your success. I know many of you are disappointed, but know that you helped a struggling city that is not unlike your own — surrounded by water; vulnerable to disasters; dependent on tourism. Every dime you all spent in New Orleans was much needed and appreciated. And you proved that Hawai'i fans are the best fans on Earth! (Even I learned how to spell Hawai'i right in this past week!).

I will be spending my next vacation in the Aloha State, no doubt about it!

WARRIORS, FANS SHOW HAWAI'I'S ALOHA SPIRIT

I wanted to share my perspective on the Sugar Bowl. Simply put, we were outmatched. And yet, I can say that I am so proud of our boys and the fans that joined them in New Orleans.

They showed what it meant to be from Hawai'i. The aloha spirit the fans gave the players and the people of New Orleans make me proud to be from Hawai'i.

That is what the Sugar Bowl really meant to me.

WARRIORS SHOWED CLASS AND DETERMINATION

I just returned from the Sugar Bowl and the hospitality of the city of New Orleans. What a wonderful time was had by all!

Despite the loss to the Georgia Bulldogs, I wanted to say thank you to June Jones and his staff and to the best undefeated football team in 2007.

The Warriors have brought the state of Hawai'i into the limelight and showcased what a fantastic football program we have here. I'm proud to be a Warrior fan and want to thank the team for such a wonderful season.

They should hold their heads up high as we were 12-0, the only undefeated team in the nation and WAC champions.

I'm so proud that you represented Hawai'i with class, determination, and the sense of 'ohana. I can't wait for next season! Go Warriors! We love you!

WARRIORS GAVE ALL OF HAWAI'I A GLORIOUS RIDE

I just wanted to thank the UH Warriors for an awesome, unforgettable ride. They gave Hawai'i a reason to dream, to hope, to believe. A perfect 12-0 season, WAC champs and our first BCS game — they thrilled us with their quick runs and touchdowns, they kept us at the edge of our seats until the last seconds of the game.

They played their hearts out every single game, every single second. They weren't afraid to give God the glory or show us the power of prayer. They shared the ha'a with the entire nation.

The Warriors played like true men, they played their hearts out with grace, dignity, passion and class every time.

Yes, they have one loss now, yes it broke our hearts, but June Jones, his coaching staff, Colt and all the Warriors can still hold their heads high. They gave Hawai'i one glorious ride all the way to New Orleans and back. We're proud and privileged to have a football team that believes.

Thanks for an awesome, thrilling season. I hope 2008 is beyond your dreams, hopes and expectations. Never stop believing, 'Bows.

BULLDOGS GAVE WARRIORS REALITY CHECK

Thank you Georgia Bulldogs for giving the UH Warriors, the fans, the local media and all those who believed in this so-called perfect season a reality smack! You showed just how overrated the Warriors really are.

While the BCS and Warrior fans seemed to forget about the term "strength of schedule," that's exactly what doomed the Warriors in the Sugar Bowl. The Warriors looked good all year against substandard teams, but when it came to the "big boys" the Warriors showed they can't compete. You don't get to face speed like that when you're playing Utah State, Idaho or Boise State.

Let's hope in the future the BCS takes a long hard look at non-BCS teams like Hawai'i who are trying to sneak their way in with weak schedules; 12-0 means nothing. And had strength of schedule meant something to the BCS, then the Warriors would've ended up ranked 13th at best and Cotton Bowl-bound.

The Warriors didn't belong in the Sugar Bowl and Georgia showed the nation and the world that. Thank you, Georgia. Go Dawgs!

UH NO MATCH FOR GEORGIA BULLDOGS

Of course all of Hawai'i wanted to see the Warriors with a victory in the Sugar Bowl. But in reality, UH's performance in the Sugar Bowl was not even near to being competitive.

The main reason why UH was not able to block and having trouble tackling is that the Georgia Bulldogs were too fast, too strong and too big for the Warriors to handle, and they were not able to establish their game plan.

However, it was nice seeing all the support of the UH fans, hula girls and UH band in the Sugar Bowl. Congratulations to the Georgia Bulldogs and the Hawai'i Warriors.

END OF SEASON IS JUST THE START FOR WARRIORS

I believe Ferd Lewis to be incorrect in stating the Warriors' football season ended with a thud.

Football has been a part of the University of Georgia since its inception in 1892. The stadium seats more than 92,000 people and the Bulldogs have appeared in 43 bowl games. I won't even touch on the roughly $500,000 for recruiting and the 24 high school seniors who have already committed for next school year.

Does any of this matter when talking about the Sugar Bowl? It most certainly does.

The Warriors and the coaching staff should be congratulated for an outstanding season and a great effort in the Sugar Bowl. That being said they need take what they've learned to begin to prepare for Tim Tebow and the Swamp.

At the same time the University of Hawai'i needs to decide once and for all how much it is willing to invest in Warrior football. Without major funding, everything that June Jones, the coaching staff and this team have worked for and achieved will fade away.

This season should be the foundation, not the pinnacle of Warrior football.

OUR TEAM PLAYED FAIR AND WITH TRUE ALOHA

Although the headlines, from The New York Times to these pages, will highlight the action and statistics from the big game in New Orleans, to anyone watching the game, there was a greater difference between the two teams than simply that heart-breaking score: We watched the smugness and smirk on Georgia's head coach's face and listened to its fans chant "Overrated," in reference to Hawai'i having made it to the Sugar Bowl; Georgia played dirty, even challenging fair calls made by the referees.

We also heard inspiring and consistently positive remarks made by Colt Brennan between plays, just as we heard June Jones, in his pregame speech, call on the team to play well and have fun.

We are Hawai'i. And while Jimmy Johnson and his fellow commentators were able to use this fact as fodder for lame Book-'em-Danno jokes, we know better. Our Warriors stuck to their principles and, in doing so, demonstrated what aloha means. Congratulations to the athletes and staff of the University of Hawai'i football team on a fantastic season. Mahalo nui loa.

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