Time was when Roger Reid could raise the collective temperature in the Stan Sheriff Center or Blaisdell Arena — not to mention local fans' ire — just by walking through the doors with perceived smugness.

When the University of Hawai'i and Brigham Young basketball teams were most at each other's throats, trading jump shots and scowls, in the 1980s and '90s heyday of their rivalry, Reid was often in the middle of it, if not stirring it.

So 13 years later, it will be a curious and decidely lower key return Friday in the 'Bows' regular season opener with Reid on the sideline coaching youthful underdog Southern Utah in the Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic.

Only towel-chomping Jerry Tarkanian at Fresno State and abrasive Billy Tubbs of Texas Christian rivaled Reid for the role of biggest villain and most rancor inspired among fans hereabouts.

In Reid's case, a lot of it was the BYU blue that he passionately wore for 17 years (eight as head coach) in coming here, the front man for UH's most disliked opponent, whether it be basketball, football, baseball or, as one coach put it, "tiddlywinks."

But Reid was such a relentless competitor and his sideline manner so fiery that he charged up the atmosphere by himself. When he challenged an official's call or stomped his foot in displeasure, it would elicit storms of boos. But any movement, be it just walking to the water cooler or picking up a towel, could incite fans, who took great pleasure in bellowing for him to "just sit down and shut up" or "stop whining."

That Reid's sons, Randy and Robbie, were every bit as intense and colorful as their father — the "Stormin' Mormons" Sports Illustrated had called the three of them — added to the electricity of the series.

"When you walked in there, you knew that, hey, that was probably one of their biggest crowds (of the year)," Roger said. Even when a first-place Utah team appeared the next game, "the crowd wasn't half as big," he said.

Ex-UH coach Riley Wallace recalls, "We had some great battles and Roger and his kids were in the thick of it. One of them asked me once, 'why do you get up so much for games with us?' " Wallace recalled. "I told him, 'because you're BYU, that's why.' "

"They — Riley Wallace, Larry Little, all of the people at (UH), were wonderful," Roger said. "My memories are just positive. Some people think that when you have a rivalry and fans are yelling against you that's (bad). I have great respect for that. That shows me the level of loyalty they have for the program."

And, what a series it was. Many of UH's biggest moments — Tes Whitlock's miracle shot from the right corner in 1995; Trevor Ruffin's buzzer-beater at Blaisdell and the 'Bows' first WAC title in 1994 — came against Reid and BYU, making them all the sweeter.

Reid was 10-7 against UH as a head coach but says, "when you play against people and have those kind of games, you gain respect for people."

Reid parted company with BYU in 1998 as one of the winningest coaches (152-77) in Cougar history. Since then, he has coached in the NBA with former player Danny Ainge; in China and junior college, only to come full circle in a 36-year coaching career. "Walking back in there (the Sheriff Center) will bring back great memories," he said.

These days Reid is in his third season of trying to revive SUU. His sons, both graduates of Harvard Business School, are in the banking business.

The passage of time and shifting conference affiliations have softened the UH-BYU rivalry. Reid, Wallace and Little get together in Las Vegas and swap stories.

Has he mellowed, too?

"I was always mellow," Reid said, laughing.