Bunch of News

Matt Hayes of the Sporting News, who sounds like he's working on a big article about the Warriors, blogs about Hawaii's ascent.

What June Jones has accomplished in his seven years as Hawaii's coach truly is remarkable, especially considering the program was close to belly-up when he arrived. UH has gone from a school that had lost 18 straight games to one that beats BCS-conference schools regularly, and the Warriors are in prime position to earn a spot in a BCS bowl game this January.

Heaven help the team that plays the Warriors in a BCS game -- these guys already have a Big Island-sized chip on their shoulder because no one wants to play them in the regular season.

I'm here in paradise because, for the first time, Hawaii matters in college football. That, in and of itself, is a major testament to how this program has evolved -- and where it sits as the 2007 season begins. Hawaii boasts a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate in Colt Brennan, a boatload of legitimate NFL prospects (11 Hawaii players from last season are in NFL camps right now) and a coach who has stayed true to a system in which he believes -- and his program is thriving because of it.

Not so sure about being the first time "Hawaii matters in college football." Maybe to national sportswriters. Either way, the rest of it is good, and it's great attention for UH. If he is writing a big article, I'll definitely be first in line to read it.

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Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes a profile of former UH linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa, who is working on his tackling as he comes back from injury. Some excerpts:

Tinoisamoa spent his offseason eating better and putting in more time in the weight room. He has done specific types of exercises to strengthen the muscles around his elbow and shoulder.

"To make sure that when it comes to game time, I can trust that they're going to hang in there tight," he said. "I can just go ahead and play and perform and know it's strong."

In terms of relearning how to use his hands and proper tackling technique, Tinoisamoa said, "I feel like a kid trying to walk. I'm learning how to use these hands now, and it's different. But I'm getting to use them, and I feel more confident in using them."

He should be back in top form this year.

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The Juggernaut continued practicing at tailback with the Dolphins today.

Rookie Reagan Mauai, a 380-pound NT turned 270-pound fullback, continues to line up at TB. Is Lorenzo Booker really that ineffective running the ball?

Mauia, nicknamed the “Little Fridge” by Barry Buetel, could be a stud on short-yardage situations.

Time for 7-on-8 passing drills.

Green up first, lining up with back-ups. He goes 3-for-3, with a leaping snap by Mauia the highlight.

The Dolphins depth chart has Mauia at 2nd string fullback, Tala Esera at 2nd string left guard and Samson Satele as starting center. Awesome.

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Before Colt cut off his pseudo-dread hairdo, KHNL's Russell Yamanoha did a news story about it. The story may not be relevant anymore, but the on-camera interviews with Colt, RGM, Davone and Hercules are still pretty funny.

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Here's another UH / WAC football preview, this one from Tim Booth of the AP.

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And finally, Sports Illustrated surveyed one starter from all 119 I-A teams, asking them questions about various topics, like what coach they would like to play for, who they pick to win the Heisman (Colt was 5th with 3.4% of the vote), etc. But it was the last question that intrigued me the most.

8. Do you read message boards or blogs where fans discuss your team?

Yes: 39.5%
No: 60.5%

Here's my favorite part:

Quotable: "I read it if I want to have a good laugh," said one Big 12 player. "Don't get me wrong, I think it's great that they're showing their opinions, but at the end of the day, they don't know what's going on." ... Most players who responded "no" said the people who write on message boards or blogs do not know what they're talking about. Said one MAC player: "My grandma could guess the same thing."

I think they're catching onto us. In fact, while 75% of the content I post here does come straight reliable news sources, the other 25% comes straight from my butt. And now that my friend has started to post here, we have another "fount" of "information." Just kidding, CC. Everyone knows your butt is not prone to wanton speculation. Mine on the other hand, you just can't depend on.