Pre-Game Haka Penalty, Warriors Replay

Stephen Tsai talks to coaches and players about the pre-game haka that drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against the Warriors.

"The rule hasn't changed since last year, and we were allowed to do it," Jones said. "For someone to micro-manage outside the NCAA rules, that's not right."

The WAC will not offer a public response until it receives a report from the officiating crew.

"I checked," Jones said of the guidelines. "We didn't do it on the field. We did it 75 yards away from the field. ... It's not (unsportsmanlike). It's a cultural, spiritual thing. It's unfortunate. There's no unsportsmanlike issue in the book covering this."

Safety Keao Monteilh said: "We got penalized for something we do before every game. There's no sense in that. We were looking over the field. We didn't make any gestures to (the Louisiana Tech players). We were pointing to our fans."

Jones said it appears the Warriors are being singled out. He said other college programs have pre-game rituals.

I still say the WAC should just ban mascots and loud fans, just in case people are offended by that too. The WAC should also ban:

• "Fight songs" because they could be mistaken as a call to violence.


• Black uniforms because black is the absence of light, which is therefore evil.


• Synchronized jumping jacks during warm-ups because of its implicit endorsement of communism.

In case the WAC can't see the light, Ferd Lewis offers a solution.

The WAC maintains the haka isn't being targeted and UH isn't under special scrutiny. Though amid reports of complaints by Tech last year, you have to wonder.

But, just as some teams come in for closer inspection on holding or pass interference calls or certain rules are given stronger emphasis in enforcement, teams learn to adjust. For UH, this doesn't mean doing away with the haka at all. Just making sure the opponent is tucked away in the locker room before it starts.

Back to Tsai's article, which also has news about:

• The dehydration and cramping some of the Warriors suffered during the game.


• RGM not worrying about the drop in rankings


• Korey Reynolds suffering a slightly dislocated shoulder during the game.

Dave Reardon talks to the coaches and players about what they learned from the LaTech game.

"That is how it's going to be every game, every play," said receiver Ryan Grice-Mullins, who caught nine passes for 162 yards and two touchdowns. "We are a big target."

"We're good, but bad things can happen. We have to be more consistent," Lafaele said between dinner and study hall last night. "We needed a wake-up call like that."

"It's a big mental thing to try to get through," McMackin said. "We talked about what happened two years ago before the game. This time they didn't give up, they refused to lose. They faced adversity and didn't quit."

The bottom of that page has Dave Reardon's "Warriors Replay", recapping and reviewing five big plays from the game. Here's #2:

2. Breaking the ice

The Setup: LaTech 14, Hawaii 0; 1:43 remaining, first quarter, Hawaii ball, second and 9 at LaTech 47.
The Play: RB Leon Wright-Jackson takes a handoff from QB Colt Brennan and bursts through the middle of the line. He breaks through to the second level of the defense and beyond. Sensing pursuit, he veers right and beats the pack to the end zone.
The Impact: Hawaii's longest run from scrimmage since Nate Ilaoa's 53-yarder in 2005 spurs the offense. Brennan leads a 99-yard drive on the next series, capping it with a 3-yard rushing TD of his own to tie the score at 14.
Jones: "I scripted some plays for Leon. That's just a little bit of what he can do. He'll get better and better."

He's an exciting player. Can't wait to see what he does as the season goes on.