Autographs, Grasso, White Out, Forney, Etc.

The Advertiser reminds you about today's autograph session.

University of Hawai'i football players and coaches will hold a final autograph session before the Sugar Bowl from noon to 1 p.m. today at the UH soccer field.

Fans can begin lining up no earlier than 10 a.m. No holding a place in line will be permitted. Also, no chairs or coolers will be allowed in the line.

Dave Reardon writes about the autograph session, the announced white-out, Inoke Funaki's socks, Josh Leonard finding his place on the defensive line, and Tim Grasso playing through probably one of the worst injuries a punter could have.

Hawaii junior Tim Grasso managed 40.2 yards per kick this year despite a torn hamstring. Thankfully for Grasso, the nation's highest scoring offense forced him into duty just 32 times.

The injury got better late in the season, but Grasso still has a black and blue mark on the back of his right leg and pain when he kicks.

"I shouldn't have played on it," he said. "But I worked hard to be here, turned down scholarships to do so. This season is a once-in-a-lifetime thing, and I wasn't going to let a hamstring ruin it. It affected my season --the first part of the year I couldn't even touch my knee when I'm trying to touch my toes."

Stephen Tsai writes about the Sugar Bowl per diem the players received, has other news and notes, and writes about Tim Grasso's plans for a sabbatical.

Making use of an NCAA exemption, punter Tim Grasso will go on "sabbatical" during the 2008 spring semester and rejoin the Warriors in July.

Grasso, who transferred from a junior college in July, is not on scholarship, and the Warriors do not have an available one for the spring semester. He is promised one for the 2008 season.

Grasso said his post-Sugar Bowl plan is to travel to Salt Lake City, which is a short drive from his family home in Kaysville, Utah. He said he will spend the spring semester in Kaysville, then work out in a punting camp in June. After that, he will enroll in UH's second summer session.

"Financially, it's smarter for me," Grasso said. Missing "spring ball will be fine. We don't do a whole bunch of punting."

Gary C.W. Chun writes about at least one UH fan peeved about the white out.

But at least one avid Warriors fan sees the white-out campaign as a marketing ploy. Aldrin Villahermosa said he and his friends had already "spent a ton of money on Warrior green attire and Warrior gear" that they were going to wear to the game.

And finally, Nick Abramo continues his "Pros(e)" series with a profile of former Warrior and current Atlanta Falcon Kynan Forney.

Forney plans on going to the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans along with another former UH and NFL lineman, Adrian Klemm.

He's been vocally backing Hawaii in their matchup against Georgia, even though he's in hostile territory.

"We've got some friendly little stuff going on (with three Falcons teammates who played for Georgia). The loser has to wear the shirt and caps of the winner's school. I'm just showing some pride in my school. We're talking some trash."