In New Orleans, Praise from Coaches, C.J. Etc.

Dave Reardon writes about the Warriors arriving in New Orleans and getting acclimated with their surroundings.

The University of Hawaii football team -- following an all-night flight from the islands to New Orleans -- rested yesterday, sleeping and getting acclimated to their surroundings.

Today they continue practicing for the biggest game of their lives: the Sugar Bowl against the University of Georgia on New Year's Day.
The Bulldogs held their first practice last night.

UH held its first team meetings last night, after a casual day of rest and exploring the city.

Also on that page is a NOLA weather forecast, as well as a look at the athletic department's finances.

Stephen Tsai writes about Colt Brennan, Davone Bess and Tyson Kafentzis meeting up with the team in New Orleans.

Brennan, slotback Davone Bess, who spent the holidays with family in California, and linebacker Tyson Kafentzis were on the same flight from Denver to New Orleans.

They landed in a thunderstorm. On the drive to the hotel, they saw snippets of a rebuilding New Orleans.

"There's a lot of construction because of (Hurricane) Katrina," Brennan said.

Except for two team meetings, Brennan said, yesterday was "a mellow day."

Reardon also writes that June Jones has a lot of faith in his players to stay responsible and focused.

"Tonight and tomorrow there'll be no curfew," coach June Jones said last night, after the Warriors arrived here yesterday morning. "Most of the players have family here and they'll be doing stuff with them. They'll be fine."

One concern is casinos. There is legal gambling within walking distance of the team hotel.

All-American guard and team captain Hercules Satele said he's managed to avoid going to casinos at previous road games and doesn't see any reason to start trying his luck now.

Not that the Warriors of legal age have been specifically banned.

"(Jones said) try to stay away from the things we're supposed to stay away from," Satele said. "He mentioned it, but didn't really actually say it. I'm staying away from it. The whole season I've stayed away from the casinos."

As Manny Rezentes, the team's director of security puts it:

"We have a town that's open all night. So after the meetings and stuff they can wander the streets. There's only a few nights with curfew, prior to the big game," Rezentes said. "(Jones) wants to treat them like men."

Ted Lewis of the Times-Picayune talks to people from both teams about the distractions of the city.

Since Georgia's football team was staying at the Riverside Hilton across the street from Harrah's this Allstate Sugar Bowl week, Bulldogs senior running back Thomas Brown was considering trying his hand at the slots a couple of times.
That is, until Georgia Coach Mark Richt put the quietus on any visits to the casino while his team is in New Orleans.

"It's OK," Brown said Wednesday after Georgia's arrival to begin its final preparations for Tuesday's game against Hawaii at the Superdome. "I don't think the guys are going to have any trouble living up that.

Here's an AP article about the teams' arrivals, and the distractions.

Speaking of distractions, here are more eat and drink recommendations from the AJC.

Steve Murray of Midweek takes a look at the game. Coach Jones has even more praise for Georgia.

“There is not one guy (on the D side of the ball) who won’t play in the National Football League,” says Jones. “All of them will get the chance to play at the next level. I don’t know how many seniors they have this year, but whatever that number is, that’s how many will go this year.”

The article continues with the importance of the game and of the BCS money.

Steve Chancey of the Albany Herald takes a look at the Warriors from the Georgia perspective. And now it's Mark Richt's turn to praise UH.

The Warriors also have been prolific. Led by quarterback and Heisman Trophy finalist Colt Brennan, they rank first in the country in scoring offense

“No question, he’s the key,” Richt said. “When you first hear about a guy having a lot of numbers, touchdown passes, and yards, you look at him and say, ‘Gosh, he throws it 50, 60 times a game. He oughta have a lot of numbers.’ That’s probably your first impression. But after studying the film, the regular game film and the TV copy, he is really, really good. He’s special.”

“You get a little better feel for the spirit of the team and the mental toughness and resilience that they have,” Richt said. “I watched that Washington game and they’re down, 21-0, then 28-7 about midway through the third and they came roaring back. And it’s almost as if there wasn’t anybody who could do anything about it.”

Ferd Lewis writes about the importance of UH beating BCS opponents.

Beginning with the 2007 regular-season finale against Washington that punched UH's ticket to the Sugar Bowl, the Warriors have Georgia in the postseason, open 2008 at Florida and, after I-AA Weber State, play Oregon State in Corvallis. It would have been five BCS foes in six games had Michigan State not coughed up $250,000 to buy its way out of the contracted Nov. 24 game.

All in all, it lines up as the most formidable stretch of power conference opponents and should provide the best indication of where UH stands. Win a couple of those and you have a leg up in any argument. Drop the lot and there will be a lot of I-told-you-so being dished.

Ted Lewis of the Times-Picayune profiles Gulf Coast native C.J. Hawthorne.

"C.J. has really come on strong," Hawaii Coach June Jones said. "I really wish he had another year in our system because he could be really, really special."

Hawthorne came to Hawaii basically on a whim, taking an official visit because the other schools recruiting him -- Troy and Marshall -- weren't exactly glamour spots.

"I figured it was a chance to see Hawaii," he said. "But then when I got out there, it was so beautiful I couldn't believe it. I came back home and talked to my coaches. They said it's a great place and they want you while everybody else is just toying around with you. I'm glad I listened to my coaches."

Carter Strickland of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution has fun comparing Hawaii's haʻa and Georgia's Soulja Boy. Some excerpts:

Cultural awareness

Hawaii performs the Ha'a to bring all players from every background closer together, from Heisman-caliber quarterback Colt Brennan to Guyton Galdeira, a member of the Ka Leo O Laka I Ka Hikina O Ka La dance group organization.

No one has yet seen Georgia's Andy Bailey, from Athens, Tenn., do the Soulja Boy on the sideline.

Survey says: Hawaii

Audience participation

The Ha'a is a series of complicated moves combined with rhythmic pounding of hands on the pads, coupled with tongue-twisting Hawaiian words.

You can do the Soulja Boy.

Survey says: Georgia.

By the time this is posted, the remaining Sugar Bowl tickets will be on sale online.

Today, what few Sugar Bowl tickets remain will be sold online starting at 8 a.m. through etickethawaii.com and at its bowl ticket office in the Marriott New Orleans. UH officials said yesterday they were confident the slow trickle of walk-ups at the Stan Sheriff Center — with more than 100 sold over the past two days — was an indication that all ticket needs in Hawai'i were met.

Ferd Lewis writes about head coaching salaries around the nation and the good chance June Jones will get a big raise.

When Jones' current contract was put into place, the top salary paid in Division I-A was $2.3 million to Nick Saban at Louisiana State. Saban, now at Alabama by way of the Miami Dolphins, has the highest salary at $4 million per season.

"What they (Alabama) did affects everybody," Frazier said.

Jones, who turns 55 in February, has said he could see himself finishing his coaching career in Manoa.

"Oh yeah, I could," Jones said. "I want to coach, maybe, five or six more years. Then, I want to look back and enjoy this season. I want to coach a few more years, probably five or six and then that's it."

And in former UH basketball player news, Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post has a great profile of Anthony Carter.