Cooke Field, Shannon Smith Remembered

Stephen Tsai writes about yesterday's rain-out, and how it highlights the need for turf on Cooke Field.

McMackin said practicing on Cooke Field would be like workout out "on cement."

For that reason, McMackin said, he is grateful that plans are in the works to install new artificial turf at Cooke Field this summer.

Athletic director Jim Donovan said Manoa chancellor Virginia Hinshaw has made it a "very high priority item" to install new turf at Cooke Field.

He said the installation and renovation, which will involve repairing any damage to the underlying material, will cost between $1 million and $1.5 million.

Dave Reardon talks to Ron Lee about it.

"Obviously we need to practice on days that are wet, cloudy or slick," Lee said. "Also, a lot of the fields we play on (including Aloha Stadium) are not grass fields. It'd be good to go out there on certain days. And it would be good to be able to practice under the lights, especially for receivers and special teams. In so many ways it will be helpful. I'm glad they're talking about it."

On the Warrior Beat, former UH safety Chris Shinnick remembers his friend and teammate, Shannon Smith, who died 11 years ago. Here's an excerpt:

I certainly wouldn’t call myself one of Shannon’s best friends, but I always admired him, and I know he enjoyed being around me. He possessed a sincerity that you don’t find in many 20 year olds. When he asked you how you were doing, he looked you in the eye and almost made you feel nervous because you knew he actually cared about your response. He worked hard as a football player, but you could tell the sport didn’t consume his entire life like it did for many of us. Shannon’s life was about family, blessing others, and living to the fullest.

A great and moving tribute by Shinnick.

The date of this year's Sheraton Hawaii Bowl has been set.

The 2008 Sheraton Hawaii Bowl is set for Wednesday, Dec. 24, at 3 p.m. at Aloha Stadium, the game's new executive director, Dave Matlin, announced yesterday.

The game will feature a team from the Pac-10 against a member of the WAC. Hawaii receives an automatic bid if it is bowl eligible.

Tickets go on sale July 28th.

Also from that article, Davone Bess will be a guest instructor at the Hawaii Speed and Quickness clinics this weekend.