Friday, June 27, 2014

Aloha Stadium to go aloha?

Aloha Stadium's current 50,000 seating capacity would decrease by 30 percent to 40 percent if the recommendation of a consultant hired to study the facility's future is adopted.

Foley & Lardner LLP, a New York law firm, recommended "a new 30,000- to 35,000-seat stadium on the lower portion of the stadium site," as part of a 35-page comprehensive site summary unanimously accepted Thursday by the Aloha Stadium Authority.

Authority Chairman Charles Toguchi said, "While the summary includes observations and recommendations from Foley & Lardner, the Stadium Authority has not made any definitive decisions regarding the future of Aloha Stadium, as we look forward to analyzing the summary and soliciting feedback from the public."

Toguchi said, "The purpose of the summary is to provide the Stadium Authority with facts and stakeholder opinions so that we can make informed decisions about the future of Aloha Stadium."

The Halawa facility, which marks its 39th year of operation in September, has undergone numerous renovations, and the report said that the Department of Accounting and General Services "estimates approximately $120 million in high priority health and safety improvements are needed to keep the stadium operational for the next five to 10 years." The study said a new stadium could "save the state between $2.4 million and $3.2 million per year in operating expenses alone."

Thursday, June 26, 2014

2014 NBA Draft

[6/27/14] Grading the draft

[6/26/14]  Damn, the computer shut down.  No warning that the power was low.  Lost the beginning of the draft.  Retype.

1.  Cleveland takes Wiggins over Parker

2.  So Milwaukee take Parker

3.  Philadelphia takes Embiid despite his injury and having taken Noel last season

4.  Magic takes Aaron Gordon in a surprise.  Everybody was thinking Exum.

5.  So Utah takes Dante Exum to team with Trey Burke

6.  Celtics grab Marcus Smart, which means Rondo could be on the way out

7.  Lakers take the best available Julius Randle.

8.  Kings take Nik Stauskas, SG.  So maybe a vote of no confidence with Ben McLemore.  Don't they remember Jimmer?

9.  Charlotte takes Noah Vonleh.  I kept calling him Vonteh.  Could be good help for Al Jefferson

10.  76ers take Elfrid Payton.  Why do that when they have MCW?  Is MCW going to be moved to SG?  Payton being compared to Gary Payton.

11.  Denver takes Doug McDermott.  College player of the year and leading scorer.  Being compared to Adam Morrison and WallyS.  (In other words, he's white.)  Hopefully more like WallyS.

McDermott traded to Chicago for 16th and 19th picks.  (Denver also trades Anthony Randolph away and get a second round pick.)

12.  Orlando takes Dario Saric, who's going to play two more years overseas

13.  Minnesota takes Zach LaVine.  I assume as Rubio's running mate.

Orlando trades Saric to Philadelphia for Payton

14.  Phoenix takes T.J. Warren.

OK, that completes the lottery.  Now getting to guys I never heard of.

15.  Atlanta takes Adreien Payne
16.  Chicago takes Jusuf Nurkik (for Denver)
17.  Boston takes James Young from Kentucky
18.  Phoenix takes Tyler Ennis, PG, Syracuse (to sit on the bench?)
19.  Chicago takes Gary Harris, SG, Michigan (for Denver, which is a great pick because Denver could have conceivably taken Harris at no. 11, so they get Harris and Nurkic for free).
20.  Toronto takes Bruno Cabocio, a project from Brazil
21.  OKC takes Mitch McGary, PF, Michigan
22.  Memphis takes Jordan Adams, SG, UCLA
23.  Utah takes Rodney Hood, SG, Duke
24.  Charlotte takes Shabazz Napier, PG, UConn.  This is the guy LeBron wanted.  And evidently is going to get him in a trade to Miami.  So Miami's hoping that'll help keep LeBron in Miami.  (summer league vs. Phil Pressey)
25.  Houston takes Clint Capela, PF, Switzerland.  Probably will stash him and not take up cap space.
26.  Miami takes P.J. Hairston, SG, Texas Legends.  To be traded to Charlotte for Napier.
27.  Phoenix: Bogdan Bogdanovic, SG, Serbia
28.  Clippers: CJ Wilcox, SG, Washington
29.  OKC: Josh Houston, Stanford
30.  San Antonio: Kyle Anderson, UCLA

[6/25/14] Consensus Mock Draft: toss up between Wiggins and Parker for no. 1

[6/24/14] David Aldridge mock draft

[6/23/14] Embiid tumbles in consensus mock draft

[6/20/14] Mock Draft 4.0: Embiid fractures foot, Parker rises to no. 1

[6/14/14] Scott Howard Cooper's mock draft 2.0
1. Cavaliers: Joel Embiid, C
2. Bucks: Jabari Parker, F
3. 76ers: Andrew Wiggins, SF
4. Magic: Dante Exum, G
5. Jazz: Julius Randle, PF
6. Celtics: Noah Vonteh, PF
7. Lakers: Aaron Gordon, F
8. Kings: Marcus Smart, PG
9. Hornets: Doug McDermott, SF
10. 76ers: Nik Stauskas, SG
11. Nuggets: Dario Saric, SF
12. Magic: Rodney Hood, SF
13. Timberwolves: Adreian Payne, PF
14. Suns: Gary Harris, SG

[5/29/14] The top 14, based on 12 mock drafts

1.  Andrew Wiggins, SF, Kansas
2.  Joel Embiid, C, Kansas
3. Jabari Parker, SF, Duke
4. Dante Exum, PG, Australia
5. Julius Randle, PF, Kentucky
6. Noah Vonteh, PF, Indiana
7. Marcus Smart, PG, Oklahoma St.
8. Aaron Gordon, PF/SF, Arizona
9. Doug McDermott, SF, Creighton
10. Dario Saric, SF, Croatia
11. Gary Harris, PG, Michigan
12. Nik Stauskas, SG, Michigan
13. James Young, SF, Kentucky
14. Jusuf Nurkic, C, Bosnia

[5/20/14] The Cavaliers continued their remarkable run Tuesday, winning the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft for the second straight year and third time in the past four. They moved up from the ninth spot despite just a 1.7 percent chance of winning the top selection.

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Pop Eldredge

Babe Ruth once said, “Baseball was, is and always will be to me the best game in the world.” It’s a sentiment shared by the Eldredge ohana, in many ways “the first family of Hawaii baseball,” who have been pitching and batting for some three-quarters of a century. More than 10,000 young baseball players have been touched by an Eldredge during this time period.

Taking the name Eldredge comes with deeply rooted responsibilities and commitment. Baseball fever runs through their veins, and the family has learned that you can expect the high or curve balls in life, and no matter what happens, you must keep on swinging until you hit a home run. It all began with the late David Pinkham Kaiana Eldredge II aka “Pop,” who started the passion back in Lahaina in the 1920s.

“Grandpa was a young kid who enjoyed playing baseball with the older generation. As an adult, he began what was known today as the Manoa Little League,” says Duane P. K. Eldredge of Pop, who was the sole coach for all the teams in Manoa during the ’50s, and was known to have put in blood, sweat and tears to build the Manoa Valley District Park all by himself. The elder Eldredge also was affectionately called the “Mayor of Manoa.”

Sunday, June 22, 2014

Michelle Wie wins U.S. Open

PINEHURST, N.C. — Michelle Wie’s strategy for the 69th United States Women’s Open was to laugh in the face of disaster. She made it her mantra. When bad shots happen, smile and move on.

Much has gone wrong on the golf course for Wie since she made the cut at the 2003 United States Women’s Open as a 13-year-old. Eleven years later, she came to Pinehurst No. 2 still in search of her first major title.

Would misfortune visit Wie again? It was lurking on the 16th hole, a par 4. Cruising along with a three-stroke lead, Wie had to take a one-stroke penalty for an unplayable lie when her approach settled in a clump of grass. She left the green with a double bogey and her lead over Stacy Lewis, who had closed with a four-under 66, whittled to one.

While Lewis, the world No. 1, made her way to the range to prepare for a possible playoff, Wie rebooted. She hit her tee shot at the par-3 17th to 20 feet and made the putt, a stroke of fortune that would have been inconceivable two years ago.

To rebound from the disaster at 16 with a birdie was a tribute to Wie’s resolve, which was finally — and richly — rewarded. She finished with a par 70 for a 72-hole total of two-under 278 for her fourth career victory on the L.P.G.A. Tour and her first in the continental United States.

“I like to make it hard on myself,” said Wie, who described the victory as “amazing.”

Wie, 24, was the only player to finish in red numbers. Lewis, at 280, was followed by Northern Ireland’s Stephanie Meadow, who posted a 69 for a one-over total in her professional debut.

Juli Inkster, playing the tournament for the 35th and final time, carded a 75 to finish tied for 15th at seven over.

Wie said winning the title now meant more than it would have in 2005 or 2006 when she played in the last group on the final day.

“If I won it back then I would have been like, ‘Oh, cool, this is awesome,’ ” Wie said. “But I think it means a lot more to me because I went through so much.”

*** [11/19/14]

A rewarding year for Michelle Wie

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Wie and Li

PINEHURST, N.C. -- Michelle Wie is looking at her past. Lucy Li is looking at her immediate future. The topic: Playing your first U.S. Women's Open as a youngster. A very young youngster, that is.

A little more than a decade ago, Wie did it when she was 13. Li has upped the ante, if you will, by qualifying for this event at age 11. Li will tee off here at Pinehurst No. 2 on Thursday at 7:07 a.m., and she hopes lots of spectators will come out to see her compete.

"I think I like crowds; they don't bother me," Li said. "I play better the more people that come watch me."

Li was sitting in the interview room at Pinehurst on Tuesday, all braces and pigtails and giggles. She talked about loving to go to Dave and Busters, being a big fan of Sherlock Holmes books, and how she celebrated after qualifying for the U.S. Women's Open by going to see "The Amazing Spider-Man 2."

Eight hours earlier, Wie had sat in the same chair, now age 24 and a serious contender to win what would be her first LPGA major championship. But figuratively, Wie had been in this same chair in 2003. Then she was a 13-year-old at the U.S. Women's Open at Pumpkin Ridge in Oregon, facing a room full of adult reporters marveling at the Wunderkind.

"I wasn't quite as young as her," Wie said. "But I'm just so excited for her. I met her on Sunday afternoon. She looks so darn cute. I don't think I looked that cute when I was 11. It's definitely a walk back to memory lane."

Wie played in a United States Golf Association event -- the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links -- when she was 10 in 2000. She knows the spotlight that will be on Li this week will be adoring but also a bit critical.

"A lot of people ask me, 'Is that too young? What do you think?' " Wie said of Li, but she could have been talking about herself. "It's a memory that will last her a lifetime. What other 11-year-old can say that they played in the U.S. Open at Pinehurst and got to see the men play as well, too?"

***

PINEHURST, N.C. -- Lucy Li showed her age only when she finished her historic round Thursday at the U.S. Women's Open.

Just like any 11-year-old, she went straight for an ice cream.

The youngest qualifier ever at the Women's Open played a grown-up game at Pinehurst No. 2, except for three holes that made her 8-over 78 look a lot worse than it was and stretched the odds of her becoming the youngest player to make the cut.

"She looks 11. She doesn't talk 11. And she doesn't hit the ball like she's 11," said Catherine O'Donnell, who played with her in a sun-baked opening round on a course that only four days ago hosted the men's U.S. Open.

The sixth-grader from the Bay Area was the star attraction, right down to her Stars & Stripes outfit to celebrate the occasion. She wore a mid-drift shirt patterned after the American flag, with a similar motif for a skirt, complete with silver stars that matched the color of her braces.

Li wound up 11 shots behind leader Stacy Lewis, the No. 1 player in the world who opened with a 67. But one moment was telling.

The kid made a 7-foot birdie putt on the par-5 fifth hole and headed to the next tee, her braided pigtails swinging with each step. The media and a large gallery followed her right past the adjacent green, where hardly anyone noticed Lewis making her way around Pinehurst with no bogeys.

Only this was more than just a sideshow.

Li missed only one fairway -- by less than a yard. Even though she hit fairway metals into half of the holes, she rarely got out of position. Now if she could only take back three shots that led to big numbers.

"It was a lot of fun. I kind of struggled today, but it was great," Li said, pausing to lick her ice cream between answers. "I mean, it's 8 over. It's not bad. But I was 7 over in three holes, so that's 1 over in 15 holes. So yeah, I just need to get rid of the big numbers."

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

1979 Punahou basketball team

“The 1979 team may be the only Hawaii high school team that featured three guys who went on to play Division I basketball: Gabriel at Loyola Marymount, Dan Hale at Hawaii, and Darin Maurer at Stanford,” he says.

That team also had a future USC and NFL football star in John Kamana, who was so good he kept another pretty well-known hoopster out of the starting lineup.

That pretty-well-known hoopster was future President Barack Obama.

“Barry had the misfortune of playing behind Kamana,” Mello recalls. “But we all played together – I still remember the intense pickup games on the outdoor courts at Punahou.”

Monday, June 16, 2014

Tony Gwynn

Tony Gwynn could handle a bat like few other major leaguers, whether it was driving the ball through the "5.5 hole" between third base and shortstop or hitting a home run off the facade in Yankee Stadium in the World Series.

He was a craftsman at the plate, whose sweet left-handed swing made him one of baseball's greatest hitters.

Gwynn loved San Diego.

San Diego loved "Mr. Padre" right back.

Gwynn, a Hall of Famer and one of the greatest athletes in San Diego's history, died Monday of oral cancer, a disease he attributed to years of chewing tobacco. He was 54.

"Our city is a little darker today without him but immeasurably better because of him," Mayor Kevin Faulconer said in a statement.

In a rarity in pro sports, Gwynn played his whole career with the Padres, choosing to stay in the city where he was a two-sport star in college, rather than leaving for bigger paychecks elsewhere. His terrific hand-eye coordination made him one of the game's greatest pure hitters. He had 3,141 hits -- 18th on the all-time list -- a career .338 average and won eight batting titles to tie Honus Wagner's NL record.

He struck out only 434 times in 9,288 career at-bats. He played in San Diego's only two World Series -- batting a combined .371 -- and was a 15-time All-Star. He had a memorable home run in Game 1 of the 1998 World Series off fellow San Diegan David Wells, and scored the winning run in the 1994 All-Star Game despite a bum knee.

Gwynn never hit below .309 in a full season. He spread out his batting titles from 1984, when he batted .351, to 1997, when he hit .372.

Gwynn was hitting .394 when a players' strike ended the 1994 season, denying him a shot at becoming the first player to hit .400 since San Diego native Ted Williams hit .406 in 1941.

Gwynn befriended Williams and the two loved to talk about hitting. Gwynn steadied Williams when he threw out the ceremonial first pitch before the 1999 All-Star Game at Boston's Fenway Park.

too young

Thurmond Munson
Ben Wilson
Dale Earnhardt
Brian Piccolo
Lou Gehrig
Drazen Petrovic
Hank Gathers
Chuck Hughes
Reggie Lewis
Payne Stewart
Ray Chapman
Roberto Clemente
Joe Roth
Steve Prefontaine
Len Bias
Derrick Thomas
Pat Tillman

Nine Wrestlers

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Spurs beat the Heat

SAN ANTONIO -- From their low moment in the NBA Finals, back to the top of the league.

The San Antonio Spurs turned the rematch with the Miami Heat into no match at all.

The Spurs finished off a dominant run to their fifth NBA championship Sunday night, ending the Heat's two-year title reign with a 104-87 victory that wrapped up the series in five games.

A year after their heartbreaking seven-game defeat, their only loss in six Finals appearances, the Spurs won four routs to deny Miami's quest for a third straight championship.

"Hard to believe, isn't it? Manu Ginobili said. "We played at a really high level."

Kawhi Leonard, named the Finals MVP, had 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Spurs. San Antonio added this title to the ones the Spurs won in 1999, 2003, '05 and '07. They nearly had another last year, but couldn't hold off the Heat and lost in seven games.

San Antonio rebounded from an early 16-point deficit by outscoring the Heat 37-13 from the start of the second quarter to midway in the third.

The celebration the Heat canceled last season was on by the early second half Sunday.

LeBron James had 17 first-quarter points to help the Heat get off to a fast start. But it wasn't enough. He finished with 31 points and 10 rebounds for the Heat, who lost their spot atop the NBA to the team that had it so long.

The Spurs won four titles in nine years, but hadn't been back on top since 2007, making Foreigner's "Feels Like the First Time" an appropriate song choice after the final buzzer.

Tim Duncan and coach Gregg Popovich have been here for all of them, and it was the fourth for Tony Parker and Ginobili, who with Duncan are once again the reigning Big Three in the NBA.

"Just a great team and we do it together," Parker said.

[6/17/14]

The defense wins

mini-movie

questions for Miami

Saturday, June 14, 2014

Bill Russell watches the finals

I'm an old guy that has this really bad, bad habit: I like to watch good teams play. And the Miami Heat and the San Antonio Spurs in this year's NBA Finals are not only two really good teams but two teams I particularly enjoy watch playing.

As a fan, I focus on the nuances of the game, the chess match that goes on between both teams. And this series will be no different. How will Miami try to exploit the Spurs? What will San Antonio do to offset the Heat? Last year, we saw the Spurs allow LeBron James to shoot from the outside while packing the paint, deterring him from driving. Will they try to do the same this year? The team that is most successful in exploiting the other team will win. Make the other team make adjustments and the team that has to make the most adjustments always falls behind.

There is a lot of talk about what is at stake in this upcoming NBA Finals. Miami is going for three consecutive NBA championships, trying to become only the fourth franchise in NBA history to achieve that milestone. The Spurs are going for their fifth title in 15 years. Both franchises are being celebrated for their consistency over the years and this Finals rematch is drawing great anticipation.

While these accomplishments are looked at as a collective body of work, when I played, there was always a singular championship focus because if you look ahead, it won't be long before you are eliminated.

It might seem strange but I did not know our Celtic teams won eight championships in a row until about 20 years ago when I read about it in a game program. Our focus was always on that particular season, always one year at a time. The year we played had nothing to do with the previous year or the next year. That's just the way it was.

Now, I don't know if Miami is thinking about winning three in a row. In the NBA Finals, there's pressure and you always see how players react to the pressure. For some guys, it makes them a step slower while for other guys, it makes them a step faster. I like to watch to see how teams react to the pressure because for the really great players, there isn't any pressure, you just go out and play.

While fans, media and even some former players like to compare great teams with other great teams from different eras, it's just not practical. The game today is a different game than when I played or even when George Mikan played. For example, you were not allowed to play zone defense and today, everyone plays a zone. On the Celtics, we had seven players who averaged double figures. Today's good teams have only three. In my 13 years, the Celtics never had a player who led the league in scoring. As a result, when someone retired, it allowed another player to step into that slot, which enabled for a high level of consistency.

It's a different game, which requires different skills. So, I could not legitimately compare these teams today with any of my teams nor can I compare myself to any of the players today. It's still called basketball but it's applied differently.

While the game today may be different, I still have great admiration for today's players, particularly those playing in this series. I would have liked to have played with the three guys in San Antonio -- Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili -- because they put the most pressure on the defense and if you could play at all, it would be easy and fun to play with them. The same thing is true of LeBron and Dwyane Wade. Both guys are really, really good. And when I say good, I'm not limiting it to only scoring. They also excel as defenders and passers. They both have different starting points, which makes it difficult to guard them. See, each player has a favorite spot where he starts, not where he finishes but where he starts. Both of these players have multiple places where they can start, which makes it very challenging defensively. A lot of people like to call them natural athletes, which I disagree. There's no such thing. I like to think that they simply know what they're doing, which makes them great.

I'm a big fan of Tim Duncan. He's playing at a high level at an age (38) where a lot of people are not playing. He has successfully been able to intelligently change his game to fit his body this year. But as far as I'm concerned, he's a center, not a forward. Most of his work is done in the post. I wouldn't list him as a forward or as a guard. I would list him as a great player. Period.

One of the attributes that makes Duncan great is his integrity. When he said after the Spurs eliminated the Oklahoma City Thunder that they were going to win this time against the Heat, he was saying what he believes. He wasn't sending a message to Miami or his teammates. You have to take in consideration, maybe he sees something that no one else has seen.

When I played, I never, ever tried to send a message. Before the playoffs, when a reporter asked if he thought we had a chance to win the championship, my reply was, 'We've done it before.'

In the playoffs and especially The Finals, one of the big advantages is to play the same team over and over with no other team in between. This way, you can make intelligent adjustments. Now, this is a second year in a row the Heat and Spurs will play each other and with the Celtics, we've had some experience playing the Los Angeles Lakers in back-to-back Finals on three separate occasions. The last time being in 1969 when we went to a seventh game against them in L.A. That season, we had finished fourth in the Eastern Conference, securing the last playoff spot. We get to the seventh game of The Finals and I said to the guys, 'The Lakers don't have a chance tonight.' And they looked at me like I had lost it.

One of the things we knew how to do was to play our opponents. We played the Lakers six games and by this time we knew what worked. We knew they were an excellent team but they were so slow a foot. In the half-court offense, they will beat you to death plus we were an undersized team. The reason we are going to beat them is because we are going to fast break them. And you always hear that you cannot fast break in The Finals because other teams won't let you.

Well, I learned from experience that the key to a fast break is defensive rebounding and outlet passing. I told my guys, 'I am the best to have ever done those things. So, I want both of our guards and our small forward to line up at each side of the court between the foul line and half court. So that when I rebound, I can quickly get the ball to the guy on the same side. So, that's what we did and we ended up scoring 59 points by half time. Fast-break offense was not new to us. We were very versatile. We could play to our strengths against every team.

Intelligent adjustments. Ultimately, this NBA championship will come down to intelligent adjustments. Who will make the most of them and when? The beauty is that no one knows until it tips off Thursday night. While I'm not in the prediction business, it wouldn't surprise me if this series went the distance like last year.

One thing's for sure: I'll be watching. At my age, some bad habits are really hard to break.

Friday, June 13, 2014

Chuck Noll

Chuck Noll, who built the “Steel Curtain” Pittsburgh Steelers of the 1970s into one of the most dominant teams in pro football history, becoming the only N.F.L. coach to win four Super Bowl championships, died Friday night in Pittsburgh. He was 82.

Noll died of natural causes, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner said.

When Noll was named the Steelers’ head coach in 1969, they had never reached a league championship game since their founding in 1933 and they were coming off a 2-11-1 season. Noll had played at guard and linebacker on powerful Cleveland Browns teams of the 1950s, but he had never been a head coach.

The Steelers won only one game in Noll’s first season. But he went on to coach four Super Bowl champions in a span of six seasons with a host of brilliant draft picks that helped create the memorable Steel Curtain defense and a high-powered offense.

Noll selected defensive tackle Mean Joe Greene as his first N.F.L. draft pick. He drafted quarterback Terry Bradshaw and Blount in 1970, linebacker Jack Ham in 1971, running back Franco Harris in 1972 and wide receivers Lynn Swann and John Stallworth, middle linebacker Jack Lambert and center Mike Webster in 1974.

All became Hall of Famers.

Noll’s Steelers won the Super Bowl in 1975, ’76, ’79 and ’80 and captured nine American Football Conference Central championships in his 23 years as coach. They became one of the N.F.L.’s most dominant franchises, echoing George Halas’s Chicago Bears of the 1940s, Paul Brown’s Cleveland Browns of the 1950s and Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers of the 1960s.

Noll was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993.

Thursday, June 12, 2014

soccer's Uncle Drew

If you’re not familiar with soccer street legend Sean Garnier, then watch this amazing video where he puts his insane skills to the test.

He’s gained worldwide recognition for having arguably the best football handles in the world, and now he’s giving the people the shock of a lifetime after disguising himself as an old man and tearing up the court.

Just like Kyrie Irving did with his “Uncle Drew” character, Garnier duped everybody playing and watching with a ridiculous skill set. With the World Cup just around the corner, we can feel soccer getting hotter with videos like this.

[via facebook]

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Rainbow Baseball 1979

It was 35 years ago, in 1979. The ‘Bows, who had started their baseball program with a part-time coach by the name of Les Murakami only eight seasons before, first made it to the NCAA tournament in 1977, but they quickly were eliminated in just two games.

But 1979 would be a different story — a wonderful story.

It began on opening night at the old Rainbow Stadium, well before the new stadium was built. On a cool February evening, Mark Olmos pitched a gem against powerful Oregon State, and the Rainbows won 2-1 on Vern Ramie’s game-winning sacrifice fly. Hawaii was one year away from joining the WAC, so they played an independent schedule, and Murakami loaded it with powerhouse teams and played as many doubleheaders as opposing teams could stand.

The 1979 team included star leftie Derek Tatsuno, the All-American pitching ace from Aiea High, plus Thad Reece, Ron Nomura and a young red-headed catcher by the name of Howard Dashefsky.

“I remember being the bullpen catcher and warming up Tats before games,” Dashefsky recalls. “We would have more than 100-plus people sitting around just watching him warm up, and that just blew me away.”

Tatsuno won his first 20 games that season on his way to one of the most dominating seasons in college baseball history. Along the way, he recorded 245 strikeouts, still an NCAA single-season record.

“We were 60 and 3 at one point of the season, and were ranked No. 1 in the nation. It seems pretty ridiculous, but we did it against some very good competition,” Dashefsky says.

Excitement for the team grew by leaps and bounds, until the bleacher seats at old Rainbow Stadium couldn’t contain all the fans.

“We went to Aloha Stadium and Tats threw in front of more than 20,000 people. At the time, it was the largest crowd ever for a college baseball game,” Dashefsky adds. “It was pretty freaky; sitting in the dugout, you didn’t see anybody, but then you would go out on the field and the entire ballpark was filled from first to third base, all the way up.”

By the time the regular season came to an end, Hawaii had 67 wins against just 13 losses. Their first-ever NCAA tournament wins came against Indiana State and Oklahoma.

“I remember the regional at University of Arizona and hitting the game-winning home run that gave Tats his NCAA record,” Dashefsky says.

The ‘Bows finished 69-15, falling to Arizona in the regional finals.

Sunday, June 01, 2014

jiu jitsu in Hawaii

Romolo Barros, who founded the Hawaii Triple Crown of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, believes jiu-jitsu has made him a better person.

He was born and raised in Brazil, but didn’t learn jiujitsu until he was a senior in high school living in California with his older brother Robson (who also is a black belt), and their roommate was Rorion Gracie, creator of the hugely successful Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Learning jiu-jitsu improves your overall life in every way – to be a better husband, a better father, a better human being and a complete fighter,” explains Barros. “You will become more secure with yourself. You will learn how to defend yourself, but in the process of getting there, you also will learn a lot more than just how to be a better fighter.

“The essence of Gracie jiu-jitsu is leverage – using the least amount of force for the maximum results. Whatever position you fall into, you just have to find the leverage there, and you’ll be fine. So Brazilian jiu-jitsu is for everyone: big, small, weak, strong, young or old.”

In addition to jiu-jitsu, Barros also loves to surf, and he moved to Hawaii 30 years ago for the waves, as well as the beauty of the Islands and the aloha spirit.

Shortly after, Relson Gracie (Rorion’s brother), also moved to Hawaii and started teaching his family’s style of self-defense here. Barros started training with Relson, and together they shared a passion for promoting jiu jitsu in Hawaii. “Relson was the first to put on jiu-jitsu events here, but then he stopped and I felt there was a need to continue it,” says Barros. “It’s about the opportunity to showcase the talent in Hawaii through friendly competition, So, I created Hawaii Triple Crown of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.”

Barros, who is a fifth-degree black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, owns and operates Brazilian Freestyle Jiu-Jitsu/Gracie Elite Team, as well as the Brazilian Freestyle Jiu-Jitsu Association.

“Although I originally learned jiu-jitsu from Rorion, I got my black belt from Rickson Gracie, who continues to be my mentor and close friend,” adds Barros. “And Rolls Gracie also was a great friend, instructor and inspiration. I got my first belt, a blue belt, from him and Rorion. Rolls passed away very young, but left a legacy for all of us, just like Grand Master Helio Gracie did.”

“One of the greatest things about jiu-jitsu is it makes you a more humble person,” adds Barros. “I see it all the time in class. You also become more confident, and you develop physical and mental skills. It’s one of the best workouts you can have.

“From when I moved to Hawaii, jiu-jitsu really has grown a lot. There used to be only one school, Relson’s school, and then mine. Now, I can’t really tell you how many there are, but there’s got to be hundreds.”

Barros continues to teach and train jiu-jitsu, as well as surf, swim and lift weights. He also follows the Gracie diet, which is based on a proper combination of foods.

EA settlement

A $40 million settlement has been completed that will pay college football and basketball players dating to 2003 for the use of their likenesses in NCAA-branded video games.

The payouts could go to more than 100,000 athletes, including some current players, who were either on college rosters or had their images used in videogames made by Electronic Arts featuring college teams. Lawyers for the plaintiffs say it would be the first time college athletes will be paid for the commercial use of their images.

Depending on how many athletes apply for the settlement, the payments could range from as little as $48 for each year an athlete was on a roster to $951 for each year the image of an athlete was used in a videogame.

“We’re incredibly pleased with the results of this settlement and the opportunity to right a huge wrong enacted by the NCAA and EA against these players and their rights of publicity,” said Steve Berman, one of the lead attorneys in the case. “We’ve fought against intense legal hurdles since filing this case in 2009, and to see this case come to fruition is a certain victory.”

The settlement is with Electronic Arts and Collegiate Licensing Co., which licenses and markets college sports, and does not include the NCAA. The case against the NCAA is scheduled for trial early next year.

Plaintiffs in the case, which dates to 2009, contend the NCAA conspired with Electronic Arts and Collegiate Licensing Co. to illegally use their images in videogames.

U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken still must approve the proposed settlement, which comes on the eve of a major antitrust trial against the NCAA that could reshape the way college sports operate. That case, featuring former UCLA basketball star Ed O’Bannon and others as lead plaintiffs, goes to trial June 9 in Oakland, California.

According to documents filed with the court late Friday, attorneys for O’Bannon and 20 other plaintiffs say they have already run up legal fees exceeding $30 million and expenses of more than $4 million in pressing their case. They are seeking an injunction that would stop the NCAA from enforcing rules that prohibit athletes from profiting from their play in college.

O’Bannon, who led UCLA to a national title in 1995, is also part of the group settling with EA Sports and Collegiate Licensing Co. Also covered by the settlement are suits brought by former Arizona State quarterback Sam Keller, former West Virginia football player Shawne Alston and former Rutgers player Ryan Hart.

According to the filing, a pool of money will be available to players after attorneys take 33 percent of the proposed settlement and up to $2.5 million in expenses. Named plaintiffs like O’Bannon and Keller will receive $15,000, while others who joined the suit later would get $2,500 or $5,000.

The majority of the money, however, will go to athletes who file for claims, a group that attorneys say could contain between 140,000 and 200,000 players who were on football and basketball rosters from 2003 on. The final payouts will depend on how many of those athletes file claims in the class-action case.

EA Sports announced last year it would stop making the long-running NCAA football video game series because of the litigation and other issues in securing licensing rights.