SPRING football, who needs it? There are pros and cons about its value. Spring football might not be around long
However, everybody does it because, well, because everybody does it. Even the hallowed Ivy Leaguers for the first time a couple of years ago. So it must not be too bad a spring ritual.
Those in favor of spring football say that it's a way to get an early start on your personnel, a chance to move a few players around to different positions, get the kinks out. You know, the football thing.
Those against spring football think it's a waste of academic time. These guys would be better off hitting the books rather than hitting each other. Besides, nobody ever has won the starting job in the spring.
Tell senior Johnny Macon about it. Three springs ago, as a sophomore, he was told by then offensive coordinator Paul Johnson that the starting quarterback's job was his. We all know what happened. "It wasn't so," said Macon, who's now one of the team's wide receivers and maybe the best at that.
MACON was one of the Rainbows going full tilt in spring practice at Cooke Field, putting on pads for the first time Tuesday. So was fellow senior Eddie Klaneski, the best example of how good unheralded players from Hawaii's high schools can be if given the opportunity to blossom.
Mind you, the former Damien High player - what was he, ILH second team? - started as a walk-on and became an All-WAC defensive back after switching over from offense. And you know what? He's still catching more passes as a DB than Rainbow wide receivers, who had the dropsies in Tuesday's session.
"I really enjoy it," says Klaneski. "We don't have a lot of scrimmaging and stuff like that. But there's a lot of technique development and a chance for the team to come together and learn how to play with each other. That way we can get stronger as a team."
Even a lot of dropped passes by the receivers that day didn't deter Klaneski. "Even in bad practices like this, you've got to keep trying and working hard," he said. "Good things will come to you if you keep working hard."
"Spring is good because you can iron out the wrinkles and get a little preview how things should run," Macon added.
"You don't really like to come out here and hit your teammates for two weeks, but it's necessary because it does help you get better in the long run. The more you practice, the more you play, the better you get. In that respect, spring practice is definitely a must."
Coach Fred vonAppen is aware of the ambivalence of spring football but he still likes it.
"We always have a concern academically because we're trying to right some ills we've had in that area," vonAppen said. "But we're still in favor of doing it. I enjoy spring because you don't have to play a game, you don't have to read about how badly you're playing."
SERIOUSLY, vonAppen likes spring ball because it's a time when he can really coach guys, spending more time with players who might not be quite up to speed and there's no pressure getting them ready for a game.
"It's one of the pure experiences in coaching," he said.
"Ultimately, I think we'll see spring practice go away. I don't think it's cost accountable, time-wise or money-wise. That's one of the reasons why they changed the format this year. It's to see what impact it would have on the injury situation. There are too many injuries in spring.
"I think eventually they'll liberalize the off-season so that you can use sleds and bags and footballs. And they'll take us out of pads completely. It has been reduced from 30 to 25 to 20 to 15 days and 15 now with five not in pads. Ultimately, I think the college presidents will pull the plug on it."