BOBBY Curran is a sportscaster - and in my opinion, the best basketball play-by-play reporter in the state by a fairly wide margin. As for another kind of reporting - aggressive, objective sports news reporting - Curran is quick to admit it's just not in him. A line between journalism
and play-by-play"My degree is in English. I consider myself an entertainer and not a journalist," he says. "I'll go with something (critical or negative), but I don't hold college athletes to the same standard as pros. These are kids. And they're working their butts off, for a scholarship that comes out to about two bucks an hour."
Curran is once again the radio voice of University of Hawaii football and basketball, replacing Bob Hogue, who was dismissed last week.
UH athletic director Hugh Yoshida said Hogue was let go because of stories that Hogue, as KHON-TV sports director, and his staff reported over the years. The stories displeased Rainbow coaches because they put their programs in less-than-favorable light.
Hogue, many colleagues and other supporters were quick to call foul, citing concepts like honest reporting and free speech.
But what exactly is the role of a play-by-play person? Is he an independent journalist, with full freedom to question? Or part of the team?
"The statement by Hugh Yoshida that he considers us employees of the university did not sit well with me," said Jim Leahey, the longtime-television voice of UH sports. "I'm an employee of King Broadcasting, which has the rights to do these games. My responsibility is to do the work in the best manner I know - with the emphasis on the game itself. On the other hand, I've often been critical, but the university has never told me what to say or not to say."
Opinions vary on how accountable college athletes - and sports figures in general - should be for their actions off the field.
BUT this is not about the First Amendment as much as it is an employer deciding who it wants for an employee. Because - although Leahey is technically correct - play-by-play broadcasters are de facto employees of the university in that the university retains contractual right to choose them. This is merely a case of when that right was invoked.
The situation also makes it look as though Curran is backing into the job - which is wrong. Many people forget that he held it before and did it well, losing it only on a technical fluke.
And several UH sources said they believe they are now "trading up."
"Bobby knows the game," men's basketball coach Riley Wallace said. "He comes to practice and tries to learn exactly what the team is doing and just reports the game. The two years he did this before were very comfortable."
Curran is a UH alumnus who works at Wallace's summer camp. He also helped raise money for the football program last fall.
The relationship between the team and play-by-play reporter - and not just in Hawaii - has always been more friendly than adversarial. Most are homers. Tough reporting is usually for others.
"Although I'm allowed to be critical, I do have to see that the university is marketed well, and the athletes are presented in a professional manner," said Leahey. "That's my job."
Curran echoed that.
"I feel the play-by-play guy has a large influence on the public perception of the programs," he said. "If you spend time around the program, you see what they're trying to accomplish and it creates a natural empathy.
"Also, I think I understand that I'm not in the game and I'm not the story," he added.
Nevertheless, Bobby Curran is again a major player in Rainbow sports - in the rightful spot he previously earned by merit.
And Bob Hogue, who is still sports director at KHON, has more time to work on serious stories now with no conflict.
More power to them both.
Dave Reardon is a magazine editor and freelance
writer who has covered Hawaii sports since 1977.
He can be reached via the Star-Bulletin or
by email at reardon@aloha.com.
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