Sports Watch

By Bill Kwon

Monday, October 6, 1997

Nothing good about
losing by nine TDs

I don't know about you, but I was raised in the old local style.

My parents would always tell me, "If you can't say anything good about anybody, don't say anything at all."

And I never did because I'd only get a slap in the head if I did.

There was no such thing as child abuse in those days.

You did something wrong, you'd get a whack. If your teacher ever gave you a rap on the knuckles for misbehaving in school, you'd never dare tell your parents. They'd whack you even more, figuring if the teacher had hit you, he or she had a damn good reason.

Somehow, we all grew up all the better for it.

After watching every painful down in the University of Hawaii's humiliating 63-0 loss to Colorado State in Fort Collins on the tube last Saturday, I thought about my parents' admonition, even if they're no longer around to slap my head.

If I can't say anything good about the performance of the football Rainbows, it's better I don't say anything at all.

So I won't say that:

The 63-point loss was the third worst in UH football history after College of the Pacific's 75-0 victory in 1949 and Wyoming's 66-0 romp last year.

The 'Bows lost their 18th straight Western Athletic Conference road game.

The Rainbows, who were last in the WAC in third-down conversions going into the game, virtually clinched their stranglehold on that dubious distinction by converting only two of 13 attempts.

When Coach Fred vonAppen said, "Expect More," I didn't think he meant more 60-point losses.

The punt coverage team sucked.

The coaching staff gave up by calling for a pooch punt from Colorado State's 33-yard line with the Rainbows trailing, 42-0. Especially since they had never shown any propensity in stopping the Rams anyway.

AND so, I won't say anything more about what happened in Fort Collins last week.

It's history. No sense dwelling on what happened in the past, even if it was only a few days ago. And so what if you lost by 63 points. A loss is a loss is a loss, so they tell me. It's easy for "they" to say. To me there's a helluva difference between a six-point and a 63-point loss. But never mind.

As far as I'm concerned, the moment of silence over that disaster at Colorado State has been observed. It's over and done with. Pau already.

It's time to move on. It's time to think about . . . Fresno State, Saturday's night's opponent.

Considering that the Rainbows haven't played at Aloha Stadium since Sept. 13, maybe it's time to think about them, too.

One thing about UH football fans. It's out-of-sight, out-of-mind for them. Most of them weren't physically present to see Hawaii lose at UNLV and Colorado State. So, if the Rainbows fell with a loud thud and nobody was around to hear it, did they really lose?

OR, putting it another way, the Rainbows have lost only one game at home as far as their diehard fans are concerned.

Unfortunately, they're running into what is perhaps the WAC's most improved team.

Fresno State figured to be in a rebuilding year this season under new coach Pat Hill. But after their impressive 27-13 victory over Utah last Thursday, the Bulldogs should be heavy favorites over the Rainbows.

For one thing, they can light up the scoreboard, something that the 'Bows have had a hard time doing this season. The Bulldogs scored 35 points in bowing to Baylor and 37 in an overtime loss to Oregon.

Meanwhile, the 'Bows are having a difficult time making first downs, let alone touchdowns.

I know, I know.

Be nice.