IS there any "per" for the University of Hawaii to play Notre Dame in football? Playing Irish per-fect
way to end seasonSure. PER-ception and PER-spective. I'll get to that later.
Obviously, scheduling the Fighting Irish might create too much of a mismatch, especially for this year's Rainbows, who don't have the talent UH had in 1991, when it played its only other game against Notre Dame.
The oddsmakers have Notre Dame as a 26-point favorite in Saturday afternoon's game at Aloha Stadium. Either they're being kind or hoping Irish coach Bob Davie will be charitable.
But scheduling Notre Dame once every five or six years is a good litmus test to determine how far the UH football program has progressed, or regressed.
Obviously, UH has gone in the latter direction. In 1991, the Rainbows gave the Irish a scare before losing, 48-42. It won't be close this time. Notre Dame visits Hawaii again in 2001.
But it gives local fans a chance to see one of the most storied teams in college football.
More important, though, is it gives Hawaii players an opportunity to play Notre Dame.
"It's an honor for our players to play against them. But they shouldn't be awe-struck," Rainbow coach Fred vonAppen said. "Twenty-six seniors have an opportunity to close out their careers with a victory over a prestigious institution."
VonAppen quickly adds, "if, if, if." But he knows his players are looking forward to playing Notre Dame. "Anybody with a competitive zeal likes to play the best," he said.
Year in and year out, Notre Dame is among college football's best, even if it isn't ranked going into this weekend's game. But don't be surprised if the Irish crack the Top 25 in the final Associated Press poll following the bowl games.
Which brings us to the first "per" -- perception. When you think of football, you think of Notre Dame.
NOTRE Dame football represents success, tradition and history: Knute Rockne; the Four Horsemen; "Win one for the Gipper;" Touchdown Jesus; the Golden Dome; national championships; Heisman Trophy winners; popularizing the forward pass; and the master of clutch completions, Joe Montana.
It's no wonder bowl officials are falling all over themselves, trying to court Notre Dame even though it will be only 7-5 after beating Hawaii. And unlike last year, when Lou Holtz declined a non-alliance bowl invitation for his 8-3 team, Davie wants his seniors to play in a postseason game.
Davie knows that beating Hawaii won't get him a Top 25 ranking. But beating a quality opponent, even in a second-tier bowl game, would.
Notre Dame athletic director Mike Wadsworth said his top priority for a bowl game is facing a quality opponent. He's not concerned with when and where it's being held or the financial payout.
Which brings us to the final "per" -- perspective.
FANS, especially Rainbow rooters, will have to put this game into perspective and not ask for too much.
David isn't going to slay Goliath in this one, unless they change the rules and allow the flinging of stones.
The best way to put things in perspective is to acknowledge that nearly every player on the Irish roster was an all-city or all-state pick in high school. And by my count, they had 11 Parade or USA/Today prep All-Americans on the team, including Hawaii's Jason Ching.
The Rainbows are fortunate to get second-team Interscholastic League of Honolulu picks. Not that that's so bad, if they're like senior Eddie Klaneski.
And vonAppen wasn't kidding when he said Notre Dame had to charter three cargo planes, one just for the offensive linemen. They're huge.
Heck, even Notre Dame's media guide is twice as heavy as Hawaii's.