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Sports Watch
DURING the days when he was University of Hawaii's football coach, Larry Price came up with one of the all-time quotes about the way the university in particular and the state in general operates: Temporary can
turn into permanent"There is nothing more permanent at the university than a temporary building."
And so, whenever I hear about an interim coach or an acting athletic director or even a temporary president, I get a little antsy.
Not only because it means coming up with a temporary solution, a quick fix. But because it's just another way of saying nothing will get done for now.
Sometimes, though, naming an interim somebody is necessary, especially in the event of an emergency.
It is just the case with the naming of Carl Furutani as the interim Rainbow baseball coach until Les Murakami recovers from the stroke he suffered in his office Nov. 2.
The team's pitching coach, Furutani has been Murakami's full-time assistant since 1988.
"We're all hoping that Les will be back," said athletic director Hugh Yoshida. "Until then, Carl's going to be the guy to head the program."
With the Rainbow baseball team beginning fall practice next week, Yoshida asked Furutani to take over.
"They had some ideas of what they want to do," Yoshida said. "In terms of continuity, Carl's the most logical person."
Murakami had announced he would retire following next season. Now, with his stroke, the UH baseball situation appears even more unsettled.
With Murakami still hospitalized and in critical condition, Yoshida said that any discussion about Murakami's successor for the 2002 season would be "insensitive."
An advertisement seeking applicants for the job vacancy will appear in Monday's MidWeek and later in the NCAA Newsletter's classifieds.
Deadline for applicants is Nov. 30. After that, a screening committee will be formed and will recommend its choice to Yoshida.
Yoshida said there's no rush in naming the next coach.
"Everybody knows Les is retiring," he said.
Yoshida still plans to maintain the same timetable as planned, namely having Murakami's successor physically in place by early next year.
"We just have to see how it plays out. But from a timing standpoint, we're sensitive to Les' situation," Yoshida said.
THE delay, however, is putting Lenn Sakata, a candidate many consider as the top prospect, in a dilemma.
"People keep asking me if I'm interested in the job. I don't know what to tell them," said Sakata, who has spent 27 years as a player, coach and manager in professional baseball.
"I've always had an interest. Les is a friend, but he has never said anything to me. He's loyal to his own people. I feel like I'm looking in from the outside. So I've purposely stayed away."
Now the situation has become more complicated with Murakami's unfortunate condition.
Sakata hasn't applied for the job and probably won't in view of the particulars and the politics that go with the position. And he'd want Murakami's blessing before he does.
No one from UH has approached Sakata.
"By nobody telling me anything, I guess I'm not what they have in mind," Sakata said. "But they know I am interested."
Not that the former Kalani High star and 10-year major league veteran is hurting for employment.
Sakata still works for the San Francisco Giants organization and has signed to manage its Class-A California League team in San Jose next season.
Bill Kwon has been writing about
sports for the Star-Bulletin since 1959.