Press Box
A BRIEF STORY in Friday's newspaper said the University of Hawaii athletic department would offer refunds to fans who refuse to cross the picket lines to attend this weekend's sporting events -- a grand gesture. Giving refunds was
right thing for UH to doThe reason given was to avoid potential traffic problems created by picket lines, although the faculty reportedly didn't clog the major Manoa arteries last night.
But no matter whose side department officials favor in this ongoing battle between the faculty and the State of Hawaii, there will come a tomorrow when they will have to work with the people who are striking for better wages today.
Anyone paying half-attention to the athletic department's plight realizes any more money lost this fiscal year for the Rainbow Warriors will drive them deeper in debt. It's a tough position for athletic director Hugh Yoshida to be in since he's ultimately responsible for the department's bottom line.
He realizes the top-ranked men's volleyball team figured to draw at least 3,500 for each of this weekend's exhibition meetings with a team from the University of Alberta. True, it wasn't a marquee matchup like UCLA. But these were the final regular-season games for UH as it prepared for this week's critical trip to BYU.
The Hawaii baseball team is involved in a crucial series of its own. Despite not having stroke-stricken Les Murakami standing just outside the third-base coach's box this season, UH has played well enough lately to make the series with rival Fresno State interesting.
The Bulldogs are an attractive opponent, and with the Oahu Interscholastic Association forced to cancel games because of the public teachers' strike, it figured more sports fans would turn to the colleges to get their fix.
Not that this potential windfall would do anything to keep Hawaii from landing in red ink after the final numbers are tallied this June. It wouldn't. But instead of preaching business as usual, the athletic department took the higher ground and gave fans an out.
Hopefully, not too many who decided to sit this one out will ask for their money back. They should consider it a contribution to a greater good.
If Yoshida, whose pockets are as shallow as the Rainbow Stadium outfield these days, can bite the bullet, then fans should follow his lead.
FOR THOSE WHO DID cross the picket lines this weekend they weren't always welcomed with open arms. If you take the faculty's side in this matter, then helping the university make money in any way, shape or form is considered taboo.
Hawaii head coach June Jones -- who pockets more money than most, if not all, of the teachers walking the line -- wasn't greeted graciously after he tried to go to work Thursday. According to those who were picketing that gate, he was genuinely surprised anyone would be angry for him going to his office.
That alone shows how serious this matter is to the faculty and why many fans stayed home. KFVE-TV (Channel 5) made it easy in some ways by broadcasting both volleyball matches and all three baseball games.
What UH does in the future, should this be a prolonged walkout, is open for debate. But this weekend, Yoshida gave his best Spike Lee imitation by doing the right thing.
Paul Arnett has been covering sports
for the Star-Bulletin since 1990.
Email Paul: parnett@starbulletin.com.