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Sidelines
Kalani Simpson
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There’s more going on than Wie
AND the No. 1 question not to ask at this year's Lakers camp:
"So ... read any good books lately?"
» I am eminently, horribly, astronomically disappointed in Michelle Wie.
No, not for relinquishing her amateur status and taking home more money than Croesus (a history professor once explained origin of the saying: "He was a rich guy"). That's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
But I'm talking about an even bigger once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
With everyone gathered for the big announcement, with the world watching, with satellite hookups, with people leaning forward with baited breath, knowing she's about to turn pro but just waiting for her to officially say it, it was her duty as a teenager to look confidently into the cameras and say:
"PSYCHE!!!"
Now THAT would have been a press conference.
» Dear Sports Columnist:
"I don't normally read your column, but what you said about Colt Brennan made me laugh. I saw him throw up for the first time during the Boise game. On PPV. He didn't even bother to bend down. It was orange from the Gatorade he constantly drinks on the sidelines."
COMMENT: It's a proven fact. "Barf" columns equal increased readership.
Alternate joke: I think we all remember where we were the first time we saw Colt Brennan throw up.
» Great news that the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl has signed a deal that will bring a Pac-10 team to the game in 2006. And I think the reaction around town has been near unanimous and overwhelming:
"I think I'll go to the game in 2006."
» This just in -- a Star-Bulletin investigation has revealed that Bev Harbin was also Hawaii's special teams coach ...
» So the general feeling is that all three of Hawaii's football losses have given reason for optimism, were efforts you could feel good about? That's either a good sign or a bad one.
» The most impressive thing isn't that turf guru and honorary local guy George Toma has a national TV commercial. The impressive thing is that they got the Nitty Gritty Dirt Man to do it with his shirt on.
» Sure, anyone can tell you that new Lakers special assistant Kareem Abdul-Jabbar retired when his new protégé, 17-year-old first-round draft pick Andrew Bynum, was a mere lad of 1. But I prefer to think of it that "Airplane!" came out seven years before the kid was born. And "Game of Death" is nine years older than he is.
Of course, Bynum might have been just the right age to have caught his future mentor in "Slam Dunk Ernest."
» Very nice move by Michelle Wie in instantly donating a decent chunk of her newfound wealth to the hurricane victims. Of course it's genuine. It's what we all say we'd do if someone ever gave us $10 million. It's great that someone finally got to feel what it would be like to actually do that.
» Who knows what's going to happen with the Rainbow Wahine volleyball team, but when 6-6 is the worst start in school history, there really isn't much to complain about. They are mostly the same players, so maybe this year is just the "interesting" season last year's was supposed to be.
» My favorite UH football player: Nate Ilaoa. Why? Because we both, as June Jones put it this week, should probably "have a salad" every once in a while.
» More Wie: They had to rush the big press conference because she was heading off to school? When, eventually? Obviously, the timing of the event had as much to do with hitting the East Coast media deadlines (and the Star-Bulletin's night final, too, much mahalos there). Because she didn't exactly rush off to school. Not that I blame her, on a once-in-a-lifetime day like that, but let's get the story straight.
» Biggest surprise -- no mention of going shopping. This is the new, mature, professional Wie.
» The more I think about it, that really was a good move. I think Michelle is onto something here. I think maybe I'll go pro.